JDSU (Canada)

Computed tomography (CT) findings of acute and chronic ischemia are associated with subsequent stroke risk in patients with transient ischemic attack. We sought to validate these associations in a large prospective cohort of patients with transient ischemic attack or minor stroke. This prospective cohort study enrolled emergency department patients from 13 hospitals with transient ischemic attack who had CT imaging. Primary outcome was stroke within 90 days. Secondary outcomes were stroke within 2 or 7 days. CT findings were abstracted from radiology reports and classified for the presence of acute ischemia, chronic ischemia, or microangiopathy. Multivariable logistic regression was used to test associations with primary and secondary end points. From 8670 prospectively enrolled patients between May 2010 and May 2017, 8382 had a CT within 24 hours. From this total population, 4547 (54%) patients had evidence of acute ischemia, chronic ischemia, or microangiopathy on CT, of whom 175 had a subsequent stroke within 90 days (3.8% subsequent stroke rate; adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 2.33 [95% CI, 1.62-3.36]). This was in comparison to those with CT imaging without ischemia. Findings associated with an increased risk of stroke at 90 days were isolated acute ischemia (6.0%; aOR, 2.42 [95% CI, 1.03-5.66]), acute ischemia with microangiopathy (10.7%; aOR, 3.34 [95% CI, 1.57-7.14]), chronic ischemia with microangiopathy (5.2%; aOR, 1.83 [95% CI, 1.34-2.50]), and acute ischemia with chronic ischemia and microangiopathy (10.9%; aOR, 3.49 [95% CI, 1.54-7.91]). Acute ischemia with chronic ischemia and microangiopathy were most strongly associated with subsequent stroke within 2 days (aOR, 4.36 [95% CI, 1.31-14.54]) and 7 days (aOR, 4.50 [95% CI, 1.73-11.69]). In patients with transient ischemic attack or minor stroke, CT evidence of acute ischemia with chronic ischemia or microangiopathy significantly increases the risk of subsequent stroke within 90 days of index visit. The combination of all 3 findings results in the greatest early risk.

This study describesthe optimization of a eucalyptus elementalchlorine-free (ECF) bleach plant to reduce adsorbable organic halogen(AOX). The correlations between operating conditions of each stageand pulp quality indices as well as the AOX content in wastewaterare analyzed, taking an ECF bleaching technology (D0EpPD1) as an example. The calculation models of pulp quality indicesand AOX content in wastewater are established. Then, an optimizationmodel aiming at minimizing AOX emission is structured. The model showsa good simulation effect because the errors between the calculatedand experimental values are within 6.3%. By analyzing the impact ofvarious operating conditions on AOX emissions, it was found that chlorinedioxide reduced in the D0 stage has the greatest impacton AOX. The optimization results show that AOX can be reduced from90.84 to 79.58 kg/h, a decrease of 12.5%. The verification experimentresults based on the optimized operating conditions showed that theexperimental results are in good agreement with the calculated resultsof the optimization model, and the effect of reducing AOX based onthe optimization model is obvious.

Early, frequent rehabilitation is an important factor for optimizing stroke recovery outcomes. Medical comorbidities, such as osteoarthritis, that affect the ability to participate in rehabilitation could therefore have a detrimental impact on such outcomes. Both stroke and osteoarthritis are becoming more common in developed nations as the population ages. First-line osteoarthritis treatments, such as oral nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, are often avoided poststroke due to interaction with secondary prevention stroke risk-factor management. Our objective was to summarize the current literature concerning co-occurring osteoarthritis and stroke prevalence, its functional impact, and treatment options. Narrative review using a comprehensive literature search of PubMed, osteoarthritis, and stroke guidelines. Outcomes related to co-occurrence prevalence, osteoarthritis as a stroke risk-factor, osteoarthritis-related imaging and treatment were extracted and summarized descriptively. Overall quality of the evidence was summarized using Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation. We identified 23 studies and guidelines related to our objective. Overall quality of the evidence was very low. Few trials have investigated the relationship between osteoarthritis and stroke, nor osteoarthritis-specific pain and function management for stroke survivors. High-quality research evaluating the impact of osteoarthritis on stroke rehabilitation is needed.

The parasitoid community associated with the invasive leek moth, Acrolepiopsis assectella (Zeller) (Lepidoptera: Acrolepiidae): can conservation biological control benefit an introduced classical biological control agent in North America?

A method is presented of using skew rays to optimize a generally astigmatic optical system to obtain the desired Gaussian beam focus and minimize aberrations, and to calculate the propagating generally astigmatic Gaussian beam parameters at any point.

A review of Chris Brummer, Soft Law and the Global Financial System: Rule Making in the 21st Century (Cambridge University Press, 2012).

A three-dimensional model for beam propagation through optical interference filters is presented. The model predicts a wavelength-dependent lateral beam displacement of tens or hundreds of micrometers in narrowband filters at an angle of incidence of only 3 degrees to 5 degrees . The effects of filter bandwidth, wavelength offset, angle of incidence, and beam size are investigated. The effect is experimentally confirmed for a 100 GHz filter at a 3.5 degrees angle of incidence.

ROADM (reconfigurable optical add/drop multiplexers) subsystems can be implemented using a variety of architectures and technologies, each with their own trade-offs in performance and functionality. This paper describes the available technology options, and corresponding subsystem features, while highlighting the key advantages and implementation challenges associated with each.

Conventional thin-film filters introduce chromatic dispersion, which impairs high datarate systems. A 50 GHz filter that imparts <1 ps/nm dispersion over a 30 GHz passband was designed, built and compared to conventional filters.