Estimating aspen volume and weight for individual trees, diameter classes, or entire stands.

Treesearch

Bryce E. Schlaegel

1975-01-01

Presents allometric volume and weight equations for Minnesota quaking aspen. Volume, green weight, and dry weight estimates can be made for wood, bark, and limbs on the basis of individual trees, diameter classes, or entire stands.

The significance of placental ratios in pregnancies complicated by small for gestational age, preeclampsia, and gestational diabetes mellitus.

PubMed

Kim, Hee Sun; Cho, Soo Hyun; Kwon, Han Sung; Sohn, In Sook; Hwang, Han Sung

2014-09-01

This study aimed to evaluate the placental weight, volume, and density, and investigate the significance of placental ratios in pregnancies complicated by small for gestational age (SGA), preeclampsia (PE), and gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). Two hundred and fifty-four pregnant women were enrolled from August 2005 through July 2013. Participants were divided into four groups: control (n=82), SGA (n=37), PE (n=102), and GDM (n=33). The PE group was classified as PE without intrauterine growth restriction (n=65) and PE with intrauterine growth restriction (n=37). Birth weight, placental weight, placental volume, placental density, and placental ratios including birth weight/placental weight ratio (BPW) and birth weight/placental volume ratio (BPV) were compared between groups. Birth weight, placental weight, and placental volume were lower in the SGA group than in the control group. However, the BPW and BPV did not differ between the two groups. Birth weight, placental weight, placental volume, BPW, and BPV were all significantly lower in the PE group than in the control group. Compared with the control group, birth weight, BPW, and BPV were higher in the GDM group, whereas placental weight and volume did not differ in the two groups. Placental density was not significantly different among the four groups. Placental ratios based on placental weight, placental volume, placental density, and birth weight are helpful in understanding the pathophysiology of complicated pregnancies. Moreover, they can be used as predictors of pregnancy complications.

Optimal Sensor Allocation for Fault Detection and Isolation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Azam, Mohammad; Pattipati, Krishna; Patterson-Hine, Ann

2004-01-01

Automatic fault diagnostic schemes rely on various types of sensors (e.g., temperature, pressure, vibration, etc) to measure the system parameters. Efficacy of a diagnostic scheme is largely dependent on the amount and quality of information available from these sensors. The reliability of sensors, as well as the weight, volume, power, and cost constraints, often makes it impractical to monitor a large number of system parameters. An optimized sensor allocation that maximizes the fault diagnosibility, subject to specified weight, volume, power, and cost constraints is required. Use of optimal sensor allocation strategies during the design phase can ensure better diagnostics at a reduced cost for a system incorporating a high degree of built-in testing. In this paper, we propose an approach that employs multiple fault diagnosis (MFD) and optimization techniques for optimal sensor placement for fault detection and isolation (FDI) in complex systems. Keywords: sensor allocation, multiple fault diagnosis, Lagrangian relaxation, approximate belief revision, multidimensional knapsack problem.

Phase 1 engineering and technical data report for the thermal control extravehicular life support system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1975-01-01

A shuttle EVLSS Thermal Control System (TCS) is defined. Thirteen heat rejection subsystems, thirteen water management subsystems, nine humidity control subsystems, three pressure control schemes and five temperature control schemes are evaluated. Sixteen integrated TCS systems are studied, and an optimum system is selected based on quantitative weighting of weight, volume, cost, complexity and other factors. The selected sybsystem contains a sublimator for heat rejection, a bubble expansion tank for water management, and a slurper and rotary separator for humidity control. Design of the selected subsystem prototype hardware is presented.

Diurnal Changes in Volume and Specific Tissue Weight of Crassulacean Acid Metabolism Plants 1

PubMed Central

Chen, Sheng-Shu; Black, Clanton C.

1983-01-01

The diurnal variations in volume and in specific weight were determined for green stems and leaves of Crassulacen acid metabolism (CAM) plants. Volume changes were measured by a water displacement method. Diurnal variations occurred in the volume of green CAM tissues. Their volume increased early in the light period reaching a maximum about mid-day, then the volume decreased to a minimum near midnight. The maximum volume increase each day was about 2.7% of the total volume. Control leaves of C3 and C4 plants exhibited reverse diurnal volume changes of 0.2 to 0.4%. The hypothesis is presented and supported that green CAM tissues should exhibit a diurnal increase in volume due to the increase of internal gas pressure from CO2 and O2 when their stomata are closed. Conversely, the volume should decrease when the gas pressure is decreased. The second hypothesis presented and supported was that the specific weight (milligrams of dry weight per square centimeter of green surface area) of green CAM tissues should increase at night due to the net fixation of CO2. Green CAM tissues increased their specific weight at night in contrast to control C3 and C4 leaves which decreased their specific weight at night. With Kalanchoë daigremontiana leaves, the calculated increase in specific leaf weight at night based on estimates of carbohydrate available for net CO2 fixation was near 6% and the measured increase in specific leaf weight was 6%. Diurnal measurements of CAM tissue water content were neither coincident nor reciprocal with their diurnal patterns of either volume or specific weight changes. PMID:16662833

Isotropic non-white matter partial volume effects in constrained spherical deconvolution.

PubMed

Roine, Timo; Jeurissen, Ben; Perrone, Daniele; Aelterman, Jan; Leemans, Alexander; Philips, Wilfried; Sijbers, Jan

2014-01-01

Diffusion-weighted (DW) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a non-invasive imaging method, which can be used to investigate neural tracts in the white matter (WM) of the brain. Significant partial volume effects (PVEs) are present in the DW signal due to relatively large voxel sizes. These PVEs can be caused by both non-WM tissue, such as gray matter (GM) and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), and by multiple non-parallel WM fiber populations. High angular resolution diffusion imaging (HARDI) methods have been developed to correctly characterize complex WM fiber configurations, but to date, many of the HARDI methods do not account for non-WM PVEs. In this work, we investigated the isotropic PVEs caused by non-WM tissue in WM voxels on fiber orientations extracted with constrained spherical deconvolution (CSD). Experiments were performed on simulated and real DW-MRI data. In particular, simulations were performed to demonstrate the effects of varying the diffusion weightings, signal-to-noise ratios (SNRs), fiber configurations, and tissue fractions. Our results show that the presence of non-WM tissue signal causes a decrease in the precision of the detected fiber orientations and an increase in the detection of false peaks in CSD. We estimated 35-50% of WM voxels to be affected by non-WM PVEs. For HARDI sequences, which typically have a relatively high degree of diffusion weighting, these adverse effects are most pronounced in voxels with GM PVEs. The non-WM PVEs become severe with 50% GM volume for maximum spherical harmonics orders of 8 and below, and already with 25% GM volume for higher orders. In addition, a low diffusion weighting or SNR increases the effects. The non-WM PVEs may cause problems in connectomics, where reliable fiber tracking at the WM-GM interface is especially important. We suggest acquiring data with high diffusion-weighting 2500-3000 s/mm(2), reasonable SNR (~30) and using lower SH orders in GM contaminated regions to minimize the non-WM PVEs in CSD.

Early post-operative weight loss after laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy correlates with the volume of the excised stomach and not with that of the sleeve! Preliminary data from a multi-detector computed tomography-based study.

PubMed

Pawanindra, Lal; Vindal, Anubhav; Midha, Manoj; Nagpal, Prashant; Manchanda, Alpana; Chander, Jagdish

2015-10-01

Pre- and post-operative stomach volumes can be important determinants for effectiveness of laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) in causing weight loss. There is little existing data on the volumes of stomach preoperatively and that excised during LSG. This study was designed to evaluate the change in gastric volume after LSG using multi-detector CT and to correlate it with early post-operative weight loss. Twenty consecutive patients with BMI ≥ 40 kg/m(2) and medical comorbidities underwent LSG between October 2011 and October 2013 and were analysed prospectively. The pre-operative stomach volume was measured by MDCT done 1-3 days before the surgery. LSG was performed in the standard manner using a 36F bougie. The volume of excised stomach was measured by distending the specimen with saline. MDCT of the upper abdomen was repeated 3 months postoperatively to calculate the gastric sleeve volume. Weight loss and resolution of comorbidities were documented. The mean pre-operative weight of patients was 123.90 kg, and the mean pre-operative stomach volume on MDCT was 1,067 ml. The stomach volume on pre-operative MDCT correlated with pre-operative weight and BMI. The mean volume of the excised stomach was 859 ml when measured by distension of the specimen and 850 ml on MDCT. After 3 months post surgery, the mean volume of gastric sleeve on MDCT was 217 ml, and the mean weight of the patients was 101.22 kg. The volume of the excised stomach calculated by MDCT correlated with the weight loss achieved 3 months postoperatively. However, no correlation was seen between the gastric sleeve volume 3 months postoperatively and weight loss during this period. MDCT is a good method to measure gastric volume before and after LSG. Early post-operative weight loss (3 months) correlates well with the volume of the excised stomach but not with that of the gastric sleeve.

Preparation of microcapsules by complex coacervation of gum Arabic and chitosan.

PubMed

Butstraen, Chloé; Salaün, Fabien

2014-01-01

Gum Arabic-chitosan microcapsules containing a commercially available blend of triglycerides (Miglyol 812 N) as core phase were synthesized by complex coacervation. This study was conducted to clarify the influence of different parameters on the encapsulation process, i.e. during the emulsion formation steps and during the shell formation, using conductometry, zeta potential, surface and interface tension measurement and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy. By carefully analyzing the influencing factors including phase volume ratio, stirring rate and time, pH, reaction time, biopolymer ratio and crosslinking effect, the optimum synthetic conditions were found out. For the emulsion step, the optimum phase volume ratio chosen was 0.10 and an emulsion time of 15 min at 11,000 rpm was selected. The results also indicated that the optimum formation of these complexes appears at a pH value of 3.6 and a weight ratio of chitosan to gum Arabic mixtures of 0.25. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Reduction of tablet weight variability by optimizing paddle speed in the forced feeder of a high-speed rotary tablet press.

PubMed

Peeters, Elisabeth; De Beer, Thomas; Vervaet, Chris; Remon, Jean-Paul

2015-04-01

Tableting is a complex process due to the large number of process parameters that can be varied. Knowledge and understanding of the influence of these parameters on the final product quality is of great importance for the industry, allowing economic efficiency and parametric release. The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of paddle speeds and fill depth at different tableting speeds on the weight and weight variability of tablets. Two excipients possessing different flow behavior, microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) and dibasic calcium phosphate dihydrate (DCP), were selected as model powders. Tablets were manufactured via a high-speed rotary tablet press using design of experiments (DoE). During each experiment also the volume of powder in the forced feeder was measured. Analysis of the DoE revealed that paddle speeds are of minor importance for tablet weight but significantly affect volume of powder inside the feeder in case of powders with excellent flowability (DCP). The opposite effect of paddle speed was observed for fairly flowing powders (MCC). Tableting speed played a role in weight and weight variability, whereas changing fill depth exclusively influenced tablet weight. The DoE approach allowed predicting the optimum combination of process parameters leading to minimum tablet weight variability. Monte Carlo simulations allowed assessing the probability to exceed the acceptable response limits if factor settings were varied around their optimum. This multi-dimensional combination and interaction of input variables leading to response criteria with acceptable probability reflected the design space.

Buying pulpwood by weight as compared with volume measure

Treesearch

Michael A. Taras

1956-01-01

During the past few years several pulp and paper companies in the Southeast have started to purchase pulpwood by weight rather thanby volume. The trend toward buying by weight is strong and getting stronger. This conversion from volume to weight measurement of pulpwood brings up many questions. For instance, is the weight basis fair to both buyer and seller? What are...

Patient-related factors influencing detectability of coronary arteries in 320-row CT angiography in infants with complex congenital heart disease.

PubMed

Yamasaki, Yuzo; Kawanami, Satoshi; Kamitani, Takeshi; Sagiyama, Koji; Shin, Seitaro; Hino, Takuya; Nagata, Hazumu; Yabuuchi, Hidetake; Nagao, Michinobu; Honda, Hiroshi

2018-05-05

To investigate the performance of second-generation 320-row computed tomographic (CT) angiography (CTA) in detecting coronary arteries and identify factors influencing visibility of the coronary arteries in infants with complex congenital heart disease (CHD). Data of 60 infants (aged 0-2 years, median 2 months) with complex CHD who underwent examination using 320-row CTA with low-dose prospective electrocardiogram-triggered volume target scanning were reviewed. The coronary arteries of each infant were assessed using a 0-4-point scoring system based on the number of coronary segments with a visible course. Clinical parameters, the CT value in the ascending aorta, image noise, and the radiation dose were subjected to univariate and multivariate analyses. The mean coronary score for all examinations was 2.6 ± 1.5 points. The mean attenuation in the ascending aorta was 306.7 ± 66.2 HU and the mean standard deviation was 21.7 ± 4.4. The mean effective radiation dose was 1.27 ± 0.39 mSv. Multivariate regression analysis showed significant correlations between coronary score and body weight (p < 0.05) and between coronary score and the CT value in the ascending aorta (p < 0.02). Second-generation 320-row CTA with prospective electrocardiogram-triggered volume target scanning and hybrid iterative reconstruction allows good visibility of the coronary arteries in infants with complex CHD. Body weight and the CT value in the ascending aorta are important factors influencing the visibility of the coronary arteries in infants.

Experimental determination and allometric prediction of vitreous volume, and retina and lens weights in Göttingen minipigs.

PubMed

Shafiee, Afshin; McIntire, Greg L; Sidebotham, Lisa C; Ward, Keith W

2008-01-01

To determine the vitreous volume, and retinal and lens wet weights in male and female Göttingen minipigs of different age groups. Vitreous, lens and retina were isolated from fresh minipig eyes. Vitreous volume, lens and retina weight were measured and allometric scaling was utilized to predict these parameters. There were no gender differences in body weights or retina and lens weights in the three age groups examined in this study. For vitreous volumes, females had a significantly larger volume (approximately 10%-12%) than males in the 4-6 and 6-8 month, but not in the 8-11-month group. The mean body weight increased from 12.2 +/- 2.6 kg (4-6 months) to 19.4 +/- 4.0 kg (8-11 months). In the same period, the mean vitreous volume increased from 2.00 +/- 0.28 to 2.67 +/- 0.31 mL, while the mean retinal and lens weights increased from 114 +/- 22 to 126 +/- 17 mg, and from 298 +/- 26 to 392 +/- 15 mg, respectively. Allometric analysis between six species for vitreous volume and four species for lens weight covering a weight range of 260-fold was not able to estimate the vitreous volume, but it did predict the lens weight in 8-11 months minipigs. Overall these measurements add important context to intraocular pharmacology studies, and will help in the improved design and interpretation of such experiments.

A Framework for Linear and Non-Linear Registration of Diffusion-Weighted MRIs Using Angular Interpolation

PubMed Central

Duarte-Carvajalino, Julio M.; Sapiro, Guillermo; Harel, Noam; Lenglet, Christophe

2013-01-01

Registration of diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance images (DW-MRIs) is a key step for population studies, or construction of brain atlases, among other important tasks. Given the high dimensionality of the data, registration is usually performed by relying on scalar representative images, such as the fractional anisotropy (FA) and non-diffusion-weighted (b0) images, thereby ignoring much of the directional information conveyed by DW-MR datasets itself. Alternatively, model-based registration algorithms have been proposed to exploit information on the preferred fiber orientation(s) at each voxel. Models such as the diffusion tensor or orientation distribution function (ODF) have been used for this purpose. Tensor-based registration methods rely on a model that does not completely capture the information contained in DW-MRIs, and largely depends on the accurate estimation of tensors. ODF-based approaches are more recent and computationally challenging, but also better describe complex fiber configurations thereby potentially improving the accuracy of DW-MRI registration. A new algorithm based on angular interpolation of the diffusion-weighted volumes was proposed for affine registration, and does not rely on any specific local diffusion model. In this work, we first extensively compare the performance of registration algorithms based on (i) angular interpolation, (ii) non-diffusion-weighted scalar volume (b0), and (iii) diffusion tensor image (DTI). Moreover, we generalize the concept of angular interpolation (AI) to non-linear image registration, and implement it in the FMRIB Software Library (FSL). We demonstrate that AI registration of DW-MRIs is a powerful alternative to volume and tensor-based approaches. In particular, we show that AI improves the registration accuracy in many cases over existing state-of-the-art algorithms, while providing registered raw DW-MRI data, which can be used for any subsequent analysis. PMID:23596381

A Framework for Linear and Non-Linear Registration of Diffusion-Weighted MRIs Using Angular Interpolation.

PubMed

Duarte-Carvajalino, Julio M; Sapiro, Guillermo; Harel, Noam; Lenglet, Christophe

2013-01-01

Registration of diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance images (DW-MRIs) is a key step for population studies, or construction of brain atlases, among other important tasks. Given the high dimensionality of the data, registration is usually performed by relying on scalar representative images, such as the fractional anisotropy (FA) and non-diffusion-weighted (b0) images, thereby ignoring much of the directional information conveyed by DW-MR datasets itself. Alternatively, model-based registration algorithms have been proposed to exploit information on the preferred fiber orientation(s) at each voxel. Models such as the diffusion tensor or orientation distribution function (ODF) have been used for this purpose. Tensor-based registration methods rely on a model that does not completely capture the information contained in DW-MRIs, and largely depends on the accurate estimation of tensors. ODF-based approaches are more recent and computationally challenging, but also better describe complex fiber configurations thereby potentially improving the accuracy of DW-MRI registration. A new algorithm based on angular interpolation of the diffusion-weighted volumes was proposed for affine registration, and does not rely on any specific local diffusion model. In this work, we first extensively compare the performance of registration algorithms based on (i) angular interpolation, (ii) non-diffusion-weighted scalar volume (b0), and (iii) diffusion tensor image (DTI). Moreover, we generalize the concept of angular interpolation (AI) to non-linear image registration, and implement it in the FMRIB Software Library (FSL). We demonstrate that AI registration of DW-MRIs is a powerful alternative to volume and tensor-based approaches. In particular, we show that AI improves the registration accuracy in many cases over existing state-of-the-art algorithms, while providing registered raw DW-MRI data, which can be used for any subsequent analysis.

Low midpregnancy placental volume in rural Indian women: A cause for low birth weight?

PubMed

Kinare, A S; Natekar, A S; Chinchwadkar, M C; Yajnik, C S; Coyaji, K J; Fall, C H; Howe, D T

2000-02-01

We sought to study midpregnancy placental volume in rural Indian women, its maternal determinants, and its relationship to neonatal size. We performed a prospective community-based study of maternal nutrition and fetal growth in 6 villages near the city of Pune. Measurements included midpregnancy placental volume determined by means of ultrasonography at 15 to 18 weeks' gestation, maternal anthropometric measurements before and during pregnancy, and maternal blood pressure and biochemical parameters during pregnancy. Neonatal size and placental weight were measured at birth. The mothers were short and underweight (mean height, 1.52 m; weight, 42 kg; body mass index, 18 kg/m(2)) and produced small babies (mean birth weight, 2648 g). Midpregnancy placental volume (median, 144 mL) was related to the mother's prepregnancy weight (r = 0.15; P <.001) but not to weight gain during pregnancy, blood pressure, or circulating hemoglobin, ferritin, red blood cell folate, or glucose concentrations. Midpregnancy placental volume was related to placental weight at birth (r = 0.29; P <.001) and birth weight (r = 0.25; P <.001) independent of maternal size. In Indian mothers midpregnancy placental volume is significantly associated with prepregnant maternal weight and is an independent predictor of birth weight. Our findings may provide clues to the high prevalence of low-birth-weight infants in India.

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...

Nuttall Oak Volume and Weight Tables

Treesearch

Bryce E. Schlaegel; Regan B. Willson

1983-01-01

Volume and weight tables were constructed from a 62-tree sample of Nuttall oak (Quercus nuttallii Palmer) taken in the Mississippi Delta. The tables present volume, green weight, and dry weight of bole wood, bole wood plus bark, and total tree above a one-foot stump as predicted from the nonlinear model Y = 0Db

Complex Cardiac Surgery on Patients with a Body Weight of Less Than 5 kg without Donor Blood Transfusion

PubMed Central

Boettcher, Wolfgang; Dehmel, Frank; Redlin, Mathias; Miera, Oliver; Musci, Michele; Cho, Mi-Young; Photiadis, Joachim

2017-01-01

Abstract: Performing safe cardiac surgery in neonates or infants whose parents are Jehovah's Witnesses is only possible in a coordinated team approach. An unconditional prerequisite is a cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) circuit with a very low priming volume to minimize hemodilution. In the past decade, we have developed a functional blood-sparing approach at our institution. The extracorporeal circuit was miniaturized. This had to be recently adapted, faced with a challenge associated with the switch to high-volume crystalloid cardioplegia. A filtration circuit was added. Here, we report an open heart surgery on three consecutive children of Jehovah's Witness parents with a body weight of 2.7, 4.5, and 4.8 kg, respectively. Procedures consisted of one arterial switch operation and two repairs of complete atrioventricular septal defects. Our static priming volume of less than 90 mL resulted in a nadir hematocrit during CPB of 27.7% (Hb 8.9 g/dL) in a patient which happened to have the lowest body weight of 2.7 kg. The two other patients had their lowest hematocrit at 31.4% (Hb 10.2 g/dL). The three children could be treated without any kind of transfusion of blood which had left the circulation or its extensions, in accordance with the parents' wishes, and enjoy favorable outcomes without transfusion of blood products during their entire hospital stay. PMID:28638157

Weight Measurement and Volumetric Displacement of Breast Implants and Tissue Expanders: Why Port and Shell Volumes Matter in Breast Reconstruction, Augmentation, and Revision.

PubMed

Wenzel, Chad G; Wacholtz, William F; Janssen, David A; Bengtson, Bradley P

2015-10-01

There are significant differences in weight and volumetric characteristics between silicone and saline breast implants of which most plastic surgeons are unaware. Phase I of this study was a weight measurement focused on recording differences in the weight of saline volumes instilled versus recorded weights of saline implants and expanders. Phase II compared displaced volume differences of tissue expanders with instilled volumes. As a result of this study, surgeons should now be able to precisely calculate the volume created for breast pocket development, allowing for accurate matching of expander and final breast implant. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Epidemiology and Outcomes After In-Hospital Cardiac Arrest After Pediatric Cardiac Surgery

PubMed Central

Gupta, Punkaj; Jacobs, Jeffrey P.; Pasquali, Sara K.; Hill, Kevin D.; Gaynor, J. William; O’Brien, Sean M.; He, Max; Sheng, Shubin; Schexnayder, Stephen M.; Berg, Robert A.; Nadkarni, Vinay M.; Imamura, Michiaki; Jacobs, Marshall L.

2014-01-01

Background Multicenter data regarding cardiac arrest in children undergoing heart operations are limited. We describe epidemiology and outcomes associated with postoperative cardiac arrest in a large multiinstitutional cohort. Methods Patients younger than 18 years in the Society of Thoracic Surgeons Congenital Heart Surgery Database (2007 through 2012) were included. Patient factors, operative characteristics, and outcomes were described for patients with and without postoperative cardiac arrest. Multivariable models were used to evaluate the association of center volume with cardiac arrest rate and mortality after cardiac arrest, adjusting for patient and procedural factors. Results Of 70,270 patients (97 centers), 1,843 (2.6%) had postoperative cardiac arrest. Younger age, lower weight, and presence of preoperative morbidities (all p < 0.0001) were associated with cardiac arrest. Arrest rate increased with procedural complexity across common benchmark operations, ranging from 0.7% (ventricular septal defect repair) to 12.7% (Norwood operation). Cardiac arrest was associated with significant mortality risk across procedures, ranging from 15.4% to 62.3% (all p < 0.0001). In multivariable analysis, arrest rate was not associated with center volume (odds ratio, 1.06; 95% confidence interval, 0.71 to 1.57 in low- versus high-volume centers). However, mortality after cardiac arrest was higher in low-volume centers (odds ratio, 2.00; 95% confidence interval, 1.52 to 2.63). This association was present for both high- and low-complexity operations. Conclusions Cardiac arrest carries a significant mortality risk across the stratum of procedural complexity. Although arrest rates are not associated with center volume, lower-volume centers have increased mortality after cardiac arrest. Further study of mechanisms to prevent cardiac arrest and to reduce mortality in those with an arrest is warranted. PMID:25443018

Quantifying spatial and temporal trends in beach-dune volumetric changes using spatial statistics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eamer, Jordan B. R.; Walker, Ian J.

2013-06-01

Spatial statistics are generally underutilized in coastal geomorphology, despite offering great potential for identifying and quantifying spatial-temporal trends in landscape morphodynamics. In particular, local Moran's Ii provides a statistical framework for detecting clusters of significant change in an attribute (e.g., surface erosion or deposition) and quantifying how this changes over space and time. This study analyzes and interprets spatial-temporal patterns in sediment volume changes in a beach-foredune-transgressive dune complex following removal of invasive marram grass (Ammophila spp.). Results are derived by detecting significant changes in post-removal repeat DEMs derived from topographic surveys and airborne LiDAR. The study site was separated into discrete, linked geomorphic units (beach, foredune, transgressive dune complex) to facilitate sub-landscape scale analysis of volumetric change and sediment budget responses. Difference surfaces derived from a pixel-subtraction algorithm between interval DEMs and the LiDAR baseline DEM were filtered using the local Moran's Ii method and two different spatial weights (1.5 and 5 m) to detect statistically significant change. Moran's Ii results were compared with those derived from a more spatially uniform statistical method that uses a simpler student's t distribution threshold for change detection. Morphodynamic patterns and volumetric estimates were similar between the uniform geostatistical method and Moran's Ii at a spatial weight of 5 m while the smaller spatial weight (1.5 m) consistently indicated volumetric changes of less magnitude. The larger 5 m spatial weight was most representative of broader site morphodynamics and spatial patterns while the smaller spatial weight provided volumetric changes consistent with field observations. All methods showed foredune deflation immediately following removal with increased sediment volumes into the spring via deposition at the crest and on lobes in the lee, despite erosion on the stoss slope and dune toe. Generally, the foredune became wider by landward extension and the seaward slope recovered from erosion to a similar height and form to that of pre-restoration despite remaining essentially free of vegetation.

Maxillomandibular Volume Influences the Relationship between Weight Loss and Improvement in Obstructive Sleep Apnea

PubMed Central

Sutherland, Kate; Phillips, Craig L.; Yee, Brendon J.; Grunstein, Ronald R.; Cistulli, Peter A.

2016-01-01

Study Objectives: Obesity is the major risk factor for OSA; however, weight loss reduces OSA to a variable extent. We aimed to assess whether size of the maxillomandibular skeletal enclosure influences the relationship between weight loss and OSA reduction. Methods: Obese males (≥ 30 kg/m2) with moderate-severe OSA (AHI > 15/h) participating in a 6-mo open-label weight loss program had craniofacial computed tomography (CT) scans before and after weight loss. CT scans were analysed using three-dimensional cephalometry. Maxillomandibular volume was calculated from skeletal landmarks on the mandible (condyle, gonion, menton) and maxilla (anterior nasal spine). Multiple regression analysis was used to test for moderating effects of maxillomandibular volume on relationship between changes in weight and apnea-hypopnea index (AHI). Results: Fifty-two men (age 44.3 ± 8.8 y, AHI 42.9 ± 21.3 events/h, body mass index [BMI] 34.0 ± 2.7 kg/m2) had 7.4 ± 4.1% weight loss and 34.1 ± 32.4% AHI reduction at 6 months. BMI reduction modestly predicted AHI change (r2 = 0.17, P = 0.002). The interaction term of maxillomandibular volume and BMI change was a predictor of OSA improvement (P = 0.03), indicating maxillomandibular volume moderates this relationship. Subgroup analyses of patients by small, medium, and large maxillomandibular volume showed a strong correlation between weight loss and OSA improvement only in the small volume group (r = 0.654, P = 0.004). There was no relationship evident in those with large maxillomandibular volume (r = 0.05, P = 0.9). Conclusion: Maxillomandibular volume influences the relationship between weight loss and OSA improvement with an effect on AHI more evident in those with a smaller craniofacial skeleton. Citation: Sutherland K, Phillips CL, Yee BJ, Grunstein RR, Cistulli PA. Maxillomandibular volume influences the relationship between weight loss and improvement in obstructive sleep apnea. SLEEP 2016;39(1):43–49. PMID:26350470

SU-F-P-64: The Impact of Plan Complexity Parameters On the Plan Quality and Deliverability of Volumetric Modulated Arc Therapy with Canonical Correlation Analysis

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

Jin, X; Yi, J; Xie, C

Purpose: To evaluate the impact of complexity indices on the plan quality and deliverability of volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT), and to determine the most significant parameters in the generation of an ideal VMAT plan. Methods: A multi-dimensional exploratory statistical method, canonical correlation analysis (CCA) was adopted to study the correlations between VMAT parameters of complexity, quality and deliverability, as well as their contribution weights with 32 two-arc VMAT nasopharyngeal cancer (NPC) patients and 31 one-arc VMAT prostate cancer patients. Results: The MU per arc (MU/Arc) and MU per control point (MU/CP) of NPC were 337.8±25.2 and 3.7±0.3, respectively, whichmore » were significantly lower than those of prostate cancer patients (MU/Arc : 506.9±95.4, MU/CP : 5.6±1.1). The plan complexity indices indicated that two-arc VMAT plans were more complex than one-arc VMAT plans. Plan quality comparison confirmed that one-arc VMAT plans had a high quality than two-arc VMAT plans. CCA results implied that plan complexity parameters were highly correlated with plan quality with the first two canonical correlations of 0.96, 0.88 (both p<0.001) and significantly correlated with deliverability with the first canonical correlation of 0.79 (p<0.001), plan quality and deliverability was also correlated with the first canonical correlation of 0.71 (p=0.02). Complexity parameters of MU/CP, segment area (SA) per CP, percent of MU/CP less 3 and planning target volume (PTV) were weighted heavily in correlation with plan quality and deliveability . Similar results obtained from individual NPC and prostate CCA analysis. Conclusion: Relationship between complexity, quality, and deliverability parameters were investigated with CCA. MU, SA related parameters and PTV volume were found to have strong effect on the plan quality and deliverability. The presented correlation among different quantified parameters could be used to improve the plan quality and the efficiency of the radiotherapy process when creating a complex VMAT plan.« less

[Weak evidence concerning sedentary lifestyle and its association with cardio-metabolic illness among young people. "Junk food" and late evenings in front of the screen part of a complex connection].

PubMed

Fröberg, Andreas; Raustorp, Anders

2015-06-16

During recent decades there has been a rapidly growing interest in youths' sedentary behaviour and its association with cardio-metabolic health. Currently there is little-to-no evidence for a cross-sectional and longitudinal association between volume and pattern (bouts and breaks) of objectively measured sedentary behavior and body weight in youth. Likewise, there is little-to-no evidence for a cross-sectional association between volume and pattern of objectively measured sedentary behavior and other markers for cardio-metabolic risk in youth. However, there is sufficient evidence for a cross-sectional and longitudinal association between screen-time and body weight and blood pressure and blood lipids. Furthermore, there is evidence for a cross-sectional association between youths' screen-time and clustered metabolic risk and insulin resistance. Overall, the level of evidence was low and, therefore, caution is required when interpreting the results.

Program Manual for Producing Weight Scaling Conversion Tables

Treesearch

Gary L. Tyre; Clyde A. Fasick; Frank M. Riley; Frank O. Lege

1973-01-01

Three computer programs are presented which can be applied by individual firms to establish a weight-scaling information system, The first generates volume estimates from truckload weights for any combination of veneer, sawmill, and pulpwood volumes. The second provides quality-control information by tabulating differences between estimated volumes and observed check-...

Validation of Test Weighing Protocol to Estimate Enteral Feeding Volumes in Preterm Infants.

PubMed

Rankin, Michael W; Jimenez, Elizabeth Yakes; Caraco, Marina; Collinson, Marie; Lostetter, Lisa; DuPont, Tara L

2016-11-01

To evaluate the accuracy of pre- and postfeeding weights to estimate enteral feeding volumes in preterm infants. Single-center prospective cohort study of infants 28-36 weeks' corrected age receiving gavage feedings. For each test weight, 3 pre- and 3 postgavage feeding weights were obtained by study personnel, blinded to feeding volume, via a specific protocol. The correlation between test weight difference and actual volume ingested was assessed by the use of summary statistics, Spearman rho, and graphical analyses. The relationship between categorical predictive variables and a predefined acceptable difference (±5 mL) was assessed with the χ 2 or Fisher exact test. A total of 101 test weights were performed in 68 infants. Estimated and actual feeding volumes were highly correlated (r = 0.94, P < .001), with a mean absolute difference of 2.95 mL (SD: 2.70; range: 0, 12.3 mL; 5th, 95th percentile: 0, 9.3); 85% of test weights were within ±5 mL of actual feeding volume and did not vary significantly by corrected age, feeding tube or respiratory support type, feeding duration or volume, formula vs breast milk, or caloric density. With adherence to study protocol, 89% of test weights (66/74) were within ±5 mL of actual volume, compared with 71% (19/27, P = .04) when concerns about protocol adherence were noted (eg, difficulty securing oxygen tubing). Via the use of a standard protocol, feeding volumes can be estimated accurately by pre- and postfeeding weights. Test weighing could be a valuable tool to support direct breastfeeding in the neonatal intensive care unit. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Application of Quantitative Pharmacology Approaches in Bridging Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics of Domagrozumab From Adult Healthy Subjects to Pediatric Patients With Duchenne Muscular Disease.

PubMed

Bhattacharya, Indranil; Manukyan, Zorayr; Chan, Phylinda; Heatherington, Anne; Harnisch, Lutz

2017-10-12

Domagrozumab, a monoclonal antibody that binds to myostatin, is being developed for Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) boys following a first-in-human study in healthy adults. Literature reporting pharmacokinetic parameters of monoclonal antibodies suggested that body-weight- and body-surface-area-adjusted clearance and volume of distribution estimates between adults and children are similar for subjects older than 6 years. Population modeling identified a Michaelis-Menten binding kinetics model to optimally characterize the target mediated drug disposition profile of domagrozumab and identified body mass index on the volume of distribution as the only significant covariate. Model parameters were predicted with high-precision pharmacokinetics (clearance 1.01 × 10 -4 L/[h·kg]; central volume of distribution 457 × 10 -4 L/kg; maximum elimination rate 17.5 × 10 -4 nmol/[h·kg], Km 10.6 nmol/L) and pharmacodynamics (myostatin turnover rate 457 × 10 -4 h -1 ; complex removal rate 90 × 10 -4 h -1 ; half-saturation constant 4.32 nmol/L) and were used to predict target coverage for dosage selection in the DMD population. Additionally, allometric approaches (estimated scaling exponents (standard error) for clearance and volume were 0.81 [0.01] and 0.98 [0.02], respectively) in conjunction with a separate analysis to obtain the population mean weight and standard deviation suggested that if dosed per body weight, an only 11% difference in clearance is expected between the heaviest and lightest patient, thus preventing the need for dose adjustment. In summary, quantitative approaches were instrumental in bridging and derisking the fast-track development of domagrozumab in DMD. © 2017, The American College of Clinical Pharmacology.

Unwinding the hairball graph: Pruning algorithms for weighted complex networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dianati, Navid

2016-01-01

Empirical networks of weighted dyadic relations often contain "noisy" edges that alter the global characteristics of the network and obfuscate the most important structures therein. Graph pruning is the process of identifying the most significant edges according to a generative null model and extracting the subgraph consisting of those edges. Here, we focus on integer-weighted graphs commonly arising when weights count the occurrences of an "event" relating the nodes. We introduce a simple and intuitive null model related to the configuration model of network generation and derive two significance filters from it: the marginal likelihood filter (MLF) and the global likelihood filter (GLF). The former is a fast algorithm assigning a significance score to each edge based on the marginal distribution of edge weights, whereas the latter is an ensemble approach which takes into account the correlations among edges. We apply these filters to the network of air traffic volume between US airports and recover a geographically faithful representation of the graph. Furthermore, compared with thresholding based on edge weight, we show that our filters extract a larger and significantly sparser giant component.

FASTER 3: A generalized-geometry Monte Carlo computer program for the transport of neutrons and gamma rays. Volume 1: Summary report

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jordan, T. M.

1970-01-01

The theory used in FASTER-III, a Monte Carlo computer program for the transport of neutrons and gamma rays in complex geometries, is outlined. The program includes the treatment of geometric regions bounded by quadratic and quadric surfaces with multiple radiation sources which have specified space, angle, and energy dependence. The program calculates, using importance sampling, the resulting number and energy fluxes at specified point, surface, and volume detectors. It can also calculate minimum weight shield configuration meeting a specified dose rate constraint. Results are presented for sample problems involving primary neutron, and primary and secondary photon, transport in a spherical reactor shield configuration.

Will weight loss cause significant dosimetric changes of target volumes and organs at risk in nasopharyngeal carcinoma treated with intensity-modulated radiation therapy?

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

Chen, Chuanben; Fei, Zhaodong; Chen, Lisha

This study aimed to quantify dosimetric effects of weight loss for nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) treated with intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT). Overall, 25 patients with NPC treated with IMRT were enrolled. We simulated weight loss during IMRT on the computer. Weight loss model was based on the planning computed tomography (CT) images. The original external contour of head and neck was labeled plan 0, and its volume was regarded as pretreatment normal weight. We shrank the external contour with different margins (2, 3, and 5 mm) and generated new external contours of head and neck. The volumes of reconstructed external contoursmore » were regarded as weight during radiotherapy. After recontouring outlines, the initial treatment plan was mapped to the redefined CT scans with the same beam configurations, yielding new plans. The computer model represented a theoretical proportional weight loss of 3.4% to 13.7% during the course of IMRT. The dose delivered to the planning target volume (PTV) of primary gross tumor volume and clinical target volume significantly increased by 1.9% to 2.9% and 1.8% to 2.9% because of weight loss, respectively. The dose to the PTV of gross tumor volume of lymph nodes fluctuated from −2.0% to 1.0%. The dose to the brain stem and the spinal cord was increased (p < 0.001), whereas the dose to the parotid gland was decreased (p < 0.001). Weight loss may lead to significant dosimetric change during IMRT. Repeated scanning and replanning for patients with NPC with an obvious weight loss may be necessary.« less

Estimating load weights with Huber's Cubic Volume formula: a field trial.

Treesearch

Dale R. Waddell

1989-01-01

Log weights were estimated from the product of Huber's cubic volume formula and green density. Tags showing estimated log weights were attached to logs in the field, and the weights were tallied into a single load weight as logs were assembled for aerial yarding. Accuracy of the estimated load weights was evaluated by comparing the predicted with the actual load...

Research on Volume Measurement System of Weights with Hydrostatic Technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Jian; Ren, Xiaoping; Yao, Hong; Cai, Changqing; Zhang, Yue; Zhong, Ruilin; Ding, Jing'an

According to Annex B.7.4 of OIML R111-1, equipment for measuring volume of weights mass ranging from 1 kg to 20 kg including three methods of hydrostatic comparison is described. The equipment consists of a robot arm for transferring weights, a liquid bath, a mass comparator with 26.1 kg of maximum capacity and 1 mg of readability, glass housing, two weight exchangers including in air and in liquid, two weight holders including in air and in liquid, and a controller. The equipment will enable to perform automatically volume measurements.

New Internet search volume-based weighting method for integrating various environmental impacts

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

Ji, Changyoon, E-mail: changyoon@yonsei.ac.kr; Hong, Taehoon, E-mail: hong7@yonsei.ac.kr

Weighting is one of the steps in life cycle impact assessment that integrates various characterized environmental impacts as a single index. Weighting factors should be based on the society's preferences. However, most previous studies consider only the opinion of some people. Thus, this research proposes a new weighting method that determines the weighting factors of environmental impact categories by considering public opinion on environmental impacts using the Internet search volumes for relevant terms. To validate the new weighting method, the weighting factors for six environmental impacts calculated by the new weighting method were compared with the existing weighting factors. Themore » resulting Pearson's correlation coefficient between the new and existing weighting factors was from 0.8743 to 0.9889. It turned out that the new weighting method presents reasonable weighting factors. It also requires less time and lower cost compared to existing methods and likewise meets the main requirements of weighting methods such as simplicity, transparency, and reproducibility. The new weighting method is expected to be a good alternative for determining the weighting factor. - Highlight: • A new weighting method using Internet search volume is proposed in this research. • The new weighting method reflects the public opinion using Internet search volume. • The correlation coefficient between new and existing weighting factors is over 0.87. • The new weighting method can present the reasonable weighting factors. • The proposed method can be a good alternative for determining the weighting factors.« less

Tumor Volume and Patient Weight as Predictors of Outcome in Children with Intermediate Risk Rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS): A Report from the Children’s Oncology Group

PubMed Central

Rodeberg, David A.; Stoner, Julie A.; Garcia-Henriquez, Norbert; Randall, R. Lor; Spunt, Sheri L.; Arndt, Carola A.; Kao, Simon; Paidas, Charles N.; Million, Lynn; Hawkins, Douglas S.

2010-01-01

Background To compare tumor volume and patient weight vs. traditional factors of tumor diameter and patient age, to determine which parameters best discriminates outcome among intermediate risk RMS patients. Methods Complete patient information for non-metastatic RMS patients enrolled in the Children’s Oncology Group (COG) intermediate risk study D9803 (1999–2005) was available for 370 patients. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to estimate survival distributions. A recursive partitioning model was used to identify prognostic factors associated with event-free survival (EFS). Cox-proportional hazards regression models were used to estimate the association between patient characteristics and the risk of failure or death. Results For all intermediate risk patients with RMS, a recursive partitioning algorithm for EFS suggests that prognostic groups should optimally be defined by tumor volume (transition point 20 cm3), weight (transition point 50 kg), and embryonal histology. Tumor volume and patient weight added significant outcome information to the standard prognostic factors including tumor diameter and age (p=0.02). The ability to resect the tumor completely was not significantly associated with the size of the patient, and patient weight did not significantly modify the association between tumor volume and EFS after adjustment for standard risk factors (p=0.2). Conclusion The factors most strongly associated with EFS were tumor volume, patient weight, and histology. Based on regression modeling, volume and weight are superior predictors of outcome compared to tumor diameter and patient age in children with intermediate risk RMS. Prognostic performance of tumor volume and patient weight should be assessed in an independent prospective study. PMID:24048802

Theoretical Evaluation of Electroactive Polymer Based Micropump Diaphragm for Air Flow Control

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Xu, Tian-Bing; Su, Ji; Zhang, Qiming

2004-01-01

An electroactive polymer (EAP), high energy electron irradiated poly(vinylidene fluoride-trifluoroethylene) [P(VDFTrFE)] copolymer, based actuation micropump diaphragm (PAMPD) have been developed for air flow control. The displacement strokes and profiles as a function of amplifier and frequency of electric field have been characterized. The volume stroke rates (volume rate) as function of electric field, driving frequency have been theoretically evaluated, too. The PAMPD exhibits high volume rate. It is easily tuned with varying of either amplitude or frequency of the applied electric field. In addition, the performance of the diaphragms were modeled and the agreement between the modeling results and experimental data confirms that the response of the diaphragms follow the design parameters. The results demonstrated that the diaphragm can fit some future aerospace applications to replace the traditional complex mechanical systems, increase the control capability and reduce the weight of the future air dynamic control systems. KEYWORDS: Electroactive polymer (EAP), micropump, diaphragm, actuation, displacement, volume rate, pumping speed, clamping ratio.

The stability of the international oil trade network from short-term and long-term perspectives

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sun, Qingru; Gao, Xiangyun; Zhong, Weiqiong; Liu, Nairong

2017-09-01

To examine the stability of the international oil trade network and explore the influence of countries and trade relationships on the trade stability, we construct weighted and unweighted international oil trade networks based on complex network theory using oil trading data between countries from 1996 to 2014. We analyze the stability of international oil trade network (IOTN) from short-term and long-term aspects. From the short-term perspective, we find that the trade volumes play an important role on the stability. Moreover, the weighted IOTN is stable; however, the unweighted networks can better reflect the actual evolution of IOTN. From the long-term perspective, we identify trade relationships that are maintained during the whole sample period to reveal the situation of the whole international oil trade. We provide a way to quantitatively measure the stability of complex network from short-term and long-term perspectives, which can be applied to measure and analyze trade stability of other goods or services.

Brain Structural Differences between Normal and Obese Adults and their Links with Lack of Perseverance, Negative Urgency, and Sensation Seeking.

PubMed

Wang, Haifeng; Wen, Baohong; Cheng, Jingliang; Li, Hongpeng

2017-01-16

In order to examine the difference in brain structure between obese and normal weight individuals, and to explore the relationship between the neuroanatomical changes and impulsivity traits, this study used a voxel-based morphometry method to examine gray matter (GM) volume alterations related to impulsive personality traits in obese individuals relative to normal weight. Eighty adults that completed the UPPS-P Impulsive Behavior Scale were analyzed. Possible GM volume alterations were first analyzed at the whole brain level, and then the relationship between regional GM volume differences and UPPS-P scores were examined in selected regions of interest. Reduced GM volumes were found in the frontal and limbic regions in the obese group compared to normal weight individuals. In the normal weight group, lack of perseverance was negatively correlated with GM volume in the anterior cingulate cortex, and negative urgency was negatively correlated with GM volume in the insula. In the obese group, sensation seeking was negatively correlated with GM volume in the left amygdala and right pallidum. These findings might improve our understanding of the relationship between lack of perseverance, negative urgency, and sensation seeking and body weight fluctuations.

Brain Structural Differences between Normal and Obese Adults and their Links with Lack of Perseverance, Negative Urgency, and Sensation Seeking

PubMed Central

Wang, Haifeng; Wen, Baohong; Cheng, Jingliang; Li, Hongpeng

2017-01-01

In order to examine the difference in brain structure between obese and normal weight individuals, and to explore the relationship between the neuroanatomical changes and impulsivity traits, this study used a voxel-based morphometry method to examine gray matter (GM) volume alterations related to impulsive personality traits in obese individuals relative to normal weight. Eighty adults that completed the UPPS-P Impulsive Behavior Scale were analyzed. Possible GM volume alterations were first analyzed at the whole brain level, and then the relationship between regional GM volume differences and UPPS-P scores were examined in selected regions of interest. Reduced GM volumes were found in the frontal and limbic regions in the obese group compared to normal weight individuals. In the normal weight group, lack of perseverance was negatively correlated with GM volume in the anterior cingulate cortex, and negative urgency was negatively correlated with GM volume in the insula. In the obese group, sensation seeking was negatively correlated with GM volume in the left amygdala and right pallidum. These findings might improve our understanding of the relationship between lack of perseverance, negative urgency, and sensation seeking and body weight fluctuations. PMID:28091559

Activation energy-activation volume master plots for ion transport behavior in polymer electrolytes and supercooled molten salts.

PubMed

Ingram, Malcolm D; Imrie, Corrie T; Stoeva, Zlatka; Pas, Steven J; Funke, Klaus; Chandler, Howard W

2005-09-08

We demonstrate the use of activation energy versus activation volume "master plots" to explore ion transport in typical fragile glass forming systems exhibiting non-Arrhenius behavior. These systems include solvent-free salt complexes in poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) and low molecular weight poly(propylene oxide) (PPO) and molten 2Ca(NO3)2.3KNO3 (CKN). Plots showing variations in apparent activation energy EA versus apparent activation volume VA are straight lines with slopes given by M = DeltaEA/DeltaVA. A simple ion transport mechanism is described where the rate determining step involves a dilatation (expressed as VA) around microscopic cavities and a corresponding work of expansion (EA). The slopes of the master plots M are equated to internal elastic moduli, which vary from 1.1 GPa for liquid PPO to 5.0 GPa for molten CKN on account of differing intermolecular forces in these materials.

The Moisture Content and Specific Gravity of the Bark and Wood of Northern Pulpwood Species

Treesearch

John R. Erickson

1972-01-01

Much information is available on the specific gravity of wood on a dry weight over green volume and dry weight over dry volume basis. This paper presents the conventional specific gravity on a green weight over green volume basis. The relative specific gravities of bark and wood chips may be helpful in finding way to remove bark particles from chips.

The effect of lung-size mismatch on mechanical ventilation tidal volumes after bilateral lung transplantation.

PubMed

Dezube, Rebecca; Arnaoutakis, George J; Reed, Robert M; Bolukbas, Servet; Shah, Ashish S; Orens, Jonathan B; Brower, Roy G; Eberlein, Michael

2013-03-01

Mechanical ventilation tidal volumes are usually set according to an estimate of patient size in millilitres (ml) per kilogram (kg) body weight. We describe the relationship between donor-recipient lung-size mismatch and postoperative mechanical ventilation tidal volumes according to recipient- and donor-predicted body weights in a cohort of bilateral lung transplant patients. A most-undersized (10 patients with lowest predicted total lung capacity [pTLC] ratio = pTLC-donor/pTLC-recipient), a most-oversized (10 patients with highest pTLC ratio) and best-matched subset (10 patients with predicted total lung capacity ratio closest to 1.0) were selected within a cohort of 70 patients. All tidal volumes during mechanical ventilation in the first 96 h after bilateral lung transplantation were recorded. Tidal volumes were expressed in ml and ml/kg-recipient-predicted body weights and ml/kg-donor-predicted body weights. Postoperative absolute tidal volumes (in ml) were comparable between subsets of patients with undersized, matched and oversized allografts (552 ± 103 vs 581 ± 107 vs 582 ± 104 ml), and tidal volumes in ml/kg-recipient-predicted body weights were also similar (8.8 ± 1.4 vs 9.3 ± 1.1 vs 9.8 ± 2.1). However, tidal volumes in ml/kg-donor-predicted body weights revealed significant differences between undersized, matched, and oversized subsets (11.4 ± 3.1 vs 9.4 ± 1.2 vs 8.1 ± 2.1, respectively; P < 0.05). Two patients developed primary graft dysfunction grade 3, both in the undersized subset. Four patients in the undersized group underwent tracheotomy (vs none in matched and one in oversized subset). During mechanical ventilation after bilateral lung transplantation, undersized allografts received relatively higher tidal volumes compared with oversized allografts when the tidal volumes were related to donor-predicted body weights.

Estimating sugar maple bark thickness and volume.

Treesearch

Charles L. Stayton; Michael Hoffman

1970-01-01

Sugar maple bark thickness and volume were estimated using first a published method, then equations developed by the authors. Both methods gave estimates that compared closely with measured values. Information is also presented on variation in bark thickness and on weight and volume of bark as a percentage of total merchantable stem weight and volume.

Lung protection: an intervention for tidal volume reduction in a teaching intensive care unit.

PubMed

Briva, Arturo; Gaiero, Cristina

2016-01-01

To determine the effect of feedback and education regarding the use of predicted body weight to adjust tidal volume in a lung-protective mechanical ventilation strategy. The study was performed from October 2014 to November 2015 (12 months) in a single university polyvalent intensive care unit. We developed a combined intervention (education and feedback), placing particular attention on the importance of adjusting tidal volumes to predicted body weight bedside. In parallel, predicted body weight was estimated from knee height and included in clinical charts. One hundred fifty-nine patients were included. Predicted body weight assessed by knee height instead of visual evaluation revealed that the delivered tidal volume was significantly higher than predicted. After the inclusion of predicted body weight, we observed a sustained reduction in delivered tidal volume from a mean (standard error) of 8.97 ± 0.32 to 7.49 ± 0.19mL/kg (p < 0.002). Furthermore, the protocol adherence was subsequently sustained for 12 months (delivered tidal volume 7.49 ± 0.54 versus 7.62 ± 0.20mL/kg; p = 0.103). The lack of a reliable method to estimate the predicted body weight is a significant impairment for the application of a worldwide standard of care during mechanical ventilation. A combined intervention based on education and repeated feedbacks promoted sustained tidal volume education during the study period (12 months).

Langmuir-Blodgett and X-ray diffraction studies of isolated photosystem II reaction centers in monolayers and multilayers: physical dimensions of the complex.

PubMed

Uphaus, R A; Fang, J Y; Picorel, R; Chumanov, G; Wang, J Y; Cotton, T M; Seibert, M

1997-04-01

The photosystem II (PSII) reaction center (RC) is a hydrophobic intrinsic protein complex that drives the water-oxidation process of photosynthesis. Unlike the bacterial RC complex, an X-ray crystal structure of the PSII RC is not available. In order to determine the physical dimensions of the isolated PSII RC complex, we applied Langmuir techniques to determine the cross-sectional area of an isolated RC in a condensed monolayer film. Low-angle X-ray diffraction results obtained by examining Langmuir-Blodgett multilayer films of alternating PSII RC/Cd stearate monolayers were used to determine the length (or height; z-direction, perpendicular to the plane of the original membrane) of the complex. The values obtained for a PSII RC monomer were 26 nm2 and 4.8 nm, respectively, and the structural integrity of the RC in the multilayer film was confirmed by several approaches. Assuming a cylindrical-type RC structure, the above dimensions lead to a predicted volume of about 125 nm3. This value is very close to the expected volume of 118 nm3, calculated from the known molecular weight and partial specific volume of the PSII RC proteins. This same type of comparison was also made with the Rhodobacter sphaeroides RC based on published data, and we conclude that the PSII RC is much shorter in length and has a more regular solid geometric structure than the bacterial RC. Furthermore, the above dimensions of the PSII RC and those of PSII core (RC plus proximal antenna) proteins protruding outside the plane of the PSII membrane into the lumenal space as imaged by scanning tunneling microscopy (Seibert, Aust. J. Pl. Physiol. 22, 161-166, 1995) fit easily into the known dimensions of the PSII core complex visualized by others as electron-density projection maps. From this we conclude that the in situ PSII core complex is a dimeric structure containing two copies of the PSII RC.

Defense AT and L. Volume 44, Number 5

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-10-01

one requirement drives the solution. What sounds complex actually is fairly straightforward. A car -buying analogy can demonstrate how it works. Let’s...requirements have been handed to you (Figure 1). Your boss sums up the task: Select the best overall car that balances performance, roominess, ef- ficiency...To ta l S co re Car ACar B Car C Car D For example, first find the global weighting for the “Number of Days in the Shop” attribute by multiplying the

United States Air Force Summer Research Program 1991. Graduate Student Research Program (GSRP) Reports. Volume 6. Armstrong Laboratory, Wilford Hall Medical Center

DTIC Science & Technology

1992-01-09

necrosis and thus maintain viability during acute condi- tions of ischemia and compartmental syndrome . It is not known. how- ever, if HBO will continue...adds considerable incentive for flexible database design. Adding to the complexity of the database are emitter sector coverage, radiating power, and...rather, it supplements the time-weighted average(TWA) limit where there are recognized acute effects from a substance whose toxic effects are

Subsystems component definitions summary program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Scott, A. Don; Thomas, Carolyn C.; Simonsen, Lisa C.; Hall, John B., Jr.

1991-01-01

A computer program, the Subsystems Component Definitions Summary (SUBCOMDEF), was developed to provide a quick and efficient means of summarizing large quantities of subsystems component data in terms of weight, volume, resupply, and power. The program was validated using Space Station Freedom Program Definition Requirements Document data for the internal and external thermal control subsystem. Once all component descriptions, unit weights and volumes, resupply, and power data are input, the user may obtain a summary report of user-specified portions of the subsystem or of the entire subsystem as a whole. Any combination or all of the parameters of wet and dry weight, wet and dry volume, resupply weight and volume, and power may be displayed. The user may vary the resupply period according to individual mission requirements, as well as the number of hours per day power consuming components operate. Uses of this program are not limited only to subsystem component summaries. Any applications that require quick, efficient, and accurate weight, volume, resupply, or power summaries would be well suited to take advantage of SUBCOMDEF's capabilities.

Hippocampal CA3-dentate gyrus volume uniquely linked to improvement in associative memory from childhood to adulthood

PubMed Central

Daugherty, Ana M.; Flinn, Robert; Ofen, Noa

2017-01-01

Associative memory develops into adulthood and critically depends on the hippocampus. The hippocampus is a complex structure composed of subfields that are functionally-distinct, and anterior-posterior divisions along the length of the hippocampal horizontal axis that may also differ by cognitive correlates. Although each of these aspects has been considered independently, here we evaluate their relative contributions as correlates of age-related improvement in memory. Volumes of hippocampal subfields (subiculum, CA1-2, CA3-dentate gyrus) and anterior-posterior divisions (hippocampal head, body, tail) were manually segmented from high-resolution proton density-weighted images in a sample of healthy participants (age 8–25 years). Adults had smaller CA3-dentate gyrus volume as compared to children, which accounted for 67% of the indirect effect of age predicting better associative memory via hippocampal volumes. Whereas hippocampal body volume demonstrated non-linear age differences, larger hippocampal body volume was weakly related to better associative memory only when accounting for the mutual correlation with subfields measured within that region. Thus, typical development of associative memory was largely explained by age-related differences in CA3-dentate gyrus. PMID:28342999

Aerospace applications of magnetic bearings

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Downer, James; Goldie, James; Gondhalekar, Vijay; Hockney, Richard

1994-01-01

Magnetic bearings have traditionally been considered for use in aerospace applications only where performance advantages have been the primary, if not only, consideration. Conventional wisdom has been that magnetic bearings have certain performance advantages which must be traded off against increased weight, volume, electric power consumption, and system complexity. These perceptions have hampered the use of magnetic bearings in many aerospace applications because weight, volume, and power are almost always primary considerations. This paper will review progress on several active aerospace magnetic bearings programs at SatCon Technology Corporation. The magnetic bearing programs at SatCon cover a broad spectrum of applications including: a magnetically-suspended spacecraft integrated power and attitude control system (IPACS), a magnetically-suspended momentum wheel, magnetic bearings for the gas generator rotor of a turboshaft engine, a vibration-attenuating magnetic bearing system for an airborne telescope, and magnetic bearings for the compressor of a space-rated heat pump system. The emphasis of these programs is to develop magnetic bearing technologies to the point where magnetic bearings can be truly useful, reliable, and well tested components for the aerospace community.

Aerospace applications of magnetic bearings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Downer, James; Goldie, James; Gondhalekar, Vijay; Hockney, Richard

1994-05-01

Magnetic bearings have traditionally been considered for use in aerospace applications only where performance advantages have been the primary, if not only, consideration. Conventional wisdom has been that magnetic bearings have certain performance advantages which must be traded off against increased weight, volume, electric power consumption, and system complexity. These perceptions have hampered the use of magnetic bearings in many aerospace applications because weight, volume, and power are almost always primary considerations. This paper will review progress on several active aerospace magnetic bearings programs at SatCon Technology Corporation. The magnetic bearing programs at SatCon cover a broad spectrum of applications including: a magnetically-suspended spacecraft integrated power and attitude control system (IPACS), a magnetically-suspended momentum wheel, magnetic bearings for the gas generator rotor of a turboshaft engine, a vibration-attenuating magnetic bearing system for an airborne telescope, and magnetic bearings for the compressor of a space-rated heat pump system. The emphasis of these programs is to develop magnetic bearing technologies to the point where magnetic bearings can be truly useful, reliable, and well tested components for the aerospace community.

Understanding characteristics in multivariate traffic flow time series from complex network structure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yan, Ying; Zhang, Shen; Tang, Jinjun; Wang, Xiaofei

2017-07-01

Discovering dynamic characteristics in traffic flow is the significant step to design effective traffic managing and controlling strategy for relieving traffic congestion in urban cities. A new method based on complex network theory is proposed to study multivariate traffic flow time series. The data were collected from loop detectors on freeway during a year. In order to construct complex network from original traffic flow, a weighted Froenius norm is adopt to estimate similarity between multivariate time series, and Principal Component Analysis is implemented to determine the weights. We discuss how to select optimal critical threshold for networks at different hour in term of cumulative probability distribution of degree. Furthermore, two statistical properties of networks: normalized network structure entropy and cumulative probability of degree, are utilized to explore hourly variation in traffic flow. The results demonstrate these two statistical quantities express similar pattern to traffic flow parameters with morning and evening peak hours. Accordingly, we detect three traffic states: trough, peak and transitional hours, according to the correlation between two aforementioned properties. The classifying results of states can actually represent hourly fluctuation in traffic flow by analyzing annual average hourly values of traffic volume, occupancy and speed in corresponding hours.

Nitrogen doped microporous carbon by ZnCl2 activation of protein

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wilson, Praveen; Vijayan, Sujith; Prabhakaran, K.

2017-09-01

ZnCl2 activation of protein containing biomass has been studied for the preparation of N-doped activated carbon (NDC) using powdered dry fish as a source of protein. Nearly 52% increase in the yield of NDC is observed by activation with ZnCl2 due to an increase in the thermal stability of Zn2+-fish protein complex compared to the protein alone. The NDCs obtained are characterized by XRD, IR, XPS, Raman spectroscopy, SEM, TEM, elemental analysis and N2 adsorption-desorption studies. The activation at 550 °C produces NDC with the highest surface area and total pore volume of 1001 m2 g-1 and 0.719 cm3 g-1, respectively, at a ZnCl2 to fish powder weight ratio of 3. A maximum micropore volume of 0.273 cm3 g-1 is obtained at a ZnCl2 to fish powder weight ratio of 1:1. The N-content (12.4-5.2 wt%) decreases with an increase in activation temperature and ZnCl2 to fish powder weight ratio. The NDC obtained by activation at 550 °C at a ZnCl2 to fish powder weight ratio of 1:1 shows the maximum CO2 adsorption capacity of 2.4 and 3.73 mmol g-1 at 25 and 0 °C, respectively, at 1 atmosphere. The CO2 adsorption on the NDC shows excellent cyclic stability and high selectivity over nitrogen gas.

Poor Adherence to Lung-Protective Mechanical Ventilation in Pediatric Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome.

PubMed

Ward, Shan L; Quinn, Carson M; Valentine, Stacey L; Sapru, Anil; Curley, Martha A Q; Willson, Douglas F; Liu, Kathleen D; Matthay, Michael A; Flori, Heidi R

2016-10-01

To determine the frequency of low-tidal volume ventilation in pediatric acute respiratory distress syndrome and assess if any demographic or clinical factors improve low-tidal volume ventilation adherence. Descriptive post hoc analysis of four multicenter pediatric acute respiratory distress syndrome studies. Twenty-six academic PICU. Three hundred fifteen pediatric acute respiratory distress syndrome patients. All patients who received conventional mechanical ventilation at hours 0 and 24 of pediatric acute respiratory distress syndrome who had data to calculate ideal body weight were included. Two cutoff points for low-tidal volume ventilation were assessed: less than or equal to 6.5 mL/kg of ideal body weight and less than or equal to 8 mL/kg of ideal body weight. Of 555 patients, we excluded 240 for other respiratory support modes or missing data. The remaining 315 patients had a median PaO2-to-FIO2 ratio of 140 (interquartile range, 90-201), and there were no differences in demographics between those who did and did not receive low-tidal volume ventilation. With tidal volume cutoff of less than or equal to 6.5 mL/kg of ideal body weight, the adherence rate was 32% at hour 0 and 33% at hour 24. A low-tidal volume ventilation cutoff of tidal volume less than or equal to 8 mL/kg of ideal body weight resulted in an adherence rate of 58% at hour 0 and 60% at hour 24. Low-tidal volume ventilation use was no different by severity of pediatric acute respiratory distress syndrome nor did adherence improve over time. At hour 0, overweight children were less likely to receive low-tidal volume ventilation less than or equal to 6.5 mL/kg ideal body weight (11% overweight vs 38% nonoverweight; p = 0.02); no difference was noted by hour 24. Furthermore, in the overweight group, using admission weight instead of ideal body weight resulted in misclassification of up to 14% of patients as receiving low-tidal volume ventilation when they actually were not. Low-tidal volume ventilation is underused in the first 24 hours of pediatric acute respiratory distress syndrome. Age, Pediatric Risk of Mortality-III, and pediatric acute respiratory distress syndrome severity were not associated with improved low-tidal volume ventilation adherence nor did adherence improve over time. Overweight children were less likely to receive low-tidal volume ventilation strategies in the first day of illness.

[Is there a relation between weight in rats, bone density, ash weight and histomorphometric indicators of trabecular volume and thickness in the bones of extremities?].

PubMed

Zák, J; Kapitola, J; Povýsil, C

2003-01-01

Authors deal with question, if there is possibility to infer bone histological structure (described by histomorphometric parameters of trabecular bone volume and trabecular thickness) from bone density, ash weight or even from weight of animal (rat). Both tibias of each of 30 intact male rats, 90 days old, were processed. Left tibia was utilized to the determination of histomorphometric parameters of undecalcified bone tissue patterns by automatic image analysis. Right tibia was used to the determination of values of bone density, using Archimedes' principle. Values of bone density, ash weight, ash weight related to bone volume and animal weight were correlated with histomorphometric parameters (trabecular bone volume, trabecular thickness) by Pearson's correlation test. One could presume the existence of relation between data, describing bone mass at the histological level (trabecular bone of tibia) and other data, describing mass of whole bone or even animal mass (weight). But no statistically significant correlation was found. The reason of the present results could be in the deviations of trabecular density in marrow of tibia. Because of higher trabecular bone density in metaphyseal and epiphyseal regions, the histomorphometric analysis of trabecular bone is preferentially done in these areas. It is possible, that this irregularity of trabecular tibial density could be the source of the deviations, which could influence the results of correlations determined. The values of bone density, ash weight and animal weight do not influence trabecular bone volume and vice versa: static histomorphometric parameters of trabecular bone do not reflect bone density, ash weight and weight of animal.

Living donor right liver lobes: preoperative CT volumetric measurement for calculation of intraoperative weight and volume.

PubMed

Lemke, Arne-Jörn; Brinkmann, Martin Julius; Schott, Thomas; Niehues, Stefan Markus; Settmacher, Utz; Neuhaus, Peter; Felix, Roland

2006-09-01

To prospectively develop equations for the calculation of expected intraoperative weight and volume of a living donor's right liver lobe by using preoperative computed tomography (CT) for volumetric measurement. After medical ethics committee and state medical board approval, informed consent was obtained from eight female and eight male living donors (age range, 18-63 years) for participation in preoperative CT volumetric measurement of the right liver lobes by using the summation-of-area method. Intraoperatively, the graft was weighed, and the volume of the graft was determined by means of water displacement. Distributions of pre- and intraoperative data were depicted as Tukey box-and-whisker diagrams. Then, linear regressions were calculated, and the results were depicted as scatterplots. On the basis of intraoperative data, physical density of the parenchyma was calculated by dividing weight by volume of the graft. Preoperative measurement of grafts resulted in a mean volume of 929 mL +/- 176 (standard deviation); intraoperative mean weight and volume of the grafts were 774 g +/- 138 and 697 mL +/- 139, respectively. All corresponding pre- and intraoperative data correlated significantly (P < .001) with each other. Intraoperatively expected volume (V(intraop)) in millilliters and weight (W(intraop)) in grams can be calculated with the equations V(intra)(op) = (0.656 . V(preop)) + 87.629 mL and W(intra)(op) = (0.678 g/mL . V(preop)) + 143.704 g, respectively, where preoperative volume is V(preop) in milliliters. Physical density of transplanted liver lobes was 1.1172 g/mL +/- 0.1015. By using two equations developed from the data obtained in this study, expected intraoperative weight and volume can properly be determined from CT volumetric measurements. (c) RSNA, 2006.

Higher Leptin but Not Human Milk Macronutrient Concentration Distinguishes Normal-Weight from Obese Mothers at 1-Month Postpartum.

PubMed

De Luca, Arnaud; Frasquet-Darrieux, Marine; Gaud, Marie-Agnès; Christin, Patricia; Boquien, Clair-Yves; Millet, Christine; Herviou, Manon; Darmaun, Dominique; Robins, Richard J; Ingrand, Pierre; Hankard, Régis

2016-01-01

Exclusively breastfed infants born to obese mothers have previously been shown to gain less weight by 1-month postpartum than infants of normal-weight mothers. Our hypothesis is that human milk composition and volume may differ between obese and normal-weight mothers. To compare human milk leptin, macronutrient concentration, and volume in obese and normal-weight mothers. Mother and infant characteristics were studied as secondary aims. This cross-sectional observational study compared 50 obese mothers matched for age, parity, ethnic origin, and educational level with 50 normal-weight mothers. Leptin, macronutrient human milk concentration, and milk volume were determined at 1 month in exclusively breastfed infants. Mother characteristics and infant growth were recorded. Human milk leptin concentration was higher in obese mothers than normal-weight mothers (4.8±2.7 vs. 2.5±1.5 ng.mL-1, p<0.001). No difference was observed between obese and normal-weight mothers in protein, lipid, carbohydrate content, and volume, nor in infant weight gain. Leptin concentration was higher in the milk of obese mothers than that of normal-weight mothers, but macronutrient concentration was not. It remains to be established whether the higher leptin content impacts on infant growth beyond the 1-month of the study period.

Design of an optimum computer vision-based automatic abalone (Haliotis discus hannai) grading algorithm.

PubMed

Lee, Donggil; Lee, Kyounghoon; Kim, Seonghun; Yang, Yongsu

2015-04-01

An automatic abalone grading algorithm that estimates abalone weights on the basis of computer vision using 2D images is developed and tested. The algorithm overcomes the problems experienced by conventional abalone grading methods that utilize manual sorting and mechanical automatic grading. To design an optimal algorithm, a regression formula and R(2) value were investigated by performing a regression analysis for each of total length, body width, thickness, view area, and actual volume against abalone weights. The R(2) value between the actual volume and abalone weight was 0.999, showing a relatively high correlation. As a result, to easily estimate the actual volumes of abalones based on computer vision, the volumes were calculated under the assumption that abalone shapes are half-oblate ellipsoids, and a regression formula was derived to estimate the volumes of abalones through linear regression analysis between the calculated and actual volumes. The final automatic abalone grading algorithm is designed using the abalone volume estimation regression formula derived from test results, and the actual volumes and abalone weights regression formula. In the range of abalones weighting from 16.51 to 128.01 g, the results of evaluation of the performance of algorithm via cross-validation indicate root mean square and worst-case prediction errors of are 2.8 and ±8 g, respectively. © 2015 Institute of Food Technologists®

Imaging gene and environmental effects on cerebellum in Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder and typical development☆

PubMed Central

de Zeeuw, Patrick; van Belle, Janna; van Dijk, Sarai; Weusten, Juliette; Koeleman, Bobby; Janson, Esther; van Engeland, Herman; Durston, Sarah

2012-01-01

This study investigates the effects of XKR4, a recently identified candidate gene for Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), birth weight, and their interaction on brain volume in ADHD. XKR4 is expressed in cerebellum and low birth weight has been associated both with changes in cerebellum and with ADHD, probably due to its relation with prenatal adversity. Anatomical MRI scans were acquired in 58 children with ADHD and 64 typically developing controls and processed to obtain volumes of cerebrum, cerebellum and gray and white matter in each structure. DNA was collected from saliva. Analyses including data on birth weight were conducted in a subset of 37 children with ADHD and 51 controls where these data were retrospectively collected using questionnaires. There was an interaction between genotype and birth weight for cerebellum gray matter volume (p = .020). The combination of homozygosity for the G-allele (the allele previously found to be overtransmitted in ADHD) and higher birth weight was associated with smaller volume. Furthermore, birth weight was positively associated with cerebellar white matter volume in controls, but not ADHD (interaction: p = .021). The interaction of genotype with birth weight affecting cerebellum gray matter is consistent with models that emphasize increased influence of genetic risk-factors in an otherwise favorable prenatal environment. The absence of an association between birth weight and cerebellum white matter volume in ADHD suggests that other genetic or environmental effects may be at play, unrelated to XKR4. These results underscore the importance of considering environmental effects in imaging genetics studies. PMID:24179763

Rheology and microstructure of filled polymer melts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anderson, Benjamin John

The states of particle dispersion in polymer nanocomposite melts are studied through rheological characterization of nanocomposite melt mechanical properties and small angle X-ray scattering measurement of the particle microstructure. The particle microstructure probed with scattering is related to bulk flow mechanics to determine the origin of slow dynamics in these complex dispersions: whether a gel or glass transition or a slowing down of dispersing phase dynamics. These studies were conducted to understand polymer mediated particle-particle interactions and potential particle-polymer phase separation. The phase behavior of the dispersion will be governed by enthalpic and entropic contributions. A variety of phases are expected: homogeneous fluid, phase separated, or non-equilibrium gel. The effects of dispersion control parameters, namely particle volume fraction, polymer molecular weight, and polymer-particle surface affinity, on the phase behavior of 44 nm silica dispersions are studied in low molecular weight polyethylene oxide (PEO), polyethylene oxide dimethylether (PEODME), and polytetrahydrofuran (PTHF). Scattering measurements of the particle second virial coefficient in PEO melts indicates repulsive particles by a value slightly greater than unity. In PEO nanocomposites, dispersion dynamics slow down witnessed by a plateau in the elastic modulus as the particle separation approaches the length scale of the polymer radius of gyration. As the polymer molecular weight is increased, the transition shifts to lower particle volume fractions. Below polymer entanglement, the slow dynamics mimics that of a colloidal glass by the appearance of two relaxation times in the viscous modulus that display power law scaling with volume fraction. Above entanglement, the slow dynamics is qualitatively different resembling the behavior of a gelled suspension yet lacking any sign of scattering from particle agglomerates. As polymer molecular weight is increased at a fixed volume fraction, two strain yielding events emerge. Further particle loading leads to the formation of a particle-polymer network and the onset of brittle mechanical behavior. The performance of PEO nanocomposites is contrasted by PEODME and PTHF nanocomposites where a change in the polymer segment-surface activity changes the slow dynamics of the nanocomposite and the microstructure of particles in the melt. Slow dynamics and the particle microstructure indicate a gelled suspension as volume fraction is raised with particles in or near contact and support the turning on of particle attractions in the melt.

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.

The role of haptic versus visual volume cues in the size-weight illusion.

PubMed

Ellis, R R; Lederman, S J

1993-03-01

Three experiments establish the size-weight illusion as a primarily haptic phenomenon, despite its having been more traditionally considered an example of vision influencing haptic processing. Experiment 1 documents, across a broad range of stimulus weights and volumes, the existence of a purely haptic size-weight illusion, equal in strength to the traditional illusion. Experiment 2 demonstrates that haptic volume cues are both sufficient and necessary for a full-strength illusion. In contrast, visual volume cues are merely sufficient, and produce a relatively weaker effect. Experiment 3 establishes that congenitally blind subjects experience an effect as powerful as that of blindfolded sighted observers, thus demonstrating that visual imagery is also unnecessary for a robust size-weight illusion. The results are discussed in terms of their implications for both sensory and cognitive theories of the size-weight illusion. Applications of this work to a human factors design and to sensor-based systems for robotic manipulation are also briefly considered.

Lung protection: an intervention for tidal volume reduction in a teaching intensive care unit

PubMed Central

Briva, Arturo; Gaiero, Cristina

2016-01-01

Objective To determine the effect of feedback and education regarding the use of predicted body weight to adjust tidal volume in a lung-protective mechanical ventilation strategy. Methods The study was performed from October 2014 to November 2015 (12 months) in a single university polyvalent intensive care unit. We developed a combined intervention (education and feedback), placing particular attention on the importance of adjusting tidal volumes to predicted body weight bedside. In parallel, predicted body weight was estimated from knee height and included in clinical charts. Results One hundred fifty-nine patients were included. Predicted body weight assessed by knee height instead of visual evaluation revealed that the delivered tidal volume was significantly higher than predicted. After the inclusion of predicted body weight, we observed a sustained reduction in delivered tidal volume from a mean (standard error) of 8.97 ± 0.32 to 7.49 ± 0.19mL/kg (p < 0.002). Furthermore, the protocol adherence was subsequently sustained for 12 months (delivered tidal volume 7.49 ± 0.54 versus 7.62 ± 0.20mL/kg; p = 0.103). Conclusion The lack of a reliable method to estimate the predicted body weight is a significant impairment for the application of a worldwide standard of care during mechanical ventilation. A combined intervention based on education and repeated feedbacks promoted sustained tidal volume education during the study period (12 months). PMID:27925055

Gallstones and gallbladder cancer-volume and weight of gallstones are associated with gallbladder cancer: a case-control study.

PubMed

Roa, Iván; Ibacache, Gilda; Roa, Juan; Araya, Juan; de Aretxabala, Xabier; Muñoz, Sergio

2006-06-15

Gallstones are considered the most important risk factor for gallbladder cancer. To identify differences in the number, weight, volume, and density of gallstones associated with chronic cholecystitis (CC), gallbladder dysplasia (GD), and gallbladder cancer (GBC). A total of 125 cases were selected, of which 93 had gallstones associated with GBC and 31 had gallstones associated with GD. The controls were those with CC, matched by sex and age. The number, weight, volume, and density of these gallstones were examined in order to determine differences and relative cancer risk. Number: Multiple gallstones were present in over 76% of cases (GBC and GD) and controls (P = ns). The average number of multiple stones was 21 in GBC versus 14 in controls (P < 0.01). Weight: The average weight of the gallstones was 9.6 g in GBC versus 6.0 g in controls (P = 0.0004). The average weight in multiple stones over 10 g had strong association with GBC (P = 0.0006). Volume: The average volume was 11.7 and 6.48 ml in GBC and controls (P = 0.0002). Average volumes of 6, 8, and 10 ml had a relative cancer risk of 5, 7, and 11 times, respectively. Size: No differences were shown between GBC, GD, and controls. The volume of gallstones associated with other risk factors of GBC may be helpful in prioritizing cholecystectomies in symptomatic patients. Copyright 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Chronic corticosterone affects brain weight, and mitochondrial, but not glial volume fraction in hippocampal area CA3.

PubMed

Coburn-Litvak, P S; Tata, D A; Gorby, H E; McCloskey, D P; Richardson, G; Anderson, B J

2004-01-01

Corticosterone (CORT), the predominant glucocorticoid in rodents, is known to damage hippocampal area CA3. Here we investigate how that damage is represented at the cellular and ultrastructural level of analyses. Rats were injected with CORT (26.8 mg/kg, s.c.) or vehicle for 56 days. Cell counts were estimated with the physical disector method. Glial and mitochondrial volume fractions were obtained from electron micrographs. The effectiveness of the CORT dose used was demonstrated in two ways. First, CORT significantly inhibited body weight gain relative to vehicles. Second, CORT significantly reduced adrenal gland, heart and gastrocnemius muscle weight. Both the adrenal and gastrocnemius muscle weight to body weight ratios were also significantly reduced. Although absolute brain weight was reduced, the brain to body weight ratio was higher in the CORT group relative to vehicles, suggesting that the brain is more resistant to the effects of CORT than many peripheral organs and muscles. Consistent with that interpretation, CORT did not alter CA3 cell density, cell layer volume, or apical dendritic neuropil volume. Likewise, CORT did not significantly alter glial volume fraction, but did reduce mitochondrial volume fraction. These findings highlight the need for ultrastructural analyses in addition to cellular level analyses before conclusions can be drawn about the damaging effects of prolonged CORT elevations. The relative reduction in mitochondria may indicate a reduction in bioenergetic capacity that, in turn, could render CA3 vulnerable to metabolic challenges.

Weight and volume equations and tables for six upland hardwoods in southern Illinois.

Treesearch

David J. Polak; Donald Raisanen; Richard C. Schlesinger; Les Stortz

1980-01-01

This paper presents tables of total tree green weight, green weight to a 5 cm and a 10 cm top diameter, dry weight to both 5 cm and 10 cm top diameter, and green volume to a 5 cm and 10 cm top diameter for six upland hardwood species. Both metric and English unit tables are included.

[Liver volume, intrahepatic fat and body weight in the course of a lifestyle interventional study: Analysis with quantitative MR-based methods].

PubMed

Bongers, M N; Stefan, N; Fritsche, A; Häring, H-U; Nikolaou, K; Schick, F; Machann, J

2015-04-01

The aim of this study was to investigate potential associations between changes in liver volume, the amount of intrahepatic lipids (IHL) and body weight during lifestyle interventions. In a prospective study 150 patients with an increased risk for developing type 2 diabetes mellitus were included who followed a caloric restriction diet for 6 months. In the retrospective analysis 18 women and 9 men (age range 22-71 years) with an average body mass index (BMI) of 32 kg/m(2) were enrolled. The liver volume was determined at the beginning and after 6 months by three-dimensional magnetic resonance imaging (3D-MRI, echo gradient, opposed-phase) and IHLs were quantified by volume-selective MR spectroscopy in single voxel stimulated echo acquisition mode (STEAM). Univariable and multivariable correlation analyses between changes of liver volume (Δliver volume), intrahepatic lipids (ΔIHL) and body weight (ΔBW) were performed. Univariable correlation analysis in the whole study cohort showed associations between ΔIHL and ΔBW (r = 0.69; p < 0.0001), ΔIHL and Δliver volume (r = 0.66; p = 0.0002) as well as ΔBW and Δliver volume (r = 0.5; p = 0.0073). Multivariable correlation analysis revealed that changes of liver volume are primarily determined by changes in IHL independent of changes in body weight (β = 0.0272; 95% CI: 0.0155-0.034; p < 0.0001). Changes of liver volume during lifestyle interventions are independent of changes of body weight primarily determined by changes of IHL. These results show the reversibility of augmented liver volume in steatosis if it is possible to reduce IHLs during lifestyle interventions.

Birth weight and neonatal adiposity prediction using fractional limb volume obtained with 3D ultrasound.

PubMed

O'Connor, Clare; O'Higgins, Amy; Doolan, Anne; Segurado, Ricardo; Stuart, Bernard; Turner, Michael J; Kennelly, Máireád M

2014-01-01

The objective of this investigation was to study fetal thigh volume throughout gestation and explore its correlation with birth weight and neonatal body composition. This novel technique may improve birth weight prediction and lead to improved detection rates for fetal growth restriction. Fractional thigh volume (TVol) using 3D ultrasound, fetal biometry and soft tissue thickness were studied longitudinally in 42 mother-infant pairs. The percentages of neonatal body fat, fat mass and fat-free mass were determined using air displacement plethysmography. Correlation and linear regression analyses were performed. Linear regression analysis showed an association between TVol and birth weight. TVol at 33 weeks was also associated with neonatal fat-free mass. There was no correlation between TVol and neonatal fat mass. Abdominal circumference, estimated fetal weight (EFW) and EFW centile showed consistent correlations with birth weight. Thigh volume demonstrated an additional independent contribution to birth weight prediction when added to the EFW centile from the 38-week scan (p = 0.03). Fractional TVol performed at 33 weeks gestation is correlated with birth weight and neonatal lean body mass. This screening test may highlight those at risk of fetal growth restriction or macrosomia.

Optimal trajectories for hypersonic launch vehicles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ardema, Mark D.; Bowles, Jeffrey V.; Whittaker, Thomas

1994-01-01

In this paper, we derive a near-optimal guidance law for the ascent trajectory from earth surface to earth orbit of a hypersonic, dual-mode propulsion, lifting vehicle. Of interest are both the optical flight path and the optimal operation of the propulsion system. The guidance law is developed from the energy-state approximation of the equations of motion. Because liquid hydrogen fueled hypersonic aircraft are volume sensitive, as well as weight sensitive, the cost functional is a weighted sum of fuel mass and volume; the weighting factor is chosen to minimize gross take-off weight for a given payload mass and volume in orbit.

Detection of Low Molecular Weight Adulterants in Beverages by Direct Analysis in Real Time Mass Spectrometry.

PubMed

Sisco, Edward; Dake, Jeffrey

2016-04-14

Direct Analysis in Real Time Mass Spectrometry (DART-MS) has been used to detect the presence of non-narcotic adulterants in beverages. The non-narcotic adulterants that were examined in this work incorporated a number low molecular weight alcohols, acetone, ammonium hydroxide, and sodium hypochlorite. Analysis of the adulterants was completed by pipetting 1 µL deposits onto glass microcapillaries along with an appropriate dopant species followed by introduction into the DART gas stream. It was found that detection of these compounds in the complex matrices of common beverages (soda, energy drinks, etc.) was simplified through the use of a dopant species to allow for adduct formation with the desired compound(s) of interest. Other parameters that were investigated included DART gas stream temperature, in source collision induced dissociation, ion polarity, and DART needle voltage. Sensitivities of the technique were found to range from 0.001 % volume fraction to 0.1 % volume fraction, comparable to traditional analyses completed using headspace gas chromatography mass spectrometry (HS-GC/MS). Once a method was established using aqueous solutions, , fifteen beverages were spiked with each of the nine adulterants, to simulate real world detection, and in nearly all cases the adulterant could be detected either in pure form, or complexed with the added dopant species. This technique provides a rapid way to directly analyze beverages believed to be contaminated with non-narcotic adulterants at sensitivities similar to or exceeding those of traditional confirmatory analyses.

Self-weight effect in the measurement of the volume of silicon spheres

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mari, D.; Massa, E.; Kuramoto, N.; Mana, G.

2018-04-01

The volume of 28Si spheres about 94 mm in diameter is an input datum for the determination of the Avogadro constant. We report a finite element analysis of the self-weight effect on the volume determination via optical interferometric measurements of the sphere diameters. The self-weight expansion or shrinkage of the equatorial diameters, which ranges from  -31 pm to  +180 pm, depends on the southern latitude of the supports.

Synthesis and Structural Characterization of New Light Molecular Weight Inorganic Oxidizers and Related Derivatives. Volume: 2

DTIC Science & Technology

1993-02-01

of the strong inductive effect of the five fluorine ligands attached to the tellurium atom. 34 It is prepared under anhydrous conditions according to...MOLECULAR WEIGHT INORGANIC OXIDIZERS AND RELATED DERIVATIVES. VOLUME: II Professor G. J. Schrobilgen McMaster University Department of Chemistry...C: F04611-91-K-0004 Molecular Weight Inorganic Oxidizers and Relative PE: 62302F SDerivatives: Volume II 1PR: 5730 6. AUTHOFR(S) TA: 0*( C

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.

Use of diffusion-weighted MRI to modify radiosurgery planning in brain metastases may reduce local recurrence.

PubMed

Zakaria, Rasheed; Pomschar, Andreas; Jenkinson, Michael D; Tonn, Jörg-Christian; Belka, Claus; Ertl-Wagner, Birgit; Niyazi, Maximilian

2017-02-01

Stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) is an effective and well tolerated treatment for selected brain metastases; however, local recurrence still occurs. We investigated the use of diffusion weighted MRI (DWI) as an adjunct for SRS treatment planning in brain metastases. Seventeen consecutive patients undergoing complete surgical resection of a solitary brain metastasis underwent image analysis retrospectively. SRS treatment plans were generated based on standard 3D post-contrast T1-weighted sequences at 1.5T and then separately using apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) maps in a blinded fashion. Control scans immediately post operation confirmed complete tumour resection. Treatment plans were compared to one another and with volume of local recurrence at progression quantitatively and qualitatively by calculating the conformity index (CI), the overlapping volume as a proportion of the total combined volume, where 1 = identical plans and 0 = no conformation whatsoever. Gross tumour volumes (GTVs) using ADC and post-contrast T1-weighted sequences were quantitatively the same (related samples Wilcoxon signed rank test = -0.45, p = 0.653) but showed differing conformations (CI 0.53, p < 0.001). The diffusion treatment volume (DTV) obtained by combining the two target volumes was significantly greater than the treatment volume based on post contrast T1-weighted MRI alone, both quantitatively (median 13.65 vs. 9.52 cm 3 , related samples Wilcoxon signed rank test p < 0.001) and qualitatively (CI 0.74, p = 0.001). This DTV covered a greater volume of subsequent tumour recurrence than the standard plan (median 3.53 cm 3 vs. 3.84 cm 3 , p = 0.002). ADC maps may be a useful tool in addition to the standard post-contrast T1-weighted sequence used for SRS planning.

Higher Leptin but Not Human Milk Macronutrient Concentration Distinguishes Normal-Weight from Obese Mothers at 1-Month Postpartum

PubMed Central

Frasquet-Darrieux, Marine; Gaud, Marie-Agnès; Christin, Patricia; Boquien, Clair-Yves; Millet, Christine; Herviou, Manon; Darmaun, Dominique; Robins, Richard J.; Ingrand, Pierre; Hankard, Régis

2016-01-01

Introduction Exclusively breastfed infants born to obese mothers have previously been shown to gain less weight by 1-month postpartum than infants of normal-weight mothers. Our hypothesis is that human milk composition and volume may differ between obese and normal-weight mothers. Objective To compare human milk leptin, macronutrient concentration, and volume in obese and normal-weight mothers. Mother and infant characteristics were studied as secondary aims. Materials and Methods This cross-sectional observational study compared 50 obese mothers matched for age, parity, ethnic origin, and educational level with 50 normal-weight mothers. Leptin, macronutrient human milk concentration, and milk volume were determined at 1 month in exclusively breastfed infants. Mother characteristics and infant growth were recorded. Results Human milk leptin concentration was higher in obese mothers than normal-weight mothers (4.8±2.7 vs. 2.5±1.5 ng.mL-1, p<0.001). No difference was observed between obese and normal-weight mothers in protein, lipid, carbohydrate content, and volume, nor in infant weight gain. Conclusion Leptin concentration was higher in the milk of obese mothers than that of normal-weight mothers, but macronutrient concentration was not. It remains to be established whether the higher leptin content impacts on infant growth beyond the 1-month of the study period. PMID:28005966

A Volumetric Assessment Using Computed Tomography of Canine and First Molar Roots in Dogs of Varying Weight.

PubMed

Scherer, Ellen; Snyder, Christopher J; Malberg, Jessica; Rigby, Brittney; Hetzel, Scott; Waller, Ken

2018-06-01

Mandibular volume and tooth root volumes were shown to increase at different rates at locations containing the roots of the canine (C) and mesial and distal roots of the first molar (M1). Thirty-six dogs were included in this study. Data were generated using computed tomography at locations of the mandible involving the roots of the C and M1 teeth. Software was used to trace the external surface of the mandible, calculating the volume of the mandible at each location. Similar techniques were used to trace and calculate the volume of the C and M1 roots. Mandible volume, tooth root volume, and root percentage of mandible volume were analyzed and compared using the slopes of the best fit line. At the M1 mesial and distal roots, mandible volume ( P < .001) and root volume ( P < .001) were both noted to increase, with increasing weight at different rates. The rate of change in the root percentage by weight of M1 roots was not different ( P = .214). Each location demonstrated a different increasing rate of change for mandibular volume and increasing root volume. Results show that as patient's weight increases, the mandible and root volumes increase at different rates. Root percentage by volume at all three locations was noted to decrease by the same rate. Canine and M1 roots are proportionally larger than the supporting mandibular bone in smaller patients. Care should be taken to recommend periodontal disease prevention for owners of small dogs and consideration made when performing extractions or other surgery that may destabilize the mandible.

Rheologic properties of flowable, conventional hybrid, and condensable composite resins.

PubMed

Lee, In-Bog; Son, Ho-Hyun; Um, Chung-Moon

2003-06-01

This research was undertaken to investigate the viscoelastic properties related to handling characteristics of five commercial flowable, two conventional hybrid and two condensable composite resins and to investigate the effect on the viscosity of filler volume fraction of composites. A dynamic oscillatory shear test was used to evaluate the storage shear modulus (G'), loss shear modulus (G"), loss tangent (tan delta) and complex viscosity (eta(*)) of the composite resins as a function of frequency (omega)-dynamic frequency sweep test from 0.01 to 100 rad/s at 25 degrees C-using an Advanced Rheometric Expansion System. To investigate the effect on the viscosity of the composites of the filler volume fraction, the filler weight% and filler volume% were measured by the Archimedes' principle using a pyknometer. The complex viscosity eta(*) of flowable composites was lower than that of the hybrid composites and significant differences were observed between brands. The complex viscosity eta(*) of condensable composites was higher than that of hybrid composites. The order of complex viscosity eta(*) at omega=10 rad/s in order of decreasing viscosity was as follows, Synergy compact, P-60, Z-250, Z-100, Aeliteflo, Tetric flow, Compoglass flow, Flow it and Revolution. The complex viscosity of flowable composites, normalized with respect to Z-100, was 0.04-0.56 but Synergy compact was 2.158 times higher than that of Z-100. The patterns of the change of loss tangent (tan delta) of the composite resins with increasing frequency were significantly different between brands. Phase angles delta ranged from 30.9 to 78.1 degrees at omega=10 rad/s. All composite resins exhibit pseudoplastic behavior with increasing shear rate. The relationships between the complex shear modulus G(*), the phase angle delta, and the shear rate omega were represented by the frequency domain phasor form, G(*)(omega)=G(*)e(i delta)=G(*) 90 degree angle delta. Only a weak relationship was found between filler volume% and the viscosity of the composite resins. This investigation shows that the viscoelasticity of composites in the same class is significantly different between brands. This rheologic property of composite resins influences the handling characteristics of the materials. The locus of frequency domain phasor plots in a complex plane is a valuable method of representing the viscoelastic properties of composite resins.

Converting wood volume to biomass for pinyon and juniper. Forest Service research note

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

Chojnacky, D.C.; Moisen, G.G.

1993-03-01

A technique was developed to convert pinyon-juniper volume equation predictions to weights. The method uses specific gravity and biomass conversion equations to obtain foliage weight and total wood weight of all stems, branches, and bark. Specific gravity data are given for several Arizona pinyon-juniper species. Biomass conversion equations are constructed from pinyon-juniper data collected in Nevada. Results provide an interim means of estimating pinyon-juniper aboveground biomass from available volume inventory data.

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...

40 CFR 59.406 - Compliance provisions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... exception of low solids stains and low solids wood preservatives, determine the VOC content in grams of VOC...: VOC content = grams of VOC per liter of coating Ws = weight of volatiles, in grams Ww = weight of water, in grams Wec = weight of exempt compounds, in grams Vm = volume of coating, in liters Vw = volume...

40 CFR 59.406 - Compliance provisions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... exception of low solids stains and low solids wood preservatives, determine the VOC content in grams of VOC...: VOC content = grams of VOC per liter of coating Ws = weight of volatiles, in grams Ww = weight of water, in grams Wec = weight of exempt compounds, in grams Vm = volume of coating, in liters Vw = volume...

40 CFR 59.406 - Compliance provisions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... exception of low solids stains and low solids wood preservatives, determine the VOC content in grams of VOC...: VOC content = grams of VOC per liter of coating Ws = weight of volatiles, in grams Ww = weight of water, in grams Wec = weight of exempt compounds, in grams Vm = volume of coating, in liters Vw = volume...

40 CFR 59.406 - Compliance provisions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... exception of low solids stains and low solids wood preservatives, determine the VOC content in grams of VOC...: VOC content = grams of VOC per liter of coating Ws = weight of volatiles, in grams Ww = weight of water, in grams Wec = weight of exempt compounds, in grams Vm = volume of coating, in liters Vw = volume...

40 CFR 59.406 - Compliance provisions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... exception of low solids stains and low solids wood preservatives, determine the VOC content in grams of VOC...: VOC content = grams of VOC per liter of coating Ws = weight of volatiles, in grams Ww = weight of water, in grams Wec = weight of exempt compounds, in grams Vm = volume of coating, in liters Vw = volume...

Oligomeric cationic polymethacrylates: a comparison of methods for determining molecular weight.

PubMed

Locock, Katherine E S; Meagher, Laurence; Haeussler, Matthias

2014-02-18

This study compares three common laboratory methods, size-exclusion chromatography (SEC), (1)H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF), to determine the molecular weight of oligomeric cationic copolymers. The potential bias for each method was examined across a series of polymers that varied in molecular weight and cationic character (both choice of cation (amine versus guanidine) and relative proportion present). SEC was found to be the least accurate, overestimating Mn by an average of 140%, owing to the lack of appropriate cationic standards available, and the complexity involved in estimating the hydrodynamic volume of copolymers. MALDI-TOF approximated Mn well for the highly monodisperse (Đ < 1.1), low molecular weight (degree of polymerization (DP) <50) species but appeared unsuitable for the largest polymers in the series due to the mass bias associated with the technique. (1)H NMR was found to most accurately estimate Mn in this study, differing to theoretical values by only 5.2%. (1)H NMR end-group analysis is therefore an inexpensive and facile, primary quantitative method to estimate the molecular weight of oliogomeric cationic polymethacrylates if suitably distinct end-groups signals are present in the spectrum.

Influence of Metal Ion and Polymer Core on the Melt Rheology of Metallosupramolecular Films

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-01-01

60:40, ( F ) 50:50. Storage modulus (triangles), loss modulus (circles), and complex viscosity (squares) vs oscillatory angular frequency. Tref = 30 C...λω), where n is the number of cross-links per unit volume, kB is Boltzmann’s constant, T is temperature, and f (λω) is a function describing the...system at hand. For linear polymer melts n can be written as FNA/M where F is the mass density, NA is Avogadro’s number, andM is molecular weight

Advanced Extravehicular Protective Systems (AEPS) study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Williams, J. L.; Copeland, R. J.; Webbon, B. W.

1971-01-01

A description is given of life support subsystem concepts for advanced extravehicular protective systems (AEPS) intended for use on future orbital, lunar surface, and Mars surface missions in the late 1970's and 1980's. Primary interest was centered around the thermal control and carbon dioxide control subsystems because they offer the greatest potential for total weight savings. Emphasis was placed on the generation of regenerable subsystem concepts; however, partially regenerable and expendable concepts were also considered. Previously conceived and developed subsystem concepts were included in the study. Concepts were evaluated on the basis of subsystem weight and volume, and subsystem contribution to parent vehicle weight and volume, which included spares, regeneration equipment, expendables, expandables storage penalty, power penalty, and process heating or cooling penalty. Results are presented showing total weight and volume penalty as a function of total mission extravehicular activity (EVA) hours, and showing EVA weight and volume as a function of EVA duration. Subsystem concepts are recommended for each life support function, and secondary concepts which should be developed are also identified.

Prediction of stream volatilization coefficients

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rathbun, Ronald E.

1990-01-01

Equations are developed for predicting the liquid-film and gas-film reference-substance parameters for quantifying volatilization of organic solutes from streams. Molecular weight and molecular-diffusion coefficients of the solute are used as correlating parameters. Equations for predicting molecular-diffusion coefficients of organic solutes in water and air are developed, with molecular weight and molal volume as parameters. Mean absolute errors of prediction for diffusion coefficients in water are 9.97% for the molecular-weight equation, 6.45% for the molal-volume equation. The mean absolute error for the diffusion coefficient in air is 5.79% for the molal-volume equation. Molecular weight is not a satisfactory correlating parameter for diffusion in air because two equations are necessary to describe the values in the data set. The best predictive equation for the liquid-film reference-substance parameter has a mean absolute error of 5.74%, with molal volume as the correlating parameter. The best equation for the gas-film parameter has a mean absolute error of 7.80%, with molecular weight as the correlating parameter.

In the Age of Breast Augmentation, Breast Reconstruction Provides an Opportunity to Augment the Breast.

PubMed

Zimmerman, Amanda L; Tugertimur, Bugra; Smith, Paul D; Kumar, Ambuj; Dayicioglu, Deniz

2017-01-01

Augmentation mammoplasty remains the most common cosmetic surgery procedure performed. The objective of this article is to evaluate the impact of augmented volume of the reconstructed breast in patients that undergo nipple-sparing mastectomy and patients previously augmented who undergo mastectomy with tissue expander/implant-based reconstruction. Patients undergoing skin-sparing mastectomy, nipple-sparing mastectomy, and mastectomy after previous augmentation followed by tissue expander/implant-based reconstruction between June 2011 and April 2015 by 2 surgeons at the same institution were included. Retrospective chart review of the patients identified using these criteria was performed to record patient characteristics, complications, breast volume, implant volume, and percentage change in volume at the time of reconstruction. Percentage change of breast volume was calculated using the formula (implant breast weight)/(breast weight) for skin-sparing and nipple-sparing mastectomy patients and (final breast implant weight - [breast weight + augmentation breast implant weight])/([breast weight + augmentation breast implant]) for patients undergoing mastectomy following previous augmentation. A total of 293 patients were included in the study with 63 patients who underwent nipple-sparing mastectomy, 166 patients who underwent skin-sparing mastectomy, and 64 patients who underwent previous augmentation with subsequent mastectomy. Mean percentage change in breast volume was 66% in the nipple-sparing mastectomy group, 15% for the right breast and 18% for the left breast in the skin-sparing mastectomy group, and 81% for the right breast and 72% for the left breast in the mastectomy following previous augmentation group. Complication rate for nipple-sparing mastectomy was 27%, mastectomy following previous augmentation was 20.3%, and skin-sparing mastectomy group was 18.7%. Patients who undergo nipple-sparing mastectomy or mastectomy following previous augmentation have the ability to achieve greater volume in their reconstructed breast via tissue expander/implant-based reconstruction.

Rectal cancer: assessment of complete response to preoperative combined radiation therapy with chemotherapy--conventional MR volumetry versus diffusion-weighted MR imaging.

PubMed

Curvo-Semedo, Luís; Lambregts, Doenja M J; Maas, Monique; Thywissen, Thomas; Mehsen, Rana T; Lammering, Guido; Beets, Geerard L; Caseiro-Alves, Filipe; Beets-Tan, Regina G H

2011-09-01

To determine diagnostic performance of diffusion-weighted (DW) magnetic resonance (MR) imaging for assessment of complete tumor response (CR) after combined radiation therapy with chemotherapy (CRT) in patients with locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC) by means of volumetric signal intensity measurements and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) measurements and to compare the performance of DW imaging with that of T2-weighted MR volumetry. A retrospective analysis of 50 patients with LARC, for whom clinical and imaging data were retrieved from a previous imaging study approved by the local institutional ethical committee and for which all patients provided informed consent, was conducted. Patients underwent pre- and post-CRT standard T2-weighted MR and DW MR. Two independent readers placed free-hand regions of interest (ROIs) in each tumor-containing section on both data sets to determine pre- and post-CRT tumor volumes and tumor volume reduction rates (volume). ROIs were copied to an ADC map to calculate tumor ADCs. Histopathologic findings were the standard of reference. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were generated to compare performance of T2-weighted and DW MR volumetry and ADC. The intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) was used to evaluate interobserver variability and the correlation between T2-weighted and DW MR volumetry. Areas under the ROC curve (AUCs) for identification of a CR that was based on pre-CRT volume, post-CRT volume, and volume, respectively, were 0.57, 0.70, and 0.84 for T2-weighted MR versus 0.63, 0.93, and 0.92 for DW MR volumetry (P = .15, .02, .42). Pre- and post-CRT ADC and ADC AUCs were 0.55, 0.54, and 0.51, respectively. Interobserver agreement was excellent for all pre-CRT measurements (ICC, 0.91-0.96) versus good (ICC, 0.61-0.79) for post-CRT measurements. ICC between T2-weighted and DW MR volumetry was excellent (0.97) for pre-CRT measurements versus fair (0.25) for post-CRT measurements. Post-CRT DW MR volumetry provided high diagnostic performance in assessing CR and was significantly more accurate than T2-weighted MR volumetry. Post-CRT DW MR was equally as accurate as volume measurements of both T2-weighted and DW MR. Pre-CRT volumetry and ADC were not reliable.

Model of the hydrodynamic loads applied on a rotating halfbridge belonging to a circular settling tank

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dascalescu, A. E.; Lazaroiu, G.; Scupi, A. A.; Oanta, E.

2016-08-01

The rotating half-bridge of a settling tank is employed to sweep the sludge from the wastewater and to vacuum and sent it to the central collector. It has a complex geometry but the main beam may be considered a slender bar loaded by the following category of forces: concentrated forces produced by the weight of the scrapping system of blades, suction pipes, local sludge collecting chamber, plus the sludge in the horizontal sludge transporting pipes; forces produced by the access bridge; buoyant forces produced by the floating barrels according to Archimedes’ principle; distributed forces produced by the weight of the main bridge; hydrodynamic forces. In order to evaluate the hydrodynamic loads we have conceived a numerical model based on the finite volume method, using the ANSYS-Fluent software. To model the flow we used the equations of Reynolds Averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) for liquids together with Volume of Fluid model (VOF) for multiphase flows. For turbulent model k-epsilon we used the equation for turbulent kinetic energy k and dissipation epsilon. These results will be used to increase the accuracy of the loads’ sub-model in the theoretical models, e. the finite element model and the analytical model.

Correlation of ultrasound estimated placental volume and umbilical cord blood volume in term pregnancy.

PubMed

Pannopnut, Papinwit; Kitporntheranunt, Maethaphan; Paritakul, Panwara; Kongsomboon, Kittipong

2015-01-01

To investigate the correlation between ultrasound measured placental volume and collected umbilical cord blood (UCB) volume in term pregnancy. An observational cross-sectional study of term singleton pregnant women in the labor ward at Maha Chakri Sirindhorn Medical Center was conducted. Placental thickness, height, and width were measured using two-dimensional (2D) ultrasound and calculated for placental volume using the volumetric mathematic model. After the delivery of the baby, UCB was collected and measured for its volume immediately. Then, birth weight, placental weight, and the actual placental volume were analyzed. The Pearson's correlation was used to determine the correlation between each two variables. A total of 35 pregnant women were eligible for the study. The mean and standard deviation of estimated placental volume and actual placental volume were 534±180 mL and 575±118 mL, respectively. The median UCB volume was 140 mL (range 98-220 mL). The UCB volume did not have a statistically significant correlation with the estimated placental volume (correlation coefficient 0.15; p=0.37). However, the UCB volume was significantly correlated with the actual placental volume (correlation coefficient 0.62; p<0.001) and birth weight (correlation coefficient 0.38; p=0.02). The estimated placental volume by 2D ultrasound was not significantly correlated with the UCB volume. Further studies to establish the correlation between the UCB volume and the estimated placental volume using other types of placental imaging may be needed.

Bioimpedance, dry weight and blood pressure control: new methods and consequences.

PubMed

Kuhlmann, Martin K; Zhu, Fansan; Seibert, E; Levin, Nathan W

2005-11-01

Chronic overhydration contributes to the development of left ventricular hypertrophy and a high cardiovascular mortality in end-stage renal disease. Assessment of dry weight is highly dependent on clinical assessment. Bioimpedance technology offers the potential to quantify body fluid compartments and to facilitate dry weight prescription. This review covers recent innovative approaches to dry weight assessment using bioimpedance technology. Three different bioimpedance approaches to determine dry weight have been published. The normovolemic/hypervolemic slope method applies whole body multifrequency bioimpedance to assess predialysis total body extracellular fluid volume and compares the extracellular fluid volume/body weight relation at hypervolemia with the standard value in normovolemic individuals. The resistance-reactance graph method uses whole body single frequency bioimpedance for assessment of hydration state and nutritional status from height-adjusted resistance and reactance. The resulting resistance-reactance vector is set in relation to a distribution range in a normovolemic population. An alternative method uses segmental bioimpedance in the form of continuous intradialytic calf bioimpedance to record changes in calf extracellular volume during dialysis. Dry weight by this method is defined as the weight at which calf extracellular volume is not further reduced despite ongoing ultrafiltration. Although promising, none of these methods has gained much popularity, probably due to the difficulties in understanding bioimpedance and the lack of gold standard methods for dry weight determination. Bioimpedance will improve dry weight assessment, but further refinement of the methods as well as large-scale clinical studies to demonstrate the accuracy and the clinical value of objective dry weight determination are needed.

Legacy tree data: A national database of detailed tree measurements for volume, weight, and physical properties

Treesearch

P.J. Radtke; D.M. Walker; A.R. Weiskittel; J. Frank; J.W. Coulston; J.A. Westfall

2015-01-01

Forest mensurationists in the United States have expended considerable effort over the past century making detailed observations of trees’ dimensions. In recent decades efforts have focused increasingly on weights and physical properties. Work is underway to compile original measurements from past volume, taper, and weight or biomass studies for North American tree...

Distribution of volumes of individual glomeruli in kidneys at autopsy: association with age, nephron number, birth weight and body mass index.

PubMed

Hoy, W E; Hughson, M D; Zimanyi, M; Samuel, T; Douglas-Denton, R; Holden, L; Mott, S; Bertram, J F

2010-11-01

Glomerular hypertrophy occurs in a number of normal and pathological states. Glomerular volume in kidneys at autopsy is usually indirectly derived from estimates of total glomerular mass and nephron number, and provides only a single value per kidney, with no indication of the range of volumes of glomeruli within the kidney of any given subject. We review findings of the distribution of volumes of different glomeruli within subjects without kidney disease, and their correlations with age, nephron number, birth weight and body mass index (BMI). The study describes findings from autopsy kidneys of selected adult white males from the Southeast USA who had unexpected deaths, and who did not have renal scarring or renal disease. Total glomerular (nephron) number and total glomerular volume were estimated using the disector/fractionator combination, and mean glomerular volume (Vglom) was derived. The volumes of 30 individual glomeruli (IGV) in each subject were determined using the disector/Cavalieri method. IGV values were compared by categories of age, nephron number, birth weight and BMI. There was substantial variation in IGV within subjects. Older age, lower nephron number, lower birth weight and gross obesity were associated with higher mean IGV and with greater IGV heterogeneity. High Vglom and high IGVs were associated with more glomerulosclerosis. However, amongst the generally modest numbers of sclerosed glomeruli, the pattern was uniformly of ischemic collapse of the glomerular tuft. There was no detectable focal segmental glomerular tuft injury. In this series of people without overt renal disease, greater age, nephron deficit, lower birth weight and obesity were marked by glomerular enlargement and greater glomerular volume heterogeneity within individuals.

Estimation of regional gas and tissue volumes of the lung in supine man using computed tomography.

PubMed

Denison, D M; Morgan, M D; Millar, A B

1986-08-01

This study was intended to discover how well computed tomography could recover the volume and weight of lung like foams in a body like shell, and then how well it could recover the volume and weight of the lungs in supine man. Model thoraces were made with various loaves of bread submerged in water. Computed tomography scans recovered the volume of the model lungs (true volume range 250-12,500 ml) within +0.2 (SD 68) ml and their weights (true range 72-3125 g) within +30 (78) g. Scans also recovered successive injections of 50 ml of water, within +/- 5 ml. Scans in 12 healthy supine men recovered their vital capacities, total lung capacities (TLC), and predicted tissue volumes with comparable accuracy. At total lung capacity the mean tissue volume of single lungs was 431 (64) ml and at residual volume (RV) it was 427 (63) ml. Tissue volume was then used to match inspiratory and expiratory slices and calculate regional ventilation. Throughout the mid 90% of lung the RV/TLC ratio was fairly constant--mean 21% (5%). New methods of presenting such regional data graphically and automatically are also described.

Prenatal Mechanistic Target of Rapamycin Complex 1 (m TORC1) Inhibition by Rapamycin Treatment of Pregnant Mice Causes Intrauterine Growth Restriction and Alters Postnatal Cardiac Growth, Morphology, and Function.

PubMed

Hennig, Maria; Fiedler, Saskia; Jux, Christian; Thierfelder, Ludwig; Drenckhahn, Jörg-Detlef

2017-08-04

Fetal growth impacts cardiovascular health throughout postnatal life in humans. Various animal models of intrauterine growth restriction exhibit reduced heart size at birth, which negatively influences cardiac function in adulthood. The mechanistic target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) integrates nutrient and growth factor availability with cell growth, thereby regulating organ size. This study aimed at elucidating a possible involvement of mTORC1 in intrauterine growth restriction and prenatal heart growth. We inhibited mTORC1 in fetal mice by rapamycin treatment of pregnant dams in late gestation. Prenatal rapamycin treatment reduces mTORC1 activity in various organs at birth, which is fully restored by postnatal day 3. Rapamycin-treated neonates exhibit a 16% reduction in body weight compared with vehicle-treated controls. Heart weight decreases by 35%, resulting in a significantly reduced heart weight/body weight ratio, smaller left ventricular dimensions, and reduced cardiac output in rapamycin- versus vehicle-treated mice at birth. Although proliferation rates in neonatal rapamycin-treated hearts are unaffected, cardiomyocyte size is reduced, and apoptosis increased compared with vehicle-treated neonates. Rapamycin-treated mice exhibit postnatal catch-up growth, but body weight and left ventricular mass remain reduced in adulthood. Prenatal mTORC1 inhibition causes a reduction in cardiomyocyte number in adult hearts compared with controls, which is partially compensated for by an increased cardiomyocyte volume, resulting in normal cardiac function without maladaptive left ventricular remodeling. Prenatal rapamycin treatment of pregnant dams represents a new mouse model of intrauterine growth restriction and identifies an important role of mTORC1 in perinatal cardiac growth. © 2017 The Authors. Published on behalf of the American Heart Association, Inc., by Wiley.

Numerical simulation and optimization of casting process for complex pump

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Xueqin; Dong, Anping; Wang, Donghong; Lu, Yanling; Zhu, Guoliang

2017-09-01

The complex shape of the casting pump body has large complicated structure and uniform wall thickness, which easy give rise to casting defects. The numerical simulation software ProCAST is used to simulate the initial top gating process, after analysis of the material and structure characteristics of the high-pressure pump. The filling process was overall smooth, not there the water shortage phenomenon. But the circular shrinkage defects appear at the bottom of casting during solidification process. Then, the casting parameters were optimized and adding cold iron in the bottom. The shrinkage weight was reduced from 0.00167g to 0.0005g. The porosity volume was reduced from 1.39cm3 to 0.41cm3. The optimization scheme is simulated and actual experimented. The defect has been significantly improved.

Standard operating procedures for standardized mass rearing of the dengue and chikungunya vectors Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus (Diptera: Culicidae) - I - egg quantification.

PubMed

Zheng, Min-Lin; Zhang, Dong-Jing; Damiens, David D; Yamada, Hanano; Gilles, Jeremie R L

2015-01-23

Quantification of eggs prior to rearing the immature stages of mosquitoes is an essential step in establishing a standardized mass rearing system. To develop a simple and accurate method of egg quantification for Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus, the relationship between egg number and weight, as well as egg number and volume, were studied. Known quantities of eggs (1,000, 3,000, 6,000, 12,000, 15,000, 18,000, 21,000 and 27,000) were counted and subsequently their weight and volume were measured. Best-fit curves and regression equations were used to describe relationships between Aedes egg number and both weight and volume. Eighteen thousand Ae. aegypti eggs weighed 159.8 mg and had a volume of 277.4 μl, compared to measurements of 131.5 mg and 230.3 μl for Ae. albopictus. The eggs of Ae. aegypti were thus larger and heavier than those of Ae. albopictus. The use of weight and volume to quantify egg number was validated by counting volumes and weights of eggs expected to correspond to 3,000 and 18,000 eggs of each species; significant correlations were found in all cases except in the case of 3,000 Ae. albopictus eggs measured by volume. Methods for egg quantification were validated and shown to be a consistent and practical means to achieve uniform distribution of Aedes larvae between rearing trays, important for optimal mass rearing of the immature stages of Aedes mosquitoes.

Yield table for hardwood bark residue

Treesearch

Jeffery L. Wartluft

1974-01-01

Bark residue weights are tabulated for eight species of hardwood sawlogs according to log volume by the Doyle, International 1/4-inch, and Scribner decimal C log rules. Factors are provided for converting from weight in pounds to volume in cubic yards.

Arsenic removal from water by coupling photocatalysis and complexation-ultrafiltration processes: A preliminary study.

PubMed

Molinari, R; Argurio, P

2017-02-01

Inorganic As removal from contaminated water has been studied by off-line coupling of photocatalysis and complexation-ultrafiltration (CP-UF), showing that this combination permits to obtain a quite complete arsenic removal from the treated water. Two commercial polymers, poly(dimethylamine-coepichlorohydrin-coethylenediamine) (PDEHED) and poly(diallyl dimethyl amnmonium chloride) (PolyDADMAC) have been tested in the CP-UF process. The operating conditions (pH and polymer/As weight ratio) for As(V) complexation were determined finding values of 7.5/20 and 9.2/30 for PDEHED and polyDADMAC, respectively. The UF tests were performed by continuous diafiltration and diafiltration with volume reduction modes. The latter method permits to save the volume of washing solution during polymer regeneration. As(III) was not complexed, operating under the As(V) complexation conditions, thus a pre-oxidation step by using the photocatalytic approach was carried out to remove As(III) species. As(III) conversion to As(V) was evaluated by As speciation by using the CP-UF process for analytical purposes. Photocatalytic oxidation was successfully performed under UV radiation by using TiO 2 (0.05 mg L -1 ), O 2 and pH = 9. The oxidation was very fast during the first 10 min following a zero order kinetics (k = 0.83 mg L -1  min -1 ) and reaching 90% As(III) oxidation. A conceptual scheme coupling photocatalysis and CP-UF and some criteria to operate the CP-UF process, useful to address it towards application, are reported. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Weight, Volume, and Physical Properties of Major Hardwood Species in the Gulf and Atlantic Coastal Plains

Treesearch

Alexander Clark; Douglas R. Phillips; Douglas J. Frederick

1985-01-01

The weight, volume, and physical properties of trees 1 to 20 inches d.b.h. were determined for green ash, blackgum, red maple, sweetgum, water tupelo, yellow-poplar, hickory, laurel oak, water oak, and white oak in the Gulf and Atlantic Coastal Plains. Hard hardwood, soft hardwood, and individual species equations are presented for predicting green and dry weight...

Normal gray and white matter volume after weight restoration in adolescents with anorexia nervosa.

PubMed

Lázaro, Luisa; Andrés, Susana; Calvo, Anna; Cullell, Clàudia; Moreno, Elena; Plana, M Teresa; Falcón, Carles; Bargalló, Núria; Castro-Fornieles, Josefina

2013-12-01

The aim of this study was to determine whether treated, weight-stabilized adolescents with anorexia nervosa (AN) present brain volume differences in comparison with healthy controls. Thirty-five adolescents with weight-recovered AN and 17 healthy controls were assessed by means of psychopathology scales and magnetic resonance imaging. Axial three-dimensional T1-weighted images were obtained in a 1.5 Tesla scanner and analyzed using optimized voxel-based morphometry (VBM). There were no significant differences between controls and weight-stabilized AN patients with regard to global volumes of either gray or white brain matter, or in the regional VBM study. Differences were not significant between patients with psychopharmacological treatment and without, between those with amenorrhea and without, as well as between patients with restrictive versus purgative AN. The present findings reveal no global or regional gray or white matter abnormalities in this sample of adolescents following weight restoration. Copyright © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Structure and Dynamics of Bimodal Colloidal Dispersions in a Low-Molecular-Weight Polymer Solution

DOE PAGES

Zhang, Fan; Allen, Andrew J.; Levine, Lyle E.; ...

2017-02-24

We present an experimental study of the structural and dynamical properties of bimodal, micrometersized colloidal dispersions (size ratio ≈ 2) in an aqueous solution of low-molecular weight polymer (polyethylene glycol 2000) using synchrotron ultra-small angle X-ray scattering (USAXS) and USAXSbased X-ray photon correlation spectroscopy. We fixed the volume fraction of the large particles at 5 % and systematically increased the volume fraction of the small particles from 0 % to 5 % to evaluate its effect on the structure and dynamics. The bimodal dispersions were homogenous through the investigated parameter space. We found that the partial structure factors can bemore » satisfactorily retrieved for the bimodal colloidal dispersions using a Percus-Yevick hard sphere potential when the particle size distributions of the particles were taken into account. We also found that the partial structure factor between the large particles does not exhibit significant variation with increasing volume fraction of small particles, whereas the isothermal compressibility of the binary mixture was found to decrease with increasing volume fraction of small particles. The dynamics of single-component large particle dispersion obey the principles of de Gennes narrowing, where the wave vector dependence of the interparticle diffusion coefficient is inversely proportional to the interparticle structure factor. The dynamics of the bimodal dispersions demonstrate strong dependence on the fraction of small particles. As a result, we also made a comparison between the experimental effective dynamic viscosity of the bimodal dispersion with theoretical predictions, which suggest that the complex mutual interactions between large and small particles have a strong effect on the dynamic behaviors of bimodal dispersions.« less

Structure and Dynamics of Bimodal Colloidal Dispersions in a Low-Molecular-Weight Polymer Solution.

PubMed

Zhang, Fan; Allen, Andrew J; Levine, Lyle E; Tsai, De-Hao; Ilavsky, Jan

2017-03-21

We present an experimental study of the structural and dynamical properties of bimodal, micrometer-sized colloidal dispersions (size ratio ≈ 2) in an aqueous solution of low-molecular-weight polymer (polyethylene glycol 2000) using synchrotron ultra-small angle X-ray scattering (USAXS) and USAXS-based X-ray photon correlation spectroscopy. We fixed the volume fraction of the large particles at 5% and systematically increased the volume fraction of the small particles from 0 to 5% to evaluate their effects on the structure and dynamics. The bimodal dispersions were homogenous through the investigated parameter space. We found that the partial structure factors can be satisfactorily retrieved for the bimodal colloidal dispersions using a Percus-Yevick hard-sphere potential when the size distributions of the particles were taken into account. We also found that the partial structure factor between the large particles did not exhibit a significant variation with increasing volume fraction of the small particles, whereas the isothermal compressibility of the binary mixture was found to decrease with increasing volume fraction of the small particles. The dynamics of single-component large-particle dispersion obey the principles of de Gennes narrowing, where the wave vector dependence of the interparticle diffusion coefficient is inversely proportional to the interparticle structure factor. The dynamics of the bimodal dispersions demonstrate a strong dependence on the fraction of small particles. We also made a comparison between the experimental effective dynamic viscosity of the bimodal dispersion with the theoretical predictions, which suggest that the complex mutual interactions between the large and small particles have a strong effect on the dynamic behaviors of bimodal dispersions.

Structure and Dynamics of Bimodal Colloidal Dispersions in a Low-Molecular-Weight Polymer Solution

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

Zhang, Fan; Allen, Andrew J.; Levine, Lyle E.

We present an experimental study of the structural and dynamical properties of bimodal, micrometersized colloidal dispersions (size ratio ≈ 2) in an aqueous solution of low-molecular weight polymer (polyethylene glycol 2000) using synchrotron ultra-small angle X-ray scattering (USAXS) and USAXSbased X-ray photon correlation spectroscopy. We fixed the volume fraction of the large particles at 5 % and systematically increased the volume fraction of the small particles from 0 % to 5 % to evaluate its effect on the structure and dynamics. The bimodal dispersions were homogenous through the investigated parameter space. We found that the partial structure factors can bemore » satisfactorily retrieved for the bimodal colloidal dispersions using a Percus-Yevick hard sphere potential when the particle size distributions of the particles were taken into account. We also found that the partial structure factor between the large particles does not exhibit significant variation with increasing volume fraction of small particles, whereas the isothermal compressibility of the binary mixture was found to decrease with increasing volume fraction of small particles. The dynamics of single-component large particle dispersion obey the principles of de Gennes narrowing, where the wave vector dependence of the interparticle diffusion coefficient is inversely proportional to the interparticle structure factor. The dynamics of the bimodal dispersions demonstrate strong dependence on the fraction of small particles. As a result, we also made a comparison between the experimental effective dynamic viscosity of the bimodal dispersion with theoretical predictions, which suggest that the complex mutual interactions between large and small particles have a strong effect on the dynamic behaviors of bimodal dispersions.« less

Summary of green weights and volumes for five tree species in Michigan.

Treesearch

Sharon A. Winsauer; Helmuth M. Steinhilb

1980-01-01

Presents and summarizes the green weights and volumes of trees, boles and residue for sugar maple, white spruce, aspen, balsam fir and red pine in Northern Michigan. Equations, tables and graphs are included for each of the five species.

Three-Dimensional High-Order Spectral Finite Volume Method for Unstructured Grids

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Liu, Yen; Vinokur, Marcel; Wang, Z. J.; Kwak, Dochan (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

Many areas require a very high-order accurate numerical solution of conservation laws for complex shapes. This paper deals with the extension to three dimensions of the Spectral Finite Volume (SV) method for unstructured grids, which was developed to solve such problems. We first summarize the limitations of traditional methods such as finite-difference, and finite-volume for both structured and unstructured grids. We then describe the basic formulation of the spectral finite volume method. What distinguishes the SV method from conventional high-order finite-volume methods for unstructured triangular or tetrahedral grids is the data reconstruction. Instead of using a large stencil of neighboring cells to perform a high-order reconstruction, the stencil is constructed by partitioning each grid cell, called a spectral volume (SV), into 'structured' sub-cells, called control volumes (CVs). One can show that if all the SV cells are partitioned into polygonal or polyhedral CV sub-cells in a geometrically similar manner, the reconstructions for all the SVs become universal, irrespective of their shapes, sizes, orientations, or locations. It follows that the reconstruction is reduced to a weighted sum of unknowns involving just a few simple adds and multiplies, and those weights are universal and can be pre-determined once for all. The method is thus very efficient, accurate, and yet geometrically flexible. The most critical part of the SV method is the partitioning of the SV into CVs. In this paper we present the partitioning of a tetrahedral SV into polyhedral CVs with one free parameter for polynomial reconstructions up to degree of precision five. (Note that the order of accuracy of the method is one order higher than the reconstruction degree of precision.) The free parameter will be determined by minimizing the Lebesgue constant of the reconstruction matrix or similar criteria to obtain optimized partitions. The details of an efficient, parallelizable code to solve three-dimensional problems for any order of accuracy are then presented. Important aspects of the data structure are discussed. Comparisons with the Discontinuous Galerkin (DG) method are made. Numerical examples for wave propagation problems are presented.

Short communication: Measuring feed volume and weight by machine vision.

PubMed

Shelley, A N; Lau, D L; Stone, A E; Bewley, J M

2016-01-01

Individual dairy cow feed intake is closely related to the health and productive output of each cow, with healthy cows generally eating more feed than unhealthy cows. Incorporating the use of an automated system to monitor feed consumption for each cow may be beneficial for dairy farm management. This study examined the use of an inexpensive 3-dimensional video camera to measure feed volume, from which we derived feed weight. Proof-of-concept testing was conducted to determine the effectiveness and capability of the machine vision feed-scanning system and its possible use in feed intake monitoring. Such systems are ideal because they do not impede the workflow of the farm or interrupt feeding behavior. This is an improvement over existing systems that are labor and cost intensive. Our conducted experiments involve measuring feed volume at known weights, up to 22.68 kg, with the resulting volume and weight values analyzed by means of linear and quadratic least squares t-test regression analysis. The effects of feed positioning in the bin and near-range sensor limitations were also examined. The results showed that an estimation of feed weight from 3-dimensional scan of volume measurements could be made to within 0.5 kg of the physically measured feed weight using a digital scale. Future efforts will focus on extending this work to active bunks with multiple cows eating throughout the day and testing total mixed rations of varied composition. Copyright © 2016 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Mathematical model in post-mortem estimation of brain edema using morphometric parameters.

PubMed

Radojevic, Nemanja; Radnic, Bojana; Vucinic, Jelena; Cukic, Dragana; Lazovic, Ranko; Asanin, Bogdan; Savic, Slobodan

2017-01-01

Current autopsy principles for evaluating the existence of brain edema are based on a macroscopic subjective assessment performed by pathologists. The gold standard is a time-consuming histological verification of the presence of the edema. By measuring the diameters of the cranial cavity, as individually determined morphometric parameters, a mathematical model for rapid evaluation of brain edema was created, based on the brain weight measured during the autopsy. A cohort study was performed on 110 subjects, divided into two groups according to the histological presence or absence of (the - deleted from the text) brain edema. In all subjects, the following measures were determined: the volume and the diameters of the cranial cavity (longitudinal and transverse distance and height), the brain volume, and the brain weight. The complex mathematical algorithm revealed a formula for the coefficient ε, which is useful to conclude whether a brain edema is present or not. The average density of non-edematous brain is 0.967 g/ml, while the average density of edematous brain is 1.148 g/ml. The resulting formula for the coefficient ε is (5.79 x longitudinal distance x transverse distance)/brain weight. Coefficient ε can be calculated using measurements of the diameters of the cranial cavity and the brain weight, performed during the autopsy. If the resulting ε is less than 0.9484, it could be stated that there is cerebral edema with a reliability of 98.5%. The method discussed in this paper aims to eliminate the burden of relying on subjective assessments when determining the presence of a brain edema. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd and Faculty of Forensic and Legal Medicine. All rights reserved.

Weight and volume variation in truckloads of logs hauled in the central Appalachians

Treesearch

Floyd G. Timson

1974-01-01

Variation in volume and weight was found among loaded log trucks even when such factors as truck type, logging job, and driver influence were eliminated. A load range of 10,000 pounds or 1,000 board feet was commonplace for the same truck, driver, and cutting site. Differences in log size, shape, weight, and species caused a major share of this variation. Yet,...

46 CFR 160.176-3 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... weight and displacement values prescribed in Tables 160.047-4(c)(2) and § 160.047-(4)(c)(4), each front insert must have a weight of kapok of at least 8.25 oz. and a volume displacement of 9.0 ±0.25 lb., and the back insert must have a weight of kapok of at least 5.5 oz. and a volume displacement of 6.0 ±0.25...

46 CFR 160.176-3 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... weight and displacement values prescribed in Tables 160.047-4(c)(2) and § 160.047-(4)(c)(4), each front insert must have a weight of kapok of at least 8.25 oz. and a volume displacement of 9.0 ±0.25 lb., and the back insert must have a weight of kapok of at least 5.5 oz. and a volume displacement of 6.0 ±0.25...

46 CFR 160.176-3 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... weight and displacement values prescribed in Tables 160.047-4(c)(2) and § 160.047-(4)(c)(4), each front insert must have a weight of kapok of at least 8.25 oz. and a volume displacement of 9.0 ±0.25 lb., and the back insert must have a weight of kapok of at least 5.5 oz. and a volume displacement of 6.0 ±0.25...

46 CFR 160.176-3 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... weight and displacement values prescribed in Tables 160.047-4(c)(2) and § 160.047-(4)(c)(4), each front insert must have a weight of kapok of at least 8.25 oz. and a volume displacement of 9.0 ±0.25 lb., and the back insert must have a weight of kapok of at least 5.5 oz. and a volume displacement of 6.0 ±0.25...

Weight-Volume relationships of Aspen and Winter-Cut Black Spruce Pulpwood in Northern Minnesota

Treesearch

David C. Lothner; Richard M. Marden; Edwin Kallio

1974-01-01

Seasonal weight-volume relationships were determined for rough (bark on) aspen and black spruce 100-inch pulpwood that was delivered withing 1 week after cutting in northern Minnesota during 1971-72. For aspen, the weight of wood and bark per cubic foot of wood averaged 56 pounds in the winter and 61 pounds in the summer. This relationshipfor winter-cut black spruce...

Substantia Nigra Volume Loss Before Basal Forebrain Degeneration in Early Parkinson Disease

PubMed Central

Ziegler, David A.; Wonderlick, Julien S.; Ashourian, Paymon; Hansen, Leslie A.; Young, Jeremy C.; Murphy, Alex J.; Koppuzha, Cecily K.; Growdon, John H.; Corkin, Suzanne

2017-01-01

Objective To test the hypothesis that degeneration of the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNc) precedes that of the cholinergic basal forebrain (BF) in Parkinson disease (PD) using new multispectral structural magnetic resonance (MR) imaging tools to measure the volumes of the SNc and BF. Design Matched case-control study. Setting The Athinoula A. Martinos Imaging Center at the McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), and the Massachusetts General Hospital/MIT Morris Udall Center of Excellence in Parkinson Disease Research. Patients Participants included 29 patients with PD (Hoehn and Yahr [H&Y] stages 1–3) and 27 matched healthy control subjects. Main Outcome Measures We acquired multiecho T1-weighted, multiecho proton density, T2-weighted, and T2-weighted fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) sequences from each participant. For the SNc, we created a weighted mean of the multiple echoes, yielding a single volume with a high ratio of contrast to noise. We visualized the BF using T2-weighted FLAIR images. For each participant, we manually labeled the 2 structures and calculated their volumes. Results Relative to the controls, 13 patients with H&Y stage 1 PD had significantly decreased SNc volumes. Sixteen patients with H&Y stage 2 or 3 PD showed little additional volume loss. In contrast, the BF volume loss occurred later in the disease, with a significant decrease apparent in patients having H&Y stage 2 or 3 PD compared with the controls and the patients having H&Y stage 1 PD. The latter group did not differ significantly from the controls. Conclusion Our results support the proposed neuropathological trajectory in PD and establish novel multispectral methods as MR imaging biomarkers for tracking the degeneration of the SNc and BF. PMID:23183921

Understanding PSA and its derivatives in prediction of tumor volume: Addressing health disparities in prostate cancer risk stratification.

PubMed

Chinea, Felix M; Lyapichev, Kirill; Epstein, Jonathan I; Kwon, Deukwoo; Smith, Paul Taylor; Pollack, Alan; Cote, Richard J; Kryvenko, Oleksandr N

2017-03-28

To address health disparities in risk stratification of U.S. Hispanic/Latino men by characterizing influences of prostate weight, body mass index, and race/ethnicity on the correlation of PSA derivatives with Gleason score 6 (Grade Group 1) tumor volume in a diverse cohort. Using published PSA density and PSA mass density cutoff values, men with higher body mass indices and prostate weights were less likely to have a tumor volume <0.5 cm3. Variability across race/ethnicity was found in the univariable analysis for all PSA derivatives when predicting for tumor volume. In receiver operator characteristic analysis, area under the curve values for all PSA derivatives varied across race/ethnicity with lower optimal cutoff values for Hispanic/Latino (PSA=2.79, PSA density=0.06, PSA mass=0.37, PSA mass density=0.011) and Non-Hispanic Black (PSA=3.75, PSA density=0.07, PSA mass=0.46, PSA mass density=0.008) compared to Non-Hispanic White men (PSA=4.20, PSA density=0.11 PSA mass=0.53, PSA mass density=0.014). We retrospectively analyzed 589 patients with low-risk prostate cancer at radical prostatectomy. Pre-operative PSA, patient height, body weight, and prostate weight were used to calculate all PSA derivatives. Receiver operating characteristic curves were constructed for each PSA derivative per racial/ethnic group to establish optimal cutoff values predicting for tumor volume ≥0.5 cm3. Increasing prostate weight and body mass index negatively influence PSA derivatives for predicting tumor volume. PSA derivatives' ability to predict tumor volume varies significantly across race/ethnicity. Hispanic/Latino and Non-Hispanic Black men have lower optimal cutoff values for all PSA derivatives, which may impact risk assessment for prostate cancer.

Interactions of different carrageenan isoforms and flour components in breadmaking.

PubMed

León, A E; Ribotta, P D; Ausar, S F; Fernández, C; Lanada, C A; Beltramo, D M

2000-07-01

The aim of this study was to compare the effects of carrageenans with different sulfate contents on bread volume and dough rheological properties. Results showed that only lambda carrageenan, the most sulfated isoform, produced a significant increase in bread volume. In contrast, the different carrageenans induced a negative effect on the cookie factor. Alveographic and farinographic analyses indicated that dough rheological properties were differentially modified depending on whether lambda carrageenan was added to flour and then hydrated or vice versa. Analysis of the interaction between lambda carrageenan and flour components by infrared spectroscopy and SDS-PAGE indicated that a pool of low molecular weight hydrophobic gluten proteins interact with carrageenan. This interaction drastically changes their physicochemical properties since carrageenan-gluten protein complexes show a hydrophilic behavior. In addition, the results indicate that carrageenan sulfate groups and probably the amino groups of glutamines present in the primary structure of gluten proteins are involved in the interaction.

MRI and histopathologic study of a novel cholesterol-fed rabbit model of xanthogranuloma.

PubMed

Chen, Yuanxin; Hamilton, Amanda M; Parkins, Katie M; Wang, Jian-Xiong; Rogers, Kem A; Zeineh, Michael M; Rutt, Brian K; Ronald, John A

2016-09-01

To develop a rabbit model of xanthogranuloma based on supplementation of dietary cholesterol. The aim of this study was to analyze the xanthogranulomatous lesions using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and histological examination. Rabbits were fed a low-level cholesterol (CH) diet (n = 10) or normal chow (n = 5) for 24 months. In vivo brain imaging was performed on a 3T MR system using fast imaging employing steady state acquisition, susceptibility-weighted imaging, spoiled gradient recalled, T1 -weighted inversion recovery imaging and T1 relaxometry, PD-weighted and T2 -weighted spin-echo imaging and T2 relaxometry, iterative decomposition of water and fat with echo asymmetry and least-squares estimation, ultrashort TE MRI (UTE-MRI), and T2* relaxometry. MR images were evaluated using a Likert scale for lesion presence and quantitative analysis of lesion size, ventricular volume, and T1 , T2 , and T2* values of lesions was performed. After imaging, brain specimens were examined using histological methods. In vivo MRI revealed that 6 of 10 CH-fed rabbits developed lesions in the choroid plexus. Region-of-interest analysis showed that for CH-fed rabbits the mean lesion volume was 8.5 ± 2.6 mm(3) and the volume of the lateral ventricle was significantly increased compared to controls (P < 0.01). The lesions showed significantly shorter mean T2 values (35 ± 12 msec, P < 0.001), longer mean T1 values (1581 ± 146 msec, P < 0.05), and shorter T2* values (22 ± 13 msec, P < 0.001) compared to adjacent brain structures. The ultrashort T2* components were visible using UTE-MRI. Histopathologic evaluation of lesions demonstrated features of human xanthogranuloma. Rabbits fed a low-level CH diet develop sizable intraventricular masses that have similar histopathological features as human xanthogranuloma. Multiparametric MRI techniques were able to provide information about the complex composition of these lesions. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2016;44:673-682. © 2016 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine.

Impact of speed and magnitude of weight loss on the development of brain trophic changes in adolescents with anorexia nervosa: a case control study.

PubMed

Bomba, Monica; Riva, Anna; Veggo, Federica; Grimaldi, Marco; Morzenti, Sabrina; Neri, Francesca; Nacinovich, Renata

2013-02-19

Anorexia nervosa commonly arises during adolescence and is associated with more than one medical morbidity. Abnormalities in brain structure (defined as "pseudoatrophy") are common in adolescents with anorexia nervosa; however, their correlations with endocrinological profiles and clinical parameters are still unclear. In particular, no study has described the impact of BMI (body mass index) variations (speed and magnitude of weight loss) on cerebral trophism changes. Eleven adolescents with anorexia nervosa and 8 healthy controls underwent cerebral MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) examination to obtain global and partial volumes (gray matter, white matter and cerebrospinal fluid) and clinical evaluation. The Mann-Whitney U test was used to compare partial volumes and clinical variables between cases and controls. The Spearman non-parametric test was performed in order to explore correlations between the variables studied. The patients diagnosed with AN showed significantly increased cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) volumes and decreased total gray (GM) and white matter (WM) volumes. The degree of weight loss (deltaBMI) correlated inversely with the GM volume; the increase of CSF compartment correlated directly with the rapidity of weight loss (DeltaBMI/disease duration). This study suggests a correlation between cerebral alterations in AN and the speed and magnitude of weight loss, and outlines its importance for the therapeutic treatment.

Criterion 6, indicator 25: Value and volume of wood and wood products production, including primary and secondary processing

Treesearch

James L. Howard; David B. McKeever; Ted Bilek

2016-01-01

Trend data through 2011 are provided on the value and volume of wood and wood products production for the United States to aid in assessing sustainability of socioeconomic benefits of forests. The volume of roundwood used to make products, the weight produced, and the value of U.S. shipments have fluctuated in recent years. But there have been decreases in the weight...

A preliminary neutron diffraction study of rasburicase, a recombinant urate oxidase enzyme, complexed with 8-azaxanthin

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

Budayova-Spano, Monika, E-mail: spano@embl-grenoble.fr; Institut Laue-Langevin, 6 Rue Jules Horowitz, BP 156, 38042 Grenoble; Bonneté, Françoise

2006-03-01

Neutron diffraction data of hydrogenated recombinant urate oxidase enzyme (Rasburicase), complexed with a purine-type inhibitor 8-azaxanthin, was collected to 2.1 Å resolution from a crystal grown in D{sub 2}O by careful control and optimization of crystallization conditions via knowledge of the phase diagram. Deuterium atoms were clearly seen in the neutron-scattering density map. Crystallization and preliminary neutron diffraction measurements of rasburicase, a recombinant urate oxidase enzyme expressed by a genetically modified Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain, complexed with a purine-type inhibitor (8-azaxanthin) are reported. Neutron Laue diffraction data were collected to 2.1 Å resolution using the LADI instrument from a crystal (grownmore » in D{sub 2}O) with volume 1.8 mm{sup 3}. The aim of this neutron diffraction study is to determine the protonation states of the inhibitor and residues within the active site. This will lead to improved comprehension of the enzymatic mechanism of this important enzyme, which is used as a protein drug to reduce toxic uric acid accumulation during chemotherapy. This paper illustrates the high quality of the neutron diffraction data collected, which are suitable for high-resolution structural analysis. In comparison with other neutron protein crystallography studies to date in which a hydrogenated protein has been used, the volume of the crystal was relatively small and yet the data still extend to high resolution. Furthermore, urate oxidase has one of the largest primitive unit-cell volumes (space group I222, unit-cell parameters a = 80, b = 96, c = 106 Å) and molecular weights (135 kDa for the homotetramer) so far successfully studied with neutrons.« less

Influence of body weight and body conformation on the pressure-volume curve during capnoperitoneum in dogs.

PubMed

Dorn, Melissa J; Bockstahler, Barbara A; Dupré, Gilles P

2017-05-01

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the pressure-volume relationship during capnoperitoneum in dogs and effects of body weight and body conformation. ANIMALS 86 dogs scheduled for routine laparoscopy. PROCEDURES Dogs were allocated into 3 groups on the basis of body weight. Body measurements, body condition score, and body conformation indices were calculated. Carbon dioxide was insufflated into the abdomen with a syringe, and pressure was measured at the laparoscopic cannula. Volume and pressure data were processed, and the yield point, defined by use of a cutoff volume (COV) and cutoff pressure (COP), was calculated. RESULTS 20 dogs were excluded because of recording errors, air leakage attributable to surgical flaws, or trocar defects. For the remaining 66 dogs, the pressure-volume curve was linear-like until the yield point was reached, and then it became visibly exponential. Mean ± SD COP was 5.99 ± 0.805 mm Hg. No correlation was detected between yield point, body variables, or body weight. Mean COV was 1,196.2 ± 697.9 mL (65.15 ± 20.83 mL of CO 2 /kg), and COV was correlated significantly with body weight and one of the body condition indices but not with other variables. CONCLUSION AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE In this study, there was a similar COP for all dogs of all sizes. In addition, results suggested that increasing the abdominal pressure after the yield point was reached did not contribute to a substantial increase in working space in the abdomen. No correlation was found between yield point, body variables, and body weight.

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.

Crystallization of mitochondrial rhodoquinol-fumarate reductase from the parasitic nematode Ascaris suum with the specific inhibitor flutolanil

PubMed Central

Osanai, Arihiro; Harada, Shigeharu; Sakamoto, Kimitoshi; Shimizu, Hironari; Inaoka, Daniel Ken; Kita, Kiyoshi

2009-01-01

In adult Ascaris suum (roundworm) mitochondrial membrane-bound complex II acts as a rhodoquinol-fumarate reductase, which is the reverse reaction to that of mammalian complex II (succinate-ubiquinone reductase). The adult A. suum rhodoquinol-fumarate reductase was crystallized in the presence of octaethyleneglycol monododecyl ether and n-dodecyl-β-d-maltopyranoside in a 3:2 weight ratio. The crystals belonged to the orthorhombic space group P212121, with unit-cell parameters a = 123.75, b = 129.08, c = 221.12 Å, and diffracted to 2.8 Å resolution using synchrotron radiation. The presence of two molecules in the asymmetric unit (120 kDa × 2) gives a crystal volume per protein mass (V M) of 3.6 Å3 Da−1. PMID:19724139

C-arm flat detector computed tomography parenchymal blood volume imaging: the nature of parenchymal blood volume parameter and the feasibility of parenchymal blood volume imaging in aneurysmal subarachnoid haemorrhage patients.

PubMed

Kamran, Mudassar; Byrne, James V

2015-09-01

C-arm flat detector computed tomography (FDCT) parenchymal blood volume (PBV) measurements allow assessment of cerebral haemodynamics in the neurointerventional suite. This paper explores the feasibility of C-arm computed tomography (CT) PBV imaging and the relationship between the C-arm CT PBV and the MR-PWI-derived cerebral blood volume (CBV) and cerebral blood flow (CBF) parameters in aneurysmal subarachnoid haemorrhage (SAH) patients developing delayed cerebral ischemia (DCI). Twenty-six patients with DCI following aneurysmal SAH underwent a research C-arm CT PBV scan using a biplane angiography system and contemporaneous MR-PWI scan as part of a prospective study. Quantitative whole-brain atlas-based volume-of-interest analysis in conjunction with Pearson correlation and Bland-Altman tests was performed to explore the agreement between C-arm CT PBV and MR-derived CBV and CBF measurements. All patients received medical management, while eight patients (31%) underwent selective intra-arterial chemical angioplasty. Colour-coded C-arm CT PBV maps were 91% sensitive and 100% specific in detecting the perfusion abnormalities. C-arm CT rPBV demonstrated good agreement and strong correlation with both MR-rCBV and MR-rCBF measurements; the agreement and correlation were stronger for MR-rCBF relative to MR-rCBV and improved for C-arm CT PBV versus the geometric mean of MR-rCBV and MR-rCBF. Analysis of weighted means showed that the C-arm CT PBV has a preferential blood flow weighting (≈ 60% blood flow and ≈ 40% blood volume weighting). C-arm CT PBV imaging is feasible in DCI following aneurysmal SAH. PBV is a composite perfusion parameter incorporating both blood flow and blood volume weightings. That PBV has preferential (≈ 60%) blood flow weighting is an important finding, which is of clinical significance when interpreting the C-arm CT PBV maps, particularly in the setting of acute brain ischemia.

Hydrostatic weighing at residual volume and functional residual capacity.

PubMed

Thomas, T R; Etheridge, G L

1980-07-01

Hydrostatic weighing (HW) was performed at both residual volume (RV) and functional residual capacity (FRC) to determine if underwater weighing at different lung volumes affected the measurement of body density. Subjects were 43 males, 18-25 yr. Subjects were submerged in the prone position, and the lung volume was measured by helium dilution at the time of the underwater weighing. Underwater weight was first assessed at FRC followed by assessment at RV. Changes in lung volume were accurately reflected in the underwater weight. Body density (D) was not different with the use of the FRC (mean D = 1.0778) or RV (mean D = 1.0781) data. Percent fat values for the FRC and RV data were 9.3 +/- 5.4 and 9.2 +/- 5.1%, respectively, and were not statistically different. The results indicate that the difference between percent fat determinations by HW in the prone position at FRC and RV is negligible. Because measurement of underwater weight at FRC is more comfortable for the subject, this may be the method of choice when the lung volume can be measured during the underwater weighing.

A novel, simplified ex vivo method for measuring water exchange performance of heat and moisture exchangers for tracheostomy application.

PubMed

van den Boer, Cindy; Muller, Sara H; Vincent, Andrew D; Züchner, Klaus; van den Brekel, Michiel W M; Hilgers, Frans J M

2013-09-01

Breathing through a tracheostomy results in insufficient warming and humidification of inspired air. This loss of air-conditioning can be partially compensated for with the application of a heat and moisture exchanger (HME) over the tracheostomy. In vitro (International Organization for Standardization [ISO] standard 9360-2:2001) and in vivo measurements of the effects of an HME are complex and technically challenging. The aim of this study was to develop a simple method to measure the ex vivo HME performance comparable with previous in vitro and in vivo results. HMEs were weighed at the end of inspiration and at the end of expiration at different breathing volumes. Four HMEs (Atos Medical, Hörby, Sweden) with known in vivo humidity and in vitro water loss values were tested. The associations between weight change, volume, and absolute humidity were determined using both linear and non-linear mixed effects models. The rating between the 4 HMEs by weighing correlated with previous intra-tracheal measurements (R(2) = 0.98), and the ISO standard (R(2) = 0.77). Assessment of the weight change between end of inhalation and end of exhalation is a valid and simple method of measuring the water exchange performance of an HME.

A randomized controlled trial of the effect of intrapartum intravenous fluid management on breastfed newborn weight loss.

PubMed

Watson, Jo; Hodnett, Ellen; Armson, B Anthony; Davies, Barbara; Watt-Watson, Judy

2012-01-01

To determine the effect of conservative versus usual intrapartum intravenous (IV) fluid management for low-risk women receiving epidural analgesia on weight loss in breastfed newborns. A randomized controlled trial. A tertiary perinatal center in a large urban setting. Women experiencing uncomplicated pregnancies who planned to have epidural analgesia and to breastfeed. Healthy pregnant women were randomized to receive an IV epidural preload volume of <500 mLs continuing at an hourly rate of 75-100 mL/h (conservative care) or an epidural preload volume of ≥500 mLs and an hourly rate >125 mL/h (usual care). The primary study outcome was breastfed newborn weight loss >7% prior to hospital discharge. Secondary study outcomes included breastfeeding exclusivity, referral to outpatient breastfeeding clinic support, and delayed discharge. Other outcomes were admission to the neonatal intensive care unit and cord blood pH <7.25. Two hundred women participated (100 in the conservative care and 100 in the usual care groups). Forty-eight of 100 infants in the usual care group and 44 of the 100 infants in the conservative care group lost >7% of their birth weight prior to discharge, p < 0.52 RR 0.92 [0.68-1.24]. A policy of restricted IV fluids did not affect newborn weight loss. Women and their care providers should be reassured that the volumes of IV fluid <2500 mLs are unlikely to have a clinically meaningful effect on breastfed newborn weight loss >7%. Exploratory analyses suggest that breastfed newborn weight loss increases when intrapartum volumes infused are >2500 mLs. Care providers are encouraged to consider volumes of IV fluid infused intrapartum as a factor that may have contributed to early newborn weight loss in the first 48 h of life. © 2012 AWHONN, the Association of Women's Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses.

Design, fabrication and acceptance testing of a zero gravity whole body shower, volume 1

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1973-01-01

The effort to design whole body shower for the space station prototype is reported. Clothes and dish washer/dryer concepts were formulated with consideration given to integrating such a system with the overall shower design. Water recycling methods to effect vehicle weight savings were investigated and it was concluded that reusing wash and/or rinse water resulted in weight savings which were not sufficient to outweigh the added degree of hardware complexity. The formulation of preliminary and final designs for the shower are described. A detailed comparison of the air drag vs. vacuum pickup method was prepared that indicated the air drag concept results in more severe space station weight penalties; therefore, the preliminary system design was based on utilizing the vacuum pickup method. Tests were performed to determine the optimum methods of storing, heating and sterilizing the cleansing agent utilized in the shower; it was concluded that individual packages of pre-sterilized cleansing agent should be used. Integration features with the space station prototype system were defined and incorporated into the shower design as necessary.

Benign prostate hyperplasia: average volume in southwestern Nigerians and correlation with anthropometrics.

PubMed

Badmus, T A; Asaleye, C M; Badmus, S A; Takure, A O; Ibrahim, M H; Arowolo, O A

2012-03-01

To determine the prevalent age of symptomatic benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH), the average BPH volume, and the association between BPH volumes and the age, and anthropometrics. Selected patients with lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) due to BPH with tissue diagnosis, and adult men of similar age group with no irritative or obstructive LUTS were prospectively studied from July 2003 to June 2009. The age, height and weight were recorded; prostate volumes determined with ultrasound, body mass index (BMI) calculated, and correlations determined between the prostate volume, the age and anthropometrics. One hundred and five patients aged 43-88years (mean=64.4, 8.88SD) managed for BPH were studied with 93 asymptomatic men aged 43-80years (mean=56.15, 9.89SD). The mean (SD) prostate volume, height, weight and BMI were 83.8(37.7) ml, 1.67(0.07) m, 63.6(9.32) kg and 22.8(3.03) kg/m2, and 24.5(9.2) ml, 1.69(0.06) m, 68.9(10.6) kg and 24.2(3.44) kg/m2 respectively for symptomatic and asymptomatic groups. In the symptomatic group, BPH volume showed significant positive correlation with the age (p=0.030), but no correlation with the weight (p=0.550), height (p=0.375) and BMI (p=0.840). In the asymptomatic group, prostate volume also showed significant positive correlation with the age (p=0.041), but no correlation with the weight (p=0.434), height (p= 0.394), and BMI (p=0.203). The prevalent age of symptomatic BPH in our community is 43-88years with 83.79(37.66) ml mean (SD) volume in symptomatic patients and 24.45(9.21) ml in asymptomatic men. BPH volume correlates with age but not with anthropometrics. Lack of correlation with BPH volume suggests that anthropometrics may not be risk factors for development of BPH.

Benign prostate hyperplasia: average volume in southwestern Nigerians and correlation with anthropometrics.

PubMed

Badmus, T A; Asaleye, C M; Badmus, S A; Takure, A O; Ibrahim, M H; Arowolo, O A

2013-03-01

To determine the prevalent age of symptomatic benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH), the average BPH volume, and the association between BPH volumes and the age, and anthropometrics in our immediate black community. Selected patients with lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) due to BPH with tissue diagnosis, and adult men of similar age group with no irritative or obstructive LUTS were prospectively studied from July 2003 to June 2009. The age, height and weight were recorded, prostate volumes determined with ultrasound, body mass index (bmi) calculated, and correlations determined between the prostate volume and the age, and anthropometrics. 105 patients aged 43-88 yrs (mean=64.4, 8.88 SD) managed for BPH were studied with 93 asymptomatic men aged 43-80 yrs (mean=56.15, 9.89 SD). The mean (SD) prostate volume, height, weight and bmi were 83.8 (37.7) ml, 1.67 (0.07) m, 63.6 (9.32) kg and 22.8 (3.03) kg/m2, and 24.5 (9.2) ml, 1.69 (0.06) m, 68.9 (10.6) kg and 24.2 (3.44) kg/m2 respectively for symptomatic and asymptomatic groups. In the symptomatic group, BPH volume showed significant positive correlation with the age (p=0.030), but no correlation with the weight (p=0.550), height (p=0.375) and bmi (p=0.840). In the asymptomatic group, prostate volume also showed significant positive correlation with the age (p=0.041), but no correlation with the weight (p=0.434), height (p=0.394), and bmi (p=0.203). The prevalent age of symptomatic BPH in our community is 43- 88 years with 83.79 (37.66) ml mean (SD) volume in symptomatic patients and 24.45 (9.21) ml in asymptomatic men. BPH volume correlates with age but not with anthropometrics. Lack of correlation with BPH volume suggests that anthropometrics may not be risk factors for development of BPH in our community.

Measurement of the volume of the pedicled TRAM flap in immediate breast reconstruction.

PubMed

Chang, K P; Lin, S D; Hou, M F; Lee, S S; Tsai, C C

2001-12-01

The transverse rectus abdominis musculocutaneous (TRAM) flap is now accepted as the standard for breast reconstruction, but achieving symmetrical breast reconstruction is still a challenge. A precise estimate of the volume of the flap is necessary to reconstruct a symmetrical and aesthetically pleasing breast. Many methods have been developed to overcome this problem, but they have not been suitable for the pedicled TRAM flap. By using a self-made device based on the Archimedes' principle, the authors can calculate accurately the volume of the pedicled TRAM flap and predict reliably the breast volume intraoperatively. The "procedure" is based on a self-made box into which the pedicled TRAM flap is placed. Warm saline is added to the box and the flap is then removed. Flap volume is calculated easily by determining the difference between the preestimated volume of the box and the volume of the residual water. From February to May 2000, this method was used on 28 patients to predict breast volume for breast reconstruction. This study revealed that the difference of the maximal chest circumferences (the index of the breast volume) demonstrates a positive correlation with the difference of the volumes and weights between the mastectomy specimen and the net TRAM flap. However, a more closely positive correlation exists between the differences of maximal chest circumference volume (r = 0.677) than maximal chest circumference weight (r = 0.618). These data reveal that the reconstructed breast's volume has a closer relationship with the volume of the net pedicled TRAM flap, rather than with its weight.

Particle sizing by weighted measurements of scattered light

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Buchele, Donald R.

1988-01-01

A description is given of a measurement method, applicable to a poly-dispersion of particles, in which the intensity of scattered light at any angle is weighted by a factor proportional to that angle. Determination is then made of four angles at which the weighted intensity is four fractions of the maximum intensity. These yield four characteristic diameters, i.e., the diameters of the volume/area mean (D sub 32 the Sauter mean) and the volume/diameter mean (D sub 31); the diameters at cumulative volume fractions of 0.5 (D sub v0.5 the volume median) and 0.75 (D sub v0.75). They also yield the volume dispersion of diameters. Mie scattering computations show that an average diameter less than three micrometers cannot be accurately measured. The results are relatively insensitive to extraneous background light and to the nature of the diameter distribution. Also described is an experimental method of verifying the conclusions by using two microscopic slides coated with polystyrene microspheres to simulate the particles and the background.

When weight management lasts. Lower perceived rule complexity increases adherence.

PubMed

Mata, Jutta; Todd, Peter M; Lippke, Sonia

2010-02-01

Maintaining behavior change is one of the major challenges in weight management and long-term weight loss. We investigated the impact of the cognitive complexity of eating rules on adherence to weight management programs. We studied whether popular weight management programs can fail if participants find the rules too complicated from a cognitive perspective, meaning that individuals are not able to recall or process all required information for deciding what to eat. The impact on program adherence of participants' perceptions of eating rule complexity and other behavioral factors known to influence adherence (including previous weight management, self-efficacy, and planning) was assessed via a longitudinal online questionnaire given to 390 participants on two different popular weight management regimens. As we show, the regimens, Weight Watchers and a popular German recipe diet (Brigitte), strongly differ in objective rule complexity and thus their cognitive demands on the dieter. Perceived rule complexity was the strongest factor associated with increased risk of quitting the cognitively demanding weight management program (Weight Watchers); it was not related to adherence length for the low cognitive demand program (Brigitte). Higher self-efficacy generally helped in maintaining a program. The results emphasize the importance of considering rule complexity to promote long-term weight management. 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of sweet sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L. [Moench]) on several population density for bioethanol production

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Suwarti; Efendi, R.; Massinai, R.; Pabendon, M. B.

2018-03-01

Sweet sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L. [Moench]) crop management that is use for raw source of bioethanol for industrial purpose in Indonesia is less developed. The aim of this research was to evaluated sweet sorghum variety at several population to determine optimum density for juice production. Experiment design was set on split-plot design with three replications, conducted on August to December 2016 at the Indonesian Cereals Research Institute Research Station, Maros South Sulawesi. Main plot were six variation of plant row, and sub plot were three sweet sorghum varieties. Result of the study showed that plant population was high significanty affect to stalk weight, total biomass yield, leaf weight, and also significantly affect bagass weight and juice volume. Varieties were high significantly different in plant height, juice volume, and number of nodes. Super 1 variety on population at 166,667 plants/ha (P1) was obtained the highest juice volume (19,445 lHa-1), meanwhile the highest brix value obtained from Numbu at the same plants population. Furthermore juice volume had significant correlation with biomass weight at the r=0.73. Based on ethanol production, Super 2 and Numbu had the highest volume at 83.333 plants/ha density (P3) and Super 1 at 166.667 plants/ha density with the ethanol volume were 827.68 l Ha-1, 1116.50 l/ha and 993.62 l Ha-1 respectively.

Multifunctional Inflatable Structure Being Developed for the PowerSphere Concept

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Peterson, Todd T.

2003-01-01

The continuing development of microsatellites and nanosatellites for low Earth orbits requires the collection of sufficient power for instruments onboard a low-weight, low-volume spacecraft. Because the overall surface area of a microsatellite or nanosatellite is small, body-mounted solar cells cannot provide enough power. The deployment of traditional, rigid, solar arrays necessitates larger satellite volumes and weights, and also requires extra apparatus for pointing. One solution to this power choke problem is the deployment of a spherical, inflatable power system. This power system, termed the "PowerSphere," has several advantages, including a high collection area, low weight and stowage volume, and the elimination of solar array pointing mechanisms.

Preservation of Liquid Biological Samples

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Putcha, Lakshmi (Inventor); Nimmagudda, Ramalingeshwara R. (Inventor)

2000-01-01

The present invention provides a method of preserving a liquid biological sample, comprising the step of: contacting said liquid biological sample with a preservative comprising, sodium benzoate in an amount of at least about 0.15% of the sample (weight/volume) and citric acid in an amount of at least about 0.025% of the sample (weight/volume).

Individual tree, merchantable stem green weight and volume equations for four bottomland hardwood oak species in southeast Arkansas

Treesearch

Paul F. Doruska; David W. Patterson; Matthew B. Hurd; Jonathan I. Hartley

2013-01-01

Equations were developed to estimate outside-bark, merchantable stem green weight (lb) and inside-bark merchantable stem volume (ft3) for sawtimber-sized Nuttall oak (Quercus texana Buckley), overcup oak (Quercus lyrata Walt.), water oak (Quercus nigra L.), and willow oak (Quercus...

A Strategic Plan for the Crusader Howitzer

DTIC Science & Technology

2001-12-01

of the system was its “volume under armor ,” which describes the actual size of the vehicle and hence its weight (DoD, December 2000, pg. 13). By...reducing the Crusader’s volume under armor , the designers would be able to dramatically reduce the system’s overall weight. This became one of the

19 CFR 146.94 - Records concerning establishment of manufacturing period.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... using the FIFO method (see section II of the appendix to this part). (d) Gain or loss. A gain or loss... entered for consumption unless otherwise exempt from duty. (e) Determining gain or loss; acceptable methods—(1) Converting volume to weight. Volume measurements may be converted to weight measurements using...

19 CFR 146.94 - Records concerning establishment of manufacturing period.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... using the FIFO method (see section II of the appendix to this part). (d) Gain or loss. A gain or loss... entered for consumption unless otherwise exempt from duty. (e) Determining gain or loss; acceptable methods—(1) Converting volume to weight. Volume measurements may be converted to weight measurements using...

7 CFR 920.303 - Container marking regulations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... of kiwifruit packed within the container: (1) The quantity shall be indicated in terms of count and... shall conform to the count. (2) The quantity shall be indicated in terms of the size designation and either the net weight for volume-fill containers packed by weight or the count for volume-fill containers...

An information dimension of weighted complex networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wen, Tao; Jiang, Wen

2018-07-01

The fractal and self-similarity are important properties in complex networks. Information dimension is a useful dimension for complex networks to reveal these properties. In this paper, an information dimension is proposed for weighted complex networks. Based on the box-covering algorithm for weighted complex networks (BCANw), the proposed method can deal with the weighted complex networks which appear frequently in the real-world, and it can get the influence of the number of nodes in each box on the information dimension. To show the wide scope of information dimension, some applications are illustrated, indicating that the proposed method is effective and feasible.

Protective mechanical ventilation in United Kingdom critical care units: A multicentre audit

PubMed Central

Martin, Matthew J; Richardson, Neil; Bourdeaux, Christopher P

2016-01-01

Lung protective ventilation is becoming increasingly used for all critically ill patients being mechanically ventilated on a mandatory ventilator mode. Compliance with the universal application of this ventilation strategy in intensive care units in the United Kingdom is unknown. This 24-h audit of ventilation practice took place in 16 intensive care units in two regions of the United Kingdom. The mean tidal volume for all patients being ventilated on a mandatory ventilator mode was 7.2(±1.4) ml kg−1 predicted body weight and overall compliance with low tidal volume ventilation (≤6.5 ml kg−1 predicted body weight) was 34%. The mean tidal volume for patients ventilated with volume-controlled ventilation was 7.0(±1.2) ml kg−1 predicted body weight and 7.9(±1.8) ml kg−1 predicted body weight for pressure-controlled ventilation (P < 0.0001). Overall compliance with recommended levels of positive end-expiratory pressure was 72%. Significant variation in practice existed both at a regional and individual unit level. PMID:28979556

Protective mechanical ventilation in United Kingdom critical care units: A multicentre audit.

PubMed

Newell, Christopher P; Martin, Matthew J; Richardson, Neil; Bourdeaux, Christopher P

2017-05-01

Lung protective ventilation is becoming increasingly used for all critically ill patients being mechanically ventilated on a mandatory ventilator mode. Compliance with the universal application of this ventilation strategy in intensive care units in the United Kingdom is unknown. This 24-h audit of ventilation practice took place in 16 intensive care units in two regions of the United Kingdom. The mean tidal volume for all patients being ventilated on a mandatory ventilator mode was 7.2(±1.4) ml kg -1 predicted body weight and overall compliance with low tidal volume ventilation (≤6.5 ml kg -1 predicted body weight) was 34%. The mean tidal volume for patients ventilated with volume-controlled ventilation was 7.0(±1.2) ml kg -1 predicted body weight and 7.9(±1.8) ml kg -1 predicted body weight for pressure-controlled ventilation ( P  < 0.0001). Overall compliance with recommended levels of positive end-expiratory pressure was 72%. Significant variation in practice existed both at a regional and individual unit level.

The usefulness of oncoplastic volume displacement techniques in the superiorly located breast cancers for Korean patients with small to moderate-sized breasts.

PubMed

Yang, Jung Dug; Bae, Sung Gun; Chung, Ho Yun; Cho, Byung Chae; Park, Ho Yong; Jung, Jin Hyang

2011-11-01

Because the average breast size of Korean women is not as large as that of western women, it is not so easy to apply the oncoplastic volume displacement technique. However, we have tried to use volume displacement techniques that work well with small-breasted women. In this study, we report the usefulness of displacement techniques in the superiorly located cancers with small- to moderate-sized breasts. Between September 2006 and August 2009, 58 women were treated for superiorly located cancers. All patients who were selected had small- to moderate-sized breasts and small to moderate breast defects. They were divided into 3 groups. The groups were split based on the distance from the nipple-areolar complex, which are as follows: near, intermediate, and far. Their mean age was 46 and the average follow-up interval was 21 months. Median weight of the specimen on the tumor side was 84 g (range, 29-140 g). The various surgical techniques used were the "round block" technique (n = 8) and "batwing mastopexy" (n = 4) for near lesions; "tennis racket" method (n = 32) and "rotational flap" (n = 8) for intermediate lesions; and "parallelogram mastopexy lumpectomy" (n = 6) for far lesions. There were 4 complications (nipple-areolar complex partial necrosis, radiation burn, and 2 wound dehiscence). No local recurrences have been observed and a majority of the patients were satisfied with cosmetic results. Oncoplastic volume displacement techniques in superiorly located breast cancers for Korean patients with small- to moderate-sized breast are reliable and should be considered in the case of breast conserving surgery (BCS).

Physical Activity Patterns in Normal-Weight and Overweight/Obese Pregnant Women

PubMed Central

Bacchi, Elisabetta; Bonin, Cecilia; Zanolin, Maria Elisabetta; Zambotti, Francesca; Livornese, Dario; Donà, Silvia; Tosi, Flavia; Baldisser, Giulia; Ihnatava, Tatsiana; Di Sarra, Daniela; Bonora, Enzo; Moghetti, Paolo

2016-01-01

The aims of the present study were to assess the volume of physical activity (PA) throughout pregnancy in normal-weight vs overweight/obese women, and to investigate which factors may predict compliance to PA recommendations in these women throughout gestation. In 236 pregnant women, 177 normal-weight and 59 overweight/obese (median[IQR] BMI 21.2[19.9–22.8] vs 26.5[25.5–29.0] kg/m2, respectively), medical history, anthropometry and clinical data, including glucose tolerance, were recorded. In addition, pre-pregnancy PA was estimated by the Kaiser questionnaire, while total, walking and fitness/sport PA during pregnancy were assessed by the Physical Activity Scale for the Elderly (PASE) modified questionnaire, at 14–16, 24–28 and 30–32 weeks of gestation. PA volume was very low in the first trimester of pregnancy in both groups of women. However, it increased in the second and third trimester in normal-weight, but not in overweight/obese subjects. Higher pre-pregnancy PA was a statistically significant predictor of being physically active (>150 minutes of PA per week) during all trimesters of gestation. In conclusion, physical activity volume is low in pregnant women, especially in overweight/obese subjects. PA volume increases during pregnancy only in normal-weight women. Pre-pregnancy PA is an independent predictor of achieving a PA volume of at least 150 min per week during pregnancy. PMID:27829017

PREOPERATIVE COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHY VOLUMETRY AND GRAFT WEIGHT ESTIMATION IN ADULT LIVING DONOR LIVER TRANSPLANTATION

PubMed Central

PINHEIRO, Rafael S.; CRUZ-JR, Ruy J.; ANDRAUS, Wellington; DUCATTI, Liliana; MARTINO, Rodrigo B.; NACIF, Lucas S.; ROCHA-SANTOS, Vinicius; ARANTES, Rubens M; LAI, Quirino; IBUKI, Felicia S.; ROCHA, Manoel S.; D´ALBUQUERQUE, Luiz A. C.

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT Background: Computed tomography volumetry (CTV) is a useful tool for predicting graft weights (GW) for living donor liver transplantation (LDLT). Few studies have examined the correlation between CTV and GW in normal liver parenchyma. Aim: To analyze the correlation between CTV and GW in an adult LDLT population and provide a systematic review of the existing mathematical models to calculate partial liver graft weight. Methods: Between January 2009 and January 2013, 28 consecutive donors undergoing right hepatectomy for LDLT were retrospectively reviewed. All grafts were perfused with HTK solution. Estimated graft volume was estimated by CTV and these values were compared to the actual graft weight, which was measured after liver harvesting and perfusion. Results: Median actual GW was 782.5 g, averaged 791.43±136 g and ranged from 520-1185 g. Median estimated graft volume was 927.5 ml, averaged 944.86±200.74 ml and ranged from 600-1477 ml. Linear regression of estimated graft volume and actual GW was significantly linear (GW=0.82 estimated graft volume, r2=0.98, slope=0.47, standard deviation of 0.024 and p<0.0001). Spearman Linear correlation was 0.65 with 95% CI of 0.45 - 0.99 (p<0.0001). Conclusion: The one-to-one rule did not applied in patients with normal liver parenchyma. A better estimation of graft weight could be reached by multiplying estimated graft volume by 0.82. PMID:28489167

Ballast system for maintaining constant pressure in a glove box

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shlichta, Paul J. (Inventor)

1989-01-01

A ballast system is disclosed for a glove box including a fixed platform on which is mounted an inflatable bag on top of which resides a cover and a weight. The variable gas volume of the inflatable bag communicates with that of the glove box via a valved tube. The weight and the gas volume are selected to maintain a relatively constant pressure in the glove box despite variations in the glove box volume while avoiding the use of complicated valving apparatus.

Ballast system for maintaining constant pressure in a glove box

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shlichta, Paul J.

1989-09-01

A ballast system is disclosed for a glove box including a fixed platform on which is mounted an inflatable bag on top of which resides a cover and a weight. The variable gas volume of the inflatable bag communicates with that of the glove box via a valved tube. The weight and the gas volume are selected to maintain a relatively constant pressure in the glove box despite variations in the glove box volume while avoiding the use of complicated valving apparatus.

Ballast system for maintaining constant pressure in a glove box

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shlichta, Paul J. (Inventor)

1990-01-01

A ballast system for a glove box including a fixed platform on which is mounted an inflatable bag on top of which resides a cover and a weight. The variable gas volume of the inflatable bag communicates with that of the glove box via a valved tube. The weight and gas volume are selected to maintain a relatively constant pressure in the glove box despite variations in the glove box volume while avoiding the use of complicated valving apparatus.

Consequences of increasing convection onto patient care and protein removal in hemodialysis

PubMed Central

Duranton, Flore; Guzman, Caroline; Szwarc, Ilan; Vetromile, Fernando; Cazevieille, Chantal; Brunet, Philippe; Servel, Marie-Françoise; Le Quintrec, Moglie

2017-01-01

Introduction Recent randomised controlled trials suggest that on-line hemodiafiltration (OL-HDF) improves survival, provided that it reaches high convective volumes. However, there is scant information on the feasibility and the consequences of modifying convection volumes in clinics. Methods Twelve stable dialysis patients were treated with high-flux 1.8 m2 polysulphone dialyzers and 4 levels of convection flows (QUF) based on GKD-UF monitoring of the system, for 1 week each. The consequences on dialysis delivery (transmembrane pressure (TMP), number of alarms, % of achieved prescribed convection) and efficacy (mass removal of low and high molecular weight compounds) were analysed. Results TMP increased exponentially with QUF (p<0.001 for N >56,000 monitoring values). Beyond 21 L/session, this resulted into frequent TMP alarms requiring nursing staff interventions (mean ± SEM: 10.3 ± 2.2 alarms per session, p<0.001 compared to lower convection volumes). Optimal convection volumes as assessed by GKD-UF-max were 20.6 ± 0.4 L/session, whilst 4 supplementary litres were obtained in the maximum situation (24.5 ± 0.6 L/session) but the proportion of sessions achieving the prescribed convection volume decreased from 94% to only 33% (p<0.001). Convection increased high molecular weight compound removal and shifted the membrane cut-off towards the higher molecular weight range. Conclusions Reaching high convection volumes as recommended by the recent RCTs (> 20L) is feasible by setting an HDF system at its optimal conditions based upon the GKD-UF monitoring. Prescribing higher convection volumes resulted in instability of the system, provoked alarms, was bothersome for the nursing staff and the patients, rarely achieved the prescribed convection volumes and increased removal of high molecular weight compounds, notably albumin. PMID:28166268

Consequences of increasing convection onto patient care and protein removal in hemodialysis.

PubMed

Gayrard, Nathalie; Ficheux, Alain; Duranton, Flore; Guzman, Caroline; Szwarc, Ilan; Vetromile, Fernando; Cazevieille, Chantal; Brunet, Philippe; Servel, Marie-Françoise; Argilés, Àngel; Le Quintrec, Moglie

2017-01-01

Recent randomised controlled trials suggest that on-line hemodiafiltration (OL-HDF) improves survival, provided that it reaches high convective volumes. However, there is scant information on the feasibility and the consequences of modifying convection volumes in clinics. Twelve stable dialysis patients were treated with high-flux 1.8 m2 polysulphone dialyzers and 4 levels of convection flows (QUF) based on GKD-UF monitoring of the system, for 1 week each. The consequences on dialysis delivery (transmembrane pressure (TMP), number of alarms, % of achieved prescribed convection) and efficacy (mass removal of low and high molecular weight compounds) were analysed. TMP increased exponentially with QUF (p<0.001 for N >56,000 monitoring values). Beyond 21 L/session, this resulted into frequent TMP alarms requiring nursing staff interventions (mean ± SEM: 10.3 ± 2.2 alarms per session, p<0.001 compared to lower convection volumes). Optimal convection volumes as assessed by GKD-UF-max were 20.6 ± 0.4 L/session, whilst 4 supplementary litres were obtained in the maximum situation (24.5 ± 0.6 L/session) but the proportion of sessions achieving the prescribed convection volume decreased from 94% to only 33% (p<0.001). Convection increased high molecular weight compound removal and shifted the membrane cut-off towards the higher molecular weight range. Reaching high convection volumes as recommended by the recent RCTs (> 20L) is feasible by setting an HDF system at its optimal conditions based upon the GKD-UF monitoring. Prescribing higher convection volumes resulted in instability of the system, provoked alarms, was bothersome for the nursing staff and the patients, rarely achieved the prescribed convection volumes and increased removal of high molecular weight compounds, notably albumin.

Effect of hydration on interstitial distribution of charged albumin in rat dermis in vitro

PubMed Central

Wiig, Helge; Tenstad, Olav; Bert, Joel L

2005-01-01

At physiological pH, negatively charged glycosaminoglycans in the extracellular matrix may influence distribution volume of macromolecular probes, a phenomenon of importance for hydration of the interstitium and therefore for body fluid balance. We hypothesized that such charge effect was dependent on hydration. Human serum albumin (HSA) (the pH value for the isoelectric point (pI) = 4.9) was made neutral by cationization (cHSA) (pI = 7.6). Rat dermis was studied in vitro in a specially designed equilibration cell allowing control of hydration. Using a buffer containing labelled native HSA and cHSA, the distribution volumes were calculated relative to that of 51Cr-EDTA, an extracellular tracer. During changes in hydration (H), defined as (wet weight – dry weight) (dry weight)−1), the slope of the equation describing the relationship between extracellular fluid volume (Vx) (in g H2O (g dry weight)−1) and H (Vx = 0.925 H + 0.105) differed significantly from that for available volumes of cHSA (Va,cHSA = 0.624 H – 0.538) and HSA (Va,HSA = 0.518 H – 0.518). A gradual reduction in H led to a reduction in difference between available volumes for the two albumin species. Screening the fixed charges by 1 m NaCl resulted in similar available and excluded volumes of native HSA and neutral cHSA. We conclude that during gradual dehydration, there is a reduced effect of fixed negative charges on interstitial exclusion of charged macromolecules. This effect may be explained by a reduced hydration domain surrounding tissue and probe macromolecules in conditions of increased electrostatic interactions. Furthermore, screening of negative charges suggested that hyaluronan associated with collagen may influence intrafibrillar volume of collagen and thereby available and excluded volume fraction. PMID:16210353

[Hemapheresis using vesicular plant separation materials].

PubMed

Mavrina, L; Ehwald, R; Matthes, G; Stamminger, G

1990-01-01

The present paper deals with the separation of cells from soluble compounds of blood by means of exclusion chromatography using a recently described vesicular packing material made from the cell wall framework of the small duckweed Wolffia arrhiza. The cells of the periphere blood are hardly retarded in passing through a packing of the vesicular material and eluted as sharp peak at an elution volume which is near to 30% of the column volume. The behavior of cells is similar to that of the excluded high molecular weight plasma proteins (e.g. serumalbumin). Low molecular weight solutes (e.g. salts, glucose, urea, kreatinin), but also substances of considerable molecular weight (e.g. myoglobin and Vitamin B12) which are usually difficult to separate by dialysis from serum, are eluted at nearly 100% of the packing volume and may be separated completely from cells and high molecular weight proteins. In vitro-Tests did not show a reduced vitality of eluted blood cells.

Near-Optimal Operation of Dual-Fuel Launch Vehicles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ardema, M. D.; Chou, H. C.; Bowles, J. V.

1996-01-01

A near-optimal guidance law for the ascent trajectory from earth surface to earth orbit of a fully reusable single-stage-to-orbit pure rocket launch vehicle is derived. Of interest are both the optimal operation of the propulsion system and the optimal flight path. A methodology is developed to investigate the optimal throttle switching of dual-fuel engines. The method is based on selecting propulsion system modes and parameters that maximize a certain performance function. This function is derived from consideration of the energy-state model of the aircraft equations of motion. Because the density of liquid hydrogen is relatively low, the sensitivity of perturbations in volume need to be taken into consideration as well as weight sensitivity. The cost functional is a weighted sum of fuel mass and volume; the weighting factor is chosen to minimize vehicle empty weight for a given payload mass and volume in orbit.

Solid State Ultracapacitor

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hill, Curtis W. (Inventor); Rolin, Terry D. (Inventor)

2018-01-01

An ink of the formula: 60-80% by weight BaTiO3 particles coated with SiO2; 5-50% by weight high dielectric constant glass; 0.1-5% by weight surfactant; 5-25% by weight solvent; and 5-25% weight organic vehicle. Also a method of manufacturing a capacitor comprising the steps of: heating particles of BaTiO3 for a special heating cycle, under a mixture of 70-96% by volume N2 and 4-30% by volume H2 gas; depositing a film of SiO2 over the particles; mechanically separating the particles; incorporating them into the above described ink formulation; depositing the ink on a substrate; and heating at 850-900 C for less than 5 minutes and allowing the ink and substrate to cool to ambient in N2 atmosphere. Also a dielectric made by: heating particles of BaTiO3 for a special heating cycle, under a mixture of 70-96% by volume N2 and 4-30% by volume H2 gas; depositing a film of SiO2 over the particles; mechanically separating the particles; forming them into a layer; and heating at 850-900 C for less than 5 minutes and allowing the layer to cool to ambient in N2 atmosphere.

Understanding Thiel Embalming in Pig Kidneys to Develop a New Circulation Model

PubMed Central

Willaert, Wouter; De Vos, Marie; Van Hoof, Tom; Delrue, Louke; Pattyn, Piet; D’Herde, Katharina

2015-01-01

The quality of tissue preservation in Thiel embalmed bodies varies. Research on the administered embalming volume and its vascular distribution may elucidate one of the mechanisms of tissue preservation and allow for new applications of Thiel embalming. Vascular embalming with (group 1, n = 15) or without (group 2, n = 20) contrast agent was initiated in pig kidneys. The distribution of Thiel embalming solution in group 1 was visualized using computed tomography. The kidneys in both groups were then immersed in concentrated salt solutions to reduce their weight and volume. Afterwards, to mimic a lifelike circulation in the vessels, group 2 underwent pump-driven reperfusion for 120 minutes with either paraffinum perliquidum or diluted polyethylene glycol. The circulation was imaged with computed tomography. All of the kidneys were adequately preserved. The embalming solution spread diffusely in the kidney, but fluid accumulation was present. Subsequent immersion in concentrated salt solutions reduced weight (P < 0.01) and volume (P < 0.01). Reperfusion for 120 minutes was established in group 2. Paraffinum perliquidum filled both major vessels and renal tissue, whereas diluted polyethylene glycol spread widely in the kidney. There were no increases in weight (P = 0.26) and volume (P = 0.79); and pressure further decreased (P = 0.032) after more than 60 minutes of reperfusion with paraffinum perliquidum, whereas there were increases in weight (P = 0.005), volume (P = 0.032) and pressure (P < 0.0001) after reperfusion with diluted polyethylene glycol. Arterial embalming of kidneys results in successful preservation due to complete parenchymatous spreading. More research is needed to determine whether other factors affect embalming quality. Dehydration is an effective method to regain the organs’ initial status. Prolonged vascular reperfusion with paraffinum perliquidum can be established in this model without increases in weight, volume and pressure. PMID:25806527

Brain structural correlates of reward sensitivity and impulsivity in adolescents with normal and excess weight.

PubMed

Moreno-López, Laura; Soriano-Mas, Carles; Delgado-Rico, Elena; Rio-Valle, Jacqueline S; Verdejo-García, Antonio

2012-01-01

Neuroscience evidence suggests that adolescent obesity is linked to brain dysfunctions associated with enhanced reward and somatosensory processing and reduced impulse control during food processing. Comparatively less is known about the role of more stable brain structural measures and their link to personality traits and neuropsychological factors on the presentation of adolescent obesity. Here we aimed to investigate regional brain anatomy in adolescents with excess weight vs. lean controls. We also aimed to contrast the associations between brain structure and personality and cognitive measures in both groups. Fifty-two adolescents (16 with normal weight and 36 with excess weight) were scanned using magnetic resonance imaging and completed the Sensitivity to Punishment and Sensitivity to Reward Questionnaire (SPSRQ), the UPPS-P scale, and the Stroop task. Voxel-based morphometry (VBM) was used to assess possible between-group differences in regional gray matter (GM) and to measure the putative differences in the way reward and punishment sensitivity, impulsivity and inhibitory control relate to regional GM volumes, which were analyzed using both region of interest (ROI) and whole brain analyses. The ROIs included areas involved in reward/somatosensory processing (striatum, somatosensory cortices) and motivation/impulse control (hippocampus, prefrontal cortex). Excess weight adolescents showed increased GM volume in the right hippocampus. Voxel-wise volumes of the second somatosensory cortex (SII) were correlated with reward sensitivity and positive urgency in lean controls, but this association was missed in excess weight adolescents. Moreover, Stroop performance correlated with dorsolateral prefrontal cortex volumes in controls but not in excess weight adolescents. Adolescents with excess weight have structural abnormalities in brain regions associated with somatosensory processing and motivation.

Power law cross-correlations between price change and volume change of Indian stocks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hasan, Rashid; Mohammed Salim, M.

2017-05-01

We study multifractal long-range correlations and cross-correlations of daily price change and volume change of 50 stocks that comprise Nifty index of National Stock Exchange, Mumbai, using MF-DFA and MF-DCCA methods. We find that the time series of price change are uncorrelated, whereas anti-persistent long-range multifractal correlations are found in volume change series. We also find antipersistent long-range multifractal cross-correlations between the time series of price change and volume change. As multifractality is a signature of complexity, we estimate complexity parameters of the time series of price change, volume change, and cross-correlated price-volume change by fitting the fourth-degree polynomials to their multifractal spectra. Our results indicate that the time series of price change display high complexity, whereas the time series of volume change and cross-correlated price-volume change display low complexity.

IMP dehydrogenase. II. Purification and properties of the enzyme from Yoshida sarcoma ascites tumor cells.

PubMed

Okada, M; Shimura, K; Shiraki, H; Nakagawa, H

1983-11-01

The preceding paper showed that IMP dehydrogenase [IMP:NAD+ oxidoreductase, EC 1.2.1.14] tended to form a precipitable complex(es) through ionic and hydrophobic interactions. On the basis of these observations, a method was developed for purification of IMP dehydrogenase from Yoshida sarcoma ascites cells. On SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, the purified preparation (1.19 U/mg protein) appeared homogeneous and its minimum molecular weight was estimated to be 68K daltons. Amino acid analyses indicated a subunit molecular weight of 68,042. Molecular sieve chromatography in the presence of 10% (NH4)2SO4 showed that the molecular weight of the native enzyme was 127K daltons. These values indicate that the native enzyme is composed of two identical subunits. However, the purified enzyme gave 4 protein bands on polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis under non-denaturing conditions, and appeared as a single fraction in the vicinity of the void volume on Ultrogel AcA 34 column chromatography at low salt concentration, indicating that its molecular weight exceeded 200K daltons. These findings indicate that the enzyme tends to aggregate owing to its own physicochemical characteristics. The Km values for IMP and NAD were calculated to be 12 and 25 microM, respectively, and the Ki values for XMP, GMP, and AMP to be 109, 130, and 854 microM, respectively. The purified enzyme showed full activity in the presence of K+, and K+ could be partially replaced by Na+. PCMB inactivated the enzyme, but the activity was completely restored by the addition of DTT. Cl-IMP also inactivated the enzyme and IMP prevented this inactivation.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Estimated Nephron Number of the Donor Kidney: Impact on Allograft Kidney Outcomes.

PubMed

Schachtner, T; Reinke, P

Low birth weights have been associated with a reduction in nephron number with compensatory hypertrophy of existing glomeruli. The impact of donor birth weight as an estimate of nephron number on allograft function, however, has not been examined. We collected donor birth weight, kidney weight, and volume from 91 living kidney donor-recipient pairs before nephrectomy and after 12, 36, and 60 months. Nephron number was calculated from donor birth weight and age. Donor birth weight, kidney weight/body surface area (BSA), and kidney volume showed a moderate positive correlation with allograft estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) at 12 months (P < .05). Donor age showed a negative moderate correlation with allograft eGFR at 12 months (P = .015). The strongest correlation with allograft eGFR was observed for calculated donor kidney nephron number at 12, 36, and 60 months (R, 0.340, 0.305, and 0.476, respectively; P < .05). No impact was observed on allograft daily proteinuria of any investigated marker (P > .05). Recipients of donors with birth weight <2.5 kg had need of a significantly greater number of antihypertensive drugs (P < .05). Calculated nephron number from donor birth weight and age is suggested to be superior to donor kidney weight/BSA and volume regarding allograft function. Calculated nephron number could estimate expected eGFR and guide decision making in cases of impaired allograft function. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Anatomical analysis of an aye-aye brain (Daubentonia madagascariensis, primates: Prosimii) combining histology, structural magnetic resonance imaging, and diffusion-tensor imaging.

PubMed

Kaufman, Jason A; Ahrens, Eric T; Laidlaw, David H; Zhang, Song; Allman, John M

2005-11-01

This report presents initial results of a multimodal analysis of tissue volume and microstructure in the brain of an aye-aye (Daubentonia madagascariensis). The left hemisphere of an aye-aye brain was scanned using T2-weighted structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and diffusion-tensor imaging (DTI) prior to histological processing and staining for Nissl substance and myelinated fibers. The objectives of the experiment were to estimate the volume of gross brain regions for comparison with published data on other prosimians and to validate DTI data on fiber anisotropy with histological measurements of fiber spread. Measurements of brain structure volumes in the specimen are consistent with those reported in the literature: the aye-aye has a very large brain for its body size, a reduced volume of visual structures (V1 and LGN), and an increased volume of the olfactory lobe. This trade-off between visual and olfactory reliance is likely a reflection of the nocturnal extractive foraging behavior practiced by Daubentonia. Additionally, frontal cortex volume is large in the aye-aye, a feature that may also be related to its complex foraging behavior and sensorimotor demands. Analysis of DTI data in the anterior cingulum bundle demonstrates a strong correlation between fiber spread as measured from histological sections and fiber spread as measured from DTI. These results represent the first quantitative comparison of DTI data and fiber-stained histology in the brain. (c) 2005 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

FASTER 3: A generalized-geometry Monte Carlo computer program for the transport of neutrons and gamma rays. Volume 2: Users manual

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jordan, T. M.

1970-01-01

A description of the FASTER-III program for Monte Carlo Carlo calculation of photon and neutron transport in complex geometries is presented. Major revisions include the capability of calculating minimum weight shield configurations for primary and secondary radiation and optimal importance sampling parameters. The program description includes a users manual describing the preparation of input data cards, the printout from a sample problem including the data card images, definitions of Fortran variables, the program logic, and the control cards required to run on the IBM 7094, IBM 360, UNIVAC 1108 and CDC 6600 computers.

Development of low-shock pyrotechnic separation nuts. [design performance of flight type nuts

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bement, L. J.; Neubert, V. H.

1973-01-01

Performance demonstrations and comparisons were made on six flight type pyrotechnic separation nut designs, two of which are standard designs in current use, and four of which were designed to produce low shock on actuation. Although the shock performances of the four low shock designs are considerably lower than the standard designs, some penalties may be incurred in increased volume, weight, or complexity. These nuts, and how they are installed, can significantly influence the pyrotechnic shock created in spacecraft structures. A high response monitoring system has been developed and demonstrated to provide accurate performance comparisons for pyrotechnic separation nuts.

Optimization of Evans blue quantitation in limited rat tissue samples

PubMed Central

Wang, Hwai-Lee; Lai, Ted Weita

2014-01-01

Evans blue dye (EBD) is an inert tracer that measures plasma volume in human subjects and vascular permeability in animal models. Quantitation of EBD can be difficult when dye concentration in the sample is limited, such as when extravasated dye is measured in the blood-brain barrier (BBB) intact brain. The procedure described here used a very small volume (30 µl) per sample replicate, which enabled high-throughput measurements of the EBD concentration based on a standard 96-well plate reader. First, ethanol ensured a consistent optic path length in each well and substantially enhanced the sensitivity of EBD fluorescence spectroscopy. Second, trichloroacetic acid (TCA) removed false-positive EBD measurements as a result of biological solutes and partially extracted EBD into the supernatant. Moreover, a 1:2 volume ratio of 50% TCA ([TCA final] = 33.3%) optimally extracted EBD from the rat plasma protein-EBD complex in vitro and in vivo, and 1:2 and 1:3 weight-volume ratios of 50% TCA optimally extracted extravasated EBD from the rat brain and liver, respectively, in vivo. This procedure is particularly useful in the detection of EBD extravasation into the BBB-intact brain, but it can also be applied to detect dye extravasation into tissues where vascular permeability is less limiting. PMID:25300427

Optimization of Evans blue quantitation in limited rat tissue samples

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Hwai-Lee; Lai, Ted Weita

2014-10-01

Evans blue dye (EBD) is an inert tracer that measures plasma volume in human subjects and vascular permeability in animal models. Quantitation of EBD can be difficult when dye concentration in the sample is limited, such as when extravasated dye is measured in the blood-brain barrier (BBB) intact brain. The procedure described here used a very small volume (30 µl) per sample replicate, which enabled high-throughput measurements of the EBD concentration based on a standard 96-well plate reader. First, ethanol ensured a consistent optic path length in each well and substantially enhanced the sensitivity of EBD fluorescence spectroscopy. Second, trichloroacetic acid (TCA) removed false-positive EBD measurements as a result of biological solutes and partially extracted EBD into the supernatant. Moreover, a 1:2 volume ratio of 50% TCA ([TCA final] = 33.3%) optimally extracted EBD from the rat plasma protein-EBD complex in vitro and in vivo, and 1:2 and 1:3 weight-volume ratios of 50% TCA optimally extracted extravasated EBD from the rat brain and liver, respectively, in vivo. This procedure is particularly useful in the detection of EBD extravasation into the BBB-intact brain, but it can also be applied to detect dye extravasation into tissues where vascular permeability is less limiting.

Does placental inflammation relate to brain lesions and volume in preterm infants?

PubMed

Reiman, Milla; Kujari, Harry; Maunu, Jonna; Parkkola, Riitta; Rikalainen, Hellevi; Lapinleimu, Helena; Lehtonen, Liisa; Haataja, Leena

2008-05-01

To evaluate the association between histologic inflammation of placenta and brain findings in ultrasound examinations and regional brain volumes in magnetic resonance imaging in very-low-birth-weight (VLBW) or in very preterm infants. VLBW or very preterm infants (n = 121) were categorized into 3 groups according to the most pathologic brain finding on ultrasound examinations until term. The brain magnetic resonance imaging performed at term was analyzed for regional brain volumes. The placentas were analyzed for histologic inflammatory findings. Histologic chorioamnionitis on the fetal side correlated to brain lesions in univariate but not in multivariate analyses. Low gestational age was the only significant risk factor for brain lesions in multivariate analysis (P < .0001). Histologic chorioamnionitis was not associated with brain volumes in multivariate analyses. Female sex, low gestational age, and low birth weight z score correlated to smaller volumes in total brain tissue (P = .001, P = .0002, P < .0001, respectively) and cerebellum (P = .047, P = .003, P = .001, respectively). In addition, low gestational age and low-birth-weight z score correlated to a smaller combined volume of basal ganglia and thalami (P = .0002). Placental inflammation does not appear to correlate to brain lesions or smaller regional brain volumes in VLBW or in very preterm infants at term age.

Logging residues on Douglas-fir region clearcuts—weights and volumes.

Treesearch

John D. Dell; Franklin R. Ward

1971-01-01

This paper presents the results of ground measurements of logging residue weights and volumes on 30 clearcut units in Douglas-fir forests of western Oregon and Washington. Additional information is given on quantities of material left as slash which might be utilized. These measurements were made on public lands, using a method developed in Canada.

Weight, Volume, and Physical Properties of Major Hardwood Species in the Upland-South

Treesearch

Alexander Clark; Douglas R. Phillips; Douglas J. Frederick

1986-01-01

The weight, volume, and physical properties oftrees1 to 20 inchesd.b.h.were determined for sweetgum, yellow-poplar, hickory, post oak, scarlet oak, southern red oak, and white oakin northern Alabama and Mississippi, eastern Arkansas, southern Kentucky and Tennessee. Hard hardwoods, soft hardwoods, and individual species equations are presented for predicting green and...

A Compatible Stem Taper-Volume-Weight System For Intensively Managed Fast Growing Loblolly Pine

Treesearch

Yugia Zhang; Bruce E. Borders; Robert L Bailey

2002-01-01

eometry-oriented methodology yielded a compatible taper-volume-weight system of models whose parameters were estimated using data from intensively managed loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) plantations in the lower coastal plain of Georgia. Data analysis showed that fertilization has significantly reduced taper (inside and outside bark) on the upper...

16 CFR 503.4 - Net quantity of contents, numerical count.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... terms of count only, or in terms of count and weight, volume, area, or dimension, the regulations are... provide a net quantity statement to specify weight, volume, area, or dimensions when such are required. For example, the synthetic sponge which is packaged, requires dimensions such as “5 in. × 3 in. × 1 in...

16 CFR 503.4 - Net quantity of contents, numerical count.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... terms of count only, or in terms of count and weight, volume, area, or dimension, the regulations are... provide a net quantity statement to specify weight, volume, area, or dimensions when such are required. For example, the synthetic sponge which is packaged, requires dimensions such as “5 in. × 3 in. × 1 in...

16 CFR 503.4 - Net quantity of contents, numerical count.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... terms of count only, or in terms of count and weight, volume, area, or dimension, the regulations are... provide a net quantity statement to specify weight, volume, area, or dimensions when such are required. For example, the synthetic sponge which is packaged, requires dimensions such as “5 in. × 3 in. × 1 in...

16 CFR 503.4 - Net quantity of contents, numerical count.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... terms of count only, or in terms of count and weight, volume, area, or dimension, the regulations are... provide a net quantity statement to specify weight, volume, area, or dimensions when such are required. For example, the synthetic sponge which is packaged, requires dimensions such as “5 in. × 3 in. × 1 in...

Understanding PSA and its derivatives in prediction of tumor volume: addressing health disparities in prostate cancer risk stratification

PubMed Central

Chinea, Felix M; Lyapichev, Kirill; Epstein, Jonathan I; Kwon, Deukwoo; Smith, Paul Taylor; Pollack, Alan; Cote, Richard J; Kryvenko, Oleksandr N

2017-01-01

Objectives To address health disparities in risk stratification of U.S. Hispanic/Latino men by characterizing influences of prostate weight, body mass index, and race/ethnicity on the correlation of PSA derivatives with Gleason score 6 (Grade Group 1) tumor volume in a diverse cohort. Results Using published PSA density and PSA mass density cutoff values, men with higher body mass indices and prostate weights were less likely to have a tumor volume <0.5 cm3. Variability across race/ethnicity was found in the univariable analysis for all PSA derivatives when predicting for tumor volume. In receiver operator characteristic analysis, area under the curve values for all PSA derivatives varied across race/ethnicity with lower optimal cutoff values for Hispanic/Latino (PSA=2.79, PSA density=0.06, PSA mass=0.37, PSA mass density=0.011) and Non-Hispanic Black (PSA=3.75, PSA density=0.07, PSA mass=0.46, PSA mass density=0.008) compared to Non-Hispanic White men (PSA=4.20, PSA density=0.11 PSA mass=0.53, PSA mass density=0.014). Materials and Methods We retrospectively analyzed 589 patients with low-risk prostate cancer at radical prostatectomy. Pre-operative PSA, patient height, body weight, and prostate weight were used to calculate all PSA derivatives. Receiver operating characteristic curves were constructed for each PSA derivative per racial/ethnic group to establish optimal cutoff values predicting for tumor volume ≥0.5 cm3. Conclusions Increasing prostate weight and body mass index negatively influence PSA derivatives for predicting tumor volume. PSA derivatives’ ability to predict tumor volume varies significantly across race/ethnicity. Hispanic/Latino and Non-Hispanic Black men have lower optimal cutoff values for all PSA derivatives, which may impact risk assessment for prostate cancer. PMID:28160549

Eating meals before wheel-running exercise attenuate high fat diet-driven obesity in mice under two meals per day schedule.

PubMed

Sasaki, Hiroyuki; Hattori, Yuta; Ikeda, Yuko; Kamagata, Mayo; Shibata, Shigenobu

2015-06-01

Mice that exercise after meals gain less body weight and visceral fat compared to those that exercised before meals under a one meal/exercise time per day schedule. Humans generally eat two or three meals per day, and rarely have only one meal. To extend our previous observations, we examined here whether a "two meals, two exercise sessions per day" schedule was optimal in terms of maintaining a healthy body weight. In this experiment, "morning" refers to the beginning of the active phase (the "morning" for nocturnal animals). We found that 2-h feeding before 2-h exercise in the morning and evening (F-Ex/F-Ex) resulted in greater attenuation of high fat diet (HFD)-induced weight gain compared to other combinations of feeding and exercise under two daily meals and two daily exercise periods. There were no significant differences in total food intake and total wheel counts, but feeding before exercise in the morning groups (F-Ex/F-Ex and F-Ex/Ex-F) increased the morning wheel counts. These results suggest that habitual exercise after feeding in the morning and evening is more effective for preventing HFD-induced weight gain. We also determined whether there were any correlations between food intake, wheel rotation, visceral fat volume and skeletal muscle volumes. We found positive associations between gastrocnemius muscle volumes and morning wheel counts, as well as negative associations between morning food intake volumes/body weight and morning wheel counts. These results suggest that morning exercise-induced increase of muscle volume may refer to anti-obesity. Evening exercise is negatively associated with fat volume increases, suggesting that this practice may counteract fat deposition. Our multifactorial analysis revealed that morning food intake helps to increase exercise, and that evening exercise reduced fat volumes. Thus, exercise in the morning or evening is important for preventing the onset of obesity.

In situ femoral dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry related to ash weight, bone size and density, and its relationship with mechanical failure loads of the proximal femur.

PubMed

Lochmüller, E M; Miller, P; Bürklein, D; Wehr, U; Rambeck, W; Eckstein, F

2000-01-01

The objective of this study was to directly compare in situ femoral dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) and in vitro chemical analysis (ash weight and calcium) with mechanical failure loads of the proximal femur, and to determine the influence of bone size (volume) and density on mechanical failure and DXA-derived areal bone mineral density (BMD, in g/cm2). We performed femoral DXA in 52 fixed cadavers (age 82.1 +/- 9.7 years; 30 male, 22 female) with intact skin and soft tissues. The femora were then excised, mechanically loaded to failure in a stance phase configuration, their volume measured with a water displacement method (proximal neck to lesser trochanter), and the ash weight and calcium content of this region determined by chemical analysis. The correlation coefficient between the bone mineral content (measured in situ with DXA) and the ash weight was r = 0.87 (standard error of the estimate = 16%), the ash weight allowing for a better prediction of femoral failure loads (r = 0.78; p < 0.01) than DXA (r = 0.67; p < 0.01). The femoral volume (r = 0.61; p < 0.01), but not the volumetric bone density (r = 0.26), was significantly associated with the failure load. The femoral bone volume had a significant impact (r = 0.35; p < 0.01) on the areal BMD (DXA), and only 63% of the variability of bone volume could be predicted (based on the basis of body height, weight and femoral projectional bone area. The results suggest that accuracy errors of femoral DXA limit the prediction of mechanical failure loads, and that the influence of bone size on areal BMD cannot be fully corrected by accounting for body height, weight and projected femoral area.

Baseline Gray- and White Matter Volume Predict Successful Weight Loss in the Elderly

PubMed Central

Mokhtari, Fatemeh; Paolini, Brielle M.; Burdette, Jonathan H.; Marsh, Anthony P.; Rejeski, W. Jack; Laurienti, Paul J.

2016-01-01

Objective The purpose of this study is to investigate if structural brain phenotypes can be used to predict weight loss success following behavioral interventions in older adults that are overweight or obese and have cardiometabolic dysfunction. Methods A support vector machine (SVM) with a repeated random subsampling validation approach was used to classify participants into the upper and lower halves of the weight loss distribution following 18 months of a weight loss intervention. Predictions were based on baseline brain gray matter (GM) and white matter (WM) volume from 52 individuals that completed the intervention and a magnetic resonance imaging session. Results The SVM resulted in an average classification accuracy of 72.62 % based on GM and WM volume. A receiver operating characteristic analysis indicated that classification performance was robust based on an area under the curve of 0.82. Conclusions Our findings suggest that baseline brain structure is able to predict weight loss success following 18 months of treatment. The identification of brain structure as a predictor of successful weight loss is an innovative approach to identifying phenotypes for responsiveness to intensive lifestyle interventions. This phenotype could prove useful in future research focusing on the tailoring of treatment for weight loss. PMID:27804273

Polymer-surfactant complex formation and its effect on turbulent wall shear stress.

PubMed

Suksamranchit, Siriluck; Sirivat, Anuvat; Jamieson, Alexander M

2006-02-01

Turbulent drag reduction in Couette flow was investigated in terms of a decrease in wall shear stress for aqueous solutions of a nonionic polymer, poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO), a cationic surfactant, hexadecyltrimethylammonium chloride (HTAC), and their mixtures. Consistent with literature data, drag reduction was observed for PEO solutions above a critical molecular weight, 0.91 x 10(5) < Mc < 3.04 x 10(5) g/mol. Maximum drag reduction occurred at an optimum concentration, c(PEO)*, which scales inversely with molecular weight, and the % maximum drag reduction increases with molecular weight. For aqueous HTAC solutions, wall shear stress decreased with increasing HTAC concentration and leveled off at an optimum concentration, c(HTAC)*, comparable to the critical micelle concentration. For HTAC/PEO mixtures, the critical PEO molecular weight for drag reduction decreases, interpreted as due to an increase in hydrodynamic volume because of binding of HTAC micelles to PEO. Consistent with this interpretation, at fixed PEO concentration, maximum drag reduction was observed at an optimum HTAC concentration, c(HTAC/PEO)*, comparable to the maximum binding concentration, MBC. Also, with HTAC concentration fixed at the MBC, the optimum PEO concentration for drag reduction, c(PEO/HTAC)*, decreases relative to that, c(PEO)*, in the absence of HTAC.

The potential impact of new power system technology on the design of a manned space station

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fordyce, J. S.; Schwartz, H. J.

1984-01-01

Larger, more complex spacecraft of the future such as a manned Space Station will require electric power systems of 100 kW and more, orders of magnitude greater than the present state of the art. Power systems at this level will have a significant impact on the spacecraft design. Historically, long-lived spacecraft have relied on silicon solar cell arrays, a nickel-cadmium storage battery and operation at 28 V dc. These technologies lead to large array areas and heavy batteries for a Space Station application. This, in turn, presents orbit altitude maintenance, attitude control, energy management and launch weight and volume constraints. Size (area) and weight of such a power system can be reduced if new higher efficiency conversion and lighter weight storage technologies are used. Several promising technology options including concentrator solar photovoltaic arrays, solar thermal dynamic and ultimately nuclear dynamic systems to reduce area are discussed. Also, higher energy storage systems such as nickel-hydrogen and the regenerative fuel cell (RFC) and higher voltage power distribution which add system flexibility, simplicity and reduce weight are examined. Emphasis is placed on the attributes and development status of emerging technologies that are sufficiently developed so that they could be available for flight use in the early to mid 1990's.

The potential impact of new power system technology on the design of a manned Space Station

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fordyce, J. S.; Schwartz, H. J.

1984-01-01

Larger, more complex spacecraft of the future such as a manned Space Station will require electric power systems of 100 kW and more, orders of magnitude greater than the present state of the art. Power systems at this level will have a significant impact on the spacecraft design. Historically, long-lived spacecraft have relied on silicon solar cell arrays, a nickel-cadmium storage battery and operation at 28 V dc. These technologies lead to large array areas and heavy batteries for a Space Station application. This, in turn, presents orbit altitude maintenance, attitude control, energy management and launch weight and volume constraints. Size (area) and weight of such a power system can be reduced if new higher efficiency conversion and lighter weight storage technologies are used. Several promising technology options including concentrator solar photovoltaic arrays, solar thermal dynamic and ultimately nuclear dynamic systems to reduce area are discussed. Also, higher energy storage systems such as nickel-hydrogen and the regenerative fuel cell (RFC) and higher voltage power distribution which add system flexibility, simplicity and reduce weight are examined. Emphasis placed on the attributes and development status of emerging technologies that are sufficiently developed so that they could be available for flight use in the early to mid 1990's.

Development of sensor augmented robotic weld systems for aerospace propulsion system fabrication

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jones, C. S.; Gangl, K. J.

1986-01-01

In order to meet stringent performance goals for power and reuseability, the Space Shuttle Main Engine was designed with many complex, difficult welded joints that provide maximum strength and minimum weight. To this end, the SSME requires 370 meters of welded joints. Automation of some welds has improved welding productivity significantly over manual welding. Application has previously been limited by accessibility constraints, requirements for complex process control, low production volumes, high part variability, and stringent quality requirements. Development of robots for welding in this application requires that a unique set of constraints be addressed. This paper shows how robotic welding can enhance production of aerospace components by addressing their specific requirements. A development program at the Marshall Space Flight Center combining industrial robots with state-of-the-art sensor systems and computer simulation is providing technology for the automation of welds in Space Shuttle Main Engine production.

In search of the `impenetrable' volume of a molecule in a noncovalent complex

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Murray, Jane S.; Politzer, Peter

2018-03-01

We propose to characterise the "impenetrable" volumes of molecules A and B in a complex A--B by finding that contour of its electronic density that separates the molecular surfaces of A and B but leaves them almost touching. The volume of the complex within that contour is always less than within the 0.001 au contour. The percent difference measures the interpenetration of the two molecules at equilibrium, and is found to directly correlate with the binding energy of the complex. We interpret the volume of each molecule that is enclosed by the almost-touching contour as that molecule's impenetrable volume relative to its particular partner. The percents by which the molecules' relative impenetrable volumes differ from their 0.001 au volumes in the free states also correlate with the strengths of the interactions. This allows the "absolute" impenetrable volume of any molecule to be estimated as ∼25% of its 0.001 au volume in the free state. However this absolute impenetrable volume is only approached by the molecule in a relatively strong interaction.

THE ABSCOPAL EFFECT OF X IRRADIATION ON BONE GROWTH IN RATS

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

Pappas, A.M.; Cohen, J.

1963-06-01

The abscopal effect of irradiation (that which is evident at a distance from the irradiated volume but within the same organism) was investigated in rats. It was possible to demonstrate the effects on growth locally and abscopally when x-ray doses of 400 and 800 r were delivered to the lower extremity and when 800 r was delivered to the knee alone. A distinction between abscopal effects after local irradiation and systemic effects after whole-body irradiation is discussed. The weights of control and irradiated animals were similar for the first 21 days, during which period they did not exhibit any untowardmore » effects of irradiation. However, after 21 days there was a decrease in weight gain, which persisted until the 72nd day. Group A (controls) was the heaviest group, with a mean weight of 412 g. Group B (800 r to the left hind extremity) had a mean weight of 378. Group C (400 r to the left hind extremity) and Group D (800 r to the left knee) exhibited mean weights of 391 and 394 g, respectively. Roentgenographic measurements revealed that all animals receiving irradiation had retardation in the growth of the irradiated tibiae, which were shorter than both the control and the contralateral (unirradiated) tibiae. Only the animals that had received 800 r to their leff hind extremity showed significant differences in the lengths of their unirradiated bones compared with the bones of the control animals of Group A, that is, a significant abscopal growth retardation. Although the abscopal effect appeared to be associated with the volume of tissue irradiated, the way this effect is mediated is not known. The weight gains of the animals demonstrated a strong association between decrease in weight gain, the volume of tissue irradiated, and the dose administered. The impaired weight gsin roughly paralleled the abscopal retardation of bone growth. The animals which received the highest dose of irradiation, 800 r, to the largest volume of tissue, 10% of the body volume, revealed the greatest deviation from the control group. It is concluded that irradiation effects in animals are composites of the responses of the whole organism to the injury, of the responses of local tissues, and vessels at their level of tissue organization, and of the responses of individual cells. All of these responses may be interdependent. The evidence indicates that a systemic inhibition of all bone growth and weight gain occurs when a sufficient volume of tissue is irradiated at a sufficiently high dosage. (BBB)« less

Ultrafiltration for the Determination of Cu Complexed with Dissolved Organic Matters of Different Molecular Weight from a Eutrophic River, China.

PubMed

Li, Anding; Zhang, Yan; Zhou, Beihai; Xin, Kailing; Gu, Yingnan; Xu, Weijie; Tian, Jie

2018-05-21

The molecular weight of dissolved organic matter (DOM) is one of the essential factors controlling the properties of metal complexes. A continuous ultrafiltration experiment was designed to study the properties of Cu complexes with different molecular weights in a river before and after eutrophication. The results showed that the concentration of DOM increased from 26.47 to 38.20 mg/L during the eutrophication process, however, DOM was still dominated by the small molecular weight fraction before and after eutrophication. The amount of Cu-DOM complexes increased with the increasing of molecular weight, however, the amounts of DOM-Cu complexes before eutrophication were higher than those after eutrophication. This is because DOM contained more -COOH and -OH before eutrophication and these functional groups are the active sites complexed with Cu.

Numeric and volumetric changes in Leydig cells during aging of rats.

PubMed

Neves, Bruno Vinicius Duarte; Lorenzini, Fernando; Veronez, Djanira; Miranda, Eduardo Pereira de; Neves, Gabriela Duarte; Fraga, Rogério de

2017-10-01

To analyze the effects of aging in rats on the nuclear volume, cytoplasmic volume, and total volume of Leydig cells, as well as their number. Seventy-two Wistar rats were divided into six subgroups of 12 rats, which underwent right orchiectomy at 3, 6, 9, 12, 18, and 24 months of age. The weight and volume of the resected testicles were assessed. A stereological study of Leydig cells was conducted, which included measurements of cell number and nuclear, cytoplasmic, and total cell volumes. The weight and volume of the resected testicles showed reductions with age. Only the subgroup composed of 24-month old rats showed a decrease in the nuclear volume of Leydig cells. Significant reductions in the cytoplasmic volume and total volume of Leydig cells were observed in 18- and 24-month old rats. The number of Leydig cells did not vary significantly with age. Aging in rats resulted in reduction of the nuclear, cytoplasmic, and total cell volumes of Leydig cells. There was no change in the total number of these cells during aging.

Geospatial cross-correlation analysis of Oklahoma earthquakes and saltwater disposal volume 2011 - 2016

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pollyea, R.; Mohammadi, N.; Taylor, J. E.

2017-12-01

The annual earthquake rate in Oklahoma increased dramatically between 2009 and 2016, owing in large part to the rapid proliferation of salt water disposal wells associated with unconventional oil and gas recovery. This study presents a geospatial analysis of earthquake occurrence and SWD injection volume within a 68,420 km2 area in north-central Oklahoma between 2011 and 2016. The spatial co-variability of earthquake occurrence and SWD injection volume is analyzed for each year of the study by calculating the geographic centroid for both earthquake epicenter and volume-weighted well location. In addition, the spatial cross correlation between earthquake occurrence and SWD volume is quantified by calculating the cross semivariogram annually for a 9.6 km × 9.6 km (6 mi × 6 mi) grid over the study area. Results from these analyses suggest that the relationship between volume-weighted well centroids and earthquake centroids generally follow pressure diffusion space-time scaling, and the volume-weighted well centroid predicts the geographic earthquake centroid within a 1σ radius of gyration. The cross semivariogram calculations show that SWD injection volume and earthquake occurrence are spatially cross correlated between 2014 and 2016. These results also show that the strength of cross correlation decreased from 2015 to 2016; however, the cross correlation length scale remains unchanged at 125 km. This suggests that earthquake mitigation efforts have been moderately successful in decreasing the strength of cross correlation between SWD volume and earthquake occurrence near-field, but the far-field contribution of SWD injection volume to earthquake occurrence remains unaffected.

Forensic postmortem computed tomography: volumetric measurement of the heart and liver.

PubMed

Jakobsen, Lykke Schrøder; Lundemose, Sissel; Banner, Jytte; Lynnerup, Niels; Jacobsen, Christina

2016-12-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the utility of postmortem computed tomography (PMCT) images in estimating organ sizes and to examine the use of the cardiothoracic ratio (CTR). We included 45 individuals (19 females), who underwent a medico-legal autopsy. Using the computer software program Mimics ® , we determined in situ heart and liver volumes derived from linear measurements (width, height and depth) on a whole body PMCT-scan, and compared the volumes with ex vivo volumes derived by CT-scan of the eviscerated heart and liver. The ex vivo volumes were also compared with the organ weights. Further, we compared the CTR with the ex vivo heart volume and a heart weight-ratio (HWR). Intra- and inter-observer analyses were performed. We found no correlation between the in situ and ex vivo volumes of the heart and liver. However, a highly significant correlation was found between the ex vivo volumes and weights of the heart and liver. No correlations between CTR and the ex vivo heart volume nor with HWR was found. Concerning cardiomegaly, we found no agreement between the CTR and HWR. The intra- and inter-observer analyses showed no significant differences. Noninvasive in situ PMCT methods for organ measuring, as performed in this study, are not useful tools in forensic pathology. The best method to estimate organ volume is a CT-scan of the eviscerated organ. PMCT-determined CTR seems to be useless for ascertaining cardiomegaly, as it neither correlated with the ex vivo heart volume nor with the HWR.

Biennial Guidance Test Symposium (15th) Held in Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico on 24-26 September 1991. Volume 1

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-09-01

for loss , damage, or injury resulting from manufacture or use for any purpose of any product, article, system, or material involving reliance upon any...technologies but fit within an envelope of 10 pounds total weight , 20 watus of power, 100 cubic inches of volume, and a DARPA initiated the GPS Guidance...smaller volume and9 M I " 9•r @ •) 100 9 70• too lower weight constraints should also expand the _________- -number of future vehicles for GOP use. The

Weight, volume, and physical properties of major hardwood species in the Southern Appalachian mountains

Treesearch

Alexander III Clark; James G. Schroeder

1985-01-01

The weight, volume, and physical properties of trees 1 to 20 inches d.h.h. were determined for basswood, blackgum (upland), red maple,yellow-poplar, white oak, sweet birch, black locust, hickory, black oak, chestnut oak, northern red oak, scarlet oak, and white oak in the Southern Appalachian Mountains. Hard hardwoods, soft hardwoods, and individual species equations...

Weight, Volume, and Moisture Content of Sawdust from Selected Southern Species

Treesearch

W. S. Thompson; W. N. Darwin

1968-01-01

A study of the weight-volume relationships and moisture contents of sawdust from important hardwoods of the Mississippi River bottom lands was recently made by Mississippi State University in cooperation with the Southern Forest Experiment Station. (Sawdust presently is used to a limited extent in the manufacture of wood pulp, and a rise in consumption by this and...

Soil bulk density and soil moisture calculated with a FORTRAN 77 program.

Treesearch

G.L. Starr; J.M. Geist

1988-01-01

This paper presents an improved version of BDEN, an interactive computer program written in FORTRAN 77 that will calculate soil bulk density and moisture percentage by weight and volume. Calculations allow for deducting coarse fragment weight and volume. The program will also summarize the resulting data by giving the mean, standard deviation, and 95-percent confidence...

Merchantable Volume and Weights of Mahoe in Puerto Rican Plantations

Treesearch

John K. Francis

1989-01-01

Mahoe (Hibiscus elatus Sw.), a fast-growing tree whose wood is considered valuable, is planted and managed primarily in the West Indies. Until now, volume and weight tables have not been available for the species. Data used in this paper were collected from 50 felled trees in a range of sizes from plantations across Puerto Rico. Using linear...

Intravenous Renal Cell Transplantation for Polycystic Kidney Disease

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-06-01

to measure serum creatinine. 5b. urine collection twice each month for measurements of protein and creatinine ratios Task 6. Intravital imaging...volume, renal fibrosis (quantified on trichrome stained sections), albuminuria, blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and kidney weight were significantly...IRCT markedly reduced cyst volume, renal fibrosis, albuminuria, blood urea nitrogen and kidney weights in treated rats, as compared to PCK rats

Individual Tree Biomass Models for Plantation Grown American Sycamore

Treesearch

Regan B. Willson; Bryce E. Schlaegel; Harvey E. Kennedy

1982-01-01

Individual tree volume and green and dry weight equations are derived for American sycamore from a 5-year-old plantation in southeast Arkansas. Two trees have been destructively sampled each year from each of 20 plots. Observations from 168 trees are used to predict tree weight and volume as a function of dbh, total height, age, and initial number of trees. Separate...

Photo series for quantifying natural forest residues: southern Cascades, northern Sierra Nevada

Treesearch

Kenneth S. Blonski; John L. Schramel

1981-01-01

A total of 56 photographs shows different levels of natural fuel loadings for selected size classes in seven forest types of the southern Cascade and northern Sierra-Nevada ranges. Data provided with each photo include size, weight, volumes, residue depths, and percent of ground coverage. Stand information includes sizes, weights, and volumes of the trees sampled for...

Deaf Children's Judgments on Conservation Problems of Liquid, Matter, Weight and Volume: A Pilot Study.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rittenhouse, Robert K.

Twenty-four profoundly deaf children (7 to 13 years old) from a residential school were presented with conservation problems of liquid, matter, weight, and volume. Analyses of variance showed that age was significant beyond the .01 level and type of task (conservation) at the .25 level. No significant sex effect was found. Differences among means…

In vivo anti-radiation activities of the Ulva pertusa polysaccharides and polysaccharide-iron(III) complex.

PubMed

Shi, Jinming; Cheng, Cuilin; Zhao, Haitian; Jing, Jing; Gong, Ning; Lu, Weihong

2013-09-01

Polysaccharides with different molecular weights were extracted from Ulva pertusa and fractionated by ultrafiltration. Iron(III) complex of the low molecular-weight U. pertusa polysaccharides were synthesized. Atomic absorption spectrum showed that the iron content of iron(III)-polysaccharide complex was 27.4%. The comparison between U. pertusa polysaccharides and their iron(III) complex showed that iron chelating altered the structural characteristics of the polysaccharides. The bioactivity analysis showed that polysaccharide with low molecular weight was more effective than polysaccharide with high molecular weight in protecting mice from radiation induced damages on bone marrow cells and immune system. Results also proved that the anti-radiation and anti-oxidative activity of iron(III) complex of low molecular-weight polysaccharides were not less than that of low molecular-weight polysaccharides. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Computer program to perform cost and weight analysis of transport aircraft. Volume 2: Technical volume

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1973-01-01

An improved method for estimating aircraft weight and cost using a unique and fundamental approach was developed. The results of this study were integrated into a comprehensive digital computer program, which is intended for use at the preliminary design stage of aircraft development. The program provides a means of computing absolute values for weight and cost, and enables the user to perform trade studies with a sensitivity to detail design and overall structural arrangement. Both batch and interactive graphics modes of program operation are available.

Optimal trajectories for hypersonic launch vehicles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ardema, Mark D.; Bowles, Jeffrey V.; Whittaker, Thomas

1992-01-01

In this paper, we derive a near-optimal guidance law for the ascent trajectory from Earth surface to Earth orbit of a hypersonic, dual-mode propulsion, lifting vehicle. Of interest are both the optimal flight path and the optimal operation of the propulsion system. The guidance law is developed from the energy-state approximation of the equations of motion. The performance objective is a weighted sum of fuel mass and volume, with the weighting factor selected to give minimum gross take-off weight for a specific payload mass and volume.

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.

Adaptive changes in pancreas post Roux-en-Y gastric bypass induced weight loss.

PubMed

Lautenbach, A; Wernecke, M; Riedel, N; Veigel, J; Yamamura, J; Keller, S; Jung, R; Busch, P; Mann, O; Knop, F K; Holst, J J; Meier, J J; Aberle, J

2018-05-16

Obesity has been shown to trigger adaptive increases in pancreas parenchymal and fat volume. Consecutively, pancreatic steatosis may lead to beta-cell dysfunction. However, it is not known, whether the pancreatic tissue components decrease with weight loss and pancreatic steatosis is reversible following RYGB. Therefore, the objective of the study was to investigate the effects of RYGB-induced weight loss on pancreatic volume and glucose homeostasis. 11 patients were recruited in the Obesity Centre of the University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf. Before and 6 months after RYGB, total GLP-1 levels were measured during OGTT. To assess changes in visceral adipose tissue and pancreatic volume, MRI was performed. Measures of glucose homeostasis and insulin indices were assessed. Fractional beta-cell area was estimated by correlation with the C-peptide-to-glucose ratio, beta-cell mass was calculated by the product of beta-cell area and pancreas parenchymal weight. Pancreas volume decreased from 83.8 (75.7-92.0) to 70.5 (58.8-82.3) cm 3 [mean (95% CI), p=0.001]. The decrease in total volume was associated with a significant decrease in fat volume. Fasting insulin and C-peptide were lower post RYGB. HOMA-IR levels decreased, whereas insulin sensitivity increased (p=0.03). This was consistent with a reduction in the estimated beta-cell area and mass. Following RYGB, pancreatic volume and steatosis adaptively decreased to "normal" levels with accompanying improvement in glucose homeostasis. Moreover, obesity-driven beta-cell expansion seems to be reversible, however future studies must define a method to more accurately estimate functional beta-cell mass to increase our understanding of glucose homeostasis after RYGB. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Estimation of the sensitive volume for gravitational-wave source populations using weighted Monte Carlo integration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tiwari, Vaibhav

2018-07-01

The population analysis and estimation of merger rates of compact binaries is one of the important topics in gravitational wave astronomy. The primary ingredient in these analyses is the population-averaged sensitive volume. Typically, sensitive volume, of a given search to a given simulated source population, is estimated by drawing signals from the population model and adding them to the detector data as injections. Subsequently injections, which are simulated gravitational waveforms, are searched for by the search pipelines and their signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) is determined. Sensitive volume is estimated, by using Monte-Carlo (MC) integration, from the total number of injections added to the data, the number of injections that cross a chosen threshold on SNR and the astrophysical volume in which the injections are placed. So far, only fixed population models have been used in the estimation of binary black holes (BBH) merger rates. However, as the scope of population analysis broaden in terms of the methodologies and source properties considered, due to an increase in the number of observed gravitational wave (GW) signals, the procedure will need to be repeated multiple times at a large computational cost. In this letter we address the problem by performing a weighted MC integration. We show how a single set of generic injections can be weighted to estimate the sensitive volume for multiple population models; thereby greatly reducing the computational cost. The weights in this MC integral are the ratios of the output probabilities, determined by the population model and standard cosmology, and the injection probability, determined by the distribution function of the generic injections. Unlike analytical/semi-analytical methods, which usually estimate sensitive volume using single detector sensitivity, the method is accurate within statistical errors, comes at no added cost and requires minimal computational resources.

Regional body volumes, BMI, waist circumference, and percentage fat in severely obese adults.

PubMed

Wang, Jack; Gallagher, Dympna; Thornton, John C; Yu, Wen; Weil, Rich; Kovac, Betty; Pi-Sunyer, F Xavier

2007-11-01

This study presents total body volume (TBV) and regional body volume, and their relationships with widely used body composition indices [BMI, waist circumference (WC), and percentage body fat (% fat)] in severely obese adults (BMI >or=35 kg/m(2)). We measured TBV, trunk volume (TV), arm volume (AV), leg volume (LV), and WC and estimated % fat in 32 severely obese persons with BMI 36 to 62 kg/m(2) (23 women; age, 19 to 65 years; weight, 91 to 182 kg) and in 58 persons with BMI <35 kg/m(2) (28 women; age, 18 to 83 years; weight, 48 to 102 kg) using a newly validated 3-day photonic image scanner (3DPS, Model C9036-02, Hamamatsu Co., Japan) and calculated TV/TBV, AV/TBV, and LV/TBV. Men had significantly larger TBV and higher TV/TBV and AV/TBV, but significantly lower LV/TBV than women, independently of BMI. TV/TBV increased while AV/TBV and LV/TBV decreased with increasing BMI, WC, and % fat, and the rate of increase in TV/TBV per % fat was significantly greater in severely obese individuals than in individuals with BMI <35 kg/m(2). The relationships for TBV with % fat were much lower than with BMI or WC. Body volume gains were mainly in the trunk region in adults, irrespective of sex or BMI. For a given BMI, WC, or % fat, men had a significantly larger TV than women. The implication is that men could have higher health risks due to having higher trunk body weight as a proportion of total body weight compared with severely obese or less severely obese women.

A simple orchidometric method for the preliminary assessment of maturity status in male cynomolgus monkeys (Macaca fascicularis) used for nonclinical safety studies.

PubMed

Ku, Warren W; Pagliusi, Frank; Foley, George; Roesler, Alfred; Zimmerman, Thomas

2010-01-01

The identification and use of mature male non-human primates in nonclinical toxicology studies could be important for evaluating candidate drugs for which the profile of toxicity may differ depending on sexual maturity. This investigation sought to establish operational criteria to complement the current standard of histological evaluation for defining sexual maturity in male cynomolgus monkeys (Macaca fascicularis) used for toxicology studies, and to identify a practical non-invasive measure to select mature males for study. Retrospectively, the relationships between body weight, testicular weight and testis histology were established in control males (n=126) used in previous toxicology studies. Prospectively, testicular volumes were measured in-life by orchidometry using comparative scrotal palpation (n=23 males used for study), then compared to testicular weights measured at necropsy. Consistent with previous literature, a weak relationship was observed between body weight and testicular weight. There was, however, a very good relationship between testicular weight and histological maturation level, which was based upon microscopic examination of testes, epididymides and prostates. Orchidometric measurement of testicular volume was found to be a reasonable predictor of testicular weight and served to rapidly select sexually mature males for study, and a total testicular volume (left and right combined) of >20 ml correlated with the histological appearance of maturity. Based upon this preliminary exploratory study, the initial simple measurement of testicular volume by orchidometry may provide a non-invasive alternative approach for assessing the sexual maturity of male cynomolgus monkeys in research colonies or during toxicology studies that will require more thorough validation. Copyright 2009 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Task-specific feature extraction and classification of fMRI volumes using a deep neural network initialized with a deep belief network: Evaluation using sensorimotor tasks

PubMed Central

Jang, Hojin; Plis, Sergey M.; Calhoun, Vince D.; Lee, Jong-Hwan

2016-01-01

Feedforward deep neural networks (DNN), artificial neural networks with multiple hidden layers, have recently demonstrated a record-breaking performance in multiple areas of applications in computer vision and speech processing. Following the success, DNNs have been applied to neuroimaging modalities including functional/structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and positron-emission tomography data. However, no study has explicitly applied DNNs to 3D whole-brain fMRI volumes and thereby extracted hidden volumetric representations of fMRI that are discriminative for a task performed as the fMRI volume was acquired. Our study applied fully connected feedforward DNN to fMRI volumes collected in four sensorimotor tasks (i.e., left-hand clenching, right-hand clenching, auditory attention, and visual stimulus) undertaken by 12 healthy participants. Using a leave-one-subject-out cross-validation scheme, a restricted Boltzmann machine-based deep belief network was pretrained and used to initialize weights of the DNN. The pretrained DNN was fine-tuned while systematically controlling weight-sparsity levels across hidden layers. Optimal weight-sparsity levels were determined from a minimum validation error rate of fMRI volume classification. Minimum error rates (mean ± standard deviation; %) of 6.9 (± 3.8) were obtained from the three-layer DNN with the sparsest condition of weights across the three hidden layers. These error rates were even lower than the error rates from the single-layer network (9.4 ± 4.6) and the two-layer network (7.4 ± 4.1). The estimated DNN weights showed spatial patterns that are remarkably task-specific, particularly in the higher layers. The output values of the third hidden layer represented distinct patterns/codes of the 3D whole-brain fMRI volume and encoded the information of the tasks as evaluated from representational similarity analysis. Our reported findings show the ability of the DNN to classify a single fMRI volume based on the extraction of hidden representations of fMRI volumes associated with tasks across multiple hidden layers. Our study may be beneficial to the automatic classification/diagnosis of neuropsychiatric and neurological diseases and prediction of disease severity and recovery in (pre-) clinical settings using fMRI volumes without requiring an estimation of activation patterns or ad hoc statistical evaluation. PMID:27079534

Task-specific feature extraction and classification of fMRI volumes using a deep neural network initialized with a deep belief network: Evaluation using sensorimotor tasks.

PubMed

Jang, Hojin; Plis, Sergey M; Calhoun, Vince D; Lee, Jong-Hwan

2017-01-15

Feedforward deep neural networks (DNNs), artificial neural networks with multiple hidden layers, have recently demonstrated a record-breaking performance in multiple areas of applications in computer vision and speech processing. Following the success, DNNs have been applied to neuroimaging modalities including functional/structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and positron-emission tomography data. However, no study has explicitly applied DNNs to 3D whole-brain fMRI volumes and thereby extracted hidden volumetric representations of fMRI that are discriminative for a task performed as the fMRI volume was acquired. Our study applied fully connected feedforward DNN to fMRI volumes collected in four sensorimotor tasks (i.e., left-hand clenching, right-hand clenching, auditory attention, and visual stimulus) undertaken by 12 healthy participants. Using a leave-one-subject-out cross-validation scheme, a restricted Boltzmann machine-based deep belief network was pretrained and used to initialize weights of the DNN. The pretrained DNN was fine-tuned while systematically controlling weight-sparsity levels across hidden layers. Optimal weight-sparsity levels were determined from a minimum validation error rate of fMRI volume classification. Minimum error rates (mean±standard deviation; %) of 6.9 (±3.8) were obtained from the three-layer DNN with the sparsest condition of weights across the three hidden layers. These error rates were even lower than the error rates from the single-layer network (9.4±4.6) and the two-layer network (7.4±4.1). The estimated DNN weights showed spatial patterns that are remarkably task-specific, particularly in the higher layers. The output values of the third hidden layer represented distinct patterns/codes of the 3D whole-brain fMRI volume and encoded the information of the tasks as evaluated from representational similarity analysis. Our reported findings show the ability of the DNN to classify a single fMRI volume based on the extraction of hidden representations of fMRI volumes associated with tasks across multiple hidden layers. Our study may be beneficial to the automatic classification/diagnosis of neuropsychiatric and neurological diseases and prediction of disease severity and recovery in (pre-) clinical settings using fMRI volumes without requiring an estimation of activation patterns or ad hoc statistical evaluation. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Use of recycling stations in Borlänge, Sweden--volume weights and attitudes.

PubMed

Petersen, Cecilia H Mattsson; Berg, Per E O

2004-01-01

This paper presents a study of recycling stations in the municipality of Borlänge, Sweden. The main objectives were to measure volume weights of recyclables, to facilitate future planning of collection intervals and bin/container volume, and to investigate the general attitudes among the public towards waste management in general and recycling stations in particular. Volume weights measured in bins/containers were: paper/newsprint: 297 kg/m3, glass packaging: 297 kg/m3, metal packaging: 81.7 kg/m3, paper packaging: 27.8 kg/m3, plastic packaging: 28.1 kg/m3. The recycling stations have been in use since 1994. Most visitors (90%) arrived by car but said the visit to the recycling station was not the main purpose of the trip. The results from the interviews indicated that the people who use the recycling stations have found ways to incorporate waste sorting into their everyday lives, with the help of information, design of the collection system and environmental concerns.

The Relationship between Volume Conservation and a Volume Algorithm for a Rectangular Parallelepiped.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Feghali, Issa Nehme

This study was designed to investigate the relationship between the level of conservation of displaced volume and the degree to which sixth-grade children learn the volume algorithm of a cuboid, namely, volume equals weight times length times height. The problem chosen is based on an apparent discrepancy between the present school programs and…

Understanding the heterogeneity in volume overload and fluid distribution in decompensated heart failure is key to optimal volume management: role for blood volume quantitation.

PubMed

Miller, Wayne L; Mullan, Brian P

2014-06-01

This study sought to quantitate total blood volume (TBV) in patients hospitalized for decompensated chronic heart failure (DCHF) and to determine the extent of volume overload, and the magnitude and distribution of blood volume and body water changes following diuretic therapy. The accurate assessment and management of volume overload in patients with DCHF remains problematic. TBV was measured by a radiolabeled-albumin dilution technique with intravascular volume, pre-to-post-diuretic therapy, evaluated at hospital admission and at discharge. Change in body weight in relation to quantitated TBV was used to determine interstitial volume contribution to total fluid loss. Twenty-six patients were prospectively evaluated. Two patients had normal TBV at admission. Twenty-four patients were hypervolemic with TBV (7.4 ± 1.6 liters) increased by +39 ± 22% (range, +9.5% to +107%) above the expected normal volume. With diuresis, TBV decreased marginally (+30 ± 16%). Body weight declined by 6.9 ± 5.2 kg, and fluid intake/fluid output was a net negative 8.4 ± 5.2 liters. Interstitial compartment fluid loss was calculated at 6.2 ± 4.0 liters, accounting for 85 ± 15% of the total fluid reduction. TBV analysis demonstrated a wide range in the extent of intravascular overload. Dismissal measurements revealed marginally reduced intravascular volume post-diuretic therapy despite large reductions in body weight. Mobilization of interstitial fluid to the intravascular compartment with diuresis accounted for this disparity. Intravascular volume, however, remained increased at dismissal. The extent, composition, and distribution of volume overload are highly variable in DCHF, and this variability needs to be taken into account in the approach to individualized therapy. TBV quantitation, particularly serial measurements, can facilitate informed volume management with respect to a goal of treating to euvolemia. Copyright © 2014 American College of Cardiology Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Changes in infant disposable diaper weights at selected intervals post-wetting.

PubMed

Carlisle, Joan; Moore, Amanda; Cooper, Alyssa; Henderson, Terri; Mayfield, Debbie; Taylor, Randa; Thomas, Jennifer; Van Fleet, Laduska; Askanazi, David; Fineberg, Naomi; Sun, Yanhui

2012-01-01

Pediatric acute care nurses questioned the practice of weighing disposable infant diapers immediately after voiding. This study asked the research question, "Does volume of saline, diaper configuration, and/or size of diaper statistically effect changes in diaper weights over time?" The method was an experimental, laboratory model. Pre-set volumes of saline were added to disposable diapers that were then left folded or unfolded. Each diaper was weighed immediately post-wetting and re-weighed at hourly intervals for seven hours. Data were analyzed using a repeated measures analysis of variance (RMANOVA) with balanced data (F-test). Diaper weight changes over time were statistically significant for all time points and for all volumes regardless of diaper size; however, the changes in weight were small and without clinical significance. It is appropriate to weigh diapers at the end of eight hours without risk of altering subsequent fluid management of patients in open-air, non-humidified environments. This practice has led to more efficient use of nurses' time with fewer interruptions for patients and families.

Space Transportatioin System (STS) propellant scavenging system study. Volume 3: Cost and work breakdown structure-dictionary

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1985-01-01

Fundamentally, the volumes of the oxidizer and fuel propellant scavenged from the orbiter and external tank determine the size and weight of the scavenging system. The optimization of system dimensions and weights is stimulated by the requirement to minimize the use of partial length of the orbiter payload bay. Thus, the cost estimates begin with weights established for the optimum design. Both the design, development, test, and evaluation and theoretical first unit hardware production costs are estimated from parametric cost weight scaling relations for four subsystems. For cryogenic propellants, the widely differing characteristics of the oxidizer and the fuel lead to two separate tank subsystems, in addition to the electrical and instrumentation subsystems. Hardwares costs also involve quantity, as an independent variable, since the number of production scavenging systems is not firm. For storable propellants, since the tankage volume of the oxidizer and fuel are equal, the hardware production costs for developing these systems are lower than for cryogenic propellants.

Trends in Medicare Service Volume for Cataract Surgery and the Impact of the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule.

PubMed

Gong, Dan; Jun, Lin; Tsai, James C

2017-08-01

To calculate the associations between Medicare payment and service volume for complex and noncomplex cataract surgeries. The 2005-2009 CMS Part B National Summary Data Files, CMS Part B Carrier Summary Data Files, and the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule. Conducting a retrospective, longitudinal analysis using a fixed-effects model of Medicare Part B carriers representing all 50 states and the District of Columbia from 2005 to 2009, we calculated the Medicare payment-service volume elasticities for noncomplex (CPT 66984) and complex (CPT 66982) cataract surgeries. Service volume data were extracted from the CMS Part B National Summary and Carrier Summary Data Files. Payment data were extracted from the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule. From 2005 to 2009, the proportion of total cataract services billed as complex increased from 3.2 to 6.7 percent. Every 1 percent decrease in Medicare payment was associated with a nonsignificant change in noncomplex cataract service volume (elasticity = 0.15, 95 percent CI [-0.09, 0.38]) but a statistically significant increase in complex cataract service volume (elasticity = -1.12, 95 percent CI [-1.60, -0.63]). Reduced Medicare payment was associated with a significant increase in complex cataract service volume but not in noncomplex cataract service volume, resulting in a shift toward performing a greater proportion of complex cataract surgeries from 2005 to 2009. © Health Research and Educational Trust.

Real-world navigation in amnestic mild cognitive impairment: The relation to visuospatial memory and volume of hippocampal subregions.

PubMed

Peter, Jessica; Sandkamp, Richard; Minkova, Lora; Schumacher, Lena V; Kaller, Christoph P; Abdulkadir, Ahmed; Klöppel, Stefan

2018-01-31

Spatial disorientation is a frequent symptom in Alzheimer's disease and in mild cognitive impairment (MCI). In the clinical routine, spatial orientation is less often tested with real-world navigation but rather with 2D visuoconstructive tasks. However, reports about the association between the two types of tasks are sparse. Additionally, spatial disorientation has been linked to volume of the right hippocampus but it remains unclear whether right hippocampal subregions have differential involvement in real-world navigation. Yet, this would help uncover different functional roles of the subregions, which would have important implications for understanding the neuronal underpinnings of navigation skills. We compared patients with amnestic MCI (aMCI; n = 25) and healthy elderly controls (HC; n = 25) in a real-world navigation task that engaged different spatial processes. The association between real-world navigation and different visuoconstructive tasks was tested (i.e., figures from the Consortium to Establish a Registry for Alzheimer's Disease; CERAD, the Rey-Osterrieth Complex Figure task; and clock drawing). Furthermore, the relation between spatial navigation and volume of right hippocampal subregions was examined. Linear regression and relative weight analysis were applied for statistical analyses. Patients with aMCI were significantly less able to correctly navigate through a route compared to HC but had comparable map drawing and landmark recognition skills. The association between visuoconstructive tasks and real-world navigation was only significant when using the visuospatial memory component of the Rey figure. In aMCI, more volume of the right hippocampal tail was significantly associated with better navigation skills, while volume of the right CA2/3 region was a significant predictor in HC. Standard visuoconstructive tasks (e.g., the CERAD figures or clock drawing) are not sufficient to detect real-world spatial disabilities in aMCI. Consequently, more complex visuoconstructive tasks (i.e., the Rey figure) should be routinely included in the assessment of cognitive functions in the context of AD. Moreover, in those elderly individuals with impaired complex visuospatial memory, route finding behaviour should be evaluated in detail. Regarding the contribution of hippocampal subregions to spatial navigation, the right hippocampal tail seems to be particularly important for patients with aMCI, while the CA2/3 region appears to be more relevant in HC. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Significance of Epicardial and Intrathoracic Adipose Tissue Volume among Type 1 Diabetes Patients in the DCCT/EDIC: A Pilot Study

PubMed Central

Budoff, Matthew J.

2016-01-01

Introduction Type 1 diabetes (T1DM) patients are at increased risk of coronary artery disease (CAD). This pilot study sought to evaluate the relationship between epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) and intra-thoracic adipose tissue (IAT) volumes and cardio-metabolic risk factors in T1DM. Method EAT/IAT volumes in 100 patients, underwent non-contrast cardiac computed tomography in the Diabetes Control and Complications Trial /Epidemiology of Diabetes Interventions and Complications (DCCT/EDIC) study were measured by a certified reader. Fat was defined as pixels’ density of -30 to -190 Hounsfield Unit. The associations were assessed using–Pearson partial correlation and linear regression models adjusted for gender and age with inverse probability sample weighting. Results The weighted mean age was 43 years (range 32–57) and 53% were male. Adjusted for gender, Pearson correlation analysis showed a significant correlation between age and EAT/IAT volumes (both p<0.001). After adjusting for gender and age, participants with greater BMI, higher waist to hip ratio (WTH), higher weighted HbA1c, elevated triglyceride level, and a history of albumin excretion rate of equal or greater than 300 mg/d (AER≥300) or end stage renal disease (ESRD) had significantly larger EAT/IAT volumes. Conclusion T1DM patients with greater BMI, WTH ratio, weighted HbA1c level, triglyceride level and AER≥300/ESRD had significantly larger EAT/IAT volumes. Larger sample size studies are recommended to evaluate independency. PMID:27459689

Do body mass index and fat volume influence vocal quality, phonatory range, and aerodynamics in females?

PubMed

Barsties, Ben; Verfaillie, Rudi; Roy, Nelson; Maryn, Youri

2013-01-01

To analyze the impact of body weight and body fat volume on selected parameters of vocal quality, phonatory range, and aerodynamics in females. Based on measurements of body mass index in combination with body fat volume, 29 normophonic female subjects were classified as normal weight, underweight, and obese. Voice quality was investigated via auditory-perceptual ratings of breathiness, roughness, and overall dysphonia severity, via various acoustic measures and a multiparametric index. Phonatory range performance was examined using selected measures of the voice range profile and speech range profile. Measures of vocally relevant aerodynamics included vital capacity (i.e., VC), expected VC, phonation quotient, and maximum phonation time (i.e., MPT). Significant differences between the three weight groups were found across several measures of intensity, VC, MPT, and shimmer. As compared to the other groups, significantly higher values of maximum and minimum intensity levels, as well as sound pressure level during habitual running speech were observed for the obese group (all p-values<0.05); whereas, the underweight group had significantly lower values for VC and ratio of expected to measured VC (p-values<0.01). Furthermore, underweight subjects differed significantly as compared to normal weight subjects with lower MPT (p=0.025) and higher lowest-F0 (p=0.035). Finally the obese group showed significantly lower shimmer values than the normal weight subjects (p<0.05). Body weight and body fat volume appear to influence select objective measures of voice quality, vocal aerodynamics, and phonatory range performance.

Synthesis and characterization of new ion-imprinted polymer for separation and preconcentration of uranyl (UO2(2+)) ions.

PubMed

Ahmadi, Seyed Javad; Noori-Kalkhoran, Omid; Shirvani-Arani, Simindokht

2010-03-15

UO(2)(2+) ion-imprinted polymer materials used for solid-phase extraction were prepared by copolymerization of a ternary complex of uranyl ions with styrene and divinyl benzene in the presence of 2,2'-azobisisobutyronitrile. The imprinted particles were leached by HCl 6M. Various parameters in polymerization steps such as DVB/STY ratio, time of polymerization and temperature of polymerization were varied to achieve the most efficient uranyl-imprinted polymer. X-ray diffraction (XRD), infra-red spectroscopy (IR), thermo gravimetric analysis (TGA), UV-vis and nitrogen sorption were used to characterize the polymer particles. The XRD results showed that uranyl ions were completely removed from the polymer after leaching process. IR Analysis indicated that the N,N'-ethylenebis(pyridoxylideneiminato) remained intact in the polymer even after leaching. Some parameters such as pH, weight of the polymer, elution time, eluent volume and aqueous phase volume which affects the efficiency of the polymer were studied. (c) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

3D and 4D magnetic susceptibility tomography based on complex MR images

DOEpatents

Chen, Zikuan; Calhoun, Vince D

2014-11-11

Magnetic susceptibility is the physical property for T2*-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (T2*MRI). The invention relates to methods for reconstructing an internal distribution (3D map) of magnetic susceptibility values, .chi. (x,y,z), of an object, from 3D T2*MRI phase images, by using Computed Inverse Magnetic Resonance Imaging (CIMRI) tomography. The CIMRI technique solves the inverse problem of the 3D convolution by executing a 3D Total Variation (TV) regularized iterative convolution scheme, using a split Bregman iteration algorithm. The reconstruction of .chi. (x,y,z) can be designed for low-pass, band-pass, and high-pass features by using a convolution kernel that is modified from the standard dipole kernel. Multiple reconstructions can be implemented in parallel, and averaging the reconstructions can suppress noise. 4D dynamic magnetic susceptibility tomography can be implemented by reconstructing a 3D susceptibility volume from a 3D phase volume by performing 3D CIMRI magnetic susceptibility tomography at each snapshot time.

Development and Evaluation of a Semi-automated Segmentation Tool and a Modified Ellipsoid Formula for Volumetric Analysis of the Kidney in Non-contrast T2-Weighted MR Images.

PubMed

Seuss, Hannes; Janka, Rolf; Prümmer, Marcus; Cavallaro, Alexander; Hammon, Rebecca; Theis, Ragnar; Sandmair, Martin; Amann, Kerstin; Bäuerle, Tobias; Uder, Michael; Hammon, Matthias

2017-04-01

Volumetric analysis of the kidney parenchyma provides additional information for the detection and monitoring of various renal diseases. Therefore the purposes of the study were to develop and evaluate a semi-automated segmentation tool and a modified ellipsoid formula for volumetric analysis of the kidney in non-contrast T2-weighted magnetic resonance (MR)-images. Three readers performed semi-automated segmentation of the total kidney volume (TKV) in axial, non-contrast-enhanced T2-weighted MR-images of 24 healthy volunteers (48 kidneys) twice. A semi-automated threshold-based segmentation tool was developed to segment the kidney parenchyma. Furthermore, the three readers measured renal dimensions (length, width, depth) and applied different formulas to calculate the TKV. Manual segmentation served as a reference volume. Volumes of the different methods were compared and time required was recorded. There was no significant difference between the semi-automatically and manually segmented TKV (p = 0.31). The difference in mean volumes was 0.3 ml (95% confidence interval (CI), -10.1 to 10.7 ml). Semi-automated segmentation was significantly faster than manual segmentation, with a mean difference = 188 s (220 vs. 408 s); p < 0.05. Volumes did not differ significantly comparing the results of different readers. Calculation of TKV with a modified ellipsoid formula (ellipsoid volume × 0.85) did not differ significantly from the reference volume; however, the mean error was three times higher (difference of mean volumes -0.1 ml; CI -31.1 to 30.9 ml; p = 0.95). Applying the modified ellipsoid formula was the fastest way to get an estimation of the renal volume (41 s). Semi-automated segmentation and volumetric analysis of the kidney in native T2-weighted MR data delivers accurate and reproducible results and was significantly faster than manual segmentation. Applying a modified ellipsoid formula quickly provides an accurate kidney volume.

Real-time Interpolation for True 3-Dimensional Ultrasound Image Volumes

PubMed Central

Ji, Songbai; Roberts, David W.; Hartov, Alex; Paulsen, Keith D.

2013-01-01

We compared trilinear interpolation to voxel nearest neighbor and distance-weighted algorithms for fast and accurate processing of true 3-dimensional ultrasound (3DUS) image volumes. In this study, the computational efficiency and interpolation accuracy of the 3 methods were compared on the basis of a simulated 3DUS image volume, 34 clinical 3DUS image volumes from 5 patients, and 2 experimental phantom image volumes. We show that trilinear interpolation improves interpolation accuracy over both the voxel nearest neighbor and distance-weighted algorithms yet achieves real-time computational performance that is comparable to the voxel nearest neighbor algrorithm (1–2 orders of magnitude faster than the distance-weighted algorithm) as well as the fastest pixel-based algorithms for processing tracked 2-dimensional ultrasound images (0.035 seconds per 2-dimesional cross-sectional image [76,800 pixels interpolated, or 0.46 ms/1000 pixels] and 1.05 seconds per full volume with a 1-mm3 voxel size [4.6 million voxels interpolated, or 0.23 ms/1000 voxels]). On the basis of these results, trilinear interpolation is recommended as a fast and accurate interpolation method for rectilinear sampling of 3DUS image acquisitions, which is required to facilitate subsequent processing and display during operating room procedures such as image-guided neurosurgery. PMID:21266563

Real-time interpolation for true 3-dimensional ultrasound image volumes.

PubMed

Ji, Songbai; Roberts, David W; Hartov, Alex; Paulsen, Keith D

2011-02-01

We compared trilinear interpolation to voxel nearest neighbor and distance-weighted algorithms for fast and accurate processing of true 3-dimensional ultrasound (3DUS) image volumes. In this study, the computational efficiency and interpolation accuracy of the 3 methods were compared on the basis of a simulated 3DUS image volume, 34 clinical 3DUS image volumes from 5 patients, and 2 experimental phantom image volumes. We show that trilinear interpolation improves interpolation accuracy over both the voxel nearest neighbor and distance-weighted algorithms yet achieves real-time computational performance that is comparable to the voxel nearest neighbor algrorithm (1-2 orders of magnitude faster than the distance-weighted algorithm) as well as the fastest pixel-based algorithms for processing tracked 2-dimensional ultrasound images (0.035 seconds per 2-dimesional cross-sectional image [76,800 pixels interpolated, or 0.46 ms/1000 pixels] and 1.05 seconds per full volume with a 1-mm(3) voxel size [4.6 million voxels interpolated, or 0.23 ms/1000 voxels]). On the basis of these results, trilinear interpolation is recommended as a fast and accurate interpolation method for rectilinear sampling of 3DUS image acquisitions, which is required to facilitate subsequent processing and display during operating room procedures such as image-guided neurosurgery.

Robust tissue-air volume segmentation of MR images based on the statistics of phase and magnitude: Its applications in the display of susceptibility-weighted imaging of the brain.

PubMed

Du, Yiping P; Jin, Zhaoyang

2009-10-01

To develop a robust algorithm for tissue-air segmentation in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) using the statistics of phase and magnitude of the images. A multivariate measure based on the statistics of phase and magnitude was constructed for tissue-air volume segmentation. The standard deviation of first-order phase difference and the standard deviation of magnitude were calculated in a 3 x 3 x 3 kernel in the image domain. To improve differentiation accuracy, the uniformity of phase distribution in the kernel was also calculated and linear background phase introduced by field inhomogeneity was corrected. The effectiveness of the proposed volume segmentation technique was compared to a conventional approach that uses the magnitude data alone. The proposed algorithm was shown to be more effective and robust in volume segmentation in both synthetic phantom and susceptibility-weighted images of human brain. Using our proposed volume segmentation method, veins in the peripheral regions of the brain were well depicted in the minimum-intensity projection of the susceptibility-weighted images. Using the additional statistics of phase, tissue-air volume segmentation can be substantially improved compared to that using the statistics of magnitude data alone. (c) 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Weight and Volume Determination for Planted Loblolly Pine in North Louisiana

Treesearch

Ray A. Newbold; V. Clark Baldwin; Gary Hill

2001-01-01

The objective of this study was to assess the variability in weight-to-volume relationships in loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) plantations and to determine predictability based on stand age, site quality, and/or tree size. Trees ages ranged from 11 to 40 years, with diameters to 2 1 inches and heights to 9 1 feet. Measured site indices ranged from 45...

Global Fleet Station: Station Ship Concept

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-02-01

The basic ISO TEU containers can be designed for any number of configurations and provide many different capabilities. For example there are...Design Design Process The ship was designed using an iterative weight and volume balancing method . This method assigns a weight and volume to each...from existing merchant ships3. Different ship types are modeled in the algorithm though the selection of appropriate non-dimensional factors

Weight, Volume, and Physical Properties of Major Hardwood Species in the Piedmont

Treesearch

Alexander Clark; Douglas R. Phillips; Douglas J. Frederick

1986-01-01

Weight, volume, and physical properties of trees 1 to 20 inches d.b.h.were determined for red maple, sweetgum, sycamore, yellow-poplar, elm, hickory, chestnut oak, scarlet oak, southern red oak, and white oak in the Piedmont of the Southeastern United States. A total of 772 trees were destructively sampled at 16 locations from Viryinia to Alabama. Hard hardwoods, soft...

46 CFR 160.176-3 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... that, in lieu of the weight and displacement values prescribed in Tables 160.047-4(c)(2) and § 160.047... displacement of 9.0 ±0.25 lb., and the back insert must have a weight of kapok of at least 5.5 oz. and a volume displacement of 6.0 ±0.25 lb. To achieve the specified volume displacement, front insert envelopes may be...

Pancreas segmentation from 3D abdominal CT images using patient-specific weighted subspatial probabilistic atlases

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Karasawa, Kenichi; Oda, Masahiro; Hayashi, Yuichiro; Nimura, Yukitaka; Kitasaka, Takayuki; Misawa, Kazunari; Fujiwara, Michitaka; Rueckert, Daniel; Mori, Kensaku

2015-03-01

Abdominal organ segmentations from CT volumes are now widely used in the computer-aided diagnosis and surgery assistance systems. Among abdominal organs, the pancreas is especially difficult to segment because of its large individual differences of the shape and position. In this paper, we propose a new pancreas segmentation method from 3D abdominal CT volumes using patient-specific weighted-subspatial probabilistic atlases. First of all, we perform normalization of organ shapes in training volumes and an input volume. We extract the Volume Of Interest (VOI) of the pancreas from the training volumes and an input volume. We divide each training VOI and input VOI into some cubic regions. We use a nonrigid registration method to register these cubic regions of the training VOI to corresponding regions of the input VOI. Based on the registration results, we calculate similarities between each cubic region of the training VOI and corresponding region of the input VOI. We select cubic regions of training volumes having the top N similarities in each cubic region. We subspatially construct probabilistic atlases weighted by the similarities in each cubic region. After integrating these probabilistic atlases in cubic regions into one, we perform a rough-to-precise segmentation of the pancreas using the atlas. The results of the experiments showed that utilization of the training volumes having the top N similarities in each cubic region led good results of the pancreas segmentation. The Jaccard Index and the average surface distance of the result were 58.9% and 2.04mm on average, respectively.

Effects of dietary interventions on liver volume in humans.

PubMed

Bian, Hua; Hakkarainen, Antti; Lundbom, Nina; Yki-Järvinen, Hannele

2014-04-01

To compare effects of similar weight loss induced either by a short-term low-carbohydrate or by a long-term hypocaloric diet, and to determine effects of high carbohydrate overfeeding on liver total, lean, and fat volumes. Liver total, lean, and fat volumes were measured before and after (i) a 6-day low-carbohydrate diet (n = 17), (ii) a 7-month standard hypocaloric diet (n = 26), and (iii) a 3-week high-carbohydrate diet (n = 17), by combining magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy ((1) H-MRS) techniques. At baseline, three groups were comparable with respect to age, body mass index, liver volumes and the liver fat content. Body weight decreased similarly by the short-term and long-term hypocaloric diets. Liver total volume decreased significantly more during the short-term low-carbohydrate (-22 ± 2%) than the long-term (-7 ± 2%) hypocaloric diet (P < 0.001). This was due to a greater decrease in liver lean volume in the short-term (-20 ± 2%) than the long-term (-4 ± 2%) weight loss group (P < 0.001). Decreases in liver fat were comparable. Liver volume increased by 9 ± 3% due to overfeeding (P< 0.02 for before vs. after). These data support the use of a short-term low-carbohydrate diet whenever a reduction in liver volume is desirable. Overeating carbohydrate is harmful because it increases liver volume. Copyright © 2013 The Obesity Society.

A reliability assessment of constrained spherical deconvolution-based diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging in individuals with chronic stroke.

PubMed

Snow, Nicholas J; Peters, Sue; Borich, Michael R; Shirzad, Navid; Auriat, Angela M; Hayward, Kathryn S; Boyd, Lara A

2016-01-15

Diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (DW-MRI) is commonly used to assess white matter properties after stroke. Novel work is utilizing constrained spherical deconvolution (CSD) to estimate complex intra-voxel fiber architecture unaccounted for with tensor-based fiber tractography. However, the reliability of CSD-based tractography has not been established in people with chronic stroke. Establishing the reliability of CSD-based DW-MRI in chronic stroke. High-resolution DW-MRI was performed in ten adults with chronic stroke during two separate sessions. Deterministic region of interest-based fiber tractography using CSD was performed by two raters. Mean fractional anisotropy (FA), apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC), tract number, and tract volume were extracted from reconstructed fiber pathways in the corticospinal tract (CST) and superior longitudinal fasciculus (SLF). Callosal fiber pathways connecting the primary motor cortices were also evaluated. Inter-rater and test-retest reliability were determined by intra-class correlation coefficients (ICCs). ICCs revealed excellent reliability for FA and ADC in ipsilesional (0.86-1.00; p<0.05) and contralesional hemispheres (0.94-1.00; p<0.0001), for CST and SLF fibers; and excellent reliability for all metrics in callosal fibers (0.85-1.00; p<0.05). ICC ranged from poor to excellent for tract number and tract volume in ipsilesional (-0.11 to 0.92; p≤0.57) and contralesional hemispheres (-0.27 to 0.93; p≤0.64), for CST and SLF fibers. Like other select DW-MRI approaches, CSD-based tractography is a reliable approach to evaluate FA and ADC in major white matter pathways, in chronic stroke. Future work should address the reproducibility and utility of CSD-based metrics of tract number and tract volume. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Noether charge, black hole volume, and complexity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Couch, Josiah; Fischler, Willy; Nguyen, Phuc H.

2017-03-01

In this paper, we study the physical significance of the thermodynamic volumes of AdS black holes using the Noether charge formalism of Iyer and Wald. After applying this formalism to study the extended thermodynamics of a few examples, we discuss how the extended thermodynamics interacts with the recent complexity = action proposal of Brown et al. (CA-duality). We, in particular, discover that their proposal for the late time rate of change of complexity has a nice decomposition in terms of thermodynamic quantities reminiscent of the Smarr relation. This decomposition strongly suggests a geometric, and via CA-duality holographic, interpretation for the thermodynamic volume of an AdS black hole. We go on to discuss the role of thermodynamics in complexity = action for a number of black hole solutions, and then point out the possibility of an alternate proposal, which we dub "complexity = volume 2.0". In this alternate proposal the complexity would be thought of as the spacetime volume of the Wheeler-DeWitt patch. Finally, we provide evidence that, in certain cases, our proposal for complexity is consistent with the Lloyd bound whereas CA-duality is not.

Parental determinants of offspring head circumference using a sample of patients attending a government hospital in Lagos, Nigeria.

PubMed

Taiwo, I A; Adeleye, A

2013-01-01

Head circumference at birth is an important neonatal parameter in view of its association with perinatal and postnatal morbidity and mortality. It is an indicator of brain volume and a tool for assessing the development of the central nervous system. Being a complex hereditary trait, predicting baby's head circumference from parental anthropometrics could complement the already existing ultrasonographic method of prediction. To identify the parental anthropometric determinants of baby's head circumference in Lagos, Nigeria, using a sample of patients attending a government hospital. Parental anthropometric parameters were obtained from 250 couples. The baby's head circumference was measured immediately after birth. The data were subjected to multivariate analysis. The parental variables that were most predictive of babies' head circumference were mid-parental weight, maternal height, maternal weight gain during pregnancy and maternal age. Assessment of these parental attributes can complement ultrasonographic data in predicting baby's head circumference for better perinatal outcome.

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...

7 CFR 981.61 - Redetermination of kernel weight.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 8 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Redetermination of kernel weight. 981.61 Section 981... GROWN IN CALIFORNIA Order Regulating Handling Volume Regulation § 981.61 Redetermination of kernel weight. The Board, on the basis of reports by handlers, shall redetermine the kernel weight of almonds...

7 CFR 981.60 - Determination of kernel weight.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 8 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Determination of kernel weight. 981.60 Section 981.60... Regulating Handling Volume Regulation § 981.60 Determination of kernel weight. (a) Almonds for which settlement is made on kernel weight. All lots of almonds, whether shelled or unshelled, for which settlement...

Viscoelastic properties, gelation behavior and percolation theory model for the temperature induced forming (TIF) ceramic slurries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Yunpeng

Controlled ceramic processing is required to produce ceramic parts with few strength-limiting defects and the economic forming of near net shape components. Temperature induced forming (TIF) is a novel ceramic forming process that uses colloidal processing to form ceramic green bodies by physical gelation. The dissertation research shows that TIF alumina suspensions (>40vol%) can be successfully fabricated by using 0.4wt% of ammonium citrate powder and <0.1wt% poly (acrylic acid) (PAA). It is found that increasing the volume fraction of alumina or the molecular weight of polymer will increase the shear viscosity and shear modulus. Larger molecular weight PAA tends to decrease the volume fraction gelation threshold of the alumina suspensions. The author is the first in this field to utilize the continuous percolation theory to interpret the evolution of the storage modulus with temperature for the TIF alumina suspensions. A model that relates the storage modulus with temperature and the volume fraction of solids is proposed. Calculated results using this percolation model show that the storage modulus of the suspensions can be affected by the volume fraction of solids, temperature, volume fraction gelation threshold and the percolation nature. The parameters in this model have been derived from the experimental data. The calculated results fit the measured data well. For the PAA-free TIF alumina suspensions, it is found that the ionization reaction of the magnesium citrate, which is induced by the pH or temperature of the suspensions, controls the flocculation of the suspensions. The percolation theory model was successfully applied to this type of suspension. Compared with the PAA addition TIF suspensions, these suspensions reflect a higher degree of percolation nature, as indicated by a larger value of percolation exponent. These results show that the percolation model proposed in this dissertation can be used to predict the gelation degree of the TIF suspensions. Complex-shape engineering ceramic parts have been successfully fabricated by direct casting using the TIF alumina suspensions, which has a relative density of ˜65%. The sintered sample at 1550°C for 2h is translucent and has a uniform grain size.

Generation of a large volume of clinically relevant nanometre-sized ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene wear particles for cell culture studies

PubMed Central

Ingham, Eileen; Fisher, John; Tipper, Joanne L

2014-01-01

It has recently been shown that the wear of ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene in hip and knee prostheses leads to the generation of nanometre-sized particles, in addition to micron-sized particles. The biological activity of nanometre-sized ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene wear particles has not, however, previously been studied due to difficulties in generating sufficient volumes of nanometre-sized ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene wear particles suitable for cell culture studies. In this study, wear simulation methods were investigated to generate a large volume of endotoxin-free clinically relevant nanometre-sized ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene wear particles. Both single-station and six-station multidirectional pin-on-plate wear simulators were used to generate ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene wear particles under sterile and non-sterile conditions. Microbial contamination and endotoxin levels in the lubricants were determined. The results indicated that microbial contamination was absent and endotoxin levels were low and within acceptable limits for the pharmaceutical industry, when a six-station pin-on-plate wear simulator was used to generate ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene wear particles in a non-sterile environment. Different pore-sized polycarbonate filters were investigated to isolate nanometre-sized ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene wear particles from the wear test lubricants. The use of the filter sequence of 10, 1, 0.1, 0.1 and 0.015 µm pore sizes allowed successful isolation of ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene wear particles with a size range of < 100 nm, which was suitable for cell culture studies. PMID:24658586

Generation of a large volume of clinically relevant nanometre-sized ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene wear particles for cell culture studies.

PubMed

Liu, Aiqin; Ingham, Eileen; Fisher, John; Tipper, Joanne L

2014-04-01

It has recently been shown that the wear of ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene in hip and knee prostheses leads to the generation of nanometre-sized particles, in addition to micron-sized particles. The biological activity of nanometre-sized ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene wear particles has not, however, previously been studied due to difficulties in generating sufficient volumes of nanometre-sized ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene wear particles suitable for cell culture studies. In this study, wear simulation methods were investigated to generate a large volume of endotoxin-free clinically relevant nanometre-sized ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene wear particles. Both single-station and six-station multidirectional pin-on-plate wear simulators were used to generate ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene wear particles under sterile and non-sterile conditions. Microbial contamination and endotoxin levels in the lubricants were determined. The results indicated that microbial contamination was absent and endotoxin levels were low and within acceptable limits for the pharmaceutical industry, when a six-station pin-on-plate wear simulator was used to generate ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene wear particles in a non-sterile environment. Different pore-sized polycarbonate filters were investigated to isolate nanometre-sized ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene wear particles from the wear test lubricants. The use of the filter sequence of 10, 1, 0.1, 0.1 and 0.015 µm pore sizes allowed successful isolation of ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene wear particles with a size range of < 100 nm, which was suitable for cell culture studies.

Left ventricular mass in elite olympic weight lifters.

PubMed

Lalande, Sophie; Baldi, James Christopher

2007-10-01

The existence of resistance training-induced left ventricular (LV) concentric hypertrophy is equivocal. Although some have described significant LV hypertrophy, others have suggested that training-induced LV hypertrophy is proportional to increased fat free mass (FFM) and thus a normal physiologic response to training. Method limitations, steroid use, and type of training may contribute to discrepant findings. Thus, LV structure and volumes are determined using magnetic resonance imaging. Body composition was determined using dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry in 9 elite Olympic weight lifters and 10 age- and weight-matched recreationally active controls. LV structure and volumes were determined by acquiring 6 short- and 3 long-axis magnetic resonance imaging scans of the left ventricle, whereas LV wall thickness was defined as the average of 6 midventricular segment thickness measurements. Weight lifters had the same age, weight, and FFM, but were shorter and had a greater body mass index than controls. LV mass was not different in weight lifters and controls, but was lower in weight lifters when indexed to FFM (2.56 +/- 0.07 vs 2.30 +/- 0.05, p = 0.01). LV mass correlated with FFM (r = 0.49, p = 0.04). However, LV mass was lower in weight lifters for a given FFM. LV wall thickness, as well as end-diastolic, end-systolic, and stroke volumes, were not different between groups. In conclusion, these results refute the hypothesis that resistance training induces LV concentric hypertrophy and suggest that Olympic weight lifting is associated with increases in FFM without a concomitant increase in LV mass.

Molecular structure of the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex from Escherichia coli K-12.

PubMed

Vogel, O; Hoehn, B; Henning, U

1972-06-01

The pyruvate dehydrogenase core complex from E. coli K-12, defined as the multienzyme complex that can be obtained with a unique polypeptide chain composition, has a molecular weight of 3.75 x 10(6). All results obtained agree with the following numerology. The core complex consists of 48 polypeptide chains. There are 16 chains (molecular weight = 100,000) of the pyruvate dehydrogenase component, 16 chains (molecular weight = 80,000) of the dihydrolipoamide dehydrogenase component, and 16 chains (molecular weight = 56,000) of the dihydrolipoamide dehydrogenase component. Usually, but not always, pyruvate dehydrogenase complex is produced in vivo containing at least 2-3 mol more of dimers of the pyruvate dehydrogenase component than the stoichiometric ratio with respect to the core complex. This "excess" component is bound differently than are the eight dimers in the core complex.

Gastric sensorimotor functions and hormone profile in normal weight, overweight, and obese people.

PubMed

Vazquez Roque, Maria I; Camilleri, Michael; Stephens, Debra A; Jensen, Michael D; Burton, Duane D; Baxter, Kari L; Zinsmeister, Alan R

2006-12-01

Peptide YY (PYY) levels are reported to be decreased in obesity. The relation between gastric functions, satiation, and gut hormones in obesity is incompletely understood. The aim of this study was to compare gastric volumes, emptying, maximum tolerated volumes, postchallenge symptoms, and selected gut hormones in normal, overweight, or obese healthy volunteers. In 73 nonbulimic normal, overweight, or obese participants weighing less than 137 kg, we measured gastric emptying of solids and liquids by scintigraphy (gastric emptying half-time [GE t(1/2)]); gastric volumes by single-photon emission computed tomography; maximum tolerated volumes and symptoms by satiation test; and plasma leptin, ghrelin, insulin, glucagon-like peptide 1, and PYY levels. Groups were compared using 1-way analysis of covariance adjusted for sex. Univariate associations among measured responses were assessed using Spearman correlations. Multiple linear regression models, adjusting for weight and sex, assessed the independent ability of gastric functions and hormones to predict satiation volume. Obese and overweight subjects had significantly lower postprandial gastric volumes, higher fasting and postprandial insulin and leptin levels, and lower fasting ghrelin and lower postprandial reduction in ghrelin levels. PYY levels were not different in obese or overweight subjects compared with controls. The GE t(1/2) was correlated inversely with postprandial PYY; increased body weight was associated with faster GE t(1/2) of solids (r(s) = 0.33, P = .005) and liquids (r(s) = 0.24, P = .04). Postprandial changes in gastric volume and PYY were independent predictors of satiation (both P = .01). Overweight or obesity are associated with lower postprandial gastric volumes and normal PYY levels. Gastric emptying influences postprandial PYY levels. Postprandial PYY and gastric volume independently predict satiation volume in nonbulimic people across a wide body mass index range.

In vivo delineation of subdivisions of the human amygdaloid complex in a high-resolution group template

PubMed Central

Tyszka, J. Michael; Pauli, Wolfgang M.

2016-01-01

The nuclei of the human amygdala remain difficult to distinguish in individual subject structural magnetic resonance images. However, interpretation of the amygdala’s role in whole brain networks requires accurate localization of functional activity to a particular nucleus or subgroup of nuclei. To address this, we constructed high spatial resolution, three-dimensional templates, using joint high accuracy diffeomorphic registration of T1- and T2-weighted structural images from 168 typical adults between 22 and 35 years old released by the Human Connectome Project. Several internuclear boundaries are clearly visible in these templates, which would otherwise be impossible to delineate in individual subject data. A probabilistic atlas of major nuclei and nuclear groups was constructed in this template space and mapped back to individual spaces by inversion of the individual diffeomorphisms. Group level analyses revealed a slight (approximately 2%) bias towards larger total amygdala and nuclear volumes in the right hemisphere. No substantial sex or age differences were found in amygdala volumes normalized to total intracranial volume, or subdivision volumes normalized to amygdala volume. The current delineation provides a finer parcellation of the amygdala with more accurate external boundary definition than current histology-based atlases when used in conjunction with high accuracy registration methods, such as diffeomorphic warping. These templates and delineation are intended to be an open and evolving resource for future functional and structural imaging studies of the human amygdala. PMID:27354150

Validation of graft and standard liver size predictions in right liver living donor liver transplantation.

PubMed

Chan, See Ching; Lo, Chung Mau; Chok, Kenneth S H; Sharr, William W; Cheung, Tan To; Tsang, Simon H Y; Chan, Albert C Y; Fan, Sheung Tat

2011-12-01

To assess the accuracy of a formula derived from 159 living liver donors to estimate the liver size of a normal subject: standard liver weight (g) = 218 + body weight (kg) × 12.3 + 51 (if male). Standard liver volume (SLV) is attained by a conversion factor of 1.19 mL/g. The total liver volume (TLV) of each of the subsequent consecutive 126 living liver donors was determined using the right liver graft weight (RGW) on the back table, right/left liver volume ratio on computed tomography, and the conversion factor. The estimated right liver graft weight (ERGW) was determined by the right liver volume on computed tomography (CT) and the conversion factor. SLV and ERGW were compared with TLV and RGW, respectively, by paired sample t test. Donor characteristics of both series were similar. SLV and TLV were 1,099.6 ± 139.6 and 1,108.5 ± 175.2 mL, respectively, ( R 2  = 0.476) ( p  = 0.435). The difference between SLV and TLV was only -8.9 ± 128.2 mL (-1.0 ± 11.7%). ERGW and RGW were 601.5 ± 104.1 and 597.1 ± 102.2 g, respectively ( R 2  = 0.781) ( p  = 0.332). The conversion factor from liver weight to volume for this series was 1.20 mL/g. The difference between ERGW and RGW was 4.3 ± 49.8 g (0.3 ± 8.8%). ERGW was smaller than RGW for over 10% (range 0.21-40.66 g) in 18 of the 126 donors. None had the underestimation of RGW by over 20%. SLV and graft weight estimations were accurate using the formula and conversion factor.

Impact of Diet and/or Exercise Intervention on Infrapatellar Fat Pad Morphology: Secondary Analysis from the Intensive Diet and Exercise for Arthritis (IDEA) Trial.

PubMed

Pogacnik Murillo, Aarón Leonardo; Eckstein, Felix; Wirth, Wolfgang; Beavers, Daniel; Loeser, Richard F; Nicklas, Barbara J; Mihalko, Shannon L; Miller, Gary D; Hunter, David J; Messier, Stephen P

2017-01-01

The infrapatellar fat pad (IPFP) represents intra-articular adipose tissue that may contribute to intra-articular inflammation and pain by secretion of proinflammatory cytokines. Here we examined the impact of weight loss by diet and/or exercise interventions on the IPFP volume. Intensive Diet and Exercise for Arthritis (IDEA) was a single-blinded, single-center, 18-month, prospective, randomized controlled trial that enrolled 454 overweight and obese older adults with knee pain and radiographic osteoarthritis. Participants were randomized to 1 of 3 groups: exercise-only control (E), diet-induced weight loss (D), and diet-induced weight loss + exercise (D+E). In a subsample (n = 106; E: n = 36, D: n = 35, and D+E: n = 35), magnetic resonance images were acquired at baseline and at the 18-month follow-up, from which we analyzed IPFP volume, surface areas, and thickness in this secondary analysis. The average weight loss amounted to 1.0% in the E group, 10.5% in the D group, and 13.0% in the D+E group. A significant (p < 0.01) reduction in IPFP volume was observed in the E (2.1%), D (4.0%), and D+E (5.2%) groups. The IPFP volume loss in the D+E group was significantly greater than that in the E group (p < 0.05) when not adjusting for parallel comparisons. Across intervention groups, there were significant correlations between IPFP volume change, individual weight loss (r = 0.40), and change in total body fat mass (dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry; r = 0.44, n = 88) and in subcutaneous thigh fat area (computed tomography; r = 0.32, n = 82). As a potential link between obesity and knee osteoarthritis, the IPFP was sensitive to intervention by diet and/or exercise, and its reduction was correlated with changes in weight and body fat. © 2017 S. Karger AG, Basel.

IMPACT OF DIET AND/OR EXERCISE INTERVENTION ON INFRAPATELLAR FAT PAD MORPHOLOGY - SECONDARY ANALYSIS FROM THE INTENSIVE DIET AND EXERCISE FOR ARTHRITIS (IDEA) TRIAL

PubMed Central

Murillo, A. Pogacnik; Eckstein, F.; Wirth, W.; Beavers, D.; Loeser, R. F.; Nicklas, B. J.; Mihalko, S.L.; Miller, G.D.; Hunter, D.J.; Messier, S. P.

2017-01-01

Objectives The infrapatellar fat pad (IPFP) represents intra-articular adipose tissue that may contribute to intra-articular inflammation and pain by secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines. Here we examined the impact of weight loss by diet and/or exercise interventions on IPFP volume. Methods Intensive Diet and Exercise for Arthritis (IDEA) was a single-blinded, single-center, 18-month, prospective, randomized controlled trial that enrolled 454 overweight and obese older adults with knee pain and radiographic osteoarthritis. Participants were randomized to 1 of 3 groups: exercise only control (E), diet-induced weight loss (D), and diet-induced weight loss + exercise (D+E). In a subsample (n=106; E: n=36; D: n=35; D+E: n=35), magnetic resonance images were acquired at baseline and 18-month follow-up, from which we analyzed IPFP volume, surface areas and thickness in this secondary analysis. Results Average weight loss in each group amounted to 1.0% in E, 10.5% in D, and 13.0% in D+E. A significant (p< 0.01) reduction in IPFP volume was observed in E (2.1%), D (4.0%) and D+E (5.2%). The IPFP volume loss in D+E was significantly greater than that in E (p<0.05) when not adjusting for parallel comparisons. Across intervention groups, there were significant correlations between IPFP volume change, individual weight loss (r=0.40), and change in total body fat mass (DXA; r=0.44; n=88) and in subcutaneous thigh fat area (CT; r=0.32; n=82). Conclusions As a potential link between obesity and knee OA, the IPFP was sensitive to intervention by diet and/or exercise, and its reduction was correlated with change in weight and body fat. PMID:28222422

33 CFR 183.105 - Quantity of flotation required.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... of the dead weight; and (3) A weight in pounds that, when submerged, equals 62.4 times the volume in... of this section, “dead weight” means the maximum weight capacity marked on the boat minus the persons...

33 CFR 183.105 - Quantity of flotation required.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... of the dead weight; and (3) A weight in pounds that, when submerged, equals 62.4 times the volume in... of this section, “dead weight” means the maximum weight capacity marked on the boat minus the persons...

33 CFR 183.105 - Quantity of flotation required.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... of the dead weight; and (3) A weight in pounds that, when submerged, equals 62.4 times the volume in... of this section, “dead weight” means the maximum weight capacity marked on the boat minus the persons...

33 CFR 183.105 - Quantity of flotation required.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... of the dead weight; and (3) A weight in pounds that, when submerged, equals 62.4 times the volume in... of this section, “dead weight” means the maximum weight capacity marked on the boat minus the persons...

33 CFR 183.105 - Quantity of flotation required.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... of the dead weight; and (3) A weight in pounds that, when submerged, equals 62.4 times the volume in... of this section, “dead weight” means the maximum weight capacity marked on the boat minus the persons...

Ground Vehicle System Integration (GVSI) and Design Optimization Model.

DTIC Science & Technology

1996-07-30

number of stowed kills Same basic load lasts longer range Gun/ammo parameters impact system weight, under - armor volume requirements Round volume...internal volume is reduced, the model assumes that the crew’s ability to operate while under armor will be impaired. If the size of a vehicle crew is...changing swept volume will alter under armor volume requirements for the total system; if system volume is fixed, changing swept volume will

Toxicity of cadmium and protective effect of bee honey, vitamins C and B complex.

PubMed

Abdelaziz, I; Elhabiby, M I; Ashour, A A

2013-04-01

The present work aimed to study the toxic effect of cadmium (Cd) on rabbits' blood indices, as well as the therapeutic effect of the antioxidant agents, vitamins C and B complex and bee honey on Cd intoxicated rabbits. Cadmium chloride (CdCl2) was injected subcutaneously at a dose of 3 mg/kg of body weight. The results showed a significant increase in serum glucose, triglycerides, cholesterol, total protein, albumin, globulin, urea and creatinine, compared to the control group. In addition, CdCl2 intoxication increased the levels of uric acid, aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase and bilirubin. Concerning haematological parameters, the more obvious changes were an increase in mean corpuscular volume and a decrease in white blood cells count, platelets, lymphocytes, heamatocrit, haemoglobin and red blood cells count. Treatment of CdCl2-intoxicated animals with vitamins C and B complex and bee honey showed a decrease in the harmful effects of Cd by restoring haematological and biochemical changes. Bee honey treatment was the most effective in providing recoveries in the altered blood parameters.

A tradeoff study of determine the optimum approach to a wash/rinse capability to support future space flight

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wilson, D. A.

1976-01-01

Specific requirements for a wash/rinse capability to support Spacelab biological experimentation and to identify various concepts for achieving this capability were determined. This included the examination of current state-of-the-art and emerging technology designs that would meet the wash/rinse requirements. Once several concepts were identified, including the disposable utensils, tools and gloves or other possible alternatives, a tradeoff analysis involving system cost, weight, volume utilization, functional performance, maintainability, reliability, power utilization, safety, complexity, etc., was performed so as to determine an optimum approach for achieving a wash/rinse capability to support future space flights. Missions of varying crew size and durations were considered.

Effects of addition of different fibers on rheological characteristics of cake batter and quality of cakes.

PubMed

Aydogdu, Ayca; Sumnu, Gulum; Sahin, Serpil

2018-02-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of addition of dietary fibers on rheological properties of batter and cake quality. Wheat flour was replaced by 5 and 10% (wt%) oat, pea, apple and lemon fibers. All cake batters showed shear thinning behavior. Incorporation of fibers increased consistency index (k), storage modulus (G') and loss modulus (G″). As quality parameters, specific volume, hardness, weight loss, color and microstructure of cakes were investigated. Cakes containing oat and pea fibers (5%) had similar specific volume and texture with control cakes which contained no fiber. As fiber concentration increased, specific volume decreased but hardness increased. No significant difference was found between weight loss of control cake and cakes with oat, pea and apple fibers. Lemon fiber enriched cakes had the lowest specific volume, weight loss and color difference. When microstructural images were examined, it was seen that control cake had more porous structure than fiber enriched cakes. In addition, lemon and apple fiber containing cakes had less porous crumb structure as compared to oat and pea containing ones. Oat and pea fiber (5%) enriched cakes had similar physical properties (volume, texture and color) with control cakes.

No changes in weight and body fat in lactating adolescent and adult women from Mexico.

PubMed

Caire-Juvera, Graciela; Casanueva, Esther; Bolaños-Villar, Adriana Verónica; de Regil, Luz María; Calderón de la Barca, Ana María

2012-01-01

To evaluate changes in weight and body fat of Mexican adolescent compared to those of adult lactating women from the Northwest (NM) and Central (CM) regions of Mexico in the first trimester postpartum. A prospective design was used to evaluate 41 exclusively breastfeeding women (21 adolescents and 20 adults) recruited 1-2 days after delivering a healthy singleton at the Hospital Infantil del Estado de Sonora (Northwest Mexico) and Instituto Nacional de Perinatología, in Mexico City. Socioeconomic status, height, body weight and composition, dietary intake, physical activity, and milk volume (quantified by deuterium dilution method) were measured at the 1st and 3rd month postpartum. Women did not lose weight throughout the first trimester postpartum. Mean postpartum weight retention at the end of the study was 3.8 kg. No differences in weight and body mass index (BMI) were found between adolescent and adult women in both periods. Energy and macronutrient intakes, physical activity and milk volume were similar between the two groups of women. In both periods, adolescents from the CM region had lower weight, BMI, and body fat than adolescents from the NM region (P<0.05). At the 3rd month, pregestational weight (P < 0.0001) was a predictor of BMI, and region (P < 0.05) and milk volume (P < 0.01) were associated with percentage of body fat. Exclusively breastfeeding for 3 months did not reduce weight or body fat in the Mexican population of this study. Efforts to avoid weight retention in the lactation period may contribute to prevent overweight and obesity in women. Copyright © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Effects of repeated cycles of starvation and refeeding on lungs of growing rats.

PubMed

Sahebjami, H; Domino, M

1992-12-01

Adult male rats were subjected to four cycles of mild starvation (2 wk) and refeeding (1 wk) and were compared with a fed group. Starvation was induced by giving rats one-third of their measured daily food consumption. During each starvation cycle, rats lost approximately 20% of their body weight. Despite catch-up growth and overall weight gain, starved rats had lower final body weight than fed rats. Lung dry weight and lung volumes were also reduced in the starved group. The mechanical properties of air- and saline-filled lungs did not change significantly with repeated cycles of starvation. Mean linear intercept was similar in the two groups, but alveolar surface area was reduced in the starved rats. Total content of crude connective tissue and concentration per lung dry weight of hydroxyproline and crude connective tissue were reduced in starved rats. We conclude that lung growth is retarded in growing rats subjected to repeated cycles of mild starvation and refeeding, as manifested by smaller lung volume and reduced alveolar surface area. Because alveolar size is unchanged, a reduced number of alveoli is most likely responsible for decreased lung volumes.

Automotive Manufacturing Assessment System : Volume 3. Materials - Weight Analysis.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1979-11-01

Volume III is part of a four volume set documenting areas of research resulting from the development of the Automotive Manufacturing Assessment System (AMAS) for the DOT/Transportation Systems Center. AMAS was designed to assist in the evaluation of ...

40 CFR 60.393 - Performance test and compliance provisions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... volume of applied solids emitted after the control device, by the following equation: N=G[1-FE] (A... month by the following equation: EC16NO91.031 (v) If the volume weighted average mass of VOC per volume...

Weighting factors for computing the relation between tree volume and d.b.h. in the Pacific Northwest.

Treesearch

Donald R. Gedney; Floyd A. Johnson

1959-01-01

Timber cruising is frequently made easier through use of local volume tables based on d.b.h. alone. These tables are made by establishing the relation between volume and d.b.h. from measurements (including height) made on sample trees in the stand. The sample-tree measurements are converted to volumes through use of standard volume tables, and a volume-diameter curve...

15 CFR 10.6 - Procedures for acceptance of a recommended standard.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

..., divided by three. No consideration will be given to volume of production or volume of distribution in... who use or consume the product covered by the standard. (8) “Acceptance by volume of production” means.... The weighting of each response will be made in accordance with the volume of production represented by...

What volume of seeds can a chimpanzee carry in its body?

PubMed

Nakamura, Michio; Sakamaki, Tetsuya; Zamma, Koichiro

2017-01-01

Great apes are important seed dispersers with large bodies, able to swallow large seeds and travel long distances. Although there have been several studies investigating seed dispersal quality [sensu Schupp (Vegetatio 107/108:15-29, 1993)] by chimpanzees, there is little information on the volume of seeds they can carry in their bodies. When a relatively fresh corpse of a mature female chimpanzee was found at Mahale, Tanzania, we took advantage of the rare opportunity to investigate the total weight and cubic volume of seeds recovered from the corpse. The seeds contained in the corpse weighed 258.8 g (dry weight) and measured 489.4 cm 3 . The volume of seeds was 14.7 % of the previously reported capacity of the digestive tract of a chimpanzee in captivity. We also indirectly estimated the volume of seeds from the values of observed seed volume in feces, the reported number of defecations per day, and the seed passage time. The estimated volume was significantly lower than the observed seed volume, suggesting that the number of defecations per day is underestimated because it may not include nighttime defecation.

Life and Utilization Criteria Identification in Design (LUCID). Volume 1

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-10-01

stator, seal /spacer, etc. weights are added to these rotor weights in estimating module weights. Weights of other engine modules (combustor, augmentor...of turbine airfoil/platform cooling air and disk cooling/ seal leakage air), number of vanes and blades for the single stage high-pressure turbine, and...subroutines include hubs, shafts, seals and spacers in estimating rotor weights. Module weight is estimated by adding case and stator weights to the rotor

SU-F-J-95: Impact of Shape Complexity On the Accuracy of Gradient-Based PET Volume Delineation

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

Dance, M; Wu, G; Gao, Y

2016-06-15

Purpose: Explore correlation of tumor complexity shape with PET target volume accuracy when delineated with gradient-based segmentation tool. Methods: A total of 24 clinically realistic digital PET Monte Carlo (MC) phantoms of NSCLC were used in the study. The phantom simulated 29 thoracic lesions (lung primary and mediastinal lymph nodes) of varying size, shape, location, and {sup 18}F-FDG activity. A program was developed to calculate a curvature vector along the outline and the standard deviation of this vector was used as a metric to quantify a shape’s “complexity score”. This complexity score was calculated for standard geometric shapes and MC-generatedmore » target volumes in PET phantom images. All lesions were contoured using a commercially available gradient-based segmentation tool and the differences in volume from the MC-generated volumes were calculated as the measure of the accuracy of segmentation. Results: The average absolute percent difference in volumes between the MC-volumes and gradient-based volumes was 11% (0.4%–48.4%). The complexity score showed strong correlation with standard geometric shapes. However, no relationship was found between the complexity score and the accuracy of segmentation by gradient-based tool on MC simulated tumors (R{sup 2} = 0.156). When the lesions were grouped into primary lung lesions and mediastinal/mediastinal adjacent lesions, the average absolute percent difference in volumes were 6% and 29%, respectively. The former group is more isolated and the latter is more surround by tissues with relatively high SUV background. Conclusion: The complexity shape of NSCLC lesions has little effect on the accuracy of the gradient-based segmentation method and thus is not a good predictor of uncertainty in target volume delineation. Location of lesion within a relatively high SUV background may play a more significant role in the accuracy of gradient-based segmentation.« less

The Effects of Differential Goal Weights on the Performance of a Complex Financial Task.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Edmister, Robert O.; Locke, Edwin A.

1987-01-01

Determined whether people could obtain outcomes on a complex task that would be in line with differential goal weights corresponding to different aspects of the task. Bank lending officers were run through lender-simulation exercises. Five performance goals were weighted. Demonstrated effectiveness of goal setting with complex tasks, using group…

Changes in subcutaneous fat cell volume and insulin sensitivity after weight loss.

PubMed

Andersson, Daniel P; Eriksson Hogling, Daniel; Thorell, Anders; Toft, Eva; Qvisth, Veronica; Näslund, Erik; Thörne, Anders; Wirén, Mikael; Löfgren, Patrik; Hoffstedt, Johan; Dahlman, Ingrid; Mejhert, Niklas; Rydén, Mikael; Arner, Erik; Arner, Peter

2014-07-01

Large subcutaneous fat cells associate with insulin resistance and high risk of developing type 2 diabetes. We investigated if changes in fat cell volume and fat mass correlate with improvements in the metabolic risk profile after bariatric surgery in obese patients. Fat cell volume and number were measured in abdominal subcutaneous adipose tissue in 62 obese women before and 2 years after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB). Regional body fat mass by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry; insulin sensitivity by hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamp; and plasma glucose, insulin, and lipid profile were assessed. RYGB decreased body weight by 33%, which was accompanied by decreased adipocyte volume but not number. Fat mass in the measured regions decreased and all metabolic parameters were improved after RYGB (P < 0.0001). Whereas reduced subcutaneous fat cell size correlated strongly with improved insulin sensitivity (P = 0.0057), regional changes in fat mass did not, except for a weak correlation between changes in visceral fat mass and insulin sensitivity and triglycerides. The curve-linear relationship between fat cell size and fat mass was altered after weight loss (P = 0.03). After bariatric surgery in obese women, a reduction in subcutaneous fat cell volume associates more strongly with improvement of insulin sensitivity than fat mass reduction per se. An altered relationship between adipocyte size and fat mass may be important for improving insulin sensitivity after weight loss. Fat cell size reduction could constitute a target to improve insulin sensitivity. © 2014 by the American Diabetes Association.

Software For Nearly Optimal Packing Of Cargo

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fennel, Theron R.; Daughtrey, Rodney S.; Schwaab, Doug G.

1994-01-01

PACKMAN computer program used to find nearly optimal arrangements of cargo items in storage containers, subject to such multiple packing objectives as utilization of volumes of containers, utilization of containers up to limits on weights, and other considerations. Automatic packing algorithm employed attempts to find best positioning of cargo items in container, such that volume and weight capacity of container both utilized to maximum extent possible. Written in Common LISP.

Construction of a Chemical Sensor/Instrumentation Package Using Fiber Optic and Miniaturization Technology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Newton, R. L.

1999-01-01

The objective of this research was to construct a chemical sensor/instrumentation package that was smaller in weight and volume than conventional instrumentation. This reduction in weight and volume is needed to assist in further reducing the cost of launching payloads into space. To accomplish this, fiber optic sensors, miniaturized spectrometers, and wireless modems were employed. The system was evaluated using iodine as a calibration analyte.

A study of physical properties of ODPA-p-PDA polyimide films

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Singh, Jag J.; Eftekhari, Abe; St.clair, Terry L.

1990-01-01

Physical properties were investigated of ODPA-p-PDA polyimide films, including their lower molecular weight versions with phthalimide endcaps. Free volume, determined by low energy positron annihilation in the test films, was the major parameter of interest since all other physical properties are ostensibly related to it. It affects the dielectric constant as well as the saturation moisture pickup of the test films. An empirical relation was developed between the free volume and molecular weight of the test films, comparable to the Mark-Houwink relation between the polymer solution viscosity and the molecular weight. Development of such a relation constitutes a unique achievement since it enables researchers to estimate the molecular weight of an intractable polymer in solid state for the first time.

Improved interpolation of meteorological forcings for hydrologic applications in a Swiss Alpine region

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tobin, Cara; Nicotina, Ludovico; Parlange, Marc B.; Berne, Alexis; Rinaldo, Andrea

2011-04-01

SummaryThis paper presents a comparative study on the mapping of temperature and precipitation fields in complex Alpine terrain. Its relevance hinges on the major impact that inadequate interpolations of meteorological forcings bear on the accuracy of hydrologic predictions regardless of the specifics of the models, particularly during flood events. Three flood events measured in the Swiss Alps are analyzed in detail to determine the interpolation methods which best capture the distribution of intense, orographically-induced precipitation. The interpolation techniques comparatively examined include: Inverse Distance Weighting (IDW), Ordinary Kriging (OK), and Kriging with External Drift (KED). Geostatistical methods rely on a robust anisotropic variogram for the definition of the spatial rainfall structure. Results indicate that IDW tends to significantly underestimate rainfall volumes whereas OK and KED methods capture spatial patterns and rainfall volumes induced by storm advection. Using numerical weather forecasts and elevation data as covariates for precipitation, we provide evidence for KED to outperform the other methods. Most significantly, the use of elevation as auxiliary information in KED of temperatures demonstrates minimal errors in estimated instantaneous rainfall volumes and provides instantaneous lapse rates which better capture snow/rainfall partitioning. Incorporation of the temperature and precipitation input fields into a hydrological model used for operational management was found to provide vastly improved outputs with respect to measured discharge volumes and flood peaks, with notable implications for flood modeling.

Molecular Structure of the Pyruvate Dehydrogenase Complex from Escherichia coli K-12

PubMed Central

Vogel, Otto; Hoehn, Barbara; Henning, Ulf

1972-01-01

The pyruvate dehydrogenase core complex from E. coli K-12, defined as the multienzyme complex that can be obtained with a unique polypeptide chain composition, has a molecular weight of 3.75 × 106. All results obtained agree with the following numerology. The core complex consists of 48 polypeptide chains. There are 16 chains (molecular weight = 100,000) of the pyruvate dehydrogenase component, 16 chains (molecular weight = 80,000) of the dihydrolipoamide dehydrogenase component, and 16 chains (molecular weight = 56,000) of the dihydrolipoamide dehydrogenase component. Usually, but not always, pyruvate dehydrogenase complex is produced in vivo containing at least 2-3 mol more of dimers of the pyruvate dehydrogenase component than the stoichiometric ratio with respect to the core complex. This “excess” component is bound differently than are the eight dimers in the core complex. Images PMID:4556465

The Influence of the Orbera Intragastric Balloon Filling Volumes on Weight Loss, Tolerability, and Adverse Events: a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

PubMed

Kumar, Nitin; Bazerbachi, Fateh; Rustagi, Tarun; McCarty, Thomas R; Thompson, Christopher C; Galvao Neto, Manoel P; Zundel, Natan; Wilson, Erik B; Gostout, Christopher J; Abu Dayyeh, Barham K

2017-09-01

The Orbera intragastric balloon (IGB) has been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for use in patients with a body mass index (BMI) between 30 and 40 kg/m 2 and is in wide use worldwide as a primary and bridge obesity management tool. The balloon filling volume (BFV) ranges between 400 and 700 mL of saline. Our objective was to determine whether there is an association between BFV and clinically relevant endpoints, namely weight loss outcomes, balloon tolerability, and adverse events. A systematic review of studies investigating the use of the Orbera IGB system for obesity treatment was performed. Data was examined using random effects modelling and meta-regression analyses. Forty-four studies (n = 5549 patients) reported BFV and % total body weight loss (TBWL) at 6 months. Pooled %TBWL at 6 months was 13.2% [95% CI 12.3-14.0]. A funnel plot demonstrated a low risk of publication bias. Meta-regression showed no statistically significant association between filling volume and %TBWL at 6 months (p = 0.268). Higher BFV was associated with lower rates of esophagitis (slope = -0.008, p < 0.001) and prosthesis migration (slope = -0.015, p < 0.001). There was no association between BFV and early removal (p = 0.1), gastroesophageal reflux symptom (p = 0.64), or ulcer rates (p = 0.09). No association was observed between Orbera IGB filling volume and weight loss outcomes. Higher volumes appear to be associated with lower migration and esophagitis rates; thus, a balloon filling volume of 600-650 mL is recommended.

Exponential stability of stochastic complex networks with multi-weights based on graph theory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Chunmei; Chen, Tianrui

2018-04-01

In this paper, a novel approach to exponential stability of stochastic complex networks with multi-weights is investigated by means of the graph-theoretical method. New sufficient conditions are provided to ascertain the moment exponential stability and almost surely exponential stability of stochastic complex networks with multiple weights. It is noted that our stability results are closely related with multi-weights and the intensity of stochastic disturbance. Numerical simulations are also presented to substantiate the theoretical results.

A comparison between the dimensions of positive transtibial residual limb molds prepared by air pressure casting and weight-bearing casting methods.

PubMed

Hajiaghaei, Behnam; Ebrahimi, Ismail; Kamyab, Mojtaba; Saeedi, Hassan; Jalali, Maryam

2016-01-01

Creating a socket with proper fit is an important factor to ensure the comfort and control of prosthetic devices. Several techniques are commonly used to cast transtibial stumps but their effect on stump shape deformation is not well understood. This study compares the dimensions, circumferences and volumes of the positive casts and also the socket comfort between two casting methods. Our hypothesis was that the casts prepared by air pressure method have less volume and are more comfortable than those prepared by weight bearing method. Fifteen transtibial unilateral amputees participated in the study. Two weight bearing and air pressure casting methods were utilized for their residual limbs. The diameters and circumferences of various areas of the residual limbs and positive casts were compared. The volumes of two types of casts were measured by a volumeter and compared. Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) was used to measure the sockets fit comfort. Circumferences at 10 and 15 cm below the patella on the casts were significantly smaller in air pressure casting method compared to the weight bearing method (p=0.00 and 0.01 respectively). The volume of the cast in air pressure method was lower than that of the weight bearing method (p=0.006). The amputees found the fit of the sockets prepared by air pressure method more comfortable than the weight bearing sockets (p=0.015). The air pressure casting reduced the circumferences of the distal portion of residual limbs which has more soft tissue and because of its snug fit it provided more comfort for amputees, according to the VAS measurements.

Assessment of Fetal Kidney Growth and Birth Weight in an Indigenous Australian Cohort.

PubMed

Diehm, Christopher J; Lumbers, Eugenie R; Weatherall, Loretta; Keogh, Lyniece; Eades, Sandra; Brown, Alex; Smith, Roger; Johnson, Vanessa; Pringle, Kirsty G; Rae, Kym M

2017-01-01

Introduction: Indigenous Australians experience higher rates of renal disease and hypertension than non-Indigenous Australians. Low birth weight is recognized as a contributing factor in chronic disease and has been shown to increase the risk of renal failure in adulthood. A smaller kidney volume with fewer nephrons places an individual at risk of hypertension and renal failure. Indigenous Australians have fewer nephrons than non-Indigenous Australians. In this study, intrauterine fetal and kidney growth were evaluated in 174 Indigenous Australian babies throughout gestation in order to record and evaluate fetal growth and kidney size, within a population that is at high risk for chronic illness. Methods: Pregnant women that identified as Indigenous, or non-Indigenous women that were pregnant with a partner who identified as an Indigenous Australian were eligible to participate. Maternal history, smoking status, blood and urine samples and fetal ultrasounds were collected throughout pregnancy. Fetal kidney measurements were collected using ultrasound. Statistical analysis was performed using the Stata 14.1 software package. Results: 15.2% of babies were born prematurely. 44% of the mothers reported smoking in pregnancy. The median birth weight of this cohort was 3,240 g. Male fetuses had higher kidney to body weight ratios than female fetuses ( P = 0.02). The birth weights of term neonates whose mothers smoked during pregnancy were lower (327 g, P < 0.001) than the birth weights of term babies from non-smoking mothers. The kidney volumes of babies whose mothers smoked were also smaller ( P = 0.02), but were in proportion to body weight. Conclusion: In this cohort of Indigenous women smoking was associated with both increased number of preterm births and with a reduction in birth weights, even of term infants. Since kidney volume is a surrogate measure of nephron number and nephrogenesis is complete at birth, babies whose mothers smoked during pregnancy must have fewer nephrons than those from non-smoking mothers. Previous studies have shown that glomerular filtration rate is not related to birth weight, thus infants with smaller kidney volumes are hyperfiltering from birth and therefore are likely to be more susceptible to early onset renal disease in later life.

Increasing the Accuracy of Volume and ADC Delineation for Heterogeneous Tumor on Diffusion-Weighted MRI: Correlation with PET/CT

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

Gong, Nan-Jie; Wong, Chun-Sing, E-mail: drcswong@gmail.com; Chu, Yiu-Ching

2013-10-01

Purpose: To improve the accuracy of volume and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) measurements in diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), we proposed a method based on thresholding both the b0 images and the ADC maps. Methods and Materials: In 21 heterogeneous lesions from patients with metastatic gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST), gross lesion were manually contoured, and corresponding volumes and ADCs were denoted as gross tumor volume (GTV) and gross ADC (ADC{sub g}), respectively. Using a k-means clustering algorithm, the probable high-cellularity tumor tissues were selected based on b0 images and ADC maps. ADC and volume of the tissues selected using themore » proposed method were denoted as thresholded ADC (ADC{sub thr}) and high-cellularity tumor volume (HCTV), respectively. The metabolic tumor volume (MTV) in positron emission tomography (PET)/computed tomography (CT) was measured using 40% maximum standard uptake value (SUV{sub max}) as the lower threshold, and corresponding mean SUV (SUV{sub mean}) was also measured. Results: HCTV had excellent concordance with MTV according to Pearson's correlation (r=0.984, P<.001) and linear regression (slope = 1.085, intercept = −4.731). In contrast, GTV overestimated the volume and differed significantly from MTV (P=.005). ADC{sub thr} correlated significantly and strongly with SUV{sub mean} (r=−0.807, P<.001) and SUV{sub max} (r=−0.843, P<.001); both were stronger than those of ADC{sub g}. Conclusions: The proposed lesion-adaptive semiautomatic method can help segment high-cellularity tissues that match hypermetabolic tissues in PET/CT and enables more accurate volume and ADC delineation on diffusion-weighted MR images of GIST.« less

Oral Lactobacillus Counts Predict Weight Gain Susceptibility: A 6-Year Follow-Up Study

PubMed Central

Rosing, Johanne Aviaja; Walker, Karen Christina; Jensen, Benjamin A.H.; Heitmann, Berit L.

2017-01-01

Background Recent studies have shown an association between weight change and the makeup of the intestinal microbiota in humans. Specifically, Lactobacillus, a part of the entire gastrointestinal tract's microbiota, has been shown to contribute to weight regulation. Aim We examined the association between the level of oral Lactobacillus and the subsequent 6-year weight change in a healthy population of 322 Danish adults aged 35–65 years at baseline. Design Prospective observational study. Results In unadjusted analysis the level of oral Lactobacillus was inversely associated with subsequent 6-year change in BMI. A statistically significant interaction between the baseline level of oral Lactobacillus and the consumption of complex carbohydrates was found, e.g. high oral Lactobacillus count predicted weight loss for those with a low intake of complex carbohydrates, while a medium intake of complex carbohydrates predicted diminished weight gain. A closer examination of these relations showed that BMI change and Lactobacillus level was unrelated for those with high complex carbohydrate consumption. Conclusion A high level of oral Lactobacillus seems related to weight loss among those with medium and low intakes of complex carbohydrates. Absence, or a low level of oral Lactobacillus, may potentially be a novel marker to identify those at increased risk of weight gain. PMID:29020671

Oral Lactobacillus Counts Predict Weight Gain Susceptibility: A 6-Year Follow-Up Study.

PubMed

Rosing, Johanne Aviaja; Walker, Karen Christina; Jensen, Benjamin A H; Heitmann, Berit L

2017-01-01

Recent studies have shown an association between weight change and the makeup of the intestinal microbiota in humans. Specifically, Lactobacillus, a part of the entire gastrointestinal tract's microbiota, has been shown to contribute to weight regulation. We examined the association between the level of oral Lactobacillus and the subsequent 6-year weight change in a healthy population of 322 Danish adults aged 35-65 years at baseline. Prospective observational study. In unadjusted analysis the level of oral Lactobacillus was inversely associated with subsequent 6-year change in BMI. A statistically significant interaction between the baseline level of oral Lactobacillus and the consumption of complex carbohydrates was found, e.g. high oral Lactobacillus count predicted weight loss for those with a low intake of complex carbohydrates, while a medium intake of complex carbohydrates predicted diminished weight gain. A closer examination of these relations showed that BMI change and Lactobacillus level was unrelated for those with high complex carbohydrate consumption. A high level of oral Lactobacillus seems related to weight loss among those with medium and low intakes of complex carbohydrates. Absence, or a low level of oral Lactobacillus, may potentially be a novel marker to identify those at increased risk of weight gain. © 2017 The Author(s) Published by S. Karger GmbH, Freiburg.

MRI Features in a Canine Model of Ischemic Stroke: Correlation between Lesion Volume and Neurobehavioral Status during the Subacute Stage

PubMed Central

Kang, Byeong-Teck; Jang, Dong-Pyo; Gu, Su-Hyun; Lee, Jong-Hwan; Jung, Dong-In; Lim, Chae-Young; Kim, Ha-Jung; Kim, Young-Bo; Kim, Hyung-Joong; Woo, Eung-Je; Cho, Zang-Hee; Park, Hee-Myung

2009-01-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic value of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and assess the correlation between the volume of the ischemic lesion and neurobehavioral status during the subacute stage of ischemic stroke. Ischemic stroke was induced in 6 healthy laboratory beagles through permanent occlusion of the middle cerebral artery (MCAO). T2-weighted and fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) imaging, diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI), measurement of the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) ratio, and neurobehavioral evaluation were performed 3 times serially by using a 1.5-T MR system: before and 3 and 10 d after MCAO. Ischemic lesions demonstrated T2 hyperintensity, FLAIR hyperintensity, and DWI hyperintensity. The ADC ratio was decreased initially but then was increased at 10 d after MCAO. Ischemic lesion volumes on T2-weighted and FLAIR imaging were not significantly different from those on DWI. The lesion volume and neurobehavioral score showed strong correlation. Our results suggest that conventional MRI may be a reliable diagnostic tool during the subacute stage of canine ischemic stroke. PMID:19887030

Effects of growth, diving history, and high altitude on blood oxygen capacity in harbor seals

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kodama, A. M.; Elsner, R.; Pace, N.

1977-01-01

Blood volume and body composition for diving and nondiving harbor seals were measured at six-week intervals during a 10-month period of captitivity. Whole body hematocrit, red cell volume per kg of lean body mass, and total circulating hemoglobin per kg lean body mass were significantly higher in the diving group, but relatively large blood volumes expressed in terms of body weight (11-12%) were found in both groups. A pair of harbor seals exposed to high altitude for about three months registered significant increases in red cell volume, blood hemoglobin levels, and blood volume expressed in terms of body weight; results of alveolar gas analyses indicate that hyperventilation also occurred. These typical mammalian responses to hypoxia suggest that the harbor seal's large blood volume and high hemoglobin content are an expression of phylogenetic control, and that in spite of its adaptability to apnea during its diving life, the animal cannot be considered preacclimatized to high altitude.

Wood decay by brown-rot fungi : changes in pore structure and cell wall volume

Treesearch

Douglas S. Flournoy; T. Kent Kirk; T.L. Highley

1991-01-01

Sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua L.) wood blocks were decayed by Postia (= Poria) placenta in soilblock cultures. Decay was terminated at various weight losses, and the pore volumes available to four low molecular weight molecules, (water, 4 Å,; glucose, 8 Å,; maltose, 10 Å; and raffinose, 128,) and three dextrans (Mr 6,000, 38 Å; 11,200, 51 Å; nd 17,500, 61 Å) were...

[Non-pharmacologic treatment of arterial hypertension in hemodialysis patients].

PubMed

Chazot, C; Charra, B

2007-10-01

High blood pressure in dialysis patients is related to extracellular volume excess and the related increase of systemic vascular resistances. Scribner has early described the treatment of hypertension with ultrafiltration and low salt diet, without any drugs. The dry weight method relies on the progressive reduction of the postdialysis body weight until blood pressure is normalized. Additional measures are needed such as low salt diet, neutral sodium balance during dialysis treatment, stop of antihypertensive drugs, adequate length of the dialysis session, and patient education. It may exist a lag time between the normalization of the extracellular volume and blood pressure. It is related to the correction of the hemodynamic consequences of the extracellular volume overload. Moreover, the dry weight may potentially vary in patients undergoing catabolic intercurrent events. The complications of these changes (severe hypertension, pulmonary oedema) must be anticipated by the nephrologist and the staff to avoid additional morbidity to the patient.

PALS Free Volume Measurements of Fractionated Hydrido- Silsesquioxane Resin.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Madani, Mahmoud M.; Granata, Richard D.; Pernisz, Udo C.

1997-03-01

Hydrido-Silsesquioxane (HSQ) is a resinous polymer with monomer unit formula (HSiO_3/2)_n. For n=8...16, it forms cages which in turn cross-link to yield a resin with a broad molecular weight distribution. It is soluble and forms thin films that may be converted to low-density silica with excellent dielectric properties. These, and the HSQ solubility, depend on molecular structure and size distribution of the cages. Samples of different molecular weight fractions were prepared from HSQ by SCF and the free volume of several cuts was measured by PALS in a conventional fast-fast system. POSITRONFIT and CONTIN programs were used to analyze the spectra. Three separate lifetime regions were identified with free volume regimes that correlate strongly with the molecular weight. The lowest is identified with the monomer cage unit, the larger values with intramolecular separation.

A quantitative assessment of volumetric and anatomic changes of the parotid gland during intensity-modulated radiotherapy for head and neck cancer using serial computed tomography

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

Ajani, Abdallah A.; Qureshi, Muhammad M.; Kovalchuk, Nataliya

To evaluate the change in volume and movement of the parotid gland measured by serial contrast-enhanced computed tomography scans in patients with head and neck cancer treated with parotid-sparing intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT). A prospective study was performed on 13 patients with head and neck cancer undergoing dose-painted IMRT to 69.96 Gy in 33 fractions. Serial computed tomography scans were performed at baseline, weeks 2, 4, and 6 of radiotherapy (RT), and at 6 weeks post-RT. The parotid volume was contoured at each scan, and the movement of the medial and lateral borders was measured. The patient's body weight was recordedmore » at each corresponding week during RT. Regression analyses were performed to ascertain the rate of change during treatment as a percent change per fraction in parotid volume and distance relative to baseline. The mean parotid volume decreased by 37.3% from baseline to week 6 of RT. The overall rate of change in parotid volume during RT was−1.30% per fraction (−1.67% and−0.91% per fraction in≥31 Gy and<31 Gy mean planned parotid dose groups, respectively, p = 0.0004). The movement of parotid borders was greater in the≥31 Gy mean parotid dose group compared with the<31 Gy group (0.22% per fraction and 0.14% per fraction for the lateral border and 0.19% per fraction and 0.06% per fraction for the medial border, respectively). The median change in body weight was−7.4% (range, 0.75% to−17.5%) during RT. A positive correlation was noted between change in body weight and parotid volume during the course of RT (Spearman correlation coefficient, r = 0.66, p<0.01). Head and neck IMRT results in a volume loss of the parotid gland, which is related to the planned parotid dose, and the patient's weight loss during RT.« less

Use of spiral computed tomography volumetry for determining the operative approach in patients with Graves' disease.

PubMed

Choi, June Young; Lee, Kyu Eun; Koo, Do Hoon; Kim, Kyu Hyung; Kim, Eun young; Bae, Dong Sik; Jung, Sung Eun; Youn, Yeo-Kyu

2014-03-01

The purposes of the present study were to assess (1) the correlation between the weight of the postoperative thyroid specimen and the spiral computed tomography (CT) volumetry results of the thyroid gland in patients with Graves' disease, and (2) the utility of CT volumetry for determining the operative approach. From 2009 to 2010, a total of 56 patients with Graves' disease underwent total or subtotal thyroidectomy. An enhanced spiral CT was taken in all patients prior to the operation. From 2.5 mm-thick slices of the thyroid gland, the surface area was calculated to measure the volume of the thyroid gland. The glandular volume was compared to the weight of the postoperative thyroid specimen. A total of 42 and 14 patients underwent total and subtotal thyroidectomy, respectively. The mean weight of the postoperative thyroid specimen was 43.9 ± 33.4 g, and the mean volume obtained by CT volumetry was 44.2 ± 32.8 mL. A good correlation was observed between the weight of the postoperative thyroid specimen and the volume calculated by CT (r = 0.98, p < 0.001). When 100 mL was set as the higher cut-off value of the thyroid volume for minimally invasive thyroid surgery, the estimated blood loss showed a significant difference between the >100 mL and the ≤100 mL groups (608.3 ± 540.8 vs. 119.7 ± 110.4 mL; p = 0.036). Spiral CT volumetry may be used to measure the thyroid volume reliably in patients with Graves' disease. For cases in which surgery is indicated in patients with Graves' disease, CT volumetry provides useful information from which to determine the operative approach. One hundred milliliter or less of thyroid volume in CT volumetry is recommended to perform minimally invasive thyroid surgery.

Liver Volumetry Plug and Play: Do It Yourself with ImageJ

PubMed Central

Dello, Simon A. W. G.; van Dam, Ronald M.; Slangen, Jules J. G.; van de Poll, Marcel C. G.; Bemelmans, Marc H. A.; Greve, Jan Willem W. M.; Beets-Tan, Regina G. H.; Wigmore, Stephen J.

2007-01-01

Background A small remnant liver volume is an important risk factor for posthepatectomy liver failure and can be predicted accurately by computed tomography (CT) volumetry using radiologic image analysis software. Unfortunately, this software is expensive and usually requires support by a radiologist. ImageJ is a freely downloadable image analysis software package developed by the National Institute of Health (NIH) and brings liver volumetry to the surgeon’s desktop. We aimed to assess the accuracy of ImageJ for hepatic CT volumetry. Methods ImageJ was downloaded from http://www.rsb.info.nih.gov/ij/. Preoperative CT scans of 15 patients who underwent liver resection for colorectal cancer liver metastases were retrospectively analyzed. Scans were opened in ImageJ; and the liver, all metastases, and the intended parenchymal transection line were manually outlined on each slice. The area of each selected region, metastasis, resection specimen, and remnant liver was multiplied by the slice thickness to calculate volume. Volumes of virtual liver resection specimens measured with ImageJ were compared with specimen weights and calculated volumes obtained during pathology examination after resection. Results There was an excellent correlation between the volumes calculated with ImageJ and the actual measured weights of the resection specimens (r² = 0.98, p < 0.0001). The weight/volume ratio amounted to 0.88 ± 0.04 (standard error) and was in agreement with our earlier findings using CT-linked radiologic software. Conclusion ImageJ can be used for accurate hepatic CT volumetry on a personal computer. This application brings CT volumetry to the surgeon’s desktop at no expense and is particularly useful in cases of tertiary referred patients, who already have a proper CT scan on CD-ROM from the referring institution. Most likely the discrepancy between volume and weight results from exsanguination of the liver after resection. PMID:17726630

A Design Tool for the Evaluation of Atmosphere Independent Propulsion in Submarines

DTIC Science & Technology

1994-05-01

structure«<"\\t\\ tMobility :\\tW’" «<weight _mobility« ’Vi’ cout «<"\\tWeapons:\\t"<«weight...weapofls< h\\t\\tCA 31I:\\t\\t\\t" «<weightc.pcubed_i< "inl; cout...pm << "\\tWeapons:\\t"«<volume_weapons«<"\\t\\ tMobility :\\t\\t" «<volume -mobility<< Wn; pmn « "\\tShip Support:\\t"«<volume -ship support«< n\\tCA 31:\\t\\t\\t

Lung-Protective Ventilation With Low Tidal Volumes and the Occurrence of Pulmonary Complications in Patients Without Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome: A Systematic Review and Individual Patient Data Analysis.

PubMed

Neto, Ary Serpa; Simonis, Fabienne D; Barbas, Carmen S V; Biehl, Michelle; Determann, Rogier M; Elmer, Jonathan; Friedman, Gilberto; Gajic, Ognjen; Goldstein, Joshua N; Linko, Rita; Pinheiro de Oliveira, Roselaine; Sundar, Sugantha; Talmor, Daniel; Wolthuis, Esther K; Gama de Abreu, Marcelo; Pelosi, Paolo; Schultz, Marcus J

2015-10-01

Protective mechanical ventilation with low tidal volumes is standard of care for patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome. The aim of this individual patient data analysis was to determine the association between tidal volume and the occurrence of pulmonary complications in ICU patients without acute respiratory distress syndrome and the association between occurrence of pulmonary complications and outcome in these patients. Individual patient data analysis. ICU patients not fulfilling the consensus criteria for acute respiratory distress syndrome at the onset of ventilation. Mechanical ventilation with low tidal volume. The primary endpoint was development of a composite of acute respiratory distress syndrome and pneumonia during hospital stay. Based on the tertiles of tidal volume size in the first 2 days of ventilation, patients were assigned to a "low tidal volume group" (tidal volumes ≤ 7 mL/kg predicted body weight), an "intermediate tidal volume group" (> 7 and < 10 mL/kg predicted body weight), and a "high tidal volume group" (≥ 10 mL/kg predicted body weight). Seven investigations (2,184 patients) were included. Acute respiratory distress syndrome or pneumonia occurred in 23% of patients in the low tidal volume group, in 28% of patients in the intermediate tidal volume group, and in 31% of the patients in the high tidal volume group (adjusted odds ratio [low vs high tidal volume group], 0.72; 95% CI, 0.52-0.98; p = 0.042). Occurrence of pulmonary complications was associated with a lower number of ICU-free and hospital-free days and alive at day 28 (10.0 ± 10.9 vs 13.8 ± 11.6 d; p < 0.01 and 6.1 ± 8.1 vs 8.9 ± 9.4 d; p < 0.01) and an increased hospital mortality (49.5% vs 35.6%; p < 0.01). Ventilation with low tidal volumes is associated with a lower risk of development of pulmonary complications in patients without acute respiratory distress syndrome.

Analyses of the response of a complex weighted network to nodes removal strategies considering links weight: The case of the Beijing urban road system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bellingeri, Michele; Lu, Zhe-Ming; Cassi, Davide; Scotognella, Francesco

2018-02-01

Complex network response to node loss is a central question in different fields of science ranging from physics, sociology, biology to ecology. Previous studies considered binary networks where the weight of the links is not accounted for. However, in real-world networks the weights of connections can be widely different. Here, we analyzed the response of real-world road traffic complex network of Beijing, the most prosperous city in China. We produced nodes removal attack simulations using classic binary node features and we introduced weighted ranks for node importance. We measured the network functioning during nodes removal with three different parameters: the size of the largest connected cluster (LCC), the binary network efficiency (Bin EFF) and the weighted network efficiency (Weg EFF). We find that removing nodes according to weighted rank, i.e. considering the weight of the links as a number of taxi flows along the roads, produced in general the highest damage in the system. Our results show that: (i) in order to model Beijing road complex networks response to nodes (intersections) failure, it is necessary to consider the weight of the links; (ii) to discover the best attack strategy, it is important to use nodes rank accounting links weight.

Application of Hydrogel in Reconstruction Surgery: Hydrogel/Fat Graft Complex Filler for Volume Reconstruction in Critical Sized Muscle Defects.

PubMed

Lui, Y F; Ip, W Y

2016-01-01

Autogenic fat graft usually suffers from degeneration and volume shrinkage in volume reconstruction applications. How to maintain graft viability and graft volume is an essential consideration in reconstruction therapies. In this presented investigation, a new fat graft transplantation method was developed aiming to improve long term graft viability and volume reconstruction effect by incorporation of hydrogel. The harvested fat graft is dissociated into small fragments and incorporated into a collagen based hydrogel to form a hydrogel/fat graft complex for volume reconstruction purpose. In vitro results indicate that the collagen based hydrogel can significantly improve the survivability of cells inside isolated graft. In a 6-month investigation on artificial created defect model, this hydrogel/fat graft complex filler has demonstrated the ability of promoting fat pad formation inside the targeted defect area. The newly generated fat pad can cover the whole defect and restore its original dimension in 6-month time point. Compared to simple fat transplantation, this hydrogel/fat graft complex system provides much improvement on long term volume restoration effect against degeneration and volume shrinkage. One notable effect is that there is continuous proliferation of adipose tissue throughout the 6-month period. In summary, the hydrogel/fat graft system presented in this investigation demonstrated a better and more significant effect on volume reconstruction in large sized volume defect than simple fat transplantation.

Direct and indirect selection of visceral lipid weight, fillet weight, and fillet percentage in a rainbow trout breeding program.

PubMed

Kause, A; Paananen, T; Ritola, O; Koskinen, H

2007-12-01

We assessed whether visceral lipid weight, fillet weight, and percentage fillet from BW, 3 traits laborious to record, could be genetically improved by indirect selection on more easily measured traits in farmed rainbow trout. Visceral lipid is discarded as waste during slaughter, influencing production efficiency and production costs. Fillet weight and fillet percentage directly influence economic returns in trout production. The study comprised 3 steps. First, we assessed the degree to which selection on percentage of visceral weight from BW indirectly changes visceral lipid weight and the size of intestines and internal organs. The phenotypic analysis of weights of viscera, intestines, visceral lipid, liver, and gonads measured from 40 fish revealed that phenotypic selection against visceral weight was most strongly directed to visceral lipid, and to a lesser degree to intestines and gonads. Because genetic relationships among these traits were not established, it is not known whether indirect selection leads to genetic responses. Second, we examined whether direct selection for the fillet traits could be replaced by indirect selection on BW, eviscerated BW, visceral weight, visceral percentage, head volume, and relative head volume (head volume relative to BW). The selection index calculations based on the quantitative genetic parameters obtained from multigenerational pedigree data showed that genetic improvement of fillet percentage through direct selection (selection accuracy, r(TI) = 0.54) was equally efficient compared with indirect selection on visceral percentage ( r(TI) = 0.54). Genetic improvement of fillet weight through direct selection (r(TI) = 0.56) was always more efficient than indirect selection, yet indirect selection for eviscerated BW ( r(TI) = 0.50) was almost as efficient as direct selection. Third, the expected genetic responses to alternative selection indices showed that improved fillet percentage was mainly a result of a moderate decrease in visceral weight rather than of a major increase in absolute fillet weight. Moreover, fillet percentage is challenging to improve, even if it exhibits moderate heritability (h(2) = 0.29). This is because fillet percentage displays low phenotypic variation. In conclusion, fillet weight and fillet percentage can be increased by indirect selection against visceral percentage and for high eviscerated BW.

Spatial Dynamics of the Communities and the Role of Major Countries in the International Rare Earths Trade: A Complex Network Analysis.

PubMed

Wang, Xibo; Ge, Jianping; Wei, Wendong; Li, Hanshi; Wu, Chen; Zhu, Ge

2016-01-01

Rare earths (RE) are critical materials in many high-technology products. Due to the uneven distribution and important functions for industrial development, most countries import RE from a handful of suppliers that are rich in RE, such as China. However, because of the rapid growth of RE exploitation and pollution of the mining and production process, some of the main suppliers have gradually tended to reduce the RE production and exports. Especially in the last decade, international RE trade has been changing in the trade community and trade volume. Based on complex network theory, we built an unweighted and weighted network to explore the evolution of the communities and identify the role of the major countries in the RE trade. The results show that an international RE trade network was dispersed and unstable because of the existence of five to nine trade communities in the unweighted network and four to eight trade communities in the weighted network in the past 13 years. Moreover, trade groups formed due to the great influence of geopolitical relations. China was often associated with the South America and African countries in the same trade group. In addition, Japan, China, the United States, and Germany had the largest impacts on international RE trade from 2002 to 2014. Last, some policy suggestions were highlighted according to the results.

A fast iterative convolution weighting approach for gridding-based direct Fourier three-dimensional reconstruction with correction for the contrast transfer function.

PubMed

Abrishami, V; Bilbao-Castro, J R; Vargas, J; Marabini, R; Carazo, J M; Sorzano, C O S

2015-10-01

We describe a fast and accurate method for the reconstruction of macromolecular complexes from a set of projections. Direct Fourier inversion (in which the Fourier Slice Theorem plays a central role) is a solution for dealing with this inverse problem. Unfortunately, the set of projections provides a non-equidistantly sampled version of the macromolecule Fourier transform in the single particle field (and, therefore, a direct Fourier inversion) may not be an optimal solution. In this paper, we introduce a gridding-based direct Fourier method for the three-dimensional reconstruction approach that uses a weighting technique to compute a uniform sampled Fourier transform. Moreover, the contrast transfer function of the microscope, which is a limiting factor in pursuing a high resolution reconstruction, is corrected by the algorithm. Parallelization of this algorithm, both on threads and on multiple CPU's, makes the process of three-dimensional reconstruction even faster. The experimental results show that our proposed gridding-based direct Fourier reconstruction is slightly more accurate than similar existing methods and presents a lower computational complexity both in terms of time and memory, thereby allowing its use on larger volumes. The algorithm is fully implemented in the open-source Xmipp package and is downloadable from http://xmipp.cnb.csic.es. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Spatial Dynamics of the Communities and the Role of Major Countries in the International Rare Earths Trade: A Complex Network Analysis

PubMed Central

Wang, Xibo; Ge, Jianping; Wei, Wendong; Li, Hanshi; Wu, Chen; Zhu, Ge

2016-01-01

Rare earths (RE) are critical materials in many high-technology products. Due to the uneven distribution and important functions for industrial development, most countries import RE from a handful of suppliers that are rich in RE, such as China. However, because of the rapid growth of RE exploitation and pollution of the mining and production process, some of the main suppliers have gradually tended to reduce the RE production and exports. Especially in the last decade, international RE trade has been changing in the trade community and trade volume. Based on complex network theory, we built an unweighted and weighted network to explore the evolution of the communities and identify the role of the major countries in the RE trade. The results show that an international RE trade network was dispersed and unstable because of the existence of five to nine trade communities in the unweighted network and four to eight trade communities in the weighted network in the past 13 years. Moreover, trade groups formed due to the great influence of geopolitical relations. China was often associated with the South America and African countries in the same trade group. In addition, Japan, China, the United States, and Germany had the largest impacts on international RE trade from 2002 to 2014. Last, some policy suggestions were highlighted according to the results. PMID:27137779

Comparison of waste composition in a continuing-care retirement community.

PubMed

Kim, T; Shanklin, C W; Su, A Y; Hackes, B L; Ferris, D

1997-04-01

To determine the composition of wastes generated in a continuing-care retirement community (CCRC) and to analyze the effects of source-reduction activities and meal delivery system change on the amount of waste generated in the facility. A waste stream analysis was conducted at the same CCRC during spring 1994 (period 1: baseline), spring 1995 (period 2: source reduction intervention), and fall 1995 (period 3: service delivery intervention). Weight, volume, and collapsed volume were determined for food and packaging wastes. Tray service and wait staff service are provided to 70 residents in a health care unit, and family-style service is an optional service available to 130 residents in the independent-living units. A mean of 229 meals are served per day. Intervention included the implementation of source-reduction activities and a change in a service-delivery system in periods 2 and 3, respectively. Descriptive statistics were used to determine the composition of waste. Analysis of variance and a multiple comparison method (least significant difference) were used to compare mean weight and volume of waste generated in period 1 with data collected during periods 2 and 3. Mean waste generated per meal by weight and volume ranged from 0.93 to 1.00 lb and 1.44 to 1.65 gal, respectively. Significantly less production waste by weight (0.18 lb/meal) and volume (0.12 gal/meal) was generated in period 2 than in period 1 (0.32 lb/meal and 0.16 gal/meal, respectively). Significantly less service waste by weight (0.31 lb/meal) and volume (0.05 gal/meal) was discarded in period 3 than in period 1 (0.37 lb/meal and 0.15 gal/meal, respectively). Significantly less total waste and plastic by weight was disposed of after the interventions. The study conclusions indicated that implementing source-reduction practices and changing the meal-delivery system affected the composition of waste generated. Knowledge of waste stream composition can help other foodservice professionals and consulting dietitians identify waste-reduction activities and recycling opportunities. The quantity and type of waste generated should be considered when operational decisions are made relative to market form of food, menu choices, service-delivery systems, and production forecast and controls.

Maximal volume behind horizons without curvature singularity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Shao-Jun; Guo, Xin-Xuan; Wang, Towe

2018-01-01

The black hole information paradox is related to the area of event horizon, and potentially to the volume and singularity behind it. One example is the complexity/volume duality conjectured by Stanford and Susskind. Accepting the proposal of Christodoulou and Rovelli, we calculate the maximal volume inside regular black holes, which are free of curvature singularity, in asymptotically flat and anti-de Sitter spacetimes respectively. The complexity/volume duality is then applied to anti-de Sitter regular black holes. We also present an analytical expression for the maximal volume outside the de Sitter horizon.

[Cone-beam CT evaluation of nasomaxillary complex and upper airway following rapid maxillary expansion].

PubMed

Li, Lei; Qi, Suqing; Wang, Hongwei; Ren, Sufeng; Ban, Jiandong

2015-07-01

To evaluate the naso-maxillary complex width and pharyngeal airway volume changes after rapid maxillary expansion (RME). Thirty-five patients were selected (18 males, 17 females, mean age, 12.1 ± 1.1 years). All patients underwent orthodontic treatment with Hyrax palatal expanders. Cone-beam CT (CBCT) scan was taken before treatment (T0), 16 days (T1) and three months (T3) after RME. Naso-maxillary complex width and pharyngeal airway volume were measured. After treatment the width of piriform aperture and maxillary width were significantly increased compared with that before treatment (P < 0.05). Three months after RME, no statistical difference was found in maxillary width compared with that before treatment. The nasopharyngeal volume significantly increased by 29.9% compared with that before treatment (P < 0.05), and the volume remained relatively stable after three months. RME resulted in a significant increase in the naso-maxillary complex width and nasopharyngeal volume.

Altered sexually dimorphic nucleus of the preoptic area (SDN-POA) volume in adult Long-Evans rats by dietary soy phytoestrogens.

PubMed

Lund, T D; Rhees, R W; Setchell, K D; Lephart, E D

2001-09-28

Naturally occurring estrogen-like molecules in plants (phytoestrogens), present via soy, in animal diets can alter morphology and physiology in rodents. Phytoestrogens have the ability to bind estrogen receptors and exert many of the biological responses evoked by physiological estrogens. This study characterized the effects of dietary phytoestrogens on the expression of body and prostate weight, circulating testosterone and estradiol levels, puberty onset, vaginal cyclicity, and volume of the sexually dimorphic nucleus of the preoptic area (SDN-POA) in Long-Evans rats. Using different experimental protocols, animals were fed either a phytoestrogen-rich (Phyto-600) or a phytoestrogen-free (Phyto-free) diet. Animals fed the Phyto-600 diet displayed significantly decreased body weights (in males and females), prostate weights and delayed puberty in females compared to that of animals fed the Phyto-free diet. Circulating testosterone or estradiol levels in males or estrous cyclicity were not altered by the diets. The volume of the SDN-POA was significantly altered by a change in diet at 80 days of age where one-half of the males or females fed the Phyto-600 diet (from birth) were switched to the Phyto-free diet until 120 days of age. Males initially fed a Phyto-600 diet but changed to a Phyto-free diet had significantly smaller SDN-POA volumes compared to males fed the Phyto-600 diet (long-term). These data suggest that consumption of phytoestrogens via a soy diet, significantly: (1) decreases body and prostate weight, (2) delays puberty onset, and (3) alters SDN-POA volumes during adulthood.

Subcutaneous fat loss is greater than visceral fat loss with diet and exercise, weight-loss promoting drugs and bariatric surgery: a critical review and meta-analysis.

PubMed

Merlotti, C; Ceriani, V; Morabito, A; Pontiroli, A E

2017-05-01

Aim of this review is to compare visceral and subcutaneous fat loss with all available strategies (diet and exercise, weight-loss promoting agents and bariatric surgery). Eighty-nine studies, all full papers, were analyzed to evaluate visceral and subcutaneous fat changes, measured through ultrasound, computerized tomography, magnetic resonance imaging and expressed as thickness, weight, area and volume. Studies were included in a meta-analysis (random-effects model). Intervention effect (absolute and percent changes of visceral and subcutaneous fat) was expressed as standardized mean differences, with 95% confidence intervals. Publication bias was formally assessed. The result was that subcutaneous fat was greater than visceral fat when measured as area, volume and weight, not as thickness; decrease of subcutaneous fat was greater than visceral fat when measured as area, volume and weight, not as thickness; percent decrease of visceral fat was always greater than percent decrease of subcutaneous fat, with no differences between different strategies. No intervention preferentially targets visceral fat. Basal visceral fat depots are smaller than basal subcutaneous fat depots. Visceral fat loss is linked to subcutaneous fat loss. With all strategies, percent decrease of visceral fat prevails on subcutaneous fat loss.

Brain tumor locating in 3D MR volume using symmetry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dvorak, Pavel; Bartusek, Karel

2014-03-01

This work deals with the automatic determination of a brain tumor location in 3D magnetic resonance volumes. The aim of this work is not the precise segmentation of the tumor and its parts but only the detection of its location. This work is the first step in the tumor segmentation process, an important topic in neuro-image processing. The algorithm expects 3D magnetic resonance volumes of brain containing a tumor. The detection is based on locating the area that breaks the left-right symmetry of the brain. This is done by multi-resolution comparing of corresponding regions in left and right hemisphere. The output of the computation is the probabilistic map of the tumor location. The created algorithm was tested on 80 volumes from publicly available BRATS databases containing 3D brain volumes afflicted by a brain tumor. These pathological structures had various sizes and shapes and were located in various parts of the brain. The locating performance of the algorithm was 85% for T1-weighted volumes, 91% for T1-weighted contrast enhanced volumes, 96% for FLAIR and T2-wieghted volumes and 95% for their combinations.

Compressive hyperspectral sensor for LWIR gas detection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Russell, Thomas A.; McMackin, Lenore; Bridge, Bob; Baraniuk, Richard

2012-06-01

Focal plane arrays with associated electronics and cooling are a substantial portion of the cost, complexity, size, weight, and power requirements of Long-Wave IR (LWIR) imagers. Hyperspectral LWIR imagers add significant data volume burden as they collect a high-resolution spectrum at each pixel. We report here on a LWIR Hyperspectral Sensor that applies Compressive Sensing (CS) in order to achieve benefits in these areas. The sensor applies single-pixel detection technology demonstrated by Rice University. The single-pixel approach uses a Digital Micro-mirror Device (DMD) to reflect and multiplex the light from a random assortment of pixels onto the detector. This is repeated for a number of measurements much less than the total number of scene pixels. We have extended this architecture to hyperspectral LWIR sensing by inserting a Fabry-Perot spectrometer in the optical path. This compressive hyperspectral imager collects all three dimensions on a single detection element, greatly reducing the size, weight and power requirements of the system relative to traditional approaches, while also reducing data volume. The CS architecture also supports innovative adaptive approaches to sensing, as the DMD device allows control over the selection of spatial scene pixels to be multiplexed on the detector. We are applying this advantage to the detection of plume gases, by adaptively locating and concentrating target energy. A key challenge in this system is the diffraction loss produce by the DMD in the LWIR. We report the results of testing DMD operation in the LWIR, as well as system spatial and spectral performance.

Quality control considerations for size exclusion chromatography with online ICP-MS: a powerful tool for evaluating the size dependence of metal-organic matter complexation.

PubMed

McKenzie, Erica R; Young, Thomas M

2013-01-01

Size exclusion chromatography (SEC), which separates molecules based on molecular volume, can be coupled with online inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) to explore size-dependent metal-natural organic matter (NOM) complexation. To make effective use of this analytical dual detector system, the operator should be mindful of quality control measures. Al, Cr, Fe, Se, and Sn all exhibited columnless attenuation, which indicated unintended interactions with system components. Based on signal-to-noise ratio and peak reproducibility between duplicate analyses of environmental samples, consistent peak time and height were observed for Mg, Cl, Mn, Cu, Br, and Pb. Al, V, Fe, Co, Ni, Zn, Se, Cd, Sn, and Sb were less consistent overall, but produced consistent measurements in select samples. Ultrafiltering and centrifuging produced similar peak distributions, but glass fiber filtration produced more high molecular weight (MW) peaks. Storage in glass also produced more high MW peaks than did plastic bottles.

Volume dependent quasiparticle spectral weight in NiS2-xSex system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marini, C.; Perucchi, A.; Dore, P.; Topwal, D.; Sarma, D. D.; Lupi, S.; Postorino, P.

2012-05-01

We discuss the evolution of Infrared reflectivity at room temperature under various pressures (P) and Se alloying concentration in the strongly correlated NiS2-xSex pyrite. Measurements gave a complete picture of the optical response of the system on approaching the P-induced and Se-induced metallic state. A peculiar non-monotonic (V-shaped) volume dependence was found for the quasiparticle spectral weight of both pure and Se-doped compounds.

40 CFR 60.54a - Standard for municipal waste combustor acid gases.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... for Municipal Waste Combustors for Which Construction is Commenced After December 20, 1989 and on or... weight or volume) or 30 parts per million by volume, corrected to 7 percent oxygen (dry basis), whichever... by volume, corrected to 7 percent oxygen (dry basis), whichever is less stringent. ...

40 CFR 60.463 - Performance test and compliance provisions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... operator shall use the following procedures for determining monthly volume-weighted average emissions of... Method 24 or an equivalent or alternative method. The owner or operator shall determine the volume of... facilities, the owner or operator shall estimate the volume of coating used at each affected facility by...

40 CFR 60.313 - Performance tests and compliance provisions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... determining monthly volume-weighted average emissions of VOC's in kilograms per liter of coating solids... shall determine the volume of coating and the mass of VOC-solvent used for thinning purposes from... facility or serves both affected and existing facilities, the owner or operator shall estimate the volume...

Submarine pipeline on-bottom stability. Volume 2: Software and manuals

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

NONE

1998-12-01

The state-of-the-art in pipeline stability design has been changing very rapidly recent. The physics governing on-bottom stability are much better understood now than they were eight years. This is due largely because of research and large scale model tests sponsored by PRCI. Analysis tools utilizing this new knowledge have been developed. These tools provide the design engineer with a rational approach have been developed. These tools provide the design engineer with a rational approach for weight coating design, which he can use with confidence because the tools have been developed based on full scale and near full scale model tests.more » These tools represent the state-of-the-art in stability design and model the complex behavior of pipes subjected to both wave and current loads. These include: hydrodynamic forces which account for the effect of the wake (generated by flow over the pipe) washing back and forth over the pipe in oscillatory flow; and the embedment (digging) which occurs as a pipe resting on the seabed is exposed to oscillatory loadings and small oscillatory deflections. This report has been developed as a reference handbook for use in on-bottom pipeline stability analysis It consists of two volumes. Volume one is devoted descriptions of the various aspects of the problem: the pipeline design process; ocean physics, wave mechanics, hydrodynamic forces, and meteorological data determination; geotechnical data collection and soil mechanics; and stability design procedures. Volume two describes, lists, and illustrates the analysis software. Diskettes containing the software and examples of the software are also included in Volume two.« less

Breast Radiotherapy with Mixed Energy Photons; a Model for Optimal Beam Weighting.

PubMed

Birgani, Mohammadjavad Tahmasebi; Fatahiasl, Jafar; Hosseini, Seyed Mohammad; Bagheri, Ali; Behrooz, Mohammad Ali; Zabiehzadeh, Mansour; Meskani, Reza; Gomari, Maryam Talaei

2015-01-01

Utilization of high energy photons (>10 MV) with an optimal weight using a mixed energy technique is a practical way to generate a homogenous dose distribution while maintaining adequate target coverage in intact breast radiotherapy. This study represents a model for estimation of this optimal weight for day to day clinical usage. For this purpose, treatment planning computed tomography scans of thirty-three consecutive early stage breast cancer patients following breast conservation surgery were analyzed. After delineation of the breast clinical target volume (CTV) and placing opposed wedge paired isocenteric tangential portals, dosimeteric calculations were conducted and dose volume histograms (DVHs) were generated, first with pure 6 MV photons and then these calculations were repeated ten times with incorporating 18 MV photons (ten percent increase in weight per step) in each individual patient. For each calculation two indexes including maximum dose in the breast CTV (Dmax) and the volume of CTV which covered with 95% Isodose line (VCTV, 95%IDL) were measured according to the DVH data and then normalized values were plotted in a graph. The optimal weight of 18 MV photons was defined as the intersection point of Dmax and VCTV, 95%IDL graphs. For creating a model to predict this optimal weight multiple linear regression analysis was used based on some of the breast and tangential field parameters. The best fitting model for prediction of 18 MV photons optimal weight in breast radiotherapy using mixed energy technique, incorporated chest wall separation plus central lung distance (Adjusted R2=0.776). In conclusion, this study represents a model for the estimation of optimal beam weighting in breast radiotherapy using mixed photon energy technique for routine day to day clinical usage.

Fuel sensor-less control of a liquid feed fuel cell system under steady load for portable applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chang, C. L.; Chen, C. Y.; Sung, C. C.; Liou, D. H.

This study presents a novel fuel sensor-less control scheme for a liquid feed fuel cell system that does not rely on a fuel concentration sensor. The proposed approach simplifies the design and reduces the cost and complexity of a liquid feed fuel cell system, and is especially suited to portable power sources, of which the volume and weight are important. During the reaction of a fuel cell, the cell's operating characteristics, such as potential, current and power are measured to control the supply of fuel and regulate its concentration to optimize performance. Experiments were conducted to verify that the fuel sensor-less control algorithm is effective in the liquid feed fuel cell system.

Smaller = Denser, and the Brain Knows It: Natural Statistics of Object Density Shape Weight Expectations

PubMed Central

Peters, Megan A. K.; Balzer, Jonathan; Shams, Ladan

2015-01-01

If one nondescript object’s volume is twice that of another, is it necessarily twice as heavy? As larger objects are typically heavier than smaller ones, one might assume humans use such heuristics in preparing to lift novel objects if other informative cues (e.g., material, previous lifts) are unavailable. However, it is also known that humans are sensitive to statistical properties of our environments, and that such sensitivity can bias perception. Here we asked whether statistical regularities in properties of liftable, everyday objects would bias human observers’ predictions about objects’ weight relationships. We developed state-of-the-art computer vision techniques to precisely measure the volume of everyday objects, and also measured their weight. We discovered that for liftable man-made objects, “twice as large” doesn’t mean “twice as heavy”: Smaller objects are typically denser, following a power function of volume. Interestingly, this “smaller is denser” relationship does not hold for natural or unliftable objects, suggesting some ideal density range for objects designed to be lifted. We then asked human observers to predict weight relationships between novel objects without lifting them; crucially, these weight predictions quantitatively match typical weight relationships shown by similarly-sized objects in everyday environments. These results indicate that the human brain represents the statistics of everyday objects and that this representation can be quantitatively abstracted and applied to novel objects. Finally, that the brain possesses and can use precise knowledge of the nonlinear association between size and weight carries important implications for implementation of forward models of motor control in artificial systems. PMID:25768977

Association Between Infrapatellar Fat Pad Volume and Knee Structural Changes in Patients with Knee Osteoarthritis.

PubMed

Cai, Jingyu; Xu, Jianhua; Wang, Kang; Zheng, Shuang; He, Fan; Huan, Shuting; Xu, Shengqing; Zhang, Hui; Laslett, Laura; Ding, Changhai

2015-10-01

The function of the infrapatellar fat pad (IPFP) in knee osteoarthritis (OA) remains uncertain. This study aimed to examine cross-sectional associations between IPFP volume and knee structures in patients with knee OA. The study included 174 patients with clinical knee OA (mean age, 55.5 yrs). Fat-suppressed 3-D T1-weighted spoiled gradient recall magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was used to measure the IPFP and cartilage volume. T2-weighted fast spin echo MRI was used to assess cartilage defects and bone marrow lesions (BML). Radiographic knee osteophytes and joint space narrowing (JSN) were assessed using the Osteoarthritis Research Society International atlas. After adjustment for potential confounders, greater IPFP volume was associated with greater tibial and patellar cartilage volume (all p < 0.05), and fewer cartilage defects at all sites (OR 0.88-0.91, all p < 0.05). IPFP volume was associated with presence of BML at lateral tibial and medial femoral sites (OR 0.88-0.91, all p < 0.05) and osteophytes at lateral tibiofemoral compartment (OR 0.88, p < 0.05). IPFP volume was not significantly associated with JSN. Greater IPFP volume was associated with greater knee cartilage volume and fewer structural abnormalities, suggesting a protective role of IPFP size in knee OA.

Regional Differences in Brain Volume Predict the Acquisition of Skill in a Complex Real-Time Strategy Videogame

PubMed Central

Basak, Chandramallika; Voss, Michelle W.; Erickson, Kirk I.; Boot, Walter R.; Kramer, Arthur F.

2015-01-01

Previous studies have found that differences in brain volume among older adults predict performance in laboratory tasks of executive control, memory, and motor learning. In the present study we asked whether regional differences in brain volume as assessed by the application of a voxel-based morphometry technique on high resolution MRI would also be useful in predicting the acquisition of skill in complex tasks, such as strategy-based video games. Twenty older adults were trained for over 20 hours to play Rise of Nations, a complex real-time strategy game. These adults showed substantial improvements over the training period in game performance. MRI scans obtained prior to training revealed that the volume of a number of brain regions, which have been previously associated with subsets of the trained skills, predicted a substantial amount of variance in learning on the complex game. Thus, regional differences in brain volume can predict learning in complex tasks that entail the use of a variety of perceptual, cognitive and motor processes. PMID:21546146

Regional differences in brain volume predict the acquisition of skill in a complex real-time strategy videogame.

PubMed

Basak, Chandramallika; Voss, Michelle W; Erickson, Kirk I; Boot, Walter R; Kramer, Arthur F

2011-08-01

Previous studies have found that differences in brain volume among older adults predict performance in laboratory tasks of executive control, memory, and motor learning. In the present study we asked whether regional differences in brain volume as assessed by the application of a voxel-based morphometry technique on high resolution MRI would also be useful in predicting the acquisition of skill in complex tasks, such as strategy-based video games. Twenty older adults were trained for over 20 h to play Rise of Nations, a complex real-time strategy game. These adults showed substantial improvements over the training period in game performance. MRI scans obtained prior to training revealed that the volume of a number of brain regions, which have been previously associated with subsets of the trained skills, predicted a substantial amount of variance in learning on the complex game. Thus, regional differences in brain volume can predict learning in complex tasks that entail the use of a variety of perceptual, cognitive and motor processes. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Volume-weighted measure for eternal inflation

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

Winitzki, Sergei

2008-08-15

I propose a new volume-weighted probability measure for cosmological 'multiverse' scenarios involving eternal inflation. The 'reheating-volume (RV) cutoff' calculates the distribution of observable quantities on a portion of the reheating hypersurface that is conditioned to be finite. The RV measure is gauge-invariant, does not suffer from the 'youngness paradox', and is independent of initial conditions at the beginning of inflation. In slow-roll inflationary models with a scalar inflaton, the RV-regulated probability distributions can be obtained by solving nonlinear diffusion equations. I discuss possible applications of the new measure to 'landscape' scenarios with bubble nucleation. As an illustration, I compute themore » predictions of the RV measure in a simple toy landscape.« less

Development of a weight/sizing design synthesis computer program. Volume 1: Program formulation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Garrison, J. M.

1973-01-01

The development of a weight/sizing design synthesis methodology for use in support of the main line space shuttle program is discussed. The methodology has a minimum number of data inputs and quick turn around capabilities. The methodology makes it possible to: (1) make weight comparisons between current shuttle configurations and proposed changes, (2) determine the effects of various subsystems trades on total systems weight, and (3) determine the effects of weight on performance and performance on weight.

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...

Incubator weaning in preterm infants and associated practice variation.

PubMed

Schneiderman, R; Kirkby, S; Turenne, W; Greenspan, J

2009-08-01

To evaluate the relationship of weight of preterm infants when first placed into an open crib with days to full oral feedings, growth velocity and length of stay (LOS), and to identify unwarranted variation in incubator weaning after adjusting for severity indices. A retrospective study using the ParadigmHealth neonatal database from 2003 to 2006 reviewed incubator weaning to an open crib in appropriate-for-gestational-age (AGA) infants from 22 to weeks gestation. Primary outcome measurements included days to full oral (PO) feeding, weight gain from open crib to discharge and length of stay. Models were severity adjusted. To understand hospital practice variation, we also used a regression model to estimate the weight at open crib for the top 10 volume hospitals. In all 2908 infants met the inclusion criteria for the study. Their mean weight at open crib was 1850 g. On average every additional 100 g an infant weighed at the open crib was associated with increased time to full PO feeding by 0.8 days, decreased weight gained per day by 1 gram and increased LOS by 0.9 days. For the top 10 volume hospitals, severity variables alone accounted for 9% of the variation in weight at open crib, whereas the hospital in which the baby was treated accounted for an additional 19% of the variation. Even after controlling for severity, significant practice variation exists in weaning to an open crib, leading to potential delays in achieving full-volume oral feeds, decreased growth velocity and prolonged LOS.

Granuloma Weight and the α1-acute Phase Protein Response in Rats Injected with Turpentine

PubMed Central

Darcy, D. A.

1970-01-01

Rats of 6 different age (and weight) groups were injected with turpentine subcutaneously in a single depot at 4 different doses per kg. body weight. In each age/weight group the weight of the turpentine granuloma produced at 48 hr was proportional to log turpentine dose. The 48 hr response of the α1-AP (acute phase) globulin was also proportional to log turpentine dose and was proportional to the granuloma weight. When rats of different age/weight groups were compared it was found that granuloma weight increased logarithmically with body weight for a given turpentine dose per kg. body weight. More remarkably, granuloma weight increased logarithmically with body weight for a constant volume of turpentine injected per rat, thus 0·2 ml. of turpentine gave an 0·65 g. granuloma in 60 g. (4-week old) rats and a 5 g. granuloma in 371 g. (40-week old) rats. The possibility of an age influence on this phenomenon was not excluded by these experiments. The α1-AP globulin response also increased logarithmically with body weight for a given turpentine dose per kg. body weight. For a constant volume of turpentine per rat, the response increased logarithmically with body weight and directly with granuloma weight. It was concluded that this acute phase protein response is closely correlated with the size of the lesion. There was some evidence, however, that the age of the rat may make a contribution to the response. The histology of the granulomata is described. PMID:4190826

Metalclad Airship Hull Study. Volume 1 and Volume 2

DTIC Science & Technology

1976-12-01

37.5% weight saving of the hull skin with a maximim pressure of 8.75 in. of water column and maximum-minimum pressure ratio still at comfortable 3.5. The...overall height of 118.98 in.to no more than 100.Oin. with considerable weight saving . Instead of the geometrical height of main frames equal to (.108...changed slightly to obtain uniform spacing. This has negligible effect on the result, but saves a considerable analysis timie. For the purpose of this

Rapid Weight Loss and the Body Fluid Balance and Hemoglobin Mass of Elite Amateur Boxers

PubMed Central

Reljic, Dejan; Hässler, Eike; Jost, Joachim; Friedmann-Bette, Birgit

2013-01-01

Context Dehydration is assumed to be a major adverse effect associated with rapid loss of body mass for competing in a lower weight class in combat sports. However, the effects of such weight cutting on body fluid balance in a real-life setting are unknown. Objective To examine the effects of 5% or greater loss of body mass within a few days before competition on body water, blood volume, and plasma volume in elite amateur boxers. Design Case-control study. Setting Sports medicine laboratory. Patients or Other Participants Seventeen male boxers (age = 19.2 ± 2.9 years, height = 175.1 ± 7.0 cm, mass = 65.6 ± 9.2 kg) were assigned to the weight-loss group (WLG; n = 10) or the control group (CON; n = 7). Intervention(s) The WLG reduced body mass by restricting fluid and food and inducing excessive sweat loss by adhering to individual methods. The CON participated in their usual precompetition training. Main Outcome Measure(s) During an ordinary training period (t-1), 2 days before competition (t-2), and 1 week after competition (t-3), we performed bioelectrical impedance measurements; calculated total body water, intracellular water, and extracellular water; and estimated total hemoglobin mass (tHbmass), blood volume, and plasma volume by the CO-rebreathing method. Results In the WLG, the loss of body mass (5.6% ± 1.7%) led to decreases in total body water (6.0% ± 0.9%), extracellular water (12.4% ± 7.6%), tHbmass (5.3% ± 3.8%), blood volume (7.6% ± 2.1%; P < .001), and plasma volume (8.6% ± 3.9%). The intracellular water did not change (P > .05). At t-3, total body water, extracellular water, and plasma volume had returned to near baseline values, but tHbmass and blood volume still were less than baseline values (P < .05). In CON, we found no changes (P > .05). Conclusions In a real-life setting, the loss of approximately 6% body mass within 5 days induced hypohydration, which became evident by the decreases in body water and plasma volume. The reduction in tHbmass was a surprising observation that needs further investigation. PMID:23672332

Destruction of inorganic municipal solid waste incinerator fly ash in a DC arc plasma furnace.

PubMed

Zhao, Peng; Ni, Guohua; Jiang, Yiman; Chen, Longwei; Chen, Mingzhou; Meng, Yuedong

2010-09-15

Due to the toxicity of dioxins, furans and heavy metals, there is a growing environmental concern on municipal solid waste incinerator (MSWI) fly ash in China. The purpose of this study is directed towards the volume-reduction of fly ash without any additive by thermal plasma and recycling of vitrified slag. This process uses extremely high-temperature in an oxygen-starved environment to completely decompose complex waste into very simple molecules. For developing the proper plasma processes to treat MSWI fly ash, a new crucible-type plasma furnace was built. The melting process metamorphosed fly ash to granulated slag that was less than 1/3 of the volume of the fly ash, and about 64% of the weight of the fly ash. The safety of the vitrified slag was tested. The properties of the slag were affected by the differences in the cooling methods. Water-cooled and composite-cooled slag showed more excellent resistance against the leaching of heavy metals and can be utilized as building material without toxicity problems. Copyright 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

[Application of medical imaging to general thoracic surgery].

PubMed

Oizumi, Hiroyuki

2014-07-01

Medical imaging technology is rapidly progressing. Positron emission tomography (PET) has played major role in the staging and choice of treatment modality in lung cancer patients. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is now routinely used for mediastinal tumors and the use of diffusion-weighted images (DWI) may help in the diagnosis of malignancies including lung cancers. The benefits of medical imaging technology are not limited to diagnostics, and include simulation or navigation for complex lung resection and other procedures. Multidetector row computed tomography (MDCT) shortens imaging time to obtain detailed and precise volume data, which improves diagnosis of small-sized lung cancers. 3-dimensional reconstruction of the volume data allows the safe performance of thoracoscopic surgery. For lung lobectomy, identification of the branching structures, diameter, and length of the arteries is useful in selecting the procedure for blood vessel treatment. For lung segmentectomy, visualization of venous branches in the affected segments and intersegmental veins has facilitated the preoperative determination of the anatomical intersegmental plane. Therefore, the application of medical imaging technology is useful in general thoracic surgery.

Relationship between the retinal microvasculature and renal volume in low-birth-weight babies.

PubMed

Kandasamy, Yogavijayan; Smith, Roger; Wright, Ian M R

2013-06-01

We performed a study to assess whether the development of the retinal microvasculature reflects nephron growth and therefore nephron number. In our study, we determined the association between kidney volume (nephron number) and the retinal microvasculature of term low-birth-weight (LBW) and normal-birth-weight (NBW) infants (11 LBW and 27 NBW). LBW infants had significantly larger retinal arteriolar and venular diameters (104.2 ± 21.4 versus 87.0 ± 12.7 μm; p = 0.004; 146.8 ± 19.5 versus 128.0 ± 19.5 μm; p = 0.01, respectively) compared with NBW infants. LBW infants also had smaller mean renal volumes (9.3 ± 2.3 versus 12.2 ± 3.1 ml; p = 0.008). There were negative correlations between retinal arteriolar and venular diameters and renal volumes (r = -0.34, p < 0.05; r = -0.37, p < 0.05, respectively). The larger the kidney (and, by implication, the greater the nephron number), the smaller are the diameters of retinal arterioles and venules. Thus, the degree of dilation of the retinal microvasculature provides an indirect index of renal growth. Thieme Medical Publishers 333 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001, USA.

36 CFR 228.59 - Negotiated or noncompetitive sales.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... noncompetitive sales. (a) Volume limitations. When it is determined by the authorized officer to be in the public... yards in volume (or weight equivalent) may be sold in any one sale at not less than the appraised value... the noncompetitive sale of mineral materials in excess of the volume limitations in paragraphs (a), (b...

The association between weight, height, and head circumference reconsidered.

PubMed

Scheffler, Christiane; Greil, Holle; Hermanussen, Michael

2017-05-01

Under normal nutritional and health conditions, body height, weight and head circumference are significantly related. We hypothesize that the apparent general association between weight, height, and head circumference of the growing child might be misleading. We reanalyzed data of 7,444 boys and 7,375 girls measured in East-Germany between 1986 and 1990, aged from 0 to 7 y with measurements of body length/height, leg length, sitting height, biacromial shoulder breadth, thoracic breadth, thoracic depth, thoracic circumference, body weight, head volume, percentage of body fat, and hip skinfold vertical, using principal component analysis. Strong associations exist between skeletal growth, fat accumulation, and head volume increments. Yet in spite of this general proportionality, skeletal growth, fat acquisition, and head growth exhibit different patterns. Three components explain between almost 60% and more than 75% of cumulative variance between birth and age 7 y. Parameters of skeletal growth predominantly load on the first component and clearly separate from indicators of fat deposition. After age of 2 y, head volume loads on a separate third component in both sexes indicating independence of head growth. Under appropriate nutritional and health circumstances, nutritional status, body size, and head circumference are not related.

Use of the Electronic Medical Record to Assess Pancreas Size in Type 1 Diabetes

PubMed Central

Virostko, John; Hilmes, Melissa; Eitel, Kelsey; Moore, Daniel J.; Powers, Alvin C.

2016-01-01

Aims This study harnessed the electronic medical record to assess pancreas volume in patients with type 1 diabetes (T1D) and matched controls to determine whether pancreas volume is altered in T1D and identify covariates that influence pancreas volume. Methods This study included 25 patients with T1D and 25 age-, sex-, and weight-matched controls from the Vanderbilt University Medical Center enterprise data warehouse. Measurements of pancreas volume were made from medical imaging studies using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or computed tomography (CT). Results Patients with T1D had a pancreas volume 47% smaller than matched controls (41.16 ml vs. 77.77 ml, P < 0.0001) as well as pancreas volume normalized by subject body weight, body mass index, or body surface area (all P < 0.0001). Pancreatic volume was smaller with a longer duration of T1D across the patient population (N = 25, P = 0.04). Additionally, four individual patients receiving multiple imaging scans displayed progressive declines in pancreas volume over time (~ 6% of volume/year), whereas five controls scanned a year apart did not exhibit a decline in pancreas size (P = 0.03). The pancreas was uniformly smaller on the right and left side of the abdomen. Conclusions Pancreas volume declines with disease duration in patients with T1D, suggesting a protracted pathological process that may include the exocrine pancreas. PMID:27391588

Implications of Starvation-Induced Change in Right Dorsal Anterior Cingulate Volume in Anorexia Nervosa

PubMed Central

McCormick, Laurie M.; Keel, Pamela K.; Brumm, Michael C.; Bowers, Wayne; Swayze, Victor; Andersen, Arnold; Andreasen, Nancy

2013-01-01

Objective Converging evidence suggests a role for the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) in the pathophysiology of anorexia nervosa (AN). This study sought to determine whether ACC volume was affected by starvation in active AN and, if so, whether this had any clinical significance. Method Eighteen patients with active AN and age- and gender-matched normal controls underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Sixteen patients (89%) with AN had intelligence quotients (IQ) testing at intake, 14 (78%) had repeat MRIs after weight normalization, and 10 (56%) had outcome data at 1-year post-hospitalization. Results Right dorsal ACC volume was significantly reduced in active AN patients versus controls and was correlated with lower performance IQ. While ACC normalization occurred with weight restoration, smaller change in right dorsal ACC volume prospectively predicted relapse after treatment. Conclusion Reduced right dorsal ACC volume during active AN relates to deficits in perceptual organization and conceptual reasoning. The degree of right dorsal ACC normalization during treatment is related to outcome. PMID:18473337

Implications of starvation-induced change in right dorsal anterior cingulate volume in anorexia nervosa.

PubMed

McCormick, Laurie M; Keel, Pamela K; Brumm, Michael C; Bowers, Wayne; Swayze, Victor; Andersen, Arnold; Andreasen, Nancy

2008-11-01

Converging evidence suggests a role for the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) in the pathophysiology of anorexia nervosa (AN). This study sought to determine whether ACC volume was affected by starvation in active AN and, if so, whether this had any clinical significance. Eighteen patients with active AN and age- and gender-matched normal controls underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Sixteen patients (89%) with AN had intelligence quotients (IQ) testing at intake, 14 (78%) had repeat MRIs after weight normalization, and 10 (56%) had outcome data at 1-year posthospitalization. Right dorsal ACC volume was significantly reduced in active AN patients versus controls and was correlated with lower performance IQ. While ACC normalization occurred with weight restoration, smaller change in right dorsal ACC volume prospectively predicted relapse after treatment. Reduced right dorsal ACC volume during active AN relates to deficits in perceptual organization and conceptual reasoning. The degree of right dorsal ACC normalization during treatment is related to outcome.

Sex Determination in Bees. IV. Genetic Control of Juvenile Hormone Production in MELIPONA QUADRIFASCIATA (Apidae)

PubMed Central

Kerr, Warwick Estevam; Akahira, Yukio; Camargo, Conceição A.

1975-01-01

Cell number and volume of corpora allata was determined for 8 phases of development, the first prepupal stage to adults 30 days old, in the social Apidae Melipona quadrifasciata. In the second prepupal stage a strong correlation was found between cell number and body weight ( r=0.651**), and cell number and corpora allata volume in prepupal stage (r=0.535*), which indicates that juvenile hormone has a definite role in caste determination in Melipona. The distribution of the volume of corpus allatum suggest a 3:1 segregation between bees with high volume of corpora allata against low and medium volume. This implies that genes xa and xb code for an enzyme that directly participates in juvenile hormone production. It was also concluded that the number of cells in the second prepupal stage is more important than the weight of the prepupa for caste determination. A scheme summarizing the genic control of sex and caste determination in Melipona bees in the prepupal phase is given. PMID:1213273

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

Various

This report covers the following titles: (1) Fertility and litter size of normally ovulated and artificially ovulated mice; (2) Further studies on sterility produced in male mice by deuterium oxide; (3) Planarian disaggregation; (4) Uptake of organic compounds by planarians. II; (5) Effects of environmental complexity and training on acetylcholinesterase and cholinesterase activity in rat brain; (6) Effects of environmental complexity and training on brain chemistry and anatomy among mature rats; (7) Improvements in paper chromatographic techniques for labeled cell extracts; (8) measurement and adjustment of pH in small volumes of solutions; (9) Carbon-14 and Nitrogen-15 tracer studies of aminomore » acid synthesis during photosynthesis by Chlorella Pyrenoidosa; (10) Photosynthesis of {sup 14}C-labeled protein from {sup 14}CO{sub 2} by Chlorella; (11) Further studies on carboxydismutase; (12) Electron microscopy of chlorophyll a crystals; (13) The possible role of chromanyl phosphates in oxidative and photosynthetic phosphorylation; (14) Oxidation-reductions of some coenzymes; (15) Preparation of some [{sup 14}C] labeled substances: glucose-6-phosphate, fructose-6-phosphate, 6-phosphogluconic acid, pyruvic acid, and succinic acid; (16) attempt to synthesize high molecular weight polynucleotides using Schramm's purely chemical method; and (17) Optical properties of some dye-polyanion complexes.« less

Spreading of Emulsions on Glass Substrates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mohammad Karim, Alireza; Kavehpour, Pirouz

2012-11-01

The wettability of emulsions is an important factor with explicit influence in an extensive variety of industrial applications ranging from the petroleum to food industries. Surprisingly, there is no comprehensive study of emulsion spreading to date; this is due to the complexity of the structure of the emulsions and non-homogeneity of the dispersed phase bubbles in size as well as distribution through the emulsion. The spreading of water/silicone oil emulsions on glass substrates was investigated. The emulsions were prepared with varying volume fractions of water dispersed in silicone oil, with addition of small amounts of surfactant to stabilize the emulsion structure. The time dependent variation of dynamic contact angle, base diameter, and the spreading rate of the droplets of an emulsion are different from a pure substance. The effect of water/silicone oil weight percentage as well as the droplet size and dispersed phase bubble size were also investigated. The weight percentage of water/silicone oil emulsion and droplet size did not have significant influence on the spreading dynamics; however the dispersed phase drop size affected the spreading dynamics substantially.

Plasma volume status predicts prognosis in patients with acute heart failure syndromes.

PubMed

Yoshihisa, Akiomi; Abe, Satoshi; Sato, Yu; Watanabe, Shunsuke; Yokokawa, Tetsuro; Miura, Shunsuke; Misaka, Tomofumi; Sato, Takamasa; Suzuki, Satoshi; Oikawa, Masayoshi; Kobayashi, Atsushi; Yamaki, Takayoshi; Kunii, Hiroyuki; Saitoh, Shu-Ichi; Takeishi, Yasuchika

2017-01-01

The intravascular compartment is known as the plasma volume, and the extravascular compartment represents fluid within the interstitial space. Plasma volume expansion is a major symptom of heart failure. The aim of the current study was to investigate the impact of plasma volume status on the prognosis of acute heart failure syndromes. We analyzed 1115 patients with acute heart failure syndromes who were admitted to our hospital. These patients were divided into three groups based on their plasma volume status at admission: first tertile (plasma volume status <41.9%, n = 371), second tertile (41.9%⩽ plasma volume status <49.0%, n = 372), and third tertile (49.0%⩽ plasma volume status, n = 372). Plasma volume status was defined as follows: actual plasma volume = (1 - hematocrit) × [ a + ( b × body weight)] ( a=1530 in males and a=864 in females, b=41.0 in males and b=47.9 in females); ideal plasma volume = c × body weight ( c=39 in males and c=40 in females); and plasma volume status = [(actual plasma volume - ideal plasma volume)/ideal plasma volume] × 100 (%). In the Kaplan-Meier analysis, all-cause mortality, cardiac mortality and cardiac events increased progressively from the first to third tertile ( p <0.001, respectively). In the Cox proportional hazard analysis, after adjusting for potential confounding factors, plasma volume status was an independent predictor of all-cause mortality (hazard ratio 1.429, p < 0.001), cardiac mortality (hazard ratio 1.416, p = 0.001) and cardiac events (hazard ratio 1.207, p = 0.004). Increased congestion is associated with increased morbidity and mortality in heart failure patients. Plasma volume status, which represents intravascular compartment and congestion, can identify poor prognosis in patients with acute heart failure syndromes.

The efficacy and safety of lixivaptan in outpatients with heart failure and volume overload: results of a multicentre, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group study.

PubMed

Ghali, Jalal K; Orlandi, Cesare; Abraham, William T

2012-06-01

Volume overload is the dominant feature of decompensated heart failure (HF) and it often results in adverse clinical outcomes. Vasopressin receptor antagonists such as lixivaptan may provide effective volume unloading. This study assessed weight loss after 1 day and 8 weeks of treatment with lixivaptan in outpatients with HF and volume overload. This phase II, 8-week, multicentre, double-blind, parallel-group study randomized participants (2:1) to receive lixivaptan 100 mg or placebo once daily (in addition to standard HF therapy). Body weight and cardiovascular assessments were made at baseline, Day 1 (not cardiovascular), Weeks 1, 2, 4, and 8, and 7 days post-treatment. The Trail-making Test, part B (TMT-B) and the Medical Outcomes Survey 6-item cognitive function scale (MOS-6) were assessed at baseline and Week 4. The study randomized 170 participants (lixivaptan, n = 111; placebo, n = 59). Most (97.1%) were receiving pharmacological therapy for HF at baseline. Demographic characteristics were generally similar between the two groups. Body weight decreased significantly from baseline to Day 1 with lixivaptan vs. placebo (least-square mean change ± standard error: - 0.38 ± 0.08 kg vs. +0.13 ± 0.11 kg; P < 0.001) and at Weeks 1, 2, and 4 (P < 0.01). Cardiovascular changes were generally similar in both groups, though orthopnoea and dyspnoea improved in the lixivaptan group vs. placebo. The TMT-B and MOS-6 showed no significant differences between groups. Lixivaptan was well tolerated-thirst and polyuria occurred more frequently vs. placebo. In outpatients with HF and volume overload, lixivaptan 100 mg once daily, when added to standard therapy, reduced body weight, improved dyspnoea and orthopnoea, and was well tolerated. NCT01055912.

40 CFR 761.1 - Applicability.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... concentrations shall be determined on a weight-per-weight basis (e.g., milligrams per kilogram), or for liquids, on a weight-per-volume basis (e.g., milligrams per liter) if the density of the liquid is also... µg/100 cm2. (4) PCBs can be found in liquid, non-liquid and multi-phasic (combinations of liquid and...

Sensitivity of FIA Volume Estimates to Changes in Stratum Weights and Number of Strata

Treesearch

James A. Westfall; Michael Hoppus

2005-01-01

In the Northeast region, the USDA Forest Service Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) program utilizes stratified sampling techniques to improve the precision of population estimates. Recently, interpretation of aerial photographs was replaced with classified remotely sensed imagery to determine stratum weights and plot stratum assignments. However, stratum weights...

Associations between measures of adiposity over 10 years and patella cartilage in population-based asymptomatic women.

PubMed

Gunardi, A J; Brennan, S L; Wang, Y; Cicuttini, F M; Pasco, J A; Kotowicz, M A; Nicholson, G C; Wluka, A E

2013-12-01

Osteoarthritis (OA) most commonly affects the patellofemoral compartment of the knee, and is a major cause of pain and disability. Structural changes that evolve prior to the onset of symptoms can be visualised using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). There is little known information about the role of adiposity on the early structural changes in the patella cartilage in younger, asymptomatic adult females. One hundred and sixty asymptomatic women (20-49 years) participating in the Geelong Osteoporosis Study underwent knee MRI (2006-8). Weight and body mass index (BMI) were measured 10 years prior (1994-7, baseline) and at the time of MRI (current), with change over the period calculated (current-baseline). Relationships between measures of adiposity and patella cartilage volume and defects were examined. After adjustment for age and patella bone volume, there was a reduction of 13 ml (95% confidence interval (95% CI), -25.7, -0.55) in patella cartilage volume for every 1 unit increase in current BMI, and a reduction of 27 ml (95% CI -52.6, -1.5) per BMI unit increase over 10 years (P=0.04 for both). No significant association was observed between baseline BMI and patella cartilage volume (P=0.16). Increased baseline and current weight and BMI were associated with increased prevalence of patella cartilage defects (all P<0.001). Adiposity and weight gain during midlife are associated with detrimental structural change at the patella in young to middle-aged healthy non-osteoarthritic women. Maintaining a healthy weight and avoiding weight gain in younger asymptomatic women may be important in the prevention of patellofemoral OA.

Growth of the eye lens: II. Allometric studies.

PubMed

Augusteyn, Robert C

2014-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the ontogeny and phylogeny of lens growth in a variety of species using allometry. Data on the accumulation of wet and/or dry lens weight as a function of bodyweight were obtained for 40 species and subjected to allometric analysis to examine ontogenic growth and compaction. Allometric analysis was also used to compare the maximum adult lens weights for 147 species with the maximum adult bodyweight and to compare lens volumes calculated from wet and dry weights with eye volumes calculated from axial length. Linear allometric relationships were obtained for the comparison of ontogenic lens and bodyweight accumulation. The body mass exponent (BME) decreased with increasing animal size from around 1.0 in small rodents to 0.4 in large ungulates for both wet and dry weights. Compaction constants for the ontogenic growth ranged from 1.00 in birds and reptiles up to 1.30 in mammals. Allometric comparison of maximum lens wet and dry weights with maximum bodyweights also yielded linear plots with a BME of 0.504 for all warm blooded species except primates which had a BME of 0.25. When lens volumes were compared with eye volumes, all species yielded a scaling constant of 0.75 but the proportionality constants for primates and birds were lower. Ontogenic lens growth is fastest, relative to body growth, in small animals and slowest in large animals. Fiber cell compaction takes place throughout life in most species, but not in birds and reptiles. Maximum adult lens size scales with eye size with the same exponent in all species, but birds and primates have smaller lenses relative to eye size than other species. Optical properties of the lens are generated through the combination of variations in the rate of growth, rate of compaction, shape and size.

A Water Vapor Differential Absorption LIDAR Design for Unpiloted Aerial Vehicles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

DeYoung, Russell J.; Mead, Patricia F.

2004-01-01

This system study proposes the deployment of a water vapor Differential Absorption LIDAR (DIAL) system on an Altair unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) platform. The Altair offers improved payload weight and volume performance, and longer total flight time as compared to other commercial UAV's. This study has generated a preliminary design for an Altair based water vapor DIAL system. The design includes a proposed DIAL schematic, a review of mechanical challenges such as temperature and humidity stresses on UAV deployed DIAL systems, an assessment of the available capacity for additional instrumentation (based on the proposed design), and an overview of possible weight and volume improvements associated with the use of customized electronic and computer hardware, and through the integration of advanced fiber-optic and laser products. The results of the study show that less than 17% of the available weight, less than 19% of the volume capacity, and approximately 11% of the electrical capacity is utilized by the proposed water vapor DIAL system on the Altair UAV.

Mathematical model for determining the effects of intracytoplasmic inclusions on volume and density of microorganisms.

PubMed Central

Mas, J; Pedrós-Alió, C; Guerrero, R

1985-01-01

Procaryotic microorganisms accumulate several polymers in the form of intracellular inclusions as a strategy to increase survival in a changing environment. Such inclusions avoid osmotic pressure increases by tightly packaging certain macromolecules into the inclusion. In the present paper, a model describing changes in volume and density of the microbial cell as a function of the weight of the macromolecule forming the inclusion is derived from simple theoretical principles. The model is then tested by linear regression with experimental data from glycogen accumulation in Escherichia coli, poly-beta-hydroxybutyrate accumulation in Alcaligenes eutrophus, and sulfur accumulation in Chromatium spp. The model predicts a certain degree of hydration of the polymer in the inclusion and explains both the linear relationship between volume of the cell and weight of the polymer and the hyperbolic relationship between density of the cell and weight of the polymer. Other implications of the model are also discussed. PMID:3902798

Age-related differences in the structural complexity of subcortical and ventricular structures.

PubMed

Madan, Christopher R; Kensinger, Elizabeth A

2017-02-01

It has been well established that the volume of several subcortical structures decreases in relation to age. Different metrics of cortical structure (e.g., volume, thickness, surface area, and gyrification) have been shown to index distinct characteristics of interindividual differences; thus, it is important to consider the relation of age to multiple structural measures. Here, we compare age-related differences in subcortical and ventricular volume to those differences revealed with a measure of structural complexity, quantified as fractal dimensionality. Across 3 large data sets, totaling nearly 900 individuals across the adult lifespan (aged 18-94 years), we found greater age-related differences in complexity than volume for the subcortical structures, particularly in the caudate and thalamus. The structural complexity of ventricular structures was not more strongly related to age than volume. These results demonstrate that considering shape-related characteristics improves sensitivity to detect age-related differences in subcortical structures. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Age and prostate volume are risk factors for transient urinary incontinence after transurethral enucleation with bipolar for benign prostatic hyperplasia.

PubMed

Hirasawa, Yosuke; Kato, Yuji; Fujita, Kiichiro

2018-01-01

To investigate the predictive factors for transient urinary incontinence after transurethral enucleation with bipolar. We retrospectively analyzed the data of 584 patients who underwent transurethral enucleation with bipolar between December 2011 and September 2016 operated by a single surgeon. Urinary incontinence after transurethral enucleation with bipolar was defined as involuntary leakage of urine that required the use of pads. It was evaluated at 1 week, and 1, 3, 6, 12 and 24 months after transurethral enucleation with bipolar. We defined transient urinary incontinence as urinary incontinence persisting up to 1 month after transurethral enucleation with bipolar. Based on independent risk factors identified by a multivariate stepwise logistic regression analysis, a nomogram to predict transient urinary incontinence was developed. Of the 584 patients, 17.3%, 13.5%, 3.1%, 0.41%, and 0% patients had urinary incontinence at 1 week, 1, 3, 6 and 12 months after transurethral enucleation with bipolar, respectively. The mean (±standard error) age was 69.6 ± 0.26 years, estimated prostate volume was 54.7 ± 0.91 cm 3 , operative time was 58.0 ± 1.1 min and the prostate specimen weight was 30.6 ± 0.69 g. On univariate analysis, age, prostate volume estimated by transrectal ultrasonography, prostate-specific antigen, prostate specimen weight, operative time, prostate specimen weight/prostate volume and prostate specimen weight/operative time were significant predictive factors for transient urinary incontinence after transurethral enucleation with bipolar. On multivariate analysis, age (hazard ratio 1.07, P-value = 0.0034) and prostate volume (hazard ratio 1.03, P-value < 0.0001) were independent risk factors for transient urinary incontinence after transurethral enucleation with bipolar. Age and prostate volume estimated by transrectal ultrasonography seem to represent significant independent risk factors for transient urinary incontinence after transurethral enucleation with bipolar. This should be well discussed with the patient before surgery. © 2017 The Japanese Urological Association.

Correlation between hippocampal volumes and medial temporal lobe atrophy in patients with Alzheimer's disease.

PubMed

Dhikav, Vikas; Duraiswamy, Sharmila; Anand, Kuljeet Singh

2017-01-01

Hippocampus undergoes atrophy in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD). Calculation of hippocampal volumes can be done by a variety of methods using T1-weighted images of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain. Medial temporal lobes atrophy (MTL) can be rated visually using T1-weighted MRI brain images. The present study was done to see if any correlation existed between hippocampal volumes and visual rating scores of the MTL using Scheltens Visual Rating Method. We screened 84 subjects presented to the Department of Neurology of a Tertiary Care Hospital and enrolled forty subjects meeting the National Institute of Neurological and Communicative Disorders and Stroke, AD related Disease Association criteria. Selected patients underwent MRI brain and T1-weighted images in a plane perpendicular to long axis of hippocampus were obtained. Hippocampal volumes were calculated manually using a standard protocol. The calculated hippocampal volumes were correlated with Scheltens Visual Rating Method for Rating MTL. A total of 32 cognitively normal age-matched subjects were selected to see the same correlation in the healthy subjects as well. Sensitivity and specificity of both methods was calculated and compared. There was an insignificant correlation between the hippocampal volumes and MTL rating scores in cognitively normal elderly ( n = 32; Pearson Correlation coefficient = 0.16, P > 0.05). In the AD Group, there was a moderately strong correlation between measured hippocampal volumes and MTL Rating (Pearson's correlation coefficient = -0.54; P < 0.05. There was a moderately strong correlation between hippocampal volume and Mini-Mental Status Examination in the AD group. Manual delineation was superior compared to the visual method ( P < 0.05). Good correlation was present between manual hippocampal volume measurements and MTL scores. Sensitivity and specificity of manual measurement of hippocampus was higher compared to visual rating scores for MTL in patients with AD.

Correlation between hippocampal volumes and medial temporal lobe atrophy in patients with Alzheimer's disease

PubMed Central

Dhikav, Vikas; Duraiswamy, Sharmila; Anand, Kuljeet Singh

2017-01-01

Introduction: Hippocampus undergoes atrophy in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD). Calculation of hippocampal volumes can be done by a variety of methods using T1-weighted images of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain. Medial temporal lobes atrophy (MTL) can be rated visually using T1-weighted MRI brain images. The present study was done to see if any correlation existed between hippocampal volumes and visual rating scores of the MTL using Scheltens Visual Rating Method. Materials and Methods: We screened 84 subjects presented to the Department of Neurology of a Tertiary Care Hospital and enrolled forty subjects meeting the National Institute of Neurological and Communicative Disorders and Stroke, AD related Disease Association criteria. Selected patients underwent MRI brain and T1-weighted images in a plane perpendicular to long axis of hippocampus were obtained. Hippocampal volumes were calculated manually using a standard protocol. The calculated hippocampal volumes were correlated with Scheltens Visual Rating Method for Rating MTL. A total of 32 cognitively normal age-matched subjects were selected to see the same correlation in the healthy subjects as well. Sensitivity and specificity of both methods was calculated and compared. Results: There was an insignificant correlation between the hippocampal volumes and MTL rating scores in cognitively normal elderly (n = 32; Pearson Correlation coefficient = 0.16, P > 0.05). In the AD Group, there was a moderately strong correlation between measured hippocampal volumes and MTL Rating (Pearson's correlation coefficient = −0.54; P < 0.05. There was a moderately strong correlation between hippocampal volume and Mini-Mental Status Examination in the AD group. Manual delineation was superior compared to the visual method (P < 0.05). Conclusions: Good correlation was present between manual hippocampal volume measurements and MTL scores. Sensitivity and specificity of manual measurement of hippocampus was higher compared to visual rating scores for MTL in patients with AD. PMID:28298839

Relationship between Contrast Enhancement of the Perivascular Space in the Basal Ganglia and Endolymphatic Volume Ratio.

PubMed

Ohashi, Toshio; Naganawa, Shinji; Katagiri, Toshio; Kuno, Kayao

2018-01-10

We routinely obtain the endolymphatic hydrops (EH) image using heavily T 2 -weighted three dimensional-fluid attenuated inversion recovery (hT 2 w-3D-FLAIR) imaging at 4 hours after intravenous administration of a single-dose of gadolinium-based contrast media (IV-SD-GBCM). While repeating the examination, we speculated that the contrast enhancement of the perivascular space (PVS) in the basal ganglia might be related to the degree of EH. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between the endolymphatic volume ratio (%EL volume ) and the signal intensity of the PVS (SI-PVS). In 20 patients with a suspicion of EH, a heavily T 2 -weighted 3D-turbo spin echo sequence for MR cisternography (MRC) and an hT 2 w-3D-FLAIR as a positive perilymph image (PPI) were obtained at 4 hours after IV-SD-GBCM. The %EL volume of the cochlea and the vestibule were measured on the previously reported HYDROPS2-Mi2 image. The PVS in the basal ganglia was segmented on MRC using a region-growing method. The PVS regions were copied and pasted onto the PPI, and the SI-PVS was measured. The larger value of the right and the left ears was employed as the %EL volume , and the weighted average of both sides was employed as the SI-PVS. The correlation between the %EL volume and the SI-PVS was evaluated. There was a strong negative linear correlation between the %EL volume of the cochlea and the SI-PVS (r = -0.743, P < 0.001); however, there was no significant correlation between the %EL volume of the vestibule and the SI-PVS (r = -0.267, P = 0.256). There was a strong negative correlation between the cochlear %EL volume and the SI-PVS. Contrast enhancement of PVS might be a biomarker of EH.

The effect of body mass and sex on the accuracy of respiratory magnetometers for measurement of end-expiratory lung volumes.

PubMed

Avraam, Joanne; Bourke, Rosie; Trinder, John; Nicholas, Christian L; Brazzale, Danny; O'Donoghue, Fergal J; Rochford, Peter D; Jordan, Amy S

2016-11-01

Respiratory magnetometers are increasingly being used in sleep studies to measure changes in end-expiratory lung volume (EELV), including in obese obstructive sleep apnea patients. Despite this, the accuracy of magnetometers has not been confirmed in obese patients nor compared between sexes. Thus we compared spirometer-measured and magnetometer-estimated lung volume and tidal volume changes during voluntary end-expiratory lung volume changes of 1.5, 1, and 0.5 l above and 0.5 l below functional respiratory capacity in supine normal-weight [body mass index (BMI) < 25 kg/m] and healthy obese (BMI > 30 kg/m) men and women. Two different magnetometer calibration techniques proposed by Banzett et al. [Banzett RB, Mahan ST, Garner DM, Brughera A, Loring SH. J Appl Physiol (1985) 79: 2169-2176, 1995] and Sackner et al. [Sackner MA, Watson H, Belsito AS, Feinerman D, Suarez M, Gonzalez G, Bizousky F, Krieger B. J Appl Physiol (1985) 66: 410-420, 1989] were assessed. Across all groups and target volumes, magnetometers overestimated spirometer-measured EELV by ~65 ml (<0.001) with no difference between techniques (0.07). The Banzett method overestimated the spirometer EELV change in normal-weight women for all target volumes except +0.5 l, whereas no differences between mass or sex groups were observed for the Sackner technique. The variability of breath-to-breath measures of EELV was significantly higher for obese compared with nonobese subjects and was higher for the Sackner than Banzett technique. On the other hand, for tidal volume, both calibration techniques underestimated spirometer measurements (<0.001), with the underestimation being more marked for the Banzett than Sackner technique (0.03), in obese than normal weight (<0.001) and in men than in women (0.003). These results indicate that both body mass and sex affect the accuracy of respiratory magnetometers in measuring EELV and tidal volume. Copyright © 2016 the American Physiological Society.

Stress, Aging and Thirst

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Greenleaf, John E.

1998-01-01

After growth during adolesence, total body water decreases progressively with aging from 65% of body weight to about 53% of body weight in the 70th decade; a majority of the loss occurs from the extracellular volume, from 42% to about 25%, respectively. Cellular volume also reaches equilibrium in the 70th decade at about 25% of body weight. Various stresses such as exercise, heat and attitude exposure, ad prior dehydration attenuate voluntary fluid intake (involuntary dehydration). Voluntary fluid intake appears to decrease with aging (involuntary dehydration in this sense aging can be considered as a stress. Kidney function and muscle mass (80% water) decrease somewhat with aging, and voluntary fluid intake (thirst) is also attenuated. Thirst is stimulated by increasing osmolality (hypernatremia) of the extracellular fluid and by decreased extracellular volume (mainly plasma volume) which act to increase intracellular fluid volume osmolality to activiate drinking. The latter decreases fluid compartment osmolality which ' It terminates drinking. However, this drinking mechanism seems to be attenuated with aging such that increasing plasma osmolality no longer stimulates fluid intake appropriately. Hypernatremia in the elderly has been associated all too frequently with greater incidence of bacterial infection and increased mortality. Involuntary dehydration can be overcome in young men by acclimation to an intermittent exercise-in-heat training program. Perhaps exercise training in the elderly would also increase voluntary fluid intake and increase muscle mass to enhance retention of water.

A mass-density model can account for the size-weight illusion

PubMed Central

Bergmann Tiest, Wouter M.; Drewing, Knut

2018-01-01

When judging the heaviness of two objects with equal mass, people perceive the smaller and denser of the two as being heavier. Despite the large number of theories, covering bottom-up and top-down approaches, none of them can fully account for all aspects of this size-weight illusion and thus for human heaviness perception. Here we propose a new maximum-likelihood estimation model which describes the illusion as the weighted average of two heaviness estimates with correlated noise: One estimate derived from the object’s mass, and the other from the object’s density, with estimates’ weights based on their relative reliabilities. While information about mass can directly be perceived, information about density will in some cases first have to be derived from mass and volume. However, according to our model at the crucial perceptual level, heaviness judgments will be biased by the objects’ density, not by its size. In two magnitude estimation experiments, we tested model predictions for the visual and the haptic size-weight illusion. Participants lifted objects which varied in mass and density. We additionally varied the reliability of the density estimate by varying the quality of either visual (Experiment 1) or haptic (Experiment 2) volume information. As predicted, with increasing quality of volume information, heaviness judgments were increasingly biased towards the object’s density: Objects of the same density were perceived as more similar and big objects were perceived as increasingly lighter than small (denser) objects of the same mass. This perceived difference increased with an increasing difference in density. In an additional two-alternative forced choice heaviness experiment, we replicated that the illusion strength increased with the quality of volume information (Experiment 3). Overall, the results highly corroborate our model, which seems promising as a starting point for a unifying framework for the size-weight illusion and human heaviness perception. PMID:29447183

A mass-density model can account for the size-weight illusion.

PubMed

Wolf, Christian; Bergmann Tiest, Wouter M; Drewing, Knut

2018-01-01

When judging the heaviness of two objects with equal mass, people perceive the smaller and denser of the two as being heavier. Despite the large number of theories, covering bottom-up and top-down approaches, none of them can fully account for all aspects of this size-weight illusion and thus for human heaviness perception. Here we propose a new maximum-likelihood estimation model which describes the illusion as the weighted average of two heaviness estimates with correlated noise: One estimate derived from the object's mass, and the other from the object's density, with estimates' weights based on their relative reliabilities. While information about mass can directly be perceived, information about density will in some cases first have to be derived from mass and volume. However, according to our model at the crucial perceptual level, heaviness judgments will be biased by the objects' density, not by its size. In two magnitude estimation experiments, we tested model predictions for the visual and the haptic size-weight illusion. Participants lifted objects which varied in mass and density. We additionally varied the reliability of the density estimate by varying the quality of either visual (Experiment 1) or haptic (Experiment 2) volume information. As predicted, with increasing quality of volume information, heaviness judgments were increasingly biased towards the object's density: Objects of the same density were perceived as more similar and big objects were perceived as increasingly lighter than small (denser) objects of the same mass. This perceived difference increased with an increasing difference in density. In an additional two-alternative forced choice heaviness experiment, we replicated that the illusion strength increased with the quality of volume information (Experiment 3). Overall, the results highly corroborate our model, which seems promising as a starting point for a unifying framework for the size-weight illusion and human heaviness perception.

Development and Testing of a Magnetically Actuated Capsule Endoscopy for Obesity Treatment

PubMed Central

Do, Thanh Nho; Seah, Tian En Timothy; Yu, Ho Khek; Phee, Soo Jay

2016-01-01

Intra-gastric balloons (IGB) have become an efficient and less invasive method for obesity treatment. The use of traditional IGBs require complex insertion tools and flexible endoscopes to place and remove the balloon inside the patient’s stomach, which may cause discomfort and complications to the patient. This paper introduces a new ingestible weight-loss capsule with a magnetically remote-controlled inflatable and deflatable balloon. To inflate the balloon, biocompatible effervescent chemicals are used. As the source of the actuation is provided via external magnetic fields, the magnetic capsule size can be significantly reduced compared to current weight-loss capsules in the literature. In addition, there are no limitations on the power supply. To lose weight, the obese subject needs only to swallow the magnetic capsule with a glass of water. Once the magnetic capsule has reached the patient’s stomach, the balloon will be wirelessly inflated to occupy gastric space and give the feeling of satiety. The balloon can be wirelessly deflated at any time to allow the magnetic capsule to travel down the intestine and exit the body via normal peristalsis. The optimal ratio between the acid and base to provide the desired gas volume is experimentally evaluated and presented. A prototype capsule (9.6mm x 27mm) is developed and experimentally validated in ex-vivo experiments. The unique ease of delivery and expulsion of the proposed magnetic capsule is slated to make this development a good treatment option for people seeking to lose excess weight. PMID:26815309

The impact of BMI on sperm parameters and the metabolite changes of seminal plasma concomitantly.

PubMed

Guo, Dan; Wu, Wei; Tang, Qiuqin; Qiao, Shanlei; Chen, Yiqiu; Chen, Minjian; Teng, Mengying; Lu, Chuncheng; Ding, Hongjuan; Xia, Yankai; Hu, Lingqing; Chen, Daozhen; Sha, Jiahao; Wang, Xinru

2017-07-25

The development of male infertility increased rapidly worldwide, which coinciding with the epidemic of obesity. However, the impact of weight abnormalities on sperm quality is still contestable. To assess the correlation between BMI and sperm parameters, we searched relevant articles in PubMed, Embase, Web of science, and Wanfang database published until June 2015 without language restriction. Otherwise, we also recruited some participants who attended fertility clinic as well as some general populations in this report. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis about BMI and sperm parameters containing total sperm count, concentration, semen volume and sperm motility (overall and progressive). Metabolomic analysis of seminal plasma was performed to explore the mechanism from a new perspective. This study found standardized weighted mean differences (SMD) in sperm parameters (total sperm count, sperm concentration, and semen volume) of abnormal weight groups decreased to different degree compared to normal weight. Dose-response analysis found SMD of sperm count, sperm concentration and semen volume respectively fell 2.4%, 1.3% and 2.0% compared with normal weight for every 5-unit increase in BMI. Metabolomic analysis of seminal plasma showed that spermidine and spermine were likely to play a vital role in the spermatogenesis progress. This systematic review with meta-analysis has confirmed there was a relationship between BMI and sperm quality, suggesting obesity may be a detrimental factor of male infertility.

[Effects of performance-volume limit on the institutional financing of the Clinical Centre of the University of Pécs, Hungary].

PubMed

Endrei, Dóra; Kollár, Lajos; Bódis, József; Imhof, Gábor; Zemplényi, Antal; Vas, Gábor; Boncz, Imre

2010-08-01

The aim of our study is to demonstrate the effects of performance-volume limit (PVL) on the institutional financing of the Clinical Centre of the University of Pécs (CC UP). The data involved in the analysis are based on the reports towards the National Health Insurance Fund Administration (NHIFA), concerning the active inpatient care by specialist in the period between 2004 and 2008. We determined the real NHIFA reimbursement per weighted case number and the financial loss caused by the PVL. We analyzed the proportion of local health care obligation and urgency cases in comparison of various clinics. The reimbursement per weighted case number of CC UP has been less than the pre-announced NHIFA amounts after the installation of PVL. During the examined 5 years, i.e. 2004-2008, the loss in case of CC UP has been up to 3.256 million HUF due to the PVL. Concerning the whole of CC UP it means that 25.3 % of the treated cases and 24.5 % of the executed weighted case number has been out of local health care obligation. Studying the ratio of urgency cases inside the total volume of medical attendance, it is represented that 31.5 % of the cases and 36.1 % of the weighted case numbers came from the treatment of urgency cases. The introduction of performance-volume limit considerably reduced the health insurance financing of CC UP between 2004 and 2008.

A framework to analyze cerebral mean diffusivity using surface guided diffusion mapping in diffusion tensor imaging

PubMed Central

Kwon, Oh-Hun; Park, Hyunjin; Seo, Sang-Won; Na, Duk L.; Lee, Jong-Min

2015-01-01

The mean diffusivity (MD) value has been used to describe microstructural properties in Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI) in cortical gray matter (GM). Recently, researchers have applied a cortical surface generated from the T1-weighted volume. When the DTI data are analyzed using the cortical surface, it is important to assign an accurate MD value from the volume space to the vertex of the cortical surface, considering the anatomical correspondence between the DTI and the T1-weighted image. Previous studies usually sampled the MD value using the nearest-neighbor (NN) method or Linear method, even though there are geometric distortions in diffusion-weighted volumes. Here we introduce a Surface Guided Diffusion Mapping (SGDM) method to compensate for such geometric distortions. We compared our SGDM method with results using NN and Linear methods by investigating differences in the sampled MD value. We also projected the tissue classification results of non-diffusion-weighted volumes to the cortical midsurface. The CSF probability values provided by the SGDM method were lower than those produced by the NN and Linear methods. The MD values provided by the NN and Linear methods were significantly greater than those of the SGDM method in regions suffering from geometric distortion. These results indicate that the NN and Linear methods assigned the MD value in the CSF region to the cortical midsurface (GM region). Our results suggest that the SGDM method is an effective way to correct such mapping errors. PMID:26236180

Automated IMRT planning with regional optimization using planning scripts

PubMed Central

Wong, Eugene; Bzdusek, Karl; Lock, Michael; Chen, Jeff Z.

2013-01-01

Intensity‐modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) has become a standard technique in radiation therapy for treating different types of cancers. Various class solutions have been developed for simple cases (e.g., localized prostate, whole breast) to generate IMRT plans efficiently. However, for more complex cases (e.g., head and neck, pelvic nodes), it can be time‐consuming for a planner to generate optimized IMRT plans. To generate optimal plans in these more complex cases which generally have multiple target volumes and organs at risk, it is often required to have additional IMRT optimization structures such as dose limiting ring structures, adjust beam geometry, select inverse planning objectives and associated weights, and additional IMRT objectives to reduce cold and hot spots in the dose distribution. These parameters are generally manually adjusted with a repeated trial and error approach during the optimization process. To improve IMRT planning efficiency in these more complex cases, an iterative method that incorporates some of these adjustment processes automatically in a planning script is designed, implemented, and validated. In particular, regional optimization has been implemented in an iterative way to reduce various hot or cold spots during the optimization process that begins with defining and automatic segmentation of hot and cold spots, introducing new objectives and their relative weights into inverse planning, and turn this into an iterative process with termination criteria. The method has been applied to three clinical sites: prostate with pelvic nodes, head and neck, and anal canal cancers, and has shown to reduce IMRT planning time significantly for clinical applications with improved plan quality. The IMRT planning scripts have been used for more than 500 clinical cases. PACS numbers: 87.55.D, 87.55.de PMID:23318393

Scan-rescan reproducibility of CT densitometric measures of emphysema

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chong, D.; van Rikxoort, E. M.; Kim, H. J.; Goldin, J. G.; Brown, M. S.

2011-03-01

This study investigated the reproducibility of HRCT densitometric measures of emphysema in patients scanned twice one week apart. 24 emphysema patients from a multicenter study were scanned at full inspiration (TLC) and expiration (RV), then again a week later for four scans total. Scans for each patient used the same scanner and protocol, except for tube current in three patients. Lung segmentation with gross airway removal was performed on the scans. Volume, weight, mean lung density (MLD), relative area under -950HU (RA-950), and 15th percentile (PD-15) were calculated for TLC, and volume and an airtrapping mask (RA-air) between -950 and -850HU for RV. For each measure, absolute differences were computed for each scan pair, and linear regression was performed against volume difference in a subgroup with volume difference <500mL. Two TLC scan pairs were excluded due to segmentation failure. The mean lung volumes were 5802 +/- 1420mL for TLC, 3878 +/- 1077mL for RV. The mean absolute differences were 169mL for TLC volume, 316mL for RV volume, 14.5g for weight, 5.0HU for MLD, 0.66p.p. for RA-950, 2.4HU for PD-15, and 3.1p.p. for RA-air. The <500mL subgroup had 20 scan pairs for TLC and RV. The R2 values were 0.8 for weight, 0.60 for MLD, 0.29 for RA-950, 0.31 for PD-15, and 0.64 for RA-air. Our results indicate that considerable variability exists in densitometric measures over one week that cannot be attributed to breathhold or physiology. This has implications for clinical trials relying on these measures to assess emphysema treatment efficacy.

Comparison of the morphometric features of the left and right horse kidneys: a stereological approach.

PubMed

Bolat, D; Bahar, S; Tipirdamaz, S; Selcuk, M L

2013-12-01

The aims of this study were to determine the total volume of the horse kidney and volume fractions of its functional subcomponents (cortex, medulla, renal pelvis) using stereological methods and investigate any possible difference in the functional subcomponents of the right and left kidneys that may arise from differences in shape. The study was carried out on the kidneys of 5 horses of different breed and sex. The weight of the kidneys was measured by a digital scale, and kidney volume was calculated by Archimedes' principle. Total kidney volume and volume fractions of subcomponents of the right and left kidneys were estimated by the Cavalieri's principle. The weights of the right and left kidneys were 550 ± 25 g and 585 ± 23 g, respectively. The volumes of the right and left kidneys estimated using the Cavalieri method were 542 ± 46 ml and 581 ± 29 ml. The relative organ weight of the kidneys was calculated as 1:330. The densities of the right and left kidneys were determined to be 1.01 and 1.00, respectively. The mean volume fractions of the cortex, medulla and renal pelvis were determined as 55.6, 42.7 and 1.7 in both kidneys. No statistically significant difference existed between morphometric data pertaining to the right and left kidneys (P > 0.05). To determine precisely whether differences in shape cause any difference in the functional subcomponents of the right and left kidneys requires further investigation of differences in the number of microscopically functional unit of the kidney such as renal glomeruli and nephrons. © 2013 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

Comparison of T1-weighted 2D TSE, 3D SPGR, and two-point 3D Dixon MRI for automated segmentation of visceral adipose tissue at 3 Tesla.

PubMed

Fallah, Faezeh; Machann, Jürgen; Martirosian, Petros; Bamberg, Fabian; Schick, Fritz; Yang, Bin

2017-04-01

To evaluate and compare conventional T1-weighted 2D turbo spin echo (TSE), T1-weighted 3D volumetric interpolated breath-hold examination (VIBE), and two-point 3D Dixon-VIBE sequences for automatic segmentation of visceral adipose tissue (VAT) volume at 3 Tesla by measuring and compensating for errors arising from intensity nonuniformity (INU) and partial volume effects (PVE). The body trunks of 28 volunteers with body mass index values ranging from 18 to 41.2 kg/m 2 (30.02 ± 6.63 kg/m 2 ) were scanned at 3 Tesla using three imaging techniques. Automatic methods were applied to reduce INU and PVE and to segment VAT. The automatically segmented VAT volumes obtained from all acquisitions were then statistically and objectively evaluated against the manually segmented (reference) VAT volumes. Comparing the reference volumes with the VAT volumes automatically segmented over the uncorrected images showed that INU led to an average relative volume difference of -59.22 ± 11.59, 2.21 ± 47.04, and -43.05 ± 5.01 % for the TSE, VIBE, and Dixon images, respectively, while PVE led to average differences of -34.85 ± 19.85, -15.13 ± 11.04, and -33.79 ± 20.38 %. After signal correction, differences of -2.72 ± 6.60, 34.02 ± 36.99, and -2.23 ± 7.58 % were obtained between the reference and the automatically segmented volumes. A paired-sample two-tailed t test revealed no significant difference between the reference and automatically segmented VAT volumes of the corrected TSE (p = 0.614) and Dixon (p = 0.969) images, but showed a significant VAT overestimation using the corrected VIBE images. Under similar imaging conditions and spatial resolution, automatically segmented VAT volumes obtained from the corrected TSE and Dixon images agreed with each other and with the reference volumes. These results demonstrate the efficacy of the signal correction methods and the similar accuracy of TSE and Dixon imaging for automatic volumetry of VAT at 3 Tesla.

Correlation between free-volume parameters and physical properties of polyethylene-nitrile rubber blend

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gomaa, E.; Mostafa, N.; Mohsen, M.; Mohammed, M.

2004-10-01

Positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopy (PALS) was used to study the immiscibility of a polar nitrile rubber (NBR) that had been blended with pure and waste, low- and high-density polyethylene (PE). The effect of the weight percent of the rubber added to the PE was also investigated. It was found that a complicated variation (positive and negative) in both free-volume parameters (τ3 and I 3) from the values of the initial polymers forms an immiscible blend. These results are supported by a significant broadening in the free-volume hole size distributions. This has been interpreted in terms of interfacial spaces created between the boundaries of the two phases. Furthermore, a correlation was established between the free-volume parameters (τ3 and I 3) and the electrical and mechanical properties of the before mentioned polymer blends as a function of the weight percent of waste PE.

Absolute and relative densities of fast-food versus other restaurants in relation to weight status: Does restaurant mix matter?

PubMed

Polsky, Jane Y; Moineddin, Rahim; Dunn, James R; Glazier, Richard H; Booth, Gillian L

2016-01-01

Given the continuing epidemic of obesity, policymakers are increasingly looking for levers within the local retail food environment as a means of promoting healthy weights. To examine the independent and joint associations of absolute and relative densities of restaurants near home with weight status in a large, urban, population-based sample of adults. We studied 10,199 adults living in one of four cities in southern Ontario, Canada, who participated in the Canadian Community Health Survey (cycles 2005, 2007/08, 2009/10). Multivariate models assessed the association of weight status (obesity and body mass index) with absolute densities (numbers) of fast-food, full-service and other restaurants, and the relative density (proportion) of fast-food restaurants (FFR) relative to all restaurants within ~10-minute walk of residential areas. Higher numbers of restaurants of any type were inversely related to excess weight, even in models adjusting for a range of individual covariates and area deprivation. However, these associations were no longer significant after accounting for higher walkability of areas with high volumes of restaurants. In contrast, there was a direct relationship between the proportion of FFR relative to all restaurants and excess weight, particularly in areas with high volumes of FFR (e.g., odds ratio for obesity=2.55 in areas with 5+ FFR, 95% confidence interval: 1.55-4.17, across the interquartile range). Policies aiming to promote healthy weights that target the volume of certain retail food outlets in residential settings may be more effective if they also consider the relative share of outlets serving more and less healthful foods. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Multi-functional layered structure having structural and radiation shielding attributes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kaul, Raj K. (Inventor); Barghouty, Abdulnasser Fakhri (Inventor); Penn, Benjamin G. (Inventor); Hulcher, Anthony Bruce (Inventor)

2010-01-01

A cosmic and solar radiation shielding structure that also has structural attributes is comprised of three layers. The first layer is 30-42 percent by volume of ultra-high molecular weight (UHMW) polyethylene fibers, 18-30 percent by volume of graphite fibers, and a remaining percent by volume of an epoxy resin matrix. The second layer is approximately 68 percent by volume of UHMW polyethylene fibers and a remaining percent by volume of a polyethylene matrix. The third layer is a ceramic material.

Development of weight/sizing design synthesis computer program. Volume 3: User Manual

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Garrison, J. M.

1973-01-01

The user manual for the weight/sizing design synthesis program is presented. The program is applied to an analysis of the basic weight relationships for the space shuttle which contribute significant portions of the inert weight. The relationships measure the parameters of load, geometry, material, and environment. A verbal description of the processes simulated, data input procedures, output data, and values present in the program is included.

40 CFR 60.393 - Performance test and compliance provisions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... per volume of applied coating solids (G) during each calendar month for each affected facility by the following equation: EC16NO91.030 (E) For each EDP prime coat operation, calculate the turnover ratio (RT) by....392(a). (ii) If the volume weighted average mass of VOC per volume of applied coating solids (G...

Estimating bark thicknesses of common Appalachian hardwoods

Treesearch

R. Edward Thomas; Neal D. Bennett

2014-01-01

Knowing the thickness of bark along the stem of a tree is critical to accurately estimate residue and, more importantly, estimate the volume of solid wood available. Determining the volume or weight of bark for a log is important because bark and wood mass are typically separated while processing logs, and accurate determination of volume is problematic. Bark thickness...

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.

Does hydration status affect MRI measures of brain volume or water content?

PubMed

Meyers, Sandra M; Tam, Roger; Lee, Jimmy S; Kolind, Shannon H; Vavasour, Irene M; Mackie, Emilie; Zhao, Yinshan; Laule, Cornelia; Mädler, Burkhard; Li, David K B; MacKay, Alex L; Traboulsee, Anthony L

2016-08-01

To determine whether differences in hydration state, which could arise from routine clinical procedures such as overnight fasting, affect brain total water content (TWC) and brain volume measured with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Twenty healthy volunteers were scanned with a 3T MR scanner four times: day 1, baseline scan; day 2, hydrated scan after consuming 3L of water over 12 hours; day 3, dehydrated scan after overnight fasting of 9 hours, followed by another scan 1 hour later for reproducibility. The following MRI data were collected: T2 relaxation (for TWC measurement), inversion recovery (for T1 measurement), and 3D T1 -weighted (for brain volumes). Body weight and urine specific gravity were also measured. TWC was calculated by fitting the T2 relaxation data with a nonnegative least-squares algorithm, with corrections for T1 relaxation and image signal inhomogeneity and normalization to ventricular cerebrospinal fluid. Brain volume changes were measured using SIENA. TWC means were calculated within 14 tissue regions. Despite indications of dehydration as demonstrated by increases in urine specific gravity (P = 0.03) and decreases in body weight (P = 0.001) between hydrated and dehydrated scans, there was no measurable change in TWC (within any brain region) or brain volume between hydration states. We demonstrate that within a range of physiologic conditions commonly encountered in routine clinical scans (no pretreatment with hydration, well hydrated before MRI, and overnight fasting), brain TWC and brain volumes are not substantially affected in a healthy control cohort. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2016;44:296-304. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Effect of CMC Molecular Weight on Acid-Induced Gelation of Heated WPI-CMC Soluble Complex.

PubMed

Huan, Yan; Zhang, Sha; Vardhanabhuti, Bongkosh

2016-02-01

Acid-induced gelation properties of heated whey protein isolate (WPI) and carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) soluble complex were investigated as a function of CMC molecular weight (270, 680, and 750 kDa) and concentrations (0% to 0.125%). Heated WPI-CMC soluble complex with 6% protein was made by heating biopolymers together at pH 7.0 and 85 °C for 30 min and diluted to 5% protein before acid-induced gelation. Acid-induced gel formed from heated WPI-CMC complexes exhibited increased hardness and decreased water holding capacity with increasing CMC concentrations but gel strength decreased at higher CMC content. The highest gel strength was observed with CMC 750 k at 0.05%. Gels with low CMC concentration showed homogenous microstructure which was independent of CMC molecular weight, while increasing CMC concentration led to microphase separation with higher CMC molecular weight showing more extensive phase separation. When heated WPI-CMC complexes were prepared at 9% protein the acid gels showed improved gel hardness and water holding capacity, which was supported by the more interconnected protein network with less porosity when compared to complexes heated at 6% protein. It is concluded that protein concentration and biopolymer ratio during complex formation are the major factors affecting gel properties while the effect of CMC molecular weight was less significant. © 2016 Institute of Food Technologists®

Investigation of Truck Size and Weight Limits - Technical Supplement. Vol. 1. Analysis of Truck Payloads Under Various Limits of Size, Weight and Configuration

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1981-02-01

This volume documents the results of an analysis of the impact that various truck size and weight limits have on the carrier equipment selection process as a result of changes, in the design payload and design density of individual trucks. An analysi...

Evaluation of weighted regression and sample size in developing a taper model for loblolly pine

Treesearch

Kenneth L. Cormier; Robin M. Reich; Raymond L. Czaplewski; William A. Bechtold

1992-01-01

A stem profile model, fit using pseudo-likelihood weighted regression, was used to estimate merchantable volume of loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) in the southeast. The weighted regression increased model fit marginally, but did not substantially increase model performance. In all cases, the unweighted regression models performed as well as the...

Fluctuating residual limb volume accommodated with an adjustable, modular socket design: A novel case report.

PubMed

Mitton, Kay; Kulkarni, Jai; Dunn, Kenneth William; Ung, Anthony Hoang

2017-10-01

This novel case report describes the problems of prescribing a prosthetic socket in a left transfemoral amputee secondary to chronic patellofemoral instability compounded by complex regional pain syndrome. Case Description and Methods: Following the amputation, complex regional pain syndrome symptoms recurred in the residual limb, presenting mainly with oedema. Due to extreme daily volume fluctuations of the residual limb, a conventional, laminated thermoplastic socket fitting was not feasible. Findings and Outcomes: An adjustable, modular socket design was trialled. The residual limb volume fluctuations were accommodated within the socket. Amputee rehabilitation could be continued, and the rehabilitation goals were achieved. The patient was able to wear the prosthesis for 8 h daily and to walk unaided indoors and outdoors. An adjustable, modular socket design accommodated the daily residual limb volume fluctuations and provided a successful outcome in this case. It demonstrates the complexities of socket fitting and design with volume fluctuations. Clinical relevance Ongoing complex regional pain syndrome symptoms within the residual limb can lead to fitting difficulties in a conventional, laminated thermoplastic socket due to volume fluctuations. An adjustable, modular socket design can accommodate this and provide a successful outcome.

Combining measurements from three anatomical areas for glaucoma diagnosis using Fourier-domain optical coherence tomography.

PubMed

Loewen, Nils A; Zhang, Xinbo; Tan, Ou; Francis, Brian A; Greenfield, David S; Schuman, Joel S; Varma, Rohit; Huang, David

2015-09-01

To improve the diagnostic power for glaucoma by combining measurements of peripapillary nerve fibre layer (NFL), macular ganglion cell complex (GCC) and disc variables obtained with Fourier-domain optical coherence tomography (FD-OCT) into the glaucoma structural diagnostic index (GSDI). In this observational, cross-sectional study of subjects from the Advanced Imaging of Glaucoma Study, GCC and NFL of healthy and perimetrical glaucoma subjects from four major academic referral centres of the Advanced Imaging of Glaucoma Study were mapped with the RTVue FD-OCT. Global loss volume and focal loss volume parameters were defined using NFL and GCC normative reference maps. Optimal weights for NFL, GCC and disc variables were combined using multivariate logistic regression to build the GSDI. Glaucoma severity was classified using the Enhanced Glaucoma Staging System (GSS2). Diagnostic accuracy was assessed by sensitivity, specificity and the area under the receiver operator characteristic curve (AUC). We analysed 118 normal eyes of 60 subjects, 236 matched eyes of 166 subjects with perimetrical glaucoma, and 105 eyes from a healthy reference group of 61 subjects. The GSDI included composite overall thickness and focal loss volume with weighted NFL and GCC components, as well as the vertical cup-to-disc ratio. The AUC of 0.922 from leave-one-out cross validation was better than the best component variable alone (p=0.047). The partial AUC in the high specificity region was also better (p=0.01), with a sensitivity of 69% at 99% specificity, and a sensitivity of 80.3% at 95% specificity. For GSS2 stages 3-5 the sensitivity was 98% at 99% specificity, and 100% at 95% specificity. Combining structural measurements of GCC, NFL and disc variables from FD-OCT created a GSDI that improved the accuracy for glaucoma diagnosis. NCT01314326. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

Voluntary Running Attenuates Metabolic Dysfunction in Ovariectomized Low-Fit Rats

PubMed Central

Park, Young-Min; Padilla, Jaume; Kanaley, Jill A.; Zidon, Terese; Welly, Rebecca J.; Britton, Steven L.; Koch, Lauren G.; Thyfault, John P.; Booth, Frank W.; Vieira-Potter, Victoria J.

2016-01-01

INTRODUCTION Ovariectomy and high fat diet (HFD) worsen obesity and metabolic dysfunction associated with low aerobic fitness. Exercise training mitigates metabolic abnormalities induced by low aerobic fitness, but whether the protective effect is maintained following ovariectomy and HFD is unknown. PURPOSE This study determined whether, following ovariectomy and HFD, exercise training improves metabolic function in rats bred for low intrinsic aerobic capacity. METHODS Female rats selectively bred for low (LCR) and high (HCR) intrinsic aerobic capacity (n=30) were ovariectomized, fed HFD, and randomized to either a sedentary (SED) or voluntary wheel running (EX) group. Resting energy expenditure, glucose tolerance, and spontaneous physical activity were determined midway through the experiment, while body weight, wheel running volume, and food intake were assessed throughout the study. Body composition, circulating metabolic markers, and skeletal muscle gene and protein expression was measured at sacrifice. RESULTS EX reduced body weight and adiposity in LCR rats (−10% and −50%, respectively; P<0.05) and, unexpectedly, increased these variables in HCR rats (+7% and +37%, respectively; P<0.05) compared to their respective SED controls, likely due to dietary overcompensation. Wheel running volume was ~5-fold greater in HCR than LCR rats, yet EX enhanced insulin sensitivity equally in LCR and HCR rats (P<0.05). This EX-mediated improvement in metabolic function was associated with gene up-regulation of skeletal muscle IL-6&-10. EX also increased resting energy expenditure, skeletal muscle mitochondrial content (oxidative phosphorylation complexes and citrate synthase activity), and AMPK activation similarly in both lines (all P <0.05). CONCLUSION Despite a 5-fold difference in running volume between rat lines, EX similarly improved systemic insulin sensitivity, resting energy expenditure, and skeletal muscle mitochondrial content and AMPK activation in ovariectomized LCR and HCR rats fed HFD compared to their respective SED controls. PMID:27669449

Injection-salting of pre rigor fillets of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar).

PubMed

Birkeland, Sveinung; Akse, Leif; Joensen, Sjurdur; Tobiassen, Torbjørn; Skåra, Torstein

2007-01-01

The effects of temperature (-1, 4, and 10 degrees C), brine concentration (12% and 25% NaCl), injection volumes, and needle densities were investigated on fillet weight gain (%), salt content (%), fillet contraction (%), and muscle gaping in pre rigor brine-injected fillets of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar). Increased brine concentration (12% to 25%) significantly increased the initial (< 5 min after injection) and final contraction (24 h after injection) of pre rigor fillets. Increased brine concentration significantly reduced weight gain and increased salt content but had no significant effect on muscle gaping. The temperatures tested did not significantly affect weight gain, fillet contraction, or gaping score. Significant regressions (P < 0.01) between the injection volume and weight gain (range: 2.5% to 15.5%) and salt content (range: 1.7% to 6.5%) were observed for injections of pre rigor fillets. Double injections significantly increased the weight gain and salt content compared to single injections. Initial fillet contraction measured 30 min after brine injection increased significantly (P < 0.01) with increasing brine injection volume but no significant difference in the fillet contraction was observed 12 h after brine injection (range: 7.9% to 8.9%). Brine-injected post rigor control fillets obtained higher weight gain, higher salt content, more muscle gaping, and significantly lower fillet contraction compared to the pre rigor injected fillets. Injection-salting is an applicable technology as a means to obtain satisfactory salt contents and homogenously distribute the salt into the muscle of pre rigor fillets of Atlantic salmon before further processing steps such as drying and smoking.

The Cardiovascular Effects of Obesity on Ventricular Function and Mass in Patients after Tetralogy of Fallot Repair.

PubMed

Fogel, Mark A; Pawlowski, Thomas; Keller, Marc S; Cohen, Meryl S; Goldmuntz, Elizabeth; Diaz, Laura; Li, Christine; Whitehead, Kevin K; Harris, Matthew A

2015-08-01

To determine the cardiovascular effects of obesity on patients with tetralogy of Fallot (TOF) repair. Ventricular performance measures were compared between obese (body mass index [BMI] ≥95%), overweight (85% ≤BMI <95%), and normal weight subjects (BMI <85%) in a retrospective review of patients with TOF who underwent cardiac magnetic resonance from 2005-2010. Significance was P < .05. Of 260 consecutive patients with TOF, 32 were obese (12.3%), 48 were overweight (18.5%), and 180 were normal weight (69.2%). Biventricular mass was increased in obese compared with normal weight patients with right ventricular mass more affected than left ventricular mass. Obese patients demonstrated decreased biventricular end-diastolic volume (EDV) and stroke volume (SV) when indexed to body surface area (BSA) with an increased heart rate when compared with normal weight patients; cardiac index, ejection fraction, and pulmonary regurgitation fraction were similar. When indexed to ideal BSA, biventricular EDV and SV were similar. EDV and SV for overweight patients were nearly identical to normal weight patients with ventricular mass in between the other 2 groups. Approximately 12% of patients after TOF repair referred for cardiac magnetic resonance in a tertiary referral center are obese with increased biventricular mass. Obese patients and normal weight patients have similar cardiac indices, however, when indexed to actual BSA, obese patients demonstrate decreased EDV and SV with increased heart rate and similar cardiac indices. When indexed to ideal BSA, no differences in biventricular volumes were noted. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Poster — Thur Eve — 66: Robustness Assessment of a Novel IMRT Planning Method for Lung Radiotherapy

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

Ahanj, M.; Bissonnette, J.-P.; Heath, E.

2014-08-15

Conventional radiotherapy treatment planning for lung cancer accounts for tumour motion by increasing the beam apertures. We recently developed an IMRT planning strategy which uses reduced beam apertures in combination with an edge enhancing boost of 110% of the prescription dose to the volume that corresponds to the portion of the CTV that moves outside of the reduced beam. Previous results showed that this approach ensures target coverage while reducing lung dose. In the current study, we evaluate the robustness of this boost volume approach to changes in respiratory motion, including amplitude and phase weight variations. ITV and boost volumemore » plans were generated for 5 NSCLC patients with respiratory motion amplitudes ranging from 1 to 2 cm. A standard 5mm PTV margin was used for all plans. The ORBIT treatment planning tool was used to plan and accumulate dose over 10 respiratory phases defined by the 4DCT datasets. For the phase weight variation study, dose was accumulated for three scenarios: equally-weighted-phases, higher weight assigned to exhale phases and higher weight assigned to inhale phases. For the amplitude variation study, a numerical phantom was used to generate 4DCT datasets corresponding to 7 mm, 10 mm and 14 mm motion amplitudes. Preliminary results found that delivered plans for all phase weight scenarios were clinically acceptable. When normalized to mean lung dose, the boost volume plan delivered 5% more dose to the CTV which indicates the potential for dose escalation using this approach.« less

Volume comparison of radiofrequency ablation at 3- and 5-cm target volumes for four different radiofrequency generators: MR volumetry in an open 1-T MRI system versus macroscopic measurement.

PubMed

Rathke, Hendrik; Hamm, Bernd; Guettler, Felix; Lohneis, Philipp; Stroux, Andrea; Suttmeyer, Britta; Jonczyk, Martin; Teichgräber, Ulf; de Bucourt, Maximilian

2015-12-01

In a patient, it is usually not macroscopically possible to estimate the non-viable volume induced by radiofrequency ablation (RFA) after the procedure. The purpose of this study was to use an ex vivo bovine liver model to perform magnetic resonance (MR) volumetry of the visible tissue signal change induced by RFA and to correlate the MR measurement with the actual macroscopic volume measured in the dissected specimens. Sixty-four liver specimens cut from 16 bovine livers were ablated under constant simulated, close physiological conditions with target volumes set to 14.14 ml (3-cm lesion) and 65.45 ml (5-cm lesion). Four commercially available radiofrequency (RF) systems were tested (n=16 for each system; n=8 for 3 cm and n=8 for 5 cm). A T1-weighted turbo spin echo (TSE) sequence with inversion recovery and a proton-density (PD)-weighted TSE sequence were acquired in a 1.0-T open magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system. After manual dissection, actual macroscopic ablation diameters were measured and volumes calculated. MR volumetry was performed using a semiautomatic software tool. To validate the correctness and feasibility of the volume formula in macroscopic measurements, MR multiplanar reformation diameter measurements with subsequent volume calculation and semiautomatic MR volumes were correlated. Semiautomatic MR volumetry yielded smaller volumes than manual measurement after dissection, irrespective of RF system used, target lesion size, and MR sequence. For the 3-cm lesion, only 43.3% (T1) and 41.5% (PD) of the entire necrosis are detectable. For the 5-cm lesion, only 40.8% (T1) and 37.2% (PD) are visualized in MRI directly after intervention. The correlation between semiautomatic MR volumes and calculated MR volumes was 0.888 for the T1-weighted sequence and 0.875 for the PD sequence. After correlation of semiautomatic MR volumes and calculated MR volumes, it seems reasonable to use the respective volume formula for macroscopic volume calculation. Hyperacute MRI after ex vivo intervention may result in the underestimation of the real expansion of the produced necrosis zone. This must be kept in mind when using MRI for validating ablation success directly after RFA. One reason for the discrepancy between macroscopic and MRI appearance immediately after RFA may be that the transitional zone shows no or only partially visible MR signal change.

2007 Joint Service Power Expo Held in San Diego, California on April 24-26, 2007. Volume 4: Thursday Presentations

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-04-26

Marc Gietter (#4929) Fuel reduction solutions for deployment of mobile electric power systems - Oerlikon Contraves , Philippe Bisaillon Eng. MEM...9,675 Whr/kg Global Commodity 8 e50 • 50 Watt Continuous Power • 12V • 100 Watt peak power • System Specifications • Dry system weight , less than 2.25...System Dry Weight 2.25kg Volume 4.5 Net System Efficiency 17% Specifications Specific Energy 3 Day Mission W-hr/kg 775 10 Day Mission W-hr/kg 1200 Goal

DESIGN OF MINIMUM-WEIGHT DIFFUSION BATTERIES

EPA Science Inventory

Until recently, the measurement of particle sizes in aerosols was largely a laboratory exercise. Currently, however, particulates in the atmosphere and in the industrial exhaust gases are being monitored extensively in the field. While the weight and volume of laboratory apparatu...

General Quantum Meet-in-the-Middle Search Algorithm Based on Target Solution of Fixed Weight

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fu, Xiang-Qun; Bao, Wan-Su; Wang, Xiang; Shi, Jian-Hong

2016-10-01

Similar to the classical meet-in-the-middle algorithm, the storage and computation complexity are the key factors that decide the efficiency of the quantum meet-in-the-middle algorithm. Aiming at the target vector of fixed weight, based on the quantum meet-in-the-middle algorithm, the algorithm for searching all n-product vectors with the same weight is presented, whose complexity is better than the exhaustive search algorithm. And the algorithm can reduce the storage complexity of the quantum meet-in-the-middle search algorithm. Then based on the algorithm and the knapsack vector of the Chor-Rivest public-key crypto of fixed weight d, we present a general quantum meet-in-the-middle search algorithm based on the target solution of fixed weight, whose computational complexity is \\sumj = 0d {(O(\\sqrt {Cn - k + 1d - j }) + O(C_kj log C_k^j))} with Σd i =0 Ck i memory cost. And the optimal value of k is given. Compared to the quantum meet-in-the-middle search algorithm for knapsack problem and the quantum algorithm for searching a target solution of fixed weight, the computational complexity of the algorithm is lower. And its storage complexity is smaller than the quantum meet-in-the-middle-algorithm. Supported by the National Basic Research Program of China under Grant No. 2013CB338002 and the National Natural Science Foundation of China under Grant No. 61502526

Healthcare tariffs for specialist inpatient neurorehabilitation services: rationale and development of a UK casemix and costing methodology.

PubMed

Turner-Stokes, Lynne; Sutch, Stephen; Dredge, Robert

2012-03-01

To describe the rationale and development of a casemix model and costing methodology for tariff development for specialist neurorehabilitation services in the UK. Patients with complex needs incur higher treatment costs. Fair payment should be weighted in proportion to costs of providing treatment, and should allow for variation over time CASEMIX MODEL AND BAND-WEIGHTING: Case complexity is measured by the Rehabilitation Complexity Scale (RCS). Cases are divided into five bands of complexity, based on the total RCS score. The principal determinant of costs in rehabilitation is staff time. Total staff hours/week (estimated from the Northwick Park Nursing and Therapy Dependency Scales) are analysed within each complexity band, through cross-sectional analysis of parallel ratings. A 'band-weighting' factor is derived from the relative proportions of staff time within each of the five bands. Total unit treatment costs are obtained from retrospective analysis of provider hospitals' budget and accounting statements. Mean bed-day costs (total unit cost/occupied bed days) are divided broadly into 'variable' and 'non-variable' components. In the weighted costing model, the band-weighting factor is applied to the variable portion of the bed-day cost to derive a banded cost, and thence a set of cost-multipliers. Preliminary data from one unit are presented to illustrate how this weighted costing model will be applied to derive a multilevel banded payment model, based on serial complexity ratings, to allow for change over time.

Evaluation of Neonatal Lung Volume Growth by Pulmonary Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Patients with Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia.

PubMed

Schopper, Melissa A; Walkup, Laura L; Tkach, Jean A; Higano, Nara S; Lim, Foong Yen; Haberman, Beth; Woods, Jason C; Kingma, Paul S

2017-09-01

To evaluate postnatal lung volume in infants with congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) and determine if a compensatory increase in lung volume occurs during the postnatal period. Using a novel pulmonary magnetic resonance imaging method for imaging neonatal lungs, the postnatal lung volumes in infants with CDH were determined and compared with prenatal lung volumes obtained via late gestation magnetic resonance imaging. Infants with left-sided CDH (2 mild, 9 moderate, and 1 severe) were evaluated. The total lung volume increased in all infants, with the contralateral lung increasing faster than the ipsilateral lung (mean ± SD: 4.9 ± 3.0 mL/week vs 3.4 ± 2.1 mL/week, P = .005). In contrast to prenatal studies, the volume of lungs of infants with more severe CDH grew faster than the lungs of infants with more mild CDH (Spearman's ρ=-0.086, P = .01). Although the contralateral lung volume grew faster in both mild and moderate groups, the majority of total lung volume growth in moderate CDH came from increased volume of the ipsilateral lung (42% of total lung volume increase in the moderate group vs 32% of total lung volume increase in the mild group, P = .09). Analysis of multiple clinical variables suggests that increased weight gain was associated with increased compensatory ipsilateral lung volume growth (ρ = 0.57, P = .05). These results suggest a potential for postnatal catch-up growth in infants with pulmonary hypoplasia and suggest that weight gain may increase the volume growth of the more severely affected lung. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Attempts by Descartes and Roberval to evaluate the centre of oscillation of compound pendulums.

PubMed

Capecchi, Danilo

2014-01-01

This paper re-examines the first documented attempts to establish the quantitative law of motion for a body oscillating about a fixed axis (a compound pendulum). This is quite a complex problem as weight and motion are not concentrated in a point, but are spread over a volume. Original documents by René Descartes and Gilles Personne de Roberval, who made the first contributions to solving the problem, are discussed. The two scientists had important insights into the problem which, although they were incomplete, nevertheless somehow complemented each other - at least when seen from the viewpoint of modern mechanics. Descartes was right in considering only the absolute value of the inertia forces, Roberval was right in assuming that the force of gravity should also be taken into account.

Thermal control extravehicular life support system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1975-01-01

The results of a comprehensive study which defined an Extravehicular Life Support System Thermal Control System (TCS) are presented. The design of the prototype hardware and a detail summary of the prototype TCS fabrication and test effort are given. Several heat rejection subsystems, water management subsystems, humidity control subsystems, pressure control schemes and temperature control schemes were evaluated. Alternative integrated TCS systems were studied, and an optimum system was selected based on quantitative weighing of weight, volume, cost, complexity and other factors. The selected subsystem contains a sublimator for heat rejection, bubble expansion tank for water management, a slurper and rotary separator for humidity control, and a pump, a temperature control valve, a gas separator and a vehicle umbilical connector for water transport. The prototype hardware complied with program objectives.

Magnetic Resonance Venous Volume Measurements in Peripheral Artery Disease (from ELIMIT).

PubMed

Kamran, Hassan; Nambi, Vijay; Negi, Smita; Yang, Eric Y; Chen, Changyi; Virani, Salim S; Kougias, Panos; Lumsden, Alan B; Morrisett, Joel D; Ballantyne, Christie M; Brunner, Gerd

2016-11-01

The relation between the arterial and venous systems in patients with impaired lower extremity blood flow remains poorly described. The objective of this secondary analysis of the Effectiveness of Intensive Lipid Modification Medication in Preventing the Progression on Peripheral Artery Disease Trial was to determine the association between femoral vein (FV) volumes and measurements of peripheral artery disease. FV wall, lumen, and total volumes were quantified with fast spin-echo proton density-weighted magnetic resonance imaging scans in 79 patients with peripheral artery disease over 2 years. Reproducibility was excellent for FV total vessel (intraclass correlation coefficient 0.924, confidence interval 0.910 to 0.935) and lumen volumes (intraclass correlation coefficient 0.893, confidence interval 0.873 to 0.910). Baseline superficial femoral artery volumes were directly associated with FV wall (r = 0.46, p <0.0001), lumen (r = 0.42, p = 0.0001), and total volumes (r = 0.46, p <0.0001). The 2-year change in maximum walking time was inversely associated with the 24-month change in FV total volume (r = -0.45, p = 0.03). In conclusion, FV volumes can be measured reliably with fast spin-echo proton density-weighted magnetic resonance imaging, and baseline superficial femoral artery plaque burden is positively associated with FV volumes, whereas the 2-year change in FV volumes and leg function show an inverse relation. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Computerized tomography with 3-dimensional reconstruction for the evaluation of renal size and arterial anatomy in the living kidney donor.

PubMed

Janoff, Daniel M; Davol, Patrick; Hazzard, James; Lemmers, Michael J; Paduch, Darius A; Barry, John M

2004-01-01

Computerized tomography (CT) with 3-dimensional (3-D) reconstruction has gained acceptance as an imaging study to evaluate living renal donors. We report our experience with this technique in 199 consecutive patients to validate its predictions of arterial anatomy and kidney volumes. Between January 1997 and March 2002, 199 living donor nephrectomies were performed at our institution using an open technique. During the operation arterial anatomy was recorded as well as kidney weight in 98 patients and displacement volume in 27. Each donor had been evaluated preoperatively by CT angiography with 3-D reconstruction. Arterial anatomy described by a staff radiologist was compared with intraoperative findings. CT estimated volumes were reported. Linear correlation graphs were generated to assess the reliability of CT volume predictions. The accuracy of CT angiography for predicting arterial anatomy was 90.5%. However, as the number of renal arteries increased, predictive accuracy decreased. The ability of CT to predict multiple arteries remained high with a positive predictive value of 95.2%. Calculated CT volume and kidney weight significantly correlated (0.654). However, the coefficient of variation index (how much average CT volume differed from measured intraoperative volume) was 17.8%. CT angiography with 3-D reconstruction accurately predicts arterial vasculature in more than 90% of patients and it can be used to compare renal volumes. However, accuracy decreases with multiple renal arteries and volume comparisons may be inaccurate when the difference in kidney volumes is within 17.8%.

MRI and Diffusion-weighted MRI Volumetry for Identification of Complete Tumor Responders After Preoperative Chemoradiotherapy in Patients With Rectal Cancer: A Bi-institutional Validation Study.

PubMed

Lambregts, Doenja M J; Rao, Sheng-Xiang; Sassen, Sander; Martens, Milou H; Heijnen, Luc A; Buijsen, Jeroen; Sosef, Meindert; Beets, Geerard L; Vliegen, Roy A; Beets-Tan, Regina G H

2015-12-01

Retrospective single-center studies have shown that diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (DWI) is promising for identification of patients with rectal cancer with a complete tumor response after neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (CRT), using certain volumetric thresholds. This study aims to validate the diagnostic value of these volume thresholds in a larger, independent, and bi-institutional patient cohort. A total of 112 patients with locally advanced rectal cancer (2 centers) treated with a long course of CRT were enrolled. Patients underwent standard T2W-magnetic resonance imaging and DWI, both pre- and post-CRT. Two experienced readers independently determined pre-CRT and post-CRT tumor volumes (cm) on T2W-magnetic resonance image and diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance image by means of freehand tumor delineation. Tumor volume reduction rates (Δvolume) were calculated. Previously determined T2W and DWI threshold values for prevolume, postvolume, and Δvolume were tested to "prospectively" assess their respective diagnostic value in discriminating patients with a complete tumor response from patients with residual tumor. Twenty patients had a complete response. Using the average measurements between the 2 readers, areas under the curve for the pre-/post-/Δvolumes was 0.73/0.82/0.78 for T2W-magnetic resonance imaging and 0.77/0.92/0.86 for DWI, respectively. For T2W-volumetry, sensitivity and specificity using the predefined volume thresholds were 55% and 74% for pre-, 60% and 89% for post-, and 60% and 86% for Δvolume. For DWI volumetry, sensitivity and specificity were 65% and 76% for pre-, 70% and 98% for post-, and 70% and 93% for Δvolume. Previously established DWI volume thresholds can be reproduced with good results. Post-CRT DWI volumetry offers the best results for the detection of patients with a complete response after CRT with an area under the curve of 0.92, sensitivity of 70%, and specificity of 98%.

Kidney function in the Spinifex hopping mouse, Notomys alexis.

PubMed

Gordge, L; Roberts, J R

2008-06-01

Notomys alexis (Spinifex hopping mouse) is found in the arid zone of Australia. The structure and function of the kidneys allow this species to conserve water. This study investigated the rate at which N. alexis can reduce urine volume and increase the concentration of electrolytes and solutes when water deprived. It also looked at the response to rehydration, following a period of water deprivation. The laboratory mouse, Mus musculus domesticus, was used for comparison. N. alexis is able to reduce urine volume and increase urine concentration more rapidly than M. m. domesticus when water deprived. This appears to occur prior to any measurable changes in plasma electrolyte concentrations and is not due to reductions in glomerular filtration rate. Gradual water deprivation over a period of 10 days allowed N. alexis to adjust so that urine composition was similar in many ways to animals that had ad libitum access to water, whereas M. m. domesticus required significant water supplementation to maintain body weight at 85% of initial body weight. Ability to concentrate urine rapidly is characteristic of a well-insulated renal medulla [Bankir, L., DeRouffignac, C., 1985. Urinary concentrating ability: insights from comparative anatomy. Am. J. Physiol. 249, R643-666]. However, a well-insulated medulla is normally associated with slow dilution of urine when animals are rehydrated. N. alexis was able to produce dilute urine very rapidly following rehydration of water deprived animals. Physiological control of renal function appears to be complex. Although M. m. domesticus is able to produce concentrated urine, it is unable to survive without free water and responds more slowly to water deprivation.

Impact of surgeon volume on the morbidity and costs of radical cystectomy in the USA: a contemporary population-based analysis.

PubMed

Leow, Jeffrey J; Reese, Stephen; Trinh, Quoc-Dien; Bellmunt, Joaquim; Chung, Benjamin I; Kibel, Adam S; Chang, Steven L

2015-05-01

To evaluate the relationship between surgeon volume of radical cystectomy (RC) and postoperative morbidity, and to assess the economic burden of bladder cancer in the USA. We captured all patients who underwent RC (International Classification of Diseases, ninth revision, code 57.71) between 2003 and 2010, using a nationwide hospital discharge database. Patient, hospital and surgical characteristics were evaluated. The annual volume of RCs performed by the surgeons was divided into quintiles. Multivariable regression models were developed, adjusting for clustering and survey weighting, to evaluate the outcomes, including 90-day major complications (Clavien grade III-V) and direct patient costs. We adjusted for clustering and weighting to achieve a nationally representative analysis. The weighted cohort included 49,792 patients who underwent RC, with an overall 90-day major complication rate of 16.2%. Compared with surgeons performing one RC annually, surgeons performing ≥7 RCs each year had 45% lower odds of major complications (odds ratio [OR] 0.55; P < 0.001) and lower costs by $1690 (P = 0.02). Results were consistent when we analysed surgeon volume as a continuous variable and when we examined the surgeons with the highest volumes (≥28 cases annually), which showed markedly lower odds of major complications compared with the surgeons with the lowest volumes (OR 0.45, 95% CI 0.31-0.67; P < 0.001). Compared with patients who did not have any complications, those who had a major complication were associated with significantly higher 90-day median direct hospital costs ($43,965 vs $24,341; P < 0.001). We showed that there was an inverse relationship between surgeon volume and the development of postoperative 90-day major complication rates as well as direct hospital costs. Centralisation of RC to surgeons with higher volumes may reduce the development of postoperative major complications, thereby decreasing the burden of bladder cancer on the healthcare system. © 2014 The Authors. BJU International © 2014 BJU International.

Comparison of Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Computed Tomography for Breast Target Volume Delineation in Prone and Supine Positions

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

Pogson, Elise M.; Liverpool and Macarthur Cancer Therapy Centres, Liverpool; Ingham Institute for Applied Medical Research, Liverpool

2016-11-15

Purpose: To determine whether T2-weighted MRI improves seroma cavity (SC) and whole breast (WB) interobserver conformity for radiation therapy purposes, compared with the gold standard of CT, both in the prone and supine positions. Methods and Materials: Eleven observers (2 radiologists and 9 radiation oncologists) delineated SC and WB clinical target volumes (CTVs) on T2-weighted MRI and CT supine and prone scans (4 scans per patient) for 33 patient datasets. Individual observer's volumes were compared using the Dice similarity coefficient, volume overlap index, center of mass shift, and Hausdorff distances. An average cavity visualization score was also determined. Results: Imaging modalitymore » did not affect interobserver variation for WB CTVs. Prone WB CTVs were larger in volume and more conformal than supine CTVs (on both MRI and CT). Seroma cavity volumes were larger on CT than on MRI. Seroma cavity volumes proved to be comparable in interobserver conformity in both modalities (volume overlap index of 0.57 (95% Confidence Interval (CI) 0.54-0.60) for CT supine and 0.52 (95% CI 0.48-0.56) for MRI supine, 0.56 (95% CI 0.53-0.59) for CT prone and 0.55 (95% CI 0.51-0.59) for MRI prone); however, after registering modalities together the intermodality variation (Dice similarity coefficient of 0.41 (95% CI 0.36-0.46) for supine and 0.38 (0.34-0.42) for prone) was larger than the interobserver variability for SC, despite the location typically remaining constant. Conclusions: Magnetic resonance imaging interobserver variation was comparable to CT for the WB CTV and SC delineation, in both prone and supine positions. Although the cavity visualization score and interobserver concordance was not significantly higher for MRI than for CT, the SCs were smaller on MRI, potentially owing to clearer SC definition, especially on T2-weighted MR images.« less

Aging dynamics in the polymer glass of poly(2-chlorostyrene): Dielectric susceptibility and volume

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fukao, Koji; Tahara, Daisuke

2009-11-01

Aging dynamics was investigated in the glassy states of poly(2-chlorostyrene) by measuring the complex electrical capacitance during aging below the glass transition temperature. The variations with time and temperature of the ac dielectric susceptibility and volume could be determined by simply measuring the variation in the complex electrical capacitance. Isothermal aging at a given temperature for several hours after an intermittent stop in constant-rate cooling is stored in the deviations of both the real and imaginary parts of the complex ac dielectric susceptibility and volume. During cooling after isothermal aging, the deviation of the ac dielectric susceptibility from the reference value decreases and almost vanishes at room temperature. By contrast, the deviation in volume induced during isothermal aging remains almost constant during cooling. The simultaneous measurement of ac dielectric susceptibility and volume clearly revealed that the ac dielectric susceptibility exhibits a full rejuvenation effect, whereas the volume does not show any rejuvenation effects. We discuss a plausible model that can reproduce the present experimental results.

Lunar crater volumes - Interpretation by models of impact cratering and upper crustal structure

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Croft, S. K.

1978-01-01

Lunar crater volumes can be divided by size into two general classes with distinctly different functional dependence on diameter. Craters smaller than approximately 12 km in diameter are morphologically simple and increase in volume as the cube of the diameter, while craters larger than about 20 km are complex and increase in volume at a significantly lower rate implying shallowing. Ejecta and interior volumes are not identical and their ratio, Schroeters Ratio (SR), increases from about 0.5 for simple craters to about 1.5 for complex craters. The excess of ejecta volume causing the increase, can be accounted for by a discontinuity in lunar crust porosity at 1.5-2 km depth. The diameter range of significant increase in SR corresponds with the diameter range of transition from simple to complex crater morphology. This observation, combined with theoretical rebound calculation, indicates control of the transition diameter by the porosity structure of the upper crust.

A Method for Predicting Protein Complexes from Dynamic Weighted Protein-Protein Interaction Networks.

PubMed

Liu, Lizhen; Sun, Xiaowu; Song, Wei; Du, Chao

2018-06-01

Predicting protein complexes from protein-protein interaction (PPI) network is of great significance to recognize the structure and function of cells. A protein may interact with different proteins under different time or conditions. Existing approaches only utilize static PPI network data that may lose much temporal biological information. First, this article proposed a novel method that combines gene expression data at different time points with traditional static PPI network to construct different dynamic subnetworks. Second, to further filter out the data noise, the semantic similarity based on gene ontology is regarded as the network weight together with the principal component analysis, which is introduced to deal with the weight computing by three traditional methods. Third, after building a dynamic PPI network, a predicting protein complexes algorithm based on "core-attachment" structural feature is applied to detect complexes from each dynamic subnetworks. Finally, it is revealed from the experimental results that our method proposed in this article performs well on detecting protein complexes from dynamic weighted PPI networks.

Reasoning on Weighted Delegatable Authorizations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ruan, Chun; Varadharajan, Vijay

This paper studies logic based methods for representing and evaluating complex access control policies needed by modern database applications. In our framework, authorization and delegation rules are specified in a Weighted Delegatable Authorization Program (WDAP) which is an extended logic program. We show how extended logic programs can be used to specify complex security policies which support weighted administrative privilege delegation, weighted positive and negative authorizations, and weighted authorization propagations. We also propose a conflict resolution method that enables flexible delegation control by considering priorities of authorization grantors and weights of authorizations. A number of rules are provided to achieve delegation depth control, conflict resolution, and authorization and delegation propagations.

Post-weaning and whole-of-life performance of pigs is determined by live weight at weaning and the complexity of the diet fed after weaning.

PubMed

Collins, Cherie L; Pluske, John R; Morrison, Rebecca S; McDonald, Trevor N; Smits, Robert J; Henman, David J; Stensland, Ingunn; Dunshea, Frank R

2017-12-01

The production performance and financial outcomes associated with weaner diet complexity for pigs of different weight classes at weaning were examined in this experiment. A total of 720 weaner pigs (360 entire males and 360 females) were selected at weaning (27 ± 3 d) and allocated to pens of 10 based on individual weaning weight (light weaning weight: pigs below 6.5 kg; medium weaning weight: 6.5 to 8 kg; heavy weaning weight: above 8.5 kg). Pens were then allocated in a 3 × 2 × 2 factorial arrangement of treatments with the respective factors being weaning weight (heavy, medium and light; H, M and L, respectively), weaner diet complexity (high complexity/cost, HC; low complexity/cost, LC), and gender (male and female). Common diets were fed to both treatment groups during the final 4 weeks of the weaner period (a period of 39 days). In the first 6 d after weaning, pigs offered the HC diets gained weight faster and used feed more efficiently than those offered the LC diets ( P  = 0.031). Pigs fed a HC diet after weaning tended to be heavier at the sale live weight of 123 d of age compared with pigs fed the LC diet ( P  = 0.056). There were no other main effects of the feeding program on growth performance through to slaughter. Weaning weight had a profound influence on lifetime growth performance and weight at 123 d of age, with H pigs at weaning increasing their weight advantage over the M and L pigs (101.3, 97.1, 89.6 kg respectively, P  < 0.001). Cost-benefit analyses suggested there was a minimal benefit in terms of cost per unit live weight gain over lifetime when pigs were offered a HC feeding program to L, with a lower feed cost/kg gain. The results from this investigation confirm the impact of weaning weight on lifetime growth performance, and suggest that a HC feeding program should be focused on L weaner pigs (i.e., weaning weight less than 6.5 kg at 27 d of age) in order to maximise financial returns.

The relationship between renal warm ischemia time and glomerular loss. An experimental study in a pig model.

PubMed

Damasceno-Ferreira, José Aurelino; Bechara, Gustavo Ruschi; Costa, Waldemar Silva; Pereira-Sampaio, Marco Aurélio; Sampaio, Francisco José Barcellos; Souza, Diogo Benchimol De

2017-05-01

To investigate the glomerular number after different warm ischemia times. Thirty two pigs were assigned into four groups. Three groups (G10, G20, and G30) were treated with 10, 20, and 30 minutes of left renal warm ischemia. The sham group underwent the same surgery without renal ischemia. The animals were euthanized after 3 weeks, and the kidneys were collected. Right kidneys were used as controls. The kidney weight, volume, cortical-medullar ratio, glomerular volumetric density, volume-weighted mean glomerular volume, and the total number of glomeruli per kidney were obtained. Serum creatinine levels were assessed pre and postoperatively. Serum creatinine levels did not differ among the groups. All parameters were similar for the sham, G10, and G20 groups upon comparison of the right and left organs. The G30 group pigs' left kidneys had lower weight, volume, and cortical-medullar ratio and 24.6% less glomeruli compared to the right kidney. A negative correlation was found between warm ischemia time and glomerular number. About one quarter of glomeruli was lost after 30 minutes of renal warm ischemia. No glomeruli loss was detected before 20 minutes of warm ischemia. However, progressive glomerular loss was associated with increasing warm ischemia time.

Weights and hematology of wild black bears during hibernation

USGS Publications Warehouse

DelGiudice, Glenn D.; Rogers, Lynn L.; Allen, Arthur W.; Seal, U.S.

1991-01-01

We compared weights and hematological profiles of adult (greater than 3-yr-old) female black bears (Ursus americanus) during hibernation (after 8 January). We handled 28 bears one to four times (total of 47) over 4 yr of varying mast and berry production. Mean weight of lactating bears was greater (P less than 0.0001) than that of non-lactating females. White blood cells (P less than 0.05) and mean corpuscular volume (P = 0.005) also differed between lactating and non-lactating bears. Hemoglobin (P = 0.006) and mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (P = 0.02) varied among years; values were lowest during 1975, following decreased precipitation and the occurrence of a second year of mast and berry crop shortages in a three-year period. Significant (P less than 0.05) interaction between reproductive status (lactating versus non-lactating) and study year for hemoglobin, red blood cells, and packed cell volume, and increased mean corpuscular volume, suggested a greater nutritional challenge for lactating females compared to non-lactating females during the 1975 denning season. Our data suggest that hematological characteristics of denning bears may be more sensitive than weights as indicators of annual changes in nutritional status; however, other influential factors, in addition to mast and berry crop production, remain to be examined.

Ex vivo assessment and validation of water exchange performance of 23 heat and moisture exchangers for laryngectomized patients.

PubMed

van den Boer, Cindy; Muller, Sara H; Vincent, Andrew D; van den Brekel, Michiel W M; Hilgers, Frans J M

2014-08-01

Breathing through a tracheostoma results in insufficient warming and humidification of the inspired air. This loss of air conditioning, especially humidification, can be partially restored with the application of a heat and moisture exchanger (HME) over the tracheostoma. For medical professionals, it is not easy to judge differences in water exchange performance of various HMEs owing to the lack of universal outcome measures. This study has three aims: assessment of the water exchange performance of commercially available HMEs for laryngectomized patients, validation of these results with absolute humidity outcomes, and assessment of the role of hygroscopic salt present in some of the tested HMEs. Measurements of weight and absolute humidity at end inspiration and end expiration at different breathing volumes of a healthy volunteer were performed using a microbalance and humidity sensor. Twenty-three HMEs from 6 different manufacturers were tested. Associations were determined between core weight, weight change, breathing volume, and absolute humidity, using both linear and nonlinear mixed effects models. Water exchange of the 23 HMEs at a breathing volume of 0.5 L varies between 0.5 and 3.6 mg. Both water exchange and wet core weight correlate strongly with the end-inspiratory absolute humidity values (r2 =0.89/0.87). Hygroscopic salt increases core weight. The 23 tested HMEs for laryngectomized patients show wide variation in water exchange performance. Water exchange correlates well with the end-inspiratory absolute humidity outcome, which validates the ex vivo weight change method. Wet core weight is a predictor of HME performance. Hygroscopic salt increases the weight of the core material. The results of this study can help medical professionals to obtain a more founded opinion about the performance of available HMEs for pulmonary rehabilitation in laryngectomized patients, and allow them to make an informed decision about which HME type to use.

Obesity services: how best to develop a coherent way forward.

PubMed

Barth, Julian H; O'Kane, Mary

2016-03-01

Obesity now affects 25% of the UK population. This volume of patients cannot be managed by current NHS services. It really needs a public health approach which encourages an environment where it is easier for the public to take healthy rather than unhealthy actions. However, there remain substantial numbers of patients who will benefit from medical intervention. This needs a joined-up service which extends from a healthy environment, linking gyms, weight loss groups, community cooking lessons, etc. with pathways connecting primary and secondary healthcare. To date, the National Health Service has not managed to develop a coherent policy that addresses obesity as a major cause of health and social care expenditure. The most important step in primary care is probably to identify the presence of obesity. The medical steps should be in the identification and management of comorbidities. The purpose of treating obesity is not weight loss alone but improving health, so the narrative needs to change from weight to blood pressure, glucose tolerance, physical fitness, etc. Many physicians believe that weight loss is an unwinnable battle but there are several well conducted studies in which primary care, supported by specialists, can deliver successful clinical weight loss. Specialist medical and surgical care for obesity will be required for complex cases and is essential for overseeing long-term postsurgical follow-up to prevent and treat nutritional and metabolic complications. Obesity management suffers from a lack of coherent national public health policies, fragmentation of care and a lack of knowledge of what successful treatment entails. Health benefits do not require a return to a healthy BMI. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Data Base for Light-Weight Automotive Diesel Power Plants : Volume 3. Miscellaneous Data.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1979-12-01

The effects of fuel economy, emissions, passenger car safety and other variables due to the installation of light-weight Diesel powerplants were studied. Experimental data was obtained on naturally aspirated and turbocharged Diesel engines installed ...

Data Base for Light-Weight Automotive Diesel Power Plants. Volume 2: Discussion and Results.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1979-12-01

The effects on fuel economy, emissions, passenger car safety and other variables due to the installation of light-weight Diesel powerplants were studied. Experimental data was obtained on naturally aspirated and turbocharged Diesel engines installed ...

Data Base for Light-Weight Automotive Diesel Power Plants: Volume 1. Executive Summary.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1979-12-01

The effects on fuel economy, emissions, passenger car safety and other variables due to the installation of light-weight Diesel powerplants were studied. Experimental data was obtained on naturally aspirated and turbocharged Diesel engines installed ...

Macrosomia has its roots in early placental development

PubMed Central

Schwartz, Nadav; Quant, Hayley S.; Sammel, Mary D.; PARRY, Samuel

2014-01-01

Introduction We sought to determine if early placental size, as measured by 3-dimensional ultrasonography, is associated with an increased risk of delivering a macrosomic or large-for-gestational age (LGA) infant. Methods We prospectively collected 3-dimensional ultrasound volume sets of singleton pregnancies at 11–14 weeks and 18–24 weeks. Birth weights were collected from the medical records. After delivery, the ultrasound volume set were used to measure the placental volume (PV) and placental quotient (PQ=PV/gestational age), as well as the mean placental and chorionic diameters (MPD and MCD, respectively). Placental measures were analyzed as predictors of macrosomia (birth weight ≥4000 grams) and LGA (birth weight ≥90th percentile). Results The 578 pregnancies with first trimester volumes included 44 (7.6%) macrosomic and 43 (7.4%) LGA infants. 373 subjects also had second trimester volumes available. A higher PV and PQ were both significantly associated with macrosomia and LGA in both the first and second trimesters. Second trimester MPD was significantly associated with both outcomes as well, while second trimester MCD was only associated with LGA. The above associations remained significant after adjusting for maternal demographic variables such as race, ethnicity, age and diabetes. Adjusted models yielded moderate prediction of macrosomia and LGA (AUC: 0.71–0.77). Conclusions Sonographic measurement of the early placenta can identify pregnancies at greater risk of macrosomia and LGA. Macrosomia and LGA are already determined in part by early placental growth and development. PMID:25064071

Temporal Lobe and Frontal-Subcortical Dissociations in Non-Demented Parkinson's Disease with Verbal Memory Impairment.

PubMed

Tanner, Jared J; Mareci, Thomas H; Okun, Michael S; Bowers, Dawn; Libon, David J; Price, Catherine C

2015-01-01

The current investigation examined verbal memory in idiopathic non-dementia Parkinson's disease and the significance of the left entorhinal cortex and left entorhinal-retrosplenial region connections (via temporal cingulum) on memory impairment in Parkinson's disease. Forty non-demented Parkinson's disease patients and forty non-Parkinson's disease controls completed two verbal memory tests--a wordlist measure (Philadelphia repeatable Verbal Memory Test) and a story measure (Logical Memory). All participants received T1-weighted and diffusion magnetic resonance imaging (3T; Siemens) sequences. Left entorhinal volume and left entorhinal-retrosplenial connectivity (temporal cingulum edge weight) were the primary imaging variables of interest with frontal lobe thickness and subcortical structure volumes as dissociating variables. Individuals with Parkinson's disease showed worse verbal memory, smaller entorhinal volumes, but did not differ in entorhinal-retrosplenial connectivity. For Parkinson's disease entorhinal-retrosplenial edge weight had the strongest associations with verbal memory. A subset of Parkinson's disease patients (23%) had deficits (z-scores < -1.5) across both memory measures. Relative to non-impaired Parkinson's peers, this memory-impaired group had smaller entorhinal volumes. Although entorhinal cortex volume was significantly reduced in Parkinson's disease patients relative to non-Parkinson's peers, only white matter connections associated with the entorhinal cortex were significantly associated with verbal memory performance in our sample. There was also no suggestion of contribution from frontal-subcortical gray or frontal white matter regions. These findings argue for additional investigation into medial temporal lobe gray and white matter connectivity for understanding memory in Parkinson's disease.

Changes in Search Path Complexity and Length During Learning of a Virtual Water Maze: Age Differences and Differential Associations with Hippocampal Subfield Volumes

PubMed Central

Daugherty, Ana M.; Bender, Andrew R.; Yuan, Peng; Raz, Naftali

2016-01-01

Impairment of hippocampus-dependent cognitive processes has been proposed to underlie age-related deficits in navigation. Animal studies suggest a differential role of hippocampal subfields in various aspects of navigation, but that hypothesis has not been tested in humans. In this study, we examined the association between volume of hippocampal subfields and age differences in virtual spatial navigation. In a sample of 65 healthy adults (age 19–75 years), advanced age was associated with a slower rate of improvement operationalized as shortening of the search path over 25 learning trials on a virtual Morris water maze task. The deficits were partially explained by greater complexity of older adults' search paths. Larger subiculum and entorhinal cortex volumes were associated with a faster decrease in search path complexity, which in turn explained faster shortening of search distance. Larger Cornu Ammonis (CA)1–2 volume was associated with faster distance shortening, but not in path complexity reduction. Age differences in regional volumes collectively accounted for 23% of the age-related variance in navigation learning. Independent of subfield volumes, advanced age was associated with poorer performance across all trials, even after reaching the asymptote. Thus, subiculum and CA1–2 volumes were associated with speed of acquisition, but not magnitude of gains in virtual maze navigation. PMID:25838036

Changes in body weight, C-reactive protein, and total adiponectin in non-obese women after 12 months of a small-volume, home-based exercise program.

PubMed

Mediano, Mauro Felippe Felix; Neves, Fabiana Alves; Cunha, Alessandra Cordeiro de Souza Rodrigues; Souza, Erica Patricia Garcia de; Moura, Anibal Sanchez; Sichieri, Rosely

2013-01-01

Our objective was to evaluate the effects of small-volume, home-based exercise combined with slight caloric restriction on the inflammatory markers C-reactive protein and adiponectin. In total, 54 women were randomly assigned to one of two groups for exercise intervention: the control or home-based exercise groups. Weight, waist and hip circumferences, and inflammatory markers were measured at baseline and after 6 and 12 months. Women allocated to the home-based exercise group received a booklet explaining the physical exercises to be practiced at home at least 3 times per week, 40 minutes per session, at low-to-moderate intensity. All participants received dietary counseling aimed at reducing caloric intake by 100-300 calories per day, with a normal distribution of macro-nutrients (26-28% of energy as fat). Clinicaltrials.gov: NCT01206413 RESULTS: The home-based exercise group showed a significantly greater reduction in weight and body mass index at six months, but no difference between groups was observed thereafter. With regard to the inflammatory markers, a greater but non-statistically significant reduction was found for C-reactive protein in the home-based exercise group at six months; however, this difference disappeared after adjusting for weight change. No differences in adiponectin were found at the 6- or 12-month follow-up. Small-volume, home-based exercise did not promote changes in inflammatory markers independent of weight change.

Maritime patrol aircraft engine study, General Electric Derivative Engines. Volume II. Appendix A: performance data, Ge27/T3 study A1 turboprop. Final report, October 1978-April 1979

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

Hirschkron, R.; Davis, R.H.; Warren, R.E.

1979-04-30

This study developed data on General Electric common core derivative engines for use in Maritime Patrol Aircraft (MPA) concept formulation studies. The study included the screening of potential General Electric turbofan and turboprop/turboshaft engines and the preparation of technical and planning information on three of the most promising engine candidates. Screening of General Electric derivative candidates was performed utilizing an analytical MPA model using synthesized mission profiles to rank the candidates in terms of fuel consumption, weight, cost and complexity. The three turboprop engines selected for further study were as follows: TF34 growth derivative version with boost and new LPTmore » (TF34/T7 Study A1), F404 derivative with booster stages and new LPT (F404/T1 Study A1), and GE27 scaled and boosted study engine (GE27/T3 Study A1). Volume I summarizes the screening analysis and contains technical, planning, installation, cost and development data for the three selected turboprop engines. Volumes II, III and IV of this report contain the detailed performance data estimates for the GE27/T3 Study A1, TF34/T7 Study A1 and F404/T1 Study A1 turboprop engines, respectively.« less

Maritime patrol aircraft engine study, General Electric Derivative Engines. Volume IV. Apendix C: performance data, F404/T1 study A1 turboprop. Final report, October 1978-April 1979

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

Hirschkron, R.; Davis, R.H.; Warren, R.E.

1979-04-30

This study developed data on General Electric common core derivative engines for use in Maritime Patrol Aircraft (MPA) concept formulation studies. The study included the screening of potential General Electric turbofan and turboprop/turboshaft engines and the preparation of technical and planning information on three of the most promising engine candidates. Screening of General Electric derivative candidates was performed utilizing an analytical MPA model using synthesized mission profiles to rank the candidates in terms of fuel consumption, weight, cost and complexity. The three turboprop engines selected for further study were as follows: TF34 growth derivative version with boost and new LPTmore » (TF34/T7 Study A1), F404 derivative with booster stages and new LPT (F404/T1 Study A1), and GE27 scaled and boosted study engine (GE27/T3 Study A1). Volume I summarizes the screening analysis and contains technical, planning, installation, cost and development data for the three selected turboprop engines. Volumes II, III and IV of this report contain the detailed performance data estimates for the GE27/T3 Study A1, TF34/T7 Study A1 and F404/T1 Study A1 turboprop engines, respectively.« less

Maritime patrol aircraft engine study, General Electric Derivative Engines. Volume III. Appendix B: performance data, TF 34/T7 study AL turboprop. Final report October 1978-April 1979

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

Hirschkron, R.; Davis, R.H.; Warren, R.E.

1979-04-30

This study developed data on General Electric common core derivative engines for use in Maritime Patrol Aircraft (MPA) concept formulation studies. The study included the screening of potential General Electric turbofan and turboprop/turboshaft engines and the preparation of technical and planning information on three of the most promising engine candidates. Screening of General Electric derivative candidates was performed utilizing an analytical MPA model using synthesized mission profiles to rank the candidates in terms of fuel consumption, weight, cost and complexity. The three turboprop engines selected for further study were as follows: TF34 growth derivative version with boost and new LPTmore » (TF34/T7 Study A1), F404 derivative with booster stages and new LPT (F404/T1 Study A1), and GE27 scaled and boosted study engine (GE27/T3 Study A1). Volume I summarizes the screening analysis and contains technical, planning, installation, cost and development data for the three selected turboprop engines. Volumes II, III and IV of this report contain the detailed performance data estimates for the GE27/T3 Study A1, TF34/T7 Study A1 and F404/T1 Study A1 turboprop engines, respectively.« less

Is evaluation of humorous stimuli associated with frontal cortex morphology? A pilot study using facial micro-movement analysis and MRI.

PubMed

Juckel, Georg; Mergl, Roland; Brüne, Martin; Villeneuve, Isabelle; Frodl, Thomas; Schmitt, Gisela; Zetzsche, Thomas; Born, Christine; Hahn, Klaus; Reiser, Maximilian; Möller, Hans-Jürgen; Bär, Karl-Jürgen; Hegerl, Ulrich; Meisenzahl, Eva Maria

2011-05-01

Humour involves the ability to detect incongruous ideas violating social rules and norms. Accordingly, humour requires a complex array of cognitive skills for which intact frontal lobe functioning is critical. Here, we sought to examine the association of facial expression during an emotion inducing experiment with frontal cortex morphology in healthy subjects. Thirty-one healthy male subjects (mean age: 30.8±8.9 years; all right-handers) watching a humorous movie ("Mr. Bean") were investigated. Markers fixed at certain points of the face emitting high-frequency ultrasonic signals allowed direct measurement of facial movements with high spatial-temporal resolution. Magnetic resonance images of the frontal cortex were obtained with a 1.5-T Magnetom using a coronar T2- and protondensity-weighted Dual-Echo-Sequence and a 3D-magnetization-prepared rapid gradient echo (MPRAGE) sequence. Volumetric analysis was performed using BRAINS. Frontal cortex volume was partly associated with slower speed of "laughing" movements of the eyes ("genuine" or Duchenne smile). Specifically, grey matter volume was associated with longer emotional reaction time ipsilaterally, even when controlled for age and daily alcohol intake. These results lend support to the hypothesis that superior cognitive evaluation of humorous stimuli - mediated by larger prefrontal grey and white matter volume - leads to a measurable reduction of speed of emotional expressivity in normal adults. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Srl. All rights reserved.

Overview of superplastic forming research at ford motor company

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Friedman, P. A.; Luckey, S. G.; Copple, W. B.; Allor, R.; Miller, C. E.; Young, C.

2004-12-01

In an effort to reduce vehicle weight, the automotive industry has switched to aluminum sheet for many closure panels. Although the application of aluminum is compatible with existing manufacturing processes and has attractive qualities such as low density, good mechanical properties, and high corrosion resistance, it has less room-temperature formability than steel. The expanded forming limits that are possible with superplastic forming can significantly improve the ability to manufacture complex shapes from materials with limited formability. Aluminum closure panels produced by superplastic forming have been used by Ford Motor Company for over a decade. However, applications have been limited to low-volume, specialty vehicles due to the relatively slow cycle time and the cost penalty associated with the specially processed sheet alloys. While there has been substantial research on the superplastic characteristics of aluminum alloys, the bulk of this work has focused on the development of aerospace alloys, which are often too costly and perhaps inappropriate for automotive applications. Additionally, there has been a limited amount of work done to develop the technologies required to support the higher production volumes of the automotive industry. This work presents an automotive perspective on superplastic forming and an overview of the research being performed at Ford Motor Company to increase the production volume so superplastic forming can be cost competitive with more traditional forming technologies.

Using infinite-volume, continuum QED and lattice QCD for the hadronic light-by-light contribution to the muon anomalous magnetic moment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Blum, Thomas; Christ, Norman; Hayakawa, Masashi; Izubuchi, Taku; Jin, Luchang; Jung, Chulwoo; Lehner, Christoph

2017-08-01

In our previous work, Blum et al. [Phys. Rev. Lett. 118, 022005 (2017), 10.1103/PhysRevLett.118.022005], the connected and leading disconnected hadronic light-by-light contributions to the muon anomalous magnetic moment (g -2 ) have been computed using lattice QCD ensembles corresponding to physical pion mass generated by the RBC/UKQCD Collaboration. However, the calculation is expected to suffer from a significant finite-volume error that scales like 1 /L2 where L is the spatial size of the lattice. In this paper, we demonstrate that this problem is cured by treating the muon and photons in infinite-volume, continuum QED, resulting in a weighting function that is precomputed and saved with affordable cost and sufficient accuracy. We present numerical results for the case when the quark loop is replaced by a muon loop, finding the expected exponential approach to the infinite volume limit and consistency with the known analytic result. We have implemented an improved weighting function which reduces both discretization and finite-volume effects arising from the hadronic part of the amplitude.

Using infinite-volume, continuum QED and lattice QCD for the hadronic light-by-light contribution to the muon anomalous magnetic moment

DOE PAGES

Blum, Thomas; Christ, Norman; Hayakawa, Masashi; ...

2017-08-22

In our previous work, the connected and leading disconnected hadronic light-by-light contributions to the muon anomalous magnetic moment (g — 2) have been computed using lattice QCD ensembles corresponding to physical pion mass generated by the RBC/UKQCD Collaboration. However, the calculation is expected to suffer from a significant finite-volume error that scales like 1/L 2 where L is the spatial size of the lattice. In this paper, we demonstrate that this problem is cured by treating the muon and photons in infinite-volume, continuum QED, resulting in a weighting function that is precomputed and saved with affordable cost and sufficient accuracy.more » We present numerical results for the case when the quark loop is replaced by a muon loop, finding the expected exponential approach to the infinite volume limit and consistency with the known analytic result. Here, we have implemented an improved weighting function which reduces both discretization and finite-volume effects arising from the hadronic part of the amplitude.« less

Using infinite-volume, continuum QED and lattice QCD for the hadronic light-by-light contribution to the muon anomalous magnetic moment

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

Blum, Thomas; Christ, Norman; Hayakawa, Masashi

In our previous work, the connected and leading disconnected hadronic light-by-light contributions to the muon anomalous magnetic moment (g — 2) have been computed using lattice QCD ensembles corresponding to physical pion mass generated by the RBC/UKQCD Collaboration. However, the calculation is expected to suffer from a significant finite-volume error that scales like 1/L 2 where L is the spatial size of the lattice. In this paper, we demonstrate that this problem is cured by treating the muon and photons in infinite-volume, continuum QED, resulting in a weighting function that is precomputed and saved with affordable cost and sufficient accuracy.more » We present numerical results for the case when the quark loop is replaced by a muon loop, finding the expected exponential approach to the infinite volume limit and consistency with the known analytic result. Here, we have implemented an improved weighting function which reduces both discretization and finite-volume effects arising from the hadronic part of the amplitude.« less

Human tumour xenografts in nude mice: chemotherapy trials with titanocene dichloride in different dosages.

PubMed

Villena-Heinsen, C; Friedrich, M; Ertan, A K; Schmidt, W

1998-01-01

In this study new cytostatic therapies with titanocene dichloride in different dosages for the treatment of ovarian cancer are analyzed on human tumour xenografts in nude mice. The aim was to compare the effects of different dosages of titanocene dichloride on the growth of human tumour xenografts and nude mice body weight. Biopsy material from one human ovarian carcinoma was expanded and transplanted into 52 nude mice. The treatment protocol included one experiment that consisted of the following six treatment groups: titanocene dichloride 3 x 10 mg/kg, titanocene dichloride 3 x 20 mg/kg, titanocene dichloride 3 x 30 mg/kg, titanocene dichloride 1 x 30 mg/kg, titanocene dichloride 1 x 40 mg/kg and a control group treated with 0.9% saline. Treatment groups were evaluated in terms of average daily increase in tumour volume and average daily body weight increase on nude mice. The slope factors alpha and beta of the body weight and tumour volume changes were calculated. Titanocene dichloride in the dosage of 3 x 30 mg/kg and 3 x 20 mg/kg brought about a significant reduction in tumour volume (p < 0.05) compared to the control group and to the treatment group under medication with titanocene dichloride 1 x 30 mg/kg. There were no significant changes in the body weight of nude mice. We found titanocene dichloride to be effective in the reduction of tumour volume increase in nude mice. Titanocene dichloride could be an active chemotherapeutic drug in women with ovarian carcinoma not responding to standard therapies.

Dielectric properties, optimum formulation and microwave baking conditions of chickpea cakes.

PubMed

Alifakı, Yaşar Özlem; Şakıyan, Özge

2017-03-01

The aim of this study was to correlate dielectric properties with quality parameters, and to optimize cake formulation and baking conditions by response surface methodology. Weight loss, color, specific volume, hardness and porosity were evaluated. The samples with different DATEM (0.4, 0.8 and 1.2%) and chickpea flour concentrations (30, 40 and 50%) were baked in microwave oven at different power (300, 350, 400 W) and baking times (2.50, 3.0, 3.50 min). It was found that microwave power showed significant effect on color, while baking time showed effect on weight loss, porosity, hardness, specific volume and dielectric properties. Emulsifier level affected porosity, specific volume and dielectric constant. Chickpea flour level affected porosity, color, hardness and dielectric properties of cakes. The optimum microwave power, baking time, DATEM level and chickpea flour level were found as 400 W, 2.84 min, 1.2% and 30%, respectively. The comparison between conventionally baked and the microwave baked cakes at optimum points showed that color difference, weight loss, specific volume and porosity values of microwave baked cakes were less than those of conventionally baked cakes, on the other hand, hardness values were higher. Moreover, a negative correlation between dielectric constant and porosity, and weight loss values were detected for microwave baked samples. A negative correlation between dielectric loss factor and porosity was observed. These correlations indicated that quality characteristics of a microwave baked cake sample can be assessed from dielectric properties. These correlations provides understanding on the behavior of food material during microwave processing.

Body fluid volumes in rats with mestranol-induced hypertension

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

Fowler, W.L. Jr.; Johnson, J.A.; Kurz, K.D.

Because estrogens have been reported to produce sodium retention, this study investigated the possibility that hypertension in rats resulting from the ingestion of an estrogen used as an oral contraceptive could be due to increases in body fluid volumes. Female rats were given feed containing mestranol for 1, 3, and 6 mo; control rats were given the feed without mestranol. The mestranol-treated rats had higher arterial pressures than the controls only after 6 mo of treatment. Plasma volume, extracellular fluid volume, and total body water were measured in each rat by the distribution volumes of radioiodinated serum albumin, /sup 32/SO/submore » 4/, and tritiated water, respectively. The body fluid volumes, expressed per 100 g of body weight, were not different between the mestranol-treated rats and their controls at any of the three treatment times. Due to differences in body weight and lean body mass between the mestranol-treated and the control rats, these volumes also were expressed per 100 g of lean body mass. Again, no differences were observed between the mestranol-treated rats and the control rats for any of these body fluid compartments at any of the treatment times. These studies, therefore, were unable to provide evidence that increases in body fluid volumes contributed to the elevated arterial pressure in this rat model of oral contraceptive hypertension.« less

Novel Liquid Sorbent C02 Removal System for Microgravity Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rogers, Tanya; Westover, Shayne; Graf, John

2017-01-01

Removing Carbon Dioxide (CO2) from a spacecraft environment for deep space exploration requires a robust system that is low in weight, power, and volume. Current state-of-the-art microgravity compatible CO2 removal systems, such as the carbon dioxide removal assembly (CDRA), utilize solid sorbents that demand high power usage due to high desorption temperatures and a large volume to accommodate for their comparatively low capacity for CO2. Additionally, solid sorbent systems contain several mechanical components that significantly reduce reliability and contribute to a large overall mass. A liquid sorbent based system has been evaluated as an alternative is proposed to consume 65% less power, weight, and volume than solid based CO2 scrubbers. This paper presents the design of a liquid sorbent CO2 removal system for microgravity applications.

Effects of intravesical hydrostatic pressure and volume on the distensibility of the canine prostatic portion of the urethra.

PubMed

Johnston, G R; Feeney, D A; Osborne, C A; Johnston, S D; Smith, F O; Jessen, C R

1985-03-01

Positive-contrast retrograde urethrocystograms were obtained serially on 12 male dogs weighing 11.4 to 23.2 kg before, during, and after the injection of contrast medium until the urinary bladder neck and prostatic and membranous portions of the urethra remained open and distended as viewed by fluoroscopy. Correlations of intravesical volumes and pressures required to achieve maximum distension of the midprostatic portion of the urethra with body weight and surface area were not significant. Because of the variability in intravesical volumes and pressures encountered at maximum distension of the prostatic portion of the urethra, a dose of contrast material expressed relative to body weight or surface area could not be determined for consistently providing maximum distension of the prostatic portion of the urethra.

The geometric nature of weights in real complex networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Allard, Antoine; Serrano, M. Ángeles; García-Pérez, Guillermo; Boguñá, Marián

2017-01-01

The topology of many real complex networks has been conjectured to be embedded in hidden metric spaces, where distances between nodes encode their likelihood of being connected. Besides of providing a natural geometrical interpretation of their complex topologies, this hypothesis yields the recipe for sustainable Internet's routing protocols, sheds light on the hierarchical organization of biochemical pathways in cells, and allows for a rich characterization of the evolution of international trade. Here we present empirical evidence that this geometric interpretation also applies to the weighted organization of real complex networks. We introduce a very general and versatile model and use it to quantify the level of coupling between their topology, their weights and an underlying metric space. Our model accurately reproduces both their topology and their weights, and our results suggest that the formation of connections and the assignment of their magnitude are ruled by different processes.

THE DETERMINATION AND USE OF CONDITION INDEX OF OYSTERS

EPA Science Inventory

Oyster condition measures should be standardized through use of Hopkins' formula: Condition Index - (dry meat weight in g) (100)/(internal cavity volume in cu. cm.). Cavity volumes, previously measured chiefly as capacity by a water displacement method, may be determined by subtr...

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

Chen, Dafen; Jiang, Jiuchun; Kim, Gi-Heon

Choosing a proper cooling method for a lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery pack for electric drive vehicles (EDVs) and making an optimal cooling control strategy to keep the temperature at a optimal range of 15 degrees C to 35 degrees C is essential to increasing safety, extending the pack service life, and reducing costs. When choosing a cooling method and developing strategies, trade-offs need to be made among many facets such as costs, complexity, weight, cooling effects, temperature uniformity, and parasitic power. This paper considers four cell-cooling methods: air cooling, direct liquid cooling, indirect liquid cooling, and fin cooling. To evaluate theirmore » effectiveness, these methods are assessed using a typical large capacity Li-ion pouch cell designed for EDVs from the perspective of coolant parasitic power consumption, maximum temperature rise, temperature difference in a cell, and additional weight used for the cooling system. We use a state-of-the-art Li-ion battery electro-chemical thermal model. The results show that under our assumption an air-cooling system needs 2 to 3 more energy than other methods to keep the same average temperature; an indirect liquid cooling system has the lowest maximum temperature rise; and a fin cooling system adds about 40% extra weight of cell, which weighs most, when the four kinds cooling methods have the same volume. Indirect liquid cooling is a more practical form than direct liquid cooling though it has slightly lower cooling performance.« less

Trace element distribution in the rat cerebellum

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kwiatek, W. M.; Long, G. J.; Pounds, J. G.; Reuhl, K. R.; Hanson, A. L.; Jones, K. W.

1990-04-01

Spatial distributions and concentrations of trace elements (TE) in the brain are important because TE perform catalytic and structural functions in enzymes which regulate brain function and development. We have investigated the distributions of TE in rat cerebellum. Structures were sectioned and analyzed by the Synchrotron Radiation Induced X-ray Emission (SRIXE) method using the NSLS X-26 white-light microprobe facility. Advantages important for TE analysis of biological specimens with X-ray microscopy include short time of measurement, high brightness and flux, good spatial resolution, multielemental detection, good sensitivity, and nondestructive irradiation. Trace elements were measured in thin rat brain sections of 20 μm thickness. The analyses were performed on sample volumes as small as 0.2 nl with Minimum Detectable Limits (MDL) of 50 ppb wet weight for Fe, 100 ppb wet weight for Cu, and Zn, and 1 ppm wet weight for Pb. The distribution of TE in the molecular cell layer, granule cell layer and fiber tract of rat cerebella was investigated. Both point analyses and two-dimensional semiquantitative mapping of the TE distribution in a section were used. All analyzed elements were observed in each structure of the cerebellum except mercury which was not observed in granule cell layer or fiber tract. This approach permits an exacting correlation of the TE distribution in complex structure with the diet, toxic elements, and functional status of the animal.

Investigation of Polymer Liquid Crystals

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Han, Kwang S.

1996-01-01

The positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopy (PALS) using a low energy flux generator may provide a reasonably accurate technique for measuring molecular weights of linear polymers and characterization of thin polyimide films in terms of their dielectric constants and hydrophobity etc. Among the tested samples are glassy poly arylene Ether Ketone films, epoxy and other polyimide films. One of the proposed techniques relates the free volume cell size (V(sub f)) with sample molecular weight (M) in a manner remarkably similar to that obtained by Mark Houwink (M-H) between the inherent viscosity (eta) and molecular wieght of polymer solution. The PALS has also demonstrated that free-volume cell size in thermoset is a versatile, useful parameter that relates directly to the polymer segmental molecular weight, the cross-link density, and the coefficient of thermal expansion. Thus, a determination of free volume cell size provides a viable basis for complete microstructural characterization of thermoset polyimides and also gives direct information about the cross-link density and coefficient of expansion of the test samples. Seven areas of the research conducted are reported here.

Hip arthroscopy protocol: expert opinions on post-operative weight bearing and return to sports guidelines.

PubMed

Rath, Ehud; Sharfman, Zachary T; Paret, Matan; Amar, Eyal; Drexler, Michael; Bonin, Nicolas

2017-01-01

The objectives of this study are to survey the weight-bearing limitation practices and delay for returning to running and impact sports of high volume hip arthroscopy orthopedic surgeons. The study was designed in the form of expert survey questionnaire. Evidence-based data are scares regarding hip arthroscopy post-operative weight-bearing protocols. An international cross-sectional anonymous Internet survey of 26 high-volume hip arthroscopy specialized surgeons was conducted to report their weight-bearing limitations and rehabilitation protocols after various arthroscopic hip procedures. The International Society of Hip Arthroscopy invited this study. The results were examined in the context of supporting literature to inform the studies suggestions. Four surgeons always allow immediate weight bearing and five never offer immediate weight bearing. Seventeen surgeons provide weight bearing depending on the procedures performed: 17 surgeons allowed immediate weight bearing after labral resection, 10 after labral repair and 8 after labral reconstruction. Sixteen surgeons allow immediate weight bearing after psoas tenotomy. Twenty-one respondents restrict weight bearing after microfracture procedures for 3-8 weeks post-operatively. Return to running and impact sports were shorter for labral procedures and bony procedures and longer for cartilaginous and capsular procedures. Marked variability exists in the post-operative weight-bearing practices of hip arthroscopy surgeons. This study suggests that most surgeons allow immediate weight bearing as tolerated after labral resection, acetabular osteoplasty, chondroplasty and psoas tenotomy. For cartilage defect procedures, 6 weeks or more non-weight bearing is suggested depending on the area of the defect and lateral central edge angle. Delayed return to sports activities is suggested after microfracture procedures. The level of evidence was Level V expert opinions.

Hip arthroscopy protocol: expert opinions on post-operative weight bearing and return to sports guidelines

PubMed Central

Rath, Ehud; Paret, Matan; Amar, Eyal; Drexler, Michael; Bonin, Nicolas

2017-01-01

Abstract The objectives of this study are to survey the weight-bearing limitation practices and delay for returning to running and impact sports of high volume hip arthroscopy orthopedic surgeons. The study was designed in the form of expert survey questionnaire. Evidence-based data are scares regarding hip arthroscopy post-operative weight-bearing protocols. An international cross-sectional anonymous Internet survey of 26 high-volume hip arthroscopy specialized surgeons was conducted to report their weight-bearing limitations and rehabilitation protocols after various arthroscopic hip procedures. The International Society of Hip Arthroscopy invited this study. The results were examined in the context of supporting literature to inform the studies suggestions. Four surgeons always allow immediate weight bearing and five never offer immediate weight bearing. Seventeen surgeons provide weight bearing depending on the procedures performed: 17 surgeons allowed immediate weight bearing after labral resection, 10 after labral repair and 8 after labral reconstruction. Sixteen surgeons allow immediate weight bearing after psoas tenotomy. Twenty-one respondents restrict weight bearing after microfracture procedures for 3–8 weeks post-operatively. Return to running and impact sports were shorter for labral procedures and bony procedures and longer for cartilaginous and capsular procedures. Marked variability exists in the post-operative weight-bearing practices of hip arthroscopy surgeons. This study suggests that most surgeons allow immediate weight bearing as tolerated after labral resection, acetabular osteoplasty, chondroplasty and psoas tenotomy. For cartilage defect procedures, 6 weeks or more non-weight bearing is suggested depending on the area of the defect and lateral central edge angle. Delayed return to sports activities is suggested after microfracture procedures. The level of evidence was Level V expert opinions. PMID:28630722

Molecular weight dependency of polyrotaxane-cross-linked polymer gel extensibility.

PubMed

Ohmori, Kana; Abu Bin, Imran; Seki, Takahiro; Liu, Chang; Mayumi, Koichi; Ito, Kohzo; Takeoka, Yukikazu

2016-12-11

This work investigates the influence of the molecular weight of polyrotaxane (PR) cross-linkers on the extensibility of polymer gels. The polymer gels, which were prepared using PR cross-linkers of three different molecular weights but the same number of cross-linking points per unit volume of gel, have almost the same Young's modulus. By contrast, the extensibility and rupture strength of the polymer gels are substantially increased with increasing molecular weight of the PR cross-linker.

GASP- General Aviation Synthesis Program. Volume 5: Weight

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hague, D.

1978-01-01

Subroutines for determining the weights of propulsion system related components and the airframe components of an aircraft configuration are presented. Subroutines that deal with design load conditions, aircraft balance, and tail sizing are included. Options for turbine and internal combustion engines are provided.

Comprehensive Truck Size and Weight Study : volume 1 : executive summary

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2000-08-01

This report presents results of a comprehensive examination of issues surrounding current Federal truck size : and weight (TS&W) limits and potential impacts of changes to those limits. This is the first comprehensive : TS&W study by the Department s...

Intravascular volume in cirrhosis. Reassessment using improved methodology

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

Rector, W.G. Jr.; Ibarra, F.

1988-04-01

Previous studies of blood volume (BV) in cirrhosis have either not adjusted BV properly for body size; determined plasma volume from the dilution of labeled albumin 10-20 min postinjection, when some extravascular redistribution has already occurred; and/or not used the correct whole body-peripheral hematocrit ratio (0.82) in calculating whole BV from plasma volume and the peripheral hematocrit. We measured BV with attention to these considerations in 19 patients with cirrhosis and reexamined the determinants of vascular volume and the relationship between vascular volume and sodium retention. BV was calculated as plasma volume (determined from extrapolated plasma activity of intravenously injectedmore » (/sup 131/I)+albumin at time 0) divided by (peripheral hematocrit X 0.82). The result was expressed per kilogram dry body weight, determined by subtracting the mass of ascites (measured by isotope dilution; 1 liter = 1 kg) from the actual body weight of nonedematous patients. Measured and expressed in this way, BV correlated strongly with esophageal variceal size (r = 0.87, P less than 0.05), although not with net portal, right atrial, inferior vena caval, or arterial pressure, and was significantly greater in patients with sodium retention as compared to patients without sodium retention. The principal modifier of vascular volume in cirrhosis is vascular capacity, which is probably mainly determined by the extent of the portasystemic collateral circulation. Increased vascular volume in patients with sodium retention as compared to patients without sodium retention supports the overflow theory of ascites formation.« less

A 4-Week Preoperative Ketogenic Micronutrient-Enriched Diet Is Effective in Reducing Body Weight, Left Hepatic Lobe Volume, and Micronutrient Deficiencies in Patients Undergoing Bariatric Surgery: a Prospective Pilot Study.

PubMed

Schiavo, Luigi; Pilone, Vincenzo; Rossetti, Gianluca; Barbarisi, Alfonso; Cesaretti, Manuela; Iannelli, Antonio

2018-03-03

Before bariatric surgery (BS), moderate weight loss, left hepatic lobe volume reduction, and micronutrient deficiency (MD) identification and correction are desirable. The objective of this study was to assess the safety and the effectiveness of a 4-week preoperative ketogenic micronutrient-enriched diet (KMED) in reducing body weight (BW), left hepatic lobe volume, and correcting MD in patients scheduled for BS. In this prospective pilot study, a cohort of morbidly obese patients (n = 27, 17 females, 10 males) with a mean body mass index (BMI) of 45.2 kg/m 2 scheduled for BS underwent a 4-week preoperative KMED. Their BW, BMI, fat mass (FM), fat-free mass (FFM), resting metabolic rate (RMR), left hepatic lobe volume, micronutrient status, and biochemical and metabolic patterns were measured before and after the 4-week KMED. Patient compliance was assessed by validated questionnaires (3-day estimated food records and 72-h recall). Qualitative methods (5-point Likert questionnaire) were used to measure diet acceptability and side effects. All patients completed the study. We observed highly significant decreases in BW (- 10.3%, p < 0.001, in males; - 8.2%, p < 0.001, in females), left hepatic lobe volume (- 19.8%, p < 0.001), and an amelioration of patient micronutrient status. All patients showed a high frequency of acceptability and compliance in following the diet. No adverse side effect was reported. This study demonstrates that a 4-week preoperative KMED is safe and effective in reducing BW, left hepatic lobe volume, and correcting MD in obese patients scheduled for BS.

Repeat sleeve gastrectomy: optimization of outcomes by modifying the indications and technique.

PubMed

Rebibo, Lionel; Dhahri, Abdennaceur; Robert, Brice; Regimbeau, Jean-Marc

2018-04-01

Few series are available concerning repeat sleeve gastrectomy (re-SG), and series have reported contradictory results concerning morbidity rates, with limited data concerning weight loss. Evaluate the short- and medium-term outcomes of re-SG. University hospital, France, public practice. Between June 2007 and March 2016, all patients undergoing re-SG (n = 46 patients) were included. Re-SG was proposed for patients with insufficient excess weight loss (EWL) (≤50%) or renewed weight gain with excessively high residual gastric volume (>250 mL and/or large gastric pouch). The primary efficacy endpoint was the overall complication rate of re-SG. The secondary efficacy endpoints were operative data, evaluation of weight loss, and correction of co-morbidities, risk factors for gastric leak (GL), by comparing 2 periods (period 1, January 2004-December 2013: blue/green or purple staplers without reinforcement; period 2, after December 2013: black staplers with reinforcement) and comparison of weight loss according to the indication for re-SG. The re-SG group consisted of 46 patients (35 women, mean age: 47.5 yr). The mean body mass index (BMI) before SG was 47.2 kg/m² (35-63.6). The mean time interval between SG and re-SG was 73 months (11-106). The BMI before re-SG was 41.2 kg/m² (29-54.7). Indications for surgery were insufficient weight loss in 25 patients (54.3%) and weight regain in 21 patients (45.7%). A large gastric pouch was visible in 4 patients (8.6%). The mean operating time was 97.6 minutes (45-220). One death (2.1%) and 7 complications (15.2%) were observed. The mean length of hospital stay was 3.6 days (1-30). At last follow-up, mean BMI was 32.1 kg/m 2 (20.3-41.3) and mean EWL was 62.3% (18-127.2). When analyzing risk factors for GL, residual gastric volume between 250 and 350 mL was associated with a higher GL rate compared with a volume ≥350 mL, and re-SG performed during period 1 was associated with a higher GL rate than re-SG performed during period 2 (17.4% versus 0%; P = .13). Re-SG performed for weight regain was associated with a significantly higher additional weight loss compared with re-SG performed for insufficient weight loss (mean additional EWL of 45.9%; P = .06). Re-SG is feasible, but it requires adaptation of the surgical procedure to decrease complications. Results on weight loss are acceptable, but the best indications for re-SG were a gastric volume>350 mL and in the case of weight regain with the exception of technical failure of the primary SG. Copyright © 2018 American Society for Bariatric Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Biennial Guidance Test Symposium (14th) held in Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico on 3-5 October 1989. Volume 1

DTIC Science & Technology

1989-10-30

assembled pair is tumble lapped. Tumble lapping is a process in which Mechanically, the 1.5-inch diameter rotors a a weighted lapping element and slurry of...parameter met AGTF requirements at that site. Weighting factors were than assigned to each parameter as an indication of importance of the parameter to...AGTF. The weighted score was determined by multiplying the score by the weighting factor. The weighted scores were then totaled for each site to

The sea urchin egg jelly coat consists of globular glycoproteins bound to a fibrous fucan superstructure.

PubMed

Bonnell, B S; Keller, S H; Vacquier, V D; Chandler, D E

1994-03-01

Intact egg jelly (EJ) coats surrounding eggs of the sea urchin Strongylocentrotus purpuratus were visualized in stereo images of platinum replicas produced by the quick-freeze, deep-etch, rotary-shadowing technique. The hydrated EJ coat forms an extensive fibrous network that makes contact with the vitelline layer at the egg surface. Fibers are decorated along their length with particles, particle density being highest in the interior regions of the coat. The macromolecular components making up the EJ network were visualized by rotary-shadowing of mica-adsorbed EJ samples. Whole EJ coats solubilized in pH 5 sea-water and spread on the mica surface consist of complex networks of branching fibers decorated with large patches of amorphous material. As we have previously shown (Keller and Vacquier, 1994), EJ boiled in a dissolution buffer containing SDS and beta-mercaptoethanol and applied to a Sephacryl-500 gel filtration column can be separated into three fractions: a 380-kDa fucose sulfate polymer (FSP), which elutes in the void volume, and two column-included fractions consisting of intermediate (300 kDa) and low-molecular-weight (30- to 138-kDa) glycoproteins. Rotary-shadowing of the FSP fraction reveals branched fibrous components similar in appearance to that of solubilized whole EJ but devoid of any particulate decoration. In contrast, intermediate- and low-molecular-weight EJ components are strictly globular in appearance but are distinguishable on the basis of size. Ion-exchange purification of whole EJ yields two glycoproteins, of 82 and 138 kDa, having AR-inducing activity (Keller and Vacquier, 1994). Platinum replication shows these active components to be small spherical molecules about 8 nm in diameter. The above fractionation scheme requires harsh dissociation conditions. Indeed, if EJ is not boiled in SDS buffer before fractionation, the 300-kDa fraction and the FSP appear together in the void volume. Rotary-shadowing of this complex reveals a multistranded polymer, decorated with glycoproteins at specific kink points. Taken together, our data suggest that the EJ network is composed of a fucose sulfate polymer superstructure to which glycoproteins are bound.

A comparison of hydration effect on body fluid and temperature regulation between Malaysian and Japanese males exercising at mild dehydration in humid heat.

PubMed

Wakabayashi, Hitoshi; Wijayanto, Titis; Lee, Joo-Young; Hashiguchi, Nobuko; Saat, Mohamed; Tochihara, Yutaka

2014-02-04

This study investigated the effect of hydration differences on body fluid and temperature regulation between tropical and temperate indigenes exercising in the heat. Ten Japanese and ten Malaysian males with matched physical characteristics (height, body weight, and peak oxygen consumption) participated in this study. Participants performed exercise for 60 min at 55% peak oxygen uptake followed by a 30-min recovery at 32°C and 70% relative air humidity with hydration (4 times each, 3 mL per kg body weight, 37°C) or without hydration. Rectal temperature, skin temperature, heart rate, skin blood flow, and blood pressure were measured continuously. The percentage of body weight loss and total sweat loss were calculated from body weight measurements. The percentage change in plasma volume was estimated from hemoglobin concentration and hematocrit. Malaysian participants had a significantly lower rectal temperature, a smaller reduction in plasma volume, and a lower heart rate in the hydrated condition than in the non-hydrated condition at the end of exercise (P <0.05), whereas Japanese participants showed no difference between the two hydration conditions. Hydration induced a greater total sweat loss in both groups (P <0.05), and the percentage of body weight loss in hydrated Malaysians was significantly less than in hydrated Japanese (P <0.05). A significant interaction between groups and hydration conditions was observed for the percentage of mean cutaneous vascular conductance during exercise relative to baseline (P <0.05). The smaller reduction in plasma volume and percentage body weight loss in hydrated Malaysians indicated an advantage in body fluid regulation. This may enable Malaysians to reserve more blood for circulation and heat dissipation and thereby maintain lower rectal temperatures in a hydrated condition.

Prediction of Packed Cell Volume after Whole Blood Transfusion in Small Ruminants and South American Camelids: 80 Cases (2006-2016).

PubMed

Luethy, D; Stefanovski, D; Salber, R; Sweeney, R W

2017-11-01

Calculation of desired whole blood transfusion volume relies on an estimate of an animal's circulating blood volume, generally accepted to be 0.08 L/kg or 8% of the animal's body weight in kilograms. To use packed cell volume before and after whole blood transfusion to evaluate the accuracy of a commonly used equation to predict packed cell volume after transfusion in small ruminants and South American camelids; to determine the nature and frequency of adverse transfusion reactions in small ruminants and camelids after whole blood transfusion. Fifty-eight small ruminants and 22 alpacas that received whole blood transfusions for anemia. Retrospective case series; medical record review for small ruminants and camelids that received whole blood transfusions during hospitalization. Mean volume of distribution of blood as a fraction of body weight in sheep (0.075 L/kg, 7.5% BW) and goats (0.076 L/kg, 7.6% BW) differed significantly (P < 0.01) from alpacas (0.103 L/kg, 10.3% BW). Mild transfusion reactions were noted in 16% of transfusions. The generally accepted value of 8% for circulating blood volume (volume of distribution of blood) is adequate for calculation of transfusion volumes; however, use of the species-specific circulating blood volume can improve calculation of transfusion volume to predict and achieve desired packed cell volume. The incidence of transfusion reactions in small ruminants and camelids is low. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine.

Low Molecular Weight Chitosan–Insulin Polyelectrolyte Complex: Characterization and Stability Studies

PubMed Central

Al-Kurdi, Zakieh I.; Chowdhry, Babur Z.; Leharne, Stephen A.; Al Omari, Mahmoud M. H.; Badwan, Adnan A.

2015-01-01

The aim of the work reported herein was to investigate the effect of various low molecular weight chitosans (LMWCs) on the stability of insulin using USP HPLC methods. Insulin was found to be stable in a polyelectrolyte complex (PEC) consisting of insulin and LMWC in the presence of a Tris-buffer at pH 6.5. In the presence of LMWC, the stability of insulin increased with decreasing molecular weight of LMWC; 13 kDa LMWC was the most efficient molecular weight for enhancing the physical and chemical stability of insulin. Solubilization of insulin-LMWC polyelectrolyte complex (I-LMWC PEC) in a reverse micelle (RM) system, administered to diabetic rats, results in an oral delivery system for insulin with acceptable bioactivity. PMID:25830681

Growth and Yield Predictions for Thinned Stands of Even-aged Natural Longleaf Pine

Treesearch

Robert M. Farrar

1979-01-01

This paper presents a system of equations and resulting tables that can predict stand volumes for thinned natural longleaf pine. The system can predict current and future total stand volume in cubic feet and merchantable stand volume in cubic feet, cords, and board feet. The system also provides for estimating dry-weight production of wood. The system uses input data...

Prediction of subacute infarct size in acute middle cerebral artery stroke: comparison of perfusion-weighted imaging and apparent diffusion coefficient maps.

PubMed

Drier, Aurélie; Tourdias, Thomas; Attal, Yohan; Sibon, Igor; Mutlu, Gurkan; Lehéricy, Stéphane; Samson, Yves; Chiras, Jacques; Dormont, Didier; Orgogozo, Jean-Marc; Dousset, Vincent; Rosso, Charlotte

2012-11-01

To compare perfusion-weighted (PW) imaging and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) maps in prediction of infarct size and growth in patients with acute middle cerebral artery infarct. This study was approved by the local institutional review board. Written informed consent was obtained from all 80 patients. Subsequent infarct volume and growth on follow-up magnetic resonance (MR) images obtained within 6 days were compared with the predictions based on PW images by using a time-to-peak threshold greater than 4 seconds and ADC maps obtained less than 12 hours after middle cerebral artery infarct. ADC- and PW imaging-predicted infarct growth areas and infarct volumes were correlated with subsequent infarct growth and follow-up diffusion-weighted (DW) imaging volumes. The impact of MR imaging time delay on the correlation coefficient between the predicted and subsequent infarct volumes and individual predictions of infarct growth by using receiver operating characteristic curves were assessed. The infarct volume measurements were highly reproducible (concordance correlation coefficient [CCC] of 0.965 and 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.949, 0.976 for acute DW imaging; CCC of 0.995 and 95% CI: 0.993, 0.997 for subacute DW imaging). The subsequent infarct volume correlated (P<.0001) with ADC- (ρ=0.853) and PW imaging- (ρ=0.669) predicted volumes. The correlation was higher for ADC-predicted volume than for PW imaging-predicted volume (P<.005), but not when the analysis was restricted to patients without recanalization (P=.07). The infarct growth correlated (P<.0001) with PW imaging-DW imaging mismatch (ρ=0.470) and ADC-DW imaging mismatch (ρ=0.438), without significant differences between both methods (P=.71). The correlations were similar among time delays with ADC-predicted volumes but decreased with PW imaging-based volumes beyond the therapeutic window. Accuracies of ADC- and PW imaging-based predictions of infarct growth in an individual prediction were similar (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve [AUC] of 0.698 and 95% CI: 0.585, 0.796 vs AUC of 0.749 and 95% CI: 0.640, 0.839; P=.48). The ADC-based method was as accurate as the PW imaging-based method for evaluating infarct growth and size in the subacute phase. © RSNA, 2012

T1 vs. T2 weighted magnetic resonance imaging to assess total kidney volume in patients with autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease.

PubMed

van Gastel, Maatje D A; Messchendorp, A Lianne; Kappert, Peter; Kaatee, Merel A; de Jong, Marissa; Renken, Remco J; Ter Horst, Gert J; Mahesh, Shekar V K; Gansevoort, Ron T

2018-05-01

In ADPKD patients total kidney volume (TKV) measurement using MRI is performed to predict rate of disease progression. Historically T1 weighted images (T1) were used, but the methodology of T2 weighted imaging (T2) has evolved. We compared the performance of both sequences. 40 ADPKD patients underwent an abdominal MRI at baseline and follow-up. TKV was measured by manual tracing with Analyze Direct 11.0 software. Three readers established intra- and interreader coefficients of variation (CV). T1 and T2 measured kidney volumes and growth rates were compared with ICC and Bland-Altman analyses. Participants were 49.7 ± 7.0 years of age, 55.0% female, with estimated GFR of 50.1 ± 11.5 mL/min/1.73 m 2 . CVs were low and comparable for T2 and T1 (intrareader: 0.83% [0.48-1.79] vs. 1.15% [0.34-1.77], P = 0.9, interreader: 2.18% [1.59-2.61] vs. 1.69% [1.07-3.87], P = 0.9). TKV was clinically similar, but statistically significantly different between T2 and T1: 1867 [1172-2721] vs. 1932 [1180-2551] mL, respectively (P = 0.006), with a bias of only 0.8% and high agreement (ICC 0.997). Percentage kidney growth during 2.2 ± 0.3 years was similar for T2 and T1 (9.3 ± 10.6% vs. 7.8 ± 9.9%, P = 0.1, respectively), with a bias of 1.5% and high agreement (ICC 0.843). T2 was more often of sufficient quality for volume measurement (86.7% vs. 71.1%, P < 0.001). In patients with ADPKD, measurement of kidney volume and growth rate performs similarly when using T2 compared to T1 weighted images, although T2 performs better on secondary outcome parameters; they are more often of sufficient quality for volume measurement and result in slightly lower intra- and interreader variability.

Preoperative estimation of the liver graft weight in adult right lobe living donor liver transplantation using maximal portal vein diameters.

PubMed

Wang, Frank; Pan, Kuang-Tse; Chu, Sung-Yu; Chan, Kun-Ming; Chou, Hong-Shiue; Wu, Ting-Jung; Lee, Wei-Chen

2011-04-01

An accurate preoperative estimate of the graft weight is vital to avoid small-for-size syndrome in the recipient and ensure donor safety after adult living donor liver transplantation (LDLT). Here we describe a simple method for estimating the graft volume (GV) that uses the maximal right portal vein diameter (RPVD) and the maximal left portal vein diameter (LPVD). Between June 2004 and December 2009, 175 consecutive donors undergoing right hepatectomy for LDLT were retrospectively reviewed. The GV was determined with 3 estimation methods: (1) the radiological graft volume (RGV) estimated by computed tomography (CT) volumetry; (2) the computed tomography-calculated graft volume (CGV-CT), which was obtained by the multiplication of the standard liver volume (SLV) by the RGV percentage with respect to the total liver volume derived from CT; and (3) the portal vein diameter ratio-calculated graft volume (CGV-PVDR), which was obtained by the multiplication of the SLV by the portal vein diameter ratio [PVDR; ie, PVDR = RPVD(2) /(RPVD(2) + LPVD(2) )]. These values were compared to the actual graft weight (AGW), which was measured intraoperatively. The mean AGW was 633.63 ± 107.51 g, whereas the mean RGV, CGV-CT, and CGV-PVDR values were 747.83 ± 138.59, 698.21 ± 94.81, and 685.20 ± 90.88 cm(3) , respectively. All 3 estimation methods tended to overestimate the AGW (P < 0.001). The actual graft-to-recipient body weight ratio (GRWR) was 1.00% ± 0.19%, and the GRWRs calculated on the basis of the RGV, CGV-CT, and CGV-PVDR values were 1.19% ± 0.25%, 1.11% ± 0.22%, and 1.09% ± 0.21%, respectively. Overall, the CGV-PVDR values better correlated with the AGW and GRWR values according to Lin's concordance correlation coefficient and the Landis and Kock benchmark. In conclusion, the PVDR method is a simple estimation method that accurately predicts GVs and GRWRs in adult LDLT. Copyright © 2011 American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases.

Chemical measurement of urine volume

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sauer, R. L.

1978-01-01

Chemical method of measuring volume of urine samples using lithium chloride dilution technique, does not interfere with analysis, is faster, and more accurate than standard volumetric of specific gravity/weight techniques. Adaptation of procedure to urinalysis could prove generally practical for hospital mineral balance and catechoamine determinations.

Brain structure predicts risk for obesity ☆

PubMed Central

Smucny, Jason; Cornier, Marc-Andre; Eichman, Lindsay C.; Thomas, Elizabeth A.; Bechtell, Jamie L.; Tregellas, Jason R.

2014-01-01

The neurobiology of obesity is poorly understood. Here we report findings of a study designed to examine the differences in brain regional gray matter volume in adults recruited as either Obese Prone or Obese Resistant based on self-identification, body mass index, and personal/family weight history. Magnetic resonance imaging was performed in 28 Obese Prone (14 male, 14 female) and 25 Obese Resistant (13 male, 12 female) healthy adults. Voxel-based morphometry was used to identify gray matter volume differences between groups. Gray matter volume was found to be lower in the insula, medial orbitofrontal cortex and cerebellum in Obese Prone, as compared to Obese Resistant individuals. Adjusting for body fat mass did not impact these results. Insula gray matter volume was negatively correlated with leptin concentration and measures of hunger. These findings suggest that individuals at risk for weight gain have structural differences in brain regions known to be important in energy intake regulation, and that these differences, particularly in the insula, may be related to leptin. PMID:22963736

Effect of different flours on quality of legume cakes to be baked in microwave-infrared combination oven and conventional oven.

PubMed

Ozkahraman, Betul Canan; Sumnu, Gulum; Sahin, Serpil

2016-03-01

The objective of this study was to compare the quality of legume cakes baked in microwave-infrared combination (MW-IR) oven with conventional oven. Legume cake formulations were developed by replacing 10 % wheat flour by lentil, chickpea and pea flour. As a control, wheat flour containing cakes were used. Weight loss, specific volume, texture, color, gelatinization degree, macro and micro-structure of cakes were investigated. MW-IR baked cakes had higher specific volume, weight loss and crust color change and lower hardness values than conventionally baked cakes. Larger pores were observed in MW-IR baked cakes according to scanning electron microscope (SEM) images. Pea flour giving the hardest structure, lowest specific volume and gelatinization degree was determined to be the least acceptable legume flour. On the other hand, lentil and chickpea flour containing cakes had the softest structure and highest specific volume showing that lentil and chickpea flour can be used to produce functional cakes.

Overlapping community detection in weighted networks via a Bayesian approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Yi; Wang, Xiaolong; Xiang, Xin; Tang, Buzhou; Chen, Qingcai; Fan, Shixi; Bu, Junzhao

2017-02-01

Complex networks as a powerful way to represent complex systems have been widely studied during the past several years. One of the most important tasks of complex network analysis is to detect communities embedded in networks. In the real world, weighted networks are very common and may contain overlapping communities where a node is allowed to belong to multiple communities. In this paper, we propose a novel Bayesian approach, called the Bayesian mixture network (BMN) model, to detect overlapping communities in weighted networks. The advantages of our method are (i) providing soft-partition solutions in weighted networks; (ii) providing soft memberships, which quantify 'how strongly' a node belongs to a community. Experiments on a large number of real and synthetic networks show that our model has the ability in detecting overlapping communities in weighted networks and is competitive with other state-of-the-art models at shedding light on community partition.

Accuracy and variability of tumor burden measurement on multi-parametric MRI

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Salarian, Mehrnoush; Gibson, Eli; Shahedi, Maysam; Gaed, Mena; Gómez, José A.; Moussa, Madeleine; Romagnoli, Cesare; Cool, Derek W.; Bastian-Jordan, Matthew; Chin, Joseph L.; Pautler, Stephen; Bauman, Glenn S.; Ward, Aaron D.

2014-03-01

Measurement of prostate tumour volume can inform prognosis and treatment selection, including an assessment of the suitability and feasibility of focal therapy, which can potentially spare patients the deleterious side effects of radical treatment. Prostate biopsy is the clinical standard for diagnosis but provides limited information regarding tumour volume due to sparse tissue sampling. A non-invasive means for accurate determination of tumour burden could be of clinical value and an important step toward reduction of overtreatment. Multi-parametric magnetic resonance imaging (MPMRI) is showing promise for prostate cancer diagnosis. However, the accuracy and inter-observer variability of prostate tumour volume estimation based on separate expert contouring of T2-weighted (T2W), dynamic contrastenhanced (DCE), and diffusion-weighted (DW) MRI sequences acquired using an endorectal coil at 3T is currently unknown. We investigated this question using a histologic reference standard based on a highly accurate MPMRIhistology image registration and a smooth interpolation of planimetric tumour measurements on histology. Our results showed that prostate tumour volumes estimated based on MPMRI consistently overestimated histological reference tumour volumes. The variability of tumour volume estimates across the different pulse sequences exceeded interobserver variability within any sequence. Tumour volume estimates on DCE MRI provided the lowest inter-observer variability and the highest correlation with histology tumour volumes, whereas the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) maps provided the lowest volume estimation error. If validated on a larger data set, the observed correlations could support the development of automated prostate tumour volume segmentation algorithms as well as correction schemes for tumour burden estimation on MPMRI.

40 CFR Table A-7 to Subpart A of... - Data Elements That Are Inputs to Emission Equations and for Which the Reporting Deadline Is March...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... mass balance equation. K 98.116(b) Only annual production by product from each EAF (No CEMS). K 98.116... carbon content values, molecular weights for gaseous feedstocks, molecular weights for gaseous products... of gas flared, average molecular weight, carbon content of the flare, and molar volume conversion...

Development of a weight/sizing design synthesis computer program. Volume 2: Program Description

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Garrison, J. M.

1973-01-01

The program for the computerized analysis of weight estimation relationships for those elements of the space shuttle vehicle which contribute a significant portion of the inert weight is discussed. A listing of each module and subroutine of the program is presented. Included are a generalized flow chart describing the subroutine linkage of the complete program and detailed flow charts for each subprogram.

A Novel Algorithm for Detecting Protein Complexes with the Breadth First Search

PubMed Central

Tang, Xiwei; Wang, Jianxin; Li, Min; He, Yiming; Pan, Yi

2014-01-01

Most biological processes are carried out by protein complexes. A substantial number of false positives of the protein-protein interaction (PPI) data can compromise the utility of the datasets for complexes reconstruction. In order to reduce the impact of such discrepancies, a number of data integration and affinity scoring schemes have been devised. The methods encode the reliabilities (confidence) of physical interactions between pairs of proteins. The challenge now is to identify novel and meaningful protein complexes from the weighted PPI network. To address this problem, a novel protein complex mining algorithm ClusterBFS (Cluster with Breadth-First Search) is proposed. Based on the weighted density, ClusterBFS detects protein complexes of the weighted network by the breadth first search algorithm, which originates from a given seed protein used as starting-point. The experimental results show that ClusterBFS performs significantly better than the other computational approaches in terms of the identification of protein complexes. PMID:24818139

Water activity and mobility in solutions of glycerol and small molecular weight sugars: Implication for cryo- and lyopreservation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

He, Xiaoming; Fowler, Alex; Toner, Mehmet

2006-10-01

In this study, the free volume models, originally developed for large molecular weight polymer-solvent systems, were used to study the water activity and mobility in solutions of four small molecular weight cryo-/lyoprotectants, viz., glycerol, a monosaccharide (fructose), and two disaccharides (sucrose and trehalose). The free volume model parameters were determined by fitting the models to available experimental data using a nonlinear optimization procedure. It was found that free volume models could accurately predict the available experimental data, which suggests that the free volume models might be generally applicable to aqueous solutions of small molecular weight cryo-/lyoprotectants. Furthermore, several models for estimating the mutual diffusion coefficient were tested using available experimental data for aqueous solutions of glycerol and a better method to estimate the mutual diffusion coefficient was proposed. Free volume models were used to predict and analyze the water activity and mobility in solutions of four cryo-/lyoprotectants under conditions frequently encountered in cryo-/lyopreservation applications. It was found that the water mobility in the glassy state of the above four solutions is essentially negligible in the case of cryopreservation with storage temperature lower than -110°C. However, the water mobility in a glass at higher temperature (>-80°C) may be significant. As a result, a subcooling of up to 50°C may be necessary for the long-term cryo-/lyopreservation of biomaterials depending on the water content and the type of cryo-/lyoprotectants. It was further shown that trehalose might be the best of the four protectants studied for lyopreservation (water mass fraction ⩽0.1) when the storage temperature is above the room temperature. The results from this study might be useful for the development of more effective protocols for both cryopreservation and lyopreservation of living cells and other biomaterials.

Irradiation of the prostate and pelvic lymph nodes with an adaptive algorithm

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

Hwang, A. B.; Chen, J.; Nguyen, T. B.

2012-02-15

Purpose: The simultaneous treatment of pelvic lymph nodes and the prostate in radiotherapy for prostate cancer is complicated by the independent motion of these two target volumes. In this work, the authors study a method to adapt intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) treatment plans so as to compensate for this motion by adaptively morphing the multileaf collimator apertures and adjusting the segment weights. Methods: The study used CT images, tumor volumes, and normal tissue contours from patients treated in our institution. An IMRT treatment plan was then created using direct aperture optimization to deliver 45 Gy to the pelvic lymphmore » nodes and 50 Gy to the prostate and seminal vesicles. The prostate target volume was then shifted in either the anterior-posterior direction or in the superior-inferior direction. The treatment plan was adapted by adjusting the aperture shapes with or without re-optimizing the segment weighting. The dose to the target volumes was then determined for the adapted plan. Results: Without compensation for prostate motion, 1 cm shifts of the prostate resulted in an average decrease of 14% in D-95%. If the isocenter is simply shifted to match the prostate motion, the prostate receives the correct dose but the pelvic lymph nodes are underdosed by 14% {+-} 6%. The use of adaptive morphing (with or without segment weight optimization) reduces the average change in D-95% to less than 5% for both the pelvic lymph nodes and the prostate. Conclusions: Adaptive morphing with and without segment weight optimization can be used to compensate for the independent motion of the prostate and lymph nodes when combined with daily imaging or other methods to track the prostate motion. This method allows the delivery of the correct dose to both the prostate and lymph nodes with only small changes to the dose delivered to the target volumes.« less

[Status of penis and testicular development and effects of overweight/obesity on them in boys in the Zhengzhou area].

PubMed

Zhang, Yao-Dong; Tan, Li-Na; Luo, Shu-Ying; Chen, Yong-Xing; Wei, Hai-Yan

2015-01-01

To evaluate the current status of penis and testicular development in boys and the effects of overweight/obesity on their development in the Zhengzhou area of Henan Province. Height, weight, waist circumference, hip circumference, penis length and testicular volume were measured in 3 546 4 to 12-year-old boys. The penis length and testicular volume were compared between the overweight/obesity and normal weight groups. Before 9 years of age, the testicular volume was progressively smaller, and after 9 years old, it gradually increased. By the age of 11, it increased rapidly. The penis length increased gradually between 4 and 11 years of age, and after the age of 11 it increased rapidly. Phimosis was found in 144 cases (4.01%) and cryptorchidism was found in 18 cases (0.51%). A total of 639 (18.02%) boys were overweight or obese among 3 546 boys. At the ages of 6 and 7 years, the testicular volume in the overweight/obesity group was greater than in the normal control group (P<0.05). The penis length in the overweight/obesity group was significantly shorter than in the normal control group (P<0.05) by the age of 11 years. The correlation analysis showed that the testicular volume at the ages of 4 and 5 years was positively correlated with height, weight, BMI, waist circumference and hip circumference in overweight/obese boys. The penis length at the ages of 7 and 8 years was negatively correlated with weight, waist circumference and hip circumference. By the age of 12 years, the penis length was positively correlated with the height. The development of penis and testicles in boys in the Zhengzhou area is in line with the level of sex development of Chinese boys. Overweight/obesity adversely affects the development of penis and testicles.

Platelet antiheparin activity. The isolation and characterisation of platelet factor 4 released from thrombin-aggregated washed human platelets and its dissociation into subunits and the isolation of membrane-bound antiheparin activity.

PubMed

Moore, S; Pepper, D S; Cash, J D

1975-02-27

Platelet factor 4 was isolated by gel filtration from the soluble release products of thrombin-aggregated washed human platelets as a proteoglycan-platelet factor 4 complex of molecular weight 358 000, Stokes radius (r-s) of 14.0 nm, sedimentation coefficient (s) of 7.1 S and frictional ratio (f/f-o) of 3.04. The complex was dissociated at high ionic strength (I equals 0.75) and the proteoglycan separated from platelet factor 4 by gel filtration. Platelet factor 4 had a molecular weight of 27 100, r-s of 2.52 nm, s of 2.4 S and f/f-o of 1.26, was insoluble under physiological conditions but readily soluble at pH 3. Under these conditions platelet factor 4 dissociated into four subunits with a molecular weight of 6900, r-s of 1.92 nm, s of 0.8 S, and f/f-o of 1.52. Qualitative N-terminal amino acid analysis showed the presence of glutamic acid or glutamine as the major end group. Platelet factor 4 was compared with protamine sulphate, which has similar biological properties, by electrophoresis at pH 2.2, in which both migrated as single bands but with differing mobility, and by amino acid analysis which showed a more normal distribution of residues than occurred in protamine sulphate. Of the basic amino acids platelet factor 4 (molecular weight 27 100) contained 5.97% arginine, 3.18% histidine, and 12.31% lysine compared to protamine sulphate with 64.2% arginine, 0.6% lysine and no histidine. A partial specific volume (v) of 0.747 was calculated for platelet factor 4 from its amino acid analysis. A membrane fraction with antiheparin activity, an isopycnic density of 1.090-1.110 and r-s of 15-35 nm, was also isolated by sucrose density gradient centrifugation from the ultrasonicated insoluble platelet residue remaining after thrombin-induced aggregation of washed human platelets. Trypsin treatment of the membrane fraction neither solubilised nor destroyed the activity.

40 CFR 799.5085 - Chemical testing requirements for certain high production volume chemicals.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... diluted in water or tested as a stabilized mixture with an appropriate stabilizer (e.g., D-lactose monohydrate is the stabilizer in PETN, NF which is a mixture of 20% by weight PETN and 80% by weight D-lactose...

Weight Loss and Diet in Wrestling.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lopez, Richard

1980-01-01

Most weight loss among wrestlers is accomplished by a combination of fasting, induced sweating, and reduced fluid intake resulting in dehydration in the final days prior to competition. The effects of acute thermal dehydration on cardiovascular dynamics are related to a reduction in plasma volume. (JN)

Different effects on bone strength and cell differentiation in pre pubertal caloric restriction versus hypothalamic suppression✩,✩✩

PubMed Central

Joshi, R.N.; Safadi, F.F.; Barbe, M.F.; Carpio-Cano, Fe Del; Popoff, S.N.; Yingling, V.R.

2013-01-01

Hypothalamic amenorrhea and energy restriction during puberty affect peak bone mass accrual. One hypothesis suggests energy restriction alters hypothalamic function resulting in suppressed estradiol levels leading to bone loss. However, both positive and negative results have been reported regarding energy restriction and bone strength. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate energy restriction and hypothalamic suppression during pubertal onset on bone mechanical strength and the osteogenic capacity of bone marrow-derived cells in two models: female rats treated with gonadotropin releasing hormone antagonists (GnRH-a) or 30% energy restriction. At 23 days of age, female Sprague Dawley rats were assigned to three groups: control group (C, n=10), GnRH-a group (n=10), and Energy Restriction (ER, n=12) group. GnRH-a animals received daily injections for 27 days. The animals in the ER group received 70% of the control animals’ intake. After sacrifice (50 days of age), body weight, uterine and muscle weights were measured. Bone marrow-derived stromal cells were cultured and assayed for proliferation and differentiation into osteoblasts. Outcome measures included bone strength, bone histomorphometry and architecture, serum IGF-1 and osteocalcin. GnRH-a suppressed uterine weight, decreased osteoblast proliferation, bone strength, trabecular bone volume and architecture compared to control. Elevated serum IGF-1 and osteocalcin levels and body weight were found. The ER model had an increase in osteoblast proliferation compared to the GnRH-a group, similar bone strength relative to body weight and increased trabecular bone volume in the lumbar spine compared to control. The ER animals were smaller but had developed bone strength sufficient for their size. In contrast, suppressed estradiol via hypothalamic suppression resulted in bone strength deficits and trabecular bone volume loss. In summary, our results support the hypothesis that during periods of nutritional stress the increased vertebral bone volume may be an adaptive mechanism to store mineral which differs from suppressed estradiol resulting from hypothalamic suppression. PMID:21807131

Meta-Analysis of Ultrafiltration versus Diuretics Treatment Option for Overload Volume Reduction in Patients with Acute Decompensated Heart Failure.

PubMed

Barkoudah, Ebrahim; Kodali, Sindhura; Okoroh, Juliet; Sethi, Rosh; Hulten, Edward; Suemoto, Claudia; Bittencourt, Marcio Sommer

2015-05-01

Although diuretics are mainly used for the treatment of acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF), inadequate responses and complications have led to the use of extracorporeal ultrafiltration (UF) as an alternative strategy for reducing volume overloads in patients with ADHF. The aim of our study is to perform meta-analysis of the results obtained from studies on extracorporeal venous ultrafiltration and compare them with those of standard diuretic treatment for overload volume reduction in acute decompensated heart failure. MEDLINE, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials databases were systematically searched using a pre‑specified criterion. Pooled estimates of outcomes after 48 h (weight change, serum creatinine level, and all-cause mortality) were computed using random effect models. Pooled weighted mean differences were calculated for weight loss and change in creatinine level, whereas a pooled risk ratio was used for the analysis of binary all-cause mortality outcome. A total of nine studies, involving 613 patients, met the eligibility criteria. The mean weight loss in patients who underwent UF therapy was 1.78 kg [95% Confidence Interval (CI): -2.65 to -0.91 kg; p < 0.001) more than those who received standard diuretic therapy. The post-intervention creatinine level, however, was not significantly different (mean change = -0.25 mg/dL; 95% CI: -0.56 to 0.06 mg/dL; p = 0.112). The risk of all-cause mortality persisted in patients treated with UF compared with patients treated with standard diuretics (Pooled RR = 1.00; 95% CI: 0.64-1.56; p = 0.993). Compared with standard diuretic therapy, UF treatment for overload volume reduction in individuals suffering from ADHF, resulted in significant reduction of body weight within 48 h. However, no significant decrease of serum creatinine level or reduction of all-cause mortality was observed.

Meta-Analysis of Ultrafiltration versus Diuretics Treatment Option for Overload Volume Reduction in Patients with Acute Decompensated Heart Failure

PubMed Central

Barkoudah, Ebrahim; Kodali, Sindhura; Okoroh, Juliet; Sethi, Rosh; Hulten, Edward; Suemoto, Claudia; Bittencourt, Marcio Sommer

2015-01-01

Introduction Although diuretics are mainly used for the treatment of acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF), inadequate responses and complications have led to the use of extracorporeal ultrafiltration (UF) as an alternative strategy for reducing volume overloads in patients with ADHF. Objective The aim of our study is to perform meta-analysis of the results obtained from studies on extracorporeal venous ultrafiltration and compare them with those of standard diuretic treatment for overload volume reduction in acute decompensated heart failure. Methods MEDLINE, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials databases were systematically searched using a pre‑specified criterion. Pooled estimates of outcomes after 48 h (weight change, serum creatinine level, and all-cause mortality) were computed using random effect models. Pooled weighted mean differences were calculated for weight loss and change in creatinine level, whereas a pooled risk ratio was used for the analysis of binary all-cause mortality outcome. Results A total of nine studies, involving 613 patients, met the eligibility criteria. The mean weight loss in patients who underwent UF therapy was 1.78 kg [95% Confidence Interval (CI): −2.65 to −0.91 kg; p < 0.001) more than those who received standard diuretic therapy. The post-intervention creatinine level, however, was not significantly different (mean change = −0.25 mg/dL; 95% CI: −0.56 to 0.06 mg/dL; p = 0.112). The risk of all-cause mortality persisted in patients treated with UF compared with patients treated with standard diuretics (Pooled RR = 1.00; 95% CI: 0.64–1.56; p = 0.993). Conclusion Compared with standard diuretic therapy, UF treatment for overload volume reduction in individuals suffering from ADHF, resulted in significant reduction of body weight within 48 h. However, no significant decrease of serum creatinine level or reduction of all-cause mortality was observed. PMID:25626761

Growth of the eye lens: II. Allometric studies

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Purpose The purpose of this study was to examine the ontogeny and phylogeny of lens growth in a variety of species using allometry. Methods Data on the accumulation of wet and/or dry lens weight as a function of bodyweight were obtained for 40 species and subjected to allometric analysis to examine ontogenic growth and compaction. Allometric analysis was also used to compare the maximum adult lens weights for 147 species with the maximum adult bodyweight and to compare lens volumes calculated from wet and dry weights with eye volumes calculated from axial length. Results Linear allometric relationships were obtained for the comparison of ontogenic lens and bodyweight accumulation. The body mass exponent (BME) decreased with increasing animal size from around 1.0 in small rodents to 0.4 in large ungulates for both wet and dry weights. Compaction constants for the ontogenic growth ranged from 1.00 in birds and reptiles up to 1.30 in mammals. Allometric comparison of maximum lens wet and dry weights with maximum bodyweights also yielded linear plots with a BME of 0.504 for all warm blooded species except primates which had a BME of 0.25. When lens volumes were compared with eye volumes, all species yielded a scaling constant of 0.75 but the proportionality constants for primates and birds were lower. Conclusions Ontogenic lens growth is fastest, relative to body growth, in small animals and slowest in large animals. Fiber cell compaction takes place throughout life in most species, but not in birds and reptiles. Maximum adult lens size scales with eye size with the same exponent in all species, but birds and primates have smaller lenses relative to eye size than other species. Optical properties of the lens are generated through the combination of variations in the rate of growth, rate of compaction, shape and size. PMID:24715759

Effect of processing parameters and pore structure of nanostructured silica aerogel on the physical properties of aerogel blankets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Latifi, Fatemeh; Talebi, Zahra; Khalili, Haleh; Zarrebini, Mohammad

2018-05-01

This work investigates the influence of processing parameters and aerogel pore structure on the physical properties and hydrophobicity of aerogel blankets. Aerogel blankets were produced by in situ synthesis of nanostructured silica aerogel on a polyester nonwoven substrate. Nitrogen adsorption-desorption analysis, contact angle test and FE-SEM images were used to characterize both the aerogel particles and the blankets. The results showed that the weight and thickness of the blanket were reduced when the low amount of catalyst was used. A decrease in the aerogel pore size from 22 to 11 nm increased the weight and thickness of the blankets. The xerogel particles with high density and pore size of 5 nm reduced the blanket weight. Also, the blanket weight and thickness were increased due to increasing the sol volume. It was found that the hydrophobicity of aerogel blankets is not influenced by sol volume and pore structure of silica aerogel.

Quantifying Abdominal Adipose Tissue and Thigh Muscle Volume and Hepatic Proton Density Fat Fraction: Repeatability and Accuracy of an MR Imaging-based, Semiautomated Analysis Method.

PubMed

Middleton, Michael S; Haufe, William; Hooker, Jonathan; Borga, Magnus; Dahlqvist Leinhard, Olof; Romu, Thobias; Tunón, Patrik; Hamilton, Gavin; Wolfson, Tanya; Gamst, Anthony; Loomba, Rohit; Sirlin, Claude B

2017-05-01

Purpose To determine the repeatability and accuracy of a commercially available magnetic resonance (MR) imaging-based, semiautomated method to quantify abdominal adipose tissue and thigh muscle volume and hepatic proton density fat fraction (PDFF). Materials and Methods This prospective study was institutional review board- approved and HIPAA compliant. All subjects provided written informed consent. Inclusion criteria were age of 18 years or older and willingness to participate. The exclusion criterion was contraindication to MR imaging. Three-dimensional T1-weighted dual-echo body-coil images were acquired three times. Source images were reconstructed to generate water and calibrated fat images. Abdominal adipose tissue and thigh muscle were segmented, and their volumes were estimated by using a semiautomated method and, as a reference standard, a manual method. Hepatic PDFF was estimated by using a confounder-corrected chemical shift-encoded MR imaging method with hybrid complex-magnitude reconstruction and, as a reference standard, MR spectroscopy. Tissue volume and hepatic PDFF intra- and interexamination repeatability were assessed by using intraclass correlation and coefficient of variation analysis. Tissue volume and hepatic PDFF accuracy were assessed by means of linear regression with the respective reference standards. Results Adipose and thigh muscle tissue volumes of 20 subjects (18 women; age range, 25-76 years; body mass index range, 19.3-43.9 kg/m 2 ) were estimated by using the semiautomated method. Intra- and interexamination intraclass correlation coefficients were 0.996-0.998 and coefficients of variation were 1.5%-3.6%. For hepatic MR imaging PDFF, intra- and interexamination intraclass correlation coefficients were greater than or equal to 0.994 and coefficients of variation were less than or equal to 7.3%. In the regression analyses of manual versus semiautomated volume and spectroscopy versus MR imaging, PDFF slopes and intercepts were close to the identity line, and correlations of determination at multivariate analysis (R 2 ) ranged from 0.744 to 0.994. Conclusion This MR imaging-based, semiautomated method provides high repeatability and accuracy for estimating abdominal adipose tissue and thigh muscle volumes and hepatic PDFF. © RSNA, 2017.

Effects of Birth Weight on Anterior Segment Measurements in Full-Term Children Without Low Birth Weight by Dual-Scheimpflug Analyzer.

PubMed

Yeter, Volkan; Aritürk, Nurşen; Bİrİncİ, Hakki; Süllü, Yüksel; Güngör, İncİ

2015-10-01

To evaluate the effects of birth weight on ocular anterior segment parameters in full-term children without low birth weight using the Galilei Dual-Scheimpflug Analyzer. Retrospective cohort study. The right eyes from 110 healthy children, 3-6 years of age, were scanned with the Galilei Dual-Scheimpflug Analyzer. A total of 78 eyes were measured in full-term children with birth weight of >2500 g. Central, paracentral, pericentral, and the thinnest corneal thicknesses; anterior and posterior keratometry (average, steep, flat); axial curvatures; asphericity of cornea; anterior chamber depth and volume; and iridocorneal angle values were measured. Axial length, lens thickness, and vitreous length were obtained by ultrasound biometry. The mean age of children was 55.86 ± 12.52 (mean ± SD) months. Mean birth weight and gestational age were 3426.3 ± 545 g and 39.4 ± 1.2 weeks, respectively. Although lens thickness, vitreous length, axial length, and anterior chamber volume were moderately correlated with birth weight (P < .05), there was no relationship between birth weight and anterior chamber depth. With the exception of pericentral corneal thickness, all regions of corneal thicknesses were correlated with birth weight (P < .05). Birth weight was negatively correlated with anterior curvature (P < .05) and had no relationship to posterior curvature. While central and paracentral axial curvatures correlated with birth weight (P < .05), pericentral axial curvature did not. Preschoolers who were born heavier had thicker cornea and lens, longer axial length, and flatter corneal curve. The thicknesses and axial curves of central cornea within 7 mm may be particularly associated with birth weight. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Weaving and neural complexity in symmetric quantum states

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Susa, Cristian E.; Girolami, Davide

2018-04-01

We study the behaviour of two different measures of the complexity of multipartite correlation patterns, weaving and neural complexity, for symmetric quantum states. Weaving is the weighted sum of genuine multipartite correlations of any order, where the weights are proportional to the correlation order. The neural complexity, originally introduced to characterize correlation patterns in classical neural networks, is here extended to the quantum scenario. We derive closed formulas of the two quantities for GHZ states mixed with white noise.

Blood volume-monitored regulation of ultrafiltration in fluid-overloaded hemodialysis patients: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Hecking, Manfred; Antlanger, Marlies; Winnicki, Wolfgang; Reiter, Thomas; Werzowa, Johannes; Haidinger, Michael; Weichhart, Thomas; Polaschegg, Hans-Dietrich; Josten, Peter; Exner, Isabella; Lorenz-Turnheim, Katharina; Eigner, Manfred; Paul, Gernot; Klauser-Braun, Renate; Hörl, Walter H; Sunder-Plassmann, Gere; Säemann, Marcus D

2012-06-08

Data generated with the body composition monitor (BCM, Fresenius) show, based on bioimpedance technology, that chronic fluid overload in hemodialysis patients is associated with poor survival. However, removing excess fluid by lowering dry weight can be accompanied by intradialytic and postdialytic complications. Here, we aim at testing the hypothesis that, in comparison to conventional hemodialysis, blood volume-monitored regulation of ultrafiltration and dialysate conductivity (UCR) and/or regulation of ultrafiltration and temperature (UTR) will decrease complications when ultrafiltration volumes are systematically increased in fluid-overloaded hemodialysis patients. BCM measurements yield results on fluid overload (in liters), relative to extracellular water (ECW). In this prospective, multicenter, triple-arm, parallel-group, crossover, randomized, controlled clinical trial, we use BCM measurements, routinely introduced in our three maintenance hemodialysis centers shortly prior to the start of the study, to recruit sixty hemodialysis patients with fluid overload (defined as ≥15% ECW). Patients are randomized 1:1:1 into UCR, UTR and conventional hemodialysis groups. BCM-determined, 'final' dry weight is set to normohydration weight -7% of ECW postdialysis, and reached by reducing the previous dry weight, in steps of 0.1 kg per 10 kg body weight, during 12 hemodialysis sessions (one study phase). In case of intradialytic complications, dry weight reduction is decreased, according to a prespecified algorithm. A comparison of intra- and post-dialytic complications among study groups constitutes the primary endpoint. In addition, we will assess relative weight reduction, changes in residual renal function, quality of life measures, and predialysis levels of various laboratory parameters including C-reactive protein, troponin T, and N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide, before and after the first study phase (secondary outcome parameters). Patients are not requested to revert to their initial degree of fluid overload after each study phase. Therefore, the crossover design of the present study merely serves the purpose of secondary endpoint evaluation, for example to determine patient choice of treatment modality. Previous studies on blood volume monitoring have yielded inconsistent results. Since we include only patients with BCM-determined fluid overload, we expect a benefit for all study participants, due to strict fluid management, which decreases the mortality risk of hemodialysis patients. ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT01416753.

Blood volume-monitored regulation of ultrafiltration in fluid-overloaded hemodialysis patients: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Data generated with the body composition monitor (BCM, Fresenius) show, based on bioimpedance technology, that chronic fluid overload in hemodialysis patients is associated with poor survival. However, removing excess fluid by lowering dry weight can be accompanied by intradialytic and postdialytic complications. Here, we aim at testing the hypothesis that, in comparison to conventional hemodialysis, blood volume-monitored regulation of ultrafiltration and dialysate conductivity (UCR) and/or regulation of ultrafiltration and temperature (UTR) will decrease complications when ultrafiltration volumes are systematically increased in fluid-overloaded hemodialysis patients. Methods/design BCM measurements yield results on fluid overload (in liters), relative to extracellular water (ECW). In this prospective, multicenter, triple-arm, parallel-group, crossover, randomized, controlled clinical trial, we use BCM measurements, routinely introduced in our three maintenance hemodialysis centers shortly prior to the start of the study, to recruit sixty hemodialysis patients with fluid overload (defined as ≥15% ECW). Patients are randomized 1:1:1 into UCR, UTR and conventional hemodialysis groups. BCM-determined, ‘final’ dry weight is set to normohydration weight −7% of ECW postdialysis, and reached by reducing the previous dry weight, in steps of 0.1 kg per 10 kg body weight, during 12 hemodialysis sessions (one study phase). In case of intradialytic complications, dry weight reduction is decreased, according to a prespecified algorithm. A comparison of intra- and post-dialytic complications among study groups constitutes the primary endpoint. In addition, we will assess relative weight reduction, changes in residual renal function, quality of life measures, and predialysis levels of various laboratory parameters including C-reactive protein, troponin T, and N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide, before and after the first study phase (secondary outcome parameters). Discussion Patients are not requested to revert to their initial degree of fluid overload after each study phase. Therefore, the crossover design of the present study merely serves the purpose of secondary endpoint evaluation, for example to determine patient choice of treatment modality. Previous studies on blood volume monitoring have yielded inconsistent results. Since we include only patients with BCM-determined fluid overload, we expect a benefit for all study participants, due to strict fluid management, which decreases the mortality risk of hemodialysis patients. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT01416753 PMID:22682149

Complex dynamics of our economic life on different scales: insights from search engine query data.

PubMed

Preis, Tobias; Reith, Daniel; Stanley, H Eugene

2010-12-28

Search engine query data deliver insight into the behaviour of individuals who are the smallest possible scale of our economic life. Individuals are submitting several hundred million search engine queries around the world each day. We study weekly search volume data for various search terms from 2004 to 2010 that are offered by the search engine Google for scientific use, providing information about our economic life on an aggregated collective level. We ask the question whether there is a link between search volume data and financial market fluctuations on a weekly time scale. Both collective 'swarm intelligence' of Internet users and the group of financial market participants can be regarded as a complex system of many interacting subunits that react quickly to external changes. We find clear evidence that weekly transaction volumes of S&P 500 companies are correlated with weekly search volume of corresponding company names. Furthermore, we apply a recently introduced method for quantifying complex correlations in time series with which we find a clear tendency that search volume time series and transaction volume time series show recurring patterns.

Topological analysis of long-chain branching patterns in polyolefins.

PubMed

Bonchev, D; Markel, E; Dekmezian, A

2001-01-01

Patterns in molecular topology and complexity for long-chain branching are quantitatively described. The Wiener number, the topological complexity index, and a new index of 3-starness are used to quantify polymer structure. General formulas for these indices were derived for the cases of 3-arm star, H-shaped, and B-arm comb polymers. The factors affecting complexity in monodisperse polymer systems are ranked as follows: number of arms > arm length > arm central position approximately equal to arm clustering > total molecular weight approximately equal to backbone molecular weight. Topological indices change rapidly and then plateau as the molecular weight of branches on a polyolefin backbone increases from 0 to 5 kD. Complexity calculations relate 2-arm or 3-arm comb structures to the corresponding 3-arm stars of equivalent complexity but much higher molecular weight. In a subsequent paper, we report the application of topological analysis for developing structure/property relationships for monodisperse polymers. While the focus of the present work is on the description of monodisperse, well-defined architectures, the methods may be extended to the description of polydisperse systems.

Determination of the linear coefficient of thermal expansion in polymer films at the nanoscale: influence of the composition of EVA copolymers and the molecular weight of PMMA.

PubMed

González-Benito, J; Castillo, E; Cruz-Caldito, J F

2015-07-28

Nanothermal-expansion of poly(ethylene-co-vinylacetate), EVA, and poly(methyl methacrylate), PMMA, in the form of films was measured to finally obtain linear coefficients of thermal expansion, CTEs. The simple deflection of a cantilever in an atomic force microscope, AFM, was used to monitor thermal expansions at the nanoscale. The influences of: (a) the structure of EVA in terms of its composition (vinylacetate content) and (b) the size of PMMA chains in terms of the molecular weight were studied. To carry out this, several polymer samples were used, EVA copolymers with different weight percents of the vinylacetate comonomer (12, 18, 25 and 40%) and PMMA polymers with different weight average molecular weights (33.9, 64.8, 75.600 and 360.0 kg mol(-1)). The dependencies of the vinyl acetate weight fraction of EVA and the molecular weight of PMMA on their corresponding CTEs were analyzed to finally explain them using new, intuitive and very simple models based on the rule of mixtures. In the case of EVA copolymers a simple equation considering the weighted contributions of each comonomer was enough to estimate the final CTE above the glass transition temperature. On the other hand, when the molecular weight dependence is considered the free volume concept was used as novelty. The expansion of PMMA, at least at the nanoscale, was well and easily described by the sum of the weighted contributions of the occupied and free volumes, respectively.

Clinical target volume delineation in glioblastomas: pre-operative versus post-operative/pre-radiotherapy MRI

PubMed Central

Farace, P; Giri, M G; Meliadò, G; Amelio, D; Widesott, L; Ricciardi, G K; Dall'Oglio, S; Rizzotti, A; Sbarbati, A; Beltramello, A; Maluta, S; Amichetti, M

2011-01-01

Objectives Delineation of clinical target volume (CTV) is still controversial in glioblastomas. In order to assess the differences in volume and shape of the radiotherapy target, the use of pre-operative vs post-operative/pre-radiotherapy T1 and T2 weighted MRI was compared. Methods 4 CTVs were delineated in 24 patients pre-operatively and post-operatively using T1 contrast-enhanced (T1PRECTV and T1POSTCTV) and T2 weighted images (T2PRECTV and T2POSTCTV). Pre-operative MRI examinations were performed the day before surgery, whereas post-operative examinations were acquired 1 month after surgery and before chemoradiation. A concordance index (CI) was defined as the ratio between the overlapping and composite volumes. Results The volumes of T1PRECTV and T1POSTCTV were not statistically different (248 ± 88 vs 254 ± 101), although volume differences >100 cm3 were observed in 6 out of 24 patients. A marked increase due to tumour progression was shown in three patients. Three patients showed a decrease because of a reduced mass effect. A significant reduction occurred between pre-operative and post-operative T2 volumes (139 ± 68 vs 78 ± 59). Lack of concordance was observed between T1PRECTV and T1POSTCTV (CI = 0.67 ± 0.09), T2PRECTV and T2POSTCTV (CI = 0.39 ± 0.20) and comparing the portion of the T1PRECTV and T1POSTCTV not covered by that defined on T2PRECTV images (CI = 0.45 ± 0.16 and 0.44 ± 0.17, respectively). Conclusion Using T2 MRI, huge variations can be observed in peritumoural oedema, which are probably due to steroid treatment. Using T1 MRI, brain shifts after surgery and possible progressive enhancing lesions produce substantial differences in CTVs. Our data support the use of post-operative/pre-radiotherapy T1 weighted MRI for planning purposes. PMID:21045069

Changes in Search Path Complexity and Length During Learning of a Virtual Water Maze: Age Differences and Differential Associations with Hippocampal Subfield Volumes.

PubMed

Daugherty, Ana M; Bender, Andrew R; Yuan, Peng; Raz, Naftali

2016-06-01

Impairment of hippocampus-dependent cognitive processes has been proposed to underlie age-related deficits in navigation. Animal studies suggest a differential role of hippocampal subfields in various aspects of navigation, but that hypothesis has not been tested in humans. In this study, we examined the association between volume of hippocampal subfields and age differences in virtual spatial navigation. In a sample of 65 healthy adults (age 19-75 years), advanced age was associated with a slower rate of improvement operationalized as shortening of the search path over 25 learning trials on a virtual Morris water maze task. The deficits were partially explained by greater complexity of older adults' search paths. Larger subiculum and entorhinal cortex volumes were associated with a faster decrease in search path complexity, which in turn explained faster shortening of search distance. Larger Cornu Ammonis (CA)1-2 volume was associated with faster distance shortening, but not in path complexity reduction. Age differences in regional volumes collectively accounted for 23% of the age-related variance in navigation learning. Independent of subfield volumes, advanced age was associated with poorer performance across all trials, even after reaching the asymptote. Thus, subiculum and CA1-2 volumes were associated with speed of acquisition, but not magnitude of gains in virtual maze navigation. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Inpatients hypospadias care: trends and outcomes from the American nationwide inpatient sample.

PubMed

Meyer, Christian; Sukumar, Shyam; Sood, Akshay; Hanske, Julian; Vetterlein, Malte; Elder, Jack S; Fisch, Margit; Trinh, Quoc-Dien; Friedman, Ariella A

2015-08-01

Hypospadias is the most common congenital penile anomaly. Information about current utilization patterns of inpatient hypospadias repair as well as complication rates remain poorly evaluated. The Nationwide Inpatient Sample was used to identify all patients undergoing inpatient hypospadias repair between 1998 and 2010. Patient and hospital characteristics were attained and outcomes of interest included intra- and immediate postoperative complications. Utilization was evaluated temporally and also according to patient and hospital characteristics. Predictors of complications and excess length of stay were evaluated by logistic regression models. A weighted 10,201 patients underwent inpatient hypospadias repair between 1998 and 2010. Half were infants (52.2%), and were operated in urban and teaching hospitals. Trend analyses demonstrated a decline in incidence of inpatient hypospadias repair (estimated annual percentage change, -6.80%; range, -0.51% to -12.69%; p=0.037). Postoperative complication rate was 4.9% and most commonly wound-related. Hospital volume was inversely related to complication rates. Specifically, higher hospital volume (>31 cases annually) was the only variable associated with decreased postoperative complications. Inpatient hypospadias repair have substantially decreased since the late 1990's. Older age groups and presumably more complex procedures constitute most of the inpatient procedures nowadays.

Chitosan-Copper (II) complex as antibacterial agent: synthesis, characterization and coordinating bond- activity correlation study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mekahlia, S.; Bouzid, B.

2009-11-01

The antimicrobial activity of chitosan is unstable and sensitive to many factors such as molecular weight. Recent investigations showed that low molecular weight chitosan exhibited strong bactericidal activities compared to chitosan with high molecular weight. Since chitosan degradation can be caused by the coordinating bond, we attempt to synthesize and characterize the chitosan-Cu (II) complex, and thereafter study the coordinating bond effect on its antibacterial activity against Salmonella enteritidis. Seven chitosan-copper complexes with different copper contents were prepared and characterized by FT-IR, UV-vis, XRD and atomic absorption spectrophotometry (AAS). Results indicated that for chitosan-Cu (II) complexes with molar ratio close to 1:1, the inhibition rate reached 100%.

A laboratory method for precisely determining the micro-volume-magnitudes of liquid efflux

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cloutier, R. L.

1969-01-01

Micro-volumetric quantities of ejected liquid are made to produce equal volumetric displacements of a more dense material. Weight measurements are obtained on the displaced heavier liquid and used to calculate volumes based upon the known density of the heavy medium.

Conservation Reasoning Ability and Performance on BSCS Blue Version Examinations.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lawson, Anton E.; Nordland, Floyd H.

Twenty-three high school biology students were individually administered three conservation tasks (weight, volume, volume displacement). During one semester, they were examined over the course material using published Biological Sciences Curriculum Study (BSCS) Blue Version examination questions which were previously classified as requiring either…

The use of biomarkers to describe plasma-, red cell-, and blood volume from a simple blood test.

PubMed

Lobigs, Louisa Margit; Sottas, Pierre-Edouard; Bourdon, Pitre Collier; Nikolovski, Zoran; El-Gingo, Mohamed; Varamenti, Evdokia; Peeling, Peter; Dawson, Brian; Schumacher, Yorck Olaf

2017-01-01

Plasma volume and red cell mass are key health markers used to monitor numerous disease states, such as heart failure, kidney disease, or sepsis. Nevertheless, there is currently no practically applicable method to easily measure absolute plasma or red cell volumes in a clinical setting. Here, a novel marker for plasma volume and red cell mass was developed through analysis of the observed variability caused by plasma volume shifts in common biochemical measures, selected based on their propensity to present with low variations over time. Once a month for 6 months, serum and whole blood samples were collected from 33 active males. Concurrently, the CO-rebreathing method was applied to determine target levels of hemoglobin mass (HbM) and blood volumes. The variability of 18 common chemistry markers and 27 Full Blood Count variables was investigated and matched to the observed plasma volume variation. After the removal of between-subject variations using a Bayesian model, multivariate analysis identified two sets of 8 and 15 biomarkers explaining 68% and 69% of plasma volume variance, respectively. The final multiparametric model contains a weighting function to allow for isolated abnormalities in single biomarkers. This proof-of-concept investigation describes a novel approach to estimate absolute vascular volumes, with a simple blood test. Despite the physiological instability of critically ill patients, it is hypothesized the model, with its multiparametric approach and weighting function, maintains the capacity to describe vascular volumes. This model has potential to transform volume management in clinical settings. Am. J. Hematol. 92:62-67, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Effects of rehydration fluid temperature and composition on body weight retention upon voluntary drinking following exercise-induced dehydration

PubMed Central

Bae, Yoon Jung; Lee, Yong Soo; Kim, Byeong Jo

2012-01-01

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of beverage temperature and composition on weight retention and fluid balance upon voluntary drinking following exercise induced-dehydration. Eight men who were not acclimated to heat participated in four randomly ordered testing sessions. In each session, the subjects ran on a treadmill in a chamber maintained at 37℃ without being supplied fluids until 2% body weight reduction was reached. After termination of exercise, they recovered for 90 min under ambient air conditions and received one of the following four test beverages: 10℃ water (10W), 10℃ sports drink (10S), 26℃ water (26W), and 26℃ sports drink (26S). They consumed the beverages ad libitum. The volume of beverage consumed and body weight were measured at 30, 60, and 90 min post-recovery. Blood samples were taken before and immediately after exercise as well as at the end of recovery in order to measure plasma parameters and electrolyte concentrations. We found that mean body weight decreased by 1.8-2.0% following exercise. No differences in mean arterial pressure, plasma volume, plasma osmolality, and blood electrolytes were observed among the conditions. Total beverage volumes consumed were 1,164 ± 388, 1,505 ± 614, 948 ± 297, and 1,239 ± 401 ml for 10W, 10S, 26W, and 26S respectively (P > 0.05). Weight retention at the end of recovery from dehydration was highest in 10S (1.3 ± 0.7 kg) compared to 10W (0.4 ± 0.5 kg), 26W (0.4 ± 0.4 kg), and (0.6 ± 0.4 kg) (P < 0.005). Based on these results, carbohydrate/electrolyte-containing beverages at cool temperature were the most favorable for consumption and weight retention compared to plain water and moderate temperature beverages. PMID:22586501

SU-E-T-385: Evaluation of DVH Change for PTV Due to Patient Weight Loss in Prostate VMAT Using Gaussian Error Function

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

Viraganathan, H; Jiang, R; Chow, J

Purpose: We proposed a method to predict the change of dose-volume histogram (DVH) for PTV due to patient weight loss in prostate volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT). This method is based on a pre-calculated patient dataset and DVH curve fitting using the Gaussian error function (GEF). Methods: Pre-calculated dose-volume data from patients having weight loss in prostate VMAT was employed to predict the change of PTV coverage due to reduced depth in external contour. The effect of patient weight loss in treatment was described by a prostate dose-volume factor (PDVF), which was evaluated by the prostate PTV. Along with themore » PDVF, the GEF was used to fit into the DVH curve for the PTV. To predict a new DVH due to weight loss, parameters from the GEF describing the shape of DVH curve were determined. Since the parameters were related to the PDVF as per the specific reduced depth, we could first predict the PDVF at a reduced depth based on the prostate size from the pre-calculated dataset. Then parameters of the GEF could be determined from the PDVF to plot the new DVH for the PTV corresponding to the reduced depth. Results: A MATLAB program was built basing on the patient dataset with different prostate sizes. We input data of the prostate size and reduced depth of the patient into the program. The program then calculated the PDVF and DVH for the PTV considering the patient weight loss. The program was verified by different patient cases with various reduced depths. Conclusion: Our method can estimate the change of DVH for the PTV due to patient weight loss quickly without CT rescan and replan. This would help the radiation staff to predict the change of PTV coverage, when patient’s external contour reduced in prostate VMAT.« less

On Convergence of Development Costs and Cost Models for Complex Spaceflight Instrument Electronics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kizhner, Semion; Patel, Umeshkumar D.; Kasa, Robert L.; Hestnes, Phyllis; Brown, Tammy; Vootukuru, Madhavi

2008-01-01

Development costs of a few recent spaceflight instrument electrical and electronics subsystems have diverged from respective heritage cost model predictions. The cost models used are Grass Roots, Price-H and Parametric Model. These cost models originated in the military and industry around 1970 and were successfully adopted and patched by NASA on a mission-by-mission basis for years. However, the complexity of new instruments recently changed rapidly by orders of magnitude. This is most obvious in the complexity of representative spaceflight instrument electronics' data system. It is now required to perform intermediate processing of digitized data apart from conventional processing of science phenomenon signals from multiple detectors. This involves on-board instrument formatting of computational operands from row data for example, images), multi-million operations per second on large volumes of data in reconfigurable hardware (in addition to processing on a general purpose imbedded or standalone instrument flight computer), as well as making decisions for on-board system adaptation and resource reconfiguration. The instrument data system is now tasked to perform more functions, such as forming packets and instrument-level data compression of more than one data stream, which are traditionally performed by the spacecraft command and data handling system. It is furthermore required that the electronics box for new complex instruments is developed for one-digit watt power consumption, small size and that it is light-weight, and delivers super-computing capabilities. The conflict between the actual development cost of newer complex instruments and its electronics components' heritage cost model predictions seems to be irreconcilable. This conflict and an approach to its resolution are addressed in this paper by determining the complexity parameters, complexity index, and their use in enhanced cost model.

Cloning and characterization of the gene for an additional extracellular serine protease of Bacillus subtilis.

PubMed

Sloma, A; Rufo, G A; Theriault, K A; Dwyer, M; Wilson, S W; Pero, J

1991-11-01

We have purified a minor extracellular serine protease from a strain of Bacillus subtilis bearing null mutations in five extracellular protease genes: apr, npr, epr, bpr, and mpr (A. Sloma, C. Rudolph, G. Rufo, Jr., B. Sullivan, K. Theriault, D. Ally, and J. Pero, J. Bacteriol. 172:1024-1029, 1990). During purification, this novel protease (Vpr) was found bound in a complex in the void volume after gel filtration chromatography. The amino-terminal sequence of the purified protein was determined, and an oligonucleotide probe was constructed on the basis of the amino acid sequence. This probe was used to clone the structural gene (vpr) for this protease. The gene encodes a primary product of 806 amino acids. The amino acid sequence of the mature protein was preceded by a signal sequence of approximately 28 amino acids and a prosequence of approximately 132 amino acids. The mature protein has a predicted molecular weight of 68,197; however, the isolated protein has an apparent molecular weight of 28,500, suggesting that Vpr undergoes C-terminal processing or proteolysis. The vpr gene maps in the ctrA-sacA-epr region of the chromosome and is not required for growth or sporulation.

20-GFLOPS QR processor on a Xilinx Virtex-E FPGA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Walke, Richard L.; Smith, Robert W. M.; Lightbody, Gaye

2000-11-01

Adaptive beamforming can play an important role in sensor array systems in countering directional interference. In high-sample rate systems, such as radar and comms, the calculation of adaptive weights is a very computational task that requires highly parallel solutions. For systems where low power consumption and volume are important the only viable implementation is as an Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC). However, the rapid advancement of Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) technology is enabling highly credible re-programmable solutions. In this paper we present the implementation of a scalable linear array processor for weight calculation using QR decomposition. We employ floating-point arithmetic with mantissa size optimized to the target application to minimize component size, and implement them as relationally placed macros (RPMs) on Xilinx Virtex FPGAs to achieve predictable dense layout and high-speed operation. We present results that show that 20GFLOPS of sustained computation on a single XCV3200E-8 Virtex-E FPGA is possible. We also describe the parameterized implementation of the floating-point operators and QR-processor, and the design methodology that enables us to rapidly generate complex FPGA implementations using the industry standard hardware description language VHDL.

Dietary energy density: Applying behavioural science to weight management.

PubMed

Rolls, B J

2017-09-01

Studies conducted by behavioural scientists show that energy density (kcal/g) provides effective guidance for healthy food choices to control intake and promote satiety. Energy density depends upon a number of dietary components, especially water (0 kcal/g) and fat (9 kcal/g). Increasing the proportion of water or water-rich ingredients, such as vegetables or fruit, lowers a food's energy density. A number of studies show that when the energy density of the diet is reduced, both adults and children spontaneously decrease their ad libitum energy intake. Other studies show that consuming a large volume of a low-energy-dense food such as soup, salad, or fruit as a first course preload can enhance satiety and reduce overall energy intake at a meal. Current evidence suggests that energy density influences intake through a complex interplay of cognitive, sensory, gastrointestinal, hormonal and neural influences. Other studies that focus on practical applications show how the strategic incorporation of foods lower in energy density into the diet allows people to eat satisfying portions while improving dietary patterns. This review discusses studies that have led to greater understanding of the importance of energy density for food intake regulation and weight management.

Natural Fiber Composite Retting, Preform Manufacture and Molding (Project 18988/Agreement 16313)

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

Simmons, Kevin L.; Howe, Daniel T.; Laddha, Sachin

2009-12-31

Plant-based natural fibers can be used in place of glass in fiber reinforced automotive composites to reduce weight, cost and provide environmental benefits. Current automotive applications use natural fibers in injection molded thermoplastics for interior, non-structural applications. Compression molded natural fiber reinforced thermosets have the opportunity to extend natural fiber composite applications to structural and semi-structural parts and exterior parts realizing further vehicle weight savings. The development of low cost molding and fiber processing techniques for large volumes of natural fibers has helped in understanding the barriers of non-aqueous retting. The retting process has a significant effect on the fibermore » quality and its processing ability that is related to the natural fiber composite mechanical properties. PNNL has developed a compression molded fiber reinforced composite system of which is the basis for future preforming activities and fiber treatment. We are using this process to develop preforming techniques and to validate fiber treatment methods relative to OEM provided application specifications. It is anticipated for next fiscal year that demonstration of larger quantities of SMC materials and molding of larger, more complex components with a more complete testing regimen in coordination with Tier suppliers under OEM guidance.« less

Micro CT based truth estimation of nodule volume

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kinnard, L. M.; Gavrielides, M. A.; Myers, K. J.; Zeng, R.; Whiting, B.; Lin-Gibson, S.; Petrick, N.

2010-03-01

With the advent of high-resolution CT, three-dimensional (3D) methods for nodule volumetry have been introduced, with the hope that such methods will be more accurate and consistent than currently used planar measures of size. However, the error associated with volume estimation methods still needs to be quantified. Volume estimation error is multi-faceted in the sense that there is variability associated with the patient, the software tool and the CT system. A primary goal of our current research efforts is to quantify the various sources of measurement error and, when possible, minimize their effects. In order to assess the bias of an estimate, the actual value, or "truth," must be known. In this work we investigate the reliability of micro CT to determine the "true" volume of synthetic nodules. The advantage of micro CT over other truthing methods is that it can provide both absolute volume and shape information in a single measurement. In the current study we compare micro CT volume truth to weight-density truth for spherical, elliptical, spiculated and lobulated nodules with diameters from 5 to 40 mm, and densities of -630 and +100 HU. The percent differences between micro CT and weight-density volume for -630 HU nodules range from [-21.7%, -0.6%] (mean= -11.9%) and the differences for +100 HU nodules range from [-0.9%, 3.0%] (mean=1.7%).