Simultaneous Evaluation Research Articles

Methanol recovery: potential of nanolaminate organic solvent nanofiltration (OSN) membranes.

Researchers have made a significant breakthrough by merging the energy-saving attribute of organic solvent nanofiltration (OSN) with the remarkable solvent permeance and solute rejection of two-dimensional (2D) laminated membranes. This innovative approach brings forth a new era of sustainable and cost-effective separation techniques, presenting a promising solution to the issue of industrial solvents contaminating the environment. This development paves the way for new opportunities in building a sustainable future. Specifically, our mini-review has cast a spotlight on the separation and recovery of methanol-a solvent abundantly used in industrial processes. We systematically evaluated a diverse array of free-standing 2D nanolaminate OSN membranes. The analysis encompasses the assessment of pure methanol permeance, solute rejection capabilities, and the simultaneous evaluation of methanol permeance and solute rejection performance. Notably, this study sheds light on the considerable potential of 2D laminated OSN membranes in revolutionizing separation processes for the industrial use of methanol.

Whole-Mount Immunohistochemical and Immunofluorescence Assays in Zebrafish Embryos.

Zebrafish embryos are an important organism used as an in vivo model in a wide variety of disciplines from the past to the present. Immunohistochemistry analyses are an important method used to determine the localization of specific antigens in tissue sections with labeled antibodies depending on antigen-antibody interactions in zebrafish embryos. Immunofluorescence assays are an immunohistochemistry method that uses fluorophores to determine diverse cellular antigens. Zebrafish embryos and larvae, with their small size, are the most ideal model organisms for whole-mount immunohistochemical and immunofluorescent methods today. The small size of these organisms allows simultaneous evaluation of different tissues and organs, and results are obtained in a shorter time. In this section, whole-mount immunohistochemical and immunofluorescent analysis methods in zebrafish embryos, and larvae are summarized in detail, taking into account different studies and recent advances.

A lithium-air battery and gas handling system demonstrator.

The lithium-air (Li-air) battery offers one of the highest practical specific energy densities of any battery system at >400 W h kgsystem-1. The practical cell is expected to operate in air, which is flowed into the positive porous electrode where it forms Li2O2 on discharge and is released as O2 on charge. The presence of CO2 and H2O in the gas stream leads to the formation of oxidatively robust side products, Li2CO3 and LiOH, respectively. Thus, a gas handling system is needed to control the flow and remove CO2 and H2O from the gas supply. Here we present the first example of an integrated Li-air battery with in-line gas handling, that allows control over the flow and composition of the gas supplied to a Li-air cell and simultaneous evaluation of the cell and scrubber performance. Our findings reveal that O2 flow can drastically impact the capacity of cells and confirm the need for redox mediators. However, we show that current air-electrode designs translated from fuel cell technology are not suitable for Li-air cells as they result in the need for higher gas flow rates than required theoretically. This puts the scrubber under a high load and increases the requirements for solvent saturation and recapture. Our results clarify the challenges that must be addressed to realise a practical Li-air system and will provide vital insight for future modelling and cell development.

Discovery and development of COVID-19 vaccines and therapeutics: nonclinical perspectives.

The development and regulatory review of BNT162b2, a COVID-19 vaccine, and PaxlovidTM (nirmatrelvir tablets/ritonavir tablets), a COVID-19 therapeutic, are benchmarks for accelerated innovation during a global pandemic. Rapid choice of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein and main protease (Mpro) as targets for the vaccine and therapeutic, respectively, leveraged the available knowledge of the biology of SARS-CoV-2 and related viruses. The nonclinical immunogenicity and safety of BNT162b2 was rigorously assessed. Likewise, a comprehensive nonclinical safety assessment was conducted for the therapeutic candidates, lufotrelvir (PF-07304814) and nirmatrelvir (PF-07321332). The development and regulatory review of BNT162b2 and Paxlovid was enabled through close collaboration of the pharmaceutical industry with regulatory agencies and public health organizations. This experience highlights approaches that could be adopted for pandemic preparedness including risk-based investment strategies, conduct of activities in parallel that normally are conducted sequentially, quick kill decisions, simultaneous evaluation of multiple candidates, and use of flexible, established vaccine platforms.

Simultaneous evaluation of yield and stability of sugar beet (Beta vulgaris L.) varieties under Egyptian conditions using AMMI and GGE biplot approaches

An experiment was conducted on stability analysis of seven diverse monogram sugar beet (Beta vulgaris L.) varieties for root and sugar yields and their attributes grown under three harvesting dates after sowing during 2021-22 and 2022-23. The data generated from eighteen environments representing the combinations among harvesting dates, locations, and seasons were subjected to additive main effects and multiplicative interaction (AMMI) genotype main effect and genotype x environment interaction (GGE Biplot) analysis. Results obtained from AMMI combined analysis of variance showed that the main effects of sugar beet varieties, environments, and their interaction were highly significant for all studied traits. It is observed that sugar beet plants grown in the Nubaria region and harvested after 210 days, gave the best results for most root and sugar quality traits. The analysis further revealed that Volna and Klara varieties were the elite ones regarding root and sugar yields, and juice quality parameters as an overall mean across the environments. AMMI stability analysis indicated the variety Vangelis was broadly or narrowly stable under different environments and reflected somewhat good performance for most studied traits, while Klara and Volna were considered very promising as above stable ones using GGE Biplot graphs. The findings indicated that GGE Biplot graphs are more accurate and more informative as compared to AMMI stability analysis.

Evaluating joint confidence region of hypervolume under ROC manifold and generalized Youden index.

In biomarker evaluation/diagnostic studies, the hypervolume under the receiver operating characteristic manifold ( ) and the generalized Youden index ( ) are the most popular measures for assessing classification accuracy under multiple classes. While is frequently used to evaluate the overall accuracy, provides direct measure of accuracy at the optimal cut-points. Simultaneous evaluation of and provides a comprehensive picture about the classification accuracy of the biomarker/diagnostic test under consideration. This article studies both parametric and non-parametric approaches for estimating the confidence region of and for a single biomarker. The performances of the proposed methods are investigated by an extensive simulation study and are applied to a real data set from the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative.

Simultaneous evaluation of criteria and alternatives method-based site selection for solar hydrogen production plant in Inner Mongolia, China

In the context of achieving carbon neutrality, China's demand for renewable energy continues to grow, with the development of solar energy attracting widespread attention. Aiming at the problem that solar energy is not accessible at all times and the storage of excess power, this paper proposes a model for siting a solar hydrogen plant in Inner Mongolia based on Simultaneous Evaluation of Criteria and Alternatives (SECA). Firstly, considering the uniqueness of solar hydrogen production projects (SHPPs), we incorporate the criteria of hydrogen production capacity and local finance into the siting decision model. Secondly, the SECA method is employed to construct a nonlinear multi-objective optimization model, facilitating the direct determination of criterion weights and enhancing decision-making efficiency. Third, the convergence change of the coefficient β in the SECA method is used to rank the candidate cities by solving the optimization model to produce stable results. Finally, this study verifies the validity of the model used through sensitivity and comparative analyses. The results show that Chifeng is the best location for solar hydrogen production considering the three most important factors are hydrogen production capacity (11.7%), average humidity (12.4%) and average temperature (14.46%).

Advancing peristalsis deciphering in mouse small intestine by multi-parameter tracking

Assessing gastrointestinal motility lacks simultaneous evaluation of intraluminal pressure (ILP), circular muscle (CM) and longitudinal muscle (LM) contraction, and lumen emptying. In this study, a sophisticated machine was developed that synchronized real-time recordings to quantify the intricate interplay between CM and LM contractions, and their timings for volume changes using high-resolution cameras with machine learning capability, the ILP using pressure transducers and droplet discharge (DD) using droplet counters. Results revealed four distinct phases, BPhase, NPhase, DPhase, and APhase, distinguished by pressure wave amplitudes. Fluid filling impacted LM strength and contraction frequency initially, followed by CM contraction affecting ILP, volume, and the extent of anterograde, retrograde, and segmental contractions during these phases that result in short or long duration DD. This comprehensive analysis sheds light on peristalsis mechanisms, understand their sequence and how one parameter influenced the other, offering insights for managing peristalsis by regulating smooth muscle contractions.

Technoeconomic evaluation of post-combustion carbon capture technologies on-board a medium range tanker

The international maritime organization has recently set targets and timelines for reducing global greenhouse gas emissions from the maritime industry, which currently stand at 1.1 Gt/year and make 3 % of the global emissions. Reducing emissions by increasing engine efficacy is the immediate target, but there is a limit to how much this path can achieve. Onboard post-combustion carbon capture and concentration in large marine vessels is emerging as an interim approach to reduce maritime emissions until large-scale deployment of low/zero emission fuels become viable. In this paper, we evaluate three carbon capture technologies (chemical absorption using either aqueous MEA or aqueous NH3 as the solvent, cryogenic separation, and membrane separation) for a medium-range tanker for two fuels, namely heavy fuel oil and liquefied natural gas. The capture cost per tonne of CO2 (recovery>90 %, purity>95 %) was considered as the assessment criterion, with simultaneous evaluation of other aspects such as energy and space demands. The simulations were carried out using MATLAB and ASPEN V12. For rate-based models, the adjustable parameters for the model were tuned using pilot plant data. Additionally, options for hot and cold energy integration were also assessed and implemented. Based on the reference ship conditions and assessment criteria, the simulation studies show that amine-based absorption is the best prospect for on-board capture by a clear margin.

A Wearable Wireless Magnetic Eye-Tracker, In-Vitro and In-Vivo Tests.

A wireless, wearable magnetic eye tracker is described and characterized. The proposed instrumentation enables simultaneous evaluation of eye and head angular displacements. Such a system can be used to determine the absolute gaze direction as well as to analyze spontaneous eye re-orientation in response to stimuli consisting in head rotations. The latter feature has implications to analyze the vestibulo-ocular reflex and constitutes an interesting opportunity to develop medical (oto-neurological) diagnostics. Details of data analysis are reported together with some results obtained in-vivo or with simple mechanical simulators that enable measurements under controlled conditions.

Prognostic and Diagnostic Power of Delta Neutrophil Index and Mean Platelet Component in Febrile Patients with Suspected Sepsis.

The delta neutrophil index (DNI), a prognostic and diagnostic marker for sepsis, is based on the leukocyte count. Platelet activation, similar to leukocyte activation, plays a crucial role in host defense against pathogens and may serve as a predictor of sepsis outcome. However, the combined evaluation of mean platelet component (MPC) and DNI has rarely been used to assess sepsis. To assess the prognostic and diagnostic validity of the simultaneous evaluation of DNI and MPC in cases of human febrile sepsis, we conducted measurements of cellular indices, including DNI and MPC, as well as molecular biomarkers, including procalcitonin (PCT) and C-reactive protein (CRP). This study was carried out in patients admitted to the emergency department with suspected sepsis. Using a cutoff value of 2.65%, the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV) of the DNI in sepsis were found to be 69%, 73.9%, 77.9%, and 64.1%, respectively. Furthermore, significant differences in DNI and MPC levels were observed between the sepsis and non-sepsis groups (6.7 ± 7.8% versus 2.1 ± 2.2% (p = 0.000) and 26.0 ± 1.9 g/dL versus 26.8 ± 1.4 g/dL (p = 0.002), respectively). Notably, there was a negative correlation between DNI and MPC, with the strength of the correlation varying based on the cause of sepsis. By setting the cutoff value of the DNI to 6.2%, its sensitivity, specificity, and NPV improved to 100%, 80.3%, and 100%, respectively, although the PPV remained at 10.6%. In our study, the DNI demonstrates superior effectiveness compared with other molecular biomarkers, such as CRP and procalcitonin, in distinguishing septic febrile patients from non-septic febrile patients. Additionally, a negative correlation exists between MPC and DNI, making MPC a valuable marker for differentiating the etiology of sepsis. These findings hold significant clinical implications, as DNI/MPC evaluation is a cost-effective and readily applicable approach in various impending sepsis scenarios. Notably, this study represents the first examination of the prognostic and diagnostic validity of employing the simultaneous evaluation of DNI and MPC in human cases of febrile sepsis.

EXFOR-based simultaneous evaluation for neutron-induced fission cross section of plutonium-242

ABSTRACT The 242Pu neutron-induced fission cross section was evaluated from 100 keV to 200 MeV. The experimental 242Pu and 235U fission cross sections and their ratios in the EXFOR library were reviewed and analysed by the least-squares method. Additional simultaneous evaluation was performed by including the experimental database of the 233,238U and 239,240,241Pu fission cross sections and their ratios developed for JENDL-5 evaluation. The 242Pu fission cross sections from our evaluation and JENDL-5 evaluation are close to each other below 1 MeV while they systematically differ from each other above 10 MeV. The cross section from our evaluation is systematically lower than the JENDL-4.0 cross section in the prompt fission neutron spectrum peak region (∼5% lower around 1 MeV). The newly evaluated 242Pu fission cross section was verified against the cross section measured in the 252Cf spontaneous fission neutron field and criticalities of small-sized LANL fast systems and demonstrated better performance than the JENDL-4.0 cross section on the same level with the JENDL-5 cross section.

Older adults exhibit declines in instrumental activities of daily living during a virtual grocery shopping task

Introduction: The successful performance of instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs) is critical in maintaining independence for older adults. Traditional IADL questionnaires and performance-based assessments are time consuming, potentially unreliable, and fail to adequately consider the interplay between cognitive and motor performance in completing IADLs. The Cleveland Clinic Virtual Reality Shopping (CC-VRS) platform was developed to objectively quantify IADL performance through the characterization of cognitive, motor, and cognitive-motor function. The CC-VRS combines an immersive virtual grocery store with an omnidirectional treadmill to create a scenario in which the user physically navigates through a virtual environment. The primary aim of this project was to determine the known-group validity of the CC-VRS platform to characterize IADL performance in healthy older adults and young adults.Methods: Twenty healthy young (n = 10) and older (n = 10) adults completed the Basic and Complex CC-VRS scenarios. Position data from VR trackers on the hands, waist, and feet were used to quantify motor performance. Cognitive and dual-task performance were automatically calculated by the application during specific shopping sub-tasks.Results: Older adults exhibited significantly worse performance on multiple cognitive, motor, and dual-task outcomes of the CC-VRS (e. g., average walking speed, number of list activations, and stopping frequency).Discussion: The CC-VRS successfully discriminated IADL performance between young and healthy older adults. The complex realistic environment of the CC-VRS, combined with simultaneous evaluation of motor and cognitive performance, has the potential to more accurately characterize IADL performance by identifying subtle functional deficits that may precede neurological disease.

Multimodality Platelet Evaluation By Mass Cytometry and Genetic Analysis in Patients with Bleeding Disorders

Introduction: Bleeding disorders are a diverse group of conditions characterized by abnormal bleeding tendencies. Platelet dysfunction is a common underlying cause and although traditional platelet aggregometry is important in the clinical work-up, platelet functional assays often provide limited diagnostic insights, prompting the need for more advanced techniques and approaches. This study aims to explore the utility of mass cytometry combined with genetic analysis in assessing platelet function in patients with otherwise unspecified bleeding tendencies. Methods: In a single-center prospective study, enrolled patients with clinical and laboratory suspicion of platelet-related bleeding disorders were subjected to multimodality evaluation. Mass cytometry (CyTOF) allows for simultaneous evaluation of multiple platelet markers on single cells, including those involved in platelet activation, aggregation, and adhesion, through a panel of heavy metal-conjugated antibodies. Whole genome sequencing with targeted analysis was utilized to identify potential genetic variants associated with quantitative and qualitative platelet disorders and correlated with CyTOF findings. Results: CyTOF revealed altered platelet markers associated with activation, aggregation, and adhesion in 40% (n=14) of total participants (n=35) with suspected platelet-related bleeding disorders ( Table 1). CyTOF showed significant concordance with platelet aggregometry in 74% of participants (data not shown). Alterations in specific CyTOF markers (e.g., PAC-1, CD40L) correlated with bleeding risk by univariate analysis of patients stratified to high vs low risk groups based on ISTH bleeding assessment tool (ISTH-BAT) ( Table 1). Multivariate analysis using a random forest machine learning algorithm identified variables most predictive of bleeding risk, including CD40L, PAC-1, P-selectin, and mean platelet volume. Genetic analysis identified one or more variants in genes implicated in qualitative and quantitative platelet disorders in 61% (n=19) of total patients analyzed ( Figure 1). Abnormal CyTOF findings were associated with greater proportion of variants detected (79% with abnormal CyTOF vs 53% with normal CyTOF) ( Figure 1). Direct associations between specific mass cytometry findings and genetic variants (i.e., GPIIb, GPIIIa, GPIb, GPIX, etc.) were discovered for several patients, providing important information in evaluating variant pathogenicity and diagnostic validation. Conclusion: This study highlights the potential of integrating mass cytometry and genetic analysis to assist in the diagnosis of otherwise unspecified bleeding tendencies, bleeding risk stratification, and patient management. Our findings enhance the understanding of platelet function in patients with bleeding disorders and provide valuable insights into the complex relationship between platelet phenotypes and genetic determinants. Further investigations with a larger patient cohort are warranted to validate and expand upon these initial correlations and explore their clinical implications in diagnosis and management of bleeding disorders.

Simultaneous Evaluation of Tibiofemoral and Patellofemoral Mechanics in Total Knee Arthroplasty: A Combined Experimental and Computational Approach.

Contemporary total knee arthroplasty (TKA) has not fully restored natural patellofemoral (P-F) mechanics across the patient population. Previous experimental simulations have been limited in their ability to create dynamic, unconstrained, muscle-driven P-F articulation while simultaneously controlling tibiofemoral (T-F) contact mechanics. The purpose of this study was to develop a novel experimental simulation and validate a corresponding finite element model to evaluate T-F and P-F mechanics. A commercially available wear simulator was retrofitted with custom fixturing to evaluate whole-knee TKA mechanics with varying patella heights during a simulated deep knee bend. A corresponding dynamic finite element model was developed to validate kinematic and kinetic predictions against experimental measurements. Patella alta reduced P-F reaction forces in early and midflexion, corresponding with an increase in T-F forces that indicated an increase in extensor mechanism efficiency. Due to reduced wrapping of the extensor mechanism in deeper flexion for the alta condition, peak P-F forces in flexion increased from 101% to 135% of the applied quadriceps load for the baja and alta conditions, respectively. Strong agreement was observed between the experiment and model predictions with root-mean-square errors (RMSE) for P-F kinematics ranging from 0.8 deg to 3.3 deg and 0.7 mm to 1.4 mm. RMSE for P-F forces ranged from 7.4 N to 53.6 N. By simultaneously controlling dynamic, physiological loading of the T-F and P-F joint, this novel experimental simulation and validated model will be a valuable tool for investigation of future TKA designs and surgical techniques.

A Rapid Screening Platform for Simultaneous Evaluation of Biodegradation and Therapeutic Release of an Ocular Hydrogel.

This study attempts to address the challenge of accurately measuring the degradation of biodegradable hydrogels, which are frequently employed in drug delivery for controlled and sustained release. The traditional method utilizes a mass-loss approach, which is cumbersome and time consuming. The aim of this study was to develop an innovative screening platform using a millifluidic device coupled with automated image analysis to measure the degradation of Gelatin methacrylate (GelMA) and the subsequent release of an entrapped wetting agent, polyvinyl alcohol (PVA). Gel samples were placed within circular wells on a custom millifluidic chip and stained with a red dye for enhanced visualization. A camera module captured time-lapse images of the gels throughout their degradation. An image-analysis algorithm was used to translate the image data into degradation rates. Simultaneously, the eluate from the chip was collected to quantify the amount of GelMA degraded and PVA released at various time points. The visual method was validated by comparing it with the mass-loss approach (R = 0.91), as well as the amount of GelMA eluted (R = 0.97). The degradation of the GelMA gels was also facilitated with matrix metalloproteinases 9. Notably, as the gels degraded, there was an increase in the amount of PVA released. Overall, these results support the use of the screening platform to assess hydrogel degradation and the subsequent release of entrapped therapeutic compounds.

Sensitive Blood-Based Detection of HIV-1 and Mycobacterium tuberculosis Peptides for Disease Diagnosis by Immuno-Affinity Liquid Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry: A Method Development and Proof-of-Concept Study.

Novel approaches that allow early diagnosis and treatment monitoring of both human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1) and tuberculosis disease (TB) are essential to improve patient outcomes. We developed and validated an immuno-affinity liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (ILM) assay that simultaneously quantifies single peptides derived from HIV-1 p24 and Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) 10-kDa culture filtrate protein (CFP10) in trypsin-digested serum derived from cryopreserved serum archives of cohorts of adults and children with/without HIV and TB. ILM p24 and CFP10 results demonstrated good intra-laboratory precision and accuracy, with recovery values of 96.7% to 104.6% and 88.2% to 111.0%, total within-laboratory precision (CV) values of 5.68% to 13.25% and 10.36% to 14.92%, and good linearity (r2 > 0.99) from 1.0 to 256.0 pmol/L and 0.016 to 16.000 pmol/L, respectively. In cohorts of adults (n = 34) and children (n = 17) with HIV and/or TB, ILM detected p24 and CFP10 demonstrated 85.7% to 88.9% and 88.9% to 100.0% diagnostic sensitivity for HIV-1 and TB, with 100% specificity for both, and detected HIV-1 infection earlier than 3 commercial p24 antigen/antibody immunoassays. Finally, p24 and CFP10 values measured in longitudinal serum samples from children with HIV-1 and TB distinguished individuals who responded to TB treatment from those who failed to respond or were untreated, and who developed TB immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome. Simultaneous ILM evaluation of p24 and CFP10 results may allow for early TB and HIV detection and provide valuable information on treatment response to facilitate integration of TB and HIV diagnosis and management.

Abstract 16061: Correlation Between Obesity and Ventricular Tachycardia in Individuals With HFrEF: Analysis From the DERIVATE Cohort

Background: Ventricular arrhythmias (VA) are a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in heart failure. Obesity has been proposed as a potential risk factor for increased VA incidence, but previous studies with limited sample sizes and single-center enrollment have yielded conflicting results. To address this, we utilized data from the international multicenter DERIVATE study, which includes individuals with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) as well as baseline cardiac MRI (CMR) assessment of myocardial structure and function. We sought to investigate the association between obesity and sustained ventricular tachycardia (VT) occurrence in this patient population. Methods: Study cohort comprised of patients enrolled in the CarDiac MagnEtic Resonance for Primary Prevention Implantable CardioVerter DefibrillAtor ThErapy (DERIVATE) registry who had HFrEF and had simultaneous baseline CMR and echocardiography evaluation. Demographics, comorbidities, and CMR variables were used to evaluate the correlation between obesity and ventricular tachycardia. Obesity was defined as BMI>30 kg/m 2 . A multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to determine the association between clinical, imaging variables and the occurrence of VA. Statistical software SAS 9.4 was used to perform the analysis. Results: Among 2,537 individuals, 505 (19.9%) were obese. Mean age was 60 years and 23.9% were female. Median follow-up was 994 days. Obesity was not associated with VT (OR 0.94, CI 0.60-1.48, P=0.79). The occurrence of VT was associated with the presence of an ischemic cardiomyopathy (OR 1.76, CI 1.37-2.26, p<0.01), and amiodarone use (OR 1.89, CI 1.28-2.80, P<0.01). As expected, left ventricular ejection fraction was inversely associated with VT (OR 0.96, CI 0.94-0.98, P<0.01), while indexed left ventricular end diastolic volume was directly associated with VT (OR 1.01, CI 1.00-1.01, P<0.01). Conclusions: In individuals with HFrEF, there was no association between obesity and the occurrence of sustained VT. The presence of ischemic cardiomyopathy was associated with higher incidence of sustained VT, as well as larger indexed left ventricular end diastolic volume which is an imaging marker of HF chronicity and severity.

Abstract 15244: Synchronous Care in Cardiovascular Disease: The DECIDE-CV Clinic Program

Background: The care model for type 2 diabetes (T2D) and its main complications is thought to be “asynchronous” and associated with delays in care and low use of guideline-directed medical therapies (GDMT). Hypothesis: A synchronous care clinic for T2D patients, including a simultaneous evaluation by cardiology/endocrinology and nephrology, will enhance the rate of GDMT use and improve biomarkers of interest. Methods: Retrospectively analysis from patients evaluated in the DECIDE-CV clinic, a cardiometabolic clinic for T2D patients with either atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, heart fialure (HF) or chronic kidney disease (CKD). Baseline data was compared to the data obtained in the last available visit. For patients with only one visit, the treatment prescribed at the end of the first visit was considered in the last visit group. Categorical data is presented as frequencies (proportions) and was analyzed using McNemar test. Continuous data is presented as mean±SD or median (IQR) as appropriate and was compared using the t-test for paired data or Wilcoxon test. Results: 150 patients, 72% male with a mean age of 67±12 years. 115 (78%) had atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, 98 (65%) had HF and 77 (51%) CKD. Comparing baseline to last visit data, there was a statistically significant increase in GDMT and de-escalation of insulin, sulfonylureas and DPP4i (Table). For patients with two sets of available laboratory data, there was a significant decrease in N-terminal pro B-type natriuretic peptide (504 [155-1160] pg/mL vs 335 [150-1031] pg/mL, p=0.03) and albuminuria (57 [19-259] mg/g vs 57 [9-155] mg/g, p<0.01). Conclusion: A synchronous care clinic for T2D patients is associated with increased use of GDMT, de-escalation of therapy that lack morbidity/mortality benefit, and improvement in prognostic biomarkers. These results can potentially translate into better outcomes in this population.

EXFOR-based simultaneous evaluation for fast neutron-induced fission cross section of thorium-232

ABSTRACT The 232Th neutron-induced fission cross section was evaluated from 500 keV to 200 MeV. The experimental 232Th fission cross sections and their ratios to the 235,238U fission cross sections in the EXFOR library were reviewed and analysed by using the least-squares method. The newly published 232Th/235U fission cross-section ratios from the time-of-flight measurements at the CERN n_TOF and CSNS Back-n facilities were compiled in EXFOR. Additional simultaneous evaluation was performed by including the experimental 233,238U and 239,240,241Pu fission cross sections and their ratios. The new evaluation provides the 232Th fission cross section systematically lower than the JENDL-5 cross section. The reduction is 4% in the plateau region between 2 and 6 MeV and more significant in the subthreshold fission region. The present evaluation reduces the 232Th fission cross section averaged over the 252Cf spontaneous fission neutron spectrum from the JENDL-5 evaluation by 4%, which is closer to the other general purpose libraries but underestimates Grundl et al.’s measurement by 11%.