Mountaineers

It was Washington, D.C., July 15, 1943. At the War Department it was noted that a new division was being ac­tivated as of that date - the lOth Light Division. Out in Colorado the usual afternoon cloudburst broke loose as the journal clerk recorded the fact that the division had been officially activated. A month later there was a formal oc­casion; Pando, Colorado witnessed the parade and cere­monies honoring the birth of the Tenth. Major General Lloyd E. Jones reviewed the troops.https://digicom.bpl.lib.me.us/ww_reg_his/1005/thumbnail.jp

Robust estimation of bacterial cell count from optical density

Optical density (OD) is widely used to estimate the density of cells in liquid culture, but cannot be compared between instruments without a standardized calibration protocol and is challenging to relate to actual cell count. We address this with an interlaboratory study comparing three simple, low-cost, and highly accessible OD calibration protocols across 244 laboratories, applied to eight strains of constitutive GFP-expressing E. coli. Based on our results, we recommend calibrating OD to estimated cell count using serial dilution of silica microspheres, which produces highly precise calibration (95.5% of residuals <1.2-fold), is easily assessed for quality control, also assesses instrument effective linear range, and can be combined with fluorescence calibration to obtain units of Molecules of Equivalent Fluorescein (MEFL) per cell, allowing direct comparison and data fusion with flow cytometry measurements: in our study, fluorescence per cell measurements showed only a 1.07-fold mean difference between plate reader and flow cytometry data

Unstable SpO2 in preterm infants: The key role of reduced ventilation to perfusion ratio.

Peer reviewed: TrueAcknowledgements: The authors thank Dr A. Olszowka, Department of Physiology, University of Buffalo, New York, United States for providing his pulmonary gas exchange program.Introduction: Instability of peripheral oxyhemoglobin saturation (SpO2) in preterm infants is correlated with late disability and is poorly understood. We hypothesised that a reduced ventilation to perfusion ratio (VA/Q) is the key predisposing factor for SpO2 instability. Methods: We first used a mathematical model to compare the effects of reduced VA/Q or shunt on SaO2 stability (SaO2 and SpO2 are used for model and clinical studies respectively). Stability was inferred from the slope of the SaO2 vs. inspired oxygen pressure (P IO2) curve as it intersects the 21 kPa P IO2 line (breathing air). Then, in a tertiary neonatal intensive care unit, paired hourly readings of SpO2 and P IO2 were recorded over a 24 h period in week old extremely preterm infants. We noted SpO2 variability and used an algorithm to derive VA/Q and shunt from the paired SpO2 and P IO2 measurements. Results: Our model predicted that when VA/Q 8% fluctuation in SaO2 at 21 kPa P IO2. In contrast, when a 20% intrapulmonary shunt was included in the model, a 1% change in P IO2 results in 0.85) but only two infants had increased shunt at 1.1 (±0.5) weeks' postnatal age. Median (IQR) SpO2 fluctuation was 8 (7)%. The greatest SpO2 fluctuations were seen in infants with VA/Q < 0.52 (n = 10): SpO2 fluctuations ranged from 11%-17% at a constant P IO2 when VA/Q < 0.52. Two infants had reduced VA/Q and increased shunt (21% and 27%) which resolved into low VA/Q after 3-6 h. Discussion: Routine monitoring of P IO2 and SpO2 can be used to derive a hitherto elusive measure of VA/Q. Predisposition to SpO2 instability results from reduced VA/Q rather than increased intrapulmonary shunt in preterm infants with cardiorespiratory disease. SpO2 instability can be prevented by a small increase in P IO2

Unstable SpO2 in preterm infants: The key role of reduced ventilation to perfusion ratio.

Introduction: Instability of peripheral oxyhemoglobin saturation (SpO2) in preterm infants is correlated with late disability and is poorly understood. We hypothesised that a reduced ventilation to perfusion ratio (VA/Q) is the key predisposing factor for SpO2 instability. Methods: We first used a mathematical model to compare the effects of reduced VA/Q or shunt on SaO2 stability (SaO2 and SpO2 are used for model and clinical studies respectively). Stability was inferred from the slope of the SaO2 vs. inspired oxygen pressure (P IO2) curve as it intersects the 21 kPa P IO2 line (breathing air). Then, in a tertiary neonatal intensive care unit, paired hourly readings of SpO2 and P IO2 were recorded over a 24 h period in week old extremely preterm infants. We noted SpO2 variability and used an algorithm to derive VA/Q and shunt from the paired SpO2 and P IO2 measurements. Results: Our model predicted that when VA/Q 8% fluctuation in SaO2 at 21 kPa P IO2. In contrast, when a 20% intrapulmonary shunt was included in the model, a 1% change in P IO2 results in 0.85) but only two infants had increased shunt at 1.1 (±0.5) weeks' postnatal age. Median (IQR) SpO2 fluctuation was 8 (7)%. The greatest SpO2 fluctuations were seen in infants with VA/Q < 0.52 (n = 10): SpO2 fluctuations ranged from 11%-17% at a constant P IO2 when VA/Q < 0.52. Two infants had reduced VA/Q and increased shunt (21% and 27%) which resolved into low VA/Q after 3-6 h. Discussion: Routine monitoring of P IO2 and SpO2 can be used to derive a hitherto elusive measure of VA/Q. Predisposition to SpO2 instability results from reduced VA/Q rather than increased intrapulmonary shunt in preterm infants with cardiorespiratory disease. SpO2 instability can be prevented by a small increase in P IO2

An Australian Approach to Managing Traumatic Abdominal Wall Hernias

Traumatic abdominal wall hernias (TAWH) occur in less than one percent of trauma presentations. In the absence of clinical guidelines, management is centre-specific and largely dependent on surgeon experience. This study describes the management of TAWH in a high volume Australian trauma centre. A single centre retrospective cohort study was performed. Adults with TAWH as a result of blunt trauma, between January 2016 and July 2020, were included. Primary outcomes were the mechanism of injury, presentation, timing of repair, and operative technique used. A total of 16 patients (63% male; median age 36 years; median Injury Severity Score [ISS] 19.5) were identified. In total, 75% were the result of a motor vehicle accident. A total of 13 patients (81%) underwent repair. Eight patients received repair during emergency exploration undertaken for concurrent injuries. Three patients had a delayed repair during index admission, and two patients had an elective repair. Primary tissue repair was performed in seven patients. Mesh repair was used in six. Patients were followed for a median of 55.5 days. One patient had a recurrence of hernia following primary repair. This local series demonstrates that traumatic abdominal wall hernias may be successfully repaired during index admission using tissue or mesh techniques

An Australian Approach to Managing Traumatic Abdominal Wall Hernias

Traumatic abdominal wall hernias (TAWH) occur in less than one percent of trauma presentations. In the absence of clinical guidelines, management is centre-specific and largely dependent on surgeon experience. This study describes the management of TAWH in a high volume Australian trauma centre. A single centre retrospective cohort study was performed. Adults with TAWH as a result of blunt trauma, between January 2016 and July 2020, were included. Primary outcomes were the mechanism of injury, presentation, timing of repair, and operative technique used. A total of 16 patients (63% male; median age 36 years; median Injury Severity Score [ISS] 19.5) were identified. In total, 75% were the result of a motor vehicle accident. A total of 13 patients (81%) underwent repair. Eight patients received repair during emergency exploration undertaken for concurrent injuries. Three patients had a delayed repair during index admission, and two patients had an elective repair. Primary tissue repair was performed in seven patients. Mesh repair was used in six. Patients were followed for a median of 55.5 days. One patient had a recurrence of hernia following primary repair. This local series demonstrates that traumatic abdominal wall hernias may be successfully repaired during index admission using tissue or mesh techniques

Machine Code Programs are Predicates Too

I present an interpretation of machine language programs as boolean expressions. Source language programs may also be so interpreted. The correctness of a code generator can then be expressed as a simple relationship between boolean expressions. Code generators can then be calculated from their specification

Real-time discriminatory sensors for water contamination events :LDRD 52595 final report.

The gas-phase {mu}ChemLab{trademark} developed by Sandia can detect volatile organics and semi-volatiles organics via gas phase sampling . The goal of this three year Laboratory Directed Research and Development (LDRD) project was to adapt the components and concepts used by the {mu}ChemLab{trademark} system towards the analysis of water-borne chemicals of current concern. In essence, interfacing the gas-phase {mu}ChemLab{trademark} with water to bring the significant prior investment of Sandia and the advantages of microfabrication and portable analysis to a whole new world of important analytes. These include both chemical weapons agents and their hydrolysis products and disinfection by-products such as Trihalomethanes (THMs) and haloacetic acids (HAAs). THMs and HAAs are currently regulated by EPA due to health issues, yet water utilities do not have rapid on-site methods of detection that would allow them to adjust their processes quickly; protecting consumers, meeting water quality standards, and obeying regulations more easily and with greater confidence. This report documents the results, unique hardware and devices, and methods designed during the project toward the goal stated above. It also presents and discusses the portable field system to measure THMs developed in the course of this project