6,768 research outputs found
Behaviour of dairy cows on organic and non-organic farms
There is an increasing number of organic dairy farms in the UK. The aim of this study is to compare behaviour of dairy cows on organic and non-organic farms. Twenty organic and 20 non-organic farms throughout the UK were visited over two winters (2004/05 and 2005/06). Organic and non-organic farms were paired for housing type, herd size, milk production traits and location. The number of cows feeding was counted every fifteen minutes for 4.5 h after new feed was available post morning milking. Behaviour at the feed-face was recorded for 60 minutes and aggressive interactions between cows were quantified. Farm type had no effect on numbers of cows feeding. There were more interactions between cows feeding at open feed-faces compared to head-bale barriers. At open feed-faces, there were more interactions on organic farms than non-organic. It is possible that organic cows were hungrier than non-organic cows after the arrival of new feed
Wingtip mounted, counter-rotating proprotor for tiltwing aircraft
A tiltwing aircraft, capable of in-flight conversion between a hover and forward cruise mode, employs a counter-rotating proprotor arrangement which permits a significantly increased cruise efficiency without sacrificing either the size of the conversion envelope or the wing efficiency. A benefit in hover is also provided because of the lower effective disk loading for the counter-rotating proprotor, as opposed to a single rotation proprotor of the same diameter. At least one proprotor is provided on each wing section, preferably mounted on the wingtip, with each proprotor having two counter-rotating blade rows. Each blade row has a plurality of blades which are relatively stiff-in-plane and are mounted such that cyclic pitch adjustments may be made for hover control during flight
Effect of left atrial and ventricular abnormalities on renal transplant recipient outcome—a single-center study
Background:
Premature cardiovascular (CV) death is the commonest cause of death in renal transplant recipients. Abnormalities of left ventricular (LV) structure (collectively termed uremic cardiomyopathy) and left atrial (LA) dilation, a marker of fluid status and diastolic function, are risk factors for reduced survival in patients with end stage renal disease (ESRD). In the present analysis, we studied the impact of pre-transplant LA and LV abnormalities on survival after successful renal transplantation (RT).<p></p>
Methods:
One hundred nineteen renal transplant recipients (first transplant, deceased donors) underwent cardiovascular MRI (CMR) as part of CV screening prior to inclusion on the waiting list. Data regarding transplant function and patient survival after transplantation were collected.<p></p>
Results:
Median post-transplant follow-up was 4.3 years (interquartile range (IQR) 1.9, 6.2). During the post-transplant period, 13 patients returned to dialysis after graft failure and 23 patients died with a functioning graft. Survival analyses, censoring for patients returning to dialysis, showed that pre-transplant LV hypertrophy and elevated LA volume were significantly associated with reduced survival after transplantation. Multivariate Cox regression analyses demonstrated that longer waiting time, poorer transplant function, presence of LV hypertrophy and higher LA volume on screening CMR and female sex were independent predictors of death in patients with a functioning transplant.<p></p>
Conclusions:
Presence of LVH and higher LA volume are significant, independent predictors of death in patients who are wait-listed and proceed with renal transplantation.<p></p>
METHODS:
One hundred nineteen renal transplant recipients (first transplant, deceased donors) underwent cardiovascular MRI (CMR) as part of CV screening prior to inclusion on the waiting list. Data regarding transplant function and patient survival after transplantation were collected.<p></p>
RESULTS:
Median post-transplant follow-up was 4.3 years (interquartile range (IQR) 1.9, 6.2). During the post-transplant period, 13 patients returned to dialysis after graft failure and 23 patients died with a functioning graft. Survival analyses, censoring for patients returning to dialysis, showed that pre-transplant LV hypertrophy and elevated LA volume were significantly associated with reduced survival after transplantation. Multivariate Cox regression analyses demonstrated that longer waiting time, poorer transplant function, presence of LV hypertrophy and higher LA volume on screening CMR and female sex were independent predictors of death in patients with a functioning transplant.<p></p>
CONCLUSIONS:
Presence of LVH and higher LA volume are significant, independent predictors of death in patients who are wait-listed and proceed with renal transplantation
Development of Pore Pressure and Shear Strain in Clean Hostun Sands Under Multi-directional Loading Paths
A series of undrained multi-directional direct simple shear tests with circular paths were conducted to investigate the excess pore pressure generation and shear strain development in clean Hostun sands under multi-directional loading condition. The results of an example test are shown. The excess pore pressure accumulation and shear strain development under multi-directional loading condition exhibits evidently different characteristics compared with that under uni-directional loading condition. Excess pore pressure accumulates generally with the circular stress path but can have increase and decrease within a single cycle as well
No classical limit of quantum decay for broad states
Though the classical treatment of spontaneous decay leads to an exponential
decay law, it is well known that this is an approximation of the quantum
mechanical result which is a non-exponential at very small and large times for
narrow states. The non exponential nature at large times is however hard to
establish from experiments. A method to recover the time evolution of unstable
states from a parametrization of the amplitude fitted to data is presented. We
apply the method to a realistic example of a very broad state, the sigma meson
and reveal that an exponential decay is not a valid approximation at any time
for this state. This example derived from experiment, shows the unique nature
of broad resonances
Diagnosing transit times on the northwestern North Atlantic continental shelf
The circulation in the northwestern North Atlantic Ocean is
highly complex, characterized by the confluence of two major western boundary
current systems and several shelf currents. Here we present the first
comprehensive analysis of transport paths and timescales for the northwestern
North Atlantic shelf, which is useful for estimating ventilation rates,
describing circulation and mixing, characterizing the composition of water
masses with respect to different source regions, and elucidating rates and
patterns of biogeochemical processing, species dispersal, and genetic
connectivity. Our analysis uses dye and age tracers within a high-resolution
circulation model of the region, divided into nine subregions, to diagnose
retention times, transport pathways, and transit times. Retention times are
shortest on the Scotian Shelf ( ∼  3 months), where the inshore and
shelf-break branches of the coastal current system result in high along-shelf
transport to the southwest, and on the Grand Banks ( ∼  3 months). Larger
retention times are simulated in the Gulf of St. Lawrence ( ∼  12 months)
and the Gulf of Maine ( ∼  6 months). Source water analysis shows that
Scotian Shelf water is primarily comprised of waters from the Grand Banks and
Gulf of St. Lawrence, with varying composition across the shelf.
Contributions from the Gulf of St. Lawrence are larger at near-shore
locations, whereas locations near the shelf break have larger contributions
from the Grand Banks and slope waters. Waters from the deep slope have little
connectivity with the shelf, because the shelf-break current inhibits
transport across the shelf break. Grand Banks and Gulf of St. Lawrence waters
are therefore dominant controls on biogeochemical properties, and on setting
and sustaining planktonic communities on the Scotian Shelf.</p
Prediction of whole-body fat percentage and visceral adipose tissue mass from five anthropometric variables
Background The conventional measurement of obesity utilises the body mass index (BMI) criterion. Although there are benefits to this method, there is concern that not all individuals at risk of obesity-associated medical conditions are being identified. Whole-body fat percentage (%FM), and specifically visceral adipose tissue (VAT) mass, are correlated with and potentially implicated in disease trajectories, but are not fully accounted for through BMI evaluation. The aims of this study were (a) to compare five anthropometric predictors of %FM and VAT mass, and (b) to explore new cut-points for the best of these predictors to improve the characterisation of obesity. Methods BMI, waist circumference (WC), waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) and waist/height0.5 (WHT.5R) were measured and calculated for 81 adults (40 women, 41 men; mean (SD) age: 38.4 (17.5) years; 94% Caucasian). Total body dual energy X-ray absorptiometry with Corescan (GE Lunar iDXA, Encore version 15.0) was also performed to quantify %FM and VAT mass. Linear regression analysis, stratified by sex, was applied to predict both %FM and VAT mass for each anthropometric variable. Within each sex, we used information theoretic methods (Akaike Information Criterion; AIC) to compare models. For the best anthropometric predictor, we derived tentative cut-points for classifying individuals as obese (>25% FM for men or >35% FM for women, or > highest tertile for VAT mass). Results The best predictor of both %FM and VAT mass in men and women was WHtR. Derived cut-points for predicting whole body obesity were 0.53 in men and 0.54 in women. The cut-point for predicting visceral obesity was 0.59 in both sexes. Conclusions In the absence of more objective measures of central obesity and adiposity, WHtR is a suitable proxy measure in both women and men. The proposed DXA-%FM and VAT mass cut-offs require validation in larger studies, but offer potential for improvement of obesity characterisation and the identification of individuals who would most benefit from therapeutic intervention
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