Pediatric seatbelt injuries: unusual Chance's fracture associated with intra-abdominal lesions in a child

The authors report the case of a 7-year-old child involved in a motor vehicle accident. She sustained an unusual flexion-distraction vertebral injury. This spinal injury was related to seatbelt use and was associated with intra-abdominal lesions. The spinal lesion consisted of a posterior ligamentous disruption with widening of the posterior intervertebral space at two adjacent lumbar levels. The purpose of this case report is to describe an atypical and perhaps often unrecognized spinal lesion and to explain our approach to diagnosis and treatmen

Modular quantum signal processing in many variables

Despite significant advances in quantum algorithms, quantum programs in practice are often expressed at the circuit level, forgoing helpful structural abstractions common to their classical counterparts. Consequently, as many quantum algorithms have been unified with the advent of quantum signal processing (QSP) and quantum singular value transformation (QSVT), an opportunity has appeared to cast these algorithms as modules that can be combined to constitute complex programs. Complicating this, however, is that while QSP/QSVT are often described by the polynomial transforms they apply to the singular values of large linear operators, and the algebraic manipulation of polynomials is simple, the QSP/QSVT protocols realizing analogous manipulations of their embedded polynomials are non-obvious. Here we provide a theory of modular multi-input-output QSP-based superoperators, the basic unit of which we call a gadget, and show they can be snapped together with LEGO-like ease at the level of the functions they apply. To demonstrate this ease, we also provide a Python package for assembling gadgets and compiling them to circuits. Viewed alternately, gadgets both enable the efficient block encoding of large families of useful multivariable functions, and substantiate a functional-programming approach to quantum algorithm design in recasting QSP and QSVT as monadic types.Comment: 15 pages + 9 figures + 4 tables + 45 pages supplement. For codebase, see https://github.com/ichuang/pyqsp/tree/bet

Efficiency of CFRP NSM strips and EBR laminates for flexural strengthening of RC beams

The efficiency of Fiber Reinforced Polymer (FRP) materials for strengthening existing Reinforced Concrete (RC) structures according to the Near Surface Mounted (NSM) technique can be greater than the External Bonded Reinforcement (EBR) technique since the tensile strength of the FRP materials is in general better exploited. Firstly, this paper deals with analyzing the effect of the loading pattern on RC beams strengthened with both types of strengthening technique; in particular, two loading patterns have been used for the experimental tests on simple supported beams: 1) a four points bending scheme, and 2) a scheme with distributed loads, in order to check the sensitivity of failure modes and ultimate loads to different distributions of bending moment and shear along the beam. Then, a comparison between the results of flexural tests on RC beams strengthened with both NSM and EBR techniques is dealt with

Safe Endoscopic Removal of a Migrated Esophageal Stent Using a Protection Hood

Abstract Delayed esophageal metallic stent migration after a neo-adjuvant therapy of advanced esophageal cancer is a relatively frequent event, which is sometimes due to tumor response to chemotherapy. Stent migration in the stomach is usually asymptomatic but it can cause potentially life-threatening complications as bowel obstruction or perforation. Most gastric migrations can be managed endoscopically; however endoscopic stent removal could also be a risky procedure due to hemorrhage or esophageal perforation. This case report describes a safe and quick endoscopic method to remove a migrated esophageal metallic stent from the stomach using a protection hood mounted on the tip of the endoscope

Free Will, Subjectivity and the Physics of the Nervous System

We want to stress the irreducibility of subjectivity to a pure physical process and, related to this the existence of an actual free will. A discussion on the existence of free will goes back at least to the Middle Ages. Today however the problem has been considered again in the framework of Neurophysiology and in connection with specific experiments. The problem is related to reductionism, i.e. the claim that subjectivity could be considered an epiphenomenon of the cerebral processes, the argument being that all our sensorial perceptions, the control of movement, our states of wakefulness or of unconsciousness can be related to the activation or to the block of specific areas of our cerebral cortex. In the frame of this conception free will is denied essentially on the basis of physical determinism. In contrast to such attitude, we argue that experiences like consciousness of ourselves, of a personal identity or even simply of qualia completely escape from concepts of physical nature. As a consequence of the specific epistemological choice, they cannot even be expressed in the language of Physics. The point of view of Physics and introspection appear both essential but complementary and irreducible one to the other; any attempt to do so brings to unresolvable aporias. Specifically on free will, we note that our nervous system is a complex mesoscopic system, for an understanding of its occurrences, reference to Quantum Theory is essential. As consequence, its reaction to any external input is not uniquely determined but is open to a plurality of responses for which only a distribution of probability is given. Physics does not provide any cause for one response rather than another, while we experience our response to be intentional. Quantum Mechanics seems to offer the logical space to reconcile Physics with introspection. Some basic notions on the structure and working of neurons and of the central nervous systems are also recalled, Liebet\u2019s experiments on retarded awareness and the role of free will in the knowledge process are discussed

Electrochemical C(sp3)-H functionalization of ethers via hydrogen-atom transfer by means of cathodic reduction

: The chemo- and stereoselective electrochemical allylation/alkylation of ethers is presented via a C(sp3)-H activation event. The electrosynthetic protocol enables the realization of a large library of functionalized ethers (35 examples) in high yields (up to 84%) via cathodic activation of a new type of redox-active carbonate (RAC), capable of triggering HAT (Hydrogen-Atom-Transfer) events through the generation of electrophilic oxy radicals. The process displayed high functional group tolerance and mild reaction conditions. A mechanistic elucidation via voltammetric analysis completes the study

Doxorubicin and congo red effectiveness on prion infectivity in golden Syrian hamster

The effect of doxorubicin and Congo Red on prion protein (PrP) infectivity in experimental scrapie was studied to better understand the effect of these compounds in prion diseases and to establish whether a dose-response correlation exists for Congo Red. This was performed in order to test the effectiveness of compounds that may easily be used in human prion diseases. Brain homogenate containing membrane bound PrPSc monomers was used as inoculum and was previously incubated with doxorubicin 10(-3) M and with increasing concentrations of Congo Red ranging from 10(-7) to 10(-2) M. This study shows for the first time that doxorubicin, and confirms that Congo Red, may interact with pathological PrP monomers modifying their infectious properties. Pre-incubation of infected brain homogenate with Congo Red resulted in prolonged incubation time and survival, independently of Congo Red concentration (p<0.05). Doxorubicin and Congo Red effects do not depend upon interaction with PrP amyloid material