Evolution of porosity in carbide-derived carbon aerogels

Carbide-derived carbon (CDC) aerogel monoliths with very high porosity are synthesized starting from polymeric precursors. Cross-linking by platinum-catalyzed hydrosilylation of polycarbosilanes followed by supercritical drying yields preceramic aerogels. After ceramic conversion and silicon extraction in hot chlorine gas, hierarchically porous carbon materials with specific surface areas as high as 2122 m² g⁻¹ and outstanding total pore volumes close to 9 cm³ g⁻¹ are obtained. Their pore structure is controllable by the applied synthesis temperature as shown by combined nitrogen (-196 °C) and carbon dioxide (0 °C) measurements coupled with electron microscopic methods. The combination of large micropore volumes and the aerogel-type pore system leads to advanced adsorption properties due to a combination of large storage capacities and effective materials transport in comparison with purely microporous reference materials as shown by thermal response measurements

Ambient metrics for nn-dimensional pppp-waves

We provide an explicit formula for the Fefferman-Graham-ambient metric of an $n$-dimensional conformal $pp$-wave in those cases where it exists. In even dimensions we calculate the obstruction explicitly. Furthermore, we describe all 4-dimensional $pp$-waves that are Bach-flat, and give a large class of Bach-flat examples which are conformally Cotton-flat, but not conformally Einstein. Finally, as an application, we use the obtained ambient metric to show that even-dimensional $pp$-waves have vanishing critical $Q$-curvature.Comment: 17 pages, in v2 footnote and references added and typos corrected, in v3 remark in the Introduction about Brinkmann's results corrected and footnote adde

Efficiency of Magnetostatic Protection Using Nanostructured Permalloy Shielding Coatings Depending on Their Microstructure

The effect of microstructure on the efficiency of shielding or shunting of the magnetic fluxby permalloy shields was investigated in the present work. For this purpose, the FeNi shieldingcoatings with different grain structures were obtained using stationary and pulsed electrodeposition.The coatings’ composition, crystal structure, surface microstructure, magnetic domain structure, andshielding efficiency were studied. It has been shown that coatings with 0.2–0.6μm grains have adisordered domain structure. Consequently, a higher value of the shielding efficiency was achieved,but the working range was too limited. The reason for this is probably the hindered movement of thedomain boundaries. Samples with nanosized grains have an ordered two-domain magnetic structurewith a permissible partial transition to a superparamagnetic state in regions with a grain size of lessthan 100 nm. The ordered magnetic structure, the small size of the domain, and the coexistenceof ferromagnetic and superparamagnetic regions, although they reduce the maximum value ofthe shielding efficiency, significantly expand the working range in the nanostructured permalloyshielding coatings. As a result, a dependence between the grain and domain structure and theefficiency of magnetostatic shielding was found

Disease overarching mechanisms that explain and predict outcome of patients with high cardiovascular risk: rationale and design of the Berlin Long-term Observation of vascular events (BeLOVE) study

BACKGROUND: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of premature death worldwide. Effective and individualized treatment requires exact knowledge about both risk factors and risk estimation. Most evidence for risk prediction currently comes from population-based studies on first incident cardiovascular events. In contrast, little is known about the relevance of risk factors for the outcome of patients with established CVD or those who are at high risk of CVD, including patients with type 2 diabetes. In addition, most studies focus on individual diseases, whereas less is known about disease overarching risk factors and cross-over risk. AIM: The aim of BeLOVE is to improve short- and long-term prediction and mechanistic understanding of cardiovascular disease progression and outcomes in very high-risk patients, both in the acute as well as in the chronic phase, in order to provide the basis for improved, individualized management. STUDY DESIGN: BeLOVE is an observational prospective cohort study of patients of both sexes aged >18 in selected Berlin hospitals, who have a high risk of future cardiovascular events, including patients with a history of acute coronary syndrome (ACS), acute stroke (AS), acute heart failure (AHF), acute kidney injury (AKI) or type 2 diabetes with manifest target-organ damage. BeLOVE includes 2 subcohorts: The acute subcohort includes 6500 patients with ACS, AS, AHF, or AKI within 2-8 days after their qualifying event, who undergo a structured interview about medical history as well as blood sample collection. The chronic subcohort includes 6000 patients with ACS, AS, AHF, or AKI 90 days after event, and patients with type 2 diabetes (T2DM) and target-organ damage. These patients undergo a 6-8 hour deep phenotyping program, including detailed clinical phenotyping from a cardiological, neurological and metabolic perspective, questionnaires including patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs)as well as magnetic resonance imaging. Several biological samples are collected (i.e. blood, urine, saliva, stool) with blood samples collected in a fasting state, as well as after a metabolic challenge (either nutritional or cardiopulmonary exercise stress test). Ascertainment of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) will be performed in all patients using a combination of active and passive follow up procedures, such as on-site visits (if applicable), telephone interviews, review of medical charts, and links to local health authorities. Additional phenotyping visits are planned at 2, 5 and 10 years after inclusion into the chronic subcohort. FUTURE PERSPECTIVE: BeLOVE provides a unique opportunity to study both the short- and long-term disease course of patients at high cardiovascular risk through innovative and extensive deep phenotyping. Moreover, the unique study design provides opportunities for acute and post-acute inclusion and allows us to derive two non-nested yet overlapping sub-cohorts, tailored for upcoming research questions. Thereby, we aim to study disease overarching research questions, to understand crossover risk, and to find similarities and differences between clinical phenotypes of patients at high cardiovascular risk

Application of non-HDL cholesterol for population-based cardiovascular risk stratification: results from the Multinational Cardiovascular Risk Consortium.

BACKGROUND: The relevance of blood lipid concentrations to long-term incidence of cardiovascular disease and the relevance of lipid-lowering therapy for cardiovascular disease outcomes is unclear. We investigated the cardiovascular disease risk associated with the full spectrum of bloodstream non-HDL cholesterol concentrations. We also created an easy-to-use tool to estimate the long-term probabilities for a cardiovascular disease event associated with non-HDL cholesterol and modelled its risk reduction by lipid-lowering treatment. METHODS: In this risk-evaluation and risk-modelling study, we used Multinational Cardiovascular Risk Consortium data from 19 countries across Europe, Australia, and North America. Individuals without prevalent cardiovascular disease at baseline and with robust available data on cardiovascular disease outcomes were included. The primary composite endpoint of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease was defined as the occurrence of the coronary heart disease event or ischaemic stroke. Sex-specific multivariable analyses were computed using non-HDL cholesterol categories according to the European guideline thresholds, adjusted for age, sex, cohort, and classical modifiable cardiovascular risk factors. In a derivation and validation design, we created a tool to estimate the probabilities of a cardiovascular disease event by the age of 75 years, dependent on age, sex, and risk factors, and the associated modelled risk reduction, assuming a 50% reduction of non-HDL cholesterol. FINDINGS: Of the 524 444 individuals in the 44 cohorts in the Consortium database, we identified 398 846 individuals belonging to 38 cohorts (184 055 [48·7%] women; median age 51·0 years [IQR 40·7-59·7]). 199 415 individuals were included in the derivation cohort (91 786 [48·4%] women) and 199 431 (92 269 [49·1%] women) in the validation cohort. During a maximum follow-up of 43·6 years (median 13·5 years, IQR 7·0-20·1), 54 542 cardiovascular endpoints occurred. Incidence curve analyses showed progressively higher 30-year cardiovascular disease event-rates for increasing non-HDL cholesterol categories (from 7·7% for non-HDL cholesterol <2·6 mmol/L to 33·7% for ≥5·7 mmol/L in women and from 12·8% to 43·6% in men; p<0·0001). Multivariable adjusted Cox models with non-HDL cholesterol lower than 2·6 mmol/L as reference showed an increase in the association between non-HDL cholesterol concentration and cardiovascular disease for both sexes (from hazard ratio 1·1, 95% CI 1·0-1·3 for non-HDL cholesterol 2·6 to <3·7 mmol/L to 1·9, 1·6-2·2 for ≥5·7 mmol/L in women and from 1·1, 1·0-1·3 to 2·3, 2·0-2·5 in men). The derived tool allowed the estimation of cardiovascular disease event probabilities specific for non-HDL cholesterol with high comparability between the derivation and validation cohorts as reflected by smooth calibration curves analyses and a root mean square error lower than 1% for the estimated probabilities of cardiovascular disease. A 50% reduction of non-HDL cholesterol concentrations was associated with reduced risk of a cardiovascular disease event by the age of 75 years, and this risk reduction was greater the earlier cholesterol concentrations were reduced. INTERPRETATION: Non-HDL cholesterol concentrations in blood are strongly associated with long-term risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. We provide a simple tool for individual long-term risk assessment and the potential benefit of early lipid-lowering intervention. These data could be useful for physician-patient communication about primary prevention strategies. FUNDING: EU Framework Programme, UK Medical Research Council, and German Centre for Cardiovascular Research

Cardiovascular disease biomarkers derived from circulating cell-free DNA methylation

Acute coronary syndrome (ACS) remains a major cause of worldwide mortality. The syndrome occurs when blood flow to the heart muscle is decreased or blocked, causing muscle tissues to die or malfunction. There are three main types of ACS: Non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction, ST-elevation myocardial infarction, and unstable angina. The treatment depends on the type of ACS, and this is decided by a combination of clinical findings, such as electrocardiogram and plasma biomarkers. Circulating cell-free DNA (ccfDNA) is proposed as an additional marker for ACS since the damaged tissues can release DNA to the bloodstream. We used ccfDNA methylation profiles for differentiating between the ACS types and provided computational tools to repeat similar analysis for other diseases. We leveraged cell type specificity of DNA methylation to deconvolute the ccfDNA cell types of origin and to find methylation-based biomarkers that stratify patients. We identified hundreds of methylation markers associated with ACS types and validated them in an independent cohort. Many such markers were associated with genes involved in cardiovascular conditions and inflammation. ccfDNA methylation showed promise as a non-invasive diagnostic for acute coronary events. These methods are not limited to acute events, and may be used for chronic cardiovascular diseases as well

Plant-Symbiotic Fungi as Chemical Engineers: Multi-Genome Analysis of the Clavicipitaceae Reveals Dynamics of Alkaloid Loci

The fungal family Clavicipitaceae includes plant symbionts and parasites that produce several psychoactive and bioprotective alkaloids. The family includes grass symbionts in the epichloae clade (Epichloë and Neotyphodium species), which are extraordinarily diverse both in their host interactions and in their alkaloid profiles. Epichloae produce alkaloids of four distinct classes, all of which deter insects, and some—including the infamous ergot alkaloids—have potent effects on mammals. The exceptional chemotypic diversity of the epichloae may relate to their broad range of host interactions, whereby some are pathogenic and contagious, others are mutualistic and vertically transmitted (seed-borne), and still others vary in pathogenic or mutualistic behavior. We profiled the alkaloids and sequenced the genomes of 10 epichloae, three ergot fungi (Claviceps species), a morning-glory symbiont (Periglandula ipomoeae), and a bamboo pathogen (Aciculosporium take), and compared the gene clusters for four classes of alkaloids. Results indicated a strong tendency for alkaloid loci to have conserved cores that specify the skeleton structures and peripheral genes that determine chemical variations that are known to affect their pharmacological specificities. Generally, gene locations in cluster peripheries positioned them near to transposon-derived, AT-rich repeat blocks, which were probably involved in gene losses, duplications, and neofunctionalizations. The alkaloid loci in the epichloae had unusual structures riddled with large, complex, and dynamic repeat blocks. This feature was not reflective of overall differences in repeat contents in the genomes, nor was it characteristic of most other specialized metabolism loci. The organization and dynamics of alkaloid loci and abundant repeat blocks in the epichloae suggested that these fungi are under selection for alkaloid diversification. We suggest that such selection is related to the variable life histories of the epichloae, their protective roles as symbionts, and their associations with the highly speciose and ecologically diverse cool-season grasses

Validation of the GALS musculoskeletal screening exam for use in primary care: a pilot study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>As the proportion of the Canadian population ≥65 grows, so too does the prevalence of musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions. Approximately 20% of visits to family physicians occur as a result of MSK complaints. The GALS (Gait, Arms, Legs, and Spine) screening examination was developed to assist in the detection of MSK abnormalities. Although MSK exams are primarily performed by rheumatologists or other MSK specialists, expanding their use in primary health care may improve the detection of MSK conditions allowing for earlier treatment. The primary goal of this study was to evaluate the use of the GALS locomotor screen in primary care by comparing the results of assessments of family physicians with those of rheumatologists. The secondary goal was to examine the incidence of MSK disorders and assess the frequency with which new diagnoses not previously documented in patients' charts were identified.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Patients ≥65 years old recruited from an academic family health centre were examined by a rheumatologist and a family physician who recorded the appearance of each participant's gait and the appearance and movement of the arms, legs and spine by deeming them normal or abnormal. GALS scores were compared between physicians with the proportion of observed (P_obs), positive (P_pos) and negative (P_neg) agreement being the primary outcomes. Kappa statistics were also calculated. Descriptive statistics were used to describe the number of "new" diagnoses by comparing rheumatologists' findings with each patient's family practice chart.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>A total of 99 patients consented to participate (92 with previously diagnosed MSK conditions). Results showed reasonable agreement between family physicians and rheumatologists; P_obs= 0.698, P_pos= 0.614 and P_neg= 0.752. The coefficient of agreement (estimated Kappa) was 0.3675 for the composite GALS score. For individual components of the GALS exam, the highest agreement between family physicians and rheumatologists was in the assessment of gait and arm movement.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Previously reported increases in undiagnosed signs and symptoms of musculoskeletal conditions have highlighted the need for a simple yet sensitive screening exam for the identification of musculoskeletal abnormalities. Results of this study suggest that family physicians can efficiently use the GALS examination in the assessment of populations with a high proportion of musculoskeletal issues.</p