Lexis in chemical engineering discourse: Analyzing style in chemical engineering research articles through a rhetorical lens

This study examines the style of chemical engineering research articles to discover stylistic trends that may be applicable to authors looking to publish their own research. Rhetorical stylistic analysis was used as a research method to allow for thorough analysis of all articles in the sample. Ten research articles from the two prominent chemical engineering journals were chosen using specific criteria to constitute a sample of articles that could most accurately represent the population of chemical engineering research articles. Each article was then analyzed line by line to identify markers of chemical engineering research article style, including the following: ▬Use of voice ▬Examples of figurative language ▬Sentence variety, length, readability ▬Use of dependent clauses as a method of amplification ▬Paragraphing ▬Kind of diction The small sample size prevented generalization of all the conclusions to the overall population of chemical engineering research articles, but some major trends were identified in the sample. Chemical engineering research article authors prefer sentences with no more than two clauses, actively use figurative language to achieve their communicative goals, introduce passive voice as a tool to maintain objectivity, and often use simple sentences to convey their ideas --Abstract, page iii

Moderate-vigorous physical activity and health-related quality of life among Hispanic/Latino adults in the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos (HCHS/SOL).

BackgroundPhysical activity is a modifiable healthy behavior that has been shown to positively influence health-related quality of life. However, research examining the link between physical activity and health-related quality of life among Hispanic/Latino adults is limited and inconsistent. The purpose of this study is to assess whether accelerometer-measured moderate-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) is associated with self-reported (a) mental health-related quality of life, and (b) physical health-related quality of life among diverse Hispanic/Latino adults in the US.MethodsCross-sectional data from 12,379 adults ages 18-74 years in 2008-2011, who participated in HCHS/SOL and had complete data were analyzed using complex survey design methods. Accelerometer data were categorized into no MVPA, low, moderate, and high MVPA. Health-related quality of life was assessed with the Short-Form 12 and we used the mental and physical component subscales where higher scores indicate better health-related quality of life. Multivariate linear regression models were used to derive adjusted means with 95% confidence intervals and linear trends.ResultsWe observed no significant linear trend between accelerometer-measured MVPA and mental health-related quality of life (ptrend = 0.73). There was a significant positive association between MVPA and physical health-related quality of life (ptrend < 0.001) where higher MVPA corresponded with higher scores in physical health-related quality of life. The adjusted means were 46.67 (44.85-48.48) for no MVPA, 49.33 (49.03-49.63) for low MVPA, 50.61 (50.09-51.13) for moderate MVPA, and 51.36 (50.86-51.86) for high MVPA.ConclusionsAmong diverse Hispanic/Latino adults in the US, accelerometer-measured MVPA was associated with physical health-related quality of life, but not mental health-related quality of life. Future interventions should evaluate if increases in MVPA lead to improvements in health-related quality of life

Finishing the euchromatic sequence of the human genome

The sequence of the human genome encodes the genetic instructions for human physiology, as well as rich information about human evolution. In 2001, the International Human Genome Sequencing Consortium reported a draft sequence of the euchromatic portion of the human genome. Since then, the international collaboration has worked to convert this draft into a genome sequence with high accuracy and nearly complete coverage. Here, we report the result of this finishing process. The current genome sequence (Build 35) contains 2.85 billion nucleotides interrupted by only 341 gaps. It covers ∼99% of the euchromatic genome and is accurate to an error rate of ∼1 event per 100,000 bases. Many of the remaining euchromatic gaps are associated with segmental duplications and will require focused work with new methods. The near-complete sequence, the first for a vertebrate, greatly improves the precision of biological analyses of the human genome including studies of gene number, birth and death. Notably, the human enome seems to encode only 20,000-25,000 protein-coding genes. The genome sequence reported here should serve as a firm foundation for biomedical research in the decades ahead

Abstract P230: Association of Accelerometer-Measured Physical Activity and Cardiovascular Health in the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos

Background: Detailed information on associations between accelerometer-measured moderate-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and cardiovascular (CV) health among Hispanic/Latino adults are unavailable. Methods: Cross-sectional data from 12,008 Hispanic/Latino adults aged 18-74 years in the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos (HCHS/SOL) 2008-2011 were analyzed using complex survey design methods. Poisson regression models were used to examine the associations between accelerometer-measured MVPA and CV health indicators (blood glucose, total cholesterol, blood pressure, body mass index [BMI], and smoking) and a composite of low CV risk. Results: Compared to high MVPA, low MVPA was associated with a higher prevalence of diabetes, hypercholesterolemia, obesity, smoking, but not hypertension. Low MVPA was associated with lower prevalence of ideal blood glucose, blood pressure, BMI and low CV risk. Similar results were observed with non-adherence of PA guideline recommendations. Conclusions: Overall in Hispanic/Latino adults, high accelerometer-measured MVPA and meeting PA guideline recommendations were associated with favorable CV health

Abstract P288: The Association Between Moderate to Vigorous Physical Activity and Health-Related Quality of Life Among Hispanic/Latino Adults in the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos (HCHS/SOL)

Background: Self-reported moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) has been associated with better health-related quality of life (HRQoL), however research on quantitative MVPA in relation to HRQoL has been limited. In addition, the association of PA with physical and mental health components of HRQoL has not been examined. Hypothesis: Higher accelerometer-measured MVPA will be associated with better mental and physical HRQoL. Methods: Cross-sectional data from 12,179 adults ages 18-74 in 2008-11, who participated in HCHS/SOL and had complete data on key study variables. MVPA (minutes/week), measured by accelerometer, was grouped into 4 levels: inactive, low, moderate, and high. HRQoL was assessed using the Short-Form 12 (SF-12) questionnaire; the SF-12 mental and physical component summary (MCS; PCS) scores were computed (standardized to general US population norms with mean of 50 and standard deviation of 10; higher scores indicate better HRQoL). Multivariable linear regression models were used to derive adjusted means with 95% confidence intervals (CI) and to assess linear trends. All models were adjusted for covariates. The analyses were weighted for the study design and non-response. Results: PCS adjusted mean scores ranged from 46.8 (CI: 44.9, 48.6) among inactive persons to 51.3 (CI: 50.8, 51.8) among those with high levels of MVPA (p trend <0.001). No significant differences in MCS scores were observed across MVPA levels (p = 0.64). Conclusion: MVPA was positively associated with better self-perceived physical health-related quality of life. Our findings align with studies examining self-reported MVPA and HRQoL. Future prospective studies should evaluate whether increasing MVPA can lead to improvements in HRQoL among the US Hispanic/Latino population

Association of Accelerometer-Measured Physical Activity and Cardiovascular Health in the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos (HCHS/SOL)

Introduction: Evidence regarding the associations between accelerometer-measured moderate-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and cardiovascular health (CVH) indicators among Hispanic/Latino adults are unavailable. Methods: Examined cross-sectional data from 12,008 Hispanic/Latino adults aged 18–74 years participating in the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos. Accelerometer-measured MVPA was assessed categorically and dichotomously per 2008 PA guidelines. Adverse and ideal CVH indicators were determined by standard cut-points for blood glucose, total cholesterol, blood pressure, body mass index (BMI), and smoking. A composite of low CV risk, defined as achieving all ideal CVH indicators, was included. Adjusted Poisson regression models and complex survey design methods were used for all analyses. Results: Compared to high MVPA, lower MVPA categories were associated with higher prevalence of all adverse CVH indicators, except hypertension, and with lower prevalence of low CV risk and ideal blood glucose, blood pressure, and BMI. Similarly, non-adherence to PA guidelines was associated with a higher prevalence of diabetes (16%), hypercholesterolemia (9%), obesity (28%), and smoking (9%); and lower prevalence of low CV risk (24%), ideal blood glucose (6%), ideal blood pressure (6%), and ideal BMI (22%). Conclusion: Overall, high accelerometer-measured MVPA and meeting PA guidelines were associated with favorable CVH in Hispanic/Latino adults

Promoter choice and translational repression determine cell type–specific cell surface density of the inhibitory receptor CD85j expressed on different hematopoietic lineages

CD85j (ILT2/LILRB1/LIR-1) is an inhibitory receptor that recognizes major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class Ia and Ib alleles that are widely expressed on all cell types. On ligand recognition, CD85j diminishes kinase activity by recruiting phosphatases to motifs within its cytoplasmic domain. Within the hematopoietic system, CD85j is expressed with cell-specific patterns and cell surface densities that reflect the different roles of cell contact-mediated inhibition in these lineages. While monocytes ubiquitously have high cell surface expression, B lymphocytes start to express CD85j at intermediate levels during early B-cell maturation and natural killer (NK) cells and T cells exhibit a low level of expression on only a subset of cells. The cell-specific expression pattern is accomplished by 2 complementing but not independent mechanisms. Lymphocytes and monocytes use distinct promoters to drive CD85j expression. The lymphocyte promoter maps 13 kilobases (kb) upstream of the monocyte promoter; its use results in the inclusion of a distant exon into the 5′-untranslated region. A short sequence stretch within this exon has the unique function of repressing CD85j protein translation and is responsible for the subdued expression in lymphocytes. These cell-specific mechanisms allow tailoring of CD85j levels to the distinct roles it plays in different hematopoietic lineages

Moderate-vigorous physical activity and health-related quality of life among Hispanic/Latino adults in the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos (HCHS/SOL).

BackgroundPhysical activity is a modifiable healthy behavior that has been shown to positively influence health-related quality of life. However, research examining the link between physical activity and health-related quality of life among Hispanic/Latino adults is limited and inconsistent. The purpose of this study is to assess whether accelerometer-measured moderate-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) is associated with self-reported (a) mental health-related quality of life, and (b) physical health-related quality of life among diverse Hispanic/Latino adults in the US.MethodsCross-sectional data from 12,379 adults ages 18-74 years in 2008-2011, who participated in HCHS/SOL and had complete data were analyzed using complex survey design methods. Accelerometer data were categorized into no MVPA, low, moderate, and high MVPA. Health-related quality of life was assessed with the Short-Form 12 and we used the mental and physical component subscales where higher scores indicate better health-related quality of life. Multivariate linear regression models were used to derive adjusted means with 95% confidence intervals and linear trends.ResultsWe observed no significant linear trend between accelerometer-measured MVPA and mental health-related quality of life (ptrend = 0.73). There was a significant positive association between MVPA and physical health-related quality of life (ptrend &lt; 0.001) where higher MVPA corresponded with higher scores in physical health-related quality of life. The adjusted means were 46.67 (44.85-48.48) for no MVPA, 49.33 (49.03-49.63) for low MVPA, 50.61 (50.09-51.13) for moderate MVPA, and&nbsp;51.36 (50.86-51.86) for high MVPA.ConclusionsAmong diverse Hispanic/Latino adults in the US, accelerometer-measured MVPA was associated with physical health-related quality of life, but not mental health-related quality of life. Future interventions should evaluate if increases in MVPA lead to improvements in health-related quality of life