Session, Segmented Session, and Acute RPE and Affective Responses to Self-selected Treadmill Exercise

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Corn silage (1993)

Corn silage is a popular forage for ruminant animals because it is high in energy and digestibility and is easily adapted to mechanization from the stand-crop to time of feeding. Corn silage should have a light, pleasant smell with only a slight vinegar odor. It should be slightly brown to dark green. If it is dark brown or has an odor that is fruity, yeasty, burnt or rancid (butyric acid), excessive heating or improper fermentation has occurred. Knowledge of the silage process often explains why some silage may be of poor quality

Unsteady Flow and Whirl-Inducing Forces in Axial-Flow Compressors: Part I—Experiment

An experimental and theoretical investigation has been conducted to evaluate the effects seen in axial-flow compressors when the centerline of the rotor is displaced from the centerline of the static structure of the engine. This creates circumferentially nonuniform rotor-tip clearances, unsteady flow, and potentially increased clearances if the rotating and stationary parts come in contact. The result not only adversely affects compressor stall margin, pressure rise capability, and efficiency, but also generates an unsteady, destabilizing, aerodynamic force, called the Thomas/Alford force, which contributes significantly to rotor whirl instabilities in turbomachinery. Determining both the direction and magnitude of this force in compressors, relative to those in turbines, is especially important for the design of mechanically stable turbomachinery components. Part I of this two-part paper addresses these issues experimentally and Part II presents analyses from relevant computational models. Our results clearly show that the Thomas/Alford force can promote significant backward rotor whirl over much of the operating range of modern compressors, although some regions of zero and forward whirl were found near the design point. This is the first time that definitive measurements, coupled with compelling analyses, have been reported in the literature to resolve the long-standing disparity in findings concerning the direction and magnitude of whirl-inducing forces important in the design of modern axial-flow compressors

Clinical, Pathological, and Surgical Outcomes for Adult Pineoblastomas

Introduction Pineoblastomas are uncommon primitive neuroectodermal tumors that occur mostly in children; they are exceedingly rare in adults. Few published reports have compared the various aspects of these tumors between adults and children. Methods The authors report a series of 12 pineoblastomas in adults from 2 institutions over 24 years. The clinical, radiologic, and pathologic features and clinical outcomes were compared with previously reported cases in children and adults. Results Patient age ranged from 24 to 81 years, and all but 1 patient exhibited symptoms of obstructive hydrocephalus. Three patients underwent gross total resection, and subtotal resection was performed in 3 patients. Diagnostic biopsy specimens were obtained in an additional 6 patients. Pathologically, the tumors had the classical morphologic and immunohistochemical features of pineoblastomas. Postoperatively, 10 patients received radiotherapy, and 5 patients received chemotherapy. Compared with previously reported cases, several differences were noted in clinical outcomes. Of the 12 patients, only 5 (42%) died of their disease (average length of survival, 118 months); 5 patients (42%) are alive with no evidence of disease (average length of follow-up, 92 months). One patient died of unrelated causes, and one was lost to follow-up. Patients with subtotal resections or diagnostic biopsies did not suffer a worse prognosis. Of the 9 patients with biopsy or subtotal resection, 4 are alive, 4 died of their disease, and 1 died of an unrelated hemorrhagic cerebral infarction. Conclusions Although this series is small, the data suggest that pineoblastomas in adults have a less aggressive clinical course than in children

Papillary Ductal Plugging Is a Mechanism for Early Stone Retention in Brushite Stone Disease

Purpose Mechanisms of early stone retention in the kidney are under studied and poorly understood. To date attachment via Randall plaque is the only widely accepted theory in this regard, which is best described in idiopathic calcium oxalate stone formers. Brushite stone formers are known to have distinct papillary morphology relative to calcium oxalate stone formers. As such we sought to determine whether stone attachment mechanisms in such patients may be similarly unique. Materials and Methods Patients undergoing percutaneous and or ureteroscopic procedures for stone removal consented to endoscopic renal papillary examination and individual stone collection. Each removed stone was processed using micro computerized tomography to assess the 3-dimensional microstructure and the minerals contained, and search for common structural features indicative of novel mechanisms of early growth and attachment to renal tissue. Results A total of 25 intact brushite stones were removed from 8 patients and analyzed. Video confirmed attachment of 13 of the 25 stones with the remainder believed to have been accidently dislodged during the procedure. Microscopic examination by light and computerized tomography failed to show evidence of Randall plaque associated with any stone containing brushite. Conversely each brushite stone demonstrated microstructural evidence of having grown attached to a ductal plug formed of apatite. Conclusions Three-dimensional analysis of small brushite stones suggests overgrowth on ductal apatite plugs as a mechanism of early stone growth and retention. Such findings represent what is to our knowledge the initial supporting evidence for a novel mechanism of stone formation which has previously been hypothesized but never verified

Relation of Income and Education Level with Cardiorespiratory Fitness

International Journal of Exercise Science 8(3): 265-276, 2015. While there is strong evidence measuring the association between leisure time physical activity (LTPA) and socioeconomic status (SES) there are limited data on the relationship between cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) and SES. The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to examine differences in CRF and LTPA between household income and individual education in young adults. A sample of 171 (males n=98, female n=73) young adults participated in the University of Pittsburgh-Physical Activity Study. Participants completed CRF testing. Demographic characteristics were assessed via interviewer administered standardized survey and LTPA was assessed using the interviewer administered Modifiable Activity Questionnaire. Participants were grouped by income and education level. Analysis of variance and general linear modeling was used to compare LTPA and CRF between groups. There were no differences in CRF between income levels (p=0.126) or education levels (p=0.990) for the total sample. There were no differences in LTPA between income levels (p=0.936) or education level (p=0.182) for the total sample. Results suggest that neither income nor education levels are indicators of CRF in this sample of young adults. Other environmental, sociological, or familial health mediators may have a strong effect on CRF in young adult males and females

Endoscopic Evidence That Randall's Plaque is Associated with Surface Erosion of the Renal Papilla

OBJECTIVE: This study was conducted to assess the reliability and precision of an endoscopic grading scale to identify renal papillary abnormalities across a spectrum of equipment, locations, graders, and patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Intra- and interobserver reliability of the papillary grading system was assessed using weighted kappa scoring among 4 graders reviewing a single renal papilla from 50 separate patients on 2 occasions. Grading was then applied to a cohort of patients undergoing endoscopic stone removal procedures at two centers. Patient factors were compared with papillary scores on the level of the papilla, kidney, and patient. RESULTS: Graders achieved substantial (kappa >0.6) intra- and inter-rater reliability in scored domains of ductal plugging, surface pitting, and loss of contour. Agreement for Randall's Plaque (RP) was moderate. Papillary scoring was then performed for 76 patients (89 kidneys, 533 papillae). A significant association was discovered between pitting and RP that held both within and across institutions. A general linear model was then created to further assess this association and it was found that RP score was a highly significant independent correlate of pitting score (F = 7.1; p < 0.001). Mean pitting scores increased smoothly and progressively with increasing RP scores. Sums of the scored domains were then calculated as a reflection of gross papillary abnormality. When analyzed in this way, a history of stone recurrence and shockwave lithotripsy were strongly predictive of higher sums. CONCLUSIONS: Renal papillary pathology can be reliably assessed between different providers using a newly described endoscopic grading scale. Application of this scale to stone-forming patients suggests that the degree of RP appreciated in the papilla is strongly associated with the presence of pitting. It also suggests that patients with a history of recurrent stones and lithotripsy have greater burdens of gross papillary disease

Collaborative Care for Older Adults with low back pain by family medicine physicians and doctors of chiropractic (COCOA):study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND: Low back pain is a prevalent and debilitating condition that affects the health and quality of life of older adults. Older people often consult primary care physicians about back pain, with many also receiving concurrent care from complementary and alternative medicine providers, most commonly doctors of chiropractic. However, a collaborative model of treatment coordination between these two provider groups has yet to be tested. The primary aim of the Collaborative Care for Older Adults Clinical Trial is to develop and evaluate the clinical effectiveness and feasibility of a patient-centered, collaborative care model with family medicine physicians and doctors of chiropractic for the treatment of low back pain in older adults. METHODS/DESIGN: This pragmatic, pilot randomized controlled trial will enroll 120 participants, age 65 years or older with subacute or chronic low back pain lasting at least one month, from a community-based sample in the Quad-Cities, Iowa/Illinois, USA. Eligible participants are allocated in a 1:1:1 ratio to receive 12 weeks of medical care, concurrent medical and chiropractic care, or collaborative medical and chiropractic care. Primary outcomes are self-rated back pain and disability. Secondary outcomes include general and functional health status, symptom bothersomeness, expectations for treatment effectiveness and improvement, fear avoidance behaviors, depression, anxiety, satisfaction, medication use and health care utilization. Treatment safety and adverse events also are monitored. Participant-rated outcome measures are collected via self-reported questionnaires and computer-assisted telephone interviews at baseline, and at 4, 8, 12, 24, 36 and 52 weeks post-randomization. Provider-rated expectations for treatment effectiveness and participant improvement also are evaluated. Process outcomes are assessed through qualitative interviews with study participants and research clinicians, chart audits of progress notes and content analysis of clinical trial notes. DISCUSSION: This pragmatic, pilot randomized controlled trial uses a mixed method approach to evaluate the clinical effectiveness, feasibility, and participant and provider perceptions of collaborative care between medical doctors and doctors of chiropractic in the treatment of older adults with low back pain. TRIAL REGISTRATION: This trial registered in ClinicalTrials.gov on 04 March 2011 with the ID number of NCT01312233

Exploring the Political-Economic Factors of Participatory Journalism: Views of Online Journalists in 10 Countries

This comparative study of user-generated content (UGC) in 10 Western democracies examines the political economic aspects of citizen participation in online media, as assessed by journalists who work with this content. Drawing on interviews with more than 60 journalists, we explore their perceived economic motivations for an ongoing redefinition of traditional journalistic roles, as UGC becomes an increasingly dominant feature of news websites