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Echinoderm skeletons are composed of calcium carbonate ossicles that join in a variety of ways to form flexible or, more rarely, fixed joints. Ossicle "fusion" in echinoderms has been widely reported in the literature to form various types of fixed joint, but fusion in the sense of chemical union (ankylosis) of the calcitic ossicles has rarely been demonstrated. The arm skeleton of ophiuroids is primarily composed of a series of vertebral ossicles; each vertebra is a compound ossicle that consists of paired ambulacral ossicles united by a fixed joint, often reported to be fused. Development of vertebral ossicles in the amphiurid brittlestar Ophiophragmus filograneus from the arm tip to the oral frame was examined using scanning electron microscopy to follow ontogeny of the vertebra. As an ambulacral ossicle grew, its stereomal trabeculae interdigitated and interlocked by hooking around those of its paired ambulacral, forming the characteristic sinuous suture line central to ophiuroid vertebrae. This three‐dimensional interlocking of stereom formed the joint between paired ambulacrals. With further growth of the vertebra, limited fusion of trabeculae of the paired ambulacrals added to the structure of the joint, primarily at the articular surfaces between successive vertebrae. The joint found here with interlocked trabeculae between ambulacral ossicles of O. filograneus appears to be the same type described in the literature in some echinoids and other ophiuroids. This unique type of fixed joint is described here and named the "campylogomphosis" (Greek: campylos, bent; gomphos, bolt). This newly recognized joint might have implications in echinoderm phylogeny, comparative biology, medicine, and materials science. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

New guidelines on the management of chronic cough have been published in Australia and the United Kingdom. These guidelines reflect the evolving understanding of cough and emphasize the need for a more comprehensive approach to diagnosis and treatment. The traditional model of attributing chronic cough to conditions like asthma and gastroesophageal reflux disease is inadequate, and a new paradigm suggests that chronic cough is a neuroinflammatory or neuropathic disorder. Treatment options include repurposed drugs and novel medications that target peripheral airway receptors. Non-pharmacological approaches, such as behavioral techniques, can also be effective. The guidelines recommend tailoring investigations and treatments based on individual patient characteristics and avoiding unnecessary tests and empirical treatments. The hope is that these new guidelines will lead to improved outcomes for patients with chronic cough. [Extracted from the article]

Chronic cough is common, and in many cases unexplained or refractory to otherwise effective treatment of associated medical conditions. Cough hypersensitivity has developed as a paradigm that helps to explain clinical and research observations that frequently point towards chronic cough as a neuropathic disorder. Cerebellar ataxia with neuropathy and vestibular areflexia syndrome (CANVAS) is a recently described neurological condition whose clinical features include gait ataxia, unsteadiness, peripheral neuropathy, and autonomic dysfunction. Chronic cough is also a common feature of the syndrome, with features of hypersensitivity, often preceding core neurological symptoms by up to 30 years or more. The genetic basis in a majority of cases of CANVAS appears to be biallelic variable repeat intron expansion sequences within RFC1, a gene normally involved in the regulation of DNA replication and repair. The same polymorphism has now been identified at an increased frequency in patients with unexplained or refractory chronic cough in the absence of defining clinical features of CANVAS. This review expands on these points, aiming to increase the awareness of CANVAS amongst clinicians and researchers working with chronic cough. We discuss the implications of a link between RFC1 disease and cough. Improved understanding of CANVAS may lead to an enhanced grasp of the pathophysiology of chronic cough, and new approaches to antitussive treatments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Upper urinary tract urothelial carcinomas (UTUCs) are uncommon, accounting for only 5%‐10% of urothelial carcinomas. Radical nephroureterectomy with bladder cuff excision is the standard treatment of high‐risk UTUC. Therefore, accurate preoperative diagnosis, including the use of urine cytology, is essential for appropriate patient management. This case study details a patient's pathway from haematuria to nephroureterectomy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

NIWA has recently digitised daily wet- and dry-bulb temperature records for both Kelburn, Wellington and Masterton, Wairarapa sites back to 1929 and undertaken an analysis of these records and comparison with reanalysis products. This article presents key results of the analysis in the context of climate change and also the steps taken to account for site moves, complications around a plethora of daylight savings changes, and observing methods. Overall, there was a 0.7°C increase in dewpoint temperature (Td) averaged over all seasons with the strongest trend being an increase in winter, amounting to +1.7°C over 90 years at Kelburn, and +1.8°C at Masterton for the same period. Autumn also saw increasing trends at both locations whereas summer and spring saw smaller increases. Other points of interest were that January 2018 had the highest average Td values of any month in both the Kelburn and Wairarapa records while February 1998 was ranked third in the Kelburn record. Both 1998 and 2018 are tied for third-warmest years on record for Aotearoa New Zealand (dry-bulb air temperature). Despite the long-term upward trend, average Td values for February 1938 and February 1935 were ranked second- and tenth-highest respectively in the Kelburn record. February 1935 is also ranked eighth-highest in the Wairarapa record. Extreme high summer and autumn values of Td occurred in the 1930s where there was considerable yearto-year variability. Of the ten months with lowest average Td values, seven occurred in the 1930s and 1940s for Wellington. At Masterton, six were in the 1930s and all ten had occurred by 1972. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Florida seagrass brittlestar, Ophiophi·agmus flograneus, is endeinic to shallow estuarine bays and lagoons of Florida, where it is exposed to variations in salinity that are beyond the ambient range for most echinoderms, Whereas the physiological basis for its salinity tolerance has not been studied, the species seems to have other aspects of its biology that help with its estuarine life. The full spectrum of its life-history pattern is unknown. Still, the presence of planktonic juveniles in an ichthyoplankton study of the Indian River Lagoon System indicates that it can be dispersed even if it lacks a pluteus lana Occurrence in tlie plankton ranges from spring through fall, although variations in timing and density differ among basins of the Indian River Lagoon System. Planktonic juveniles are smaller than those reported from benthic samples, although some demonstrate the unusual pattern of arm growth reported for new bentl-tic recruits of this species. The presence of two long non-adjacent arms of the larger specimens might serve to gi·asp blades of seagrass upon settlement to the benthos. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Around a third of fly‐in fly‐out (FIFO) workers in Australia experience relatively high levels of psychological distress. Although a wide range of associated workplace stressors have been proposed in this context, it is unclear to what extent FIFO workers perceive these stressors as having an impact on their mental health. Identifying the issues that workers perceive as having the greatest impact on their mental health can guide the development of interventions in this area. Thus, this cross‐sectional study sampled 742 FIFO workers from a large mine site in Australia to identify which workplace issues were perceived to have the greatest negative impact on their mental health. Of the 32 issues measured, we found that the top ranked issues related to a lack of control at work, lack of sleep, missing home, and poor physical health. These key issues also predicted poorer recent mental health. Based on these findings, several recommendations are put forward for future on‐site wellness promotion programs, including (a) providing workers with more control and autonomy in their work roles, (b) improving sleep hygiene, (c) facilitating regular communication with family and loved ones, and (d) introducing exercise programs and supporting a healthy diet. This type of proactive consultative approach to mental health issues at FIFO sites cannot only mitigate the increased risk of poor mental health but also foster a more cohesive workplace culture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pharmacogenonomics (PGx) is the intersection of genomic medicine and pharmacology whereby knowledge of variation in an individual's genome is utilized to inform prescribing practice. In conclusion, PGx represents a novel piece in the jigsaw of factors that should be collectively considered when developing novel drugs and prescribing current drugs to improve the safety and efficacy of pharmacotherapy. For instance, it is possible that some clinical pharmacologists with a particular interest in PGx may become PGx specialists, similar to how some clinical pharmacologists have specialized in hypertension or clinical toxicology. [Extracted from the article]

Interphase boundary plays a dominant role in the mechanical properties of dual-phase titanium alloys, and therefore mechanistic understandings of the effect of phase boundary on the plasticity is significant to tailor the microstructure for desired performance. In this study, compression tests were conducted on the Ti-6Al-4V micro-pillars with a dual-phase lamellar structure and designated crystallographic orientation of pillars and the number of interphase boundaries in the pillars were achieved by elaborate processing, to reveal the interphase boundary and its quantity on the dislocation behavior and critical resolved shear stress (CRSS) of the alloy. Transmission electron microscopy was employed to characterize the dislocations and their interplay with interphase boundaries during compression. It is found that in the pillars oriented for prismatic 〈a 3 〉 slip, which represents the hard mode for dislocation transmission through the α/β phase boundary, the strain distribution in the pillars was significantly delocalized by introducing interphase boundaries. More dislocation slip bands are generated owing to the strengthening effect from the interphase boundaries during compression, which results in a more homogeneous strain distribution. Moreover, quantitative analyses of the contribution of interphase boundaries on the CRSS were performed, and the interphase strength for prismatic 〈a 3 〉 slip was experimentally determined to be ∼ 50 MPa. The effect of pillar size on the CRSS value was also assessed. Although the CRSS of the pillars increases when their size decreases, the size dependency becomes much less pronounced when more interphase boundaries are introduced into the pillars. The underlying mechanisms for these phenomena were discussed based on the experimental results and finite element modeling. These results provide some new insights into the plasticity and strengthening mechanism of Ti-6Al-4V alloy, which are also applicable to other dual-phase titanium alloys. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Brood-parasitic cuckoos lay their eggs in the nests of other birds, abandoning parental care to their hosts. Many host species have evolved defences to escape or reduce the costs associated with cuckoo parasitism. Superb Fairy-wrens Malurus cyaneus, which are a host to several cuckoo species in Australia, can distinguish cuckoo eggs based on their size or shape, or by using indirect cues such as the timing of egg laying or the presence of an adult cuckoo near the nest. They have previously been shown to reject cuckoo eggs by methods of egg burial or abandonment. These methods are likely to be costlier than ejecting the cuckoo egg from the nest (as seen in some other host species), because of the complete failure of the reproductive attempt, in addition to the costs associated with renesting. In this study, we document with photograph and video footage an incident of a Fan-tailed Cuckoo Cacomantis flabelliformis parasitising a nest of a Superb Fairy-wren in the Australian National Botanic Gardens, Canberra. Shortly after the parasitism event occurred, we recorded the female Fairywren returning to the nest and ejecting the single Cuckoo egg. To our knowledge, this footage represents the first evidence of ejection of a cuckoo egg in this species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Echinoderm pedicellariae are groups of specialized opposable spines (valves) that articulate on a baseplate. The valves of a pedicellaria act together to grasp items for prey capture, surface cleaning, or defense. Pedicellariae have long been known to occur in sea urchins and seastars, and many types for different functions have been described. Here we describe a type of pedicellaria in basketstars and snakestars in the euryalid family Gorgonocephalidae. Valves of gorgonocephalous pedicellariae have been described and illustrated as independent "hooklets" since the 1800s. Aside from one illustration in 1930, baseplates have been illustrated only since the 1980s, after the advent of the scanning electron microscope. The structure, arrangement, and operation of valves on baseplates warrant their recognition as a pedicellaria, analogous to those of sea urchins and seastars. The gorgonocephalous pedicellaria is a multi-valved, unstalked, crossed pedicellaria. It is described and illustrated here with recommended morphological terminology to facilitate future studies on biomechanics, histology, paleontology, and phylogenetics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite claims about high avian biodiversity in the Indian River Lagoon system, previous efforts to inventory the birds have been limited in geographic extent or in habitat. Compilation of a list of birds could rely on many resources, but ones of widespread availability, greatest historical record. and highest density of sites are two citizen-science projects: the gbristmas Bird Count (CBC) and eBird. Lists of species were harvested from 17 CBC sites ("circles") back to 1910 and from 432 eBird sites ("hotspots-) since 2002 within the boundaries of the Indian River Lagoon National Estuary Program (IRLNEP). In addition to lagoon waters, the boundaries include barrier islands, wetlands, and uplands of the historical drainage. A total of 437 species of bird in 71 families were recorded at the CBC and eBird sites, but 6 species were eliminated because of low counts, lack of independent listing for the region or state in reliable sources, or likelihood of misidentifications. Addition of 12 species from Alan G. Cruickshank's records for Brevard County brought the total avifauna of the IRLNEP territory to 443 species, with retention of all 71 families. The inventory includes accidental and two extinct species and both established and unestablished exotic species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prevailing dogma on comparative biodiversity of the Indian River Lagoon (IRL) stems mainly from one claim about ichthyofauna and two about avifauna. The extensive network of birdwatchers, clarity of bird taxonomy, long history of the Christmas Bird Count (CBC), and burgeoning database on ebird.org make birds excellent for geographic comparison. The 1985 claim that Merritt Island CBCs are often the "most speciose count" in the U.S. is unfounded. CBCs there in 1970-1985 never had the highest count, even compared to the nearby Cocoa site. For the 114th CBC (2013), it ranked 11th in Florida and 44th nationally. The 1989 claim that IRL has "the most diverse avifauna in the United States" also is unfounded. Of 543 hotspots (.250 species) in coastal continental states on ebird.org in December 2019, Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge had 300 species; but 110 other sites listed more species of bird. Because government agencies, legislators, media, and the public rely on scientists for information, scientific statements must rely on evidence. Scientists should abandon the current dogma about the high relative biodiversity of the IRL. Studies should focus on increasing our knowledge of diversity of all taxa; and geographic comparisons should be attempted with great caution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The field of pharmacogenomics has made great strides in oncology over the last 20 years and indeed a significant number of pre‐emptive genetic tests are now routinely undertaken prior to anticancer drug administration. Many of these gene–drug interactions are the fruits of candidate gene and genome‐wide association studies, which have largely focused on common genetic variants (allele frequency>1%). Examples where there is clinical utility include genotyping or phenotyping for G6PD to prevent rasburicase‐induced RBC haemolysis, and TPMT to prevent thiopurine‐induced bone marrow suppression. Other associations such as CYP2D6 status in determining the efficacy of tamoxifen are more controversial because of contradictory evidence from different sources, which has led to variability in the implementation of testing. As genomic technology becomes ever cheaper and more accessible, we must look to the additional data our genome can provide to explain interindividual variability in anticancer drug response. Clearly genes do not act on their own and it is therefore important to investigate genetic factors in conjunction with clinical factors, interacting concomitant drug therapies and other factors such as the microbiome, which can all affect drug disposition. Taking account of all of these factors, in conjunction with the somatic genome, is more likely to provide better predictive accuracy in determining anticancer drug response, both efficacy and safety. This review summarises the existing knowledge related to the pharmacogenomics of anticancer drugs and discusses areas of opportunity for further advances in personalisation of therapy in order to improve both drug safety and efficacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

New records of the Indo-Pacific seastar Mithrodia clavigera (Lamarck, 1816) include the north-central Gulf of Mexico, southeastern Florida, and Ascension Island. Material includes in-situ photographs, specimens from our own field collections, and museum specimens. This species was previously reported in the Atlantic basin in the 1880s off Brazil and in the western Caribbean Sea in the late 1960s and early 1970s. More recent findings are attributable to the advent of SCUBA, seafloor photography, and genetic analysis. The presence of M. clavigera in the Atlantic Ocean and adjacent waters probably represents a former connection with populations in the eastern Pacific Ocean before the rise of the Isthmus of Panama. Our observations here of specimens collected off Palm Beach and Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and the Gulf of Mexico add to our understanding of this species' behavior and ecology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Errors in the physics schemes and parameters of a land surface model can lead to large errors/bias in simulated soil moisture. In addition, large bias in simulated soil moisture may be caused by soil lateral water flow that is not described in a land surface model. In the present study, three model output statistics (MOS) approaches (a linear regression based MOS, a rescaling based MOS and a cumulative distribution function matching based MOS) are proposed to correct these biases and errors at stations that have soil moisture observations. Results show that the biases/errors in simulated soil moisture were significantly corrected by the three MOS approaches. The best performance was obtained for the linear regression MOS model consisting of four separate linear regression MOS models for different seasons throughout the year (MOS-SN). However, for the linear regression MOS and the rescaling MOS, a few months' data may also be used for MOS correction when the same seasonal period is used for both model fitting and prediction. With respect to goodness of fit and performance, the linear regression MOS model is better than the rescaling MOS model, and the MOS-SN is slightly better than the nonlinear cumulative distribution function matching approach. For sites where soil moisture observations are much shorter, or more intermittent, than meteorological observations, the linear regression MOS approaches can be used to reconstruct missing historic soil moisture data. All MOS approaches can also be used to correct the errors/bias in forecast soil moisture from weather or climate models at sites with soil moisture observations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Slavery was a major institution that shaped the experiences of people of African descent in the black Atlantic world in the 1700s. This article explores the history of Ayuba Sulieman Diallo, a West African Muslim enslaved in Maryland in 1731 and it takes a critical look at his portrait by the English painter, William Hoare in 1733. (Photo: Public Domain) gl From Ayuba Sulieman Diallo to Job ben Solomon Ayuba Sulieman Diallo was born around 1701 in a Fulbe family of Muslim clerical leaders in Bundu (in present-day Senegal). Diallo's Portrait and Experience in England The Royal African Company owned Ayuba Diallo as a slave when he arrived in England. [Extracted from the article]

Background: Bowel resections have high morbidity and mortality rates and are becoming increasingly common in Australia. To reduce the burden on patients and the health system, measures for improving patient outcomes after resection must be investigated. One possible method for improving patient outcomes is prehabilitation with exercise. The aim of this systematic review is to determine the effect that exercise prehabilitation has on the functional status of patients undergoing colorectal resection. Method: Studies examining the effect of exercise prehabilitation on colorectal patients were gathered from online databases, including MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials and the Australia New Zealand clinical trial registry. The study design, population, intervention and outcomes were extracted from each study. Results: This systematic review included six studies involving a total of 415 patients. Three studies were randomized control trials and three were prospective cohort studies. Those that tested participants post‐operatively found that the intervention group improved their 6‐min walking distance more than the control group. This result was statistically significant in three studies. Similarly, two studies found that self‐reported physical activity was significantly greater in the intervention group than in control groups. The rate of complications and length of hospital stay were not significantly different between intervention and control groups in any study. Conclusion: Prehabilitation significantly improves functional capacity and self‐reported physical activity but its effect on complication rate was not significant in this review. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Designer drugs are the synthetic variants of drugs designed to mimic the mind-altering effects of a controlled substance. These substances are created in labs and distributed through many channels across the globe, notably via the internet (Vardakou, Pistos, & Spiliopoulou, 2011). Many variants have been created to mimic the effects of marijuana, amphetamines, and others (Wohlfarth & Weinmann, 2010). These substances are difficult to regulate as new analogues can be quickly created to skirt bans. Unfortunately, new generations of these substances can be more potent and have broader effect than their predecessors, increasing their potential for harm (Christophersen, 2000). Research is unable to keep up with the changes in formulations and detection methods lag behind, thus leading researchers to rely heavily on hospital data in order to draw conclusions about the spectrum of effects these substances have. Synthetic drugs have been linked to substance-induced psychiatric disorders, notably psychotic symptoms (Amsterdam, Brunt, & Brink, 2015). These substances present unique challenges to rehabilitation professionals in the realms of case management, screening, and harm reduction. More research is needed into both the physiological and psychological effects of these substances as well as in techniques for rehabilitation case managers to appropriately serve individuals who are using these substances.. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: The lipid‐lowering drug, atorvastatin (ATV), is 1 of the most commonly prescribed medications worldwide. The aim of this study was to comprehensively investigate and characterise the clinical factors and comedications associated with circulating levels of ATV and its metabolites in secondary prevention clinical practice. Methods: The plasma concentrations of ATV, 2‐hydroxy (2‐OH) ATV, ATV lactone (ATV L) and 2‐OH ATV L were determined in patients 1 month after hospitalisation for a non‐ST elevation acute coronary syndrome. Factors were identified using all subsets multivariable regression and model averaging with the Bayesian information criterion. Exploratory genotype‐stratified analyses were conducted using ABCG2 rs2231142 (Q141K) and CYP2C19 metaboliser status to further investigate novel associations. Results: A total of 571 patients were included; 534 and 37 were taking ATV 80 mg and 40 mg daily, respectively. Clinical factors associated with ATV and/or its metabolite levels included age, sex, body mass index and CYP3A inhibiting comedications. Smoking was newly associated with increased ATV lactonisation and reduced hydroxylation. Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) and loop diuretics were newly associated with modestly increased levels of ATV (14% and 38%, respectively) and its metabolites. An interaction between PPIs and CYP2C19 metaboliser status on exposure to specific ATV analytes (e.g. interaction P =.0071 for 2‐OH ATV L) was observed. Overall model R2 values were 0.14–0.24.ConclusionMultiple factors were associated with circulating ATV and metabolite levels, including novel associations with smoking and drug–drug(–gene) interactions involving PPIs and loop diuretics. Further investigations are needed to identify additional factors that influence ATV exposure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Peer review of surgical deaths can identify deficits in individual and systemic delivery of healthcare, ultimately informing quality improvement. Methods: From 2008 to 2016, cases reported to the Australia and New Zealand Audit of Surgical Mortality were analysed. Variables associated with peer‐judged adverse events were sought. Results: Of 21 045 cases evaluated, 24.8% incurred at least one adverse event judgement. The proportion of cases with reported adverse event significantly decreased over time. Following adjustment for demographic and clinical characteristics, significant negative patient‐related associations were advanced age, greater American Society of Anesthesiologists grade, and neurological and malignant comorbidities. Significant associations were also found with systemic or organizational factors, including state/territory, surgical specialty and hospital regionality. Conclusion: Examination of this peer‐reviewed database revealed systemic or organizational predictors of adverse events that may have implications for quality improvement at an institutional or jurisdictional level. The extent to which these associations are due to the peer‐review process itself should be the focus of further research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes how a combination of high-resolution numerical modeling, a robust homogenization algorithm, and local pressure observations have been used to understand and reconcile time series of daily, seasonal, and annual peak wind gusts recorded at observing sites in the Cook Strait region of New Zealand. The homogenization algorithm consists of corrections for the relocation of masts, changes in instrumentations, data acquisition and signal processing, surrounding surface roughness, and measurement heights. In addition, a statistical method, penalized maximal F test (PMFT), was used to assess the homogeneity of the wind speed time series and detect and eliminate all remaining, undocumented, artificial (i.e., nonclimatic) breakpoints. A three-dimensional time-dependent computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation was carried out using the Gerris model to characterize the turbulence environment at the mast sites and to estimate topographic speedup effects. Trends in magnitudes and frequencies of the homogenized seasonal and annual peak wind gusts are evaluated and presented for the Cook Strait region. The pressure gradients between pairs of stations were used to study the correlation between the gust wind speeds and the pressure field. A high-resolution convection-resolving numerical weather prediction model [the New Zealand Convective-Scale Model (NZCSM)] was employed to aid the interpretation of results and analyze wind trends. The trend in gust speeds is also shown to be consistent with larger-scale NCEP–NCAR reanalysis pressure trends. The homogenization algorithm showed promising results in eliminating the artificial breakpoints and trends. Overall, strong correlations were found between the homogenized gust speeds, the pressure field across the region, and NZCSM predictions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Cough is a prominent symptom of pulmonary tuberculosis (TB), one of the oldest and most prevalent infectious diseases. Coughing probably has a pivotal role in transmission of the causative organism Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Despite this, little research to date has addressed this subject. Current knowledge of the mechanisms of cough in TB and how exactly coughing patterns predict infectiousness is scant, but this is changing. This overview summarises the existing evidence for the infectiousness of cough in TB, clinical correlates, and possible causes of cough in TB. Potential unique characteristics of cough in the disease are discussed, as is treatment and the subjective awareness of coughing in the disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cardiovascular disease is a leading cause of morbidity, mortality, and healthcare expenditure worldwide. Importantly, there is interindividual variation in response to cardiovascular medications, leading to variable efficacy and adverse events. Therefore a rapid, selective, sensitive and reproducible multi-analyte HPLC-MS/MS assay for the quantification in human plasma of atorvastatin, its major metabolites 2-hydroxyatorvastatin, atorvastatin lactone and 2-hydroxyatorvastatin lactone, plus bisoprolol and clopidogrel-carboxylic acid has been developed, fully validated, and applied to a large patient study. Fifty microliter plasma samples were extracted with a simple protein precipitation procedure involving acetonitrile with acetic acid (0.1%, v/v ). Chromatographic separation was via a 2.7 μm Halo C18 (50 × 2.1 mm ID, 90 Å) column and gradient elution at a flow rate of 500 μL/min consisting of a mobile phase of water (A) and acetonitrile (B), each containing 0.1% formic acid ( v/v ), over a 6.0 min run time. The six analytes and their corresponding six deuterated internal standards underwent positive ion electrospray ionisation and were detected with multiple reaction monitoring. The developed method was fully validated with acceptable selectivity, carryover, dilution integrity, and within-run and between-run accuracy and precision. Mean extraction recovery for the analytes was 92.7–108.5%, and internal standard-normalised matrix effects had acceptable precision (coefficients of variation 2.2–12.3%). Moreover, all analytes were stable under the tested conditions. Atorvastatin lactone to acid interconversion was assessed and recommendations for its minimisation are made. The validated assay was successfully applied to analyse 1279 samples from 1024 patients recruited to a cardiovascular secondary prevention prospective study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two methods for estimating audiograms quickly and accurately using Bayesian active learning were developed and evaluated. Both methods provided an estimate of threshold as a continuous function of frequency. For one method, six successive tones with decreasing levels were presented on each trial and the task was to count the number of tones heard. A Gaussian Process was used for classification and maximum-information sampling to determine the frequency and levels of the stimuli for the next trial. The other method was based on a published method using a Yes/No task but extended to account for lapses. The obtained audiograms were compared to conventional audiograms for 40 ears, 19 of which were hearing impaired. The threshold estimates for the active-learning methods were systematically from 2 to 4 dB below (better than) those for the conventional audiograms, which may indicate a less conservative response criterion (a greater willingness to respond for a given amount of sensory information). Both active-learning methods were able to allow for wrong button presses (due to lapses of attention) and provided accurate audiogram estimates in less than 50 trials or 4 min. For a given level of accuracy, the counting task was slightly quicker than the Yes/No task. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have used electrical capacitance tomography (ECT) to instrument a demonstration tank containing kerosene and have successfully demonstrated that ECT can, in real time, (i) measure propellant mass to better than 1% of total in a range of gravity fields, (ii) image propellant distribution, and (iii) accurately track propellant centre of mass (CoM). We have shown that the ability to track CoM enables the determination of slosh forces, and we argue that this will result in disruptive changes in a propellant tank design and use in a spacecraft. Ground testing together with real-time slosh force data will allow an improved tank design to minimize and mitigate slosh forces, while at the same time keeping the tank mass to a minimum. Fully instrumented Smart Tanks will be able to provide force vector inputs to a spacecraft inertial navigation system; this in turn will (i) eliminate or reduce navigational errors, (ii) reduce wait time for uncertain slosh settling, since actual slosh forces will be known, and (iii) simplify slosh control hardware, hence reducing overall mass. ECT may be well suited to space borne liquid measurement applications. Measurements are independent of and unaffected by orientation or levels of g. The electronics and sensor arrays can be low in mass, and critically, the technique does not dissipate heat into the propellant, which makes it intrinsically safe and suitable for cryogenic liquids. Because of the limitations of operating in earth-bound gravity, it has not been possible to check the exact numerical accuracy of the slosh force acting on the vessel. We are therefore in the process of undertaking a further project to (i) build a prototype integrated “Smart Tank for Space”, (ii) undertake slosh tests in zero or microgravity, (iii) develop the system for commercial ground testing, and (iv) qualify ECT for use in space. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the art and practice of the technique for displaying a viewing stone which consists of aesthetic qualities. It talks about the viewing stones being cataloged since the Ming Dynasty in China and was recorded by drawings of the stones. It tells about the Chinese gardens being decorated using stones due to it's different geology. It speaks about sculptures made of stone depicting the history of the planet Earth.

The article focuses on the use of stones in art, media and it's role in the geo-mythology which shows the connection between the Anthropos and the Geos. It talks about the history of human beings and of Earth along with the role of rocks in the geology. It tells about the earth and the stones in art and painting depict humanity along with the human behavior. It speaks about Anthropocene marking the end of humanity.

High school dropout rates among Mexican Americans decline markedly between the first and second immigrant generations and, consequently, move closer to non-Hispanic white levels. However, the third generation makes little progress in closing the remaining gap with whites despite their parents having more schooling on average than those of the second generation. Utilizing 2007-2013 Current Population Survey data, we examine whether an inter-generational shift away from two-parent families contributes to this educational stagnation. We also consider the effect of changes in sibship size. The analysis involves performing a partial regression decomposition of differences between second- and third-generation Mexican-American adolescents (aged 16-17 years) in the likelihood of having dropped out. We find that Mexican third-generation teens are close to nine percentage points less likely than second-generation peers to live with two parents. The decomposition results suggest that this change in family structure offsets a substantial portion of the negative influence of rising parental education on third-generation dropout risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The transmission of tuberculosis is complex. Necessary factors include a source case with respiratory disease that has developed sufficiently for Mycobacterium tuberculosis to be present in the airways. Viable bacilli must then be released as an aerosol via the respiratory tract of the source case. This is presumed to occur predominantly by coughing but may also happen by other means. Airborne bacilli must be capable of surviving in the external environment before inhalation into a new potential host-steps influenced by ambient conditions and crowding and by M. tuberculosis itself. Innate and adaptive host defenses will then influence whether new infection results; a process that is difficult to study owing to a paucity of animal models and an inability to measure infection directly. This review offers an overview of these steps and highlights the many gaps in knowledge that remain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The PLOS Medicine Editors discuss migrant and refugee health, and announce a forthcoming special issue devoted to the topic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The PLOS Medicine Editors discuss migrant and refugee health, and announce a forthcoming special issue devoted to the topic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The PLOS Medicine Editors discuss issues of vaccination uptake in the context of recent and ongoing measles outbreaks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We assessed auditory sensitivity to three classes of temporal-envelope statistics (modulation depth, modulation rate, and comodulation) that are important for the perception of ‘sound textures’. The textures were generated by a probabilistic model that prescribes the temporal statistics of a selected number of modulation envelopes, superimposed onto noise carriers. Discrimination thresholds were measured for normal-hearing (NH) listeners and users of a MED-EL pulsar cochlear implant (CI), for separate manipulations of the average rate and modulation depth of the envelope in each frequency band of the stimulus, and of the co-modulation between bands. Normal-hearing (NH) listeners' discrimination of envelope rate was similar for baseline modulation rates of 5 and 34 Hz, and much poorer than previously reported for sinusoidally amplitude-modulated sounds. In contrast, discrimination of model parameters that controlled modulation depth was poorer at the lower baseline rate, consistent with the idea that, at the lower rate, subjects get fewer ‘looks’ at the relevant information when comparing stimuli differing in modulation depth. NH listeners could discriminate differences in co-modulation across bands; a multidimensional scaling study revealed that this was likely due to genuine across-frequency processing, rather than within-channel cues. CI users' discrimination performance was worse overall than for NH listeners, but showed a similar dependence on stimulus parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. The aim of this exploratory study was to ascertain the current educational status of pharmacogenomics (PGx) within the present and future UK pharmacy profession, in addition to ascertaining future educational and infrastructure needs of pharmacists to adopt PGx into practice. Methods. A 35-question survey was sent electronically to practicing pharmacists, preregistration pharmacists, and Master of Pharmacy (MPharm) students throughout the UK between April 2018 and May 2019. Responses were anonymous and analysed using GraphPad Prism 8 and SPSS statistics 26. Results. In total, 264 participants, where data could be used for analysis, responded to the survey. This comprised 196 practicing pharmacists and 68 preregistration pharmacists/MPharm students. The findings demonstrated variation in undergraduate level exposure to PGx between those who had qualified within the past 10 years and those who had qualified over 10 years ago. Over 60% of qualified pharmacists did not feel confident in identifying drugs that require PGx testing. Nearly three quarters of respondents cited that PGx guidelines were needed to help facilitate a PGx service, although 63.6% also stated that they had previously never looked for a PGx recommendation. Most respondents cited PGx as a low or medium learning priority. Conclusion. Our survey suggests that further education is required to prepare the UK pharmacy workforce for the advent of PGx. A focus on the provision of, and education around, PGx guidelines is needed. In addition, the disparity identified between pharmacists at different stages of their career will need to be addressed with tailored and targeted educational packages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cough is a predominant feature of respiratory infection and, in tuberculosis, is of prime importance for transmitting infection. Tuberculosis is transmitted by the air, yet the process by which bacilli are aerosolized has received little attention. Features of cough may account for differences in transmission rates from source cases of pulmonary disease. We review the literature on the mechanisms and characteristics of cough in tuberculosis in the context of the dissemination of infection. Coughing is probably more important than other respiratory maneuvers, and characteristics of mucus may have an important role but data are scarce. Direct mechanisms of cough in tuberculosis are unknown, as are temporal and other patterns that correlate with the release of viable airborne bacilli. Other than antituberculous chemotherapy and masks, there are few methods of modulating cough in tuberculosis. This is an increasingly important area for research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a new view of time-frequency analysis framed in terms of probabilistic inference. Natural signals are assumed to be formed by the superposition of distinct time-frequency components, with the analytic goal being to infer these components by application of Bayes' rule. The framework serves to unify various existing models for natural time-series; it relates to both the Wiener and Kalman filters, and with suitable assumptions yields inferential interpretations of the short-time Fourier transform, spectrogram, filter bank, and wavelet representations. Value is gained by placing time-frequency analysis on the same probabilistic basis as is often employed in applications such as denoising, source separation, or recognition. Uncertainty in the time-frequency representation can be propagated correctly to application-specific stages, improving the handing of noise and missing data. Probabilistic learning allows modules to be co-adapted; thus, the time-frequency representation can be adapted to both the demands of the application and the time-varying statistics of the signal at hand. Similarly, the application module can be adapted to fine properties of the signal propagated by the initial time-frequency processing. We demonstrate these benefits by combining probabilistic time-frequency representations with non-negative matrix factorization, finding benefits in audio denoising and inpainting tasks, albeit with higher computational cost than incurred by the standard approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The August 6, 2012 Te Maari, New Zealand eruption produced a very small ash-dominated plume (~ 230,000 m 3 , 8–10 km high) that was rapidly and widely dispersed, covering 1600 km 2 within an hour. This paper documents for the August 6, 2012 Te Maari eruption the upper level (troposphere) plume movement based on ash-detection algorithms applied to IR satellite imagery. It also presents the distribution of airborne ash and wind-influenced ashfall as determined by NAME-III aerial dispersion modelling using observed particle characteristics and grain size distribution measurements (that are also presented) and compares the ashfall with observations. The upper level (troposphere) ash movement was also evaluated from ash-detection algorithms, applied to infra-red satellite imagery and the resulting distributions were compared to those forecast by the numerical dispersion models. Forecasts of upper level ash-dispersion patterns explained the satellite imagery observations well, predicting the correct altitudes when using plausible ash size distributions and release levels. Patterns in proximal ashfall could only be partly explained by aerial dispersal of large particles released at low altitudes in the eruption column. The extreme distal (100–150 km away) observed ashfall distributions also cannot be fully explained by NAME-III when using: reasonably prescribed initial particle size distributions, eruption column height, eruption timing, well forecast winds, and dry sedimentation processes. Aggregation and ice nucleation effects (observed in deposits) were not included in the ash dispersion model, but appear as a plausible mechanism to account for the observed fraction of wind dispersed ash particles < 30 μm deposited but not captured by the models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Research into clinical determinants of severe acute pancreatitis remains important for therapeutic and preventive purposes. To contribute to prognostication, this study aimed to define clinical risk factors for the development of severe acute pancreatitis. Methods Study design was a prospective cohort study, using multiple logistic regression. From March 2004 to July 2007, 153 cases of acute pancreatitis were recruited in a regional Australian hospital. Data were collected regarding demographic and clinical characteristics. The outcome measure was severe acute pancreatitis, as defined by composite consensus criteria. Results After adjustment for potential confounders, there was a significant positive association with waist circumference and a negative association with current smoking status. Conclusion The study confirms other work suggesting central adiposity as a risk factor for severe acute pancreatitis. The finding of a possible protective effect for smoking may be physiologically plausible but merits further confirmatory research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]