Economics of Sourcing Cellulosic Feedstock for Energy Production

This study investigates the economics of supplying wheat straw and corn stover within 100 mile radius of a potential new biorefinery in southeast North Dakota. In particular, straw and stover total delivery costs, potential straw and stover supply sites and least cost transportation routes are identified using a linear programming transport model and a GIS (Geographic Information Systems) mapping system. We show that USDA/NRCS (Natural Resources Conservation Service) future crop residue removal rate policies will be important for determining whether it is economically viable to harvest crop residues as potential feedstock for energy generation. Increase in residue removal rates narrow the size of residue supply areas and consequently result in lowering total transportation costs. There is an economic tradeoff between residue collection density and distance from the biorefinery. Most wheat residues are highly concentrated in the north, some distance from the biorefinery. Relying solely on wheat straw for supply needs require longer transportation distances which increases total cost. Using a combination of wheat and corn residues lowers total transportation costs. Since most wheat/corn residues are densely concentrated in north/south, regional highways would likely be the routes used often to transport the residues, as compared to interstate highways. Increased traffic volumes due to the hauling of crop residues would require additional investment in improving road conditions.Wheat Straw, Corn Stover, Density, Transportation Cost, GIS, Community/Rural/Urban Development, Crop Production/Industries,

Hip and Trunk Muscle Activity During the Star Excursion Balance Test in Healthy Adults

CONTEXT: Dynamic balance is a measure of core stability. Deficits in the dynamic balance have been related to injuries in the athletic populations. The Star Excursion Balance Test (SEBT) is suggested to measure and improve dynamic balance when used as a rehabilitative tool. OBJECTIVE: To determine the electromyographic activity of the hip and the trunk muscles during the SEBT. DESIGN: Descriptive. SETTING: University campus. PARTICIPANTS: Twenty-two healthy adults (11 males and 11 females; 23.3 [3.8] y, 170.3 [7.6] cm, 67.8 [10.3] kg, and 15.1% [5.0%] body fat). INTERVENTION: Surface electromyographic data were collected on 22 healthy adults of the erector spinae, external oblique, and rectus abdominis bilaterally, and gluteus medius and gluteus maximus muscle of the stance leg. A 2-way repeated measures analysis of variance was used to determine the interaction between the percentage maximal voluntary isometric contraction (%MVIC) and the reach directions. The %MVIC for each muscle was compared across the 8 reach directions using the Sidak post hoc test with α at .05. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: %MVIC. RESULTS: Significant differences were observed for all the 8 muscles. Highest electromyographic activity was found for the tested muscles in the following reach directions-ipsilateral external oblique (44.5% [38.4%]): anterolateral; contralateral external oblique (52.3% [40.8%]): medial; ipsilateral rectus abdominis (8% [6.6%]): anterior; contralateral rectus abdominis (8% [5.3%]): anteromedial; ipsilateral erector spinae (46.4% [20.2%]): posterolateral; contralateral erector spinae (33.5% [11.3%]): posteromedial; gluteus maximus (27.4% [11.7%]): posterior; and gluteus medius (54.6% [26.1%]): medial direction. CONCLUSIONS: Trunk and hip muscle activation was direction dependent during the SEBT. This information can be used during rehabilitation of the hip and the trunk muscles

Muscle Activity During the Star Excursion Balance Test in Healthy Adults

Purpose: To determine electromyographic (EMG) activity of the hip and the trunk muscles during the Star Excursion Balance Test (SEBT) performance in 8 reach directions

Resistance and compliance in women’s academic identity work in the Global South

The aim of this study is to explore women academic's identity work in the context of the Global South (Indonesia). This is done by examining how the interplay between macrolevel social, cultural and political influences and micro‐processes produce moments of compliance and resistance. To this end, the following research question is posed: What is the nature of identity work among women academics in higher education institutions of the Global South where there are shifting and conflicting social and cultural conditions? This study contributes by illuminating the ways in which women comply with or resist traditional and contemporary organisational and occupational structures that produce gender inequality. It also contributes to understanding how the interplay of power and resistance influences women's academic identity work in developing nations

Early clinical and laboratory risk factors of intensive care unit requirement during 2004–2008 dengue epidemics in Singapore: a matched case–control study

Background: Dengue infection can result in severe clinical manifestations requiring intensive care. Effective triage is critical for early clinical management to reduce morbidity and mortality. However, there is limited knowledge on early risk factors of intensive care unit (ICU) requirement. This study aims to identify early clinical and laboratory risk factors of ICU requirement at first presentation in hospital and 24 hours prior to ICU requirement. Method: A retrospective 1:4 matched case–control study was performed with 27 dengue patients who required ICU, and 108 dengue patients who did not require ICU from year 2004–2008, matched by year of dengue presentation. Univariate and multivariate conditional logistic regression were performed. Optimal predictive models were generated with statistically significant risk factors identified using stepwise forward and backward elimination method. Results: ICU dengue patients were significantly older (P=0.003) and had diabetes (P=0.031), compared with non-ICU dengue patients. There were seven deaths among ICU patients at median seven days post fever. At first presentation, the WHO 2009 classification of dengue severity was significantly associated (P<0.001) with ICU, but not the WHO 1997 classification. Early clinical risk factors at presentation associated with ICU requirement were hematocrit change ≥20% concurrent with platelet <50 K [95% confidence-interval (CI)=2.46-30.53], hypoproteinemia (95% CI=1.09-19.74), hypotension (95% CI=1.83-31.79) and severe organ involvement (95% CI=3.30-331). Early laboratory risk factors at presentation were neutrophil proportion (95% CI=1.04-1.17), serum urea (95% CI=1.02-1.56) and alanine aminotransferase level (95% CI=1.001-1.06). This predictive model has sensitivity and specificity up to 88%. Early laboratory risk factors at 24 hours prior to ICU were lymphocyte (95% CI=1.03-1.38) and monocyte proportions (95% CI=1.02-1.78), pulse rate (95% CI=1.002-1.14) and blood pressure (95% CI=0.92-0.996). This predictive model has sensitivity and specificity up to 88.9% and 78%, respectively. Conclusions: This is the first matched case–control study, to our best knowledge, that identified early clinical and laboratory risk factors of ICU requirement during hospitalization. These factors suggested differential pathophysiological background of dengue patients as early as first presentation prior to ICU requirement, which may reflect the pathogenesis of dengue severity. These risk models may facilitate clinicians in triage of patients, after validating in larger independent studies.Published versio

Raised FGF23 Correlates to Increased Mortality in Critical Illness, Independent of Vitamin D

BACKGROUND: Fibroblast Growth Factor (FGF23) is an endocrine hormone classically associated with the homeostasis of vitamin D, phosphate, and calcium. Elevated serum FGF23 is a known independent risk factor for mortality in chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients. We aimed to determine if there was a similar relationship between FGF23 levels and mortality in critically ill patients.METHODS: Plasma FGF23 levels were measured by ELISA in two separate cohorts of patients receiving vitamin D supplementation: critical illness patients (VITdAL-ICU trial, n = 475) and elective oesophagectomy patients (VINDALOO trial, n = 76). Mortality data were recorded at 30 and 180 days or at two years, respectively. FGF23 levels in a healthy control cohort were also measured ( n = 27). RESULTS: Elevated FGF23 (quartile 4 vs. quartiles 1-3) was associated with increased short-term (30 and 180 day) mortality in critical illness patients ( p &lt; 0.001) and long-term (two-year) mortality in oesophagectomy patients ( p = 0.0149). Patients who died had significantly higher FGF23 levels than those who survived: In the critical illness cohort, those who died had 1194.6 pg/mL (range 0-14,000), while those who survived had 120.4 pg/mL (range = 15-14,000) ( p = 0.0462). In the oesophagectomy cohort, those who died had 1304 pg/mL (range = 154-77,800), while those who survived had 644 pg/mL (range = 179-54,894) ( p &lt; 0.001). This was found to be independent of vitamin D or CKD status (critical illness p = 0.3507; oesophagectomy p = 0.3800). FGF23 levels in healthy controls were similar to those seen in oesophagectomy patients ( p = 0.4802). CONCLUSIONS: Elevated baseline serum FGF23 is correlated with increased mortality in both the post-oesophagectomy cohort and the cohort of patients with critical illness requiring intensive care admission. This was independent of vitamin D status, supplementation, or CKD status, which suggests the presence of vitamin D-independent mechanisms of FGF23 action during the acute and convalescent stages of critical illness, warranting further investigation.</p