Aerospace systems and mission analysis research - Solar electric space mission analysis Final report

Mission analysis for solar electric propelled spacecraft on Mars Orbiter, Jupiter flyby, and asteroid belt exploration trajectorie

Keeping Tabs on the Women: Life Scientists in Europe

To increase the visibility of European women from post-docs to senior group leaders, the European Life Science Organization (ELSO) has created a Database of Expert Women in the Molecular Life Sciences

Prevalence of hearing and vestibular loss in cystic fibrosis patients exposed to aminoglycosides

AimCystic Fibrosis (CF) patients frequently use aminoglycosides (AGS) to treat CF exacerbation due to colonization with Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Although AGS can cause vestibular and auditory sensory losses that can negatively impact quality of life, little is known about the prevalence of vestibular loss in this population. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of hearing loss and/or vestibular dysfunction in CF patients treated with AGS.MethodsThe relationship between hearing status and vestibular status was also investigated. Hearing was determined to be normal or abnormal based on pure tone air and bone conduction thresholds. Vestibular outcome was divided into four categories; normal, non‐lateralized vestibular dysfunction, unilateral loss, and bilateral loss based on results of post head shaking testing, positional and positioning testing, bithermal calorics, sinusoidal, and rotational step testing.ResultsOf our cohort of 71 patients, 56 (79%) patients have vestibular system dysfunction while only 15 (21%) have normal vestibular system function. Overall, 16 patients (23%) have hearing loss. In considering the relationship between auditory and vestibular function, 12 (17%) demonstrated both normal hearing and normal vestibular function and 13 (18%) have both hearing loss and abnormal vestibular function. Of the 55 (78%) patients with normal hearing, 43 (61%) have vestibular dysfunction, while 3 (4%) of patients with normal vestibular function have hearing loss.ConclusionThese results suggest that monitoring hearing alone is insufficient to detect ototoxicity in CF patients being treated with systemic AGS.Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/138372/1/ppul23763_am.pdfhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/138372/2/ppul23763.pd

Evaluating Calculated Free Testosterone as a Predictor of Morbidity and Mortality Independent of Testosterone for Cross-sectional and 5-Year Longitudinal Health Outcomes in Older Men: The Concord Health and Ageing in Men Project

To determine whether calculated free testosterone (cFT) provides prognostic information independent of serum T for predicting morbidity and mortality in older men in cross-sectional and 5-year longitudinal analyses. We studied men aged ≥70 years at baseline (n = 1,705), 2-year and 5-year measuring serum T (liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry), SHBG (immunoassay), cFT (an assumption-free empirical formula) together with 24 morbidity and 4 mortality outcomes. For cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses we employed a joint prediction model using generalized estimating equation models adjusted for age, smoking, comorbidities, and body mass index (BMI) with men having both normal T and normal cFT as referent group. Most morbidity and mortality outcomes were predicted by a combination of low T and cFT (LL). By contrast, only a single morbidity outcome in cross-sectional and none in longitudinal analysis was predicted by low T/normal cFT (LN) or normal T/low cFT (NL) without significant LL associations (isolated discordance). While for the few outcomes that predicted morbidity in men with discordances (LN or NL), these predictions only occurred when LL was also significant. Hence, for morbidity or mortality prediction in older men, discordance between cFT and T is unusual and isolated discordance is rare, so that cFT provides minimal independent prognostic information over serum T.NHMRC, Sydney Medical School Foundation, and Ageing and Alzheimer’s Institute

Some Remarks on Effective Range Formula in Potential Scattering

In this paper, we present different proofs of very recent results on the necessary as well as sufficient conditions on the decrease of the potential at infinity for the validity of effective range formulas in 3-D in low energy potential scattering (Andr\'e Martin, private communication, to appear. See Theorem 1 below). Our proofs are based on compact formulas for the phase-shifts. The sufficiency conditions are well-known since long. But the necessity of the same conditions for potentials keeping a constant sign at large distances are new. All these conditions are established here for dimension 3 and for all angular momenta $\ell \geq 0$

Association between pain and the frailty phenotype in older men: longitudinal results from the Concord Health and Ageing in Men Project (CHAMP)

Objectives to determine whether pain increases the risk of developing the frailty phenotype and whether frailty increases the risk of developing chronic or intrusive pain, using longitudinal data. Design/Setting longitudinal data from the Concord Health and Ageing in Men Project (CHAMP), a prospective population based cohort study. Participants a total of 1,705 men aged 70 years or older, living in an urban area of New South Wales, Australia. Measurements data on the presence of chronic pain (daily pain for at least 3 months), intrusive pain (pain causing moderate to severe interference with activities) and the criteria for the Cardiovascular Health Study (CHS) frailty phenotype were collected in three waves, from January 2005 to October 2013. Data on age, living arrangements, education, smoking status, alcohol consumption, body mass index, comorbidities, cognitive function, depressive symptoms and history of vertebral or hip fracture were also collected and included as covariates in the analyses. Results a total of 1,705 participants were included at baseline, of whom 1,332 provided data at the 2-year follow-up and 940 at the 5-year follow-up. Non-frail (robust and pre-frail) men who reported chronic pain were 1.60 (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.02–2.51, P = 0.039) times more likely to develop frailty at follow-up, compared to those with no pain. Intrusive pain did not significantly increase the risk of future frailty. Likewise, the frailty status was not associated with future chronic or intrusive pain in the adjusted analysis. Conclusions the presence of chronic pain increases the risk of developing the frailty phenotype in community-dwelling older men.NHMRC, The Ageing and Alzheimer's Institut

Does combined osteopenia/osteoporosis and sarcopenia confer greater risk of falls and fracture than either condition alone in older men? The Concord Health and Ageing in Men Project

Background It is unclear whether older men with osteopenia/osteoporosis and sarcopenia (so-called osteosarcopenia) are at greater risk of falls and fractures than those with either condition alone. Methods One thousand five hundred seventy-five community-dwelling men aged ≥70 years had appendicular lean mass, total hip and lumbar spine bone mineral density determined by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry, and completed hand grip strength and gait speed tests. Osteopenia/osteoporosis was defined as a T-score at any site ≤−1.0 SD. Sarcopenia was defined using the European Working Group on Sarcopenia algorithm. Participants were contacted every 4 months for 6 ± 2 years to ascertain incident fractures (confirmed by radiographic reports) and for 2 years for incident falls. Results Prevalence of osteosarcopenia was 8%, while 34% of participants had osteopenia/osteoporosis alone and 7% had sarcopenia alone. Men with osteosarcopenia had significantly increased fall (incidence rate ratio: 1.41; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.02 to 1.95) and fracture risk (hazard ratio: 1.87; 95% CI: 1.07 to 3.26) compared with men with neither osteopenia/osteoporosis nor sarcopenia. There was no statistical interaction between osteopenia/osteoporosis and sarcopenia, and falls and fracture risk were not different for osteosarcopenia compared with either condition alone (all p > .05). Conclusions Community-dwelling older men with combined osteopenia/osteoporosis and sarcopenia do not have increased falls and fracture risk compared with those with either condition. Further research is required to clarify whether the term “osteosarcopenia” has any meaning above and beyond either term alone and therefore potential clinical utility for falls and fracture prediction.NHMRC (project grant number 301916) and the Ageing and Alzheimer’s Institute. D.Scott is supported by a NHRMC Career Development Fellowship (GNT1123014

Frequency and type of adverse analytical findings in athletics: Differences among disciplines.

Athletics is a highly diverse sport that contains a set of disciplines grouped into jumps, throws, races of varying distances, and combined events. From a physiological standpoint, the physical capabilities linked to success are quite different among disciplines, with varying involvements of muscle strength, muscle power, and endurance. Thus, the use of banned substances in athletics might be dictated by physical dimensions of each discipline. Thus, the aim of this investigation was to analyse the number and distribution of adverse analytical findings per drug class in athletic disciplines. The data included in this investigation were gathered from the Anti-Doping Testing Figure Report made available by the World Anti-Doping Agency (from 2016 to 2018). Interestingly, there were no differences in the frequency of adverse findings (overall, 0.95%, range from 0.77 to 1.70%) among disciplines despite long distance runners having the highest number of samples analysed per year ( 9812 samples/year). Sprinters and throwers presented abnormally high proportions of adverse analytical findings within the group of anabolic agents (p < 0.01); middle- and long-distance runners presented atypically high proportions of findings related to peptide hormones and growth factors (p < 0.01); racewalkers presented atypically high proportions of banned diuretics and masking agents (p = 0.05). These results suggest that the proportion of athletes that are using banned substances is similar among the different disciplines of athletics. However, there are substantial differences in the class of drugs more commonly used in each discipline. This information can be used to effectively enhance anti-doping testing protocols in athletics.post-print1.911 K

Community-dwelling men with dementia are at high risk of hip but not any other fracture: The Concord Health and Ageing in Men Project

Aim The aim of the present longitudinal study of community‐dwelling older men was to examine the association between cognitive status at baseline, and falls, fractures and bone loss over time. Methods In the Concord Health and Aging in Men Project, 1705 community‐dwelling men aged 70–97 years had detailed baseline clinical assessment of cognitive status (dementia, mild cognitive impairment [MCI] and normal cognition), as well as depression, physical activity, neuromuscular function, health status, sociodemographics, comorbidities, medication use and serum 25 hydroxyvitamin D, 1,25 dihydroxyvitamin D and parathyroid hormone levels. During a mean follow‐up period of 6 years, participants were contacted 4‐monthly to ascertain incident falls and fractures, the latter being confirmed by radiographic reports. Bone mineral density was measured by dual X‐ray absorptiometry at multiple time‐points. Results At baseline, 120 men were assessed to have MCI and 93 men to have dementia. Over time, there were 162 first incident fractures, including 43 hip and 32 vertebral fractures. In univariate models, baseline dementia, but not MCI, predicted an increased incidence of hip fracture (HR 6.95, 95% CI 3.47–13.96), but not vertebral (HR 2.26, 95% CI 0.79–6.46) or non‐hip non‐vertebral fracture (HR 0.73, 95% CI 0.27–1.99). The strong risk of hip fractures associated with dementia remained after accounting for potential confounders (HR 4.44, 95% CI 1.97–9.98). In multivariate analyses, dementia (incidence rate ratio 2.26, 95% CI 1.70–2.99), but not MCI, was associated with an increased risk of falls compared with normal cognition. There was no association between baseline dementia and change in bone mineral density. Conclusions Older men with dementia, but not MCI, have a greater tendency to fall and sustain hip fractures, but not any other types of fractures.NHMRC, Ageing and Alzheimer's Institute, Sydney Medical School Foundatio

Neuroendocrine androgen action is a key extraovarian mediator in the development of polycystic ovary syndrome

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a complex hormonal disorder characterized by reproductive, endocrine, and metabolic abnormalities. As the origins of PCOS remain unknown, mechanism-based treatments are not feasible and current management relies on treatment of symptoms. Hyperandrogenism is the most consistent PCOS characteristic; however, it is unclear whether androgen excess, which is treatable, is a cause or a consequence of PCOS. As androgens mediate their actions via the androgen receptor (AR), we combined a mouse model of dihydrotestosterone (DHT)-induced PCOS with global and cell-specific AR-resistant (ARKO) mice to investigate the locus of androgen actions that mediate the development of the PCOS phenotype. Global loss of the AR reveals that AR signaling is required for all DHT-induced features of PCOS. Neuron-specific AR signaling was required for the development of dysfunctional ovulation, classic polycystic ovaries, reduced large antral follicle health, and several metabolic traits including obesity and dyslipidemia. In addition, ovariectomized ARKO hosts with wild-type ovary transplants displayed normal estrous cycles and corpora lutea, despite DHT treatment, implying extraovarian and not intraovarian AR actions are key loci of androgen action in generating the PCOS phenotype. These findings provide strong evidence that neuroendocrine genomic AR signaling is an important extraovarian mediator in the development of PCOS traits. Thus, targeting AR-driven mechanisms that initiate PCOS is a promising strategy for the development of novel treatments for PCOS.Aimee S. L. Caldwell, Melissa C. Edwards, Reena Desai, Mark Jimenez, Robert B. Gilchrist, David J. Handelsman and Kirsty A. Walter