Chromatographic determination of hydrocarbons based on retention time data for squalene and tetracyanoethylated pentaerythritol columns

The purpose of this thesis is to investigate the theory that when several members of a homologous series are injected into a gas chromatograph, at a given flow rate and column temperature, the lograrithm of their retention time as a function of some increasing property of the homologous series may be presented as a straight line and to develop their equations. Experimental procedure was accomplished for the normal paraffin series with 7 1/2% squalene and 10% Tetracyanoethylated Pentaerythritol (T.C.E.pageE.) columns and the relation between retention time and carbon number was determined. The same type of development was employed for aromatic compounds with a 10% T.C.E.pageE. column and the relation between retention time and boiling point of the compound was ascertained --Abstract, page ii

A Phase 3 Study of Evolocumab (AMG 145) in Statin-Treated Japanese Patients at High Cardiovascular Risk

Evolocumab (AMG 145), a fully human monoclonal antibody against PCSK9, significantly reduced low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels in phase 2 and 3 studies. This phase 3 study evaluated the efficacy and safety of evolocumab plus atorvastatin in Japanese patients with hyperlipidemia or mixed dyslipidemia and high cardiovascular risk. Patients were randomized to atorvastatin 5 or 20 mg/day for 4 weeks. Subsequently, patients underwent second randomization to evolocumab 140 mg biweekly (Q2W) or 420 mg monthly (QM) or placebo Q2W or QM. Coprimary end points were % change from baseline in LDL-C at week 12 and mean of weeks 10 and 12. Secondary end points included change and % change in other lipids and proportion of patients reaching LDL-C <70 mg/dl. Adverse events and laboratory values were recorded. Four hundred four patients were randomized to study drug. At baseline, the mean (SD) age was 61 (10) years (placebo) and 62 (11) years (evolocumab); 39% and 40% were women; 14% and 12% had cerebrovascular or peripheral arterial disease; and 51% and 47% had diabetes. At entry, mean (SD) calculated LDL-C was 128 (23) mg/dL; after stabilization on atorvastatin 5 and 20 mg/day, baseline LDL-C levels were 118 (35) and 94 (24) mg/dL, respectively. Mean LDL-C reductions at week 12 for evolocumab versus placebo ranged from 67% to 76%. No imbalances were observed in adverse events between treatment groups. Efficacy and safety for Q2W or QM evolocumab dosing were similar. In conclusion, in high-risk Japanese patients receiving stable statin therapy, evolocumab markedly reduced LDL-C and was well tolerated

The effects of viscous forces on three-phase relative permeability

The overall objective of Three-Phase Relative Permeability Project (BE9) is to develop guidelines for improving the accuracy of three-phase relative permeability determinations. This report summarizes previous studies and explains the progress made at NIPER on studying the effect of variations in viscous forces on three-phase relative permeabilities by changing the viscosity of both wetting and nonwetting phases. Significant changes were observed due to viscosity variations. An increase in oil viscosity reduced the relative permeability to gas; an increase in brine/(wetting-phase) viscosity reduced the relative permeability to brine. A slight increase in gas relative permeability was also observed. These observations suggest that the viscosities of both oil and water influence three-phase permeability data. During this study, data scatter was sometimes encountered which was comparable to that of published results. The causes of this scatter are outlined in this report and remedial attempts are discussed. 20 refs., 16 figs., 5 tabs

Verification of geological/engineering model in waterflood areas

The construction of a detailed geological/engineering model is the basis for development of the methodology for characterizing reservoir heterogeneity. The NIPER geological/engineering model is the subject of this report. The area selected for geological and production performance studies is a four-section area within the Powder River Basin which includes the Tertiary Incentive Project (TIP) pilot. Log, well test, production, and core data were acquired for construction of the geological model of a barrier island reservoir. In this investigation, emphasis was on the synthesis and quantification of the abundant geological information acquired from the literature and field studies (subsurface and outcrop) by mapping the geological heterogeneities that influence fluid flow. The geological model was verified by comparing it with the exceptionally complete production data available for Bell Creek field. This integration of new and existing information from various geological, geophysical, and engineering disciplines has enabled better definition of the heterogeneities that influence production during different recovery operations. 16 refs., 26 figs., 6 tabs

Quality in Tourism Literature: A Bibliometric Review

[EN] The literature about quality has experienced an important expansion in the tourism sector in the last decade. This is a result of the importance of quality issues when attempting to maintain and expand sustainable business models for tourism organizations and destinations, which are critical to strengthen competitiveness in the new framework. This relevance has been reflected in the tourism literature, with numerous papers focusing on the topic of quality. Nevertheless, despite its importance, there is a lack of studies and reviews of this literature. In order to overcome this problem, this paper develops a bibliometric and visualization analysis of the literature that examines the topics of tourism and quality together. Specifically, the article studies the 4625 documents on this issue published until the end of 2018 in the Web of Science Core Collection database, by using the co-occurrence of keywords, co-citation, bibliographic coupling, and co-authorship analyses. In addition, the VOSviewer program was used to map the diverse clusters or relationships among the literature. The results showed the trends and impact of this literature, and also the main papers, authors, journals, institutions, and even countries that focus on tourism and quality aspects together. They are useful for researchers and practitioners when dealing with this topic, in order to better understand the situation of this issue and its development.This research was funded by Universitat Politecnica de Valencia, Universitat Jaume I. and The APC was funded by Walailak University.Garrigós Simón, FJ.; Narangajavana-Kaosiri, Y.; Narangajavana, Y. (2019). Quality in Tourism Literature: A Bibliometric Review. Sustainability. 11(14):1-22. https://doi.org/10.3390/su11143859S1221114Armenski, T., Dwyer, L., & Pavluković, V. (2017). Destination Competitiveness: Public and Private Sector Tourism Management in Serbia. Journal of Travel Research, 57(3), 384-398. doi:10.1177/0047287517692445Broadus, R. N. (1987). Toward a definition of «bibliometrics». Scientometrics, 12(5-6), 373-379. doi:10.1007/bf02016680Garrigos-Simon, F., Narangajavana-Kaosiri, Y., & Lengua-Lengua, I. (2018). Tourism and Sustainability: A Bibliometric and Visualization Analysis. Sustainability, 10(6), 1976. doi:10.3390/su10061976Michael Hall, C. (2011). Publish and perish? Bibliometric analysis, journal ranking and the assessment of research quality in tourism. Tourism Management, 32(1), 16-27. doi:10.1016/j.tourman.2010.07.001Benckendorff, P., & Zehrer, A. (2013). A NETWORK ANALYSIS OF TOURISM RESEARCH. Annals of Tourism Research, 43, 121-149. doi:10.1016/j.annals.2013.04.005Yuan, Y., Gretzel, U., & Tseng, Y.-H. (2014). Revealing the Nature of Contemporary Tourism Research: Extracting Common Subject Areas through Bibliographic Coupling. International Journal of Tourism Research, 17(5), 417-431. doi:10.1002/jtr.2004Barrios, M., Borrego, A., Vilaginés, A., Ollé, C., & Somoza, M. (2008). A bibliometric study of psychological research on tourism. Scientometrics, 77(3), 453-467. doi:10.1007/s11192-007-1952-0De la Hoz-Correa, A., Muñoz-Leiva, F., & Bakucz, M. (2018). Past themes and future trends in medical tourism research: A co-word analysis. Tourism Management, 65, 200-211. doi:10.1016/j.tourman.2017.10.001García-Lillo, F., Claver-Cortés, E., Úbeda-García, M., Marco-Lajara, B., & Zaragoza-Sáez, P. C. (2018). Mapping the «intellectual structure» of research on human resources in the «tourism and hospitality management scientific domain». International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, 30(3), 1741-1768. doi:10.1108/ijchm-04-2017-0187Buhalis, D. (2000). Marketing the competitive destination of the future. Tourism Management, 21(1), 97-116. doi:10.1016/s0261-5177(99)00095-3Hoegh-Guldberg, O., Mumby, P. J., Hooten, A. J., Steneck, R. S., Greenfield, P., Gomez, E., … Hatziolos, M. E. (2007). Coral Reefs Under Rapid Climate Change and Ocean Acidification. Science, 318(5857), 1737-1742. doi:10.1126/science.1152509Baker, D. A., & Crompton, J. L. (2000). Quality, satisfaction and behavioral intentions. Annals of Tourism Research, 27(3), 785-804. doi:10.1016/s0160-7383(99)00108-5Bigné, J. E., Sánchez, M. I., & Sánchez, J. (2001). Tourism image, evaluation variables and after purchase behaviour: inter-relationship. Tourism Management, 22(6), 607-616. doi:10.1016/s0261-5177(01)00035-8Parasuraman, A., Zeithaml, V. A., & Berry, L. L. (1985). A Conceptual Model of Service Quality and Its Implications for Future Research. Journal of Marketing, 49(4), 41-50. doi:10.1177/002224298504900403Reeves, C. A., & Bednar, D. A. (1994). DEFINING QUALITY: ALTERNATIVES AND IMPLICATIONS. Academy of Management Review, 19(3), 419-445. doi:10.5465/amr.1994.9412271805Kandampully, J. (2000). The impact of demand fluctuation on the quality of service: a tourism industry example. Managing Service Quality: An International Journal, 10(1), 10-19. doi:10.1108/09604520010307012“Quality”http://sdt.unwto.org/en/content/qualityUysal, M., Sirgy, M. J., Woo, E., & Kim, H. (Lina). (2016). Quality of life (QOL) and well-being research in tourism. Tourism Management, 53, 244-261. doi:10.1016/j.tourman.2015.07.013Garrigós-Simón, F. J., Galdón-Salvador, J. L., & Gil-Pechuán, I. (2015). The Economic Sustainability of Tourism Growth through Leakage Calculation. Tourism Economics, 21(4), 721-739. doi:10.5367/te.2014.0372Honarpour, A., Jusoh, A., & Md Nor, K. (2017). Total quality management, knowledge management, and innovation: an empirical study in R&D units. Total Quality Management & Business Excellence, 29(7-8), 798-816. doi:10.1080/14783363.2016.1238760Prayag, G. (2009). TOURISTS’ EVALUATIONS OF DESTINATION IMAGE, SATISFACTION, AND FUTURE BEHAVIORAL INTENTIONS—THE CASE OF MAURITIUS. Journal of Travel & Tourism Marketing, 26(8), 836-853. doi:10.1080/10548400903358729Zeithaml, V. A., Berry, L. L., & Parasuraman, A. (1996). The Behavioral Consequences of Service Quality. Journal of Marketing, 60(2), 31. doi:10.2307/1251929Lynn Shostack, G. (1982). How to Design a Service. European Journal of Marketing, 16(1), 49-63. doi:10.1108/eum0000000004799Crompton, J. L., & Love, L. L. (1995). The Predictive Validity of Alternative Approaches to Evaluating Quality of a Festival. Journal of Travel Research, 34(1), 11-24. doi:10.1177/004728759503400102Wu, H.-C., Li, M.-Y., & Li, T. (2014). A Study of Experiential Quality, Experiential Value, Experiential Satisfaction, Theme Park Image, and Revisit Intention. Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Research, 42(1), 26-73. doi:10.1177/1096348014563396Atilgan, E., Akinci, S., & Aksoy, S. (2003). Mapping service quality in the tourism industry. Managing Service Quality: An International Journal, 13(5), 412-422. doi:10.1108/09604520310495877Merigó, J. M., & Yang, J.-B. (2016). Accounting Research: A Bibliometric Analysis. Australian Accounting Review, 27(1), 71-100. doi:10.1111/auar.12109Delgado López-Cózar, E., Robinson-García, N., & Torres-Salinas, D. (2013). The Google scholar experiment: How to index false papers and manipulate bibliometric indicators. Journal of the Association for Information Science and Technology, 65(3), 446-454. doi:10.1002/asi.23056Cancino, C., Merigó, J. M., Coronado, F., Dessouky, Y., & Dessouky, M. (2017). Forty years of Computers & Industrial Engineering: A bibliometric analysis. Computers & Industrial Engineering, 113, 614-629. doi:10.1016/j.cie.2017.08.033Blanco-Mesa, F., Merigó, J. M., & Gil-Lafuente, A. M. (2017). Fuzzy decision making: A bibliometric-based review. Journal of Intelligent & Fuzzy Systems, 32(3), 2033-2050. doi:10.3233/jifs-161640Merigó, J. M., Gil-Lafuente, A. M., & Yager, R. R. (2015). An overview of fuzzy research with bibliometric indicators. Applied Soft Computing, 27, 420-433. doi:10.1016/j.asoc.2014.10.035Hirsch, J. E. (2005). An index to quantify an individual’s scientific research output. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 102(46), 16569-16572. doi:10.1073/pnas.0507655102Van Eck, N. J., & Waltman, L. (2009). Software survey: VOSviewer, a computer program for bibliometric mapping. Scientometrics, 84(2), 523-538. doi:10.1007/s11192-009-0146-3Small, H. (1973). Co-citation in the scientific literature: A new measure of the relationship between two documents. Journal of the American Society for Information Science, 24(4), 265-269. doi:10.1002/asi.4630240406Kessler, M. M. (1963). Bibliographic coupling between scientific papers. American Documentation, 14(1), 10-25. doi:10.1002/asi.5090140103Liao, H., Tang, M., Luo, L., Li, C., Chiclana, F., & Zeng, X.-J. (2018). A Bibliometric Analysis and Visualization of Medical Big Data Research. Sustainability, 10(2), 166. doi:10.3390/su10010166Chen, C.-F., & Chen, F.-S. (2010). Experience quality, perceived value, satisfaction and behavioral intentions for heritage tourists. Tourism Management, 31(1), 29-35. doi:10.1016/j.tourman.2009.02.008Fornell, C., & Larcker, D. F. (1981). Evaluating Structural Equation Models with Unobservable Variables and Measurement Error. Journal of Marketing Research, 18(1), 39-50. doi:10.1177/002224378101800104Yoon, Y., & Uysal, M. (2005). An examination of the effects of motivation and satisfaction on destination loyalty: a structural model. Tourism Management, 26(1), 45-56. doi:10.1016/j.tourman.2003.08.016Zeithaml, V. A. (1988). Consumer Perceptions of Price, Quality, and Value: A Means-End Model and Synthesis of Evidence. Journal of Marketing, 52(3), 2-22. doi:10.1177/002224298805200302Cronin, J. J., Brady, M. K., & Hult, G. T. M. (2000). Assessing the effects of quality, value, and customer satisfaction on consumer behavioral intentions in service environments. Journal of Retailing, 76(2), 193-218. doi:10.1016/s0022-4359(00)00028-2Anderson, J. C., & Gerbing, D. W. (1988). Structural equation modeling in practice: A review and recommended two-step approach. Psychological Bulletin, 103(3), 411-423. doi:10.1037/0033-2909.103.3.411Reyes-Gonzalez, L., Gonzalez-Brambila, C. N., & Veloso, F. (2016). Using co-authorship and citation analysis to identify research groups: a new way to assess performance. Scientometrics, 108(3), 1171-1191. doi:10.1007/s11192-016-2029-8Lai, K., Li, J., & Scott, N. (2015). Tourism problemology: Reflexivity of knowledge making. Annals of Tourism Research, 51, 17-33. doi:10.1016/j.annals.2014.12.00

Cognitive function in a randomized trial of evolocumab

Inga Stuķēna as well as a complete list of investigators is provided in the Supplementary Appendix, available at NEJM.org. https://www.nejm.org/doi/suppl/10.1056/NEJMoa1701131/suppl_file/nejmoa1701131_appendix.pdf Funding Information: (Funded by Amgen; EBBINGHAUS ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT02207634.) Supported by Amgen. We thank Sarah T. Farias, Ph.D., at UC Davis Health for providing the English-language and translated versions of the Everyday Cognition (ECog) tool. Publisher Copyright: Copyright © 2017 Massachusetts Medical Society.BACKGROUND: Findings from clinical trials of proprotein convertase subtilisin–kexin type 9 (PCSK9) inhibitors have led to concern that these drugs or the low levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol that result from their use are associated with cognitive deficits. METHODS: In a subgroup of patients from a randomized, placebo-controlled trial of evolocumab added to statin therapy, we prospectively assessed cognitive function using the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery. The primary end point was the score on the spatial working memory strategy index of executive function (scores range from 4 to 28, with lower scores indicating a more efficient use of strategy and planning). Secondary end points were the scores for working memory (scores range from 0 to 279, with lower scores indicating fewer errors), episodic memory (scores range from 0 to 70, with lower scores indicating fewer errors), and psychomotor speed (scores range from 100 to 5100 msec, with faster times representing better performance). Assessments of cognitive function were performed at baseline, week 24, yearly, and at the end of the trial. The primary analysis was a noninferiority comparison of the mean change from baseline in the score on the spatial working memory strategy index of executive function between the patients who received evolocumab and those who received placebo; the noninferiority margin was set at 20% of the standard deviation of the score in the placebo group. RESULTS: A total of 1204 patients were followed for a median of 19 months; the mean (±SD) change from baseline over time in the raw score for the spatial working memory strategy index of executive function (primary end point) was −0.21±2.62 in the evolocumab group and −0.29±2.81 in the placebo group (P<0.001 for noninferiority; P=0.85 for superiority). There were no significant between-group differences in the secondary end points of scores for working memory (change in raw score, −0.52 in the evolocumab group and −0.93 in the placebo group), episodic memory (change in raw score, −1.53 and −1.53, respectively), or psychomotor speed (change in raw score, 5.2 msec and 0.9 msec, respectively). In an exploratory analysis, there were no associations between LDL cholesterol levels and cognitive changes. CONCLUSIONS: In a randomized trial involving patients who received either evolocumab or placebo in addition to statin therapy, no significant between-group difference in cognitive function was observed over a median of 19 months.publishersversionPeer reviewe

Evolocumab and Clinical Outcomes in Patients with Cardiovascular Disease

Evolocumab is a monoclonal antibody that inhibits proprotein convertase subtilisin-kexin type 9 (PCSK9) and lowers low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels by approximately 60%. Whether it prevents cardiovascular events is uncertain.We conducted a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial involving 27,564 patients with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease and LDL cholesterol levels of 70 mg per deciliter (1.8 mmol per liter) or higher who were receiving statin therapy. Patients were randomly assigned to receive evolocumab (either 140 mg every 2 weeks or 420 mg monthly) or matching placebo as subcutaneous injections. The primary efficacy end point was the composite of cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction, stroke, hospitalization for unstable angina, or coronary revascularization. The key secondary efficacy end point was the composite of cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction, or stroke. The median duration of follow-up was 2.2 years.At 48 weeks, the least-squares mean percentage reduction in LDL cholesterol levels with evolocumab, as compared with placebo, was 59%, from a median baseline value of 92 mg per deciliter (2.4 mmol per liter) to 30 mg per deciliter (0.78 mmol per liter) (P<0.001). Relative to placebo, evolocumab treatment significantly reduced the risk of the primary end point (1344 patients [9.8%] vs. 1563 patients [11.3%]; hazard ratio, 0.85; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.79 to 0.92; P<0.001) and the key secondary end point (816 [5.9%] vs. 1013 [7.4%]; hazard ratio, 0.80; 95% CI, 0.73 to 0.88; P<0.001). The results were consistent across key subgroups, including the subgroup of patients in the lowest quartile for baseline LDL cholesterol levels (median, 74 mg per deciliter [1.9 mmol per liter]). There was no significant difference between the study groups with regard to adverse events (including new-onset diabetes and neurocognitive events), with the exception of injection-site reactions, which were more common with evolocumab (2.1% vs. 1.6%).In our trial, inhibition of PCSK9 with evolocumab on a background of statin therapy lowered LDL cholesterol levels to a median of 30 mg per deciliter (0.78 mmol per liter) and reduced the risk of cardiovascular events. These findings show that patients with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease benefit from lowering of LDL cholesterol levels below current targets. (Funded by Amgen; FOURIER ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT01764633 .)

Live imaging of apoptosis in a novel transgenic mouse highlights its role in neural tube closure

Imaging of caspase activation in living mouse embryos during development suggests that caspase-mediated cell removal facilitates neural tube closure in a temporally regulated manner