1,107 research outputs found
Human–Black Bear Interactions and Public Attitudinal Changes in an Urban Ordinance Zone
Human–bear (Ursus spp.) interactions (HBI) commonly occur in residential areas throughout North America. Negative HBI can be alleviated by using bear-resistant garbage cans (BRC) and by securing other bear attractants (e.g., bird feeders). Since the early 2000s, human and Florida black bear (U. americanus floridanus) densities have increased substantially throughout Florida, USA, concurrently producing an increase in HBI. In central Florida, an area with high densities of humans and black bears, we surveyed 2 neighborhoods that occurred in an urban ordinance zone established in 2016 that required residents to secure anthropogenic food sources. Residents were supplied with BRC in 2017, and our surveys in 2017 and 2018 assessed the changes in HBI in the year before and after receiving BRC as well as the attitudes of residents toward ordinance measures and the perceived effectiveness of BRC. We found that a combination of preventive measures practiced by residents along with use of BRC effectively reduced HBI by 54%, especially bears eating garbage (reduced to 0%). Consequently, residents spent more time outdoors in their neighborhoods and experienced an elevated quality of life because fear of HBI lessened. We also analyzed public calls to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission concerning HBI. Public calls declined during the 5 years after the ordinance was established compared to 5 years prior. A reduction in HBI (especially conflicts) and public acceptance of using BRC is a long-term goal for management of black bears in Florida
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Association Between APOL1 Genotypes and Risk of Cardiovascular Disease in MESA (Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis).
BACKGROUND:APOL1 genetic variants confer an increased risk for kidney disease. Their associations with cardiovascular disease (CVD) are less certain. We aimed to compare the prevalence of subclinical CVD and incidence of atherosclerotic CVD and heart failure by APOL1 genotypes among self-identified black participants of MESA (Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis). METHODS AND RESULTS:Cross-sectional associations of APOL1 genotypes (high-risk=2 alleles; low-risk=0 or 1 allele) with coronary artery calcification, carotid-intimal media thickness, and left ventricular mass were evaluated using logistic and linear regression. Longitudinal associations of APOL1 genotypes with incident myocardial infarction, stroke, coronary heart disease, and congestive heart failure were examined using Cox regression. We adjusted for African ancestry, age, and sex. We also evaluated whether hypertension or kidney function markers explained the observed associations. Among 1746 participants with APOL1 genotyping (mean age 62 years, 55% women, mean cystatin C-based estimated glomerular filtration rate 89 mL/min per 1.73 m2, 12% with albuminuria), 12% had the high-risk genotypes. We found no difference in prevalence or severity of coronary artery calcification, carotid-intimal media thickness, or left ventricular mass by APOL1 genotypes. The APOL1 high-risk group was 82% more likely to develop incident heart failure compared with the low-risk group (95% confidence interval, 1.01-3.28). Adjusting for hypertension (hazard ratio, 1.80; 95% confidence interval, 1.00-3.24) but not markers of kidney function (hazard ratio, 1.86; 95% confidence interval, 1.03-3.35) slightly attenuated this association. The APOL1 high-risk genotypes were not significantly associated with other clinical CVD outcomes. CONCLUSIONS:Among blacks without baseline CVD, the APOL1 high-risk variants may be associated with increased risk for incident heart failure but not subclinical CVD or incident clinical atherosclerotic CVD
Research and education in management of large-scale technical programs
A research effort is reported which was conducted by NASA in conjunction with Drexel University, and which was aimed at an improved understanding of large scale systems technology and management
OH yields from the CH3CO+O-2 reaction using an internal standard
Laser flash photolysis of CH3C(O)OH at 248 nm was used to create equal zero time yields of CH3CO and OH. The absolute OH yield from the CH3CO + O2 (+M) reaction was determined by following the OH temporal profile using the zero time
OH concentration as an internal standard. The OH yield from CH3CO + O2 (+M) was observed to decrease with increasing pressure with an extrapolated zero pressure yield
close to unity (1.1 ± 0.2, quoted uncertainties correspond to 95% confidence limits). The results are in quantitative agreement with those obtained from 248 nm acetone
photolysis in the presence of O2
The efficacy and safety of adrenergic blockade post burn injury: a systematic review and meta-analysis
BACKGROUND The hypermetabolic state after severe burns is a major problem that can lead to several pathophysiologic changes and produce multiple sequelae. Adrenergic blockade has been widely used to reverse these changes and improve outcomes in burned patients but has not been rigorously evaluated. The aim of this systematic review was to investigate the efficacy and safety of the use of adrenergic blockade after burn injury
On the simulation of dropletization
Compressible and near-incompressible solvers, together with particle update
techniques and chemistry packages are combined in order to compute complex multiphase
flows that include dropletization, vaporization and subsquent combustion
Adaptive BEM for low noise propeller design
A potential-based Boundary Element Method is presented for the aerodynamic and acoustic design of propellers
at on- and off-design point conditions. Using an adaptive method, a family of airfoil sections is selected to produce
the required performance (thrust, torque and efficiency versus advance ratio) at different cruise flight levels. Climb conditions
are also considered in order to check the off-design point performance. Once the available airfoil data have been
stored in a database, the code processes the families of airfoils to generate a complete geometry for a propeller of the
specified performance with an optimized noise emission. The computational scheme adjusts the blade geometry (radial
distribution of chord, local sweep angle and thickness) under the control of an optimization routine. The geometric data
and pressure distribution are then used in the acoustic calculation, based on the Ffowcs Williams-Hawkings equation. Results
are presented demonstrating the application of the technique and the resulting aerodynamic performance and noise
output
Real-time cine and myocardial perfusion with treadmill exercise stress cardiovascular magnetic resonance in patients referred for stress SPECT
Background: To date, stress cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) has relied on pharmacologic agents, and
therefore lacked the physiologic information available only with exercise stress.
Methods: 43 patients age 25 to 81 years underwent a treadmill stress test incorporating both Tc99m SPECT and CMR.
After rest Tc99m SPECT imaging, patients underwent resting cine CMR. Patients then underwent in-room exercise
stress using a partially modified treadmill. 12-lead ECG monitoring was performed throughout. At peak stress, Tc99m
was injected and patients rapidly returned to their prior position in the magnet for post-exercise cine and perfusion
imaging. The patient table was pulled out of the magnet for recovery monitoring. The patient was sent back into the
magnet for recovery cine and resting perfusion followed by delayed post-gadolinium imaging. Post-CMR, patients
went to the adjacent SPECT lab to complete stress nuclear imaging. Each modality's images were reviewed blinded to
the other's results.
Results: Patients completed on average 9.3 ± 2.4 min of the Bruce protocol. Stress cine CMR was completed in 68 ± 14
sec following termination of exercise, and stress perfusion CMR was completed in 88 ± 8 sec. Agreement between
SPECT and CMR was moderate (Îş = 0.58). Accuracy in eight patients who underwent coronary angiography was 7/8 for
CMR and 5/8 for SPECT (p = 0.625). Follow-up at 6 months indicated freedom from cardiovascular events in 29/29 CMRnegative
and 33/34 SPECT-negative patients.
Conclusions: Exercise stress CMR including wall motion and perfusion is feasible in patients with suspected ischemic
heart disease. Larger clinical trials are warranted based on the promising results of this pilot study to allow comparative
effectiveness studies of this stress imaging system vs. other stress imaging modalities
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