Title: Reconstructing Terrestrial Ecosystems in Tropical and Coastal Marine Environments using Sedimentary Ancient DNA (sedaDNA): Case Studies from Lake Towuti (Sulawesi) and the Black Sea.

Reconstructing Quaternary tropical ecosystems using sedimentary ancient DNA

Do It Right The First Time - A Review Of An Ethylene Plant Turbomachinery Commissioning Test.

LecturePg. 113-122Every user would like to check the mechanical integrity of rotating equipment in the field before startup. In the case of large compressor trains with steam turbine drives, running a mechanical string test with associated piping and auxiliaries provides positive check outs for compressor, driver, and all auxiliary equipment. The benefits of planning, preparation, and execution of such a program are described

Hemodynamic Assessment to Evaluate Pulmonary Hypertension in Patients with Aortic Stenosis

Pulmonary hypertension (PHT) is highly prevalentin patients with Aortic Stenosis (AS) and significantly increasesmortality. Correlation between echocardiogram derived rightventricular pressure and measured pulmonary artery systolicpressure (PASP) by right heart catheterization (RHC) have beenreported to be poor. Retrospective data of 56 patients with ASwho underwent coronary angiography and RHC from June 1999to 2008 were reviewed. 20 patients (35.1%) had severe PHT withPASP > 55 mmHg on RHC. PASP did correlate with the bodyweight (r = 0.473, p<0.01). There was a significant correlationbetween PASP on RHC and RVSP on echo (r = 0.344 p<0.01) buta Bland-Altman plot showed poor association. In patients withPVR < 3, there was correlation between the PASP and LVEDPon RHC (r = 0.655, p<0.001). 34 patients had an estimated RVSP<40 mm Hg on echo and 9 (25.7%) of these patients had severePHT on RHC. Using a RVSP cutoff of 40 mmHg, echo had 46.8%sensitivity. There was higher mortality at 3 years in patients withsevere PHT (44% vs. 10.7%, p <0.01) Conclusions: Severe PHTwas found in up to 35% of patients with AS and had highermortality. Obese patients with AS had a higher likelihood ofsevere PHT. Echocardiography underestimates PHT in patientswith AS. PHT is related to diastolic dysfunction in these patients.RHC should be considered in select patients with aortic stenosisin order to risk stratify and assess for early aortic valvereplacement, in patients in whom a reliable TR jet velocity isunobtainable by echo Doppler

Creating a Perioperative Glycemic Control Program

Hyperglycemia in the surgical population is a recognized risk factor for postoperative complications; however, there is little literature to date regarding the management of hyperglycemia in the perioperative period. Here, we detail the strategies that our institutions have employed to identify and treat hyperglycemia in patients with diabetes who present for surgery. Our approach focuses on the recognition of hyperglycemia and metabolic abnormalities, control of glucose levels via insulin infusion when needed, monitoring for hypoglycemia and a comprehensive multidisciplinary approach that provides standardized recommendations for patients at all points in care as they transition from the preoperative clinic into the operating room, and then into the hospital

Clinical radiology research in Pakistan: from evidence to practice

OBJECTIVE: To assess the clinical radiology research productivity in Pakistan by type of publication, sources of funding and name of journals. METHODS: A systematic search strategy using key words related to techniques and type of clinical radiology was carried out to identify various studies published in Indexed (Medline) and non-indexed (Pakmedinet) medical journals. RESULTS: Total of 397 studies were identified out of which 173(43%) from Medline (indexed database) and 220 (57%) from pakmedinet (Indexed and non- indexed database of Pakistan Medical journals). Original articles were 294 (74%) but most of them (68%) were published in non-indexed journals and significantly different from other articles types (case reports, short reports, review articles and letter to editors) (p-value \u3c 0.001). No Randomized Controlled Trial was identified. No research was funded by any formal financial agency. As high as 78% of indexed studies were published by radiology centers of Sind province. Private hospitals having radiology department contributed significantly in indexed journals compared to government hospitals (p-value \u3c 0.001). Majority (74%) of the studies were done by radiologists as compared to other non-radiology clinical colleagues (p-value \u3c 0.001). The most preferred journal for publication was the Journal of Pakistan Medical Association (JPMA; N = 43) followed by Annals of King Edward medical college (Ann KEMC; N = 20). Australasian journal of radiology was the most preferred international journal for publication (Australas Radiol N = 3). No significant difference was found in radiology research production in terms of number of publication from and before the year 2000 (p-value 0.51). CONCLUSION: Clinical radiology research production from Pakistan is low in terms of quality and number. Only few studies reach the standard of publication in international medical journals. There is an urgent need of building the foundation of research programmes in radiology and strengthen research capacity building at facility and health policy level

Mutations of fake weighted projective planes

In previous work by Coates, Galkin, and the authors, the notion of mutation between lattice polytopes was introduced. Such a mutation gives rise to a deformation between the corresponding toric varieties. In this paper we study one-step mutations that correspond to deformations between weighted projective planes, giving a complete characterisation of such mutations in terms of T-singularities. We show also that the weights involved satisfy Diophantine equations, generalising results of Hacking-Prokhorov

Assessment of menisci and ligamentous injuries of the knee on magnetic resonance imaging: correlation with arthroscopy

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the validity of MRI, in the assessment of the meniscal and cruciate ligamenteous injuries of the knee joint and comparison with arthroscopic findings. METHODS: A one year prospective cross-sectional study from January 2006 to January 2007, was performed on 50 patients (32 males & 18 females) with knee injury presenting at the orthopedic unit of AKUH. The patients were referred to radiology department for MRI evaluation and arthroscopy. RESULTS: The sensitivity, specificity and accuracy for MRI of the menisci and ligaments were as follows: medial meniscus resulted in 100% sensitivity, 69.27% specificity, 90% PPV, 100% NPV and 92% accuracy: lateral meniscus resulted in 87.5% sensitivity, 88.23% specificity, 77% PPV, 93% NPV and 88% accuracy: anterior cruciate ligament resulted in 86.67% sensitivity, 91.43% specificity, 81% PPV, 94% NPV and 88% accuracy; posterior cruciate ligament resulted in 100% sensitivity, 95.83% specificity,50% PPV, 100 NPV and 96% accuracy. CONCLUSION: Magnetic resonance imaging is a good, accurate and non invasive modality for the assessment of menisci and ligamenteous injuries. It can be used as a first line investigation in patients with soft tissue trauma to knee