Oxygen Interaction With Space-Power Materials

Four investigations were undertaken during the period of this grant: (1 ) oxidation of molybdenum and of niobium-1 % zirconium, (2) preparation of and examination of EOIM-3 samples, (3) sputtering of Teflon by oxygen ion bombardment,and (4) sputtering of Ions from copper and aluminum by oxygen and argon ion bombardment. Investigations (1), (3), and (4) used a low-energy Ion gun to bombard surfaces within an ultra-high vacuum system. Particles ejected from the surfaces were detected by a mass spectrometer

Corneoscleral laceration and ocular burns caused by electronic cigarette explosions

PURPOSE: To report cases of acute globe rupture and bilateral corneal burns from electronic cigarette (EC) explosions. METHODS: Case series. RESULTS: We describe a series of patients with corneal injury caused by EC explosions. Both patients suffered bilateral corneal burns and decreased visual acuity, and one patient sustained a unilateral corneoscleral laceration with prolapsed iris tissue and hyphema. A review of the scientific literature revealed no prior reported cases of ocular injury secondary to EC explosions; however, multiple media and government agency articles describe fires and explosions involving ECs, including at least 4 with ocular injuries. CONCLUSIONS: Given these cases and the number of recent media reports, ECs pose a significant public health risk. Users should be warned regarding the possibility of severe injury, including sight-threatening ocular injuries ranging from corneal burns to full-thickness corneoscleral laceration

Non-invasive oscillometric versus invasive arterial blood pressure measurements in critically ill patients:A post hoc analysis of a prospective observational study

PURPOSE: The aim was to compare non-invasive blood pressure measurements with invasive blood pressure measurements in critically ill patients. METHODS: Non-invasive blood pressure was measured via automated brachial cuff oscillometry, and simultaneously the radial arterial catheter-derived measurement was recorded as part of a prospective observational study. Measurements of systolic arterial pressure (SAP), diastolic arterial pressure (DAP), and mean arterial pressure (MAP) were compared using Bland-Altman and error grid analyses. RESULTS: Paired measurements of blood pressure were available for 736 patients. Observed mean difference (±SD, 95% limits of agreement) between oscillometrically and invasively measured blood pressure was 0.8 mmHg (±15.7 mmHg, -30.2 to 31.7 mmHg) for SAP, -2.9 mmHg (±11.0 mmHg, -24.5 to 18.6 mmHg) for DAP, and -1.0 mmHg (±10.2 mmHg, -21.0 to 18.9 mmHg) for MAP. Error grid analysis showed that the proportions of measurements in risk zones A to E were 78.3%, 20.7%, 1.0%, 0%, and 0.1% for MAP. CONCLUSION: Non-invasive blood pressure measurements using brachial cuff oscillometry showed large limits of agreement compared to invasive measurements in critically ill patients. Error grid analysis showed that measurement differences between oscillometry and the arterial catheter would potentially have triggered at least low-risk treatment decisions in one in five patients

Clinical Examination for the Prediction of Mortality in the Critically Ill:The Simple Intensive Care Studies-I

Objectives: Caregivers use clinical examination to timely recognize deterioration of a patient, yet data on the prognostic value of clinical examination are inconsistent. In the Simple Intensive Care Studies-I, we evaluated the association of clinical examination findings with 90-day mortality in critically ill patients. Design: Prospective single-center cohort study. Setting: ICU of a single tertiary care level hospital between March 27, 2015, and July 22, 2017. Patients: All consecutive adults acutely admitted to the ICU and expected to stay for at least 24 hours. Interventions: A protocolized clinical examination of 19 clinical signs conducted within 24 hours of admission. Measurements Main Results: Independent predictors of 90-day mortality were identified using multivariable logistic regression analyses. Model performance was compared with established prognostic risk scores using area under the receiver operating characteristic curves. Robustness of our findings was tested by internal bootstrap validation and adjustment of the threshold for statistical significance. A total of 1,075 patients were included, of whom 298 patients (28%) had died at 90-day follow-up. Multivariable analyses adjusted for age and norepinephrine infusion rate demonstrated that the combination of higher respiratory rate, higher systolic blood pressure, lower central temperature, altered consciousness, and decreased urine output was independently associated with 90-day mortality (area under the receiver operating characteristic curves = 0.74; 95% CI, 0.71-0.78). Clinical examination had a similar discriminative value as compared with the Simplified Acute Physiology Score-II (area under the receiver operating characteristic curves = 0.76; 95% CI, 0.73-0.79; p = 0.29) and Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation-IV (using area under the receiver operating characteristic curves = 0.77; 95% CI, 0.74-0.80; p = 0.16) and was significantly better than the Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (using area under the receiver operating characteristic curves = 0.67; 95% CI, 0.64-0.71; p <0.001). Conclusions: Clinical examination has reasonable discriminative value for assessing 90-day mortality in acutely admitted ICU patients. In our study population, a single, protocolized clinical examination had similar prognostic abilities compared with the Simplified Acute Physiology Score-II and Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation-IV and outperformed the Sequential Organ Failure Assessment score

Time resolved spectroscopy of BD+46 442: gas streams and jet creation in a newly discovered evolved binary with a disk

Previous studies have shown that many post-AGB stars with dusty disks are associated with single-lined binary stars. To verify the binarity hypothesis on a larger sample, we started a high-resolution spectral monitoring of about 40 field giants, whose binarity was suspected based on either a light curve, an infrared excess, or a peculiar chemical composition. Here we report on the discovery of the periodic RV variations in BD+46 442, a high-latitude F giant with a disk. We interpret the variations due to the motion around a faint companion, and deduce the following orbital parameters: Porb = 140.77 d, e = 0.083, asini=0.31 AU. We find it to be a moderately metal-poor star ([M/H]=-0.7) without a strong depletion pattern in the photospheric abundances. Interestingly, many lines show periodic changes with the orbital phase: Halpha switches between a double-peak emission and a PCyg-like profiles, while strong metal lines appear split during the maximum redshift. Similar effects are likely visible in the spectra of other post-AGB binaries, but their regularity is not always realized due to sporadic observations. We propose that these features result from an ongoing mass transfer from the evolved giant to the companion. In particular, the blue-shifted absorption in Halpha, which occurs only at superior conjunction, may result from a jet originating in the accretion disk around the companion and seen in absorption towards the luminous primary.Comment: 16 pages, accepted in A&

The diagnostic accuracy of clinical examination for estimating cardiac index in critically ill patients:the Simple Intensive Care Studies-I

PurposeClinical examination is often the first step to diagnose shock and estimate cardiac index. In the Simple Intensive Care Studies-I, we assessed the association and diagnostic performance of clinical signs for estimation of cardiac index in critically ill patients.MethodsIn this prospective, single-centre cohort study, we included all acutely ill patients admitted to the ICU and expected to stay>24h. We conducted a protocolised clinical examination of 19 clinical signs followed by critical care ultrasonography for cardiac index measurement. Clinical signs were associated with cardiac index and a low cardiac index (4.5s, or skin mottling over the knee.ConclusionsSeven out of 19 clinical examination findings were independently associated with cardiac index. For estimation of cardiac index, clinical examination was found to be insufficient in multivariable analyses and in diagnostic accuracy tests. Additional measurements such as critical care ultrasonography remain necessary

Recommendations for whole genome sequencing in diagnostics for rare diseases

In 2016, guidelines for diagnostic Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) have been published by EuroGentest in order to assist laboratories in the implementation and accreditation of NGS in a diagnostic setting. These guidelines mainly focused on Whole Exome Sequencing (WES) and targeted (gene panels) sequencing detecting small germline variants (Single Nucleotide Variants (SNVs) and insertions/deletions (indels)). Since then, Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS) has been increasingly introduced in the diagnosis of rare diseases as WGS allows the simultaneous detection of SNVs, Structural Variants (SVs) and other types of variants such as repeat expansions. The use of WGS in diagnostics warrants the re-evaluation and update of previously published guidelines. This work was jointly initiated by EuroGentest and the Horizon2020 project Solve-RD. Statements from the 2016 guidelines have been reviewed in the context of WGS and updated where necessary. The aim of these recommendations is primarily to list the points to consider for clinical (laboratory) geneticists, bioinformaticians, and (non-)geneticists, to provide technical advice, aid clinical decision-making and the reporting of the results

PRMT3 inhibitor SGC707 reduces triglyceride levels and induces pruritus in Western-type diet-fed LDL receptor knockout mice

Protein arginine methyltransferase 3 (PRMT3) is a co-activator of liver X receptor capable of selectively modulating hepatic triglyceride synthesis. Here we investigated whether pharmacological PRMT3 inhibition can diminish the hepatic steatosis extent and lower plasma lipid levels and atherosclerosis susceptibility. Hereto, male hyperlipidemic low-density lipoprotein receptor knockout mice were fed an atherogenic Western-type diet and injected 3 times per week intraperitoneally with PRMT3 inhibitor SGC707 or solvent control. Three weeks into the study, SGC707-treated mice developed severe pruritus and scratching-associated skin lesions, leading to early study termination. SGC707-treated mice exhibited 50% lower liver triglyceride stores as well as 32% lower plasma triglyceride levels. Atherosclerotic lesions were virtually absent in all experimental mice. Plasma metabolite analysis revealed that levels of taurine-conjugated bile acids were ~ threefold increased (P < 0.001) in response to SGC707 treatment, which was paralleled by systemically higher bile acid receptor TGR5 signalling. In conclusion, we have shown that SGC707 treatment reduces hepatic steatosis and plasma triglyceride levels and induces pruritus in Western-type diet-fed LDL receptor knockout mice. These findings suggest that pharmacological PRMT3 inhibition can serve as therapeutic approach to treat non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and dyslipidemia/atherosclerosis, when unwanted effects on cholesterol and bile acid metabolism can be effectively tackled

PRMT3 inhibitor SGC707 reduces triglyceride levels and induces pruritus in Western-type diet-fed LDL receptor knockout mice

Protein arginine methyltransferase 3 (PRMT3) is a co-activator of liver X receptor capable of selectively modulating hepatic triglyceride synthesis. Here we investigated whether pharmacological PRMT3 inhibition can diminish the hepatic steatosis extent and lower plasma lipid levels and atherosclerosis susceptibility. Hereto, male hyperlipidemic low-density lipoprotein receptor knockout mice were fed an atherogenic Western-type diet and injected 3 times per week intraperitoneally with PRMT3 inhibitor SGC707 or solvent control. Three weeks into the study, SGC707-treated mice developed severe pruritus and scratching-associated skin lesions, leading to early study termination. SGC707-treated mice exhibited 50% lower liver triglyceride stores as well as 32% lower plasma triglyceride levels. Atherosclerotic lesions were virtually absent in all experimental mice. Plasma metabolite analysis revealed that levels of taurine-conjugated bile acids were ~ threefold increased (P < 0.001) in response to SGC707 treatment, which was paralleled by systemically higher bile acid receptor TGR5 signalling. In conclusion, we have shown that SGC707 treatment reduces hepatic steatosis and plasma triglyceride levels and induces pruritus in Western-type diet-fed LDL receptor knockout mice. These findings suggest that pharmacological PRMT3 inhibition can serve as therapeutic approach to treat non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and dyslipidemia/atherosclerosis, when unwanted effects on cholesterol and bile acid metabolism can be effectively tackled.Analytical BioScience