Maintenance of Gains, Morbidity, and Mortality at 1 Year Following Cardiac Rehabilitation in a Middle‐Income Country: A Wait‐List Control Crossover Trial

Background-—Despite the epidemic of cardiovascular diseases in middle-income countries, few trials are testing the benefits of cardiac rehabilitation (CR). This trial assessed (1) maintenance of functional capacity, risk factor control, knowledge, and hearthealth behaviors and (2) mortality and morbidity at 6 months following CR in a middle-income country. Methods and Results-—Eligible Brazilian coronary patients were initially randomized (1:1:1 concealed) to 1 of 3 parallel arms (comprehensive CR [exercise plus education], exercise-only CR, or wait-list control). The CR programs were 6 months in duration, at which point follow-up assessments were performed. Mortality and morbidity were ascertained from chart and patient or family report (blinded). Controls were then offered CR (crossover). Outcomes were again assessed 6 months later (blinded). ANCOVA was performed for each outcome at 12 months. Overall, 115 (88.5%) patients were randomized, and 62 (53.9%) were retained at 1 year. At 6 months, 23 (58.9%) of those 39 initially randomized to the wait-list control elected to attend CR. Functional capacity, risk factors, knowledge, and heart-health behaviors were maintained from 6 to 12 months in participants from both CR arms (all P>0.05). At 1 year, knowledge was significantly greater with comprehensive CR at either time point (P<0.001). There were 2 deaths. Hospitalizations (P=0.03), nonfatal myocardial infarctions (P=0.04), and percutaneous coronary interventions (P=0.03) were significantly fewer with CR than control at 6 months. Conclusions-—CR participation is associated with lower morbidity, long-term maintenance of functional capacity, risk factors, and heart-health behaviors, as well as with greater cardiovascular knowledge compared with no CR. Clinical Trial Registration-—URL: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT02575976. (J Am Heart Assoc. 2019;8: e011228. DOI: 10.1161/JAHA.118.011228.) Key Words: cardiac rehabilitation • coronary disease • morbidity/mortality • rehabilitation • risk factorYork University Librarie

Differentiating signals to make biological sense – a guide through databases for MS-based non-targeted metabolomics

Metabolite identification is one of the most challenging steps in metabolomics studies and reflects one of the greatest bottlenecks in the entire workflow. The success of this step determines the success of the entire research, therefore the quality at which annotations are given requires special attention. A variety of tools and resources are available to aid metabolite identification or annotation, offering different and often complementary functionalities. In preparation for this article, almost 50 databases were reviewed, from which 17 were selected for discussion, chosen for their on-line ESI-MS functionality. The general characteristics and functions of each database is discussed in turn, considering the advantages and limitations of each along with recommendations for optimal use of each tool, as derived from experiences encountered at the Centre for Metabolomics and Bioanalysis (CEMBIO) in Madrid. These databases were evaluated considering their utility in non-targeted metabolomics, including aspects such as ID assignment, structural assignment and interpretation of results

Tamil Nadu election Report, India, 2009

No description supplie

Characteristics of Effective Postsecondary Advising: How Often to Meet and What to Focus On

Using data from a large-scale senior exit survey administered at public high schools in New York City, this study aims to parse out what quantitative and qualitative characteristics of postsecondary advising are most influential in predicting students’ likelihood to attend college. We apply a broader conceptual framework for postsecondary advisement that includes school-based college advising as well as parental advisement on college and career planning. Results from logistic regression analyses show receiving help in completing college applications, along with talking to a counselor and parents/guardians at least 3 times in their senior year, to be salient predictors of college-going

A Multipurpose Collapsible Scaffold for Flat and Irregular Surfaces

The construction industry heavily relies on scaffolding to facilitate work at elevated heights. This study presents a new and innovative design for a collapsible, multifunctional scaffold that is suitable for both flat and irregular surfaces. The design of the scaffold was evaluated using a Likert scale survey, which revealed high acceptability across all evaluated categories. The scaffold was fabricated using a combination of steel and aluminum materials and designed using computer-aided design CAD software. The fabrication process, portability, performance, and safety of a prototype scaffold were thoroughly assessed. The evaluation methodology employed a Likert-scale questionnaire and a descriptive research approach. A total of 30 engineers, architects, and construction laborers participated in the evaluation, assessing four essential aspects of the scaffold. The results indicated a consistently high level of acceptability, with weighted mean scores ranging from 4.69 to 4.94 out of a maximum score of 5.0 in all categories. The design parameters of the scaffold, such as the footing mechanism and working platform design, were determined based on industry standards and the intended usage of the scaffold. However, this study did not include a sensitivity analysis to explore the impact of different parameter values on the scaffold's performance. This study introduces a collapsible, multifunctional scaffold that effectively addresses the limitations of traditional scaffolds by offering enhanced portability, safety, and adaptability to flat and irregular surfaces. The widespread adoption of this scaffold design is expected to have significant implications for the construction industry, improving productivity and safety in construction projects. Doi: 10.28991/CEJ-SP2023-09-09 Full Text: PD

The GHOSTS survey. II. The diversity of Halo Color and Metallicity Profiles of Massive Disk Galaxies

We study the stellar halo color properties of six nearby massive highly inclined disk galaxies using Hubble Space Telescope Advanced Camera for Surveys and Wide Field Camera 3 observations in both F606W and F814W filters from the GHOSTS survey. The observed fields, placed both along the minor and major axis of each galaxy, probe the stellar outskirts out to projected distances of ~ 50-70 kpc from their galactic centre along the minor axis. The 50% completeness levels of the color magnitude diagrams are typically at two mag below the tip of the red giant branch. We find that all galaxies have extended stellar halos out to ~ 50 kpc and two out to ~ 70 kpc. We determined the halo color distribution and color profile for each galaxy using the median colors of stars in the RGB. Within each galaxy we find variations in the median colors as a function of radius which likely indicates population variations, reflecting that their outskirts were built from several small accreted objects. We find that half of the galaxies (NGC 0891, NGC 4565, and NGC 7814) present a clear negative color gradient, reflecting a declining metallicity in their halos; the other have no significant color or population gradient. In addition, notwithstanding the modest sample size of galaxies, there is no strong correlation between their halo color/metallicity or gradient with galaxy's properties such as rotational velocity or stellar mass. The diversity in halo color profiles observed in the GHOSTS galaxies qualitatively supports the predicted galaxy-to-galaxy scatter in halo stellar properties; a consequence of the stochasticity inherent in the assembling history of galaxies.Comment: Accepted by MNRAS, 31 pages, 18 figures. Appendix added and some editions to match accepted version. Conclusions unchange

Detection limits of organic compounds achievable with intense, short-pulse lasers

Many organic molecules have strong absorption bands which can be accessed by ultraviolet short pulse lasers to produce efficient ionization. This resonant multiphoton ionization scheme has already been exploited as an ionization source in time-of-flight mass spectrometers used for environmental trace analysis. In the present work we quantify the ultimate potential of this technique by measuring absolute ion yields produced from the interaction of 267 nm femtosecond laser pulses with the organic molecules indole and toluene, and gases Xe, N2 and O2. Using multiphoton ionization cross sections extracted from these results, we show that the laser pulse parameters required for real-time detection of aromatic molecules at concentrations of one part per trillion in air and a limit of detection of a few attomoles are achievable with presently available commercial laser systems. The potential applications for the analysis of human breath, blood and tissue samples are discussed

Validated Screening Tools for Common Mental Disorders in Low and Middle Income Countries: A Systematic Review.

BACKGROUND: A wide range of screening tools are available to detect common mental disorders (CMDs), but few have been specifically developed for populations in low and middle income countries (LMIC). Cross-cultural application of a screening tool requires that its validity be assessed against a gold standard diagnostic interview. Validation studies of brief CMD screening tools have been conducted in several LMIC, but until now there has been no review of screening tools for all CMDs across all LMIC populations. METHODS: A systematic review with broad inclusion criteria was conducted, producing a comprehensive summary of brief CMD screening tools validated for use in LMIC populations. For each validation, the diagnostic odds ratio (DOR) was calculated as an easily comparable measure of screening tool validity. Average DOR results weighted by sample size were calculated for each screening tool, enabling us to make broad recommendations about best performing screening tools. RESULTS: 153 studies fulfilled our inclusion criteria. Because many studies validated two or more screening tools, this corresponded to 273 separate validations against gold standard diagnostic criteria. We found that the validity of every screening tool tested in multiple settings and populations varied between studies, highlighting the importance of local validation. Many of the best performing tools were purposely developed for a specific population; however, as these tools have only been validated in one study, it is not possible to draw broader conclusions about their applicability in other contexts. CONCLUSIONS: Of the tools that have been validated in multiple settings, the authors broadly recommend using the SRQ-20 to screen for general CMDs, the GHQ-12 for CMDs in populations with physical illness, the HADS-D for depressive disorders, the PHQ-9 for depressive disorders in populations with good literacy levels, the EPDS for perinatal depressive disorders, and the HADS-A for anxiety disorders. We recommend that, wherever possible, a chosen screening tool should be validated against a gold standard diagnostic assessment in the specific context in which it will be employed