Subsequent Versions Research Articles

Validation of a Modified Version of the Myeloproliferative Neoplasm Symptom Assessment Form Total Symptom Score (MPN-SAF TSS)

Background Patients with myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs) are faced with severe disease-related fatigue among a range of other constitutional and spleen-related symptoms. The MPN-Symptom Assessment Form (SAF) is recommended for use to characterize symptom burden (Scherber R, et al. Blood 2011). Within the SAF, a profile of 18 symptom items are evaluated ranging in severity from 0 (absent) to 10 (worst imaginable). The SAF is often summarized to the MPN-SAF Total Symptom Score (TSS) for analysis purposes - a single computed sum of the 10 most clinically meaningful symptom scores, including fatigue (Emanuel R, et al. J Clin Oncol 2012). Though the SAF includes a fatigue item, initial deployments of the MPN-SAF TSS incorporated a 0-10 scaled fatigue item taken from the Brief Fatigue Inventory (BFI; Mendoza T, et al. Cancer 1999). A subsequent version of the MPN-SAF TSS for use within myelofibrosis clinical trials (called the MFSAF v4; Gwaltney C, et al. Leuk Res 2017) employed a harmonized fatigue item. This analysis employing data from two studies was carried out to assess the use of the SAF fatigue item within the MPN-SAF TSS for consistency with the MFSAF v4. Methods Both BFI and SAF fatigue items were included in an initial online survey evaluating disease burden among patients with MPNs. Participants were assigned to survey variants as a function of their age. Survey variants included those to receive 1 instance of either the BFI or SAF fatigue item, instances of both BFI and SAF, or 2 instances of the same fatigue item. Surveying was aimed to assess the worst symptom experience in the patient's last 24 hours. Additionally, an independent survey assessing the impact of COVID-19 among MPN patients was deployed using the SAF fatigue item for the MPN-SAF TSS. This modified version was then used to test internal validity. Pearson correlation (r) and t-tests were used to assess association, Bland-Altman methods were used to evaluate systematic agreement between BFI and SAF fatigue scores, and Cronbach's alpha was used to measure internal consistency. Results There were 229 participants assigned both BFI and SAF fatigue items within the same survey. Among them, 51% (n=117) received the BFI item first and 49% (n=112) the SAF item first. No difference was seen between first and second fatigue scores (mean difference [first-second] = 0.00; 95%CI -0.18, 0.17). BFI and SAF fatigue scores were highly correlated (r=0.88, p<0.001) and showed 88.7% agreement in categorizing severe versus non-severe fatigue (score ≥ 7 versus < 7). Overall concordance in severity category was 73.4% (category [score range]: absent [0]; mild [1-3]; moderate [4-6]; severe [7-10]). Constructing the MPN-SAF TSS using the BFI and SAF fatigue components separately, the original and modified MPN-SAF TSS were nearly identical (r=0.997, p<0.001), and had equivalent internal consistency (both Cronbach's alpha=0.88). The Bland-Altman plot further indicates the 2 fatigue measures have high agreement with no evidence of directional bias and negligible overall bias (Figure 1: regression slope = -0.04, p=0.25; mean difference=0.22; 95%CI 0.05, 0.39). Within the COVID-19 survey (n=1217), the modified version of the MPN-SAF TSS was consistent with known correlates among disease characteristics (Emanuel R, et al. J Clin Oncol 2012). For example, more severe MPN-SAF TSS scores were highly correlated with low quality-of-life (n=1156, r = -0.50, p<0.001), and associated with those reporting spleen enlargement (n=301) versus not (n=617) (p<0.001; mean difference=7.7; 95%CI 5.4, 10.1). Conclusion The BFI and SAF fatigue items are highly consistent in raw score, severity category, and in contribution to the MPN-SAF TSS. There was no order effect seen in which fatigue item was asked first. The independent COVID-19 survey using the modified MPN-SAF TSS was validated and shows high internal consistent. In the ongoing development to capture the symptom experience, this analysis shows disease-related fatigue is equivalently measured using the SAF fatigue survey item in harmonization with the MFSAF v4. Disclosures Mesa: Bristol Myers Squibb: Research Funding; CTI BioPharma: Research Funding; Promedior: Research Funding; AbbVie: Research Funding; Samus Therapeutics: Research Funding; Genentech: Research Funding; Incyte: Research Funding; LaJolla Pharmaceutical Company: Consultancy; Novartis: Consultancy; Sierra Oncology: Consultancy.

Genetic Engineering and Synthetic Genomics in Yeast to Understand Life and Boost Biotechnology.

The field of genetic engineering was born in 1973 with the “construction of biologically functional bacterial plasmids in vitro”. Since then, a vast number of technologies have been developed allowing large-scale reading and writing of DNA, as well as tools for complex modifications and alterations of the genetic code. Natural genomes can be seen as software version 1.0; synthetic genomics aims to rewrite this software with “build to understand” and “build to apply” philosophies. One of the predominant model organisms is the baker’s yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Its importance ranges from ancient biotechnologies such as baking and brewing, to high-end valuable compound synthesis on industrial scales. This tiny sugar fungus contributed greatly to enabling humankind to reach its current development status. This review discusses recent developments in the field of genetic engineering for budding yeast S. cerevisiae, and its application in biotechnology. The article highlights advances from Sc1.0 to the developments in synthetic genomics paving the way towards Sc2.0. With the synthetic genome of Sc2.0 nearing completion, the article also aims to propose perspectives for potential Sc3.0 and subsequent versions as well as its implications for basic and applied research.

Remembering Cold Days: The 1942 Massacre of Novi Sad, Hungarian Politics, and Society, 1942–1989

Remembering Cold Days: The 1942 Massacre of Novi Sad, Hungarian Politics, and Society, 1942–1989

A Review and Evaluation of Planetary Boundary Layer Parameterizations in Hurricane Weather Research and Forecasting Model Using Idealized Simulations and Observations

This paper reviews the evolution of planetary boundary layer (PBL) parameterization schemes that have been used in the operational version of the Hurricane Weather Research and Forecasting (HWRF) model since 2011. Idealized simulations are then used to evaluate the effects of different PBL schemes on hurricane structure and intensity. The original Global Forecast System (GFS) PBL scheme in the 2011 version of HWRF produces the weakest storm, while a modified GFS scheme using a wind-speed dependent parameterization of vertical eddy diffusivity (Km) produces the strongest storm. The subsequent version of the hybrid eddy diffusivity and mass flux scheme (EDMF) used in HWRF also produces a strong storm, similar to the version using the wind-speed dependent Km. Both the intensity change rate and maximum intensity of the simulated storms vary with different PBL schemes, mainly due to differences in the parameterization of Km. The smaller the Km in the PBL scheme, the faster a storm tends to intensify. Differences in hurricane PBL height, convergence, inflow angle, warm-core structure, distribution of deep convection, and agradient force in these simulations are also examined. Compared to dropsonde and Doppler radar composites, improvements in the kinematic structure are found in simulations using the wind-speed dependent Km and modified EDMF schemes relative to those with earlier versions of the PBL schemes in HWRF. However, the upper boundary layer in all simulations is much cooler and drier than that in dropsonde observations. This model deficiency needs to be considered and corrected in future model physics upgrades.

Application of the AquaCrop model in decision support for optimization of nitrogen fertilizer and water productivity of soybeans

Modelling of the effects of water and different levels of nitrogen on evapotranspiration and water productivity of rainfed soybeans is very important in optimising resource use in the production of the crop. The objective of the study was to model evapotranspiration, soil water storage and water productivity of rainfed soybeans under different levels of nitrogen fertilizer by using the FAO AquaCrop model. Field experiments were conducted at the Teaching and Research Farms of Obafemi Awolowo University, Nigeria in the rainy seasons of 2015 and 2016. There were five levels of nitrogen, which are 00, 25, 50, 75 and 100% of the recommended nitrogen applications and two varieties of soybeans, which produced a 2 by 5 factorial experimental design. The data of the wetter year 2015, were used for calibration of the AquaCrop model because AquaCrop is water driven. The 2016 data were used for the validation. The AquaCrop model simulated canopy cover with R2 and EF > 0.90, d-index ≥ 0.99. The model captured the trend of the soil water storage well, R2 and EF ≥ 0.70. The AquaCrop model simulated soil water storage below wilting point for seasonal rainfall less than 600 mm, and it did not overestimate it. The model predicted evapotranspiration with R2 and EF ≥ 0.89, d-index = 1.00. Above ground biomass was overestimated even though R2 ≥ 0.98. Although, nitrogen stress reduced seed yield and water productivity, there was no under or over estimation of the seed yields. They were predicted with low error under the different levels of nitrogen fertilizer, R2 ≥ 0.99, EF and d-index ≥ 0.99. The AquaCrop model is suitable for simulating canopy cover, soil water storage, evapotranspiration, and seed yield of rainfed soybeans with different levels of nitrogen fertilizer under temporal distribution of seasonal rainfall. Therefore, it can serve as a useful tool for smallholder farmers in predicting productivity of soybeans and optimising resource allocation, land and water use in the tropical farming systems.We recommend simulation of the effects of pest on biomass, seed yield and water productivity by subsequent versions of the AquaCrop model. In addition, incorporating an economic sub-unit in the model will enable users to make financial decisions.

Choosing the Structure of Satellite Systems for Meteorology and Forest Fire Detection on the Basis of a Vector Model of Surveying the Earth

A vector model of surveying the Earth has been used to show that the satellite systems that are considered should have an “equidistant” structure formed by equal shifts of orbital nodes by longitude and by the phase of satellites. The structure options have been compared using a computer program developed from the vector model of surveying the Earth that calculates all survey interruptions with their frequencies for the subsequent version of the satellite system in a split second. Analyzing all possible options, we have elaborated recommendations for choosing the structure of systems consisting of four meteorological satellites of METEOR-M-type and five or six satellites with wide-range infrared radiometers tested for the first time on the KANOPUS-V-IK satellite. An additional finding is that, in the variants at hand, the frequency of the maximum survey interruption, which is widely used as a criterion for the efficiency of the Earth observation systems, turned out to be less than 0.01. In view of this, we have concluded that the use of this criterion is impractical.

The new state measurement standard of the unit of frequency deviation of frequency-modulated oscillations

The article is devoted to the review of the main results of research and development works performed during the improvement of the state primary measurement standard of the frequency deviation unit. The article analyzes the situation in the field of measuring the parameters of frequency-modulated oscillations in Ukraine that led to the need for improving the unit of frequency deviation created in 1996, namely the need to significantly enhance metrological characteristics and expand the functionality of the measurement standard.Тhe principle of building a modern measurement standard with advanced functionality, improved metrological characteristics was developed. Solutions used the modern hardware level for measuring parameters of oscillations with frequency modulation and expanding modulating frequencies and deviations.In the measurement standard, the role of the reference receiver is performed by the spectrum analyzer, which implements the method of measuring the deviation of the Bessel function “zeros” (NFB). The second method used in the measurement standard is a digital method known as the “electronic counting frequency meter” (ELC) method. One of the comprehensive decisions was the use of digital signal generators, which are based on DDS technology (direct digital synthesis) and its subsequent version – Trueform. The article presents the results of analysis of metrological capabilities of these generators in the FM mode, original methods of their research and new results obtained.During the improvement, the method of receiving the FM signal, based on the use of a spectrum analyzer and an option, analog-digital demodulator, was used and investigated. Automation of control and computational operations on the measurement standard on the basis of the Labview program was carried out.As a result, a reference complex was created, which according to its metrological characteristics and functional capabilities is able to calibrate not only the devices in the FM mode, but also a wide range of radio measuring instruments of both receiving and generating types.

Field-testing an iCST touch-screen application with people with dementia and carers: a mixed method study

Objectives To test the individual Cognitive Stimulation Therapy (iCST) application with people with dementia and carers in order to modify and refine the application, and improve its usability. In an iterative development process, two different prototypes were used to elicit the subjects’ views and preferences. This application may address the current need for more innovative approaches to support people with dementia and their carers. Methods An opportunistic sample of 13 people with dementia and 13 carers participated in four focus groups and ten semi-structured interviews to obtain feedback in key areas, including the layout and content of the application, and the experience of its use as a dyad. Data were audio-recorded, transcribed and analysed thematically. An additional 18 people with dementia and 16 carers completed a short usability and acceptability questionnaire regarding a subsequent version of the iCST application prototype. Results Most participants expressed enthusiasm about the iCST application, its usability, design, and content. Participants highlighted the importance of adaptability to individual preferences, indicating a need for a wider range of activities and flexibility in the use of the application. Furthermore, participants reported perceived benefits, including mental stimulation, quality time spent together, and enjoyment. The application was rated slightly better by carers than people with dementia in terms of usability and acceptability. Conclusions This study gives insights from people with dementia and carers concerning the usability, feasibility, and perceived benefits of the iCST application. The feedback will be incorporated in an updated version of the iCST application for commercial release.

Updating the UK competence framework for orthopaedic and trauma nurses 2019

The updated RCN Competence Framework for orthopaedic and trauma practitioners was published in 2019 following completion of a 2 year project undertaken by a working group of representatives from England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Expert musculoskeletal practitioners, including an allied health professional and working across the lifespan in varying domains of orthopaedic and trauma practice, collaborated to produce a working document applicable to trauma and orthopaedic (T&O) practitioners from all NHS (UK) pay bands.The 2019 document builds on the original and subsequent versions (2005 and 2012), importing new evidence and reformatting it so that it is contemporary and easily cross referenced with the NMC Code (2018). The restructure includes an example of a learning contract demonstrating how the framework can be applied in practice, whether for self-learning, or in conjunction with the revalidation process.This paper reflects on and describes the process undertaken by the working group in the development and restructuring of the 2019 framework, including its evaluation to date and planned in the future.

Checklist of Deuteromycteous Fungi of Bangladesh I1

Eighty three species of anamorphic fungi under 20 genera belonging to Moniliaceae, Tuberculareaceae and Stilbelaceae found in Bangladesh from 1952 till date are enlisted. The alphabetical checklist of the genera is provided herewith. Further updates will be added in the subsequent versions of the publication.
 Journal of Bangladesh Academy of Sciences, Vol. 43, No. 2, 113-122, 2019

Development of a Preliminary Question Prompt List as a Communication Tool for Adults With Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease: A Modified Delphi Study.

Question prompt lists (QPLs) are structured sets of disease-specific questions intended for patient use, encouraging patients to ask questions to facilitate their consultation with their physician. The aim of this study was to develop a QPL specific to adults with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), created by esophageal experts. The QPL content (78 questions) was derived through a modified Delphi method consisting of 2 rounds. In round 1, 18 esophageal experts provided 5 answers to the prompt "What you wish your patients would ask" and "What questions do patients often not ask, that I wish they would ask?" In round 2, the experts rated each question on a 5-point Likert scale, and responses rated as "essential" or "important," determined by an a priori threshold of ≥4.0, were accepted for the QPL. Twelve esophageal experts participated. Of 143 questions from round 1, 110 (76.9%) were accepted for inclusion in the QPL, meeting a median value of ≥4.0, and, subsequently, it reduced to 78, minimizing redundancy. Median values ranged between 4.0 and 5.0, with the highest agreement median (5.0) for questions asking dosing and timing of proton pump inhibitor therapy, and surveillance in Barrett's. Questions were categorized into the following categories: "What does this illness mean," "lifestyle modifications," "general treatment," "treatment with proton pump inhibitors," "What I should expect for my future," and "Barrett's." The largest number of questions covered lifestyle modifications (21.8%), with the highest agreement median (5.0) for "How helpful are lifestyle modifications in GERD?" A preliminary GERD-specific QPL, the first of its kind, was developed by esophageal experts. Modification after more patient consultation and feedback is planned in subsequent versions to create a GERD-QPL for eventual use in clinical gastroenterology.

Collaboration Competency and E-governance Performance

Collaboration is widely practiced and the topic is well researched in corporate sector. However, relatively little research has been conducted on collaboration in e-governance context. Experiences from limited success of e-governance initiatives in India as well as in various other developing countries reflect upon lack of strategic collaboration within and across government organisations. The finding of the study indicates that e-governance users want their concerns to be addressed, while e-governance project implementers struggle with the inter- and intra-organisational collaborations. The National e-Governance Plan (NeGP), 2006 and its subsequent version, i.e., NeGP 2.0 termed as 'e-kranti' component of the Digital India programme of Government of India, has specifically emphasized upon collaboration to effectively unleash e-governance potential. This paper explores the role of collaboration competency in the context of a public organisation through a study of an e-governance project and it also throws light on possible linkage of collaboration competency with e-governance performance.

Promieniowanie ojcostwa – promieniowanie teatru. Zarys interpretacji scenicznych dramatu Karola Wojtyły

This article deals with the history of the stage performances of Karol Wojtyła’s play The Radiance of Fatherhood, which is considered by many to be, of all of the author’s plays, the one least suitable for performing on stage, starting with the world premiere in 1983 by Andrzej Maria Marczewski, through subsequent versions by the same director, as well as by others, both from professional and alternative theatres, including amateur ones. The vast majority of the stage performances in question were performed in Poland; however, the recently accomplished premieres of the dramatical work in Slovakia (2015) and in the Czech Republic (2019) are also mentioned. The aim of this text is to show the way many theatre artists faced the challenge of dealing with what is undoubtedly the most multidimensional text of Wojtyła’s oeuvre, as well as to trace the proposed visual solutions and stage interpretations of the dramatical work.

Which Process Metrics Are Significantly Important to Change of Defects in Evolving Projects: An Empirical Study

Process metrics can reflect the software development process and the code changes which are the main causes of defects. So, recently, the researches have put more emphasis on process metrics in the field of software defect prediction. For evolving projects, it is more meaningful to study whether the software module introduces or eliminates defects or not, not whether the software module is defective or defect-free. However, no such work is available in the literature focusing on the change of defect state. Discovering the factors that influence the change of defect state in the process of software development can help us to understand the causes of software defects and improve the quality of subsequent software versions. Therefore, this paper presents an extensive empirical study on which process metrics are significantly important to change of defects in evolving projects. Five process metrics of 37 versions in 12 software projects are collected. We not only analyze the class correlation values and the classification performance values among five process metrics, but also perform statistical analysis to verify whether the experimental results are of practical value. The experimental results indicate that Number of Distinct Committers plays a significantly important role in the change of defect state, especially for elimination of defects, and Number of Revisions is the second, whereas Degree of Code Modification is the last. In addition, Average Number of Modified Lines is superior to Number of Modified Lines. Based on the experimental results, some suggestions for software development and software defect prediction are also discussed.

„Tak bliscy mi, jak sam sobie jestem bliski”. Jachimowicz o Schulzu i borysławskim „zagłębiu poetyckim”

The paper is an extended comment on Marian Jachimowicz’s “Reminiscence of Bruno Schulz.” On the basis of ample unpublished archive materials, the author reconstructs Jachimowicz’s biography, paying the most attention to the period of 1938–1942, when Jachimowicz as an aspiring man of letters had close friendly contacts with Schulz as well as other artists and writers of the Drogobych and Borysław region, known as the “Borysław Poetry Zone” (Marek Zwillich, Anna Płockier, Henryk Wiciński, Juliusz Wit, Artur Rzeczyca, and others). It turns out that his relationship with Schulz was a formative literary experience for the young poet. As he admits, it was thanks to the access to Schulz’s library and his recommendations, that he came across the books by poets who became important for his own development. Meeting Schulz was also important for another reason: he was the first “great artist” whom Jachimowicz met in person, knowing his literary works – Cinnamon Shops and A Sanatorium under the Sign of the Hourglass – and appreciating them highly. Jachimowicz’s attitude to Schulz was ambiguous, and this is what the present paper is mainly about. Starting with an analysis of an unpublished “source reminiscence” of 1948, the author approaches its subsequent versions published in journals (Twórczość, 1958 and Poezja, 1966). It was characteristic for Jachimowicz that his imagination and memory, fixed upon Schulz for several decades, pictured the Drogobych writer as “approaching.” Particularly in the first version of his text, Jachimowicz describes Schulz’s physique, doing it in a shockingly brutal, even abjectal, way. On the other hand, his essays demonstrate a more and more intense tone of mourning. The world of Drogobych and Borysław, to which both Jachimowicz and Schulz belonged before the war, appears in them as an irrevocably lost Arcadia, the only reality where the former did not feel all alone.

Ważyk – Ford – Starski. Historia pewnego scenariusza

The article presents the complicated story of a script, originally titled “ID Card”, was written in mid-1948 by Adam Ważyk. Had the script been approved for production, it would have been one of the first Polish post-war feature films. However, this did not happen. Apart from Adam Ważyk, Aleksander Ford, Jan Fethke and Ludwik Starski also worked on subsequent versions of the script. Due to complex political circumstances, none of the versions presented was approved by decision-makers. The author presents subsequent versions of the script which change along with social and political changes in Poland. The last version entitled “False Papers”, written by Ludwik Starski in 1968, contains clear elements of an action film. However, this was not a good time for this type of production. Over a period of 20 years, the script of “False Papers” underwent a peculiar metamorphosis: from a political pamphlet, to a didactic story, and finally, an action film with an unexplained mystery and war in the background. None of these versions became a film.

Integrating IFC and NLP for automating change request validations

The management and the identification of design changes constitute an essential part of the of a design flow within the architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) industry, requiring the formalisation of a multi-disciplinary collaborative information modelling environment. Construction projects generate substantial amount of change information, which needs to be updated continuously throughout the process, from initial feasibility study to the decommissioning of facilities. Complications arise from the information storage in multiple incompatible file formats that can lead to the loss or omission of details. In addition to any unexpected changes, the mismanagement of information is another factor leading to delays and costly errors. In order to mitigate such issues, this paper proposes to integrate the Industry Foundation Classes (IFC) data model and Natural Language Processing (NLP) to validate and visually identify the result of change requests. The system is developed using C# by 1) integrating angular framework with ASP.NET (Active Server Pages) to create a dynamic single web page and 2). Using X-BIM toolkit that supports IFC format to read, create and visualise the BuildingSmart Data Models (aka IFC Models). This approach enables a web-based platform capable of generating reports and visual previews, highlighting the differences between IFC files throughout the design processes. A web-based system prototype allows users to compare subsequent versions of IFC design models in terms of additions, modifications and deletions. The prototype uses NLP to intelligently identify the changes that have been made as it compares newer and older versions of the same model, making this information available to designers and 3D modellers. Prospective work will focus on the application of artificial intelligence (AI) to automate the implementation of changes within the construction models.

The Modernities of H. Lawrence Freeman

H. Lawrence Freeman's “Negro Jazz Grand Opera,” Voodoo, was premiered in 1928 in Manhattan's Broadway district. Its reception bespoke competing, racially charged values that underpinned the idea of the “modern” in the 1920s. The white press critiqued the opera for its allegedly anxiety-ridden indebtedness to nineteenth-century European conventions, while the black press hailed it as the pathbreaking work of a “pioneer composer.” Taking the reception history of Voodoo as a starting point, this article shows how Freeman's lifelong project, the creation of what he would call “Negro Grand Opera,” mediated between disparate and sometimes apparently irreconcilable figurations of the modern that spanned the late nineteenth century through the interwar years: Wagnerism, uplift ideology, primitivism, and popular music (including, but not limited to, jazz). I focus on Freeman's inheritance of a worldview that could be called progressivist, evolutionist, or, to borrow a term from Wilson Moses, civilizationist. I then trace the complex relationship between this mode of imagining modernity and subsequent versions of modernism that Freeman engaged with during the first decades of the twentieth century. Through readings of Freeman's aesthetic manifestos and his stylistically syncretic musical corpus I show how ideas about race inflected the process by which the qualitatively modern slips out of joint with temporal modernity. The most substantial musical analysis examines leitmotivic transformations that play out across Freeman's jazz opera American Romance (1924–29): lions become subways; Mississippi becomes New York; and jazz, like modernity itself, keeps metamorphosing. A concluding section considers a broader set of questions concerning the historiography of modernism and modernity.

Diet Indices Reflecting Changes to Dietary Guidelines for Americans from 1990 to 2015 Are More Strongly Associated with Risk of Coronary Artery Disease Than the 1990 Diet Index

ABSTRACTBackgroundThe Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGAs) provide dietary recommendations for the general population with the intent of preventing chronic disease such as cardiovascular disease. An evaluation of whether updated versions of the DGAs accomplish this goal is lacking.ObjectiveThe objective of this project was to determine whether updates to DGAs over time, reflected in subsequent versions of diet quality indices, strengthened the associations between diet quality and risk of cardiovascular disease outcomes.MethodsDietary data collected using an FFQ in the Framingham Heart Study Offspring cohort were used to assess adherence to sequential versions of the Healthy Eating Index (HEI) (1990, 2005, 2010, and 2015) and Alternative HEI (2000 and 2010) (n = 3267). We conducted prospective analyses using Cox regression to estimate the associations between diet indices and incident cardiovascular disease outcomes.ResultsAmong the 3267 study participants, 54% were female, mean age was 55 y, and BMI was 27 kg/m2. There were a total of 544 events for the composite outcome of cardiovascular diseases (324 coronary artery disease events, 153 stroke events, and 187 heart failure events). Adherence to any dietary index was inversely associated with risk of cardiovascular disease, coronary artery disease, and heart failure, but not stroke. Compared with HEI-1990, scores for the more recent diet indices were more strongly associated with coronary artery disease risk, but not cardiovascular disease, heart failure, or stroke.ConclusionsMore recent iterations of diet indices, reflecting updates to the DGAs over time, are more strongly associated with risk of incident coronary artery disease than the original diet index (HEI-1990).

Classification of Aortic Dissection and Rupture on Post-contrast CT Images Using a Convolutional Neural Network.

Aortic dissections and ruptures are life-threatening injuries that must be immediately treated. Our national radiology practice receives dozens of these cases each month, but no automated process is currently available to check for critical pathologies before the images are opened by a radiologist. In this project, we developed a convolutional neural network model trained on aortic dissection and rupture data to assess the likelihood of these pathologies being present in prospective patients. This aortic injury model was used for study prioritization over the course of 4weeks and model results were compared with clinicians' reports to determine accuracy metrics. The model obtained a sensitivity and specificity of 87.8% and 96.0% for aortic dissection and 100% and 96.0% for aortic rupture. We observed a median reduction of 395s in the time between study intake and radiologist review for studies that were prioritized by this model. False-positive and false-negative data were also collected for retraining to provide further improvements in subsequent versions of the model. The methodology described here can be applied to a number of modalities and pathologies moving forward.