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Background Few studies have explored the utility of screening for cognitive impairment near hospital discharge in intensive care unit survivors. Objectives To explore baseline and hospitalization characteristics associated with cognitive impairment at hospital discharge and the relationship between cognitive impairment and 6-month disability and mortality outcomes. Methods Hospital disability status and treatment variables were collected from 2 observational cohort studies. Patients were screened for cognitive impairment at hospital discharge using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA)–Blind, and telephone follow-up was conducted 6 months after discharge to assess vital and physical disability status. Results Of 423 patients enrolled, 320 were alive at hospital discharge. A total of 213 patients (66.6%) were able to complete the MoCA near discharge; 47 patients (14.7%) could not complete it owing to cognitive impairment. In MoCA completers, the median (IQR) score was 17 (14-19). Older age (β per year increase, −0.09 [95% CI, −0.13 to −0.05]) and blood transfusions during hospitalization (β, −1.20 [95% CI, −2.26 to −0.14]) were associated with lower MoCA scores. At 6-month follow-up, 176 of 213 patients (82.6%) were alive, of whom 41 (23.3%) had new severe physical disabilities. Discharge MoCA score was not significantly associated with 6-month mortality (adjusted odds ratio, 1.03 [95% CI, 0.93-1.14]) but was significantly associated with risk of new severe disability at 6 months (adjusted odds ratio, 0.85 [95% CI, 0.76-0.94]). Conclusion Assessing for cognitive impairment at hospital discharge may help identify intensive care unit survivors at higher risk of severe physical disabilities after critical illness.

The National Ignition Facility (NIF) is now producing experimental results for the study of inertial confinement fusion (ICF). These results are captured by complex diagnostic systems and are key to achieving NIF's goal to demonstrate thermonuclear burn of deuterium and tritium fuel in a laboratory setting. High bandwidth gamma-ray fusion-burn measurements and soft X-ray indirect and direct drive energetic measurements are both captured with oscilloscope recording systems that distort or modulate the raw data. The Shot Data Analysis team has developed signal processing corrections for these oscilloscope recording systems through an automated engine. Once these corrections are applied, accurate fundamental quantities can be discerned.

The National Ignition Facility (NIF) at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory is the world's most energetic laser, providing a scientific research center to study inertial confinement fusion and matter at extreme energy densities and pressures. A target shot involves over 30 specialized diagnostics measuring critical x-ray, optical and nuclear phenomena to quantify ignition results for comparison with computational models. The Shot Analysis and Visualization System (SAVI) acquires and analyzes target diagnostic data for display within a time-budget of 30 min. Laser and target diagnostic data are automatically loaded into the NIF archive database through clustered software data collection agents. The SAVI Analysis Engine distributes signal and image processing tasks to a Linux cluster where computation is performed. Intermediate results are archived at each step of the analysis pipeline. Data is archived with metadata and pedigree. Experiment results are visualized through a web-based user interface in interactive dashboards tailored to single or multiple shot perspectives. The SAVI system integrates open-source software, commercial workflow tools, relational database and messaging technologies into a service-oriented and distributed software architecture that is highly parallel, scalable, and flexible. The architecture and functionality of the SAVI system will be presented along with examples.

An automated, high-throughput, open reading frame (ORF) library construction process has been developed. ORFs from genomic DNA of the microbe Sinorhizobium meliloti were amplified by PCR and cloned into the library vector by homologous recombination instead of traditional ligation. From 960 targets, we successfully generated 723 (75.3%) ORFs from the initial PCR. After cloning the successful samples into the library vector, transforming into E. coli and PCR colony screening, 371 (38.6% overall) ORFs were placed into the new library and sequenced. Our prototype library contained 314 (32.7% overall) clones with sequence identity to the Sinorhizobium meliloti genome.

Since its start, the Mammalian Gene Collection (MGC) has sought to provide at least one full-protein-coding sequence cDNA clone for every human and mouse gene with a RefSeq transcript, and at least 6200 rat genes. The MGC cloning effort initially relied on random expressed sequence tag screening of cDNA libraries. Here, we summarize our recent progress using directed RT-PCR cloning and DNA synthesis. The MGC now contains clones with the entire protein-coding sequence for 92% of human and 89% of mouse genes with curated RefSeq (NM-accession) transcripts, and for 97% of human and 96% of mouse genes with curated RefSeq transcripts that have one or more PubMed publications, in addition to clones for more than 6300 rat genes. These high-quality MGC clones and their sequences are accessible without restriction to researchers worldwide.

Historically, women and minorities have been underrepresented in clinical trials of drugs to treat cardiovascular disease (CVD). To accurately assess the safety and efficacy of CVD drugs, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has made a conscious effort to ensure adequate representation of