Dialysate glucose response phenotypes during peritoneal equilibration test and their association with cardiovascular death : a cohort study

Different measures of rates of transfer of glucose during the peritoneal equilibrium test (PET), undertaken during peritoneal dialysis (PD) might provide additional information regarding a patient's risk of future cardiovascular mortality. This study aimed to characterize the heterogeneity of dialysate glucose (DG) response phenotypes during the PET and compare the cardiovascular mortality rates associated with the different phenotypes. Our cohort was derived from Henan peritoneal dialysis registry. A total of 3477 patients initiating PD in 2007 to 2014 had the DG measured at 0, 2-hour and 4-hour (D0, D2, and D4 respectively) during the PET for estimation of D2/D0 and D4/D0. Deaths mainly due to CVD within 2 years since the initiation of PD were defined as the outcome. Latent class mixed-effect models were fitted to identify distinct phenotypes of the DG response during the PET. Multivariable unconditional Logistic regression models with adjustment for cardiometabolic risk factors were used to compare the 2-year risk of cardiovascular mortality among patients in the different latent classes. Three distinct DG response phenotypes during the PET were identified. Those with consistently high D2/D0 and D4/D0 ratios had a 1.22 [95% confidence interval: 1.02, 1.35] excess risk of a cardiovascular death within 2 years of commencing PD compared with patients with the lowest D2/D0 ratio and decreased D4/D0 ratio after adjustment for cardiometabolic risk factors. Consistently elevated D2/D0 and D4/D0 ratios during the PET are associated with an increased risk of 2-year cardiovascular mortality independent of other cardiometabolic risk factors. In view of the potential bias due to unmeasured confounders (eg, Family history of cardiovascular diseases, and dietary patterns), this association should be further validated in other external cohorts

Building Interprofessional Global Health Infrastructure at a University and Health System: Navigating Challenges and Scaling Successes

Mission: Global Jefferson will create sustainable programs of global distinction through collaboration that position Jefferson as a local and international destination and resource for education, research, and clinical activities. Global Jefferson is supported by the Associate Provost for Global Affairs, part of the Office of the Provost. Global activity at Jefferson includes: Global Health Initiatives Committee (GHIC) Service Learning Global Research & Exchange between institutions Pre-clinical, translational, clinical, and applied research Poster presented at: 8th Annual Global Health Conference of the Consortium of Universities for Global Health (CUGH)https://jdc.jefferson.edu/globalhealthposters/1000/thumbnail.jp

Muon anomalous magnetic moment in technicolor models

Contributions to the muon anomalous magnetic moment are evaluated in the technicolor model with scalars and topcolor assisted technicolor model. In the technicolor model with scalars, the additional contributions come from the loops of scalars, which were found sizable only for a very large $f/f^{'}$ disfavored by the experiment of $b\to s\gamma$. The topcolor effect is also found to be large only for an unnaturally large $\tan\theta'$, and thus the previously evaluated loop effects of extended technicolor bosons, suppressed by $m_{\mu}^2/M_{ETC}^2$, must be resorted to account for the E821 experiment. So, if the E821 experiment result persists, it would be a challenge to technicolor models.Comment: refs and comments adde

Resistive Random Access Memories (RRAMs) Based on Metal Nanoparticles

It is demonstrated that planar structures based on silver nanoparticleshosted in a polymer matrix show reliable and reproducible switching properties attractive for non-volatile memory applications. These systems can be programmed between a low conductance (off-state) and high conductance (on-state) with an on/off ratio of 3 orders of magnitude, large retention times and good cycle endurance. The planar structure design offers a series of advantages discussed in this contribution, which make it an ideal tool to elucidate the resistive switching phenomena

Construction of Lp\mathcal L^p-strong Feller Processes via Dirichlet Forms and Applications to Elliptic Diffusions

We provide a general construction scheme for $\mathcal L^p$-strong Feller processes on locally compact separable metric spaces. Starting from a regular Dirichlet form and specified regularity assumptions, we construct an associated semigroup and resolvents of kernels having the $\mathcal L^p$-strong Feller property. They allow us to construct a process which solves the corresponding martingale problem for all starting points from a known set, namely the set where the regularity assumptions hold. We apply this result to construct elliptic diffusions having locally Lipschitz matrix coefficients and singular drifts on general open sets with absorption at the boundary. In this application elliptic regularity results imply the desired regularity assumptions

New electronic memory device concepts based on metal oxide-polymer nanostructures planer diodes

Nanostructure silver oxide thin films diodes can exhibit resistive switching effects. After an electroforming process the device can be programmed between a low conductance (off-state) and high conductance (on- state) with a voltage pulse and they are already being considered for non-volatile memory applications. However, the origin of programmable resistivity changes in a network of nanostructure silver oxide embedded in polymer is still a matter of debate. This work provides some results on a planer diode which may help to elucidate resistive switching phenomena in nanostructure metal oxide diodes. The XRD pattern after switching appears with different crystalline planes, plus temperature dependent studies reveal that conduction of both on and off states is weak thermal activated. Intriguing the carrier transport is the same for both on and off-states. Difference between states comes from the dramatic changes in the carrier density. The main mechanism of charge transport for on-state is tunneling. The charge transport leads to SCLC in higher voltages pulse for the off state. The mechanism will be explained based on percolation concepts

Estrogen activation of microglia underlies the sexually dimorphic differences in Nf1 optic glioma-induced retinal pathology

Children with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) develop low-grade brain tumors throughout the optic pathway. Nearly 50% of children with optic pathway gliomas (OPGs) experience visual impairment, and few regain their vision after chemotherapy. Recent studies have revealed that girls with optic nerve gliomas are five times more likely to lose vision and require treatment than boys. To determine the mechanism underlying this sexually dimorphic difference in clinical outcome, we leveraged Nf1 optic glioma (Nf1-OPG) mice. We demonstrate that female Nf1-OPG mice exhibit greater retinal ganglion cell (RGC) loss and only females have retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thinning, despite mice of both sexes harboring tumors of identical volumes and proliferation. Female gonadal sex hormones are responsible for this sexual dimorphism, as ovariectomy, but not castration, of Nf1-OPG mice normalizes RGC survival and RNFL thickness. In addition, female Nf1-OPG mice have threefold more microglia than their male counterparts, and minocycline inhibition of microglia corrects the retinal pathology. Moreover, pharmacologic inhibition of microglial estrogen receptor-β (ERβ) function corrects the retinal abnormalities in female Nf1-OPG mice. Collectively, these studies establish that female gonadal sex hormones underlie the sexual dimorphic differences in Nf1 optic glioma–induced retinal dysfunction by operating at the level of tumor-associated microglial activation