1,056 research outputs found
Constriction size distributions of granular filters: a numerical study
The retention capability of granular filters is controlled by the narrow constrictions connecting the voids within the filter. The theoretical justification for empirical filter rules used in practice includes consideration of an idealised soil fabric in which constrictions form between co-planar combinations of spherical filter particles. This idealised fabric has not been confirmed by experimental or numerical observations of real constrictions. This paper reports the results of direct, particle-scale measurement of the constriction size distribution (CSD) within virtual samples of granular filters created using the discrete-element method (DEM). A previously proposed analytical method that predicts the full CSD using inscribed circles to estimate constriction sizes is found to poorly predict the CSD for widely graded filters due to an over-idealisation of the soil fabric. The DEM data generated are used to explore quantitatively the influence of the coefficient of uniformity, particle size distribution and relative density of the filter on the CSD. For a given relative density CSDs form a narrow band of similarly shaped curves when normalised by characteristic filter diameters. This lends support to the practical use of characteristic diameters to assess filter retention capability
A Population-Based Survey
Background: Chronic conditions are an increasing challenge for individuals and
the health care system. Smartphones and health apps are potentially promising
tools to change health-related behaviors and manage chronic conditions.
Objective: The aim of this study was to explore (1) the extent of smartphone
and health app use, (2) sociodemographic, medical, and behavioral correlates
of smartphone and health app use, and (3) associations of the use of apps and
app characteristics with actual health behaviors. Methods: A population-based
survey (N=4144) among Germans, aged 35 years and older, was conducted.
Sociodemographics, presence of chronic conditions, health behaviors, quality
of life, and health literacy, as well as the use of the Internet, smartphone,
and health apps were assessed by questionnaire at home visit. Binary logistic
regression models were applied. Results: It was found that 61.25% (2538/4144)
of participants used a smartphone. Compared with nonusers, smartphone users
were younger, did more research on the Internet, were more likely to work
full-time and more likely to have a university degree, engaged more in
physical activity, and less in low fat diet, and had a higher health-related
quality of life and health literacy. Among smartphone users, 20.53% (521/2538)
used health apps. App users were younger, less likely to be native German
speakers, did more research on the Internet, were more likely to report
chronic conditions, engaged more in physical activity, and low fat diet, and
were more health literate compared with nonusers who had a smartphone. Health
apps focused on smoking cessation (232/521, 44.5%), healthy diet (201/521,
38.6%), and weight loss (121/521, 23.2%). The most common app characteristics
were planning (264/521, 50.7%), reminding (188/521, 36.1%), prompting
motivation (179/521 34.4%), and the provision of information (175/521, 33.6%).
Significant associations were found between planning and the health behavior
physical activity, between feedback or monitoring and physical activity, and
between feedback or monitoring and adherence to doctor’s advice. Conclusions:
Although there were many smartphone and health app users, a substantial
proportion of the population was not engaged. Findings suggest age-related,
socioeconomic-related, literacy-related, and health-related disparities in the
use of mobile technologies. Health app use may reflect a user’s motivation to
change or maintain health behaviors. App developers and researchers should
take account of the needs of older people, people with low health literacy,
and chronic conditions
Using Smartphones and Health Apps to Change and Manage Health Behaviors: A Population-Based Survey
Background: Chronic conditions are an increasing challenge for individuals and the health care system. Smartphones and health apps are potentially promising tools to change health-related behaviors and manage chronic conditions. Objective: The aim of this study was to explore (1) the extent of smartphone and health app use, (2) sociodemographic, medical, and behavioral correlates of smartphone and health app use, and (3) associations of the use of apps and app characteristics with actual health behaviors. Methods: A population-based survey (N=4144) among Germans, aged 35 years and older, was conducted. Sociodemographics, presence of chronic conditions, health behaviors, quality of life, and health literacy, as well as the use of the Internet, smartphone, and health apps were assessed by questionnaire at home visit. Binary logistic regression models were applied. Results: It was found that 61.25% (2538/4144) of participants used a smartphone. Compared with nonusers, smartphone users were younger, did more research on the Internet, were more likely to work full-time and more likely to have a university degree, engaged more in physical activity, and less in low fat diet, and had a higher health-related quality of life and health literacy. Among smartphone users, 20.53% (521/2538) used health apps. App users were younger, less likely to be native German speakers, did more research on the Internet, were more likely to report chronic conditions, engaged more in physical activity, and low fat diet, and were more health literate compared with nonusers who had a smartphone. Health apps focused on smoking cessation (232/521, 44.5%), healthy diet (201/521, 38.6%), and weight loss (121/521, 23.2%). The most common app characteristics were planning (264/521, 50.7%), reminding (188/521, 36.1%), prompting motivation (179/521 34.4%), and the provision of information (175/521, 33.6%). Significant associations were found between planning and the health behavior physical activity, between feedback or monitoring and physical activity, and between feedback or monitoring and adherence to doctor’s advice. Conclusions: Although there were many smartphone and health app users, a substantial proportion of the population was not engaged. Findings suggest age-related, socioeconomic-related, literacy-related, and health-related disparities in the use of mobile technologies. Health app use may reflect a user’s motivation to change or maintain health behaviors. App developers and researchers should take account of the needs of older people, people with low health literacy, and chronic conditions
Turbulent molecular gas and star formation in the shocked intergalactic medium of Stephan's Quintet
We report on single-dish radio CO observations towards the inter-galactic
medium (IGM) of the Stephan's Quintet (SQ) group of galaxies. Extremely bright
mid-IR H2 rotational line emission from warm molecular gas has been detected by
Spitzer in the kpc-scale shock created by a galaxy collision. We detect in the
IGM CO(1-0), (2-1) and (3-2) line emission with complex profiles, spanning a
velocity range of 1000 km/s. The spectra exhibit the pre-shock recession
velocities of the two colliding gas systems (5700 and 6700 km/s), but also
intermediate velocities. This shows that much of the molecular gas has formed
out of diffuse gas accelerated by the galaxy-tidal arm collision. A total H2
mass of 5x10^9 Msun is detected in the shock. The molecular gas carries a large
fraction of the gas kinetic energy involved in the collision, meaning that this
energy has not been thermalized yet. The turbulent kinetic energy of the H2 gas
is at least a factor of 5 greater than the thermal energy of the hot plasma
heated by the collision. The ratio between the warm H2 mass derived from
Spitzer IRS spectroscopy and the H2 mass derived from CO fluxes is ~0.3 in the
IGM of SQ, which is 10-100 times higher than in star-forming galaxies. In the
shocked region, the ratio of the PAH-to-CO surface luminosities, commonly used
to measure the star formation efficiency of the H2 gas, is lower (up to a
factor 75) than the observed values in star-forming galaxies. We suggest that
turbulence fed by the galaxy-tidal arm collision maintains a high heating rate
within the H2 gas. This interpretation implies that the velocity dispersion on
the scale of giant molecular clouds in SQ is one order of magnitude larger than
the Galactic value. The high amplitude of turbulence may explain why this gas
is not forming stars efficiently. [abridged version]Comment: Revised abstract and small editing to match published version. 15
pages, 5 figures. Accepted for publication in Ap
Mechanisms of Cognitive Impairment in Cerebral Small Vessel Disease: Multimodal MRI Results from the St George's Cognition and Neuroimaging in Stroke (SCANS) Study.
Cerebral small vessel disease (SVD) is a common cause of vascular cognitive impairment. A number of disease features can be assessed on MRI including lacunar infarcts, T2 lesion volume, brain atrophy, and cerebral microbleeds. In addition, diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) is sensitive to disruption of white matter ultrastructure, and recently it has been suggested that additional information on the pattern of damage may be obtained from axial diffusivity, a proposed marker of axonal damage, and radial diffusivity, an indicator of demyelination. We determined the contribution of these whole brain MRI markers to cognitive impairment in SVD. Consecutive patients with lacunar stroke and confluent leukoaraiosis were recruited into the ongoing SCANS study of cognitive impairment in SVD (n = 115), and underwent neuropsychological assessment and multimodal MRI. SVD subjects displayed poor performance on tests of executive function and processing speed. In the SVD group brain volume was lower, white matter hyperintensity volume higher and all diffusion characteristics differed significantly from control subjects (n = 50). On multi-predictor analysis independent predictors of executive function in SVD were lacunar infarct count and diffusivity of normal appearing white matter on DTI. Independent predictors of processing speed were lacunar infarct count and brain atrophy. Radial diffusivity was a stronger DTI predictor than axial diffusivity, suggesting ischaemic demyelination, seen neuropathologically in SVD, may be an important predictor of cognitive impairment in SVD. Our study provides information on the mechanism of cognitive impairment in SVD
Implantation Serine Proteinase 1 Exhibits Mixed Substrate Specificity that Silences Signaling via Proteinase-Activated Receptors
Implantation S1 family serine proteinases (ISPs) are tryptases involved in embryo hatching and uterine implantation in the mouse. The two different ISP proteins (ISP1 and ISP2) have been detected in both pre- and post-implantation embryo tissue. To date, native ISP obtained from uterus and blastocyst tissues has been isolated only as an active hetero-dimer that exhibits trypsin-like substrate specificity. We hypothesised that in isolation, ISP1 might have a unique substrate specificity that could relate to its role when expressed alone in individual tissues. Thus, we isolated recombinant ISP1 expressed in Pichia pastoris and evaluated its substrate specificity. Using several chromogenic substrates and serine proteinase inhibitors, we demonstrate that ISP1 exhibits trypsin-like substrate specificity, having a preference for lysine over arginine at the P1 position. Phage display peptide mimetics revealed an expanded but mixed substrate specificity of ISP1, including chymotryptic and elastase activity. Based upon targets observed using phage display, we hypothesised that ISP1 might signal to cells by cleaving and activating proteinase-activated receptors (PARs) and therefore assessed PARs 1, 2 and 4 as potential ISP1 targets. We observed that ISP1 silenced enzyme-triggered PAR signaling by receptor-disarming. This PAR-disarming action of ISP1 may be important for embryo development and implantation
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Microstructural analysis of sands with varying degrees of internal stability
Internal erosion involves the migration of particles through a geotechnical structure. Internal erosion poses a significant hazard to embankment dams and flood embankments. The fundamental mechanisms operate at the particle scale and a thorough understanding of these mechanisms can inform the filter design and specification process and reduce the hazard that internal erosion is known to pose to many engineered embankment structures. Engineers have long acknowledged the importance of the grain scale interactions, but until recently, explanations of the mechanisms have been purely hypothetical, as direct observation of the internal structure of filters was not possible. Recent research has used the discrete-element method to establish a particle-scale basis for Ke´zdi’s filter internal stability criterion. The discrete-element method can provide significant useful data on soil microstructure, so a discrete-element method model is inherently ideal. This study therefore examines a number of real sand samples with varying degrees of internal stability at the particle scale using high-resolution microcomputed tomography. The correlation between coordination number and internal stability is confirmed, with the coordination number values being significantly higher for the real material
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