Mean Total Energy Research Articles

Consumption of low-calorie sweetened products and intakes of free sugar and energy among UK adults

Abstract Background Policies to reduce free sugar intake in the population often suggest alternative low or no sugar products that may contain low-calorie sweeteners (LCS). However, the health effects of LCS are controversial and little is known about whether free sugar and energy intake differ between people with varying levels of LCS product consumption. This study examines the associations between LCS product consumption and free sugar and energy intake in UK adults from 2008 to 2019. Methods Repeat cross-sectional data from the UK’s National Diet and Nutrition Survey (2008/09 to 2018/19) involve 8304 adults aged ≥18 years (mean 48.7, SD 18.3) with 58.4% being women. Consumption of LCS products (grams/day) were obtained from 4-day diet diaries and participants were categorized into four groups (No-LCS, Low-LCS, Mid-LCS, High-LCS) based on LCS consumption tertiles in 2008/09. Linear regression analysed associations with LCS group, year, their interaction, and adjusted for sociodemographic factors. Results All four groups consumed free sugar (relative to total energy intake) above recommended levels (5% kcal/day) throughout the study period. In 2008/09, the mean free sugar intake for the No-LCS group was 58.1 grams/day, and the mean total energy intake was 1855.7 kcal/day, which were not significantly different from the High-LCS group. Over time, free sugar intake declined by -1.0 g/year (95%CI: -1.4, -0.6) whereas total energy intake declined by -6.0 kcal/year (95%CI: -11.4, -2.1) in the No-LCS group. The High-LCS group showed similar declines leading to no significant difference in mean free sugar and total energy intake between the No-LCS and High-LCS groups in 2018/19. Conclusions In this representative study of UK adults, similar levels of free sugars and total energy intake were observed among those with no LCS and those with the highest LCS product consumption from 2008 to 2019. Absence of LCS product consumption in diets were not associated with higher free sugar intake. Key messages • The high level of LCS product consumption was not associated with lower free sugar intake among UK adults. These finding challenges policies promoting LCS to reduce UK adults’ free sugar intake. • The finding that UK adults consistently consumed free sugar above recommended levels highlights the ongoing need for policy interventions.

Longitudinal comparison of the relationship of energy intake with body composition and physical performance in elite female basketball and volleyball players

Abstract Purpose To maximise sporting success, disciplines such as basketball and volleyball need to improve their methods of analysing the sporting performance and fitness of their athletes. Although energy intake quantities have been established at a theoretical level for women to perform at a sporting level, it has been found that these energy intake levels are not met or followed and that, despite this, the performance of female players is not diminished. Thus, the purpose of this research study was to describe and compare the anthropometric characteristics of these two disciplines and to identify the differences in actual and theoretical energy intake, as well as to observe physical performance in both disciplines. Methods Anthropometric data, continuous quantitative data, training time and characteristics, and energy intake data were collected. Performance tests included upper and lower body strength, speed, agility, and endurance tests. Dietary monitoring showed lower intakes of total energy, carbohydrate and protein than theoretically recommended. However, the athletes experienced overall improvements in performance and body composition. Results The mean total energy intake was 20.2 ± 4.3 kcal·kg−1·day−1. The minimum individual mean intake was 9.8 kcal·kg−1·day−1 and the maximum was 25.95 kcal·kg−1·day−1. Carbohydrates accounted for 54.3% ± 8.8% of the energy intake; 20.3% ± 6.5% from fats; 25.4% ± 5.7% from proteins. Conclusions Current data suggest that, although a cause-effect relationship between dietary intake and BC performance cannot be determined, elite athletes in these sports disciplines may experience beneficial outcomes despite having lower total energy, CHO, protein, and fat intakes than previously recommended in the literature.

IoT-based real-time analysis of battery management system with long range communication and FLoRa

In the current scenario, the world is focused on renewable energy generation to achieve sustainability by 2030 regarding clean and affordable energy. Lithium-ion (Li-ion)-based Battery Energy storage (BES) is a prominent approach that is widely adopted for managing large-scale renewable energy generation. Battery Management Systems (BMS) play a critical role in optimizing battery performance of BES by monitoring parameters such as overcharging, the state of health (SoH), cell protection, real-time data, and fault detection to ensure reliability. Previous studies have concluded that the implementation of Internet of Things (IoT) with LoRa ensures effective real-time monitoring of the BMS of Li-ion batteries. This study proposed and implemented a customized LoRa and IoT-based hardware system with a gateway to acquire parameters such as terminal voltage, current, charge voltage, charge current, cycle, temperature, state of charge (SoC), and SoH, and log them into the cloud server. An OMnet++-based Framework for LoRa (FLoRa) simulation was implemented to analyze the power consumption and residual energy of the customized LoRa nodes. The simulation was configured with a spread factor of 7, a carrier frequency of 433 MHz, a bandwidth of 125 KHz, and a transmission power of 2 dBm. The simulation results indicated that Node 3 had the highest mean power consumption (0.028233) and total energy consumption (0.146592), whereas Node 0 exhibited the lowest mean power consumption (0.023413) and total energy consumption (0.070204). Additionally, a comprehensive dataset encompassing voltage, current, and time was created and utilized for precise calculations of the battery's capacity and state of health, with potential use in future predictions.

The Impact of Physical Activity on Depression, Anxiety, and Stress during Pregnancy in Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Background and Objective: This study aimed to explore the impact of physical activity on depression, anxiety, and stress among pregnant women in the Jazan region of Saudi Arabia. Materials and Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among pregnant women attending randomly selected prenatal clinics in primary healthcare hospitals in Jazan, Saudi Arabia. The calculated sample size was 350. Data were collected conveniently through a semi-structured questionnaire covering demographic details, pregnancy-related characteristics, physical activity assessed using the Pregnancy Physical Activity Questionnaire (PPAQ), and mental health parameters evaluated by the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21). The statistical analyses included descriptive statistics and Wilcoxon and Kruskal-Wallis rank sum tests, with significance levels set at p < 0.05. Results: The study involved 406 pregnant females. Nearly a third (31%) had a family history of depression, anxiety, or distress. The prevalence of depression, anxiety, and stress was 62.6%, 68.7%, and 38.4%, respectively. The mean sedentary, light, moderate, vigorous, and total energy expenditures were 1.512, 24.35, 22.32, 4.84, and 53.02 metabolic equivalent tasks/day. Anxious females exhibited higher light activity (median 24, p = 0.033), while stressed ones showed higher light (median 25, p = 0.039), moderate (median 20, p < 0.001), and vigorous activity (median 3, p < 0.001). A significant association was observed between total energy expenditure and stress levels (p < 0.001). Conclusions: This study underscores the importance of physical activity in managing depression, anxiety, and stress among pregnant women in Jazan, Saudi Arabia. The findings suggest a need for tailored interventions to promote physical activity to improve mental well-being during pregnancy.

Partially Threaded Screws Require More Work During Removal Compared to Fully Threaded Screws in a Bone Simulation Model

BackgroundRoutine Slipped Capital Femoral Epiphysis (SCFE) implant removal is controversial. Difficulty with hardware removal is well documented in SCFE patients, however, there is no biomechanical study demonstrating which specific aspect of screw morphology may be responsible for difficult removal. In this study, we compare the removal torques and work energy of fully and partially threaded cannulated SCFE screws from a bone simulation medium. Methods70mm x 6.5 mm partially (20mm threads) and fully threaded stainless-steel screws were tested by reversing them from a cured liquid resin medium. Peak Torque and total work energy were recorded from a load cell apparatus during each trial The mean peak torque and total work energy were compared between the partially threaded and fully threaded screw groups using Student’s t-test. P<0.05 was considered statistically significant. ResultsThe fully threaded screws (n=20) had a mean peak torque of 10.59 Nm (SD=0.95 Nm) which was statistically significantly lower than the mean peak torque of the partially threaded screws (n=23), 11.40 Nm (SD=1.15 Nm) (p=0.014). The fully threaded screws (n=21) had a mean work of 598.7 J (SD=208.3), which was statistically significantly lower than the mean work of the partially threaded screws (n=23), 1737.6 J (SD = 292.4 J) (p<0.0001). ConclusionAlthough our study did not perfectly model the in vivo “stuck screw phenomenon,” our data demonstrate partially threaded screws require more work of removal. Surgeons should consider the use of fully threaded screws if anticipating future hardware removal when selecting implants in the treatment of SCFE. Key concepts(1).SCFE hardware removal can be difficult and construct selection can influence complication rates.(2).Removal torque differences exist between fully and partially threaded screws.(3).Partially threaded screws require greater work energy of removal in comparison to partially threaded screws

Successful treatment of staghorn stones with flexible ureteroscopy and thulium fiber laser (TFL) lithotripsy: initial experience with 32 cases

PurposeTo investigate the efficacy and safety of flexible ureteroscopy with thulium fiber laser lithotripsy for management of renal staghorn stones.Materials and MethodsThirty-two patients with staghorn stones were recruited. Stone characteristics including: width, length, volume and density were analyzed. Ablation speed, laser efficacy and laser activity were recorded. The primary outcome was to assess stone free rate after the procedure using spiral CT scan.ResultsThe median stone volume was 7339 (3183–53838) mm3. Median operative and lasing time were 135 (70–200) and 117 (50–180) minutes, respectively. The mean total energy delivered was 63.9 ± 30 KJ with a median ablation speed of 1.3 (0.5–4.9) mm3/sec. Mean laser efficacy was 7.5 ± 3.6 Joules/mm3. A total of 12 complications occurred in 8 patients (25%). The median hospital stay was 7 (3.5–48) hours and 30 patients (93.7%) were discharged on the same day of surgery. After the first session, seventeen patients (53%) were stone free with no residual fragments while six (19%) patients had residuals £ 2 mm. Nine patients (28%) had residuals > 2 mm with median residual size of 4 (3–9) mm. A second intervention was required in 4 cases.The overall stone free rate after completion of treatment was 65.6%.ConclusionFlexible ureteroscopy with thulium fiber laser lithotripsy is a safe and effective treatment option for staghorn stones with stone free rate comparable to standard PCNL with advantages of minimal morbidity, minimal blood loss and shorter hospital stay.

Optimization of functionally graded solid-network TPMS meta-biomaterials

The current study enhances the performance of solid-network triply periodic minimal surface (TPMS) cellular materials through using cell size grading along with the Taguchi method. Cell size grading is a novel technique used to control the size of pores and the surface area without changing the relative density. In this context, experimental compression testing was conducted on six distinct geometries of cell size graded TPMS structures (Diamond, Fischer–Koch S, Gyroid, IWP, Primitive, and Schoen–F-RD) manufactured with dental resin using a masked stereolithography (MSLA) printer. The findings indicated that mean total energy absorption was greater for smaller initial cell sizes (4 and 6 mm) compared to larger sizes (12 mm). Consistent patterns were also observed with respect to final cell sizes. Upon examination of the stress-strain relationships between D and I-WP, it is evident that D exhibits a higher initial peak stress point. However, subsequent to a significant decline, it exhibits a tremendous degree of volatility before recovering. Conversely, I-WP demonstrated greater stability throughout the experiments, with a notably greater maximum stress effect. A significant influence was observed from the initial cell size on stress, with larger sizes leading to a reduction in absorbed energy. The acquired results serve as an essential basis for the identification of optimized designs that may be implemented to enhance the structures' durability.

C-reactive protein to albumin ratio and risk of incident metabolic syndrome in community-dwelling adults: longitudinal findings over a 12-year follow-up period.

The C-reactive protein to albumin (CRP/Alb) ratio has emerged as a novel biomarker for various inflammatory diseases. This study aimed to evaluate the association between the CRP/Alb ratio and incident metabolic syndrome (MetS) with a large-sample, community-based Korean cohort over a 12-year follow-up period. Among 10,030 participants, a total of 6205 participants aged 40-69 years without MetS were selected from the Korean Genome and Epidemiology Study (KoGES). The baseline CRP/Alb ratio was divided into quartiles. The definition of newly developed MetS was the one proposed by the 2009 Joint Interim Statement of Circulation. Hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for incident MetS were calculated using multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression models after adjusting for potentially confounding variables. During the 12-year follow-up period, MetS developed in 2535 subjects (40.9%, 2535/6205) with an incidence rate of 5.6-11.9 (over 2 years). Compared to the reference first quartiles, the HRs (95% CIs) of incident MetS in the second, third, and fourth quartiles increased in a dose-response manner. Compared to the reference quartile, the HRs (95% CIs) of the incidence of MetS for the second, third, and fourth quartiles of CRP/Alb ratio were 1.12 (0.99-1.27), 1.24 (1.11-1.40), and 1.51 (1.34-1.69) after adjusting for age, sex, smoking status, alcohol intake, physical activity, total cholesterol, mean arterial pressure, HOMA-IR, and total energy intake. High CRP/Alb ratio at baseline may be a useful surrogate indicator of future incident MetS.

Investigation of the local apparent viscosity in a stirred tank with a shear-thinning fluid through particle image velocimetry

The local apparent viscosity in a cylindrical stirred tank was investigated using Particle Image Velocimetry in a shear-thinning fluid. Two impellers were studied, a Rushton turbine for validation and an axial impeller HTPG4, for three Reynolds numbers corresponding to the transition regime between laminar and turbulent flows. Mean and instantaneous velocity contours and profiles are analysed. Then, the different contributions to the mean total kinetic energy are investigated with the HTPG4 impeller. The sensitivity of the mean apparent viscosity to the method of determining the shear rate is discussed. This work shows that the mean apparent viscosity is highly sensitive to the method of determining the shear rate. Future work will focus on improving the measurement of the local shear rate.

Total kinetic, excitation energy and neutron multiplicity distribution of californium isotopes

The mean total kinetic energy as a function of fission fragments, <TKE>(A), is calculated for neutron-induced fission of 247,249,251,253,255Cf, as well as for spontaneous fission of 248,250,252,254Cf using the scission point model. A comparative analysis is performed between the calculated results and existing experimental data. Investigation into the behavior of <TKE>(A) is conducted, particularly focusing on intermediate and heavy actinides. While nuclear and Coulomb energy evaluations suffice for estimating <TKE> values in light actinides, this approximation proves inadequate for evaluating TKE values for intermediate and heavy actinides. Additionally, an evaluation is made of the total excitation energy as a function of fission fragments, <TXE>(A), concerning spontaneous fission in 247−254Cf. It is found that TXE values sharply increase near the symmetric region across all isotopes and exhibit a gradual increase in heavy fission fragments. Furthermore, an exploration of the total neutron multiplicity as a function of fission fragments, νT(A), is conducted for 252Cf fission using two methods. The νT(A) results obtained through these methods are compared with experimental data, and νT(A) is estimated for unmeasured californium isotopes. The average neutron emission per fission event, ν¯(Ai), is then calculated for spontaneous fission of 251Cf and 253Cf, yielding values of 3.46 and 3.59, respectively.

Measurement of mass-angle and mass-total kinetic energy distributions from the fission of 190Pt compound nucleus

We have measured the fission fragment mass-angle and mass-total kinetic energy (TKE) distributions for the neutron-deficient 190Pt compound nucleus (CN) populated via 12C + 178Hf reaction, at around and above barrier energies. No mass-angle correlation was observed in the fission of 190Pt signifying the absence of quasi-fission events in the studied reaction. The observed mass-TKE distributions have expected triangular shape and TKE distributions are well described with the single Gaussian fits, and mean TKE shows parabolic dependence on fragment mass as predicted based on liquid drop fission behaviour. The widths of measured TKE distributions agree well with the observed systematics for CN fission in this mass region. Though the CN is relatively neutron deficient, these observations suggest a clear picture of true CN fission behaviour for the chosen reaction in the studied energy domain.

Long-Term Results of Transscleral Diode Laser Cyclophotocoagulation in Glaucoma: A Real-Life Study.

Transscleral diode laser cyclophotocoagulation (TDLC) is effective and safe in a large population and different types of glaucoma but is least effective in the neovascular glaucoma (NVG) group. We aimed to investigate the clinical outcomes of TDLC in a large cohort of patients with different types of refractory glaucoma. Using patient charts, we retrospectively analyzed the success and complications of TDLC performed on eyes categorized into 6 groups: primary glaucoma (116 eyes), trauma (41 eyes), NVG (84 eyes), post-vitreoretinal surgery (post-VRS, 79 eyes), penetrating keratoplasty (47 eyes), and miscellaneous (40 eyes). Failure was defined as intraocular pressure (IOP) >22 mm Hg or <5 mm Hg, the need for further glaucoma surgery, and the loss of light perception during follow-up. Overall, the mean follow-up time was 33.4 ± 17.4 months, the mean total energy delivered was 109.2 ± 56.5 J, and the mean IOP reduction rate was 41.8%. Total energy delivered and IOP reduction rates were similar between the groups (all P > 0.05). The probability of success at 36 months was 71.5%, 70.7%, 55.9%, 77.2%, 72.3%, and 72.5% in primary glaucoma, trauma, NVG, post-VRS, penetrating keratoplasty, and miscellaneous groups, respectively. The NVG group showed a significantly lower success rate ( P = 0.009) than the other groups. Significant complications consisted of phthisis bulbi in 1 eye (0.2%) in the NVG group and chronic hypotony in 7 eyes (1.7%) in the NVG (3 eyes), trauma (2 eyes), post-VRS (1 eye), and primary glaucoma (1 eye) groups. Although TDLC was found to be a safe, effective method in the long term, it was least effective in eyes with NVG.

Evaluation and Comparison of Daily Total Energy Intake and Macronutrient Proportion Consumption Between Poor vs Good Glycemic Control Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Patients: A cross-sectional study at Family Medicine OPD, Maharaj Nakorn Chiang Mai Hospital, Thailand

OBJECTIVE To evaluate and compare daily total energy intake and macronutrient proportion consumption between poor and good glycemic control type 2 diabetic patients. METHODS A cross-sectional study was conducted from December 2021 to March 2022 at Maharaj Nakorn Chiang Mai Hospital. Patient data was collected using a questionnaire. Dietary intake data was collected using 24-hour dietary recall and was analyzed by a dietitian. Factors and their association with poor glycemic control were analyzed. RESULTS Of the 127 participants, 40.16% had poor glycemic control. The mean HbA1c level in the poor and the good glycemic control group was 7.67±0.61% and 6.39±0.44% respectively (p &lt; 0.001). Among all patients, the mean total energy intake was 1,640.21±495.92 kcal/day, with mean proportions of 51.25% for carbohydrate, 16.56% for protein, and 32.12% for fat. There were no significant differences between the poor and good glycemic control groups in total energy intake (1702.63±503.48 kcal/day vs. 1598.32±489.65 kcal/day, p = 0.247), carbohydrate intake (222.78±89.98 g/day vs. 203.72±79.36 g/day, p = 0.211), protein intake (70.12±21.50 g/day vs. 65.44±21.38 g/day, p = 0.230), or fat intake (58.94±19.26 g/day vs. 57.86±24.33 g/day, p = 0.790). CONCLUSIONS The poor glycemic control group was more likely to consume more total energy and a higher proportion of carbohydrate and fat, which suggests that proper individualized dietary energy intake and diet proportions may enhance nutritional status and glycemic control. KEYWORDS DM, nutrition, diet, calories, glycemic control, consumption

Bone Status and Early Nutrition in Preterm Newborns with and without Intrauterine Growth Restriction.

Intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) together with preterm birth could be harmful to bone health. The aim of the study was to examine bone status in IUGR versus non-IUGR preterms and to analyze the nutritional management best correlated with its improvement. Newborns < 34 weeks of gestational age (wGA), 75 IUGR and 75 non-IUGR, admitted to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit of the University Hospital of Padova were enrolled and monitored from birth until 36 wGA through anthropometry (weight, length, head circumference, lower limb length (LLL)), biochemistry, bone quantitative ultrasound assessment of bone status (metacarpus bone transmission time, mc-BTT, us) and nutritional intakes monitoring during parenteral nutrition. IUGR compared to non-IUGR showed lower mean mc-BTT (0.45 vs. 0.51, p = 0.0005) and plasmatic phosphate (1.45 vs. 1.79, p < 0.001) at birth. Mc-BTT at 36 wGA, though equal between groups, correlated in IUGR newborns with basal phosphate, mean total energy of the first week and month (positively) and days to reach full enteral feeding (negatively). Lower i.v. vitamin D intake, LLL and prolonged total parenteral nutrition predicted worse mc-BTT at 36 wGA in the enrolled infants. These results suggest that preterms and in particular IUGR newborns need special nutritional care to promote bone development.

A multi-center prospective study of plant-based nutritional support in adult community-based patients at risk of disease-related malnutrition.

There is an emerging need for plant-based, vegan options for patients requiring nutritional support. Twenty-four adults at risk of malnutrition (age: 59 years (SD 18); Sex: 18 female, 6 male; BMI: 19.0 kg/m2 (SD 3.3); multiple diagnoses) requiring plant-based nutritional support participated in a multi-center, prospective study of a (vegan suitable) multi-nutrient, ready-to-drink, oral nutritional supplement (ONS) [1.5 kcal/mL; 300 kcal, 12 g protein/200 mL bottle, mean prescription 275 mL/day (SD 115)] alongside dietary advice for 28 days. Compliance, anthropometry, malnutrition risk, dietary intake, appetite, acceptability, gastrointestinal (GI) tolerance, nutritional goal(s), and safety were assessed. Patients required a plant-based ONS due to personal preference/variety (33%), religious/cultural reasons (28%), veganism/reduce animal-derived consumption (17%), environmental/sustainability reasons (17%), and health reasons (5%). Compliance was 94% (SD 16). High risk of malnutrition ('MUST' score ≥ 2) reduced from 20 to 16 patients (p = 0.046). Body weight (+0.6 kg (SD 1.2), p = 0.02), BMI (+0.2 kg/m2 (SD 0.5), p = 0.03), total mean energy (+387 kcal/day (SD 416), p < 0.0001) and protein intake (+14 g/day (SD 39), p = 0.03), and the number of micronutrients meeting the UK reference nutrient intake (RNI) (7 vs. 14, p = 0.008) significantly increased. Appetite (Simplified Nutritional Appetite Questionnaire (SNAQ) score; p = 0.13) was maintained. Most GI symptoms were stable throughout the study (p > 0.06) with no serious adverse events related. This study highlights that plant-based nutrition support using a vegan-suitable plant-based ONS is highly complied with, improving the nutritional outcomes of patients at risk of malnutrition.

Nonlinear stochastic wave equations in 1D with fractional Laplacian, power-law nonlinearity and additive [formula omitted]-regular noise

A qualitative study of nonlinear, 1D stochastic fractional wave equations with dissipative nonlinearities of power-law form is conducted on (t,x)∈[0,+∞)×Dutt+σ2(−uxx)α−a1u+a2‖u‖L2(D)ρu−κut=b0∂W0∂t on (t,x)∈[0,+∞)×D with D=[0,L], where positive fractional α-powers of Laplace operator are allowed, perturbed by additive space–time random noise W0 with fairly general covariance operator Q with finite trace(Q)<+∞ (i.e. Q-regularity). The Q-regular space–time noise W0, which is white in time and generally spatially correlated, is supposed to have a Fourier expansion along the eigenfunctions of the Laplace operator under nonrandom, Dirichlet- and Neumann-type homogeneous boundary conditions. We focus on studying the generalized energy functional V incorporating the fractional diffusive energy part and the energy part which is due to the viscous damping force both in continuous and discrete time. In continuous time, the technique of Fourier expansions and appropriate truncation by finite-dimensional systems leads to the control on the generalized energy functional, and hence we may verify existence, uniqueness and boundedness of moments of Fourier series solutions u. The total mean energy E[E(t)] cannot grow more than linearly in time t (with or without damping). Moreover, under the absence of damping (i.e. κ=0), E[E(t)] is governed by a kind of trace formula in case of additive (state-independent), Q-regular space–time noise W0. For numerical computations and more adequate discretization, we suggest to take nonstandard, partial-implicit midpoint-type methods for the Fourier coefficients. These semi-analytical numerical methods (approximate Fourier series) possess the property of conserving the expected, total energy with random initial data under the absence of nonlinearities. Eventually, we estimate probabilities of large fluctuations of some interesting functionals.

Energy analysis for efficient mechanisation of palm oil extraction in Ghana: Targeting circular economy

Challenges related to sustainability, energy access, process efficiency, and cost of production in the extraction of palm oil make its energy analysis necessary in Ghana. This study determined the energy consumption patterns in palm oil mills in Ghana to ultimately enhance system efficiency and assess optimum production costs. In this study, data was collected among Palm Oil Processing facilities in Bono, Ashanti, Eastern and Western regions. The results found the average total energy consumption for the manual, semi-mechanised and highly mechanised extraction systems to be 122.5, 112.9, and 82.4 kJ/kg respectively. The net potential electricity from oil palm residue was estimated to be 299 kJ/kg which can be used for other operations. The mean total energy for the oil drying and pressing stages are identical across the systems. The minimum mean total energy is required at the threshing stage of the oil palm production process with which the manual system has the highest amount of energy whilst, the highly mechanized system requires the least average total energy for threshing. Policy makers should target increased level of mechanization since highly mechanized processing plants recorded lower energy demands.

Nutrients patterns and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder among Egyptian children: a sibling and community matched case-control study

BackgroundAttention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD) diagnosis has been growing among children, with great public health concern. The relationship between nutrient intake pattern and ADHD remains unclear.AimTo identify the nutrient intake patterns and its association with ADHD in children.Subjects and methodsThe study involved 146 children with ADHD, 141 control sibling, and 146 community controls. ADHD diagnosis was confirmed using the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th Edition (DSM-V) criteria following the assessment by the long-form Conner’s Scale. Dietary intakes were assessed using a semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire. Nutrients patterns were identified using the principal component analysis (PCA).ResultsADHD children have significantly higher mean total energy intake than community controls and siblings (8867.9, 4481.9 and 7308.2 KJ, respectively, p < 0.001). Four nutrient patterns extracted by the PCA explained 75.9% of the total variance. Lower tertiles of “predominantly calcium-phosphorus; pattern 1” and “predominantly-vitamins; pattern 3” were significantly associated with increasing odds of ADHD, compared to community controls (p for trend: 0.002 and 0.005, respectively), while the same associations were noted in “predominantly-vitamins” and “predominantly Zinc-Iron; pattern 2” when compared to siblings (p for trend: <0.001 and <0.001, respectively). However, Higher tertiles of macronutrients; pattern 4” were associated with increased ADHD odds, compared to either community controls or siblings (p for trend: 0.017 and <0.001, respectively).ConclusionLower intakes of nutrients patterns of minerals and vitamins, and higher intakes of macronutrients were associated with increased likelihood of ADHD in children.

The performance of different unsteady Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes models mined by Fuzzy C-means algorithm with Fourier coefficient-based distance on the constructed vortex structures around a single building

ABSTRACT The Fuzzy C-means (FCM) method with Fourier coefficient-based distance was firstly used to construct the vortex features and analyze the large-scale unsteady flow pattern around the building by the transient ensemble velocity magnitude and Q criterion value. The performance of the unsteady Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes (URANS) turbulence models, including Standardmodel, Realizable, Renormalization Group (RNG) theoryand Shear-Stress Transport (SST) models on the flow structures around a high-rise building, was examined and compared by data analysis. The transient data was analyzed to identify the root of the different flow structures. The vortex structure was used to distinguish the different turbulence simulation performance directly. The result indicated that the RNGmodel shown the best simulation results on the mean velocity and total turbulent kinetic energy fields. The RNG model could simulate the modest scales of vortices which approximates the experiment data around the building, while the SSTmodel could simulate the abundant scales of vortices which led larger turbulence viscosity coefficient. In addition, the nature pressure difference ventilation partition method was proposed and verified in simulating the nature pressure difference around a single building.

Investigation of machinability indicators during sustainable milling of 17-4PH stainless steel under dry and MQL environments

17-4PH steel, which has the perfect combination of corrosion resistance and high mechanical properties, is especially preferred in defense and aerospace applications, but its machinability is poor. Thus, an extensive research has been conducted on its milling under sustainable cutting regimes (dry and minimum quantity lubrication_MQL) to contribute to both more efficient use and sustainable machining. First, the changes in resultant cutting force ( Fr), the average surface roughness ( Ra), the mean roughness depth ( Rz) and total energy consumption ([Formula: see text]) were investigated after the experiments performed by applying the L18 orthogonal array. Subsequently, machining conditions were optimized for the minimization of machinability indicators with the Taguchi-based grey relational analysis technique. Finally, the predictive models for these indicators were developed by regression analysis. The order of importance for Fr and [Formula: see text] was the depth of cut and feed, while for Ra and Rz this ordering was found to be feed rate and cutting regime. Short curved chips formed in MQL cutting regime contributed positively to the minimization of the considered machinability indicators. Although the energy consumption due to spindle speed increased with increasing cutting speed in dry cutting environment, the decrease in material strength resulted in a decrease in [Formula: see text]. Since the cooling effect of MQL reduces the cutting temperature, material softening and thus the expected decrease in cutting resistance could not be achieved, so the decrease in [Formula: see text] was not as much as dry cutting. Optimum machining conditions were determined as MQL cutting regime, the cutting speed of 120 m/min, the cutting depth of 0.5 mm and feed rate of 0.05 mm/rev. The determination coefficients of the predictive models developed by regression analysis showed that these models can be used safely in up milling.