bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The role of plasma kinetics in the process of THz pulses generation and amplification
Authors: Bogatskaya A V , Gnezdovskaia N E , Volkova E A , Popov A M
Published: June 2020

The article discusses the process of generation and amplification of short THz pulses taking into account kinetic properties of plasma formed in the process of tunnel ionization by the two-color laser femtosecond pulse, namely velocity distribution of plasma electrons. Analytical and numerical solutions of the dispersive equation for longitudinal oscillations show that the accounting of plasma kinetics can lead to essential variation of the spectral characteristics of a generated pulse thus leading to a change in signal duration. Subsequent additional amplification of the formed seed THz pulse during the propagation through the nonequilibrium Xe plasma channel formed by an intense femtosecond KrF laser pulse is analyzed.
Imaging the flow of holes from a collimating contact in graphene
Authors: Bhandari Sagar , Kreidel Mary , Kelser Alexander , Lee Gil-Ho , Watanabe Kenji , Taniguchi Takashi , Kim Philip , Westervelt Robert M
Published: June 2020

A beam of holes formed in graphene by a collimating contact is imaged using a liquid-He cooled scanning probe microscope (SPM). The mean free path of holes is greater than the device dimensions. A zigzag shaped pattern on both sides of the collimating contact absorbs holes that enter at large angles. The image charge beneath the SPM tip defects holes, and the pattern of flow is imaged by displaying the change in conductance between contacts on opposite sides, as the tip is raster scanned across the sample. Collimation is confirmed by bending hole trajectories away from the receiving contact with an applied magnetic field. The SPM images agree well with ray-tracing simulations.
Study on dispersion characteristics of terahertz waves in helical waveguides
Authors: Sun Jin-Hai , Zhang Shao-Hua , Zhang Xu-Tao , Cai He , Liu Yong-Qiang , Chao Zeng-Ming
Published: June 2020

Corresponding to the atmospheric transmission windows of the electromagnetic spectrum in the low terahertz range, the mode coupling and dispersion characteristics of two helically corrugated waveguides (HCW) in the frequency ranges of 90 GHz–100 GHz and 260 GHz–265 GHz are studied. Through analytic calculations and numerical simulations, dispersion curves and structural parameters of the two frequency ranges waveguides are obtained. A novel method was proposed to obtain the dispersion of the HCW from the eigenwave solution using a periodic boundary condition. The HCW in a frequency range of 90 GHz–100 GHz was fabricated and its dispersion performance was measured. By comparing the measured results with the theoretical and the simulated results, the validity of the analytical and simulation method is verified. Limited to our machining capability, the dispersion of the 260 GHz–265 GHz HCW was only simulated and calculated and it was found that the results agree well with each other.
Luminescence properties of nano and bulk ZnWO4: Eu3+ phosphors for solid state lighting applications
Authors: Chatterjee Rituparna , Chandra Das Gopes , Chattopadhyay Kalyan Kumar
Published: June 2020

Rare earth Eu3+ doped ZnWO4 bulk and nanophosphors were synthesized using solid state and hydrothermal reaction methods. Structural, morphological and microstructural characterizations of the as prepared phosphors were done by using X-ray diffractometer (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM) and High resolution transmission electron microscope (HRTEM). Their optical properties such as photoluminescence (PL) emission, thermal quenching and lifetime decay were investigated at 394 nm near UV excitation with respect to dimension which shows better outcome for the nanophosphor than the bulk one. The nanophosphors display homogeneous particles with much smaller dimension compared to the bulk phosphors which in turn intensifies the red emission and also increases the thermal stability.
Systematic action needed to support US women in science
Authors: Gwynne Peter
Published: June 2020

A new report from the US National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine calls for systematic action to address the underrepresentation of women in these fields.
What's in a name?
Authors: Houghton Isobel
Published: June 2020

In response to James McKenzie’s Transactions column “Flying carbon-free” (February 2020), in which he assessed how and if air travel could be de-carbonized.
Learning from Black Swan events
Authors: Lavers Christopher
Published: June 2020

With COVID-19 causing thousands of deaths worldwide and a global economic crash, Christopher Lavers says that we should have learned from previous crises
Carbon concerns
Authors: McDowell Alex , Gerald Norman
Published: June 2020

In response to Kate Ravilious’ feature “Life in a carbon-neutral world” (April 2020), in which she looks at the changes society will need to make on a day-to-day basis, to move towards a net-carbon-zero world.
More than meets the metrics
Authors: Watson Alan
Published: June 2020

In response to the Quanta quote by Jorge Hirsch (April 2020) which reads “About half the scientific community loves the h-index and half hates it. The h-index of the scientist is a great predictor of whether s/he belongs to the first or the second group.”
Power predictions
Authors: Beardsell Alec
Published: June 2020

In response to Norman Wilson’s letter “Power problems” (April 2020), about Dave Elliot’s Forum article “Towards a sustainable future” (January 2020). Wilson wrote that Elliot presented an over-optimistic view of the capabilities of renewable energy.
Physics World unwrapped
Authors: Curtis Susan
Published: June 2020

Ever wondered why your print copy of Physics World is still delivered wrapped in plastic? That’s about to change, but as Susan Curtis finds out, abandoning single-use-plastic magazine wrappers is not as straightforward as it sounds
Spiral patterns in cells could create biological computers
Authors: Jarman Sam
Published: June 2020

Ripples that appear on the surfaces of newly fertilized eggs closely resemble those found in other physical systems.
Half-century urban drying in Shijiazhuang City*
Authors: Bian Tao , Ren Guoyu , Zhao Xuan , Zhang Panfeng , Li Xiliang , Jia Wenqian
Published: June 2020

Climatic and environmental change in urban areas attracts more and more attention with rapid urbanization worldwide. Change in key surface climatic variables in urban areas is a core component of urban climatic change. Here we report an analysis of relative humidity (RH) change in Shijiazhuang City, China, over the period 1963–2012, based on the RH data of a typical urban station and the surrounding rural stations. We found that the annual mean RH at the urban station underwent a more significant downward trend (−0.74%/10 yr) than those at the four rural stations (−0.16%/10 yr on average), and the most significant decrease occurred after 1990s; urbanization effect on the decrease of annual mean RH at the urban station reached −0.59%/10 yr, which was highly significant, with the urbanization contribution to the overall RH decrease being 78.7%, indicating that the trend of urban drying was caused dominantly by the urbanization; urbanization effects on seasonal mean RH decrease at the urban station were −0.60%/10 yr, −0.61%/10 yr, −0.67%/10 yr and −0.46%/10 yr respectively for spring, summer, autumn and winter, which were all significant statistically, with a 100% urbanization contribution for winter; rising temperature, dropping evaporation and decreasing precipitation days relative to rural areas were found to be the main factors affecting the urban RH decrease. The conclusions are of practical significance to further understand the characteristics and causes of RH change at a typical urban meteorological station in North China, and to detect the large-scale climatic and environmental change for assessing the impact of climate change on agricultural production and water cycle.
Acoustic phonons in multilayer nitride-based AlN/GaN resonant tunneling structures
Authors: Boyko I V , Petryk M R , Fraissard J
Published: June 2020

The study of physical processes associated with acoustic phonons in nitride-based nanosystems is of great importance for the effective operation of modern nanoscale devices. In this paper, a consistent theory of acoustic phonons arising in multilayer nitride-based semiconductor resonant tunneling structures, that can function as a separate cascade of a quantum cascade laser or detector is proposed. Using the physical and geometric parameters of a typical nanostructure, the spectrum of various types of acoustic phonons and the corresponding normalized components of the elastic displacement vector are calculated. It has been established that the spectrum of acoustic phonons of a multilayer nanostructure consists of two groups of the shear phonons dependencies and three groups of dependencies for a mixed spectrum of flexural and dilatational phonons. The dependencies of the acoustic phonons spectrum of the nanostructure and the components of the elastic displacement vector on its geometric parameters are studied. It has been established that for the components of the displacement vector u
2 for shear phonons have a decrease in the absolute values of their maxima with increasing of energy level number. The components u
1 and u
3 of flexural and dilatational phonons behave respectively as symmetric and antisymmetric functions relatively the center of an separate selected layer of the nanostructure. The proposed theory can be further applied to study the interaction of electrons with acoustic phonons in multilayer resonant tunneling structures.
Long-range mechanical coupling of cells in 3D fibrin gels
Authors: Natan Sari , Koren Yoni , Shelah Ortal , Goren Shahar , Lesman Ayelet
Published: June 2020

The ability of cells to sense distant neighbors, through the ECM, is a fundamental mechanism in various biological processes. In fibrin, we demonstrate how cell forces deform the matrix and allow for distant cells to be mechanically coupled by the aligned and dense fibers of the matrix. Such long-range coupling influences cellular morphology.
Yeast pericentrin/Spc110 contains multiple domains required for tethering the γ-tubulin complex to the centrosome
Authors: Alonso Annabel , Fabritius Amy , Ozzello Courtney , Andreas Mike , Klenchin Dima , Rayment Ivan , Winey Mark
Published: June 2020

A domain of a yeast centrosome component is found to be toxic when overexpressed. The finding is used to find interaction determinants with binding partners at the centrosome. The mechanism of toxicity involves displacement of the wild-type protein from the centrosome and is informative about aberrations in centrosomes seen in transformed cells.
Drosophilahistone locus body assembly and function involves multiple interactions
Authors: Koreski Kaitlin P. , Rieder Leila E. , McLain Lyndsey M. , Chaubal Ashlesha , Marzluff William F. , Duronio Robert J.
Published: June 2020

By using a histone gene replacement platform in Drosophila, we show that interactions among multiple factors contribute to HLB formation, and that the large number of genes at the endogenous histone locus sequesters available factors from attenuated transgenic histone gene arrays, thereby preventing HLB formation and histone gene expression from these arrays.
Redox signaling modulates Rho activity and tissue contractility in theCaenorhabditis elegansspermatheca
Authors: Kelley Charlotte A. , De Henau Sasha , Bell Liam , Dansen Tobias B. , Cram Erin J.
Published: June 2020

H2O2modulates RHO-1/Rho activity in the contractile tissue of the C. elegans spermatheca. Both exogenous and endogenously generated H2O2decrease spermathecal contractility by inhibition of RHO-1 through oxidation of Cys 20. Regulation of H2O2levels in the spermatheca depends on the activity of the cytosolic superoxide dismutase SOD-1.
In search of unusual interactions. A commentary on: ‘Pollen adaptation to ant pollination: a case study from the Proteaceae’
Authors: Del-Claro Kleber , Torezan-Silingardi Helena Maura
Published: June 2020

This article comments on:

Nicola Delnevo, Eddie J van Etten, Nicola Clemente, Luna Fogu, Evelina Pavarani, Margaret Byrne and William D Stock, Pollen adaptation to ant pollination: a case study from the Proteaceae, Annals of Botany, Volume 126, Issue 3, 1 September 2020, Pages 377–389, https://doi.org/10.1093/aob/mcaa058.
Connecting Work To Workers’ Social Past: A Dispositional Analysis of Police Work
Authors: Pichonnaz David
Published: June 2020

This article explores the impact of experiences police officers went through before they joined the Force on how they see and perform their job. I propose a new approach to police culture and practices based on a Bourdieu-inspired model of analysis, which includes its subsequent development by Lahire’s ‘dispositional analysis’. The model looks at how dispositions interiorized—particularly through the experience of social mobility and gender socialization—have a great impact on how police officers see and perform their job. The results suggest that divisions within police culture, long acknowledged by criminologists and sociologists, can be explained by the prior socialization of police officers.
A Research Strategy to Analyze the Major Chemical Constituents in Kudiezi Injection based on Mass Spectrometry and Chromatographic Techniques
Authors: Li Ying , Zhang Yani , Yang Feifan , Wang Xing , Wang Yuming , Li Yu , Yang Bin , Li Yubo
Published: June 2020

Kudiezi injection was a commonly used drug in clinical practice, contained many components and was complex in structure. In order to effectively control the quality of traditional Chinese medicine, the study established a systematic research strategy for the first time. Through the UPLC-Q-TOF/MS technology analysis, 35 chemical components in Kudiezi injection were obtained, including four major categories. Moreover, the the quantitative methods of flavonoids by HPLC and organic acids by UPLC-MS/MS were established. A variety of chromatographic techniques, with good precision, sensitivity, repeatability and solution stability were applied to the analysis of 10 batches of Kudiezi injection. Therefore, the quality control of Kudiezi injection was a reliable and effective method, which can provide ideas for the qualitative and quantitative study of chemical constituents in other complex Chinese medicines.
Immune Immunomodulation in Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19): Strategic Considerations for Personalized Therapeutic Intervention
Authors: Hall Mark W , Joshi Ila , Leal Luis , Ooi Eng Eong
Published: June 2020

We are learning that the host response to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 ( SARS-CoV-2) infection is complex and highly dynamic. Effective initial host defense in the lung is associated with mild symptoms and disease resolution. Viral evasion of the immune response can lead to refractory alveolar damage, ineffective lung repair mechanisms, and systemic inflammation with associated organ dysfunction. The immune response in these patients is highly variable and can include moderate to severe systemic inflammation and/or marked systemic immune suppression. There is unlikely to be a “one size fits all” approach to immunomodulation in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). We believe that a personalized, immunophenotype-driven approach to immunomodulation that may include anticytokine therapy in carefully selected patients and immunostimulatory therapies in others is the shortest path to success in the study and treatment of patients with critical illness due to COVID-19.
Genome assembly of Chiococca alba uncovers key enzymes involved in the biosynthesis of unusual terpenoids
Authors: Lau Kin H , Bhat Wajid Waheed , Hamilton John P , Wood Joshua C , Vaillancourt Brieanne , Wiegert-Rininger Krystle , Newton Linsey , Hamberger Britta , Holmes Daniel , Hamberger Bjoern , Buell C Robin
Published: June 2020

Chiococca alba (L.) Hitchc. (snowberry), a member of the Rubiaceae, has been used as a folk remedy for a range of health issues including inflammation and rheumatism and produces a wealth of specialized metabolites including terpenes, alkaloids, and flavonoids. We generated a 558 Mb draft genome assembly for snowberry which encodes 28,707 high-confidence genes. Comparative analyses with other angiosperm genomes revealed enrichment in snowberry of lineage-specific genes involved in specialized metabolism. Synteny between snowberry and Coffea canephora Pierre ex A. Froehner (coffee) was evident, including the chromosomal region encoding caffeine biosynthesis in coffee, albeit syntelogs of N-methyltransferase were absent in snowberry. A total of 27 putative terpene synthase genes were identified, including 10 that encode diterpene synthases. Functional validation of a subset of putative terpene synthases revealed that combinations of diterpene synthases yielded access to products of both general and specialized metabolism. Specifically, we identified plausible intermediates in the biosynthesis of merilactone and ribenone, structurally unique antimicrobial diterpene natural products. Access to the C. alba genome will enable additional characterization of biosynthetic pathways responsible for health-promoting compounds in this medicinal species.
An Herbivore-Induced Plant Volatile From Saltcedar (Tamarix spp.) Is Repellent to Diorhabda carinulata (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae)
Authors: Gaffke Alexander M , Sing Sharlene E , Millar Jocelyn G , Dudley Tom L , Bean Daniel W , Peterson Robert K D , Weaver David K
Published: June 2020

The leaf beetle Diorhabda carinulata Desbrochers (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) was introduced into the United States in 1999 for classical biological control of the exotic woody invader saltcedar (Tamarix spp. L. [Caryophyllales: Tamaricaceae]). The recent southern expansion of the range of D. carinulata in the United States has precipitated conflict between proponents of biological control of Tamarix and those with concerns over habitat conservation for avian species. Several semiochemicals that mediate aggregations by this species have been reported, but no repellent compounds have been recorded thus far. We now report a repellent compound, 4-oxo-(E)-2-hexenal, induced by adult D. carinulata feeding on saltcedar foliage. Collection of headspace volatiles, gas chromatography mass spectrometry, and electroantennographic analyses identified 4-oxo-(E)-2-hexenal as an insect-induced compound that is antennally active. Behavioral and exposure assays were conducted to test for repellency and toxicity in adults and larvae. Headspace volatiles were also collected from adult males exposed to 4-oxo-(E)-2-hexenal to determine the impact exposure might have on the emission of the aggregation pheromone. 4-Oxo-(E)-2-hexenal elicited electrophysiological responses in adults of both sexes. Behavioral responses indicated repellency across multiple doses for reproductive D. carinulata adults but not in nonreproductive adults. Exposure assays indicated altered behaviors in first instar larvae and adults, but not in third instar larvae. Collection of headspace volatiles indicated that exposure to 4-oxo-(E)-2-hexenal did not alter emission of the D. carinulata aggregation pheromone by adult males. The continued development and field deployment of this repellent compound may provide a new tool for the management of D. carinulata.
Production of perdeuterated fucose from glyco-engineered bacteria
Authors: Gajdos Lukas , Forsyth V Trevor , Blakeley Matthew P , Haertlein Michael , Imberty Anne , Samain Eric , Devos Juliette M
Published: June 2020

l-Fucose and l-fucose-containing polysaccharides, glycoproteins or glycolipids play an important role in a variety of biological processes. l-Fucose-containing glycoconjugates have been implicated in many diseases including cancer and rheumatoid arthritis. Interest in fucose and its derivatives is growing in cancer research, glyco-immunology, and the study of host–pathogen interactions. l-Fucose can be extracted from bacterial and algal polysaccharides or produced (bio)synthetically. While deuterated glucose and galactose are available, and are of high interest for metabolic studies and biophysical studies, deuterated fucose is not easily available. Here, we describe the production of perdeuterated l-fucose, using glyco-engineered Escherichia coli in a bioreactor with the use of a deuterium oxide-based growth medium and a deuterated carbon source. The final yield was 0.2 g L−1 of deuterated sugar, which was fully characterized by mass spectrometry and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. We anticipate that the perdeuterated fucose produced in this way will have numerous applications in structural biology where techniques such as NMR, solution neutron scattering and neutron crystallography are widely used. In the case of neutron macromolecular crystallography, the availability of perdeuterated fucose can be exploited in identifying the details of its interaction with protein receptors and notably the hydrogen bonding network around the carbohydrate binding site.
Implementation outcomes of policy and programme innovations to prevent obstetric haemorrhage in low- and middle-income countries: a systematic review
Authors: Ryan Nessa , Vieira Dorice , Goffman Dena , Bloch Evan M , Akaba Godwin O , D’mello Brenda S , Egekeze Chioma , Snyder Anya , Lyimo Magdalena , Nnodu Obiageli , Peprah Emmanuel
Published: June 2020

Globally, obstetric haemorrhage (OH) remains the leading cause of maternal mortality. Much of the associated mortality is ascribed to challenges surrounding deployment of innovations rather than lack of availability. In low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), where the burden is highest, there is a growing interest in implementation research as a means to bridge the ‘know–do’ gap between proven interventions and their reliable implementation at scale. In this systematic review, we identified and synthesized qualitative and quantitative data across the implementation outcomes of OH prevention innovations in LMICs using a taxonomy developed by Proctor et al. We also identified service outcomes for the included innovations, as well as implementation strategies and implementation facilitators and barriers. Eligible studies were empirical, focused on the implementation of OH prevention programmes or policies and occurred in an LMIC. Eight databases were searched. Two authors independently assessed studies for selection and extracted data; the first author resolved discrepancies. Narrative synthesis was used to analyse and interpret the findings. Studies were predominantly focused in Africa and on primary prevention. Interventions included prophylactic use of uterotonics (n = 7), clinical provider skills training (n = 4) and provision of clinical guidelines (n = 1); some (n = 3) were also part of a multi-component quality improvement bundle. Various barriers were reported, including challenges among intervention beneficiaries, providers and within the health system; however, studies reported the development and testing of practical implementation solutions. These included training and monitoring of implementers, community and stakeholder engagement and guidance by external mentors. Some studies linked successful delivery to implementation outcomes, most commonly adoption and acceptability, but also feasibility, penetration and sustainability. Findings suggest that innovations to prevent OH can be acceptable, appropriate and feasible in LMIC settings; however, more research is needed to better evaluate these and other under-reported implementation outcomes.
Marvels of the Levant: Print Media and the Politics of Wonder in Early Modern Venice
Authors: Stouraiti Anastasia
Published: June 2020

This article uses the strange and marvellous as a heuristic device to study the relationship between emotions, media and politics in early modern Venice. In particular, it examines how printed news about the marvels of the Levant mediated Venice’s encounters with its colonial subjects and imperial rivals, and analyses the role of wonder and imagination in the creation of an imperial community of feelings. The article argues that a focus on the affective politics of the marvellous can shed new light on the emotional dimensions of the early modern Venetian public sphere and its links with war and empire-building.
Taking uncertainty seriously: simplicity versus complexity in financial regulation
Authors: Aikman David , Galesic Mirta , Gigerenzer Gerd , Kapadia Sujit , Katsikopoulos Konstantinos , Kothiyal Amit , Murphy Emma , Neumann Tobias
Published: June 2020

Distinguishing between risk and uncertainty, this article draws on the psychological literature on heuristics to consider whether and when simpler approaches may outperform more complex methods for modeling and regulating the financial system. We find that: simple methods can sometimes dominate more complex modeling approaches for calculating banks’ capital requirements, especially when data are limited or underlying risks are fat-tailed; simple indicators often outperformed more complex metrics in predicting individual bank failure during the global financial crisis; when combining different indicators to predict bank failure, simple and easy-to-communicate “fast-and-frugal” decision trees can perform comparably to standard, but more information-intensive, regressions. Taken together, our analyses suggest that because financial systems are better characterized by uncertainty than by risk, simpler approaches to modeling and regulating financial systems can usefully complement more complex ones and ultimately contribute to a safer financial system.
A second-order discretization for degenerate systems of stochastic differential equations
Authors: Iguchi Yuga , Yamada Toshihiro
Published: June 2020

The paper proposes a new second-order weak approximation scheme for hypoelliptic diffusions or degenerate systems of stochastic differential equations satisfying a certain Hörmander condition. The scheme is constructed by a Gaussian process and a stochastic polynomial weight through a technique based on Malliavin calculus, and is implemented by a Monte Carlo method and a quasi-Monte Carlo method. A variance analysis for the Monte Carlo method is discussed, and further control variate methods are introduced to reduce the variance. The effectiveness of the proposed scheme is illustrated through numerical experiments for some hypoelliptic diffusions.
Early Enteral Nutrition in Geriatric Burn Patients: Is There a Benefit?
Authors: Castanon Lourdes , Asmar Samer , Bible Letitia , Chehab Mohamad , Ditillo Michael , Khurrum Muhammad , Hanna Kamil , Douglas Molly , Joseph Bellal
Published: June 2020

Nutrition is a critical component of acute burn care and wound healing. There is no consensus over the appropriate timing of initiating enteral nutrition in geriatric burn patients. This study aimed to assess the impact of early enteral nutrition on outcomes in this patient population. We performed a 1-year (2017) analysis of the American College of Surgeons Trauma Quality Improvement Program and included all older adult (age ≥65 years) isolated thermal burn patients who were admitted for more than 24 hr and received enteral nutrition. Patients were stratified into two groups based on the timing of initiation of feeding: early (≤24 hr) vs late (>24 hr). Multivariate logistic regression was performed to control for potential confounding factors. Outcome measures were hospital and intensive care unit lengths of stay, in-hospital complications, and mortality. A total of 1,004,440 trauma patients were analyzed, of which 324 patients were included (early: 90 vs late: 234). The mean age was 73.9 years and mean TBSA burnt was 31%. Patients in the early enteral nutrition group had significantly lower rates of in-hospital complications and mortality (15.6% vs 26.1%; P = 0.044), and a shorter hospital length of stay (17 [11,23] days vs 20 [14,24] days; P = 0.042) and intensive care unit length of stay (13 [8,15] days vs 17 [9,21] days; P = 0.042). In our regression model of geriatric burn patients, early enteral nutrition was associated with improved outcomes. The cumulative benefits observed may warrant incorporating early enteral nutrition as part of intensive care protocols.
Medial-ABC: an algorithm for the correspondence between myocardium and coronary artery mesh models based on the medial axis of coronary artery
Authors: Cha Jehyun , Ryu Joonghyun , Choi Jin-Ho , Kim Deok-Soo
Published: June 2020

The role of coronary arteries is to supply sufficient blood to myocardium. Obstruction of coronary arteries limits blood supply and causes myocardial ischemia or acute myocardial infarction, a major cause of human death. Hence, the quantification of the regional amount of heart muscle subtended by obstructed coronary arteries is of critical value in clinical medicine. However, conventional methods are inaccurate and frequently disagree with clinical practice. This study proposes a novel medial-axis-based correspondence (Medial-ABC) algorithm to find the correspondence between myocardium and coronary artery in order to segment regional myocardium at risk subtended by any potentially obstructed coronary artery. Given the triangular mesh models of coronary artery and myocardium, the proposed algorithm (i) computes the medial axis of coronary artery, (ii) finds the correspondence using the medial axis of coronary artery, and (iii) segments the coronary artery and myocardium. The proposed algorithm provides a robust mathematical linkage between myocardium at risk and supplying coronary arteries so that ischemic myocardial regions can be accurately identified. Hence, both the extent and severity of myocardial ischemia can be quantified effectively, efficiently, and accurately. Furthermore, the constructed mesh model of segmented coronary artery and myocardium can be post-processed for applications such as building optimization models of cardiac systems. The CardiacVis program, which implements the Medial-ABC algorithm, is freely available at Voronoi Diagram Research Center (http://voronoi.hanyang.ac.kr/software/cardiacvis) and will be an invaluable tool for quantitative patient-specific risk stratification in clinical practice.
Spontaneous pneumothorax in a patient with multiple pulmonary arteriovenous malformations caused by hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia: a case report
Authors: Takase Yoshiaki , Tsubochi Hiroyoshi , Nakano Sachiko , Suzuki Tsukasa , Nagashima Toshiteru , Kawashima Osamu
Published: June 2020

Spontaneous pneumothorax occurring in patients with pulmonary arteriovenous malformations (PAVMs) caused by hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT) is extremely rare. We report a case of spontaneous pneumothorax in a PAVM patient. A 26-year-old man with previously diagnosed HHT and multiple small PAVMs presented with chest pain and dyspnea and was referred to our hospital. Chest X-ray showed a left-sided pneumothorax. Computed tomography (CT) showed apical bullae on both sides of the upper lobe. We clarified the location of PAVMs by 3D-CT to avoid the massive bleeding caused by careless grasping of PAVMs and unintentional incomplete resection of the PAVMs during the pneumothorax surgery. Considering the risk of exacerbation, the patient underwent bullectomy of the left upper lobe. The postoperative histopathological examination indicated that the pneumothorax occurred spontaneously in the HHT patient. We should clarify the location of PAVMs to avoid bleeding caused by the grasping of PAVMs during surgery.
Trocar umbilical hernia repair by open suture repair and open suture–mesh repair in an ambulatory setting in comparison to recurrent and primary umbilical hernia repair
Authors: Holzheimer René G , Gaschütz Nikolai
Published: June 2020

Reports on the ambulatory open repair of umbilical trocal hernias are missing. Patients with trocar, primary and recurrent umbilical hernia open suture and open suture–mesh repair with prospective follow-up were retrospectively evaluated. Patients received perioperative antibiotic prophylaxis, preemptive analgesia and modified anesthesia. In total, 171 patients with umbilical hernia (51 years, female 14%; male 86%) were treated with open suture (n = 29; 17%) and suture–mesh (n = 142; 83%) repair. In total, 10% of patients were treated for trocar hernia (late onset), 5% for recurrent hernia and 85% for a primary umbilical hernia. In total, 29% of trocar hernia repairs had minor complications associated with obesity (40%) and comorbidity (80%). Age, suture and suture–mesh repair were not associated with complications. According to guidelines for umbilical hernia repair open flat mesh may be useful in the treatment of trocar hernia.
Race and Ethnicity as a Compound Risk Factor in Police Interrogation of Youth
Authors: Blandón-Gitlin Iris , Cleary Hayley , Blair Alisa
Published: June 2020

This chapter focuses on juveniles, particularly juveniles of color, in police interrogation contexts. A scientific and professional perspective is provided on the factors affecting children in this setting. The chapter draws from the adult and juvenile literature on interrogation, as well as research on racial factors, to suggest that there are unique vulnerabilities that minority and stigmatized youth bring to the interrogation context. These vulnerabilities may increase their susceptibility to interrogative pressures and false confessions. The chapter also provides recommendations for ways to protect this vulnerable group and calls for interrogation scholars to add race and ethnicity to their research inquiries. This will provide a clearer empirical understanding of the mechanisms by which race and ethnicity affect interview and interrogation behavior and outcomes.
Who, When, and Where?
Authors: Keel Pamela K.
Published: June 2020

Answering “who, when, and where?” establishes the public health burden associated with purging disorder and gives us insight into why someone develops the illness. Right now, over 2 million girls and women in the United States have purging disorder, and they are joined by another half-million boys and men. Cases of hysterical vomiting from the late 1800s resemble purging disorder in some respects, but vomiting in purging disorder is intentional and directed toward influencing weight or shape, supporting the influence of modern idealization of thinness. Finally, we see the emergence of purging to control weight and purging disorder following the introduction of Western cultural ideals into non-Western contexts. Non-Western cultures further shape the clinical presentation of purging disorder with misuse of traditional herbal emetics to produce purging.
Fear of Fat
Authors: Keel Pamela K.
Published: June 2020

Fear of fat drives people with purging disorder to engage in extreme methods to rid their body of weight. Our social context creates and reinforces that fear by linking weight to health, beauty, moral character, and popularity. Multiple levels in our environment convey these messages, including mass media, peers, and family, and influence the likelihood of purging. Although these beliefs are widely held, they deviate from facts. Behaviors rather than body weight are the strongest determinant of health. The association between weight and beauty is highly subjective and malleable. There is no association between body weight and moral character. The majority of the U.S. population is not living in social isolation despite possessing body weights that deviate from the thin/muscular ideal. Interventions designed to improve healthy behaviors and reduce internalization of the thin ideal have demonstrated success in reducing purging, supporting the value of recognizing and rejecting fear of fat.
Getting Help
Authors: Keel Pamela K.
Published: June 2020

The first step in getting a treatment that works is getting treatment, yet there is a vast chasm between the number of people suffering from purging disorder and the number receiving care. This chapter covers barriers to treatment that may uniquely impact those with purging disorder, making it invisible in clinical settings. To help those seeking treatment as well as those providing treatment, this chapter presents what should happen during assessment and how findings should inform level of care. This information is intended to help clinicians recognize purging disorder when they see it. Clinicians should always ask about purging behavior even in those who are not underweight and who do not binge. In addition, assessments should evaluate medical stability, suicide risk, and related problems with mood, anxiety, and substance use to inform a treatment plan.
Prolonged Exposure for PTSD in Intensive Outpatient Programs (PE-IOP)
Authors: Rauch Sheila A.M. , Rothbaum Barbara Olasov , Smith Erin R. , Foa Edna B.
Published: June 2020

Trauma can leave a lasting impact on survivors. Some survivors are haunted by intrusive memories; avoid people, places, and situations related to the trauma; and feel constantly on edge due to posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and related posttrauma reactions. Effective treatment can help survivors suffering with PTSD to process the trauma and no longer feel haunted by traumatic experiences from their past. Prolonged exposure (PE) therapy is a highly effective, flexible, individualized psychotherapy that reduces the symptoms of PTSD. PE is the most widely studied treatment for PTSD, with more than 100 studies showing its efficacy and effectiveness in PTSD and comorbid patient populations affected by single-incident and multiple-incident traumas of all types (e.g., combat, sexual assault, etc.). This manual presents a PE protocol for use in residential and massed programs to provide an innovative new model of care that provides excellent retention and transformational symptom outcomes. Providers are presented with the elements of the PE protocol along with all the logistics for how to provide PE in an intensive outpatient program. Variations and considerations for implementation are presented to allow providers designing programs to consider what best fits their patient population and setting. Patient and provider forms are included for use.
Mood Prep 101
Authors: Landau Carol
Published: June 2020

Depression and anxiety in college students have reached a crisis, and the prevalence continues to rise. The increasing distress of the current generation, Gen Z, and their greater openness to mental health care have overwhelmed college counseling services. Despite this sobering news, parents can play a critically important role in helping their children. This book describes a plan that parents can use for supporting and preventing depression and anxiety in young people. Each chapter concludes with practical strategies for parents. The book consists of four sections. The first section is a description of adolescent development and the types of depressive and anxious symptoms and disorders. The second section details the foundations that students need to move toward a successful college experience, including family support, communication skills, self-efficacy and problem-solving skills, self-regulation, and distress tolerance. Barriers to optimal development include underage substance use and unsafe sexual relationships. The third section examines vulnerabilities to depression and anxiety, including cognitive distortions, perfectionism, and the stress of being a sexual minority or overweight. Challenges faced by students who are seen as “different” are explored. The final section is a description of life on campus, including the stresses of college life and the opportunities to develop friendships, relationships with faculty, and a more meaningful view of the future. There are also chapters on how to access mental health services before and during college. The book concludes with a call to reduce stress on students and to challenge the competitive individualistic culture in which we live.
Healthy Boundaries
Authors: Landau Carol
Published: June 2020

This chapter present ways parents can communicate about risk-taking behaviors. Underage drinking and the increased use of marijuana and e-cigarettes are identified as dangers. The marketing of e-cigarettes to young people and the legalization of marijuana present challenges. The current substances available to students are detailed. Parent–student communication continues to be important for students leaving home and creating patterns of their own. Parents’ values and behavior are predictors of teens’ use of substances. There is an association between underage drinking and chronic marijuana use and depression. Teenagers who are sensation-seeking present a difficult challenge for parents. Also important are conversations about respect and safety in sexual relationships. Parental monitoring, limit-setting, and ongoing communication can help prevent risk-taking behaviors. The need for students to develop refusal skills and the importance of establishing house rules and consequences are described.
C. Miller Fisher
Authors: Caplan Louis R.
Published: June 2020

Abstract: When Charles Miller Fisher was born in 1913, there was little scientific knowledge about brain diseases and their treatment. Views of stroke, one of the most common and most feared among brain conditions, almost completely flip-flopped during the 20th century. At the midpoint of the century, when Fisher began his career, there was little public or medical interest in stroke. By the end of the century, stroke care and research were among the most intensely active areas within all of medicine. This book is the story of that change and of one physician, Dr. C. Miller Fisher, a main architect and driver of that change. Fisher’s university and medical training occurred in Canada. After a medical internship, he enlisted in the Canadian Navy, early during World War II. After his ship was sunk, he spent 3½ years in a prisoner-of-war camp in Germany. He became interested in stroke during postdoctoral studies in Boston. During a half-century career in Montreal and at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, he devoted his career to stroke. Much of the change in the care of patients with stroke and cerebrovascular disease can be directly attributable to his research, his writings, and his teachings and to the physicians he mentored lovingly during his long and fruitful career.
Fisher’s Early Years
Authors: Caplan Louis R.
Published: June 2020

Abstract: This chapter describes Fisher’s early life; his family; his upbringing in a rural town in Ontario, Canada; and his characteristics as a child and young boy. Fisher was born on December 5, 1913, in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. He was one of nine siblings. He attended the public school system in Waterloo through high school. Although he spent little serious time as a student and did little homework until age 15 or 16 years, he was awarded a scholarship to the University of Toronto in recognition of his academic performance during high school. Only a small minority of students from his high school went on to college.
Montreal, 1950–1954
Authors: Caplan Louis R.
Published: June 2020

Abstract: This chapter describes Fisher’s career in Montreal (1950–1954) and his ultimate transfer to Boston. His family life, studies, accomplishments, and writings during this period are also described. Highlighted are his discoveries about carotid artery disease, transient loss of vision, transient episodes of brain ischemia, lacunar brain infarction and its mechanisms, brain embolism, and the distribution of atherosclerosis within the arteries that supply the brain. While in Montreal, Fisher became a productive researcher. His work on carotid artery disease and temporary episodes of eye and brain ischemia gained him widespread recognition. However, he eventually decided that the future of his stroke work was far brighter in Boston than if he stayed in Montreal, and so he eventually decided to return to Boston.
Patient Selection Criteria for Deep Brain Stimulation for Parkinson Disease
Authors: Dahdah Laura S. Surillo , O’Suilleabhain Padraig , Dadhich Hrishikesh , Elkurd Mazen , Chitnis Shilpa , Dewey Richard B.
Published: June 2020

Patient selection is critical for optimizing clinical outcomes after deep brain stimulation (DBS) surgery. Patient expectations need to be addressed before DBS surgery to avoid disappointment. There are generally accepted criteria for DBS candidacy for treatment of Parkinson disease (PD), essential tremor (ET), and dystonia. For PD, selection criteria include a diagnosis of idiopathic PD and the presence of disabling or troubling motor symptoms such as motor fluctuations or dyskinesia (despite optimized pharmacologic treatment). Medication-resistant tremor is also an indication. The response of problematic motor symptoms to dopaminergic drugs is an important predictor of DBS response, favoring selection of patients for whom levodopa substantially improves tremor, bradykinesia, and rigidity. Rarely, gait is improved with DBS, and in some cases freezing can improve, although this is not a predictable post-DBS feature. Exclusion criteria include serious medical comorbidities, uncontrolled psychiatric illness (thought and mood disorders), and dementia. Preoperative magnetic resonance imaging with extensive white matter changes, vascular malformations, severe cerebral atrophy, or hydrocephalus can also be exclusions. The patient should clearly understand the risks and benefits of DBS, which should be assessed using a preoperative multidisciplinary evaluation (neurology, neurosurgery, neuropsychology, psychiatry, and rehabilitation). Use of a social worker and/or nutritionist can also be helpful in select cases.
Deep Brain Stimulation Targeting the Ventral Intermediate Nucleus of the Thalamus for Parkinsonian Tremor and Later Adding the Globus Pallidus Interna for Parkinson Disease Features
Authors: Zhang Qiang , Thomsen Teri R.
Published: June 2020

Deep brain stimulation (DBS) targeting the ventral intermediate (Vim) nucleus of thalamus has been established as an effective therapy for patients with debilitating essential tremor. However, some patients initially diagnosed with essential tremor (ET) later develop idiopathic Parkinson disease (PD), and Vim DBS is not as effective for other PD-related symptoms, including bradykinesia, rigidity, and dyskinesia. This chapter describes a patient with PD who initially presented with debilitating right-dominant tremor that was misdiagnosed as ET. He received bilateral Vim DBS with good tremor control. Two years later, he received bilateral globus pallidus internus (GPi) DBS for progression of his PD, and he has been reporting adequate relief of his PD symptoms. For patients with debilitating tremor, but relatively mild or no parkinsonian symptoms on presentation, after medical trials have been administered, a Vim DBS is a reasonable option for tremor relief. A second DBS placement targeting the GPi or subthalamic nucleus (STN) may be considered if more parkinsonian symptoms evolve and progress.
Choosing a Target for Deep Brain Stimulation in Dystonia-Associated Tremor
Authors: Siddiqui Mustafa S. , Tatter Stephen B.
Published: June 2020

This chapter presents a case of medication-refractory primary generalized dystonia presenting with disabling symptoms of cervical dystonia and dystonic bilateral arm tremors. This case posed a challenge in the choice of the appropriate target for deep brain stimulation (DBS) because the targeting of the globus pallidus interna improves dystonia symptoms but may have a less predictable response to tremor. DBS targeting the ventral intermedius may not in many cases improve dystonia symptoms but can effectively control tremor. The authors describe a case in which they employed a systematic approach including implanting multiple leads in different DBS targets. This approach resulted in a favorable outcome for this patient in dystonia and in dystonic tremor.
Minor surgery
Authors: Simon Chantal , Everitt Hazel , van Dorp Françoise , Hussain Nazia , Nash Emma , Peet Danielle
Published: June 2020

This chapter in the Oxford Handbook of General Practice explores minor surgery in general practice. It reviews basic techniques, the removal of skin lesions, and commonly performed injections.