bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Anterior Chest Wall Reconstruction Using Polypropylene Mesh: A Retrospective Study
Authors: Schroeder-Finckh Alexander , Lopez-Pastorini Alberto , Galetin Thomas , Defosse Jerome , Stoelben Erich , Koryllos Aris
Published: August 2019

Background Anterior chest wall resection for oncological purposes is usually combined with a form of reconstruction. Most surgeons are convinced that ventrally located defects more than 4 to 5 cm require adequate reconstruction to minimize the risk of lung herniation and respiratory distress through paradox motion. We describe our in-house results of ventral chest wall reconstruction using polypropylene mesh without the use of metallic or biological implants regardless of the extent of chest wall resection.

Methods Patient selection involved ventral chest wall resection and reconstruction by polypropylene mesh for all indications such as primary tumors, metastasis, or infiltration by lung cancer from January 2008 to December 2016. Primary end point was the difference between both sides. Secondary end points were postoperative complications such as infection, surgical revision, and pulmonary complications.

Results Forty-five cases of isolated anterior reconstruction could be identified. In 34 cases, postoperative computed tomography scan of the thorax was available. Fifteen males and 19 females with a median age of 70.5 years were operated. The evaluation of maximum hemithorax diameter between operated and nonoperated sides was documented in centimeters, and the difference was documented in percentage. The mean percentage difference was 11.1% (minimum: 0.3, maximum: 44.4). In one case, wound infection with positive culture could not be treated conservatively and required operative revision and removal of the polypropylene mesh.

Conclusion Polypropylene mesh, though not rigid, can safely be used for anterior chest wall reconstruction.
Cavity-enhanced high harmonic generation for extreme ultraviolet time- and angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy
Authors: Mills A. K. , Zhdanovich S. , Na M. X. , Boschini F. , Razzoli E. , Michiardi M. , Sheyerman A. , Schneider M. , Hammond T. J. , Süss V. , Felser C. , Damascelli A. , Jones D. J.
Published: August 2019

With its direct correspondence to electronic structure, angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES) is a ubiquitous tool for the study of solids. When extended to the temporal domain, time-resolved (TR)-ARPES offers the potential to move beyond equilibrium properties, exploring both the unoccupied electronic structure as well as its dynamical response under ultrafast perturbation. Historically, ultrafast extreme ultraviolet sources employing high-order harmonic generation (HHG) have required compromises that make it challenging to achieve a high energy resolution—which is highly desirable for many TR-ARPES studies—while producing high photon energies and a high photon flux. We address this challenge by performing HHG inside a femtosecond enhancement cavity, realizing a practical source for TR-ARPES that achieves a flux of over 1011 photons/s delivered to the sample, operates over a range of 8–40 eV with a repetition rate of 60 MHz. This source enables TR-ARPES studies with a temporal and energy resolution of 190 fs and 22 meV, respectively. To characterize the system, we perform ARPES measurements of polycrystalline Au and MoTe2, as well as TR-ARPES studies on graphite.
Substitution induced magnetic phase transitions and related electrical conduction mechanisms in LaFeO3 nanoparticle
Authors: Lakshmana Rao T. , Pradhan M. K. , Goutam U. K. , Siruguri V. , Reddy V. R. , Dash S.
Published: August 2019

The effects of disorder on the magnetic phases as well as on the conduction process are extensively studied in LaFeO3 nanoparticles in a wide field and temperature ranges. The disorder induced by Na in LaFeO3 alters its robust magnetic phase to the coexistence of distinctly different magnetic orders. The phase purity of the samples, which plays an important role, is detected by synchrotron x-ray diffraction. Detailed magnetic measurements are carried out to investigate the evolution of phases due to substitutions. The samples show the coexistence of a superparamagnetic phase along with a weak ferromagnetic phase, and the ratio of the two distinct phases varies with substitutions. The Mössbauer measurement supported the said magnetic phases in the samples. The X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis clarifies the simultaneous presence of Fe3+ and Fe4+ due to Na+ incorporation. Furthermore, the electrical conduction is found to be greatly influenced by such substitutional disorder. From the dielectric measurement, a p-type polaronic conduction mechanism is found in 25% Na incorporation, which is mainly due to the hole hopping between Fe4+ and Fe3+ states. The semicircles in the whole temperature range in the Cole–Cole plots of impedance and modulus spectra are the co-contribution of the grain and the grain boundary effect in the conduction process.
A two-dimensional vertical van der Waals heterostructure based on g-GaN and Mg(OH)2 used as a promising photocatalyst for water splitting: A first-principles calculation
Authors: Ren Kai , Yu Jin , Tang Wencheng
Published: August 2019

In this study, based on first-principles calculation, the structural, electronic, interfacial, and optical properties of two-dimensional (2D) semiconductor vertical heterostructure constructed by g-GaN and Mg(OH)2 are addressed. The g-GaN/Mg(OH)2 heterostructure is discovered to be formed by van der Waals (vdW) forces and possesses a type-II band structure which can promote the separation of photogenerated electron–holes constantly. At the same time, the calculated band edge positions of the heterostructure are decent to induce the oxidation and reduction reactions for water splitting at pH 0. Gibb's free energy change in the redox reaction for the g-GaN/Mg(OH)2 vdW heterostructure is further investigated that the heterostructure can act as a suitable catalyst in hydrogen evolution reaction and oxygen evolution reaction for water splitting. The charge-density difference and the potential drop are calculated across the interface of the g-GaN/Mg(OH)2 vdW heterostructure, and the potential drop can induce a large built-in electric field, which is also a boost to prevent the recombination of the photogenerated charges. Finally, the applied external biaxial strain is studied that it can improve the optical absorption performance of the g-GaN/Mg(OH)2 vdW heterostructure. This study provides a possibility of method to design the 2D vdW heterostructure as a photocatalyst to decompose water.
Reliability of two embedded atom models for the description of Ag@Au nanoalloys
Authors: Bon M. , Ahmad N. , Erni R. , Passerone D.
Published: August 2019

The validation of embedded atom models (EAMs) for describing nanoalloys requires the verification of both a faithful description of the individual phases and a convincing scheme for the mixed interactions. In this work, we present a systematic benchmarking of two widely adopted EAM parameterizations, i.e., by Foiles [Phys. Rev. B 33, 7983 (1986)] and by Zhou [Phys. Rev. B 69, 144113 (2004)] with density functional theory calculations for the description of processes at Ag@Au nanoalloy surfaces and nanoclusters.
Real-space exciton distribution in strained-siligraphene g-SiC7
Authors: Le P. T. T. , Ebrahimi M. R. , Davoudiniya M. , Yarmohammadi M.
Published: August 2019

Siligraphene belonging to the family of two-dimensional (2D) materials has great potential in optoelectronics due to its considerable excitonic effects. In this study, the strain effects on the electronic structure and the real-space exciton wave functions of g-SiC7 are investigated using the first-principles calculations based on the ab initio many-body perturbation theory. Alongside the increase (decrease) of the bandgap with compressive (tensile) strain, our results show that the exciton in the siligraphene monolayer under in-plane biaxial compressive strains is much more localized than that in the case of tensile one, leading to the higher and lower exciton binding energies, respectively. Moreover, the π↦π and π↦σ exciton state transition emerges when applying the compressive and tensile strains, respectively. Overall, our study reveals that a desirable way to dissociate the electron-hole coupling and to reduce the electron-hole recombination process is applying “in-plane biaxial tensile strain,” making g-SiC7 an excellent potential functional 2D semiconductor in optoelectronics.
The response function of Fujifilm BAS-TR imaging plates to laser-accelerated titanium ions
Authors: Strehlow J. , Forestier-Colleoni P. , McGuffey C. , Bailly-Grandvaux M. , Daykin T. S. , McCary E. , Peebles J. , Revet G. , Zhang S. , Ditmire T. , Donovan M. , Dyer G. , Fuchs J. , Gaul E. W. , Higginson D. P. , Kemp G. E. , Martinez M. , McLean H. S. , Spinks M. , Sawada H. , Beg F. N.
Published: August 2019

Calibrated diagnostics for energetic particle detection allow for the systematic study of charged particle sources. The Fujifilm BAS-TR imaging plate (IP) is a reusable phosphorescent detector for radiation applications such as x-ray and particle beam detection. The BAS-TR IP has been absolutely calibrated to many low-Z (low proton number) ions, and extending these calibrations to the mid-Z regime is beneficial for the study of laser-driven ion sources. The Texas Petawatt Laser was used to generate energetic ions from a 100 nm titanium foil, and charge states Ti10+ through Ti12+, ranging from 6 to 27 MeV, were analyzed for calibration. A plastic detector of CR-39 with evenly placed slots was mounted in front of the IP to count the number of ions that correspond with the IP levels of photo-stimulated luminescence (PSL). A response curve was fitted to the data, yielding a model of the PSL signal vs ion energy. Comparisons to other published response curves are also presented, illustrating the trend of PSL/nucleon decreasing with increasing ion mass.
FEA-based heat management of a monochromator at the High Energy Photon Source
Authors: Wang Huirong
Published: August 2019

The finite element method (FEA) was used for thermal mechanical behavior analysis of a monochromator subjected to high heat load for a beamline at the High Energy Photon Source (HEPS). Without using reflection mirror, high energy photons deposit directly on the first crystal of DCM (Double Crystal Monochromator) with power density up to 69W/mm2. This paper introduces an indirect cooling structure with multi-channels cut inside the cooling blocks, which can effectively reduce the crystal deformation caused by high heat deposition. The effects of power and power density on crystal temperature and deformation are compared and its variation discipline with the distance between monochromator and light source (undulator) are studied. The research results have reference significance for thermal management of monochromators as well as other optical elements in HEPS.
Laser frequency upconversion in plasmas with finite ionization rates
Authors: Qu Kenan , Fisch Nathaniel J.
Published: August 2019

Laser frequency can be upconverted in a plasma undergoing ionization. For finite ionization rates, the laser pulse energy is partitioned into a pair of counterpropagating waves and static transverse currents. The wave amplitudes are determined by the ionization rates and the input pulse duration. The strongest output waves can be obtained when the plasma is fully ionized in a time that is shorter than the pulse duration. The static transverse current can induce a static magnetic field with instant ionization, but it dissipates as heat if the ionization time is longer than a few laser periods. This picture comports with experimental data, providing a description of both laser frequency upconverters and other laser-plasma interaction with evolving plasma densities.
Coupled cluster investigation of the vibrational and electronic second and third harmonic scattering hyperpolarizabilities of the water molecule
Authors: Beaujean Pierre , Champagne Benoît
Published: August 2019

The vibrational contributions to the average polarizability (α¯), to the second harmonic scattering (SHS) first hyperpolarizability (βSHS), and depolarization ratio (DRSHS), as well as to the third harmonic scattering (THS) second hyperpolarizability (γTHS) and depolarization ratio (DRTHS), have been evaluated for the water molecule using the Bishop and Kirtman perturbative theory approach, in combination with finite differentiation techniques to evaluate the higher-order derivatives. From a hierarchy of coupled cluster techniques and extended atomic basis sets, the CCSD/d-aug-cc-pVTZ level has been selected to assess the importance of the zero-point vibrational average (ZPVA) contributions and of the pure vibrational contributions with respect to their electronic counterparts. This is the first investigation demonstrating electronic and vibrational SHS, and THS responses can be computed for small molecules, with the perspective of performing comparisons with recent experimental data [Van Steerteghem et al., Anal. Chem. 89, 2964 (2017) and V. Rodriguez, J. Phys. Chem. C 121, 8510 (2017)]. Numerical results on the water molecule highlight that (i) the vibrational contributions to the dynamic α¯, βSHS, and γTHS are small but non negligible; (ii) they amount to 3%, 10%, and 4% at the typical 1064 nm wavelength, respectively; (iii) the mechanical anharmonicity term dominates the ZPVA contribution; (iv) the double harmonic terms dominate the pure vibrational contributions; (v) the stretching vibrations provide the largest contributions to the dynamic (hyper)polarizabilities; and (vi) these conclusions are strongly impacted in the static limit where the vibrational contributions are much larger, in particular the double harmonic pure vibrational terms, and even more in the case of the first hyperpolarizability.
Similarity transformation of the electronic Schrödinger equation via Jastrow factorization
Authors: Cohen Aron J. , Luo Hongjun , Guther Kai , Dobrautz Werner , Tew David P. , Alavi Ali
Published: August 2019

By expressing the electronic wavefunction in an explicitly correlated (Jastrow-factorized) form, a similarity-transformed effective Hamiltonian can be derived. The effective Hamiltonian is non-Hermitian and contains three-body interactions. The resulting ground-state eigenvalue problem can be solved projectively using a stochastic configuration-interaction formalism. Our approach permits the use of highly flexible Jastrow functions, which we show to be effective in achieving extremely high accuracy, even with small basis sets. Results are presented for the total energies and ionization potentials of the first-row atoms, achieving accuracy within a mH of the basis-set limit, using modest basis sets and computational effort.
The Structure of Legal Doctrine in a Judicial Hierarchy
Authors: Wofford Claire B.
Published: August 2019

Political scientists interested in the structure of legal doctrine are especially attuned to the impact of the judicial hierarchy. They generally frame the issue as whether a higher court will issue a rigid “rule” to prevent shirking or a vague “standard” to give more discretion to lower courts. This “rules versus standards” debate rests on two presumptions: jurists write doctrine, and doctrine varies in flexibility. Using the US Supreme Court, I offer an initial empirical evaluation of these presumptions. The findings reveal that the justices almost always adopt doctrine suggested to them and that these doctrines differ little in flexibility.
Preventing treatment failures in coronary artery disease: what can we learn from the biology of in-stent restenosis, vein graft failure, and internal thoracic arteries?
Authors: Spadaccio Cristiano , Antoniades Charalambos , Nenna Antonio , Chung Calvin , Will Ricardo , Chello Massimo , Gaudino Mario F L
Published: August 2019

Coronary artery disease (CAD) remains one of the most important causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide, and the availability of percutaneous or surgical revascularization procedures significantly improves survival. However, both strategies are daunted by complications which limit long-term effectiveness. In-stent restenosis (ISR) is a major drawback for intracoronary stenting, while graft failure is the limiting factor for coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG), especially using veins. Conversely, internal thoracic artery (ITA) is known to maintain long-term patency in CABG. Understanding the biology and pathophysiology of ISR and vein graft failure (VGF) and mechanisms behind ITA resistance to failure is crucial to combat these complications in CAD treatment. This review intends to provide an overview of the biological mechanisms underlying stent and VGF and of the potential therapeutic strategy to prevent these complications. Interestingly, despite being different modalities of revascularization, mechanisms of failure of stent and saphenous vein grafts are very similar from the biological standpoint.
Circular RNA circRNA_000203 aggravates cardiac hypertrophy via suppressing miR-26b-5p and miR-140-3p binding to Gata4
Authors: Li Hui , Xu Jin-Dong , Fang Xian-Hong , Zhu Jie-Ning , Yang Jing , Pan Rong , Yuan Shu-Jing , Zeng Ni , Yang Zhen-Zhen , Yang Hui , Wang Xi-Pei , Duan Jin-Zhu , Wang Sheng , Luo Jian-Fang , Wu Shu-Lin , Shan Zhi-Xin
Published: August 2019

Aims

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are involved in gene regulation in a variety of physiological and pathological processes. The present study aimed to investigate the effect of circRNA_000203 on cardiac hypertrophy and the potential mechanisms involved.

Methods and results

CircRNA_000203 was found to be up-regulated in the myocardium of Ang-II-infused mice and in the cytoplasma of Ang-II-treated neonatal mouse ventricular cardiomyocytes (NMVCs). Enforced expression of circRNA_000203 enhances cell size and expression of atrial natriuretic peptide and β-myosin heavy chain in NMVCs. In vivo, heart function was impaired and cardiac hypertrophy was aggravated in Ang-II-infused myocardium-specific circRNA_000203 transgenic mice (Tg-circ203). Mechanistically, we found that circRNA_000203 could specifically sponge miR-26b-5p, -140-3p in NMVCs. Further, dual-luciferase reporter assay showed that miR-26b-5p, -140-3p could interact with 3′-UTRs of Gata4 gene, and circRNA_000203 could block the above interactions. In addition, Gata4 expression is transcriptionally inhibited by miR-26b-5p, -140-3p mimic in NMVCs but enhanced by over-expression of circRNA_000203 in vitro and in vivo. Functionally, miR-26b-5p, -140-3p, and Gata4 siRNA, could reverse the hypertrophic growth in Ang-II-induced NMVCs, as well as eliminate the pro-hypertrophic effect of circRNA_000203 in NMVCs. Furthermore, we demonstrated that NF-κB signalling mediates the up-regulation of circRNA_000203 in NMVCs exposed to Ang-II treatment.

Conclusions

Our data demonstrated that circRNA_000203 exacerbates cardiac hypertrophy via suppressing miR-26b-5p and miR-140-3p leading to enhanced Gata4 levels.
Performance of acute coronary syndrome approaches in Brazil: a report from the BRACE (Brazilian Registry in Acute Coronary SyndromEs)
Authors: Franken Marcelo , Giugliano Robert P , Goodman Shaun G , Baracioli Luciano Moreira , Godoy Lucas Colombo , Furtado Remo H M , Lima Felipe Gallego , Nicolau Jose Carlos
Published: August 2019

Aims

Diagnostic and therapeutic tools have a significant impact on morbidity and mortality associated with acute coronary syndromes (ACS). Data about ACS performance measures are scarce in Brazil, and improving its collection is an objective of the Brazilian Registry in Acute Coronary syndromEs (BRACE).

Methods and results

The BRACE is a cross-sectional, observational epidemiological registry of ACS patients. Stratified ‘cluster sampling’ methodology was adopted to obtain a representative picture of ACS. A performance score (PS) varying from 0 to 100 was developed to compare studied parameters. Performance measures alone and the PS were compared between institutions, and the relationship between the PS and outcomes was evaluated. A total of 1150 patients, median age 63 years, 64% male, from 72 hospitals were included in the registry. The mean PS for the overall population was 65.9% ± 20.1%. Teaching institutions had a significantly higher PS (71.4% ± 16.9%) compared with non-teaching hospitals (63.4% ± 21%; P < 0.001). Overall in-hospital mortality was 5.2%, and the variables that correlated independently with in-hospital mortality included: PS—per point increase (OR = 0.97, 95% CI 0.95–0.98, P < 0.001), age—per year (OR = 1.06, 95% CI 1.03–1.09, P < 0.001), chronic kidney disease (OR = 3.12, 95% CI 1.08–9.00, P = 0.036), and prior angioplasty (OR = 0.25, 95% CI 0.07–0.84, P = 0.025).

Conclusions

In BRACE, the adoption of evidence-based therapies for ACS, as measured by the performance score, was independently associated with lower in-hospital mortality. The use of diagnostic tools and therapeutic approaches for the management of ACS is less than ideal in Brazil, with high variability especially among different regions of the country.
ADMM-based multiparameter wavefield reconstruction inversion in VTI acoustic media with TV regularization
Authors: Aghamiry H S , Gholami A , Operto S
Published: August 2019

Full waveform inversion (FWI) is a nonlinear waveform matching procedure, which suffers from cycle skipping when the initial model is not kinematically accurate enough. To mitigate cycle skipping, wavefield reconstruction inversion (WRI) extends the inversion search space by computing wavefields with a relaxation of the wave equation in order to fit the data from the first iteration. Then, the subsurface parameters are updated by minimizing the source residuals the relaxation generated. Capitalizing on the wave-equation bilinearity, performing wavefield reconstruction and parameter estimation in alternating mode decomposes WRI into two linear subproblems, which can be solved efficiently with the alternating-direction method of multiplier (ADMM), leading to the so-called iteratively refined WRI (IR–WRI). Moreover, ADMM provides a suitable framework to implement bound constraints and different types of regularizations and their mixture in IR–WRI. Here, IR–WRI is extended to multiparameter reconstruction for vertical transverse isotropic (VTI) acoustic media. To achieve this goal, we first propose different forms of bilinear VTI acoustic wave equation. We develop more specifically IR–WRI for the one that relies on a parametrization involving vertical wave speed and Thomsen’s parameters δ and ϵ. With a toy numerical example, we first show that the radiation patterns of the virtual sources generate similar wavenumber filtering and parameter cross-talks in classical FWI and IR–WRI. Bound constraints and TV regularization in IR–WRI fully remove these undesired effects for an idealized piecewise constant target. We show with a more realistic long-offset case study representative of the North Sea that anisotropic IR–WRI successfully reconstruct the vertical wave speed starting from a laterally homogeneous model and update the long wavelengths of the starting ϵ model, while a smooth δ model is used as a passive background model. VTI acoustic IR–WRI can be alternatively performed with subsurface parametrizations involving stiffness or compliance coefficients or normal moveout velocities and η parameter (or horizontal velocity).
Assessing the Jordan Compact One Year On: An Opportunity or a Barrier to Better Achieving Refugees’ Right to Work
Authors: Gray Meral Amanda
Published: August 2019

The international community can play a key role in assisting states to achieve the right to work for refugees. For example, they can provide financial and technical support to host states as well as influencing a more enabling legal and policy environment. The recent Jordan Compact agreed between Jordan and the international community in February 2016 is an example of the sphere of that influence. Such bilateral agreements between refugee-hosting states and donor states, regional blocs or the international community are an increasing occurrence, providing enormous resources and support for improving the socio-economic lives of refugees. Yet, to date, there has been no analysis of these compacts from the perspective of international human rights law and specifically the right to work for refugees. This article attempts to fill that gap. Drawing on international human rights law and using the Jordan Compact as a case study, it examines the extent to which such agreements can be an effective tool in better achieving refugees’ right to work.
Gain stabilization for radio intensity mapping using a continuous-wave reference signal
Authors: Pollak Alexander W , Holler Christian M , Jones Michael E , Taylor Angela C
Published: August 2019

Stabilizing the gain of a radio astronomy receiver is of great importance for sensitive radio intensity mapping. In this paper we discuss a stabilization method using a continuous-wave reference signal injected into the signal chain and tracked in a single channel of the spectrometer to correct for the gain variations of the receiver. This method depends on the fact that gain fluctuations of the receiver are strongly correlated across the frequency band, which we can show is the case for our experimental set-up. This method is especially suited for receivers with a digital back-end with high spectral resolution and moderate dynamic range. The sensitivity of the receiver is unaltered except for one lost frequency channel. We present experimental results using a new 4–8.5 GHz receiver with a digital back-end that shows substantial reduction of the 1/f noise and the 1/f knee frequency.
The spatial extension of extended narrow line regions in MaNGA AGN
Authors: Chen Jianhang , Shi Yong , Dempsey Ross , Law David R , Chen Yanmei , Yan Renbin , Bing Longji , Rembold Sandro B , Li Songlin , Yu Xiaoling , Riffel Rogemar A , Brownstein Joe R , Riffel Rogério
Published: August 2019

In this work, we revisit the size–luminosity relation of the extended narrow line regions (ENLRs) using a large sample of nearby active galactic nuclei (AGNs) from the Mapping Nearby Galaxies at Apache Point Observatory (MaNGA) survey. The ENLRs ionized by the AGN are identified through the spatially resolved BPT diagram, which results in a sample of 152 AGN. By combining our AGN with the literature high-luminosity quasars, we found a tight log-linear relation between the size of the ENLR and the AGN $\rm [O\, III]$λ5007 Å luminosity over four orders of magnitude of the $\rm [O\, III]$ luminosity. The slope of this relation is 0.42 ± 0.02 which can be explained in terms of a distribution of clouds photoionized by the AGN. This relation also indicates that the AGNs have the potential to ionize and heat the gas clouds at a large distance from the nuclei without the aids of outflows and jets for the low-luminosity Seyferts.†
A universal 21 cm signature of growing massive black holes in the early Universe
Authors: Sazonov S , Khabibullin I
Published: August 2019

There is a hope that looking into the early Universe with next-generation telescopes, one will be able to observe the early accretion growth of supermassive black holes (BHs) when their masses were ∼104–106M⊙. According to the standard accretion theory, the bulk of the gravitational potential energy released by radiatively efficient accretion of matter onto a BH in this mass range is expected to be emitted in the extreme UV–ultrasoft X-ray bands. We demonstrate that such a ’miniquasar’ at z ∼ 15 should leave a specific, localized imprint on the 21 cm cosmological signal. Namely, its position on the sky will be surrounded by a region with a fairly sharp boundary of several arcmin radius, within which the 21 cm brightness temperature quickly grows inwards from the background value of ∼−250 mK to ∼+30 mK. The size of this region is only weakly sensitive to the BH mass, so that the flux density of the excess 21 cm signal is expected to be ∼0.1–0.2 mJy at z ∼ 15 and should be detectable by the Square Kilometer Array. We argue that an optimal strategy would be to search for such signals from high-z miniquasar candidates that can be found and localized with a next-generation X-ray mission such as Lynx. A detection of the predicted 21 cm signal would provide a measurement of the growing BH’s redshift to within Δz/(1 + z) ≲ 0.01.
Search for isolated Galactic Centre stellar mass black holes in the IR and sub-mm range
Authors: Ivanov P B , Lukash V N , Pilipenko S V , Pshirkov M S
Published: August 2019

We investigate a possibility to find an accreting isolated black hole (IBH) with mass 1–100 M⊙ within Central Galactic Molecular Zone in the submillimetre and infrared spectral range with help of planned space observatories James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) and Millimetron (MM). We assume the spherical mode of accretion. We develop the simplest possible quantitative model of the formation of radiation spectrum in this range due to synchrotron emission and show that it fully agrees with the more complicated model of Ipser and Price (1982) for expected values of accretion rate. If a substantial fraction of the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO) events was caused by merger of primordial black holes, the JWST would be able to find them provided that there is a cusp in distribution of dark matter in the Galaxy and that the accretion efficiency parameter λ defined as the ratio of accretion rate on to IBH to its Bondi–Hoyle–Lyttleton value is larger than ∼10−2. A comparable amount of IBHs is also predicted by recent models of their formation due to stellar evolution. MM capabilities are hampered by the effect of confusion due to distant submillimetre galaxies, but it can also be used for such purposes if the confusion effect is properly dealt with. In case of efficient accretion with λ ∼ 1, both instruments could detect IBHs even when their number densities are as low as 10−6 pc−3.
Spatial variations in the Milky Way disc metallicity–age relation
Authors: Feuillet Diane K , Frankel Neige , Lind Karin , Frinchaboy Peter M , García-Hernández D A , Lane Richard R , Nitschelm Christian , Roman-Lopes Alexandre
Published: August 2019

Stellar ages are a crucial component to studying the evolution of the Milky Way. Using Gaia DR2 distance estimates, it is now possible to estimate stellar ages for a larger volume of evolved stars through isochrone matching. This work presents [M/H]–age and [α/M]–age relations derived for different spatial locations in the Milky Way disc. These relations are derived by hierarchically modelling the star formation history of stars within a given chemical abundance bin. For the first time, we directly observe that significant variation is apparent in the [M/H]–age relation as a function of both Galactocentric radius and distance from the disc mid-plane. The [M/H]–age relations support claims that radial migration has a significant effect in the plane of the disc. Using the [M/H] bin with the youngest mean age at each radial zone in the plane of the disc, the present-day metallicity gradient is measured to be −0.059 ± 0.010 dex kpc−1, in agreement with Cepheids and young field stars. We find a vertically flared distribution of young stars in the outer disc, confirming predictions of models and previous observations. The mean age of the [M/H]–[α/M] distribution of the solar neighbourhood suggests that the high-[M/H] stars are not an evolutionary extension of the low-α sequence. Our observational results are important constraints to Galactic simulations and models of chemical evolution.
Estimating dayside effective temperatures of hot Jupiters and associated uncertainties through Gaussian process regression
Authors: Pass Emily K , Cowan Nicolas B , Cubillos Patricio E , Sklar Jack G
Published: August 2019

In this work, we outline a new method for estimating dayside effective temperatures of exoplanets and associated uncertainties using Gaussian process (GP) regression. By applying our method to simulated observations, we show that the GP method estimates uncertainty more robustly than other model-independent approaches. We find that unbiased estimates of effective temperatures can be made using as few as three broad-band measurements (white-light HST WFC3 and the two warm Spitzer IRAC channels), although we caution that estimates made using only IRAC can be significantly biased. We then apply our GP method to the 12 hot Jupiters in the literature whose secondary eclipse depths have been measured by WFC3 and IRAC channels 1 and 2: CoRoT-2 b; HAT-P-7 b; HD 189733 b; HD 209458 b; Kepler-13A b; TrES-3 b; WASP-4 b; WASP-12 b; WASP-18 b; WASP-33 b; WASP-43 b; and WASP-103 b. We present model-independent dayside effective temperatures for these planets, with uncertainty estimates that range from ±66 to ±136 K.
Incidence of Maternal Tachycardia During the Second Stage of Labor: A Prospective Observational Cohort Study
Authors: Towers Craig V. , Trussell John , Heidel Robert E. , Chernicky Lindsey , Howard Bobby C.
Published: August 2019

(Abstracted from J Matern Fetal Neonatal Med 2019;32(10):1615–1619)

Electronic fetal monitoring has become the primary mode of evaluating the fetus intrapartum, with external Doppler monitoring being the most commonly used method with the criterion standard for fetal heart monitoring, the fetal scalp electrode (FSE), used less frequently. However, Doppler monitoring of fetal heart rate (FHR) presents the possibility of confusion between maternal heart rates (MHRs) and FHRs, referred to as signal ambiguity.
Spinal Metastatic Disease
Authors: Derincek Alihan , Guler Umit O. , Uysal Mustafa , Ozalay Metin
Published: August 2019

Study Design:

This was a retrospective analysis.

Objective:

The objective of this study was to evaluate the predictive value of the 4 different scoring systems Tomita, Bauer modified, Tokuhashi revised, and Van der Linden and some parameters that are used in these scoring systems.

Summary and Background Data:

Prediction of the survival period before treatment for spinal metastasis is extremely important. A lot of scoring systems have been described to predict the survival periods and to select the ideal treatment modality in the literature.

Materials and Methods:

Retrospectively 146 patients with spinal metastasis were investigated between 2002 and 2011. The following parameters were analyzed: age, pathologic vertebra fracture, neurological deficit, visceral metastasis, diagnosis of primary tumor and its spinal metastasis interval, other skeletal metastasis, involved region of vertebra, and undergone spinal surgery. Patients were also scored by the 4 different scoring systems. The survival period was calculated from date of diagnosis of the spinal metastasis to the date of death or last follow-up (minimum: 12 mo). Cox regression, Kaplan-Meier survival test, and Cronbach α tests were performed for statistical analysis.

Results:

Median overall survival for all patients was 13 months (range: 1–68 mo). The primary tumor (P=0.015), existence of visceral metastasis (P=0.017), presence of pathologic vertebra fracture (P=0.009), and undergone spinal surgery (P=0.047) showed significant influence on survival. Each scoring system was reliable and concordant with the other scoring systems (Cronbach α=80%); however, after 2 years, Modified Bauer score appeared to be the most reliable system for predicting survival (Cronbach α=25%).

Conclusions:

According to this analysis, lung cancer, visceral metastasis, pathologic vertebra fracture, and undergone spinal surgery have shown a negative effect on survival. All 4 scoring systems were reliable for predicting survival of patients with spinal metastatic disease. However, modified Bauer scoring system seems to be more predictive after 2 years.

Level of Evidence:

Level III.
The ED-SED Study: A Multicenter, Prospective Cohort Study of Practice Patterns and Clinical Outcomes Associated With Emergency Department SEDation for Mechanically Ventilated Patients
Authors: Fuller Brian M. , Roberts Brian W. , Mohr Nicholas M. , Knight William A. , Adeoye Opeolu , Pappal Ryan D. , Marshall Stacy , Alunday Robert , Dettmer Matthew , Goyal Munish , Gibson Colin , Levine Brian J. , Gardner-Gray Jayna M. , Mosier Jarrod , Dargin James , Mackay Fraser , Johnson Nicholas J. , Lokhandwala Sharukh , Hough Catherine L. , Tonna Joseph E. , Tsolinas Rachel , Lin Frederick , Qasim Zaffer A. , Harvey Carrie E. , Bassin Benjamin , Stephens Robert J. , Yan Yan , Carpenter Christopher R. , Kollef Marin H. , Avidan Michael S.
Published: August 2019

Objectives:

To characterize emergency department sedation practices in mechanically ventilated patients, and test the hypothesis that deep sedation in the emergency department is associated with worse outcomes.

Design:

Multicenter, prospective cohort study.

Setting:

The emergency department and ICUs of 15 medical centers.

Patients:

Mechanically ventilated adult emergency department patients.

Interventions:

None.

Measurements and Main Results:

All data involving sedation (medications, monitoring) were recorded. Deep sedation was defined as Richmond Agitation-Sedation Scale of –3 to –5 or Sedation-Agitation Scale of 2 or 1. A total of 324 patients were studied. Emergency department deep sedation was observed in 171 patients (52.8%), and was associated with a higher frequency of deep sedation in the ICU on day 1 (53.8% vs 20.3%; p < 0.001) and day 2 (33.3% vs 16.9%; p = 0.001), when compared to light sedation. Mean (sd) ventilator-free days were 18.1 (10.8) in the emergency department deep sedation group compared to 20.0 (9.8) in the light sedation group (mean difference, 1.9; 95% CI, –0.40 to 4.13). Similar results according to emergency department sedation depth existed for ICU-free days (mean difference, 1.6; 95% CI, –0.54 to 3.83) and hospital-free days (mean difference, 2.3; 95% CI, 0.26–4.32). Mortality was 21.1% in the deep sedation group and 17.0% in the light sedation group (between-group difference, 4.1%; odds ratio, 1.30; 0.74–2.28). The occurrence rate of acute brain dysfunction (delirium and coma) was 68.4% in the deep sedation group and 55.6% in the light sedation group (between-group difference, 12.8%; odds ratio, 1.73; 1.10–2.73).

Conclusions:

Early deep sedation in the emergency department is common, carries over into the ICU, and may be associated with worse outcomes. Sedation practice in the emergency department and its association with clinical outcomes is in need of further investigation.
Evaluation and Predictors of Fluid Resuscitation in Patients With Severe Sepsis and Septic Shock
Authors: Kuttab Hani I. , Lykins Joseph D. , Hughes Michelle D. , Wroblewski Kristen , Keast Eric P. , Kukoyi Omobolawa , Kopec Jason A. , Hall Stephen , Ward Michael A.
Published: August 2019

Objectives:

Rapid fluid resuscitation has become standard in sepsis care, despite “low-quality” evidence and absence of guidelines for populations “at risk” for volume overload. Our objectives include as follows: 1) identify predictors of reaching a 30 mL/kg crystalloid bolus within 3 hours of sepsis onset (30by3); 2) assess the impact of 30by3 and fluid dosing on clinical outcomes; 3) examine differences in perceived “at-risk” volume-sensitive populations, including end-stage renal disease, heart failure, obesity, advanced age, or with documentation of volume “overload” by bedside examination.

Design:

Retrospective cohort study. All outcome analyses controlled for sex, end-stage renal disease, heart failure, sepsis severity (severe sepsis vs septic shock), obesity, Mortality in Emergency Department Sepsis score, and time to antibiotics.

Setting:

Urban, tertiary care center between January 1, 2014, and May 31, 2017.

Patients:

Emergency Department treated adults (age ≥18 yr; n = 1,032) with severe sepsis or septic shock.

Interventions:

Administration of IV fluids by bolus.

Measurements and Main Results:

In total, 509 patients received 30by3 (49.3%). Overall mortality was 17.1% (n = 176), with 20.4% mortality in the shock group. Patients who were elderly (odds ratio, 0.62; 95% CI, 0.46–0.83), male (odds ratio, 0.66; CI, 0.49–0.87), obese (odds ratio, 0.18; CI, 0.13–0.25), or with end-stage renal disease (odds ratio, 0.23; CI, 0.13–0.40), heart failure (odds ratio, 0.42; CI, 0.29–0.60), or documented volume “overload” (odds ratio, 0.30; CI, 0.20–0.45) were less likely to achieve 30by3. Failure to meet 30by3 had increased odds of mortality (odds ratio, 1.52; CI, 1.03–2.24), delayed hypotension (odds ratio, 1.42; CI, 1.02–1.99), and increased ICU stay (~2 d) (β = 2.0; CI, 0.5–3.6), without differential effects for “at-risk” groups. Higher fluid volumes administered by 3 hours correlated with decreased mortality, with a plateau effect between 35 and 45 mL/kg (p < 0.05).

Conclusions:

Failure to reach 30by3 was associated with increased odds of in-hospital mortality, irrespective of comorbidities. Predictors of inadequate resuscitation can be identified, potentially leading to interventions to improve survival. These findings are retrospective and require future validation.
Intratumor Heterogeneity of KIT Gene Mutations in Acral Lentiginous Melanoma
Authors: Comodo-Navarro Andréia Neves , Fernandes Mariana , Barcelos Denise , Carapeto Fernando Cintra Lopes , Guimarães Daiane Pereira , de Sousa Moraes Lais , Cerutti Janete , Iwamura Edna Sadayo Miazato , Landman Gilles
Published: August 2019

Melanoma is an aggressive skin malignancy, and the acral lentiginous melanoma (ALM) subtype affects non–sun-exposed sites such as the volar surface of the hands and feet and the subungual region and is most common in Asians, Hispanics, and Afro-descendants. The presence of different clones within the same tumor seems to influence the aggressiveness of tumors. Patients with mutations in the KIT gene have shown a good response to tyrosine kinase inhibitor therapy. We tested the hypothesis of intratumor heterogeneity through analysis of KIT gene mutations in ALM and determined the correlation between KIT mutations and demographic, clinical, and histopathological variables. Twenty-five ALM samples were examined. We selected up to four different regions per tumor for sequencing by the Sanger method for analysis of KIT gene exon 11 and exon 13 mutations. Advanced lesions were predominant, and the main histopathological characteristics of lesions were Breslow index >4.0 mm (17/25, 68%), Clark level IV/V (21/25, 84%), ulceration (16/25, 64%), and >3 mitoses/mm2 (8/25, 32%). KIT gene mutations were detected in 11/25 cases (44%), and all these 11 cases displayed intratumor heterogeneity, that is, at least 2 tumor regions had different mutational profiles. The predicted effect of most mutations detected was detrimental to protein function. No significant correlations between histopathological variables and either KIT mutations or intratumor heterogeneity were observed. The hypothesis of intratumor heterogeneity of KIT gene mutations in acral lentiginous melanoma was supported.
A Systematic Review of the Treatment of Superficial Leiomyosarcoma With Mohs Micrographic Surgery
Authors: Murphy‐Chutorian Blair , Routt Ethan , Vinelli Gian , Ciocon David
Published: August 2019

BACKGROUND

Wide local excision (WLE) with 2 to 5 cm margins has been conventionally used for the treatment of superficial leiomyosarcoma (LMS). Because margin control is the strongest predictor of clinical recurrence, many dermatologic surgeons have recently recommended Mohs micrographic surgery (MMS) over wide local excision (WLE) as the primary treatment modality.

OBJECTIVE

To determine the aggregate rate of local recurrence after treatment of superficial LMS with MMS among the few reports in the literature.

METHODS

A systematic literature search using the PubMed/MEDLINE database and the Cochrane Library was performed from inception to June 2017. One case report from our institution was included.

RESULTS

A meta‐analysis of 14 reports of 48 cases of superficial LMS treated with MMS showed a mean recurrence rate of 2.08% to 6.25% with a mean follow‐up period of 1570.9 days, compared to reported recurrence rates of 30% to 50% for WLE. Among these cases there were no reports of distant metastases.

CONCLUSION

Treatment of superficial leiomyosarcoma with MMS shows markedly lower rates of recurrence compared to reported rates of recurrence after WLE. Further prospective trials with larger sample sizes are needed to compare both modalities.
Antimicrobial Irrigation and Technique during Breast Augmentation: Survey of Current Practice
Authors: Epps Mathew T. , Langsdon Sarah , Pels Taylor K. , Lee Tara M. , Thurston Todd , Brzezienski Mark A.
Published: August 2019

Background:

Breast augmentation is among the most common procedures performed in the United States. Though bacterial contamination of breast prostheses is associated with adverse sequelae, there are no universally accepted guidelines and limited best practice recommendations for antimicrobial breast pocket irrigation. We designed a survey to identify pocket irrigation preferences and antimicrobial techniques during implant-based breast augmentation among American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) members.

Methods:

In January 2018, a random cohort of 2,488 ASPS members was surveyed. Questions queried breast pocket irrigation methods and surgical techniques including implant placement, incision location, and implant soaking agents. An extensive literature review of breast pocket irrigation practices was completed and used as a basis for the survey.

Results:

The survey response rate was above the ASPS average at 16% (n = 407). Respondents preferred an inframammary incision (90%) and submuscular implant placement (92%). Triple antibiotic solution (TAS) and TAS + Betadine ± Bacitracin were preferred by 61% and Betadine variants by 11%. Preferred dwell times stratified to 30 seconds (39%), 1 minute (18%), 2–5 minutes (21%), and >5 minutes (22%). Among those employing a TAS variant, 53% preferred a suboptimal dwell time of ≤1 minute. Prostheses were soaked in TAS (42%), TAS + Betadine ± Bacitracin (15%), a Betadine variant (12%), or other (31%).

Conclusions:

Periprosthetic bacterial contamination leads to comorbidity following breast augmentation. Our results reveal significant variability regarding breast pocket irrigation techniques among ASPS members during cosmetic breast augmentation. These data suggest the need for best practice guidelines regarding breast pocket irrigation and implant soaking agents.