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Background:This is a population-based retrospective study of neurological and cardiac complications of COVID-19 among Ontario visible minorities: Chinese and South Asian Canadians Methods:From January 1, 2020 to September 30, 2020, using the last name algorithm, rates and types of cardiac and neurological complication of these two cohorts along with the general population in Ontario with COVID-19 were analysed by Institue of Clinical Evaluative Sciences. Results:Preliminary results show that Chinese-Canadians (N= 1,186) with COVID-19 are older with a mean age of 50.74 years old compared to general population (N= 42,547) of 47.57 years old (P< .001), while South Asians (N= 3,459) have a younger mean age of 42.08 years old (P< .001). Total cardiac and neurological complication rates, hospitalization rates and ICU admission rates are all higher for Chinese-Canadians while they are lower in South Asians and all achieving statistical significance (P < .001). Overall mortality rate is significantly higher for Chinese-Canadians at 8.1% vs 5.0% general population (P < .001). Conclusions:Chinese-Canadians with COVID-19 in Ontario were much older and have higher cardiac and neurological complication rates and overall mortality rate than the general population. These data have significant implications for proper prevention and appropriate management for these vulnerble elderly Chinese-Canadians.

ABSTRACTNeisserial surface protein A (NspA) is currently being investigated with humans as a candidate vaccine for the prevention of meningococcal disease. Although NspA is highly conserved, the ability of anti-NspA antibodies to bind to or elicit complement-mediated bactericidal activity against diverse Neisseria meningitidisserogroup B strains is controversial. To evaluate strain differences in NspA surface accessibility and susceptibility to bactericidal activity, we prepared murine immunoglobulin G2a anti-NspA monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) and evaluated their functional activity against 10 genetically diverse N. meningitidisserogroup B strains. By colony Western blot, all 10 strains expressed NspA as detected by one or more MAbs. By flow cytometry, two MAbs were found to bind to the bacterial surface of 6 of the 10 strains. In addition, two strains showed variable NspA surface accessibility for the MAbs despite being uniformly positive for NspA expression by colony Western blotting. Only 4 of the 10 strains were susceptible to anti-NspA complement-mediated bacteriolysis. Passively administered MAb protected infant rats from developing bacteremia after challenge with N. meningitidisserogroup B strain 8047 (surface binding positive, susceptible to anti-NspA bacteriolysis), was poorly protective against strain BZ232 (surface binding variable, resistant to bacteriolysis), and did not protect against strain M986 (surface binding negative, resistant to bacteriolysis). Finally, NspA does not appear to be critical for causing bacteremia, as an NspA knockout from strain 8047 was highly virulent in infant rats. Taken together, these findings suggest that an NspA-based vaccine will need to incorporate additional antigens to elicit broad protection against N. meningitidisserogroup B.

NspA is a highly conserved membrane protein that is reported to elicit protective antibody responses against Neisseria meningitidis serogroups A, B and C in mice (D. Martin, N. Cadieux, J. Hanel, and B. R. Brodeur, J. Exp. Med. 185:1173-1183, 1997). To investigate the vaccine potential of NspA, we produced mouse anti-recombinant NspA (rNspA) antisera, which were used to evaluate the accessibility of NspA epitopes on the surface of different serogroup B strains by an immunofluorescence flow cytometric assay and by susceptibility to antibody-dependent, complement-mediated bacteriolysis. Among 17 genetically diverse strains tested, 11 (65%) were positive for NspA cell surface epitopes and 6 (35%) were negative. All six negative strains also were resistant to bactericidal activity induced by the anti-rNspA antiserum. In contrast, of the 11 NspA surface-positive strains, 8 (73%; P < 0.05) were killed by the antiserum and complement. In infant rats challenged with one of these eight strains, the anti-rNspA antiserum conferred protection against bacteremia, whereas the antiserum failed to protect rats challenged by one of the six NspA cell surface-negative strains. Neither NspA expression nor protein sequence accounted for differences in NspA surface accessibility, since all six negative strains expressed NspA in outer membrane preparations and since their predicted NspA amino acid sequences were 99 to 100% identical to those of three representative positive strains. However, the six NspA cell surface-negative strains produced, on average, larger amounts of group B polysaccharide than did the 11 positive strains (reciprocal geometric mean titers, 676 and 224, respectively; P < 0.05), which suggests that the capsule may limit the accessibility of NspA surface epitopes. Given these strain differences in NspA surface accessibility, an rNspA-based meningococcal B vaccine may have to be supplemented by additional antigens.

A statistical estimate of the extreme wave force per unit length acting on a section of a fixed cylindrical pile in a random sea-state is derived. The random motion of the sea is described by a spectrum of wave heights in conjunction with linear wave theory. The wave force is assumed to depend linearly on the water particle acceleration and non-linearly on the water velocity according to the Morison formula. The interaction of the velocity and acceleration contributions and the contribution of a small steady current are accounted for by an asymptotic approximation valid for large forces. The expected rate of occurrences of extremes based on a simple peak definition agrees satisfactorily with a more elaborate result based on a true maximum definition. The formulas derived here provide a basis for a design-force procedure which could provide an improvement over the design-wave procedure commonly used for the analysis of offshore structures.

A hybrid receptor has been constructed that is composed of the extracellular domain of the human insulin receptor fused to the transmembrane and cytoplasmic domains of the bacterial aspartate chemoreceptor. This hybrid protein can be expressed in rodent (CHO) cells and displays several functional features comparable to wild-type insulin receptor. It is localized to the cell surface, binds insulin with high affinity, forms oligomers, and is recognized by conformation-specific monoclonal antibodies. Although most of the expressed protein accumulates as a 180-kDa proreceptor, some processed 135-kDa receptor can be detected on the cell surface by covalent cross-linking. Expression of the hybrid receptor inhibits the insulin-activated uptake of 2-deoxyglucose by CHO cells. Thus, this hybrid is partially functional and can be processed; however, it is incapable of native transmembrane signaling. The results indicate that the intact domains of different types of receptors can retain some of the native features in a hybrid molecule but specific requirements will need to be satisfied for transmembrane signaling.

A method for analysis of separated flow about bluff bodies is presented. The emphasis is on boundary layer calculations and the determination of separation points. The wake flow in this project has been treated by point vortices, in accordance with a method presented by Sarpkaya and Shoaff. The wake model is not discussed herein, however. The boundary layer is treated by means of a Falkner-Skan transformation and the resulting differential equations are solved by a finite difference method. The external flow can change both in magnitude and direction, but so far only slow, gradual changes have been dealt with. The boundary layer model includes a laminar model and also, optionally, a simple model of turbulence. The flow very close to the separation point presents special problems. It has herein been modeled by a so-called triple-deck model, valid for laminar, subsonic flows.

Part of the results of an investigation with multiple rise configuration exposed to steady currents are presented. These tests were performed on smooth sectional riser models in a water flume at Reynolds numbers in the range 0.5 × 104 to 0.5 × 105. Reynolds number is based upon the diameter of the central cylinder (DC). Both the added mass, the frequency of vibration and the in-line steady drag coefficient are discussed both for vibration in the lock-in range and in the galloping mode.

Vortex-induced and galloping vibrations of flexible risers in steady, uniform currents have been investigated. The cross sections consisted of a bundle of pipes tied together to form a so-called multiple production riser, see Fig. 3(b). The tests have been carried out in a wind tunnel at subcritical Reynolds numbers, using spring-mounted sectional models. The tests used the single tube case as a reference case, and the results indicated increased motions for all of the multiple configurations compared to the reference case. For some cases, vortex-induced motions gave the largest excursions, for others galloping. Crude calculations indicate that a typical 400-m depth riser configuration would experience significant galloping motions as well as vortex-induced motions in steady, uniform currents at 0.5 m/s or less.

Model AB, a 20-amino acid peptide that was designed to adopt an alpha beta tertiary structure stabilized by hydrophobic interactions between residues in adjacent helical and extended segments, exhibited large pKa shifts of several ionizable groups and slow hydrogen/deuterium exchange rates of nearly all the peptide amide groups [Butcher, D. J., Bruch, M. D. & Moe, G. T. (1995) Biopolymers 36, 109-120]. These properties, which depend on structure and hydration, are commonly observed in larger proteins but are quite unusual for small peptides. To identify which of several possible features of the peptide design are most important in determining these properties, several closely related analogs of Model AB were characterized by CD and NMR spectroscopy. The results show that hydrophobic interactions between adjacent helical and extended segments are structure-determining and have the additional effect of altering water-peptide interactions over much of the peptide surface. These results may have important implications for understanding mechanisms of protein folding and for the design of independently folding peptides.

This paper reports an extensive program of forced and free vibration tests on a single circular cylinder moving mainly perpendicularly to a uniform current. For both free and forced vibration tests, two cases were investigated: one in which the cylinder was restrained in the in-line direction and the other in which it was supported on suitable springs. The cross-flow vibrational response and hydrodynamic forces on the cylinder were measured. Large variations of motion frequency in the “lock-in” range were found from the free vibration tests. This leads to two different definitions of reduced velocity, namely, a so-called nominal reduced velocity based on one reference frequency and the true reduced velocity based on the actual vibration frequency. When different results are compared, the true reduced velocity should be used. The forced vibration tests showed, as may be expected, that the transverse force in the “lock-in” range on the average will add energy to the cylinder at moderate motion amplitudes and subtract energy at large amplitudes. Some conditions resulting in a steady-state vibration of a flexibly mounted cylinder were analyzed. The actual force traces also show very large and apparently random deviations from the average force amplitude. The results from the forced and the free vibration tests are consistent with each other if the true reduced velocity and reduced amplitude are the same.

The lifetimes of the 5d 6s (^1D)6p z^2F_5/2, 5d 6s (^1D)6p z^2D_3/2, 5d^2(^3F)6p z^4G_5/2, and 5d 6s (^3D)6p y^2D_3/2 states of La i have been measured using time-resolved spectroscopy following excitation by a pulsed dye laser. The measured values for the lifetimes are 120 ± 6, 165 ± 8, 51 ± 4, and 18 ± 3 ns, respectively.

Reflected reentry was produced in canine false tendons, mounted in a three-chamber bath, in which the central fiber segment was partially depolarized with an "ischemic" solution to provide an area of impaired conduction. Lidocaine (3-5 mg/l) added to the central chamber further impaired conduction; consequently, reflections were obtained at lower frequencies and over a wider range of stimulation cycle lengths. Complete block followed drug exposure in some preparations. At moderate stimulation rates, the drug-induced shift of the frequency-dependence of manifest reflected reentries was either arrhythmogenic or antiarrhythmic. The action of lidocaine can be explained on the basis of effects on depressed fast or slow response activity at the boundary regions of the ischemic gap. Under slow response conditions, in false tendons homogeneously exposed to a solution containing 20 mM K+ and 9 mM Ca++, lidocaine delayed propagation or induced complete block. In fibers mounted in a single sucrose gap, the drug increased the current required to reach threshold without significant changes in resting potential, threshold voltage or input resistance. The effect of lidocaine on threshold current was lost in Na+-deficient solutions. Thus, lidocaine impairs conduction through K+-depolarized false tendons, an effect that may be related to the Na+ background current.

Without Abstract:

Since many receptors apparently contain only one or two membrane-spanning segments, their transmembrane topology should be similar. This feature suggests that these receptors share common mechanisms of transmembrane signaling. To test the degree of conservation of signaling properties, a chimeric receptor containing the ligand-binding extracellular domain of the Escherichia coli aspartate chemoreceptor and the cytosolic portion of the human insulin receptor was constructed. This chimeric receptor is active as a tyrosine kinase, and aspartate stimulates its activity. Some interesting differences are noted in the target proteins phosphorylated by the chimera compared to the wild-type insulin receptor. These results indicate that features of the signaling mechanisms used by these diverse receptors are conserved, but that interesting changes in the protein properties are caused by differences in the neighboring domains.

Tetraethylammonium chloride is a quaternary ammonium compound which blocks the transmission of nervous impulses across autonomic ganglions. Acheson and Moe1 first demonstrated this ganglionic site of action in dogs and cats, using as test responses the reactions of the blood pressure, heart rate and nictitating membrane. They demonstrated that when the compound is injected intravenously it produces a prompt fall in arterial pressure in animals in which the arterial pressure is elevated from the increase in sympathetic tone of barbiturate anesthesia. After section of the cervical cord in such animals the sympathetic tone is abolished, and the drug then fails to produce further change in pressure. With restoration of the pressure and vascular tone by stimulation of the distal segment of the sectioned cervical cord the administration of the drug again produces a fall in pressure to the same level as that found in the absence of sympathetic tone.

The magnitude and sign of the hyperfine structure of 72D52state of 133Cs have been measured. We find the magnetic dipole coupling constant to be A= -1.7 (2) MHz.