The COVID-19 High-Performance Computing Consortium.

In March of 2020, recognizing the potential of High Performance Computing (HPC) to accelerate understanding and the pace of scientific discovery in the fight to stop COVID-19, the HPC community assembled the largest collection of worldwide HPC resources to enable COVID-19 researchers worldwide to advance their critical efforts. Amazingly, the COVID-19 HPC Consortium was formed within one week through the joint effort of the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP), the U.S.

Innovative, compact and energy-efficient biofilm process for nutrient removal from wastewater.

Rapid population growth, industrial development and stringent demand for treatment of wastewater require developing and emerging economies to upgrade existing wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) or planning new WWTPs. In the context of unavailability or unaffordability of land and resources for infrastructure expansion, low cost, small footprint, less energy consumption and product reuse are some of the major factors to be considered when either upgrading or designing new WWTPs in developing and emerging economies. Although the transition from activated sludge to biofilm processes has partly solved these challenges, there are innovations that can make the processes even more compact and more efficient.

Novel biofilm reactor for denitrification of municipal wastewater.

A pilot-scale CFIC (continuous flow intermittent cleaning) reactor was run in anoxic conditions to study denitrification of wastewater. The CFIC process has already proven its capabilities for biological oxygen demand removal with a small footprint, less energy consumption and low cost. The present study focused on the applicability for denitrification.

Dietary Effects on Cognition and Pilots' Flight Performance.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of diet on cognition and flight performance of 45 pilots. Based on a theory of self-care, this clinical study used a repeated-measure, counterbalanced crossover design. Pilots were randomly rotated through 4-day high-carbohydrate, high-protein, high-fat, and control diets.

Long-term haemodynamic effects of amlodipine at rest and during exercise in essential hypertension.

Haemodynamic responses at rest and during exercise were studied in 18 patients with essential hypertension following long-term treatment with amlodipine. Patients underwent a 2-week placebo run-in period followed by a mean duration of 11 months' treatment with amlodipine 5-10 mg (mean dose 9 mg) once daily. Blood pressure was measured intra-arterially, cardiac output by dye dilution and heart rate by electrocardiogram.

Long-term haemodynamic effects of amlodipine at rest and during exercise in essential hypertension.

Amlodipine administered once daily (5-10 mg) lowered blood pressure and reduced total peripheral resistance in patients with mild-to-severe essential hypertension without any reflex tachycardia. Heart pump function was maintained at rest and during exercise with a trend towards an increase in cardiac and stroke index. Amlodipine was effective and well tolerated in both young and elderly hypertensive patients with no reports of unpleasant vasodilator-related side effects.

Long-term haemodynamic effects of amlodipine at rest and during exercise in essential hypertension.

The long-term haemodynamic responses to amlodipine, a new long-acting calcium antagonist, were studied both at rest and during exercise in 18 patients (mean age 43 years) with essential hypertension. Blood pressure was measured intra-arterially, cardiac output by dye dilution and heart rate by electrocardiogram. After 11 months of treatment with 5-10 mg amlodipine once daily (mean dose 9 mg/day), mean arterial pressure was reduced by 14% sitting at rest.