Recommendations for the Use of Dietary Fiber to Improve Blood Pressure Control.

According to several international, regional, and national guidelines on hypertension, lifestyle interventions are the first-line treatment to lower blood pressure (BP). Although diet is one of the major lifestyle modifications described in hypertension guidelines, dietary fiber is not specified. Suboptimal intake of foods high in fiber, such as in Westernized diets, is a major contributing factor to mortality and morbidity of noncommunicable diseases due to higher BP and cardiovascular disease. In this review, we address this deficiency by examining and advocating for the incorporation of dietary fiber as a key lifestyle modification to manage elevated BP. We explain what dietary fiber is, review the existing literature that supports its use to lower BP and prevent cardiovascular disease, describe the mechanisms involved, propose evidence-based target levels of fiber intake, provide examples of how patients can achieve the recommended targets, and discuss outstanding questions in the field. According to the evidence reviewed here, the minimum daily dietary fiber for adults with hypertension should be >28 g/day for women and >38 g/day for men, with each extra 5 g/day estimated to reduce systolic BP by 2.8 mm Hg and diastolic BP by 2.1 mm Hg. This would support a healthy gut microbiota and the production of gut microbiota-derived metabolites called short-chain fatty acids that lower BP. Awareness about dietary fiber targets and how to achieve them will guide medical teams on better educating patients and empowering them to increase their fiber intake and, as a result, lower their BP and cardiovascular disease risk.

The first generation of a regional-scale 1-m forest canopy cover dataset using machine learning and google earth engine cloud computing platform: A case study of Arkansas, USA.

Forest canopy cover (FCC) is essential in forest assessment and management, affecting ecosystem services such as carbon sequestration, wildlife habitat, and water regulation. Ongoing advancements in techniques for accurately and efficiently mapping and extracting FCC information require a thorough evaluation of their validity and reliability. The primary objectives of this study are to: (1) create a large-scale forest FCC dataset with a 1-meter spatial resolution, (2) assess the regional spatial distribution of FCC at a regional scale, and (3) investigate differences in FCC areas among the Global Forest Change (Hansen et al., 2013) and U.S. Forest Service Tree Canopy Cover products at various spatial scales in Arkansas (i.e., county and city levels). This study utilized high-resolution aerial imagery and a machine learning algorithm processed and analyzed using the Google Earth Engine cloud computing platform to produce the FCC dataset. The accuracy of this dataset was validated using one-third of the reference locations obtained from the Global Forest Change (Hansen et al., 2013) dataset and the National Agriculture Imagery Program (NAIP) aerial imagery with a 0.6-m spatial resolution. The results showed that the dataset successfully identified FCC at a 1-m resolution in the study area, with overall accuracy ranging between 83.31% and 94.35% per county. Spatial comparison results between the produced FCC dataset and the Hansen et al., 2013 and USFS products indicated a strong positive correlation, with R2 values ranging between 0.94 and 0.98 for county and city levels. This dataset provides valuable information for monitoring, forecasting, and managing forest resources in Arkansas and beyond. The methodology followed in this study enhances efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and scalability, as it enables the processing of large-scale datasets with high computational demands in a cloud-based environment. It also demonstrates that machine learning and cloud computing technologies can generate high-resolution forest cover datasets, which might be helpful in other regions of the world.

Ensemble meta machine learning for predicting the adsorption of anionic and cationic dyes from aqueous solutions using Polymer/graphene/clay/MgFeAl-LTH nanocomposite.

Adsorption is one of the most promising wastewater treatment methods due to its simplicity and efficacy at ambient temperature and pressure. However, the technical and economic feasibility of this process largely depends on the performance of the utilized adsorbents. In this study, a promising adsorbent made of polyethyleneimine, graphene oxide (GO), bentonite, and MgFeAl-layered triple hydroxide (MgFeAl-LTH) has been synthesized and characterized. The results revealed that the synthesized nanocomposite (abbreviated as PGB-LTH) possesses good porosity and crystallinity. The adsorption performance of the PGB-LTH nanocomposite towards two harmful water pollutants (i.e., methyl orange (MO) and crystal violet (CV)) was investigated, and the results revealed that the nanocomposite outperforms its parental materials (i.e., GO, bentonite, and MgFeAl-LTH). The maximum adsorption capacity (qmax) of MO and CV onto the nanocomposite could reach 1666.7 and 1250.0 mg/g, respectively, as predicted using the Langmuir adsorption isotherm. Additionally, the PGB-LTH nanocomposite is highly reusable with an insignificant decline in performance upon repetitive use. In terms of thermodynamics, MO adsorption onto the nanocomposite is exothermic while CV adsorption is endothermic despite that both dyes adsorb spontaneously as revealed by the negative values of the Gibbs free energy change at all the examined temperatures. The generated adsorption data were utilized for constructing and assessing ensemble meta-machine learning techniques aimed at cost-effective simulation and prediction of the proposed adsorption method. Bagging and boosting methods were developed and evaluated intensively using the obtained adsorption data. The Extra Trees model achieved promising results as evidenced by the high correlation coefficient of 99% as well as low computed RMSE and MAE errors of 11.42 and 5.11, respectively, during the testing phase. These results demonstrate the model strong capability to effectively simulate and predict the adsorption process in question.

From hype to hope: Considerations in conducting robust microbiome science.

Microbiome science has been one of the most exciting and rapidly evolving research fields in the past two decades. Breakthroughs in technologies including DNA sequencing have meant that the trillions of microbes (particularly bacteria) inhabiting human biological niches (particularly the gut) can be profiled and analysed in exquisite detail. This microbiome profiling has profound impacts across many fields of research, especially biomedical science, with implications for how we understand and ultimately treat a wide range of human disorders. However, like many great scientific frontiers in human history, the pioneering nature of microbiome research comes with a multitude of challenges and potential pitfalls. These include the reproducibility and robustness of microbiome science, especially in its applications to human health outcomes. In this article, we address the enormous promise of microbiome science and its many challenges, proposing constructive solutions to enhance the reproducibility and robustness of research in this nascent field. The optimisation of microbiome science spans research design, implementation and analysis, and we discuss specific aspects such as the importance of ecological principals and functionality, challenges with microbiome-modulating therapies and the consideration of confounding, alternative options for microbiome sequencing, and the potential of machine learning and computational science to advance the field. The power of microbiome science promises to revolutionise our understanding of many diseases and provide new approaches to prevention, early diagnosis, and treatment.

Effects of Dietary Acacia nilotica Fruit, Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles and Their Combination on Productive Performance, Zinc Retention, and Blood Biochemistry of Rabbits.

This study aims to examine the effects of supplementing male rabbit diets with nanoparticles of zinc oxide (Nano-ZnO) and Acacia nilotica fruit powder (ANFP) on production sustainability under hot climatic conditions. Eighty Californian male rabbits aged 40 days old (average body weight 738.5 ± 11 g) were divided into four treatment groups and administered one of the following diets: control diet, Nano-ZnO (50 mg/kg), ANFP (5 g/kg), or a combination of Nano-ZnO (50 mg/kg) and ANFP (5 g/kg) for a period of 60 days. Each of the 20 rabbits used in a treatment was regarded as a replicate. The results showed that adding Nano-ZnO and ANFP individually or in combination to rabbits' diets improved (p < 0.05) growth performance in comparison to control. In addition, zinc contents in serum or the testis tissues in the Nano-ZnO- and ANFP-treated rabbits were significantly greater (p < 0.05) than those in the control group. In addition, serum levels of creatinine, alanine aminotransferase, and aspartate aminotransferase were decreased (p < 0.05) by supplementation of Nano-ZnO, ANFP, or their combination. Carcass criteria did not differ among the treatments. Overall, the findings of the present study indicate that rabbits fed diets containing Nano-ZnO and ANFP, as well as their combination, showed improvements in growth performance, kidney and liver functions, as well as zinc retention in tissues under hot climatic conditions. The combination of Nano-ZnO and ANFP exhibited the best performance in the rabbits. More research on the synergistic effects of Nano-ZnO and ANFP in the sustainable production of rabbit meat is required.

Growth patterns of Pseudomonas aeruginosa in milk fortified with chitosan and selenium nanoparticles during refrigerated storage.

Pseudomonas spp are considered a common milk-associated psychotropic bacteria, leading to milk deterioration during storage; therefore, our study aimed to study the distribution of Pseudomonas aeruginosa in raw milk and its associated products then studying the growth behavior of P. aeruginosa in milk after employing chitosan nanoparticles (CsNPs 50, 25, and 15 mg/100ml) and selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs 0.5, 0.3 and 0.1 mg/100ml) as a trial to control the bacterial growth in milk during five days of cooling storage. Our study relies on the ion gelation method and green synthesis for the conversion of chitosan and selenium to nanosized particles respectively, we subsequently confirmed their shape using SEM and TEM. We employing Pseudomonas selective agar medium for monitoring the bacterial growth along the cooling storage. Our findings reported that high prevalence of Pseudomonas spp count in raw milk and kareish cheese and high incidence percent of P. aeruginosa in ice cream and yogurt respectively. Both synthesized nanoparticles exhibited antibacterial activity in a dose-dependent manner. Moreover, CsNPs50 could inhibit the P. aeruginosa survival growth to a mean average of 2.62 ± 1.18 log10cfu/ml in the fifth day of milk cooling storage; also, it was noted that the hexagonal particles SeNPs0.5 could inhibit 2.49 ± 11 log10cfu/ml in comparison to the control P. aeruginosa milk group exhibited growth survival rate 7.24 ± 2.57 log10cfu/ml under the same conditions. In conclusion, we suggest employing chitosan and selenium nanoparticles to improve milk safety and recommend future studies for the fate of nanoparticles in milk.

Effect of Arabinogalactans on Induction of White-Opaque Somatic Embryos of Avocado (Persea americana Mill.) cv. Duke-7.

The development of somatic embryogenesis in avocado (Persea americana Mill.) has been hampered by different chronic problems. One such problem is the low level of induction of white-opaque somatic embryos (WOSEs) during the process of obtaining full avocado plants. We detected the induction of multiple WOSEs promoted after the placement of three or four small WOSEs over the embryogenic callus of Duke-7. Among the other possible chemical inductors of the Arabinogalactans (AGPs), we identified a family of extracellular plant proteoglycans implicated in many aspects of the in vitro induction of somatic embryos (SE). We extracted AGPs directly from embryogenic cultures of avocado. When the induction/proliferation medium of embryogenic avocado calli (MS-0.1 mg L-1 Picloram) was supplemented with 1-2 mg L-1 AGP, the induction rate of good-quality WOSEs from the embryogenic callus increased significantly (more than ten times that of the control without AGP) and this effect persisted for at least five subcultures after the initial treatment with AGP. AGP also modified the texture and quality of the callus. The effect of AGP extends to other cultivars and proliferation media. Our objectives were to improve the induction of WOSEs and study the effect of AGP in the somatic embryogenesis of avocado.

High prevalence of chronic viral hepatitis B and C in Minnesota Somalis contributes to rising hepatocellular carcinoma incidence.

BACKGROUND: Chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections are known risk factors for liver disease, cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). There is substantial global variation in HBV and HCV prevalence resulting in variations in cirrhosis and HCC. We previously reported high prevalence of HBV and HCV infections in Somali immigrants seen at an academic medical center in Minnesota. AIM: To determine the prevalence of chronic viral hepatitis in Somali immigrants in Minnesota through a community-based screening program. METHODS: We conducted a prospective community-based participatory research study in the Somali community in Minnesota in partnership with community advisory boards, community clinics and local mosques between November 2010 and December 2015 (data was analyzed in 2020). Serum was tested for hepatitis B surface antigen, hepatitis B core antibody, hepatitis B surface antibody and anti-HCV antibody. RESULTS: Of 779 participants, 15.4% tested positive for chronic HBV infection, 50.2% for prior exposure to HBV and 7.6% for chronic HCV infection. Calculated age-adjusted frequencies in males and females for chronic HBV were 12.5% and 11.6%; for prior exposure to HBV were 44.8% and 41.3%; and for chronic HCV were 6.7% and 5.7%, respectively. Seven participants developed incident HCC during follow up. CONCLUSION: Chronic HBV and HCV are major risk factors for liver disease and HCC among Somali immigrants, with prevalence of both infections substantially higher than in the general United States population. Community-based screening is essential for identifying and providing health education and linkage to care for diagnosed patients.

Potential Role of Inflammation-Promoting Biliary Microbiome in Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis and Cholangiocarcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) is a major risk factor for cholangiocarcinoma (CCA). We investigated biliary and fecal microbiota to determine whether specific microbes in the bile or stool are associated with PSC or CCA. METHODS: Bile was obtained from 32 patients with PSC, 23 with CCA with PSC, 26 with CCA without PSC, and 17 controls. Over 90% of bile samples were from patients with perihilar CCA. Stool was obtained from 31 patients with PSC (11 were matched to bile), 16 with CCA with PSC (10 matched to bile), and 11 with CCA without PSC (6 matched to bile). Microbiota composition was assessed using 16SrRNA-marker-based sequencing and was compared between groups. RESULTS: Bile has a unique microbiota distinguished from negative DNA controls and stool. Increased species richness and abundance of Fusobacteria correlated with duration of PSC and characterized the biliary microbiota in CCA. Stool microbiota composition showed no significant differences between groups. CONCLUSIONS: We identified a unique microbial signature in the bile of patients with increased duration of PSC or with CCA, suggesting a role for microbiota-driven inflammation in the pathogenesis and or progression to perihilar CCA. Further studies are needed to test this hypothesis.

Rodent models of hypertension.

Elevated blood pressure (BP), or hypertension, is the main risk factor for cardiovascular disease. As a multifactorial and systemic disease that involves multiple organs and systems, hypertension remains a challenging disease to study. Models of hypertension are invaluable to support the discovery of the specific genetic, cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying essential hypertension, as well as to test new possible treatments to lower BP. Rodent models have proven to be an invaluable tool for advancing the field. In this review, we discuss the strengths and weaknesses of rodent models of hypertension through a systems approach. We highlight the ways how target organs and systems including the kidneys, vasculature, the sympathetic nervous system (SNS), immune system and the gut microbiota influence BP in each rodent model. We also discuss often overlooked hypertensive conditions such as pulmonary hypertension and hypertensive-pregnancy disorders, providing an important resource for researchers. LINKED ARTICLES: This article is part of a themed issue on Preclinical Models for Cardiovascular disease research (BJP 75th Anniversary). To view the other articles in this section visit http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/bph.v179.5/issuetoc.

Microbial Interventions to Control and Reduce Blood Pressure in Australia (MICRoBIA): rationale and design of a double-blinded randomised cross-over placebo controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Hypertension is a prevalent chronic disease worldwide that remains poorly controlled. Recent studies support the concept that the gut microbiota is involved in the development of hypertension and that dietary fibre intake may act through the gut microbiota to lower blood pressure (BP). Resistant starch is a type of prebiotic fibre which is metabolised by commensal bacteria in the colon to produce short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), including acetate, propionate, and butyrate. Previous work in pre-clinical models provides strong evidence that both prebiotic fibre as well as SCFAs (i.e. postbiotics) can prevent the development of hypertension. The aim of this clinical trial is to determine if acetylated and butyrylated modified resistant starch can decrease BP of hypertensive individuals via the modulation of the gut microbiota and release of high levels of SCFAs. METHODS: This is a phase IIa double-blinded, randomised, cross-over, placebo controlled trial. Participants are randomly allocated to receive either a diet containing 40 g/day of the modified resistant starch or placebo (corn starch or regular flour) for 3 weeks on each diet, with a 3-week washout period between the two diets. BP is measured in the office, at home, and using a 24-h ambulatory device. Arterial stiffness is measured using carotid-to-femoral pulse wave velocity. Our primary endpoint is a reduction in ambulatory daytime systolic BP. Secondary endpoints include changes to circulating cytokines, immune markers, and modulation to the gut microbiome. DISCUSSION: The findings of this study will provide the first evidence for the use of a combination of pre- and postbiotics to lower BP in humans. The results are expected at the end of 2021. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Australia and New Zealand Clinical Trial Registry ACTRN12619000916145 . Registered on 1 July 2019.

Multidimentional Preoperative Frailty Assessment and Postoperative Complication Risk in Egyptian Geriatric Patients Undergoing Elective Cardiac Surgery.

BACKGROUND: Frailty affects up to 51%of the geriatric population in developing countries which leads to increased morbidity and mortality. OBJECTIVE: To determine the association between pre-operative frailty through multidimentional assessment score, and the incidence of post-operative complications and to validate Robinson score in geriatric Egyptian patients undergoing elective cardiac surgery. METHODS: We recruited 180 elderly participants aged 60 years old and above, who underwent elective cardiac surgery. They were divided into frail, pre-frail, and non-frail groups after application of Robinson score (which includes cognitive and functional and fall risk assessment, number of comorbidities, and different laboratory data). Type and duration of operations and the presence and severity of complications at days 3 and 7 post-surgery, and the 30-day readmission rate were assessed. RESULTS: Operation duration and the occurrence of postoperative complications at days 3 and 7 were lowest in non-frail and highest in the frail group (p < 0.001 for both). Length of hospital stay and 30-day readmission rate also increased in the frail group. A positive, moderate correlation between frailty and blood transfusion (r = 0.405) and functional dependence (r = 0.552) was found at day-3 post-surgery. Finally, logistic regression analysis identified a 6-fold increase in postoperative complications in the frail group (OR = 6). CONCLUSION: Preoperative frailty was associated with higher incidence of postoperative complications among geriatric patients undergoing elective cardiac surgery. Frailty assessment by Robinson score can be considered as an accurate tool to predict postoperative complications during preoperative assessment of elderly patients.

Effects of Cirrhosis and Diagnosis Scenario in Metabolic-Associated Fatty Liver Disease-Related Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

Metabolic-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) is a major cause of liver-related complications, including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). While MAFLD-related HCC is known to occur in the absence of cirrhosis, our understanding of MAFLD-related HCC in this setting is limited. Here, we characterize MAFLD-related HCC and the impact of cirrhosis and screening on survival. This was a multicenter, retrospective, cohort study of MAFLD-related HCC. MAFLD was defined based on the presence of race-adjusted overweight, diabetes, or both hypertension and dyslipidemia in the absence of excess alcohol use or other underlying cause of liver disease. The primary outcome of interest was overall survival, and the primary dependent variables were cirrhosis status and prior HCC screening. We used Kaplan-Meier methods to estimate overall survival and Cox proportional hazards models and random forest machine learning to determine factors associated with prognosis. This study included 1,382 patients from 11 centers in the United States and East/Southeast Asia. Cirrhosis was present in 62% of patients, but under half of these patients had undergone imaging within 12 months of HCC diagnosis. Patients with cirrhosis were more likely to have early stage disease but less often received curative therapy. After adjustment, cirrhosis was not associated with prognosis, but the presence of cancer-related symptoms at diagnosis was associated with poorer prognosis. Conclusion: Cirrhosis was not associated with overall survival in this cohort of MAFLD-related HCC, while diagnosis in the presence of symptoms was associated with poorer prognosis. The HCC surveillance rate in patients with MAFLD-related HCC was disappointingly low in a multicenter cohort.

Development and validation of spectrophotometric methods for estimation of antimigraine drug eletriptan hydrobromide in pure form and pharmaceutical formulations.

OBJECTIVES: The present study aims to develop and validate four simple, sensitive, reproducible, and low-cost spectrophotometric methods for the determination of antimigraine drug (eletriptan hydrobromide) in pure form and pharmaceutical formulations. METHODS: The methods are based on the formation of yellow colored ion-pair complex between eletriptan hydrobromide and four acid dyes, namely, bromocresol purple (BCP), bromocresol green (BCG), bromophenol blue (BPB), and bromothymol blue (BTB) with absorption maxima at 410, 420, 414 and 416nm, respectively. Several parameters such as pH, buffer type and volume, reagent volume, sequence of addition and effect of extracting solvent were optimized. RESULTS: Under the optimum experimental conditions, beer's law is obeyed over the concentration ranges of 1.0-20 and 1.0-16µgmL-1 for (BCP or BCG) and (BPB or BTB), respectively with good correlation coefficients (0.9995-0.9999). The apparent molar absorptivity and Sandell's sensitivity values are reported for all methods. The limit of detection (LOD) and the limit of quantification (LOQ) values are found to be 0.27, 0.28, 0.25, and 0.30µgmL-1 and 0.90, 0.93, 0.83, and 1.0µgmL-1 for BCP, BCG, BPB and BTB, respectively. The stoichiometric ratio of the formed ion-pair complexes was found to be 1:1 (drug: reagent) for all methods. CONCLUSION: The developed methods were successfully applied for the determination of eletriptan hydrobromide in pharmaceutical formulations with good accuracy and precision. Statistical comparison of the results was performed using Student's t-test and variance ratio F-test at the 95% confidence level and there was no significant difference between the reported and proposed methods regarding accuracy and precision. Further, the validity of the proposed methods was confirmed by recovery studies via standard addition method.

Manipulation of the gut microbiota by the use of prebiotic fibre does not override a genetic predisposition to heart failure.

Increasing evidence supports a role for the gut microbiota in the development of cardiovascular diseases such as hypertension and its progression to heart failure (HF). Dietary fibre has emerged as a modulator of the gut microbiota, resulting in the release of gut metabolites called short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), such as acetate. We have shown previously that fibre or acetate can protect against hypertension and heart disease in certain models. HF is also commonly caused by genetic disorders. In this study we investigated whether the intake of fibre or direct supplementation with acetate could attenuate the development of HF in a genetic model of dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) due to overexpression of the cardiac specific mammalian sterile 20-like kinase (Mst1). Seven-week-old male mice DCM mice and littermate controls (wild-type, C57BL/6) were fed a control diet (with or without supplementation with 200 mM magnesium acetate in drinking water), or a high fibre diet for 7 weeks. We obtained hemodynamic, morphological, flow cytometric and gene expression data. The gut microbiome was characterised by 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing. Fibre intake was associated with a significant shift in the gut microbiome irrespective of mouse genotype. However, neither fibre or supplementation with acetate were able to attenuate cardiac remodelling or cardiomyocyte apoptosis in Mst1 mice. Furthermore, fibre and acetate did not improve echocardiographic or hemodynamic parameters in DCM mice. These data suggest that although fibre modulates the gut microbiome, neither fibre nor acetate can override a strong genetic contribution to the development of heart failure in the Mst1 model.

Microbial Peer Pressure: The Role of the Gut Microbiota in Hypertension and Its Complications.

There is increasing evidence of the influence of the gut microbiota on hypertension and its complications, such as chronic kidney disease, stroke, heart failure, and myocardial infarction. This is not surprising considering that the most common risk factors for hypertension, such as age, sex, medication, and diet, can also impact the gut microbiota. For example, sodium and fermentable fiber have been studied in relation to both hypertension and the gut microbiota. By combining second- and, now, third-generation sequencing with metabolomics approaches, metabolites, such as short-chain fatty acids and trimethylamine N-oxide, and their producers, have been identified and are now known to affect host physiology and the cardiovascular system. The receptors that bind these metabolites have also been explored with positive findings-examples include known short-chain fatty acid receptors, such as G-protein coupled receptors GPR41, GPR43, GPR109a, and OLF78 in mice. GPR41 and OLF78 have been shown to have inverse roles in blood pressure regulation, whereas GPR43 and GPR109A have to date been demonstrated to impact cardiac function. New treatment options in the form of prebiotics (eg, dietary fiber), probiotics (eg, Lactobacillus spp.), and postbiotics (eg, the short-chain fatty acids acetate, propionate, and butyrate) have all been demonstrated to be beneficial in lowering blood pressure in animal models, but the underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood and translation to hypertensive patients is still lacking. Here, we review the evidence for the role of the gut microbiota in hypertension, its risk factors, and cardiorenal complications and identify future directions for this exciting and fast-evolving field.

Wettability and capillary effects: Dynamics of pinch-off in unconstricted straight capillary tubes.

We study the interfacial evolution of immiscible two-phase flow within a capillary tube in the partial wetting regime using direct numerical simulation. We investigate the flow patterns resulting from the displacement of a more viscous fluid by a less viscous one under a wide range of wettability conditions. We find that beyond a wettability dependent critical capillary number, a uniform displacement by a less viscous fluid can transition into a growing finger that eventually breaks up into discrete blobs by a series of pinch-off events for both wetting and nonwetting contact angles. This study validates previous experimental observations of pinch-off for wetting contact angles and extends those to nonwetting contact angles. We find that the blob length increases with the capillary number. We observe that the time between consecutive pinch-off events decreases with the capillary number and is greater for more wetting conditions in the displaced phase. We further show that the blob separation distance as a function of the difference between the inlet velocity and the contact line speed collapses into two monotonically decreasing curves for wetting and nonwetting contact angles. For the phase separation in the form of pinch-off, this work provides a quantitative study of the emerging length and timescales and their dependence on the wettability conditions, capillary effects, and viscous forces.

Evaluating the integrity of forested riparian buffers over a large area using LiDAR data and Google Earth Engine.

Spatial and temporal changes in land cover have direct impacts on the hydrological cycle and stream quality. Techniques for accurately and efficiently mapping these changes are evolving quickly, and it is important to evaluate how useful these techniques are to address the environmental impact of land cover on riparian buffer areas. The objectives of this study were to: (1) determine the classes and distribution of land cover in the riparian areas of streams; (2) examine the discrepancies within the existing land cover data from National Land Cover Database (NLCD) using high-resolution imagery of the National Agriculture Imagery Program (NAIP) and a LiDAR canopy height model; and (3) develop a technique using LiDAR data to help characterize riparian buffers over large spatial extents. One-meter canopy height models were constructed in a high-throughput computing environment. The machine learning algorithm Support Vector Machine (SVM) was trained to perform supervised land cover classification at a 1-m resolution on the Google Earth Engine (GEE) platform using NAIP imagery and LiDAR-derived canopy height models. This integrated approach to land cover classification provided a substantial improvement in the resolution and accuracy of classifications with F1 Score of each land cover classification ranging from 64.88 to 95.32%. The resulting 1-m land cover map is a highly detailed representation of land cover in the study area. Forests (evergreen and deciduous) and wetlands are by far the dominant land cover classes in riparian zones of the Lower Savannah River Basin, followed by cultivated crops and pasture/hay. Stress from urbanization in the riparian zones appears to be localized. This study demonstrates a method to create accurate high-resolution riparian buffer maps which can be used to improve water management and provide future prospects for improving buffer zones monitoring to assess stream health.

Effect of Statins on the Risk of Extrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Statins have been proven to be cytotoxic to human cholangiocarcinoma cells by inhibiting cell division and inducing apoptosis. We aimed to determine the effect of statin use on the risk of cancer development and survival in patients with extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ECC), including perihilar cholangiocarcinoma (pCCA) and distal cholangiocarcinoma (dCCA). APPROACH AND RESULTS: A total of 394 patients with ECC and hyperlipidemia who received care at Mayo Clinic Rochester between 2005 and 2015 were matched by age, sex, race, ethnicity, and residency to 788 controls with hyperlipidemia. Clinical and outcome data were abstracted. The odds ratios (ORs) for risk and hazard ratios for outcomes were calculated. The mean age and standard deviation (SD) for cases and controls was 65.6 years (13.8). The number of statin users in cases and controls was 73 (19%) and 403 (51%), respectively. Hepatitis C virus infection (OR, 15.84; 95% confidence interval [CI], 4.06-61.87; P < 0.001) was the most significant risk factor for pCCA followed by inflammatory bowel disease and cirrhosis, whereas other liver disease, including biliary stone disease (OR, 4.06; CI, 2.24-7.36; P < 0.001), was the only significant risk factor for dCCA. Statin use was associated with significantly reduced risk for all ECC (OR, 0.22; CI, 0.16-0.29) as well as for the subtypes pCCA (OR, 0.3; CI, 0.21-0.41) and dCCA (OR, 0.06; CI, 0.03-0.14), all P < 0.0001. Moderate-intensity dosage was found to decrease the risk of ECC (OR, 0.48; CI, 0.34-0.67; P < 0.001). Comparing statin ever users to nonusers, patients with dCCA who used statins had significantly overall better survival (hazard ratio = 0.53; CI, 0.29-0.97; P = 0.04). CONCLUSIONS: This case-control study suggests that statins decrease the risk of ECC and may improve survival in patients with dCCA. Additional validation studies are warranted.