Prediction Equations for Estimating Lean Quantity in 15- to 50-kg Pigs

Equations for predicting the quantity of lean in the young pig were developed from measurements on 48 pigs (16.8 to 48.5 kg body weight) representing four crossbred mating types; maternal breed(s) × maternal breed(s), paternal breed(s) × maternal breed(s), paternal breed(s) × paternal breed(s) and porcine stress-susceptible × mixed breed. Within litter and sex, each of three pigs was assigned randomly to a light, intermediate or heavy slaughter weight group such that each mating type was represented by six barrows and six gilts from four different litters. Thirteen measurements were obtained for each pig; body weight, body length, body circumference, front leg circumference, front leg length, shoulder depth, shoulder width, ham width, head width, shoulder fat, last rib fat, last lumbar fat and loin muscle depth. Fat measurements and loin depth were taken ultrasonically. Pigs were slaughtered, chilled and manually separated into lean and fat, bone, skin and feet and tail components. Fat composition was determined by the Goldfisch method and also an x-ray absorption procedure. Pigs averaged 32.0 kg body weight and 12.5 kg of lean. Prediction equations were developed by maximum R2 and stepwise regression procedures. The model that includes the 13 measured variables and average backfat produced a .97 R2 when predicting kilograms of lean (LWTA). Body weight was the only significant variable. The one-variable model of body weight (P\u3c.01) produced a .95 R2 Kilograms of lean was estimated for an additional 24 pigs using the one-variable model of body weight and the two-variable model of body weight and shoulder width. The variable LWTA was found to be highly correlated with both estimates of LWTA (r = .97). Results suggest that LWTA can be predicted using a simple model that could be adapted to applied situations

Cost-Effectiveness of an Emergency Department Based Early Sepsis Resuscitation Protocol

Background Guidelines recommend that sepsis be treated with an early resuscitation protocol, such as early goal directed therapy (EGDT). Our objective was to assess the cost-effectiveness of implementing EGDT as a routine protocol. Design Prospective before and after study. Setting Large urban hospital ED with >110,000 visits/year. Patients The target population was patients with consensus criteria for septic shock. We excluded those with age <18 yrs, no aggressive care desired, or need for immediate surgery. Interventions Clinical and cost data were prospectively collected on two groups: 1) patients from 1 yr before and 2) 2 yrs after implementing EGDT as standard-of-care. Before phase patients received nonprotocolized care at attending discretion. The primary outcomes were one year mortality, discounted life expectancy, and quality adjusted life years (QALYs). Using costs and QALYs, we constructed an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio and performed a net monetary benefit (NMB) analysis, producing the probability that the intervention was cost-effective given different values for the willingness to pay for a QALY. Results 285 subjects, 79 in the before and 206 in the after phases, were enrolled. Treatment with EGDT was associated with an increased hospital cost of $7028 and an increase in both discounted sepsis-adjusted life expectancy and QALYs of 1.5 and 1.3 yrs, respectively. EGDT use was associated with a cost of$5397 per QALY gained and the NMB analysis indicates a 98% probability (p = .038) that EGDT is cost-effective at a willingness to pay of $50,000 per QALY. Conclusion Implementation of EGDT in the ED care of severe sepsis patients is cost effective

Gravitational Repulsion within a Black-Hole using the Stueckelberg Quantum Formalism

We wish to study an application of Stueckelberg's relativistic quantum theory in the framework of general relativity. We study the form of the wave equation of a massive body in the presence of a Schwarzschild gravitational field. We treat the mathematical behavior of the wavefunction also around and beyond the horizon (r=2M). Classically, within the horizon, the time component of the metric becomes spacelike and distance from the origin singularity becomes timelike, suggesting an inevitable propagation of all matter within the horizon to a total collapse at r=0. However, the quantum description of the wave function provides a different understanding of the behavior of matter within the horizon. We find that a test particle can almost never be found at the origin and is more probable to be found at the horizon. Matter outside the horizon has a very small wave length and therefore interference effects can be found only on a very small atomic scale. However, within the horizon, matter becomes totally "tachionic" and is potentially "spread" over all space. Small location uncertainties on the atomic scale become large around the horizon, and different mass components of the wave function can therefore interfere on a stellar scale. This interference phenomenon, where the probability of finding matter decreases as a function of the distance from the horizon, appears as an effective gravitational repulsion.Comment: 20 pages, 6 figure

Responsiveness of PROMIS® to change in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

BackgroundChronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a progressive chronic disease characterized by airflow obstruction that leads to shortness of breath and substantial negative impacts on health-related quality of life (HRQL). The course of COPD includes periodic acute exacerbations that require changes in treatment and/or hospitalizations. This study was designed to examine the responsiveness of Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System® (PROMIS®) measures to changes associated with COPD exacerbation recovery.MethodsA longitudinal analysis using mixed-effects models was conducted of people who were enrolled while stable (n = 100) and those who experienced an acute exacerbation (n = 85). PROMIS (physical function, pain interference, pain behavior, fatigue, anxiety, depression, anger, social roles, discretionary social activities, Global Health, dyspnea severity and dyspnea functional limitations) and COPD-targeted HRQL measures were completed at baseline and at 12 weeks.ResultsWe administered PROMIS measures using computer adaptive testing (CAT), followed by administration of any remaining short form (SF) items that had not yet been administered by CAT. Examination of the difference between group differences from baseline to 12 weeks in the stable and exacerbation groups revealed that the exacerbation group changed (improved) significantly more than the stable group in anxiety (p &lt; .001 to p &lt; .01; f2 effect size [ES] = 0.023/0.021), fatigue (p &lt; .0001; ES = 0.036/0.047) and social roles (p &lt; .001 to p &lt; .05; ES = 0.035/0.024). All effect sizes were small in magnitude and smaller than hypothesized. Depression was also statistically significant (p &lt; .05, SF only) but the ES was trivial. For all other PROMIS domains, the differences were not significant and ES were trivial.ConclusionsThis longitudinal study provides some support for the validity of the PROMIS fatigue, anxiety, and social roles domains in COPD, but further evaluation of responsiveness is warranted

Effect of Epoxy Impregnation on the Moe and Mor of Intact and Failed Yellow-Poplar (Liriodendron Tulipifera L.) Sapwood Beams

The effects of epoxy impregnation on the MOR and MOE of intact and failed yellow-poplar (Liriodendron tulipifera L.) clear sapwood beams were investigated. Both impregnated and unimpregnated specimens were partially failed in bending, impregnated to stabilize the cracks, and retested. The presence of induced cracks had a significant effect on the MOR of the material after impregnation or reimpregnation, but not on the MOE. Both the MOR and MOE of the failed, then impregnated material exceeded the values for unimpregnated yellow-poplar

Do facial first impressions reflect a shared social reality?

This work was supported by an Australian Research Council (ARC) Discovery Early Career Research Award to CS [DE 190101043], the ARC Centre of Excellence in Cognition and its Disorders [CE110001021], and an ARC Discovery Award [DP170104602]. The funding sources had no influence on the research.Peer reviewedPostprintPostprin