How to build a living thing

Thesis (S.M. in Science Writing)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Humanities, Graduate Program in Science Writing, 2009.Cataloged from PDF version of thesis.Includes bibliographical references (p. 23-25).A number of research groups worldwide are working on various aspects of the problem of building life from scratch. Jack W. Szostak's lab in Cambridge, Massachusetts is one of the centers of the action. Open a recent news article on some discovery related to synthetic life or life's origins on Earth, and he's likely to be quoted. Szostak fills his lab with ambitious, bright, young people, a few of whom have gone on to found their own labs. His work provides a lens through which to view the contemporary state of progress toward the ancient and ambitious goal to take what was not alive before and make it live. Starting from an initial plan to make a self-assembling, self-replicating membrane containing a self-replicating genetic molecule, the lab has had some striking successes and, off course, some setbacks. Recent breakthroughs suggest that the realization of a wholly human-designed and created life form looms in the foreseeable future.by MacGregor Campbell.S.M.in Science Writin

Validity of a contact mat and accelerometric system to assess countermovement jump from flight time

Countermovement jump (CMJ) height is an important parameter in physical performance. This study compared CMJ height measured using ChronoJump contact mat (CJ) and Myotest accelerometer (MT) systems with a force platform (FP). Thirty recreationally active adults (32.1 ± 10.4 years, 75.9 ± 12.0 kg, 173.2 ± 6.3 cm) completed a CMJ protocol where height was simultaneously recorded using the three systems. CJ and MT measures were strongly and significant correlated (r = 0.65, 0.66, respectively; p  0.05), yet MT-derived measures were significantly different from those obtained using the FP (p < 0.05). Systematic bias was observed between FP and the CJ and between FP and MT. This study demonstrates the validity of CJ and MT systems for the assessment of CMJ height. Systematic bias and between-device differences in measurement should be considered when interpreting and comparing data from these devices

Investigation Into the Extent and Mechanisms of Gloving and Un-mixed Resin in Fully Encapsulated Roof Bolts

Effective strata control, utilising fully encapsulated roof bolts is dependent on the installed quality of the reinforcement elements. One mechanism by which roof bolts may become less than fully efficient is by glove fingering (gloving) and un-mixing of the resin. Following a routine installed bolt quality audit and some small roof failures containing gloved bolts, a work programme was initiated to determine the extent of the gloving and un-mixing problem and to develop an understanding of mechanisms involved. Results have shown that gloving and un-mixing is a systematic and widespread pheno mena, occurring across the range of resin and/or bolt manufacturers, and in a variety of roof types. Gloving was found in bolts installed using either hand held pneumatic or continuous miner mounted hydraulic bolting rigs, under run of mine (ROM) condition s by operators, and under controlled manufactures “best practice” conditions

Comment on Hogas et al. Salt, Not Always a Cardiovascular Enemy? A Mini-Review and Modern Perspective. Medicina 2022, 58, 1175

Hogas et al. recently published their perspective on dietary salt in a mini review [...

Liver cirrhosis in England--an observational study: are we measuring its burden occurrence correctly?

Objectives: Mortality due to liver disease (of which cirrhosis is the end‐stage) is increasing more than any other chronic condition in the UK. This study aims to demonstrate that (i) exclusive reliance on mortality rates may not reveal the true burden of liver cirrhosis, and (ii) diverse use of diagnostic coding may produce misleading estimates. Design: Observational study Setting: The Office for National Statistics death registry was interrogated to investigate liver cirrhosis mortality trends in England and Wales, from 1968 to 2011. Main outcome: Standardised mortality trends according to three different definitions of liver cirrhosis based on the specificity of diagnostic codes were calculated: 1(chronic liver diseases), 2 (alcoholic and unspecified cirrhosis only) and 3 (cirrhosis as end‐stage liver disease). The mortality trends were compared to incidence rates established in a previous population‐based study (based on definition 3), from 1998 to 2009, to investigate discrepancies between these two measures. Results: Over the study period, the overall standardised liver cirrhosis mortality rates were 8·8, 5∙1 and 5∙4 per 100,000 person‐years for definitions 1, 2 and 3 of respectively. The mortality rates for definition 3 in 1998 and 2009 were 6∙2 and 5∙9 per 100,000 person‐years respectively; whilst the equivalent incidence rates were at least three‐ and six‐fold higher: 23∙4 and 35∙9 per 100,000 person-years respectively. This discrepancy between incidence and mortality rates was also at least three‐fold in men and women separately, and across age‐groups. Conclusion: Mortality rates underestimated the incidence of liver cirrhosis by at least three‐fold between 1998 and 2009 and varied with differing definitions of disease. Mortality data should not be used exclusively as an indicator for the occurrence of liver cirrhosis in the population. Routinely collected healthcare data are available to measure occurrence of this disease. Careful consideration should be taken when selecting diagnostic codes for cirrhosis

Effect of dose and duration of reduction in dietary sodium on blood pressure levels: systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised trials.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the dose-response relation between reduction in dietary sodium and blood pressure change and to explore the impact of intervention duration. DESIGN: Systematic review and meta-analysis following PRISMA guidelines. DATA SOURCES: Ovid MEDLINE(R), EMBASE, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (Wiley) and reference lists of relevant articles up to 21 January 2019. INCLUSION CRITERIA: Randomised trials comparing different levels of sodium intake undertaken among adult populations with estimates of intake made using 24 hour urinary sodium excretion. DATA EXTRACTION AND ANALYSIS: Two of three reviewers screened the records independently for eligibility. One reviewer extracted all data and the other two reviewed the data for accuracy. Reviewers performed random effects meta-analyses, subgroup analyses, and meta-regression. RESULTS: 133 studies with 12 197 participants were included. The mean reductions (reduced sodium v usual sodium) of 24 hour urinary sodium, systolic blood pressure (SBP), and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) were 130 mmol (95% confidence interval 115 to 145, P<0.001), 4.26 mm Hg (3.62 to 4.89, P<0.001), and 2.07 mm Hg (1.67 to 2.48, P<0.001), respectively. Each 50 mmol reduction in 24 hour sodium excretion was associated with a 1.10 mm Hg (0.66 to 1.54; P<0.001) reduction in SBP and a 0.33 mm Hg (0.04 to 0.63; P=0.03) reduction in DBP. Reductions in blood pressure were observed in diverse population subsets examined, including hypertensive and non-hypertensive individuals. For the same reduction in 24 hour urinary sodium there was greater SBP reduction in older people, non-white populations, and those with higher baseline SBP levels. In trials of less than 15 days' duration, each 50 mmol reduction in 24 hour urinary sodium excretion was associated with a 1.05 mm Hg (0.40 to 1.70; P=0.002) SBP fall, less than half the effect observed in studies of longer duration (2.13 mm Hg; 0.85 to 3.40; P=0.002). Otherwise, there was no association between trial duration and SBP reduction. CONCLUSIONS: The magnitude of blood pressure lowering achieved with sodium reduction showed a dose-response relation and was greater for older populations, non-white populations, and those with higher blood pressure. Short term studies underestimate the effect of sodium reduction on blood pressure. SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION: PROSPERO CRD42019140812

Spontaneous rupture of renal pelvis after renal transplantation

Spontaneous rupture of the renal pelvis occurred in 4 cases following renal transplantation. The diagnosis was difficult, and all 4 patients were septic at the time of treatment. Three patients survived, but preservation of the transplant was possible in only 1 case. The cause is uncertain but may be related to functional obstruction or vascular insufficiency.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/24216/1/0000475.pd

The Association of Knowledge and Behaviours Related to Salt with 24-h Urinary Salt Excretion in a Population from North and South India

Global Alliance for Chronic Disease through the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) of Australia (APP1040179). C.J. is supported by a National Health and Medical Research Council postgraduate scholarship (APP1074678). J.W. is supported by a National Health and Medical Research Council/National Heart Foundation Career Development Fellowship (APP1082924). B.N. is supported by a National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia Principal Research Fellowship (APP1106947). He also holds an NHMRC Program Grant (APP1052555). P.K.M. is an Intermediate Career Fellow of the WT/DBT India Alliance. R.S. is supported by a Wellcome Trust Capacity Strengthening Strategic Award Extension phase to the Public Health Foundation of India and a consortium of UK universities (WT084754/Z/08/A)