Complementary Therapy to Target LDL Cholesterol: The Role of the Ezetimibe/Simvastatin Combination

Cardiovascular (CV) disease remains the number 1 cause of death in the USA. Nonetheless, there has been a decline in the age-adjusted death rate for coronary heart disease (CHD) which may be due to more aggressive treatment guidelines for treating CV risk factors, such as hypertension, diabetes, and dyslipidemia. The recent update to the National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) guidelines have recommended lower low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) goals in high-risk patients. Based on the new targets for LDL-C, clinicians will need more efficacious lipid-lowering therapies. One of these newer therapies is the combination of ezetimibe and simvastatin. This article reviews the implications of the updated guidelines and discusses the efficacy and safety of ezetimibe/simvastatin for lowering LDL-C

Assessment and restoration of a neighborhood wetland invaded by exotic plant species

The University of Arkansas Crop, Soil, and Environmental Sciences (CSES) Club adopted a local wetland in the spring of 2002 through the Fayetteville Parks and Recreation Department. This project has allowed students to interact with local community and governmental organizations as well as other academic departments within the university. Students have gained valuable laboratory and field experience through characterizing hydric soils, identifying bird and plant species, and analyzing water quality, soil nutrients, and microbial biomass. Under the main goal of restoring the wetland, the club has outlined both short and long-term objectives including soil and water assessments; removal of two invasive species—Lonicera japonica and Festuca arundinacea; revegetation of native species to provide wildlife habitat and forage; establishment of trails and educational signs; and community outreach. To facilitate removal of the invasive species, the club is experimenting with manual removal, implementing physical barriers to prevent plant photosynthesis, and working with city officials to obtain permission for selective use of herbicides. The adoption of the wetland has provided a catalyst for the CSES Club to organize, rebuild itself, and achieve its goals

Effects of Very Low Nicotine Content Cigarettes on Smoking Behavior and Biomarkers of Exposure in Menthol and Non-menthol Smokers.

IntroductionBecause 30% of cigarettes sold in the United States are characterized as menthol cigarettes, it is important to understand how menthol preference may affect the impact of a nicotine reduction policy.MethodsIn a recent trial, non-treatment-seeking smokers were randomly assigned to receive very low nicotine cigarettes (VLNC; 0.4 mg nicotine/g tobacco) or normal nicotine cigarettes (NNC; 15.5 mg/g) for 20 weeks. On the basis of preference, participants received menthol or non-menthol cigarettes. We conducted multivariable regression analyses to examine whether menthol preference moderated the effects of nicotine content on cigarettes per day (CPD), breath carbon monoxide (CO), urinary total nicotine equivalents (TNE), urinary 2-cyanoethylmercapturic acid (CEMA), and abstinence.ResultsAt baseline, menthol smokers (n = 346) reported smoking fewer CPD (14.9 vs. 19.2) and had lower TNE (52.8 vs. 71.6 nmol/mg) and CO (17.7 vs. 20.5 ppm) levels than non-menthol smokers (n = 406; ps < .05). At week 20, significant interactions indicated that menthol smokers had smaller treatment effects than non-menthol smokers for CPD (-6.4 vs. -9.3), TNE (ratio of geometric means, 0.22 vs. 0.10) and CEMA (ratio, 0.56 vs. 0.37; ps < .05), and trended toward a smaller treatment effect for CO (-4.5 vs. -7.3 ppm; p = .06). Odds ratios for abstinence at week 20 were 1.88 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.8 to 4.4) for menthol and 9.11 (95% CI = 3.3 to 25.2) for non-menthol VLNC smokers (p = .02) relative to the NNC condition.ConclusionsAlthough menthol smokers experienced reductions in smoking, toxicant exposure, and increases in quitting when using VLNC cigarettes, the magnitude of change was smaller than that observed for non-menthol smokers.ImplicationsResults of this analysis suggest that smokers of menthol cigarettes may respond to a nicotine reduction policy with smaller reductions in smoking rates and toxicant exposure than would smokers of non-menthol cigarettes

Development and geometry of isotropic and directional shrinkage crack patterns

We have studied shrinkage crack patterns which form when a thin layer of an alumina/water slurry dries. Both isotropic and directional drying were studied. The dynamics of the pattern formation process and the geometric properties of the isotropic crack patterns are similar to what is expected from recent models, assuming weak disorder. There is some evidence for a gradual increase in disorder as the drying layer become thinner, but no sudden transition, in contrast to what has been seen in previous experiments. The morphology of the crack patterns is influenced by drying gradients and front propagation effects, with sharp gradients having a strong orienting and ordering effect.Comment: 8 pages, 11 figures, 8 in jpg format, 3 in postscript. See also http://mobydick.physics.utoronto.ca/mud.htm

Preliminary results of a feasibility study of the use of information technology for identification of suspected colorectal cancer in primary care: the CREDIBLE study

This is the final version of the article. Available from Cancer Research UK/Nature Publishing Group via the DOI in this record.BACKGROUND: We report the findings of a feasibility study using information technology to search electronic primary care records and to identify patients with possible colorectal cancer. METHODS: An algorithm to flag up patients meeting National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) urgent referral criteria for suspected colorectal cancer was developed and incorporated into clinical audit software. This periodically flagged up such patients aged 60 to 79 years. General practitioners (GPs) reviewed flagged-up patients and decided on further clinical management. We report the numbers of patients identified and the numbers that GPs judged to need further review, investigations or referral to secondary care and the final diagnoses. RESULTS: Between January 2012 and March 2014, 19,580 records of patients aged 60 to 79 years were searched in 20 UK general practices, flagging up 809 patients who met urgent referral criteria. The majority of the patients had microcytic anaemia (236 (29%)) or rectal bleeding (205 (25%)). A total of 274 (34%) patients needed further clinical review of their records; 199 (73%) of these were invited for GP consultation, and 116 attended, of whom 42 were referred to secondary care. Colon cancer was diagnosed in 10 out of 809 (1.2%) flagged-up patients and polyps in a further 28 out of 809 (3.5%). CONCLUSIONS: It is technically possible to identify patients with colorectal cancer by searching electronic patient records.We acknowledge the General Practitioners, practice nurses, practice managers and administrative staff who supported this study, our trial co-ordinator Marie Crook, Anthony Ingold who was one of our patient representatives and MSDi for their support in developing the software algorithm. We also acknowledge the support of the National Institute for Health Research Clinical Research Network. This study was funded by the National Awareness and Early Diagnosis Initiative (NAEDI). TM is partly funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) through the Collaborations for Leadership in Applied Health Research and Care for the West Midlands (CLAHRC-WM) programme

Endothelin‐1 response to whole‐body vibration in obese and normal weight individuals

Upregulation of endothelin‐1 (ET‐1) is the hallmark of various cardiovascular diseases (CVD). The purpose of the present study was to assess the ET‐1 response to an acute bout of whole‐body vibration (WBV) in humans and to determine the role of adiposity. Twenty‐two participants volunteered for the study; they were grouped into overweight/obese [(OW/OB): n = 11, Age: 33 ± 4 years, Body mass index (BMI): 35 ± 10 kg/m(2)] or normal weight [(NW): n = 11, Age: 28 ± 7 years, BMI: 21 ± 2 kg/m(2)]. Participants engaged in 10 cycles of WBV exercise (1 cycle = 1 min WBV followed by 30 s of rest). Blood samples were analyzed for ET‐1 pre‐WBV (PRE), immediately post (POST), 1 h (1H), 3 h (3H), and 24 h (24H) post‐WBV. There was a significant time main effect of WBV on circulating ET‐1 (F = 12.5, p < 0.001); however, the ET‐1 response was similar (F = 0.180, p = 0.677) between groups. Specifically, compared to PRE, a significant increase in ET‐1 was observed at 1H (p = 0.017) and 3H (p = 0.025). In addition, concentrations of ET‐1 were significantly lower at 24H compared to PRE (p = 0.019), 1H (p < 0.001), and 3H (p < 0.001). Maximal oxygen uptake during WBV was similar between the two groups. Acute WBV resulted in an initial rise in ET‐1, followed by a significantly lower ET‐1 at 24H in both groups. Findings support the utility of routine WBV exercise to elicit a decrease in ET‐1 and improve CVD risk, similar to what has been reported with traditional modes of exercise

A Targeted Conservation Approach for Improving Environmental Quality: Multiple Benefits and Expanded Opportunities

Find out how targeted conservation practices can have the most impact on environmental quality while causing only a small change in overall agricultural production. Environmental benefits are discussed related to clean air and water, productive soils, diverse wildlife and plant habitat, and biological controls for crop protection.https://lib.dr.iastate.edu/extension_ag_pubs/1084/thumbnail.jp

Derivation of High Spatial Resolution Albedo from UAV Digital Imagery:Application over the Greenland Ice Sheet

Measurements of albedo are a prerequisite for modeling surface melt across the Earth's cryosphere, yet available satellite products are limited in spatial and/or temporal resolution. Here, we present a practical methodology to obtain centimeter resolution albedo products with accuracies of ?5% using consumer-grade digital camera and unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) technologies. Our method comprises a workflow for processing, correcting and calibrating raw digital images using a white reference target, and upward and downward shortwave radiation measurements from broadband silicon pyranometers. We demonstrate the method with a set of UAV sorties over the western, K-sector of the Greenland Ice Sheet. The resulting albedo product, UAV10A1, covers 280 km2, at a resolution of 20 cm per pixel and has a root-mean-square difference of 3.7% compared to MOD10A1 and 4.9% compared to ground-based broadband pyranometer measurements. By continuously measuring downward solar irradiance, the technique overcomes previous limitations due to variable illumination conditions during and between surveys over glaciated terrain. The current miniaturization of multispectral sensors and incorporation of upward facing radiation sensors on UAV packages means that this technique could become increasingly common in field studies and used for a wide range of applications. These include the mapping of debris, dust, cryoconite and bioalbedo, and directly constraining surface energy balance models.publishersversionPeer reviewe

OLTARIS: On-Line Tool for the Assessment of Radiation in Space

The On-Line Tool for the Assessment of Radiation In Space (OLTARIS) is a World Wide Web based tool that assesses the effects of space radiation to humans in items such as spacecraft, habitats, rovers, and spacesuits. This document explains the basis behind the interface and framework used to input the data, perform the assessment, and output the results to the user as well as the physics, engineering, and computer science used to develop OLTARIS. The physics is based on the HZETRN2005 and NUCFRG2 research codes. The OLTARIS website is the successor to the SIREST website from the early 2000 s. Modifications have been made to the code to enable easy maintenance, additions, and configuration management along with a more modern web interface. Over all, the code has been verified, tested, and modified to enable faster and more accurate assessments. The next major areas of modification are more accurate transport algorithms, better uncertainty estimates, and electronic response functions. Improvements in the existing algorithms and data occur continuously and are logged in the change log section of the website

Stage-specific requirement for Eomes in mature NK cell homeostasis and cytotoxicity

Natural killer (NK) cells are cytotoxic innate lymphoid cells (ILCs) that mediate antiviral and antitumor responses and require the transcriptional regulator Eomesodermin (Eomes) for early development. However, the role of Eomes and its molecular program in mature NK cell biology is unclear. To address this, we develop a tamoxifen-inducible, type-1-ILC-specific (Ncr1-targeted) cre mouse and combine this with Eomes-floxed mice. Eomes deletion after normal NK cell ontogeny results in a rapid loss of NK cells (but not ILC1s), with a particularly profound effect on penultimately mature stage III NK cells. Mechanisms responsible for stage III reduction include increased apoptosis and impaired maturation from stage II precursors. Induced Eomes deletion also decreases NK cell cytotoxicity and abrogates in vivo rejection of major histocompatibility complex (MHC)-class-I-deficient cells. However, other NK cell functional responses, and stage IV NK cells, are largely preserved. These data indicate that mature NK cells have distinct Eomes-dependent and -independent stages