Communications Biophysics

Contains research objectives and reports on four research projects.National Science Foundation (Grant G-16526)National Science Foundation (Grant G-7364)National Institutes of Health (Grant MP-4737)U.S. Air Force (Electronic Systems Division) under Contract AF19(604)-411

Do Medical Homes Offer Improved Diabetes Care for Medicaid Enrollees with Co-occurring Schizophrenia?

To determine whether Medicaid recipients with co-occurring diabetes and schizophrenia that are medical-home-enrolled are more likely to receive guideline-concordant diabetes care than those who are not medical-home-enrolled, controlling for confounders

Evidence for an extensive hydrothermal plume in the Tonga-Fiji region of the South Pacific

Author Posting. © American Geophysical Union, 2004. This article is posted here by permission of American Geophysical Union for personal use, not for redistribution. The definitive version was published in Geochemistry Geophysics Geosystems 5 (2004): Q01003, doi:10.1029/2003GC000607.Several hydrographic stations in the vicinity of the Samoa Islands have 3He/4He above the regional background in the depth range of 1500–1800 m, indicating injection of mantle helium from a local hydrothermal source. The highest δ(3He) = 43.4% was detected at 1726-m depth at 15.0°S, 173.1°W in the bathymetric gap between the Samoa Islands and the northern end of the Tonga-Kermadec Arc. The δ(3He) profile at this station decreases to δ(3He) = 26% at 2500-m depth. The relatively shallow depth of the maximum hydrothermal signal suggests a source different from the conventional Pacific basin helium plume centered at 2500 m that is carried westward from the East Pacific Rise. Stations to the west of this locality show a progressive decrease in the maximum δ(3He) values in the depth range of 1480–1790 m out to 169°E. Stations east of the Tonga-Fiji region show lower 3He values (<26%) at 1700 m and the profiles are dominated by a deeper maximum at 2500 m, presumably the distal traces of hydrothermal input from East Pacific Rise. This pattern in the 3He distribution suggests that the 1700-m deep helium plume is carried in a northwesterly direction some 2000 km from its source near the northern end of the Tonga-Kermadec Arc. At this time very little is known about the source of this hydrothermal plume or the details of its areal extent. Numerous seamounts and rift zones in the region are possible hydrothermal sources for the plume. The summit crater of Vailulu'u, a young seamount at the eastern end of the Samoa chain, was recently discovered to be hydrothermally active at ∼600 m depth [Hart et al., 2000]. However this shallow hydrothermal field on Vailulu'u is an unlikely source for the deeper 1700-m signal. The most likely source would appear to be the extensional zones of the northern Lau Basin system, such as the Mangatolo Triple Junction. Just as the helium plume emanating from Lo'ihi has helped our understanding of the circulation near the Hawaiian Islands [Lupton, 1996], this helium plume in the Tonga-Fiji region has great potential for delineating circulation in this area of the south Pacific.This work was supported by the NOAA Vents Program and by Grants OCE91-05884, OCE92-96237, OCE92-96169, and OCE98-20132 of the Ocean Sciences Division of the National Science Foundation

A biography and obituary of Alfred Traverse (1925–2015)

Professor Alfred (‘Al’) Traverse passed away following a long illness at 90 years of age on September 15th 2015 at Juniper Village, State College, Pennsylvania, USA. With his death, the twin sciences of palaeobotany and palynology have lost one of their most influential and productive of practitioners and teachers. He had a stellar student career, was a coal petrologist, an industrial palynologist and held parallel positions in the Episcopal (Anglican) church. However he is principally defined by his 30-year tenure as a professor at The Pennsylvania State University (Penn State) from 1966 to his full retirement in 1996. Al was an incredibly diverse scientist; the topics of his numerous research papers are highly eclectic. He demonstrated a truly polymathic approach to palaeobotany and palynology. Most notably, he published two editions of the only single-author textbook ever published in English on pre-Quaternary palynology. This short article seeks to celebrate and document Al's fascinating, fulfilling, long and productive life, hence it is designated as both a biography and an obituary. The authors have drawn on their collective memories, Al's publications, online information and other obituaries such as Anonymous (2015) and Rich & Strother (2015)

Feasibility of non-invasive neuro-monitoring during extracorporeal membrane oxygenation in children

Introduction Detection of neurological complications during extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) may be enhanced with non-invasive neuro-monitoring. We investigated the feasibility of non-invasive neuro-monitoring in a paediatric intensive care (PIC) setting. Methods In a single centre, prospective cohort study we assessed feasibility of recruitment, and neuro-monitoring via somatosensory evoked potentials (SSEP), electroencephalography (EEG) and near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) during venoarterial (VA) ECMO in paediatric patients (0–15 years). Measures were obtained within 24h of cannulation, during an intermediate period, and finally at decannulation or echo stress testing. SSEP/EEG/NIRS measures were correlated with neuro-radiology findings, and clinical outcome assessed via the Pediatric cerebral performance category (PCPC) scale 30 days post ECMO cannulation. Results We recruited 14/20 (70%) eligible patients (median age: 9 months; IQR:4–54, 57% male) over an 18-month period, resulting in a total of 42 possible SSEP/EEG/NIRS measurements. Of these, 32/42 (76%) were completed. Missed recordings were due to lack of access/consent within 24 h of cannulation (5/42, 12%) or PIC death/discharge (5/42, 12%). In each patient, the majority of SSEP (8/14, 57%), EEG (8/14, 57%) and NIRS (11/14, 79%) test results were within normal limits. All patients with abnormal neuroradiology (4/10, 40%), and 6/7 (86%) with poor outcome (PCPC ≥4) developed indirect SSEP, EEG or NIRS measures of neurological complications prior to decannulation. No study-related adverse events or neuro-monitoring data interpreting issues were experienced. Conclusion Non-invasive neuro-monitoring (SSEP/EEG/NIRS) during ECMO is feasible and may provide early indication of neurological complications in this high-risk population