Wichita State University

About: Wichita State University is a education organization based out in Wichita, Kansas, United States. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Poison control. The organization has 4988 authors who have published 9563 publications receiving 253824 citations. The organization is also known as: WSU & Fairmount College.

Pain, disability, and pain/disability relationships in seven rheumatic disorders: a study of 1,522 patients.

Abstract: We studied the pain, Stanford Health Assessment Questionnaire functional disability, pain/disability ratio, and psychological scores in 1,522 patients with rheumatic disease with 7 distinct disorders. Individual differences between patients were more striking than differences among diagnostic groups. Patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) had the greatest disability, least pain, lowest pain/disability ratio, and least abnormal psychological scores. Highest pain and psychological distress was noted in low back pain, neck pain, and fibromyalgia (axial disorders). Disability in activities of daily living was as high in fibromyalgia as in RA, but low in axial skeletal disorders. There appears to be a continuum for disability that begins with axial but not articular disease (neck and back pain) and ends with multiple articular and periarticular involvement (RA and fibromyalgia).

Optical orthogonal code-division multiple-access system .I. APD noise and thermal noise

Abstract: In an optical multiple-access system, overall system throughput efficiency add significant implementation cost-reduction would be achieved if many users could access a common optical channel at any time without control among users. Recently one such scheme, an optical orthogonal code division multiple-access system (OOCDMA), was introduced by Salehi et al. (1982) for the case of no noise. In this paper, some extensions of that work are presented, including the effects of avalanche photodiode (APD) noise and thermal noise as well as interference for the OOCDMA direct-detection receiver. Since it has been shown that an optical hard-limiter before the receiver correlator can reduce the interference effect for the OOCDMA system in the absence of noise, the hard-limiter role in the presence of thermal and APD noise is also examined. >

Geochemical and neomorphic alteration of dolomite: A review

Abstract: Many ancient dolomites are suspected of being alteration products of preexisting dolomite phases rather than being originally formed, unaltered dolomites Such diagenetic alteration commonly results in changes in geochemistry and/or neomorphic changes in dolomite crystal sizes and textures Hence, previous studies that have interpreted environments of initial dolomitization based on presumed preservation of diagnostic geochemical compositions and textures must be reevaluated because these parameters ar known to reequilibrate during later diagenesis The principal driving forces for neomorphism are the inherent thermodynamic instability of preexisting, non-stoichiometric dolomites, and to an unknown extent, the surface free energy-driven recrystallization of fine crystalline mosaics to coarser crystalline textures The four inter-related criteria that are used commonly as collective evidence of alternation of preexisting dolomites are: (1)) non-stoichiometric and poorly-ordered dolomites have an inherent tendency to transform to the more stoichiometric and better ordere phase typical of many ancient dolomites, a process that commonly is concurrent with (2) the neomorphic change from fine crystalline to coarse crystalline mosaics of either planar or nonplanar texture; (3) based on comparison to modern dolomites, depletion in18O isotopic composition and Sr and Na concentrations relative to ppresumed preexisting phases; and (4) homogenization of primary cathodoluminescent zonation that may have been present in the preexisting phase Although certainly not unequivocal, the inference or recognition of such changes suggest the complexity of diagenetic modifications that have affected many ancient dolomites

Manufacturing carbon nanofibers toughened polyester/glass fiber composites using vacuum assisted resin transfer molding for enhancing the mode-I delamination resistance

Abstract: Polymer composite materials reinforced by continuous fibers have excellent in-plane strength but are usually weak against delamination. This paper presents an experimental study of using carbon nanofibers (CNF) to improve the interlaminar fracture properties of polyester/glass fiber composites. Surfactant-treated CNF were dispersed in polyester resin and then the CNF-resin suspension was infused to impregnate a glass fiber preform using vacuum assisted resin transfer molding (VARTM). The manufacturability of using VARTM for thick and large CNF toughened composite parts has been experimentally investigated. The influence of CNF concentration on the CNF filtration in the glass fiber preform, the resin viscosity, and the micro-void formation has been examined. By choosing appropriate manufacturing parameters, we were able to use VARTM process to infuse the surfactant-treated CNF/resin matrix into the glass fiber preform and successfully manufactured the CNF toughened polyester/glass fiber composite specimens for mode-I delamination tests. The critical energy release rates of mode-I delamination ( G IC ) were characterized for several composite specimens with 1 wt% CNF concentrations and for those with pure resin. Significant improvement in the G IC was consistently observed as 1 wt% CNF were added to toughen the polyester resin. Microscopy pictures showed that the fracture surfaces of the 1 wt% CNF toughened polyester/glass fiber composite samples were more complex than the fracture surfaces of regular polyester/glass fiber composites.

β-Hydroxy-β-Methylbutyrate (HMB) Supplementation in Humans Is Safe and May Decrease Cardiovascular Risk Factors

Abstract: The leucine metabolite, beta-hydroxy-beta-methylbutyrate (HMB) enhances the effects of exercise on muscle size and strength. Although several reports in animals and humans indicate that HMB is safe, quantitative safety data in humans have not been reported definitively. The objective of this work was to summarize safety data collected in nine studies in which humans were fed 3 g HMB/d. The studies were from 3 to 8 wk in duration, included both males and females, young and old, exercising or nonexercising. Organ and tissue function was assessed by blood chemistry and hematology; subtle effects on emotional perception were measured with an emotional profile test (Circumplex), and tolerance of HMB was assessed with a battery of 32 health-related questions. HMB did not adversely affect any surrogate marker of tissue health and function. The Circumplex emotion profile indicated that HMB significantly decreased (improved) one indicator of negative mood (Unactivated Unpleasant Affect category, P < 0.05). No untoward effects of HMB were indicated. Compared with the placebo, HMB supplementation resulted in a net decrease in total cholesterol (5.8%, P < 0.03), a decrease in LDL cholesterol (7.3%, P < 0.01) and a decrease in systolic blood pressure (4.4 mm Hg, P < 0.05). These effects of HMB on surrogate markers of cardiovascular health could result in a decrease in the risk of heart attack and stroke. In conclusion, the objective data collected across nine experiments indicate that HMB can be taken safely as an ergogenic aid for exercise and that objective measures of health and perception of well-being are generally enhanced.