613 research outputs found
Geospatial Modeling And Assessment Of The Environmentally Sensitive Lands In The Midwestern U.S.
Agricultural land-use change, especially corn expansion, has been accelerating since the 2000s to meet the growing bioenergy demand in the United States. This study identifies the environmentally sensitive lands (ESLs) in the U.S. Midwest and explores the environmental implications of land-use changes in this vital agricultural region. A new distance factor is introduced to a soil erodibility model to take wetlands and waterbodies into account. With a GIS-Ranking Model, the ESLs in 2008 and 2011 (two representative years of corn expansion) in the study region are ranked based on their soil erosion severity. Under various scenarios of bioenergy land-use change (cropland to grass and grass to corn) on two land types (ESLs and non-ESLs) at three magnitudes (5%, 10% and 15% change), the projected ESL distributions are evaluated, and their contributions to soil erosion are assessed. Distributions of the ESLs vary geographically in the study region. Annual crops are shown to amplify the extent and intensity of ESLs, while perennial grasses aid in suppressing ESLs. At a river basin scale, this study provides a spatially explicit assessment of environmental impacts of bioenergy land-use in this important agricultural region
Quantized spin excitations in a ferromagnetic microstrip from microwave photovoltage measurements
Quantized spin excitations in a single ferromagnetic microstrip have been
measured using the microwave photovoltage technique. Several kinds of spin wave
modes due to different contributions of the dipole-dipole and the exchange
interactions are observed. Among them are a series of distinct dipole-exchange
spin wave modes, which allow us to determine precisely the subtle spin boundary
condition. A comprehensive picture for quantized spin excitations in a
ferromagnet with finite size is thereby established. The dispersions of the
quantized spin wave modes have two different branches separated by the
saturation magnetization.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figure
Microfluidic aqueous two phase system for leukocyte concentration from whole blood
Leukocytes from a whole blood sample were concentrated using a microfluidic aqueous two phase system (μATPS). Whole blood was simultaneously exposed to polyethylene glycol (PEG) and dextran (Dex) phase streams and cells were partitioned based on their differential affinity for the streams. The laminar flow characteristic of microfluidic devices was used to create zero, one, and two stable interfaces between the polymer streams. Three different patterns of three polymer streams each were evaluated for their effectiveness in concentrating leukocytes: immiscible PEG-PEG-Dex, immiscible Dex-PEG-Dex, and miscible PEG-PBS-Dex. The most effective configuration was the Dex-PEG-Dex stream pattern which on average increased the ratio of leukocytes to erythrocytes by a factor of 9.13 over unconcentrated blood
Factors affecting the biology of Pachycrepoideus vindemmiae (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae), a parasitoid of spotted-wing drosophila (Drosophila suzukii).
Pachycrepoideus vindemmiae is a wasp that parasitizes and host-feeds on pupae of the invasive spotted-wing drosophila (SWD, Drosophila suzukii). Few studies have addressed interactions between these two species and little is known about the potential of this parasitoid as a biocontrol agent of SWD and the different variables that may affect it. Here, we investigated the impact of extrinsic and intrinsic factors on life-history traits of P. vindemmiae. Both constant (entire adulthood) and limited (30 minutes) supplies of water + honey, honey, or host increased parasitoid survival compared to controls (water or fasting). Water + honey caused the highest parasitoid survivals (35?60 days), independent of supply period, sex, and host availability. Females were intrinsically more resistant to water- and honey-deprivation than males, and host-feeding elevated such resistance even higher. Constant honey supply (either with or without water) supported the highest host-killing capacities (= capacity to kill hosts) (ca. 600 SWD pupae/wasp). However, in young females (4?9 days old), the impact of honey availability (with or without water) was insignificant while water deprivation (either with or without honey) caused the highest host-killing potential. This indicates that although sugar becomes a critical nutritional resource as females age, young females depend more on water than sugar to reproduce. Neither water nor honey affected the sex ratio of young females, but when we considered the entire adulthood, the availability of honey caused the lowest proportion of females (0.50), independent of water availability. Neither water nor honey affected parasitoid emergence rate (0.97), independent of female age. Based on survival and host-killing capacity, we conclude that P. vindemmiae has a tremendous biocontrol potential against SWD. Both limited and constant supply of water, sugar, and host increase parasitoid survival, while constant supply of water and/or honey enhance its host-killing potential and decrease sex ratio depending on maternal age
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Racial and Ethnic Differences in Mortality Associated with Serum Potassium in Incident Peritoneal Dialysis Patients.
BackgroundAbnormalities in serum potassium are risk factors for sudden cardiac death and arrhythmias among dialysis patients. Although a previous study in hemodialysis patients has shown that race/ethnicity may impact the relationship between serum potassium and mortality, the relationship remains unclear among peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients where the dynamics of serum potassium is more stable.MethodsAmong 17,664 patients who started PD between January 1, 2007 and December 31, 2011 in a large US dialysis organization, we evaluated the association of serum potassium levels with all-cause and arrhythmia-related deaths across race/ethnicity using time-dependent Cox models with adjustments for demographics. We also used restricted cubic spline functions for serum potassium levels to explore non-linear associations.ResultsBaseline serum potassium levels were the highest among Hispanics (4.2 ± 0.7 mEq/L) and lowest among non-Hispanic blacks (4.0 ± 0.7 mEq/L). Among 2,949 deaths during the follow-up of median 2.2 (interquartile ranges 1.3-3.2) years, 683 (23%) were arrhythmia-related deaths. Overall, both hyperkalemia and hypokalemia (i.e., serum potassium levels >5.0 and <3.5 mEq/L, respectively) were associated with higher all-cause and arrhythmia-related mortality. In a stratified analysis according to race/ethnicity, the association of hypokalemia with all-cause and arrhythmia-related mortality was consistent with an attenuation for arrhythmia-related mortality in non-Hispanic blacks. Hyperkalemia was associated with all-cause and arrhythmia-related mortality in non-Hispanic whites and non-Hispanic blacks, but no association was observed in Hispanics.ConclusionAmong incident PD patients, hypokalemia was consistently associated with all-cause and arrhythmia-related deaths irrespective of race/ethnicity. However, while hyperkalemia was associated with both death outcomes in non-Hispanic blacks and whites, it was not associated with either death outcome in Hispanic patients. Further studies are needed to demonstrate whether different strategies should be followed for the management of serum potassium levels according to race/ethnicity
Strong asymmetry of microwave absorption by bi-layer conducting ferromagnetic films in the microstrip-line based broadband ferromagnetic resonance
Peculiarities of ferromagnetic resonance response of conducting magnetic
bi-layer films of nanometric thicknesses excited by microstrip microwave
transducers have been studied theoretically. Strong asymmetry of the response
has been found. Depending on the order of layers with respect to the transducer
either the first higher-order standing spin wave mode, or the fundamental mode
shows the largest response.
Film conductivity and lowered symmetry of microwave fields of such
transducers are responsible for this behavior. Amplitude of which mode is
larger also depends on the driving frequency. This effect is explained as
shielding of the asymmetric transducer field by eddy currents in the films.
This shielding remains very efficient for films with thicknesses well below the
microwave skin depth. This effect may be useful for studying buried magnetic
interfaces and should be accounted for in future development of broadband
inductive ferromagnetic resonance methods.Comment: 21 Page, 4 figure
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Lymphocyte Cell Ratios and Mortality among Incident Hemodialysis Patients.
BackgroundNeutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) have been previously suggested as oncologic prognostication markers. These are associated with malnutrition and inflammation, and hence, may provide benefit in predicting mortality among hemodialysis patients.MethodsAmong 108,548 incident hemodialysis patients in a large U.S. dialysis organization (2007-2011), we compared the mortality predictability of NLR and PLR with baseline and time-varying covariate Cox models using the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC), net reclassification index (NRI), and adjusted R2.ResultsDuring the median follow-up period of 1.4 years, 28,618 patients died. Median (IQR) NLR and PLR at baseline were 3.64 (2.68-5.00) and 179 (136-248) respectively. NLR was associated with higher mortality, which appeared stronger in the time-varying versus baseline model. PLR exhibited a J-shaped association with mortality in both models. NLR provided better mortality prediction in addition to demographics, comorbidities, and serum albumin; ΔAUROC and NRI for 1-year mortality (95% CI) were 0.010 (0.009-0.012) and 6.4% (5.5-7.3%) respectively. Additionally, adjusted R2 (95% CI) for the Cox model increased from 0.269 (0.262-0.276) to 0.283 (0.276-0.290) in the non-time-varying model and from 0.467 (0.461-0.472) to 0.505 (0.500-0.512) in the time-varying model. There was little to no benefit of adding PLR to predict mortality.ConclusionsHigh NLR in incident hemodialysis patients predicted mortality, especially in the short-term period. NLR, but not PLR, added modest benefit in predicting mortality along with demographics, comorbidities, and serum albumin, and should be included in prognostication approaches
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Association of Pre-ESRD Serum Calcium With Post-ESRD Mortality Among Incident ESRD Patients: A Cohort Study.
Albumin-corrected serum calcium (cSCa) decline at late stages of chronic kidney disease and rise after dialysis initiation. Although hypercalcemia is associated with higher mortality in end-stage renal disease (ESRD), there are scarce data on the impact of pre-ESRD cSCa on post-ESRD mortality. Therefore, we used a large national cohort of 21,826 US veterans who transitioned to dialysis in all US Department of Veterans Affairs health care facilities over 2009 to 2014 to examine the associations with all-cause and cause-specific post-ESRD mortality of (1) cSCa concentrations averaged over the last 6 months and (2) its rate of decline during the last 12 months before dialysis initiation. Mean concentrations and median rate of decline of cSCa were 9.3 ± 0.7 mg/dL and -0.15 (interquartile range -0.39 to 0.07) mg/dL/year, respectively. A total of 9596 patients died during the follow-up period (mean 1.9 years; total 41,541 patient-years) with an incidence rate of 23.1 per 100 patient-years. There was an independent linear association between higher cSCa with higher mortality (ptrend < 0.001). The mortality risk associated with cSCa ≥9.0 mg/dL was attenuated among active vitamin D users (pinteraction < 0.001). Patients with faster decline in cSCa showed lower mortality irrespective of baseline cSCa concentrations. These cSCa-mortality associations were stronger for noncardiovascular versus cardiovascular death. In conclusion, lower pre-ESRD cSCa and faster decline in cSCa were consistently and linearly associated with better post-ESRD survival among US veterans, especially for noncardiovascular death. Further studies are needed to determine if correcting hypocalcemia is beneficial or harmful and which intervention is preferred when indicated among patients transitioning to ESRD. © 2018 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research
Micromagnetic simulations of spinel ferrite particles
This paper presents the results of simulations of the magnetization field
{\it ac} response (at to GHz) of various submicron ferrite particles
(cylindrical dots). The ferrites in the present simulations have the spinel
structure, expressed here by MZnFeO (where M stands for a
divalent metal), and the parameters chosen were the following: (a) for : M
= \{ Fe, Mn, Co, Ni, Mg, Cu \}; (b) for : M = \{ Fe, Mg \} (mixed
ferrites). These runs represent full 3D micromagnetic (one-particle) ferrite
simulations. We find evidences of confined spin waves in all simulations, as
well as a complex behavior nearby the main resonance peak in the case of the M
= \{ Mg, Cu \} ferrites. A comparison of the and cases for fixed
M reveals a significant change in the spectra in M = Mg ferrites, but only a
minor change in the M = Fe case. An additional larger scale simulation of a
by particle array was performed using similar conditions of the FeO
(magnetite; , M = Fe) one-particle simulation. We find that the main
resonance peak of the FeO one-particle simulation is disfigured in the
corresponding 3 by 3 particle simulation, indicating the extent to which
dipolar interactions are able to affect the main resonance peak in that
magnetic compound.Comment: 35 pages, 11 figures, Journal of Magnetism and Magnetic Materials, in
press
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