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• The seabird declines that commenced at the end of the last century have continued during the last two decades. • Further research into the causes of these declines is required if we are to fully understand the complex mechanisms operating, which are known to vary geographically. Climate change is considered to be one of the main causes of the declines. The principal mechanism is the effect of climate warming on food supply. • There is growing evidence that short-term weather conditions have an important effect, including extreme weather events. Climate models predict further warming and increased severity and frequency of extreme weather events in UK waters. • Seabirds face an uncertain future and may decline further in the coming decades, as the interacting effects of new and existing influences will pose additional challenges.

Glycosuria is a condition where glucose is detected in urine at higher concentrations than normal (i.e. not detectable). Glycosuria at some point during pregnancy has an estimated prevalence of 50% and is associated with adverse outcomes in both mothers and offspring. Little is currently known about the genetic contribution to this trait or the extent to which it overlaps with other seemingly related traits, e.g. diabetes. We performed a genome-wide association study (GWAS) for self-reported glycosuria in pregnant mothers from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (cases/controls = 1249/5140). We identified two loci, one of which (lead SNP = rs13337037; chromosome 16; odds ratio of glycosuria per effect allele: 1.42; 95% CI: 1.30, 1.56; P = 1.97 × 10⁻¹³) was then validated using an obstetric measure of glycosuria measured in the same cohort (227/6639). We performed a secondary GWAS in the 1986 Northern Finland Birth Cohort (NFBC1986; 747/2991) using midwife-reported glycosuria and offspring genotype as a proxy for maternal genotype. The combined results revealed evidence for a consistent effect on glycosuria at the chromosome 16 locus. In follow-up analyses, we saw little evidence of shared genetic underpinnings with the exception of urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio (Rg = 0.64; SE = 0.22; P = 0.0042), a biomarker of kidney disease. In conclusion, we identified a genetic association with self-reported glycosuria during pregnancy, with the lead SNP located 15kB upstream of SLC5A2, a target of antidiabetic drugs. The lack of strong genetic correlation with seemingly related traits such as type 2 diabetes suggests different genetic risk factors exist for glycosuria during pregnancy.

• The seabird declines that commenced at the end of the last century have continued during the last two decades. • Further research into the causes of these declines is required if we are to fully understand the complex mechanisms operating, which are known to vary geographically. Climate change is considered to be one of the main causes of the declines. The principal mechanism is the effect of climate warming on food supply. • There is growing evidence that short-term weather conditions have an important effect, including extreme weather events. Climate models predict further warming and increased severity and frequency of extreme weather events in UK waters. • Seabirds face an uncertain future and may decline further in the coming decades, as the interacting effects of new and existing influences will pose additional challenges.

Mendelian randomization (MR) has been increasingly used to interrogate the causal effects of modifiable risk factors on human health and disease over the last 15 years. As MR becomes more commonplace in clinical guidelines and drug development, there is a need for researchers and practitioners from multiple disciplines to understand the existing and rapidly evolving ‘language’ of MR. The MR Dictionary provides useful definitions and descriptions for undertaking, understanding and interpreting MR studies to a wide, inter-disciplinary audience – both those new to MR and those who are experienced in its use but who want to remain up to date. The full searchable (with terms cross-referenced throughout) version of the MR Dictionary is provided on the journal website. In the first instance, we aim to update the MR Dictionary annually and encourage users of the Dictionary to help us in this endeavour. By the first update (August 2020), we aim to have moved to an open, collaborative and interactive online tool on the journal website that will support more rapid and extensive linked searches and more immediate updates and online discussion.

OBJECTIVE: Adiposity has been hypothesized to interfere with the activity of bevacizumab (BEV), an anti-angiogenic agent. Measurements of adiposity, BMI, surface fat area (SFA), and visceral fat area (VFA) were investigated as prognostic of oncologic outcomes among patients treated with chemotherapy, with or without BEV, on GOG 218, a prospective phase III trial. METHOD: Pretreatment computed tomography (CT) for 1538 GOG 218 participants were analyzed. Proportional hazards models assessed association between adiposity and overall survival (OS) adjusted for other prognostic factors. The predictive value of adiposity as a function of BEV treatment was assessed in 1019 patients randomized to either chemotherapy (CT) + placebo (P) → P or CT + BEV → BEV. RESULTS: After adjusting for prognostic factors, SFA was not associated with the overall hazard of death (p = 0.981). There was a non-significant 0.1% (p = 0.062) increase in hazard of death associated with a unit increase in VFA. When comparing the treatment HRs for patients who did and did not receive BEV, there was no association with SFA (p = 0.890) or VFA (p = 0.106). A non-significant 0.8% increase in the hazard of death with unit increase in BMI (p = 0.086) was observed. BMI values were not predictive of a longer survival for patients with BEV vs placebo (p = 0.606). CONCLUSION: Measures of adiposity strongly correlated to one another but were not predictive of efficacy for BEV. VFA is a weak prognostic factor.

Mendelian randomization (MR) has been increasingly used to interrogate the causal effects of modifiable risk factors on human health and disease over the last 15 years. As MR becomes more commonplace in clinical guidelines and drug development, there is a need for researchers and practitioners from multiple disciplines to understand the existing and rapidly evolving ‘language’ of MR. The MR Dictionary provides useful definitions and descriptions for undertaking, understanding and interpreting MR studies to a wide, inter-disciplinary audience – both those new to MR and those who are experienced in its use but who want to remain up to date. The full searchable (with terms cross-referenced throughout) version of the MR Dictionary is provided on the journal website. In the first instance, we aim to update the MR Dictionary annually and encourage users of the Dictionary to help us in this endeavour. By the first update (August 2020), we aim to have moved to an open, collaborative and interactive online tool on the journal website that will support more rapid and extensive linked searches and more immediate updates and online discussion.

There is little information on the impact of pain on sexual health in later life. The aim of this analysis was to determine the association between self-reported pain and sexual health in older men and women. Data were collected for the nationally representative English Longitudinal Study of Ageing. Community-dwelling adults aged 50 years and older completed the Sexual Relationships and Activities questionnaire in wave 6 (2012/2013). Participants were asked (waves 1 to 6 [2002- 2013]) if they were "often troubled with pain" and, how severe was their pain; mild, moderate or severe. The association between pain and sexual health was assessed using logistic regression. Analyses were stratified by gender, with adjustments made for age followed by adjustments for health and lifestyle factors, depressive symptoms and socioeconomic status. Of the 3,916 participants who reported having sexual activity in the past year, 28% of women and 23% of men reported experiencing moderate or severe pain often at wave 6. After adjusting for age, compared to men experiencing no pain, men with moderate or severe pain reported less frequent intercourse and masturbation, more erectile difficulties, and more concerns about their sexual health. After age adjustment there were no associations between pain severity and sexual health among women. Of the 1,872 participants with a cumulative pain score, there were significant associations between reporting pain and concerns about sexual health in both men and women. Pain was associated with impairment in sexual health in men and women though the effect was more marked in men.

There is little information on the impact of pain on sexual health in later life. The aim of this analysis was to determine the association between self-reported pain and sexual health in older men and women. Data were collected for the nationally representative English Longitudinal Study of Ageing. Community-dwelling adults aged 50 years and older completed the Sexual Relationships and Activities questionnaire in wave 6 (2012/2013). Participants were asked (waves 1 to 6 [2002- 2013]) if they were "often troubled with pain" and, how severe was their pain; mild, moderate or severe. The association between pain and sexual health was assessed using logistic regression. Analyses were stratified by gender, with adjustments made for age followed by adjustments for health and lifestyle factors, depressive symptoms and socioeconomic status. Of the 3,916 participants who reported having sexual activity in the past year, 28% of women and 23% of men reported experiencing moderate or severe pain often at wave 6. After adjusting for age, compared to men experiencing no pain, men with moderate or severe pain reported less frequent intercourse and masturbation, more erectile difficulties, and more concerns about their sexual health. After age adjustment there were no associations between pain severity and sexual health among women. Of the 1,872 participants with a cumulative pain score, there were significant associations between reporting pain and concerns about sexual health in both men and women. Pain was associated with impairment in sexual health in men and women though the effect was more marked in men.

BACKGROUND: Few studies have prospectively investigated whether early-life exposures are associated with pre-adolescent eating attitudes. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study is to prospectively investigate associations of parental smoking, alcohol use, marital status, measures of maternal satisfaction, self-reported parental body mass index (BMI) and clinically measured childhood BMI, assessed between birth and 6.5 years, with problematic eating attitudes at 11.5 years. METHODS: Observational cohort analysis nested within the Promotion of Breastfeeding Intervention Trial, a cluster-randomised trial conducted in 31 maternity hospitals and affiliated polyclinics in Belarus. Our primary outcome was a Children's Eating Attitudes Test (ChEAT) score 22.5 (85th percentile), an indicator of problematic eating attitudes. We employed multivariable mixed logistic regression models, which allow inference at the individual level. We also performed instrumental variable (IV) analysis using parents' BMIs as instruments for the child's BMI, to assess whether associations could be explained by residual confounding or reverse causation. SUBJECTS: Of the 17 046 infants enrolled between 1996 and 1997 across Belarus, 13 751 (80.7%) completed the ChEAT test at 11.5 years. RESULTS: In fully adjusted models, overweight children at age 6.5 years had a 2.14-fold (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.82, 2.52) increased odds of having ChEAT scores 85th percentile at age 11.5 years, and those who were obese had a 3.89-fold (95% CI: 2.95, 5.14) increased odds compared with normal-weight children. Children of mothers or fathers who were themselves overweight or obese were more likely to score 85th percentile (P for trend 0.001). IV analysis was consistent with a child's BMI causally affecting future eating attitudes. There was little evidence that parental smoking, alcohol use, or marital status or maternal satisfaction were associated with eating attitudes. CONCLUSION: In our large, prospecti

BACKGROUND: Few studies have prospectively investigated whether early-life exposures are associated with pre-adolescent eating attitudes. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study is to prospectively investigate associations of parental smoking, alcohol use, marital status, measures of maternal satisfaction, self-reported parental body mass index (BMI) and clinically measured childhood BMI, assessed between birth and 6.5 years, with problematic eating attitudes at 11.5 years. METHODS: Observational cohort analysis nested within the Promotion of Breastfeeding Intervention Trial, a cluster-randomised trial conducted in 31 maternity hospitals and affiliated polyclinics in Belarus. Our primary outcome was a Children's Eating Attitudes Test (ChEAT) score 22.5 (85th percentile), an indicator of problematic eating attitudes. We employed multivariable mixed logistic regression models, which allow inference at the individual level. We also performed instrumental variable (IV) analysis using parents' BMIs as instruments for the child's BMI, to assess whether associations could be explained by residual confounding or reverse causation. SUBJECTS: Of the 17 046 infants enrolled between 1996 and 1997 across Belarus, 13 751 (80.7%) completed the ChEAT test at 11.5 years. RESULTS: In fully adjusted models, overweight children at age 6.5 years had a 2.14-fold (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.82, 2.52) increased odds of having ChEAT scores 85th percentile at age 11.5 years, and those who were obese had a 3.89-fold (95% CI: 2.95, 5.14) increased odds compared with normal-weight children. Children of mothers or fathers who were themselves overweight or obese were more likely to score 85th percentile (P for trend 0.001). IV analysis was consistent with a child's BMI causally affecting future eating attitudes. There was little evidence that parental smoking, alcohol use, or marital status or maternal satisfaction were associated with eating attitudes. CONCLUSION: In our large, prospecti

The Renison operation is the largest tin concentrate producer in Australia and output is currently about 2.5% of the global tin in concentrate supply. It also produces copper concentrate. Expected mine life is four years based on 2 800 000 t of reserves and a production of 700 000 tpa. The mining method employed is typically longhole uphole stoping with occasional Avoca stoping. The ore is crushed and hoisted and conveyed to the surface and deposited on the run of mine pad via a radial stacker which is used to blend the ore. The main ore processing stages involve crushing and grinding to liberate cassiterite from oxide and sulphide flotation gangue, removal of mid- and high-specific gravity sulphide minerals such as pyrrhotite, pyrite and arsenopyrite by sulphide flotation, copper flotation in a circuit consisting of the first cells of the sulphide flotation and a separate copper cleaner flotation circuit, classification of the flotation tailings to separate fine -20 micrometre from coarse +20 micrometre cassiterite and gangue particles, upgrading of the coarse cassiterite into a primary concentrate using spiral roughing, sulphide flotation scavenging and wet table cleaning, grinding of the coarse gravity tailings to further liberate cassiterite from oxide gangue, treatment of the ground coarse gravity tailings through stages of classification, roughing using Falcon concentrators, sulphide flotation scavenging and Kelsey jig cleaning, classification of the fine gravity circuit tailings to recover fine cassiterite, with the coarse oxide gangue rejected to tailings or returned to the deslime thickener if the grade is still high, desliming of fine particle streams from the classification processes to remove ultrafine particles which are rejected to tailings and treatment of deslimed material through sulphide flotation scavenging, cassiterite flotation, and ultrafine Falcon concentrators to produce a fine concentrate. The combined coarse gravity, fine gravity and fine F, The Renison operation is the largest tin concentrate producer in Australia and output is currently about 2.5% of the global tin in concentrate supply. It also produces copper concentrate. Expected mine life is four years based on 2 800 000 t of reserves and a production of 700 000 tpa. The mining method employed is typically longhole uphole stoping with occasional Avoca stoping. The ore is crushed and hoisted and conveyed to the surface and deposited on the run of mine pad via a radial stacker which is used to blend the ore. The main ore processing stages involve crushing and grinding to liberate cassiterite from oxide and sulphide flotation gangue, removal of mid- and high-specific gravity sulphide minerals such as pyrrhotite, pyrite and arsenopyrite by sulphide flotation, copper flotation in a circuit consisting of the first cells of the sulphide flotation and a separate copper cleaner flotation circuit, classification of the flotation tailings to separate fine -20 micrometre from coarse +20 micrometre cassiterite and gangue particles, upgrading of the coarse cassiterite into a primary concentrate using spiral roughing, sulphide flotation scavenging and wet table cleaning, grinding of the coarse gravity tailings to further liberate cassiterite from oxide gangue, treatment of the ground coarse gravity tailings through stages of classification, roughing using Falcon concentrators, sulphide flotation scavenging and Kelsey jig cleaning, classification of the fine gravity circuit tailings to recover fine cassiterite, with the coarse oxide gangue rejected to tailings or returned to the deslime thickener if the grade is still high, desliming of fine particle streams from the classification processes to remove ultrafine particles which are rejected to tailings and treatment of deslimed material through sulphide flotation scavenging, cassiterite flotation, and ultrafine Falcon concentrators to produce a fine concentrate. The combined coarse gravity, fine gravity and fine F

Considerable advancements in shock resuscitation and wound management have extended the survival of burned patients, increasing the risk of serious infection. We performed a 6-year review of bacteria identification and antibiotic susceptibility records at the US Army Institute of Surgical Research Burn Center between January 2003 and December 2008. The primary goal was to identify the bacteria recovered from patients with severe burns and determine how the bacteriology changes during extended hospitalization as influenced by population and burn severity. A total of 460 patients were admitted to the burn ICU with 3507 bacteria recovered from 13,727 bacteriology cultures performed. The most prevalent organisms recovered were Acinetobacter baumannii (780), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (703), Klebsiella pneumoniae (695) and Staphylococcus aureus (469). A. baumannii was most often recovered from combat-injured (58%) and S. aureus the most frequent isolate from local (46%) burn patients. Culture recovery rate of A. baumannii and S. aureus was highest during the first 15 hospital days (73% and 71%); while a majority of P. aeruginosa and K. pneumoniae were recovered after day 15 (63% and 53%). All 4 pathogens were recovered throughout the course of hospitalization. A. baumannii was the most prevalent pathogen recovered from patients with total body surface area (TBSA) burns less than 30% (203) and 30-60% (338) while P. aeruginosa was most prevalent in patients with burns greater than 60% TBSA (292). Shifting epidemiology of bacteria recovered during extended hospitalization, bacteriology differences between combat- injured and local burn patients, and impact of % TBSA may affect patient management decisions during the course of therapy., Published in Jnl. of the International Society for Burn Injuries, p1-8, Jan 2009. ISSN: 1879-1409.

The purpose of this MBA Project was to provide a creative marketing overview of ideas for launching the 2008 Cadillac CTS Sedan into a non-traditional target market, e.g., perpetual strivers and move-ups. The project included a national case competition among business school student teams, including compressing a communications plan into a 30-slide deliverable. Data collection included comparison literature reviews, male and female focus groups, a researcher-developed survey, and interviews conducted during the Detroit Auto Show. The study team created a new logo for the CTS, including the new tag-line: "Revive the Drive." Given the boundaries of a $30M media budget the team designed a media and communications plan encompassing both traditional and non-traditional methods. Additional findings were as follows: (1) the automotive press is biased against American manufacturers, which translates into consumer bias; (2) wheels on the CTS are a prime example of past mistakes that apparently Cadillac is not willing to recognize; (3) it will be difficult to break the current brand persona as an older person's car without radically changing the surroundings in both sales outlets and promotional advertising; and (4) simply stated, likely buyers are not classifying the CTS with other similar models from alternative companies., The original document contains color images.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, 2002., Includes bibliographical references (p. 143-145)., Scalable coding techniques can be used to efficiently provide multicast video service and involve transmitting a single independently coded base layer and one or more dependently coded enhancement layers. Clients can decode the base layer bitstream and none, some or all of the enhancement layer bitstreams to obtain video quality commensurate with their available resources. In many scalable coding algorithms, residual coding information is the only type of data that is coded in the enhancement layers. However, since the transmitter has access to the original sequence, it can adaptively select different format conversion methods for different regions in an intelligent manner. This adaptive format conversion information can then be transmitted as enhancement data to assist processing at the decoder. The use of adaptive format conversion has not been studied in detail and this thesis examines when and how it can be used for scalable video compression. A new scalable codec is developed in this thesis that can utilize adaptive format conversion information and/or residual coding information as enhancement data. This codec was used in various simulations to investigate different aspects of adaptive format conversion such as the effect of the base layer, a comparison of adaptive format conversion and residual coding, and the use of both adaptive format conversion and residual coding., (cont.) The experimental results show adaptive format conversion can provide video scalability at low enhancement bitrates not possible with residual coding and also assist residual coding at higher enhancement layer bitrates. This thesis also discusses the application of adaptive format conversion to the migration path for digital television. Adaptive format conversion is well-suited to the unique problems of the migration path and can provide initial video scalability as well as assist a future migration path., by Wade K. Wan., Ph.D.

We demonstrate that the absolute separation between an atomic force microscope (AFM) tip and a solid substrate can be measured in the presence of an irreversibly adsorbed polymer film. The separation is obtained from the analysis of a scattered evanescent wave that is generated at the surface of the solid. By comparing our scattering measurements to conventional AFM measurements, we also show an example where a conventional AFM measurement gives the incorrect force-distance profile. We validate the measurement of separation from scattering by examining the force-separation profile in the presence of surfactant solution. This validation is possible because the tip can be used to desorb the surfactant film that forms in surfactant solution, so we are able to measure both the scattering and the cantilever deflection when the tip is in contact with the solid substrate. The main limitation of our technique now is the lack of a rigorous method for predicting the intensity of scattering from the tip in contact with a solid that is coated with a film. (c) 2006 American Institute of Physics.

A methodology was developed for estimating the parameters involved in a first-order autoregressive process; these parameters comprise a variance component associated with the random effect, a correlation coefficient, p, and a residual variance. These parameters were estimated using REML with an expectation maximization algorithm. For two single trait analyses (milk and fat production being the dependent variable), the example chosen for the analyses was year-month -- treated as random and following a first-order autoregressive process within fixed herd. Initially, estimates failed to converge, possibly because of a time trend in the data, which was not accounted for by the model. After the random effect that follows the first-order autoregressive process was redefined as month within fixed herd-year, the parameters converged, and p was estimated as .8 for milk and fat yield. Results suggest that the estimation procedures may be useful for situations when a first-order autoregressive process seems appropriate.

(Co)variance components for regional production of milk, fat, and fat percentage were estimated via multiple-trait REML using DHIA data from California, New York, and Wisconsin. Data consisted of registered and grade first lactation yields of Holstein cattle from 1970 through 1984. Records were limited to daughters from sires common to the pairs of states analyzed. Averaged numbers of records from California, New York, and Wisconsin were 419,185, 460,296, and 449,866. Genetic correlations between New York and Wisconsin for milk, fat, and fat percentage (.99, .98, and .99) were larger than those between California and New York (.95, .95, and .98) and those between California and Wisconsin (.94, .93, and .98). Heritabilities in New York for milk, fat, and fat percentage (approximately .27, .26. and .48) were larger than those of Wisconsin (approximately .23, .22, and .43) and California (approximately .22, .21, and .34). Grade records were also investigated; numbers of records in California were reduced by about 25%. whereas records in both New York and Wisconsin were reduced by about 66%. Genetic correlations were virtually unchanged, but heritabilities for milk and fat in the three states were similar (approximately .17) and significantly smaller than those from combined registered and grade daughters. In conclusion, there appeared to be no sire by region interaction.

Heritabilities and genetic correlations were estimated for milk and fat yields and fat percentage from 305-d, mature-equivalent records of registered and grade Holsteins in California, New York, and Wisconsin. Parameter estimates were obtained with daughter on dam regression within herd-year-season and sire of daughter. Data were pairs of first lactation records (38,115 in California, 171,555 in New York, and 136,031 in Wisconsin) from 1975 through 1984. California had higher means for milk (9046 kg) and fat (323 kg) than the other two states (approximately 7840 kg and 289 kg), but heritabilities of .36 and .34 were not greatly different from those for New York (.34 and .33) or Wisconsin (.38 and .35). Heritability of fat percentage, however, was smaller for California (.55 vs .66 for New York and .68 for Wisconsin). Logarithmic and square root transformations of the data resulted in little change in heritability estimates. For California, genetic correlation between milk and fat yields (.70) was larger than for New York (.55) or Wisconsin (.56), and correlation between fat yield and fat percentage was smaller (.31 vs .45 and .41). For each state, estimates of heritabilities were larger for registered than grade pairs.

No correlation could be shown between restraint hypothermia and estrus. Further study is necessary to determine if the stage of estrus is somehow related to restraint hypothermia in cats. (Author)