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High entry speeds and exotic planetary gases can result in significant radiative heat loads on space capsules. The mechanism behind the transport of radiative signatures is fundamentally different from the conductive mode of energy transport, and penetration of radiative signatures depends on the radiative coefficients of the thermal protection system (TPS) material that protects the space capsule. The radiative coefficients of carbon-based and silica-based fibrous materials have been computed as functions of wavelength using the photon path length Monte Carlo method by explicitly accounting for the microstructure of the material. Significant variations in the radiative coefficients are observed at wavelengths that are relevant to shock-layer emissions. Although carbon-based fibrous materials exhibit higher absorption coefficients in comparison to silica-based systems, the absorption coefficients of carbon-based material drop by two orders of magnitude in the range of 100–200 nm. The radiative coefficients of carbon-based fibrous material are seen to be dominated by scattering and absorption with minimal transmission. However, the transmission coefficients for the silica system dominated the radiative coefficients in the range of 100–1000 nm, which corresponds to most shock-layer emissions. The radiative coefficients are used to solve the radiative transfer equation using the P-1 approximation to obtain the in-depth radiative heat flux. The total energy equation for decomposing porous TPS materials is solved with the radiative heat flux from the P-1 approximation and the conductive heat flux using the Fourier law. It is observed that peak temperatures inside the material are higher when radiative transport is explicitly accounted for through the P-1 approximation. Small variations in the absorption coefficient of the silica-based materials also affected the in-depth temperature profiles. Additionally, a broader temperature distribution is obtained inside the material with a low absorption coefficient, and the charring density profiles are influenced by the radiative heat flux. This study demonstrates that it is important to include radiative transport in material response solvers, and radiative coefficients must be accurately computed by accounting for the microstructure of the material.

A 44-year-old female patient with multiple sclerosis (MS) treated with ocrelizumab was hospitalized with SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia three times over the course of five months, eventually expiring. Viral sequencing of samples from her first and last admissions suggests a single persistent SARS-CoV-2 infection. We hypothesize that her immunocompromised state, due to MS treatment with an immunosuppressive monoclonal antibody, prevented her from achieving viral clearance.

Plants produce poisons to protect themselves, sometimes at levels toxic enough to kill human or livestock. Through trial and error, our forebears established which plants were edible and which caused harm. They then avoided the harmful species or in some cases also knowingly used them as weapons to kill rivals, criminals and animals, or as drugs to evoke hallucinations or subject victims to trial by ordeal. While knowledge of poisonous plants may have been lost among the majority of us who now buy our food in shops, scientific understanding of plant toxins and their effects has increased greatly. Poisonous plants which cause serious problems or even death are considered as ‘Plant Biological Weapons’. In this review article, 12 poisonous angiosperm plant species belonging to eight different families are discussed. The general characteristics of plant species, its distribution, etymology, its toxic nature, symptoms and medicinal uses/properties are systematically deliberated.

Aims While greater physical activity (PA) is associated with improved health outcomes, the direct links between distinct components of PA, their changes over time, and cardiorespiratory fitness are incompletely understood. Methods and results Maximum effort cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) and objective PA measures [sedentary time (SED), steps/day, and moderate-vigorous PA (MVPA)] via accelerometers worn for 1 week concurrent with CPET and 7.8 years prior were obtained in 2070 Framingham Heart Study participants [age 54 ± 9 years, 51% women, SED 810 ± 83 min/day, steps/day 7737 ± 3520, MVPA 22.3 ± 20.3 min/day, peak oxygen uptake (VO2) 23.6 ± 6.9 mL/kg/min]. Adjusted for clinical risk factors, increases in steps/day and MVPA and reduced SED between the two assessments were associated with distinct aspects of cardiorespiratory fitness (measured by VO2) during initiation, early-moderate level, peak exercise, and recovery, with the highest effect estimates for MVPA (false discovery rate Conclusions Our findings provide a detailed assessment of relations of different types of PA with multidimensional cardiorespiratory fitness measures and suggest favourable longitudinal changes in PA (and MVPA in particular) are associated with greater objective fitness.

Sanskrit literature abounds in lexicons. Amarakośa is the most celebrated and authoritative ancient thesaurus of Sanskrit. There are references to various lexicons in many ancient Sanskrit texts, but none of these except for Dhanvantari’s and Amarasiṃha’s are extant. Between the two, the latter’s work Nāmaliṇgānuśāsana popularly known as Amarakośa is very familiar to every student of Sanskrit. The actual name of the book ‘Nāmaliṇgānuśāsana’ means instruction concerning nouns and gender. It is divided into three kāṇḍas (volumes). Eachkāṇḍa is divided into Vargas depending on the subject they deal with. A list of more than 220 plants is mentioned with all the synonyms in the four Vargas. The plants that are revealed in the Amarakośacan be classified into huge trees, edible fruit trees, shrubs, herbs, creepers, water plants, grasses, pulses, cereals, wild cereals and others. Plants that are generally used for incensing, perfumery and cosmetics for human consumption are mentioned in the Manuṣhya Varga. In the Vaiśyavarga crops of commercial value are included.

Background: The potential association of the ABO blood group with the risk of COVID-19 and its severity has attracted a lot of interest since the start of the pandemic. While a number of studies have reported an increased risk associated with blood type A and a reduced risk with type O, other studies have did not found a significant effect. This study aimed to define the prevalence of different ABO blood groups in hospitalized COVID-19 patients in the Louisville, KY area and to investigate whether an association exists between the blood group and disease severity. Methods: This was a retrospective observational study of 380 patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection hospitalized to eight of the adult hospitals in the city of Louisville. Patients were divided into four different groups according to their ABO blood type. Demographic characteristics and clinical variables, including laboratory data as well as clinical outcomes were compared. Results: Type O was the most common blood group among the hospitalized patients (51%) followed by type A (31%), B (14%) and AB (4%). The observed blood group distribution among the patients was not significantly different from the distribution expected when compared to a population of similar racial/ethnic composition. No significant associations were found between the blood group and comorbidities, inflammatory biomarkers as well as with recorded outcomes, including the mortality rate and the length of the hospital stay. Conclusions: The data from hospitalized patients in Louisville is is not consistent with the ABO blood group having a significant effect as a risk or severity factor for COVID-19, but it is representative in COVID-19 or its severity of its prevalence among different racial/ethnic populations.

Background: Coronary revascularization is recommended to treat ischemic cardiomyopathy. However, the relations of revascularization-associated ejection fraction (EF) change to subsequent outcomes have not been elucidated. Methods: In 10 071 veterans (mean age 67 years; 1% women; 15% non-White) who underwent a first percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) or coronary artery bypass grafting between January 1, 1995, and December 31, 2010, and had prerevascularization and postrevascularization EF measured, we calculated delta-EF (postprocedure EF–preprocedure EF). We related delta-EF as a continuous measure and as categories (≤−5, −5 Results: Over follow-up (mean/maximum 5/14 years) 56% died. Each 5% improvement in delta-EF was associated with statistically significant reductions in death and heart failure hospitalization days of 5% (95% CI, 3%–7%) and 10% (95% CI, 5%–15%), respectively, in the total sample and 6% (95% CI, 4%–8%) and 10% (95% CI, 5%–16%), respectively, in the PCI subgroup. Patients in the highest delta-EF category had 27% (95% CI, 19%–34%) lower mortality (30% [95% CI, 21%–37%] lower in PCI stratum) and ≈40% lower heart failure hospitalization days in total sample and PCI stratum, compared with those in the lowest category. Relations of delta-EF and outcomes in coronary artery bypass grafting subgroup did not reach statistical significance. Conclusions: Revascularization-associated EF improvement was associated with significant reductions in mortality and heart failure hospitalization burden, particularly in the PCI subgroup.

Cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) is intricately related to health status. The optimal approach for CRF quantification is through assessment of peak oxygen uptake (VO(2)), but such measurements have been largely confined to small referral populations. Here we describe protocols and methodological considerations for peak VO(2) assessment and determination of volitional effort in a large community-based sample. Maximum incremental ramp cycle ergometry cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) was performed by Framingham Heart Study participants at a routine study visit (2016–2019). Of 3486 individuals presenting for a multi-component study visit, 3116 (89%) completed CPET. The sample was middle-aged (54±9 years), with 53% women, body mass index 28.3±5.6 kg/m(2), 48% with hypertension, 6% smokers, and 8% with diabetes. Exercise duration was 12.0±2.1 minutes (limits 3.7–20.5). No major cardiovascular events occurred. A total of 98%, 96%, 90%, 76%, and 57% of the sample reached peak respiratory exchange ratio (RER) values of ≥1.0, ≥1.05, ≥1.10, ≥1.15, and ≥1.20, respectively (mean peak RER=1.22±0.10). With rising peak RER values up to ≈1.10, steep changes were observed for percent predicted peak VO(2), VO(2) at the ventilatory threshold/peak VO(2), heart rate response, and Borg (subjective dyspnea) scores. More shallow changes for effort dependent CPET variables were observed with higher achieved RER values. In conclusion, measurement of peak VO(2) is feasible and safe in a large sample of middle-aged, community-dwelling individuals with heterogeneous cardiovascular risk profiles. Peak RER ≥1.10 was achievable by the majority of middle-aged adults and RER values beyond this threshold did not necessarily correspond to higher peak VO(2) values.

This study analyzed the levels at admission of biomarkers for their association with and ability to predict risk of severe outcomes, including admission to the ICU, need for invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV), need for vasopressor use (VU), and in-hospital mortality (IHM) in 700 patients hospitalized with COVID-19. Biomarker data split by outcomes was compared using Mann-Whitney U tests; frequencies of biomarker values were compared using Chi-square tests and multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed to look at the impact of biomarkers by outcome. Patients that suffered IHM were more likely to have reduced platelet numbers and high blood urea nitrogen (BUN) levels among patients admitted to the ICU. Risk factors for mortality were related to hyper-coagulability (low platelet count and increased D-dimer) and decreased respiratory (PaO2/FiO2 ratio) and kidney function (BUN). Association with risks of other severe outcomes were as follows: ICU with hyper-inflammation (IL-6) and decreased respiratory function; IMV with low platelet count, abnormal neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio with reduced respiratory function, VU with inflammatory markers (IL-6), and low platelet count with respiratory function. Our studies confirmed the association of biomarkers of hematological, inflammatory, coagulation, pulmonary and kidney functions with disease severity. Whether these biomarkers have any mechanistic or causal role in the disease progress requires further investigation.