Water cooled contactor for anode in carbon arc mechanism

Water cooled contactors for holding rotating carbon arc anod

Quasirandomness in hypergraphs

An $n$-vertex graph $G$ of edge density $p$ is considered to be quasirandom if it shares several important properties with the random graph $G(n,p)$. A well-known theorem of Chung, Graham and Wilson states that many such `typical' properties are asymptotically equivalent and, thus, a graph $G$ possessing one such property automatically satisfies the others. In recent years, work in this area has focused on uncovering more quasirandom graph properties and on extending the known results to other discrete structures. In the context of hypergraphs, however, one may consider several different notions of quasirandomness. A complete description of these notions has been provided recently by Towsner, who proved several central equivalences using an analytic framework. We give short and purely combinatorial proofs of the main equivalences in Towsner's result.Comment: 19 page

Independent from muscle power and balance performance, a creatinine clearance below 65ml/min is a significant and independent risk factor for falls and fall-related fractures in elderly men and women diagnosed with osteoporosis

Summary: We assessed in a cross-sectional study in elderly men and women with osteoporosis, the association between the creatinine clearance (CrCl) and the performance in different balance and muscle power and function tests and found that a decreasing creatinine clearance was significantly associated with lower balance and muscle power. Introduction: To determine if a creatinine clearance of <65ml/min is significantly associated with decreasing muscle power and balance and an increased risk for falls and fractures. Methods: We assessed in a cross-sectional-study in 1781 German osteoporotic patients, the association between the CrCl, the physical performance, and the number of falls and fractures. Results: Controlling for age, gender, BMI, and osteoporosis treatment (fracture analysis only), a decreasing CrCl was associated with lower physical performance in the timed-up-and-go test (corr −0.2337, P < 0.0001), chair-rising test (corr −0.1706, P < 0.001), and tandem-stand test (corr 0.2193, P < 0.0001), and a CrCl of <65ml/min was associated with a significantly higher risk for falls (47.7% vs. 36.2%, P = 0.0008) and fall-related fractures (33.1% vs. 22.9%, P = 0.0003) compared with a CrCl of ≥65ml/min. Conclusions: In this study, we found a significant gender-independent correlation between decreasing CrCl and lower performance in balance and muscle power tests. Reduced muscle power and balance may therefore be involved in the low creatinine clearance associated increased risk for falls and fall-related fractures. Furthermore, we found that a CrCl <65ml/min., independent from the performance in muscle power, muscle function, and balance tests, is a significant risk factor for falls and fracture

Response of Mixed C\u3csub\u3e4\u3c/sub\u3e Grasses to Various Multiple Paddock Grazing Strategies

The botanical composition of mixed grass pastures may change during grazing due to the various grazing period/recovery period lengths associated with multiple-paddock grazing strategies. This 4-year study compared changes in relative species composition and basal plant cover of a C4 grass mixture grazed using a nested paddock design to simulate 2, 4, 6 and 12- paddock grazing cells in eastern Nebraska. Total basal plant cover declined from 11.6% prior to grazing to 7.3% after one year of grazing and then remained nearly constant thereafter. Neither relative species composition nor basal density were affected greatly by grazing strategy. Within grazing strategies, however, some changes occurred although high variability made it difficult to detect significant differences among plant species. Across all grazing strategies, switchgrass [Panicum virgatum L.] frequency was inversely related to big bluestem [Andropogon gerardii Vitman] and indiangrass [Sorghastrum nutans (L.) Nash.] while sideoats grama [Bouteloua curtipendula (Michx.) Torr.] was inversely related to little bluestem [Schizachyrium scoparium (Michx.) Nash.] and indiangrass

Response of Warm-Season Grass Pasture to Grazing Period and Recovery Period Lengths

Grazing period and recovery period lengths are key variables influencing grassland production and composition. Systems with short grazing periods and lengthy recovery periods require numerous pastures. Relatively high facility and management costs associated with multiple-pasture systems can be justified only if plant response is favorable and/or if livestock production is improved. This study determined the effects of 4 different combinations of grazing period/recovery period lengths on percentage basal cover (PBC) and relative species composition (RSC) of seeded, warm-season grass pasture

Can the fast bone loss in osteoporotic and osteopenic patients be stopped with active vitamin D metabolites?

The aim of this study was to evaluate whether fast trabecular bone loss in osteoporotic and osteopenic patients can effectively be treated with active vitamin D metabolites. Thirty-one osteoporotic and osteopenic patients were monitored between 4 and 22 months before and between 8 and 18 months during the treatment. Fast bone losers were designated as osteoporotic or osteopenic patients with a loss of trabecular bone density in the radius of 3% or more calculated for 1 year. For this differentiation, the high precise peripheral quantitative computed tomography system (DENSISCAN 1000) was used (reproducability 0.3% in mixed collectives). The pretreatment loss and the "gain” under treatment with active vitamin D metabolites was calculated for 1 year. The treatment consisted of either 0.5 μg calcitriol daily or 1 μg of alfacalcidol daily. Before treatment, the trabecular bone loss in the radius/year was −6.6 ± 0.5% (mean ± SEM). After treatment with vitamin D metabolites, the trabecular bone gain in the radius/year was 0.01 ± 0.6% (mean ± SEM). The difference was highly significant (P < 0.001). In contrast to this, the loss of cortical bone density before treatment was −1.8 ± 0.3% (mean ± SEM) and the reduced loss after treatment −0.2 ± 0.4% (mean ± SEM), both values calculated for 1 year. This difference was less significant (P < 0.05). This study shows that the treatment with active vitamin D metabolites is very effective in slowing fast trabecular bone loss in osteoporotic and osteopenic patient

Patterning of Paternal Investment in Response to Socioecological Change

Human paternal investment, and that of many other species, is facultatively expressed and dependent on a diverse array of individual, social, and ecological conditions. Well-documented are the various ways in which men invest in offspring and the household. Specifically, local ecology structures pay-offs to male investment and has been shown to be an important predictor of the sexual division of labor. However, while variability in paternal investment has been well-characterized cross-culturally, plasticity within a group in response to changing socioecological conditions remains largely unstudied. To address this, we use recent economic development and market access to explore how changes in socioecology alter behavioral options for men and their resultant investment decisions. Among the monogamous Maya, we find that, associated with the introduction of novel subsistence opportunities and incentives for intensified paternal investment, fathers spend more time in the household, more time in domestic activities and more time interacting with their children. The changes in paternal investment documented here are largely contingent on four conditions: increased efficiency in subsistence brought about by mechanized farming, limited opportunities to engage in wage labor, increased opportunities to invest in offspring quality, and a monogamous mating system. Thus, Maya fathers appear to repurpose found time by furthering investment in their families