Another Look at Sorghums - Old and New

Many new sorghum hybrinds and crosses have appeared on the market recently. Here\u27s an evaluation of the newer sorghums plus management suggestions if you\u27re planning to try some of them

Multistep Measurement of Plantar Pressure Alterations Using Metatarsal Pads

Metatarsal pads are frequently prescribed for nonoperative management of metatarsalgia due to various etiologies. When appropriately placed, they are effective in reducing pressures under the metatarsal heads on the plantar surface of the foot. Despite the positive clinical reports that have been cited, there are no quantitative studies documenting the load redistribution effects of these pads during multiple step usage within the shoe environment. The objective of this study was to assess changes in plantar pressure metrics resulting from pad use. Ten normal adult male subjects were tested during a series of 400-step trials. Pressures were recorded from eight discrete plantar locations at the hindfoot, midfoot, and forefoot regions of the insole. Significant increases in peak pressures, contact durations, and pressure-time integrals were noted at the metatarsal shaft region with pad use (P ≤ .05). Statistically significant changes in metric values were not seen at the other plantar locations, although metatarsal pad use resulted in mild decreases in mean peak pressures at the first and second metatarsal heads and slight increases laterally. Contact durations decreased at all metatarsal head locations, while pressure-time integrals decreased at the first, second, third, and fourth metatarsal heads. A slight increase in pressure-time integrals was seen at the fifth metatarsal head. The redistribution of plantar pressures tended to relate not only to the dimensions of the metatarsal pads, but also to foot size, anatomic foot configuration, and pad location. Knowledge of these parameters, along with careful control of pad dimensions and placement, allows use of the metatarsal pad as an effective orthotic device for redistributing forefoot plantar pressures

The Impact of Heavy Load Carrying on Musculoskeletal Pain and Disability Among Women in Shinyanga Region, Tanzania.

BackgroundHeavy load carrying has been associated with musculoskeletal discomfort (MSD) and disability. However, there is a lack of research investigating this association in resource-constrained settings where heavy load carrying by women is common.ObjectivesWe assessed the impact of heavy load carrying on musculoskeletal pain and disability among women in Shinyanga Region, Tanzania, in an exploratory cross-sectional study.MethodsEligible participants were a convenience sample of women, at least 18 years of age, who passed a study recruitment site carrying a load. We collected information on load-carrying practices, including frequency and time spent carrying water, wood, agricultural products, coal, sand, or rocks, and measured the weight of the load carried at the time. Outcomes included self-reported MSDs, defined as experiencing pain lasting >3 days in the neck, head, back, knees, feet and/or ankles within the last 1 year, and related disability. Using multivariable logistic regression we assessed for associations between load carrying exposures and MSDs and disability.FindingsResults showed a high prevalence of MSDs across the body regions assessed and evidence to suggest a relationship of back pain and related disability with several measures of load-carrying, including duration, frequency, and weight. Multivariable analyses revealed associations of increased load carrying exposures with low back pain (LBP) and related disability, including statistically significant increases in odds of LBP with increasing weight, total duration of load carrying/week and cumulative loads/week.ConclusionsFindings indicate a substantial burden of MSDs and disability in this population of women who carry heavy loads daily. The extent of discomfort and disability increased with increasing exposure to various load-carrying measures, especially for LBP. Larger epidemiologic studies that definitively assess relationships of load carrying with MSDs and disability are warranted

Discovery of Four High Proper Motion L Dwarfs, Including a 10 pc L Dwarf at the L/T Transition

We discover four high proper motion L dwarfs by comparing the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) to the Two Micron All Sky Survey (2MASS). WISE J140533.32+835030.5 is an L dwarf at the L/T transition with a proper motion of 0.85+/-0.02" yr^-1, previously overlooked due to its proximity to a bright star (V=12 mag). From optical spectroscopy we find a spectral type of L8, and from moderate-resolution J band spectroscopy we find a near-infrared spectral type of L9. We find WISE J140533.32+835030.5 to have a distance of 9.7+/-1.7 pc, bringing the number of L dwarfs at the L/T transition within 10 pc from six to seven. WISE J040137.21+284951.7, WISE J040418.01+412735.6, and WISE J062442.37+662625.6 are all early L dwarfs within 25 pc, and were classified using optical and low-resolution near-infrared spectra. WISE J040418.01+412735.6 is an L2 pec (red) dwarf, a member of the class of unusually red L dwarfs. We use follow-up optical and low-resolution near-infrared spectroscopy to classify a previously discovered (Castro & Gizis 2012) fifth object WISEP J060738.65+242953.4 as an (L8 Opt/L9 NIR), confirming it as an L dwarf at the L/T transition within 10 pc. WISEP J060738.65+242953.4 shows tentative CH_4 in the H band, possibly the result of unresolved binarity with an early T dwarf, a scenario not supported by binary spectral template fitting. If WISEP J060738.65+242953.4 is a single object, it represents the earliest onset of CH_4 in the H band of an L/T transition dwarf in the SpeX Library. As very late L dwarfs within 10 pc, WISE J140533.32+835030.5 and WISEP J060738.65+242953.4 will play a vital role in resolving outstanding issues at the L/T transition.Comment: 45 pages, 12 figures, accepted for publication in Ap

Association of urinary uromodulin with kidney function decline and mortality: the health ABC study .

BackgroundUrine uromodulin (uUMOD) is a protein secreted by the kidney tubule. Recent studies have suggested that higher uUMOD may be associated with improved kidney and mortality outcomes.MethodsUsing a case-cohort design, we evaluated the association between baseline uUMOD levels and ≥ 30% estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) decline, incident chronic kidney disease (CKD), rapid kidney function decline, and mortality using standard and modified Cox proportional hazards regression.ResultsThe median value of uUMOD was 25.8 µg/mL, mean age of participants was 74 years, 48% were women, and 39% were black. Persons with higher uUMOD had lower prevalence of diabetes and coronary artery disease (CAD), and had lower systolic blood pressure. Persons with higher uUMOD also had higher eGFR, lower urinary albumin to creatinine ratio (ACR), and lower C-reactive protein (CRP). There was no association of uUMOD with > 30% eGFR decline. In comparison to those in the lowest quartile of uUMOD, those in the highest quartile had a significantly (53%) lower risk of incident CKD (CI 73%, 18%) and a 51% lower risk of rapid kidney function decline (CI 76%, 1%) after multivariable adjustment. Higher uUMOD was associated with lower risk of mortality in demographic adjusted models, but not after multivariable adjustment.ConclusionHigher levels of uUMOD are associated with lower risk of incident CKD and rapid kidney function decline. Additional studies are needed in the general population and in persons with advanced CKD to confirm these findings.


Experimental measurement of stress at a four-domain junction in lead zirconate titanate

A junction between two lamellar bands of ferroelectric domains in a lead zirconate titanate (PZT) ceramic is analysed using Kikuchi diffraction patterns in the transmission electron microscope. Indexing of the diffraction patterns allowed the determination of the 3D relative orientation of the 4 different domains at the junction and thus the characterisation of the domain boundaries. The local c/a ratio could also be determined from the misorientations at the domain boundaries. Analysis of the data showed that large stresses were concentrated at the junction, and that this is inevitable at such band junctions. Such stress concentrations could act as nuclei for cracking of the ceramic under additional loading in service, perhaps particularly as a consequence of extended electromechanical cycling. Moreover, the stresses would increase with increasing c/a making the issues all the more serious for Ti-rich compositions having larger c/a ratios

Intraoperative electrocochleographic characteristics of auditory neuropathy spectrum disorder in cochlear implant subjects

Auditory neuropathy spectrum disorder (ANSD) is characterized by an apparent discrepancy between measures of cochlear and neural function based on auditory brainstem response (ABR) testing. Clinical indicators of ANSD are a present cochlear microphonic (CM) with small or absent wave V. Many identified ANSD patients have speech impairment severe enough that cochlear implantation (CI) is indicated. To better understand the cochleae identified with ANSD that lead to a CI, we performed intraoperative round window electrocochleography (ECochG) to tone bursts in children (n = 167) and adults (n = 163). Magnitudes of the responses to tones of different frequencies were summed to measure the “total response” (ECochG-TR), a metric often dominated by hair cell activity, and auditory nerve activity was estimated visually from the compound action potential (CAP) and auditory nerve neurophonic (ANN) as a ranked “Nerve Score”. Subjects identified as ANSD (45 ears in children, 3 in adults) had higher values of ECochG-TR than adult and pediatric subjects also receiving CIs not identified as ANSD. However, nerve scores of the ANSD group were similar to the other cohorts, although dominated by the ANN to low frequencies more than in the non-ANSD groups. To high frequencies, the common morphology of ANSD cases was a large CM and summating potential, and small or absent CAP. Common morphologies in other groups were either only a CM, or a combination of CM and CAP. These results indicate that responses to high frequencies, derived primarily from hair cells, are the main source of the CM used to evaluate ANSD in the clinical setting. However, the clinical tests do not capture the wide range of neural activity seen to low frequency sounds

Launch Environment Water Flow Simulations Using Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics

This paper describes the use of Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics (SPH) to simulate the water flow from the rainbird nozzle system used in the sound suppression system during pad abort and nominal launch. The simulations help determine if water from rainbird nozzles will impinge on the rocket nozzles and other sensitive ground support elements

Postoperative Foot and Ankle Kinematics in Rheumatoid Arthritis

Introduction Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a systemic autoimmune disease that can cause weakening and destruction of various joints of the foot and may result in pain and deformity. This clinical presentation can cause eventual loss of function, shoe-wear difficulties, and altered gait patterns. Purpose The goal of this prospective study was to quantify changes in temporal-spatial parameters and multisegmental foot and ankle kinematics in a group of patients with RA of the forefoot following surgery. Methods Three-dimensional (3-D) motion analysis was conducted preoperatively and postoperatively using a 15-camera Vicon Motion Analysis System (Vicon Motion Systems, Inc.; Lake Forest, CA) on 14 feet in 13 patients with forefoot RA. The Milwaukee foot model was used to characterize segmental kinematics and temporal-spatial parameters. Preoperative and postoperative data were compared using paired nonparametric methods; comparisons with normative data were performed using unpaired nonparametric methods. Results Preoperatively, the hallux was in a valgus position, the forefoot was abducted and in valgus, and range of motion was limited in various phases in all segments. Walking speed and stride length were decreased and stance prolonged when compared with normal controls. Postoperatively, the hallux alignment was restored to normal but a limited range of motion remained. Kinematics also demonstrated forefoot valgus and tibial internal rotation compared with the control population. Comparisons to healthy ambulators also showed decreased stride lengths and prolonged stance phase durations. Conclusion Surgery effectively restored alignment and weight-bearing capacity of the rheumatoid feet. Temporal-spatial parameters and kinematics, however, were not restored to control values, but rather were consistent with first metatarsophalangeal joint fusion effects. The altered mechanics after surgery demonstrate the importance of quantitative assessment in understanding the geometric and kinematic effects of surgical realignment with implications for postoperative rehabilitation and gait training

Modeling of Heat Transfer and Ablation of Refractory Material Due to Rocket Plume Impingement

CR Tech's Thermal Desktop-SINDA/FLUINT software was used in the thermal analysis of a flame deflector design for Launch Complex 39B at Kennedy Space Center, Florida. The analysis of the flame deflector takes into account heat transfer due to plume impingement from expected vehicles to be launched at KSC. The heat flux from the plume was computed using computational fluid dynamics provided by Ames Research Center in Moffet Field, California. The results from the CFD solutions were mapped onto a 3-D Thermal Desktop model of the flame deflector using the boundary condition mapping capabilities in Thermal Desktop. The ablation subroutine in SINDA/FLUINT was then used to model the ablation of the refractory material