Compact broadband ( O, E, S, C, L & U bands) silicon TE-pass polarizer based on ridge waveguide adiabatic S-bends.

A compact, ultra-broadband and high-performance silicon TE-pass polarizer is proposed and demonstrated experimentally. It is based on partially-etched (ridge) waveguide adiabatic S-bends, input/output tapers and side gratings on a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) platform. A compact footprint and weak back reflections are obtained due to the bent waveguide and the tapers, respectively.

Postoperative Recurrent Cholesteatoma in Rural Versus Urban Populations.

Objective: Chronic ear disease presents a unique challenge to otolaryngologists in both rural and urban settings. Cholesteatoma remains a difficult disease to treat in rural populations due to limited healthcare access and high risk of recurrence. The purpose of this study was to determine if there are differences in surgical outcomes among patients with acquired cholesteatoma residing in rural versus urban settings.

Temporal Bone Fractures Caused by Ballistic Projectiles: A Systematic Review.

Objective: Ballistic injuries to the temporal bone are uncommon but devastating injuries that damage critical neurovascular structures. This review describes outcomes after ballistic injuries to the temporal bone and offers initiatives for standardized high-quality future research.

Data Sources: A systematic search of PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane.

A Comparison of Brand and Biosimilar Granulocyte-Colony Stimulating Factors for Prophylaxis of Chemotherapy-Induced Febrile Neutropenia.

Background: Filgrastim-sndz, a granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (G-CSF), was introduced as a biosimilar to filgrastim in 2015, but real-world comparative effectiveness for filgrastim versus filgrastim-sndz has not been reported to date.

Objectives: To (a) compare the incidence of febrile neutropenia for patients taking filgrastim versus those taking filgrastim-sndz and (b) compare the incidence of a potential serious adverse event for filgrastim versus filgrastim-sndz.

Methods: This retrospective cohort study identified patients receiving a G-CSF following chemotherapy, using administrative claims from the Humana Research Database.

Retrospective Review of Management and Outcomes of Pediatric Descending Mediastinitis.

Objectives: To review the management and outcomes of pediatric patients treated for descending mediastinitis at a single institution and contribute to an updated mortality rate.

Study Design: Case series with chart review.

Setting: Tertiary care pediatric hospital.

MitoQ modulates oxidative stress and decreases inflammation following hemorrhage.

Background: Oxidative stress associated with hemorrhagic shock and reperfusion (HSR) results in the production of superoxide radicals and other reactive oxygen species, leading to cell damage and multiple-organ dysfunction. We sought to determine if MitoQ, a mitochondria-targeted antioxidant, reduces morbidity in a rat model of HSR by limiting oxidative stress.

Methods: HSR was achieved in male rats by arterial blood withdrawal to a mean arterial pressure of 25 ± 2 mm Hg for 1 hour before resuscitation.

Resveratrol attenuates hypoxic injury in a primary hepatocyte model of hemorrhagic shock and resuscitation.

Background: Oxidative stress following hemorrhagic shock and resuscitation (HSR) is regulated, in part, by inflammatory and apoptotic mediators such as necrosis factor κB (NF-κB) and p53. Sirtuin 1 (Sirt-1) is a metabolic intermediary that regulates stress responses by suppressing NF-κB and p53 activity. Resveratrol is a naturally occurring polyphenolic antioxidant and Sirt-1 agonist.

Spectroscopic study of transparency current in mid-infrared quantum cascade lasers.

We report measurements which give direct insight into the origins of the transparency current for λ ~5 µm In0.6Ga0.4As/In0.

Update on the pharmacological prevention of skeletal-related events in cancer patients.

Metastases to the bone are a frequent complication of advanced cancer. Bone metastases have been linked to skeletal-related events, which is the composite endpoint used in clinical trials evaluating therapy to minimize these complications. This article discusses bisphosphonates, which are the historical standard for the prevention of skeletal-related events in patients with metastases from solid tumors and multiple myeloma, and denosumab, which is the first Food and Drug Administration-approved receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa-β ligand (RANKL) inhibitor.

Evaluation of a standardized protocol using lepirudin or argatroban for heparin-induced thrombocytopenia.

Study Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of our institutions heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT) protocol in achieving a therapeutic activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) and to evaluate patient outcomes related to bleeding and thrombotic events before and after protocol implementation.

Design: Retrospective, single-center, pre- and post- assessment of a protocol previously approved at our institution.

Setting: 400-bed community hospital serving surrounding rural populations with emphasis in cardiothoracic surgery.

Brief communication: ancient DNA prospects from Sri Lankan highland dry caves support an emerging global pattern.

Recovery of ancient DNA has become an increasingly important tool in elucidating the origins of past populations and their relationships. Unfortunately, many human skeletal remains do not contain original DNA amplifiable by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Amino-acid racemization has proven to be a useful predictor of ancient DNA results.

An Experimental Evaluation of Remote Sensing-Based Hydrocarbon Measurements: A Comparison to FID Measurements.

The purpose of this study was to intercompare hydrocarbon (HC) measurements performed by a number of different instruments: a gas chromatograph (GC), a flame ionization detector (FID), a fourier transform infrared spectrometer (FTIR), a commercially produced non-dispersive infrared analyzer (NDIR), and two remote sensors. These instruments were used to measure total HC concentrations in a variety of samples, including (1) ten different individual HC species, (2) 12 different vehicle exhaust samples, and (3) three different volatilized fuel samples. The 12 exhaust samples were generated by operating two different vehicles on a dynamometer.