Biogeographical Analysis of Abyssal Bottom Habitats: Using an Abiotic Province Scheme and Metazoan Occurrence Databases.

M.A. Thesis. University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa 2017

Which is the best algorithm for evaluating a patient’s candidate to sleeve with suspected reflux or hiatal hernia: is manometry or reflux assessment always necessary

Laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (SG) has reached wide popularity during the last 15 years, owing to limited morbidity and mortality rates, very successful weight loss results, and impact on comorbidities. However, the postoperative development or worsening of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is one of the most important drawbacks of this surgical procedure. To date, there is great heterogeneity concerning the definition of GERD, the indication for SG in patients with GERD, and the standardization of pre and postoperative diagnostic pathways. In patients with severe obesity, a strictly symptom-based diagnosis of GERD is unreliable. In fact, a high rate of silent GERD (s-GERD, asymptomatic patients despite objective evidence of GERD) has been reported. Moreover, patients with preoperative s-GERD have a significantly higher risk of experiencing GERD symptoms after SG. For these reasons, the reflux burden and the competence of the anti-reflux barrier should be carefully assessed during the preoperative work-up of patients undergoing SG. Ambulatory pH monitoring (APM) and high-resolution manometry (HRM) are useful diagnostic tools that could provide valuable evidence in the guidance of surgical strategy. In this review, we evaluate the current literature concerning the use of APM and HRM in the diagnostic pathway before SG, as well as their predictive value for the evolution of GERD in the postoperative course. Moreover, we propose a diagnostic algorithm for preoperative GERD assessment, which includes validated symptom questionnaires, upper gastrointestinal endoscopy, APM, and HRM

Enfermedad de Creutzfeld Jakob, desafío diagnóstico : reporte de dos casos en la ciudad de Mendoza

La enfermedad de Creutzfeldt-Jakob (ECJ) es una afección neurodege-nerativa rápidamente progresiva y mortal producida por priones. Es la más común de las encefalopatías espongiformes. La hipótesis prevalente sugiere que se inicia y propaga por conversión de una proteína priónica normal (PrP) en una isoforma conformacional anormal (PrPreS), que se acumula en el cerebro causando destrucción neuronal. Se reporta el caso de dos pacientes asistido en el Servicio de Neurología del Hospital Lagomaggiore de la ciudad de Mendoza en el período de 2 años: mujer de 49 años con cuadro de deterioro cognitivo rápidamente progresivo asociado a trastorno de la marcha y ataxia de 2 meses de evolución; y varón de 54 años con conductas inapropiadas y desorientación temporo-espacial de 20 días de evolución. Ambos con EEG compatible y proteína 14.3.3 positiva, falleciendo semanas después del diagnóstico. Se discute ambos casos, los cuales representaron un desafío diagnóstico dada la baja frecuencia y escaso reconocimiento de esta entidad en nuestro medio, debiendo debe ser considerado en pacientes que evolucionan a una demencia rápidamente progresiva.Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) is a rapidly progressive and fatal neurodegenerative disease caused by prions. It is the most common of spongiform encephalopathies. The most accepted hypothesis suggests that it initiates and propagates through conversion of normal prion protein (PrP) in an abnormal conformational isoform (PrPres), which accumulates in the brain causing neuronal destruction. The cases of two patients assisted in the Department of Neurology of Hospital Lagomaggiore city of Mendoza in 2-year period are reported: A 49-year old female patient with symptoms of rapidly progressing cognitive impairment associated with gait disturbance and ataxia of 2 months of progression; and a 54-year old male with misconduct and temporo-spatial disorientation of 20 days of evolution. In both cases, EEG was compatible with CJD and 14.3.3 protein was positive, dying weeks after diagnosis. Both cases are discussed, which represented a diagnostic challenge given the low frequency and little recognition of this entity in our environment, must be considered in patients who develop a rapidly progressive dementia.Fil: Galiana, Graciana Lourdes. Hospital Luis Lagomaggiore (Mendoza, Argentina)Fil: Farfan Alé, F.. Hospital Luis Lagomaggiore (Mendoza, Argentina)Fil: De Monte, M.. Hospital Luis Lagomaggiore (Mendoza, Argentina)Fil: Sánchez, C.. Hospital Luis Lagomaggiore (Mendoza, Argentina)Fil: Torres, A.. Hospital Luis Lagomaggiore (Mendoza, Argentina)Fil: Ianardi, S.. Hospital Luis Lagomaggiore (Mendoza, Argentina)Fil: Genco, J.. Hospital Luis Lagomaggiore (Mendoza, Argentina)Fil: Genco, D.. Hospital Luis Lagomaggiore (Mendoza, Argentina)Fil: Castellino, G.. Hospital Luis Lagomaggiore (Mendoza, Argentina

The (C-H) bond dissociation energy in the methyl group of toluene

A, kinetic study of the pyrolysis of toluene by a flow technique has been made, and assuming Szwarc\u27s mechanism, two activation energies (78.3 and 84 kcal/mole depending on the temperature range used) have been derived for the dissociation of the (C-H) bond in the methyl group of toluene. The lower value agrees quite well with Szwarc\u27s, and the higher value turns out to be approximately the average of 77.5 and 89.9. The results of this research suggest 84 kcal/mole as the upper limit for the activation energy

Blast waves from violent explosive activity at Yasur Volcano, Vanuatu

Infrasonic and seismic waveforms were collected during violent strombolian activity at Yasur Volcano (Vanuatu). Averaging similar to 3000 seismic events showed stable waveforms, evidencing a low-frequency (0.1-0.3Hz) signal preceding similar to 5-6s the explosion. Infrasonic waveforms were mostly asymmetric with a sharp compressive (5-106Pa) onset, followed by a small long-lasting rarefaction phase. Regardless of the pressure amplitude, the ratio between the positive and negative phases was constant. These waveform characteristics closely resembled blast waves. Infrared imagery showed an apparent cold spherical front similar to 20 m thick, which moved between 342 and 405m/s before the explosive hot gas/fragments cloud. We interpret this cold front as that produced by the vapor condensation induced by the passage of the shock front. We suggest that violent strombolian activity at Yasur was driven by supersonic dynamics with gas expanding at 1.1 Mach number inside the conduit

Forecasting Effusive Dynamics and Decompression Rates by Magmastatic Model at Open-vent Volcanoes

Effusive eruptions at open-conduit volcanoes are interpreted as reactions to a disequilibrium induced by the increase in magma supply. By comparing four of the most recent effusive eruptions at Stromboli volcano (Italy), we show how the volumes of lava discharged during each eruption are linearly correlated to the topographic positions of the effusive vents. This correlation cannot be explained by an excess of pressure within a deep magma chamber and raises questions about the actual contributions of deep magma dynamics. We derive a general model based on the discharge of a shallow reservoir and the magmastatic crustal load above the vent, to explain the linear link. In addition, we show how the drastic transition from effusive to violent explosions can be related to different decompression rates. We suggest that a gravity-driven model can shed light on similar cases of lateral effusive eruptions in other volcanic systems and can provide evidence of the roles of slow decompression rates in triggering violent paroxysmal explosive eruptions, which occasionally punctuate the effusive phases at basaltic volcanoes

Dielectric nano-antennas for strain engineering in atomically thin two-dimensional semiconductors

Atomically thin two-dimensional semiconducting transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) can withstand large levels of strain before their irreversible damage occurs. This unique property offers a promising route for control of the optical and electronic properties of TMDs, for instance by depositing them on nano-structured surfaces, where position-dependent strain can be produced on the nano-scale. Here, we demonstrate strain-induced modifications of the optical properties of mono- and bilayer TMD WSe$_2$ placed on photonic nano-antennas made from gallium phosphide (GaP). Photoluminescence (PL) from the strained areas of the TMD layer is enhanced owing to the efficient coupling with the confined optical mode of the nano-antenna. Thus, by following the shift of the PL peak, we deduce the changes in the strain in WSe$_2$ deposited on the nano-antennas of different radii. In agreement with the presented theory, strain up to $\approx 1.4 \%$ is observed for WSe$_2$ monolayers. We also estimate that $>3\%$ strain is achieved in bilayers, accompanied with the emergence of a direct bandgap in this normally indirect-bandgap semiconductor. At cryogenic temperatures, we find evidence of the exciton confinement in the most strained nano-scale parts of the WSe$_2$ layers, as also predicted by our theoretical model. Our results, of direct relevance for both dielectric and plasmonic nano-antennas, show that strain in atomically thin semiconductors can be used as an additional parameter for engineering light-matter interaction in nano-photonic devices

Periodontal Pathogens and Risk of Incident Cancer in Postmenopausal Females: The Buffalo OsteoPerio Study

Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/142052/1/jper0257.pd