Epidemiological study of hypertension and its determinants in an urban population of North India

OBJECTIVES: To determine age-specific prevalence of hypertension and blood pressure (BP) levels in relation to diet and lifestyle factors in North Indians. DESIGN AND SETTING: Cross-sectional survey in 20 randomly selected streets in Moradabad, North India. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: A total of 1806 subjects from North India (904 males and 902 females) age range 25-64 years. The survey methods were as follows: dietary diaries for 7 days food intake record; BP measurements; physician administered questionnaire and anthropometric measurements. Diagnosis of hypertension was based on new World Health Organization/International Society of Hypertension (WHO/ISH) criteria. Risk factors were assessed based on WHO guidelines. RESULTS: The prevalence of hypertension according to WHO/ISH criteria was 23.7% and by old WHO criteria 13.3%. In the WHO/ISH hypertensive group, isolated diastolic hypertension was present in 47.3% males and 40.6% females. Males have a slightly higher prevalence than females in the young age group, however, the prevalence rates are comparable in the older age groups. In both sexes, the prevalence rates and BP level increased with older age. Multivariate analysis revealed that age, higher body mass index, central obesity and higher socioeconomic status were independently and strongly associated with hypertension in both sexes. Higher dietary fat and salt intake and lower physical activity were weakly but significantly associated with hypertension. CONCLUSION: Association of higher socioeconmic status, higher body mass index and central obesity in North Indian adults with higher fat intake, lower physical activity and higher prevalence and level of hypertension indicate that these populations may benefit by decreasing the dietary fat intake and increasing physical activity, with an aim to decrease central obesity for decreasing hypertension in North Indians.     

Observation of an Isokinetic Temperature and Compensation Effect for High-Temperature Crude Oil Fouling

The initial fouling rates of four crude oils were determined at a nominal bulk temperature of 315°C, an initial heated wall shear stress of 13 Pa, and initial surface temperatures between 375 and 445°C. These initial fouling rates ranged from 1.3(10^{? 6}) to 7.8(10^{? 5}) m² K/kJ. Corresponding Arrhenius plots were linear with the initial fouling rates passing through an isokinetic temperature of 407.5°C. A plot of the natural logarithm of the pre-exponential factors [7.6(10⁴)–5.2(10¹⁵) m² K/kJ] versus the apparent activation energies (128–269 kJ/mol) was also linear, confirming the validity of the isokinetic temperature and the presence of the compensation effect. Below the isokinetic temperature, the relative fouling rates were Crude Oil C > Crude Oil A > Crude Oil D > Crude Oil B; above the isokinetic temperature, the relative fouling rates were reversed (Crude Oil B > Crude Oil D > Crude Oil A > Crude Oil C). Chemical characterization of a fouling deposit suggested that the dominant fouling mechanism at these conditions was coking, with significant contributions from sedimentation (iron sulfide) and corrosion (～ 340 μ m/yr) of the 304 stainless steel test material.     

Crystallization of Fats: Influence of Minor Components and Additives

Over the years, there has been a steady stream of publications on the influence that minor components and additives have on the physical properties of fat continuous systems. These have been reviewed here. Both indigenous and added components are taken into account. The various materials have been discussed, ranging from partial glycerides and phospholipids to esterified sugars and polyols. Within the publications in this area, the (sub-)micron effects that these minor components have on nucleation, crystal growth, morphology, heat capacity and polymorphic stability have been described and discussed and, sometimes, explained. Similarly, the effects on a macroscopic level, such as visual aspects, melting profiles, post-hardening and rheology have been the subject of research. Although limited compositional information, especially of additives, hinders appropriate discussions of the relevant mechanisms, some generic guidelines as to what type and strength of effect can be expected have been derived. As a general rule, a more significant influence is observed when the acyl group of the minor component (where present) is similar to those present in the fat itself. Additives may have different effects depending on the fat they are added to, their concentration and the temperature, especially with increasing undercooling (which typically reduces the effect of additives).     

适合便携式和小型设备的微型扁平封装光耦合器

工程师们在设计空间大小极为关键的便携式产品时都喜欢选用表面贴装工艺,随着对这种工艺需求的增加,光耦合器件也不断推出采用微型扁平封装的新产品系列,并包括了多种不同输入/输出配置。小外形封装(SOP)目前在市场上可以买到小外形封装(SOP)的微型扁平封装(MFP)光耦合器。它可以安装在通信、计算、工业和消费类产品内以解决安装空间有限的问题。Fairchild半导体公司可以提供两种不同MFP封装配置的光耦合器件:1)引脚间隔为2.54mm的全间距(full-pitch)式MFP封装;2)引脚间隔为1.27mm半间距(half-pitch)式MFP封装。图1显示了全间距(ful…     

A stability study of aqueous solution of norfloxacin

A reversed-phase ion-pair high performance liquid chromatographic assay, which can simultaneously determine norfloxacin and its decomposition products, formyl piperazine and ethylenediamine analogs in aqueous media, has been developed. This assay has been applied to a stability study of norfloxacin in aqueous media. The effects of temperature, pH, oxygen and light on norfloxacin have been investigated using a 2³×3 factorial design. Results indicate that oxygen, light, temperature and pH have significant effect on the stability of norfloxacin solution. Norfloxacin is most stable at acidic and basic pH, in darkness, in the absence of oxygen and at low temperature.     

Study of liquid sloshing: numerical and experimental approach

In this paper, sloshing phenomenon in a rectangular tank under a sway excitation is studied numerically and experimentally. Although considerable advances have occurred in the development of numerical and experimental techniques for studying liquid sloshing, discrepancies exist between these techniques, particularly in predicting time history of impact pressure. The aim of this paper is to study the sloshing phenomenon experimentally and numerically using the Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics method. The algorithm is enhanced for accurately calculating impact load in sloshing flow. Experiments were conducted on a 1:30 scaled two-dimensional tank, undergoing translational motion along its longitudinal axis. Two different sloshing flows corresponding to the ratio of exciting frequency to natural frequency were studied. The numerical and experimental results are compared for both global and local parameters and show very good agreement.     

A reasoning-based approach to machine learning

This paper describes a novel approach to machine learning, based on the principle of learning by reasoning. Current learning systems have significant limitations such as brittleness, i.e., the deterioration of performance on a different domain or problem and lack of power required for handling real-world learning problems. The goal of our research was to develop an approach in which many of these limitations are overcome in a unified, coherent and general framework. Our learning approach is based on principles of reasoning, such as the discovery of the underlying principle and the recognition of the deeper basis of similarity, which is somewhat akin to human learning. In this paper, we argue the importance of these principles and tie the limitations of current systems to the lack of application of these principles. We then present the technique developed and illustrate it on a learning problem not directly solvable by previous approaches.     

Non-Born-Oppenheimer molecular dynamics

Electronically nonadiabatic or non-Born-Oppenheimer (non-BO) chemical processes (photodissociation, charge-transfer, etc.) involve a nonradiative change in the electronic state of the system. Molecular dynamics simulations typically treat nuclei as moving classically on a single adiabatic potential energy surface, and these techniques are not immediately generalizable to non-BO systems due to the inherently quantum mechanical nature of electronic transitions. Here we generalize the concept of a single-surface molecular dynamics trajectory to that of a coupled-surface non-BO trajectory that evolves "semiclassically" under the influence of two or more electronic states and their couplings. Five non-BO trajectory methods are discussed. Next, we summarize the results of a series of systematic studies using a database of accurate quantum mechanical reaction probabilities and internal energy distributions for several six-dimensional model bimolecular scattering collisions. The test set includes three kinds of prototypical nonadiabatic interactions: conical intersections, avoided crossings, and regions of weak coupling. We show that the coherent switching with decay of mixing (CSDM) non-BO trajectory method provides a robust and accurate way to extend molecular dynamics to treat electronically nonadiabatic chemistry for all three kinds of nonadiabatic interactions, and we recommend it for molecular dynamics simulations involving nonradiative electronic state changes.     

Method of calculation of the skin effect in the rotor chamber bar with regards to temperature variations at start-up

The paper presents a numerical method for calculating active and inductive resistances of a squirrel cage bar. Similarity criteria for the calculation data analysis of the method are obtained in a handy shape for practical purposes     

Influence of minor components on fat crystallization

Crystallization in fats is of fundamental importance in the production and consumption of fats per se and of food and home and personal care (HPC) products in which fats form a major part. While crystallization of fats as such has been extensively reviewed over the past decade there has been less emphasis on the role of minor components. A review by Smith et al. [1] redressed this; this article is based on that review.