Clinical Outcomes in Patients with Phosphate Abnormalities After Cardiac Surgery: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

Background: The clinical significance and incidence of phosphate abnormalities in cardiac surgery have not been investigated extensively. We hypothesize that phosphate abnormalities are associated with a longer time to tracheal extubation.

Methods: This was a single-center, retrospective cohort study in patients who underwent nontransplant cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass between August 2009 and December 2020.

Anatomy of an extreme event: What can we infer about the history of a heavy-tailed random walk?

Extreme events are by nature rare and difficult to predict, yet are often much more important than frequent, typical events. An interesting counterpoint to the prediction of such events is their retrodiction-given a process in an outlier state, how did the events leading up to this endpoint unfold? In particular, was there only a single, massive event, or was the history a composite of multiple, smaller but still significant events? To investigate this problem we take heavy-tailed stochastic processes (specifically, the symmetric, α-stable Lévy processes) as prototypical random walks. A natural and useful characteristic scale arises from the analysis of processes conditioned to arrive in a particular final state (Lévy bridges).

The Association Between Hypophosphatemia and Lactic Acidosis After Cardiac Surgery With Cardiopulmonary Bypass: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

Objectives: The clinical significance of hypophosphatemia in cardiac surgery has not been investigated extensively. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association of postoperative hypophosphatemia and lactic acidosis in cardiac surgery patients at the time of intensive care unit (ICU) admission.

Design: A retrospective cohort study.

Retraction: Stent Migration Following Endovascular Intervention in May-Thurner Syndrome.

[This retracts the article DOI: 10.7759/cureus.29714.

Stent Migration Following Endovascular Intervention in May-Thurner Syndrome.

Developments in endovascular therapies have made stenting a common practice in the treatment of peripheral vascular diseases, including venous disorders such as May-Thurner syndrome. The placement of a stent in the venous system carries the risk of stent migration which although small occurs with a 3% incidence rate and can be life-threatening given the risk of pulmonary infarction, tricuspid regurgitation, and right-sided heart failure. Herein we report a case of stent embolization from the common iliac vein into the right side of the heart causing tricuspid regurgitation.

Left Ventricular Function in the Initial Period After Severe Traumatic Brain Injury in Swine.

Background: Cardiac dysfunction is common in the days after severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) and may contribute to hypotension episodes, leading to worse outcomes. Little is known about cardiac function in the minutes and hours immediately following TBI. By using fluid percussion TBI in a swine model, we aimed to characterize the immediate post injury cardiac function.

Spatial and Temporal Variations of Indoor Airborne Radon Decay Product Dose Rate and Surface-Deposited Radon Decay Products in Homes.

The temporal variations of the airborne radon decay product dose rate and deposited radon decay product activities, as well as the within-house and house-to-house variations of radon concentrations, were evaluated through repeated field measurements. Long-term average radon and surface-deposited radon decay product concentrations were measured in 76 rooms of 38 houses. Temporal variation of radon, as well as airborne and surface-deposited radon decay products, were measured in 11 of the 38 houses during two different seasons.

Transcriptional changes before and after forgetting of a long-term sensitization memory in Aplysia californica.

Most long-term memories are forgotten, becoming progressively less likely to be recalled. Still, some memory fragments may persist, as savings memory (easier relearning) can be detected long after recall has become impossible. What happens to a memory trace during forgetting that makes it inaccessible for recall and yet still effective to spark easier re-learning? We are addressing this question by tracking the transcriptional changes that accompany learning and then forgetting of a long-term sensitization memory in the tail-elicited siphon withdrawal reflex of Aplysia californica.

Delays in door-to-needle time for acute ischemic stroke in the emergency department: A comprehensive stroke center experience.

Background: Current American Stroke Association guidelines recommend initiating intravenous thrombolysis (IVT) for acute ischemic stroke (AIS) within 60min of patient arrival, given the benefits of IVT for AIS are time dependent. This study aimed to identify the delaying factors in door-to-needle time (DTN) in the emergency department of one of the largest comprehensive stroke centers in New York State. We also recommended measures to reduce the delays.

Noise reduction of a Libbrecht-Hall style current driver.

The Libbrecht-Hall circuit is a well-known, low-noise current driver for narrow-linewidth diode lasers. An important feature of the circuit is a current limit to protect the laser diode. As the current approaches the maximum limit, however, the noise in the laser current increases dramatically.

Anesthetic Considerations of Sporadic Inclusion Body Myositis in an Elderly Man With Orthopedic Trauma.

Introduction: Sporadic inclusion body myositis (IBM) is an inflammatory myopathy characterized by progressive asymmetric extremity weakness, oropharyngeal dysphagia, and the potential for exaggerated sensitivity to neuromuscular blockers and respiratory compromise. The authors describe their management of a patient with IBM undergoing urgent orthopedic surgery.

Case Presentation: An 81-year-old man with IBM suffered a left intertrochanteric femoral fracture after falling down stairs.

UTILITY OF SHORT-TERM BASEMENT SCREENING RADON MEASUREMENTS TO PREDICT YEAR-LONG RESIDENTIAL RADON CONCENTRATIONS ON UPPER FLOORS.

This study investigated temporal and spatial variability between basement radon concentrations (measured for ∼7 d using electret ion chambers) and basement and upper floor radon concentrations (measured for 1 y using alpha track detectors) in 158 residences in Iowa, USA. Utility of short-term measurements to approximate a person's residential radon exposure and effect of housing/occupant factors on predictive ability were evaluated. About 60 % of basement short-term, 60 % of basement year-long and 30 % of upper floor year-long radon measurements were equal to or above the United States Environmental Protection Agency's radon action level of 148 Bq m Predictive value of a positive short-term test was 44 % given the year-long living space concentration was equal to or above this action level.

Comparative survey of outdoor, residential and workplace radon concentrations.

This study investigated radon concentrations in above-ground (i.e. first floor) workplace in Missouri and compared them with above-ground radon concentrations in nearby homes and outdoor locations.

A comparison of winter short-term and annual average radon measurements in basements of a radon-prone region and evaluation of further radon testing indicators.

The primary objective of this study was to investigate the temporal variability between basement winter short-term (7 to 10 d) and basement annual radon measurements. Other objectives were to test the short-term measurement's diagnostic performance at two reference levels and to evaluate its ability to predict annual average basement radon concentrations. Electret ion chamber (short-term) and alpha track (annual) radon measurements were obtained by trained personnel in Iowa residences.

The effectiveness of mitigation for reducing radon risk in single-family Minnesota homes.

Increased lung cancer incidence has been linked with long-term exposure to elevated residential radon. Experimental studies have shown that soil ventilation can be effective in reducing radon concentrations in single-family homes. Most radon mitigation systems in the U.

Giovanni Battista Morgagni (1682-1771): his anatomic majesty's contributions to the neurosciences.

Introduction: Giovanni Battista Morgagni is considered the Father of Pathology and contributed much to our early understanding of neuropathology. For example, he introduced the concept that diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment of disease must be based on an exact understanding of the pathologic changes in anatomic structures. Additionally, he contributed to what would become the discipline of neurosurgery and, for example, performed trepanation for head trauma.

High passive-stability diode-laser design for use in atomic-physics experiments.

We present the design and performance characterization of an external-cavity diode-laser system optimized for high stability, low passive spectral linewidth, low cost, and ease of in-house assembly. The main cavity body is machined from a single aluminum block for robustness to temperature changes and mechanical vibrations, and features a stiff and light diffraction-grating arm to suppress low-frequency mechanical resonances. The cavity is vacuum sealed, and a custom-molded silicone external housing further isolates the system from acoustic noise and temperature fluctuations.

The nervus intermedius: a review of its anatomy, function, pathology, and role in neurosurgery.

Background: Geniculate neuralgia, although uncommon, can be a debilitating pathology. Unfortunately, a thorough review of this pain syndrome and the clinical anatomy, function, and pathology of its most commonly associated nerve, the nervus intermedius, is lacking in the literature. Therefore, the present study aimed to further elucidate the diagnosis of this pain syndrome and its surgical treatment based on a review of the literature.

Noninvasive evaluation of cerebral arteriovenous malformations by 4D-MRA for preoperative planning and postoperative follow-up in 56 patients: comparison with DSA and intraoperative findings.

Background And Purpose: 4D-MRA is a promising technique in the diagnosis and follow-up of cAVMs. The purpose of this study was to compare 4D-MRA in the pre- and postoperative evaluation of cAVMs with DSA or intraoperative findings as the standards of reference regarding qualitative and quantitative parameters.

Materials And Methods: Fifty-six consecutive patients with cAVMs (30 women) underwent both 4D-MRA and DSA.

Electret ion chamber-based passive radon-thoron discriminative monitors.

Electret ion chambers (EICs), commercially available under brand name E-PERM(®), are widely used for measuring indoor and outdoor (222)Rn concentrations in air. These are designed to respond only to (222)Rn and not to (220)Rn by restricting diffusional entry area. Such radon EIC (R EIC) monitors are modified by increasing the entry area to allow (220)Rn, in addition to (222)Rn.

Room model based Monte Carlo simulation study of the relationship between the airborne dose rate and the surface-deposited radon progeny.

The quantitative relationships between radon gas concentration, the surface-deposited activities of various radon progeny, the airborne radon progeny dose rate, and various residential environmental factors were investigated through a Monte Carlo simulation study based on the extended Jacobi room model. Airborne dose rates were calculated from the unattached and attached potential alpha-energy concentrations (PAECs) using two dosimetric models. Surface-deposited (218)Po and (214)Po were significantly correlated with radon concentration, PAECs, and airborne dose rate (p-values <0.

An open-source, extensible system for laboratory timing and control.

We describe a simple system for timing and control, which provides control of analog, digital, and radio-frequency signals. Our system differs from most common laboratory setups in that it is open source, built from off-the-shelf components, synchronized to a common and accurate clock, and connected over an Ethernet network. A simple bus architecture facilitates creating new and specialized devices with only moderate experience in circuit design.