Ocular infarction following ethanol sclerotherapy of an arteriovenous malformation

A grant from the One-University Open Access Fund at the University of Kansas was used to defray the author's publication fees in this Open Access journal. The Open Access Fund, administered by librarians from the KU, KU Law, and KUMC libraries, is made possible by contributions from the offices of KU Provost, KU Vice Chancellor for Research & Graduate Studies, and KUMC Vice Chancellor for Research. For more information about the Open Access Fund, please see http://library.kumc.edu/authors-fund.xml.Purpose: To illustrate a case of ocular infarction following percutaneous ethanol sclerotherapy of an orbital arteriovenous malformation. Observations: The patient is a 31-year-old female who developed ocular infarction of the left eye with light perception vision, proptosis, ophthalmoplegia, and a cherry red spot following sclerotherapy of an orbital arteriovenous malformation. Fluorescein angiography demonstrated decreased arteriolar filling with vascular leakage, indocyanine green angiography showed decreased choroidal perfusion, and optical coherence tomography revealed full thickness retinal edema. Magnetic resonance angiography and venography were negative for venous sinus thrombosis or intracranial vascular compromise. Conclusions and Importance: Ocular infarction is a rare and devastating disorder that may result in permanent vision loss. Ethanol sclerotherapy has been reported to be effective in treating arteriovenous malformations. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report in the literature of ocular infarction following percutaneous ethanol sclerotherapy to highlight this disease with multimodal imagin

Trends in Automotive Battery Cell Design: A Statistical Analysis of Empirical Data

Lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries have become the preferred power source for electric vehicles (EVs) due to their high energy density, low self-discharge rate, and long cycle life. Over the past decade, technological enhancements accompanied by massive cost reductions have enabled the growing market diffusion of EVs. This diffusion has resulted in customized and cost-effective Li-ion battery cell designs tailored to automotive requirements. This study describes design trends in Li-ion batteries from the pack to the electrode level based on empirical data, including pack energy, cell capacity, outer cell dimensions and formats, energy density, specific energy, and electrode properties, such as active material selection, porosities, and component thicknesses. Market share-weighted findings imply several trends, such as (1) increasing cell dimensions, with the longest cells reaching 500 mm (pouch) and almost 1000 mm (prismatic) in 2021, (2) increasing differentiation between either high-energy or low-cost cathode and anode materials, and (3) increasing cell energy, equivalent to gaining about 100% (energy density) and 70% (specific energy) compared to the 2010 and 2021 averages. Despite these improvements, this study finds that the widespread market diffusion of the latest cell technologies proceeds slower than industry announcements suggest and that several well-known, literature-proofed potentials are not yet fully exploited

Entwicklung und Untersuchung von alternativen Dicalciumsilicat-Bindern auf der Basis von alpha-C2SH

Um den Klimawandel zu begrenzen, müssen die CO2-Emissionen drastisch gesenkt werden [100]. Bis 2050 soll bei der Herstellung von Zement eine Einsparung um 51–60 % auf 0,425–0,350 tCO2/tZement erfolgen [7]. Um dieses Ziel zu erreichen, sind alternative Bindemittelkonzepte notwendig [70]. Diese Arbeit widmet sich alternativen, hochreaktiven Dicalciumsilicat-Bindemitteln, die durch die thermische Aktivierung von α-Dicalcium-Silicat-Hydrat (α-C2SH) erzeugt werden. Das α-C2SH ist eine kristalline C S H-Phase, die im hydrothermalen Prozess, beispielsweise aus Branntkalk und Quarz, herstellbar ist. Die thermische Aktivierung kann bei sehr niedrigen Temperaturen erfolgen (>420 °C) und führt zu einem Multiphasen-C2S-Binder. Als besonders reaktive Bestandteile können x-C2S und röntgenamorphe Anteile enthalten sein. Weiterhin können β C2S, γ C2S und Dellait (Ca6(SiO4)(Si2O7)(OH)2) entstehen. Im Rahmen der Arbeit wird zunächst der Stand des Wissens zur Polymorphie und Hydratation von C2S zusammengefasst. Es werden bekannte C2S-basierte Bindemittelkonzepte vorgestellt und bewertet. Die Herstellung von C2S-Bindern wird experimentell im Labormaßstab untersucht. Dabei kommen unterschiedliche Autoklaven und ein Muffelofen zum Einsatz. Die Herstellungsparameter werden hinsichtlich Phasenbestand und Reaktivität optimiert. Die Bindemittel werden durch quantitative Röntgen-Phasenanalyse (QXRD), Rasterelektronenmikroskopie (REM), N2-Adsorption (BET-Methode), Heliumpycnometer, Thermoanalyse (TGA/DSC) und 29Si-MAS- sowie 29Si-1H-CP/MAS-NMR-Spektroskopie charakterisiert. Das Hydratationsverhalten der Bindemittel wird vorrangig mithilfe von Wärmeflusskalorimetrie untersucht. Weiterhin werden in situ und ex situ XRD-, TGA/DSC- und REM-Untersuchungen durchgeführt. Anhand von zwei Bindemitteln wird die Fähigkeit zur Erzielung hoher Festigkeiten demonstriert. Abschließend erfolgt eine Abschätzung zu Energiebedarf und CO2-Emissionen für die Herstellung der untersuchten C2S-Binder. Die Ergebnisse zeigen, dass für eine hohe Reaktivität der Binder eine niedrige Brenntemperatur und ein geringer Wasserdampfpartialdruck während der thermischen Aktivierung entscheidend sind. Weiterhin muss das hydrothermal hergestellte α-C2SH eine möglichst hohe spezifische Oberfläche aufweisen. Diese Parameter beeinflussen den Phasenbestand und die phasenspezifische Reaktivität. Brenntemperaturen von ca. 420–500 °C führen zu hochreaktiven Bindern, die im Rahmen dieser Arbeit als Niedertemperatur-C2S-Binder bezeichnet werden. Temperaturen von ca. 600–800 °C führen zu Bindern mit geringerer Reaktivität, die im Rahmen dieser Arbeit als Hochtemperatur-C2S bezeichnet werden. Höhere Brenntemperaturen (1000 °C) führen zu Bindemitteln, die innerhalb der ersten drei Tage keine hydraulische Aktivität zeigen. Die untersuchten Bindemittel können sehr hohe Reaktionsgeschwindigkeiten erreichen. Die Wärmeflusskalorimetrie deutet bei einigen Bindemitteln einen nahezu vollständigen Umsatz innerhalb von drei Tagen an. Durch XRD wurde für einen Binder der vollständige Verbrauch von x-C2S innerhalb von drei Tagen nachgewiesen. Für einen mittels in-situ-XRD und Wärmeflusskalorimetrie untersuchten Binder wurde gezeigt, dass die Phasen vorrangig in der Reihenfolge röntgenamorph > x-C2S > β-C2S > γ-C2S hydratisieren. Hydratationsprodukte sind nadelige C S H-Phasen und Portlandit. Die Herstellung durch thermische Aktivierung von α-C2SH führt zu tafeligen Bindemittelpartikeln, die teilweise Zwickelräume und Poren zwischen den einzelnen Partikeln einschließen. Um eine verarbeitbare Bindemittelpaste zu erzeugen, sind daher sehr hohe Wasser/Bindemittel-Werte (z. B. 1,4) erforderlich. Der Wasseranspruch kann durch Mahlung etwa auf das Niveau von Zement gesenkt werden. Die Druckfestigkeitsentwicklung wurde an zwei Niedertemperatur-C2S-Kompositbindern mit 40 % Kalksteinmehl bzw. 40 % Hüttensand untersucht. Aufgrund von theoretischen Betrachtungen zur Porosität in Abhängigkeit des w/b-Wertes wurde dieser auf 0,3 festgelegt. Durch Zugabe von PCE-Fließmittel wurde ein verarbeitbarer Mörtel erhalten. Die Festigkeitsentwicklung ist sehr schnell. Der Kalksteinmehl-Binder erreichte nach zwei Tagen 46 N/mm². Bis Tag 28 trat keine weitere Festigkeitssteigerung ein. Der Hüttensand-Binder erreichte nach zwei Tagen 62 N/mm². Durch die Hüttensandreaktion stieg die Festigkeit bis auf 85 N/mm² nach 28 Tagen an. Für den Herstellungsprozess von Niedertemperatur-C2S-Binder wurden Energieverbräuche und CO2-Emissionen abgeschätzt. Es deutet sich an, dass, bezogen auf die Bindemittelmenge, keine wesentlichen Einsparungen im Vergleich zur Portlandzementherstellung möglich sind. Für die tatsächlichen Emissionen muss jedoch zusätzlich die Leistungsfähigkeit der Bindemittel berücksichtigt werden. Die Leistungsfähigkeit kann als erforderliche Bindemittelmenge betrachtet werden, die je m³ Beton eingesetzt werden muss, um bestimmte Festigkeits-, Dauerhaftigkeits- und Verarbeitungseigenschaften zu erreichen. Aus verschiedenen Veröffentlichungen [94, 201, 206] wurde die These abgeleitet, dass die Leistungsfähigkeit eines Bindemittels maßgeblich von der C-S-H-Menge bestimmt wird, die während der Hydratation gebildet wird. Daher wird für NT-C2S-Binder eine außergewöhnlich hohe Leistungsfähigkeit erwartet. Auf Basis der Leistungsfähigkeitsthese verringern sich die abgeschätzten CO2-Emissionen von NT-C2S-Bindern, sodass gegenüber Portlandzement ein mögliches Einsparpotenzial von 42 % ermittelt wurde

Seismic performance of reinforced concrete bridge columns constructed with grade 80 reinforcement

The research presented in this thesis assessed the use of high strength steel (HSS) reinforcement for use in reinforced concrete (RC) bridge columns. HSS is not currently allowed in reinforced concrete bridge columns due to a lack of information on the material characteristics and performance information when used in RC bridge columns. Potential benefits in construction, performance, and economics justify the need for research. This research investigated the performance of HSS (ASTM A706 Grade 80 reinforcement) embedded in half-scale RC bridge columns. Column design followed standard design methodologies used by federal and state highway agencies. Six columns were subjected to lateral cyclic loadings, three columns were constructed with Grade 60 reinforcement and three columns were constructed with Grade 80 reinforcement. Results indicate that the columns constructed with Grade 80 reinforcement achieved similar resistances and displacement ductility values when compared with the reference columns constructed with Grade 60 reinforcement. The columns constructed with Grade 60 reinforcement showed larger hysteretic energy dissipation and typically exhbitied larger curvature ductility values than the columns constructed with Grade 80 reinforcement. The effects of the longitudinal reinforcement ratio and moment-shear span ratio on column performance were similar between columns constructed with Grade 60 reinforcement and columns constructed with Grade 80 reinforcement. The results from this research present a promising step towards the implementation of Grade 80 reinforcement in the design and construction of RC bridge columns, within the bounds of the variables used in the testing program

ALOHA: Automatic Libraries Of Helicity Amplitudes for Feynman diagram computations

We present an application that automatically writes the Helas library corresponding to the Feynman rules of any Lagrangian, renormalizable or not, in quantum field theory. The code, written in Python, takes the Universal FeynRules Output as an input and produces the complete set of routines (wave-functions and amplitudes) that are needed for the computation of Feynman diagrams at leading as well as at higher orders. The representation is language independent and outputs in Fortran, C++, Python are currently available. A few key sample applications implemented in the MadGraph5 framework are presented.Comment: 20 page

Phonon-pump XUV-photoemission-probe in graphene: evidence for non-adiabatic heating of Dirac carriers by lattice deformation

We modulate the atomic structure of bilayer graphene by driving its lattice at resonance with the in-plane E1u lattice vibration at 6.3um. Using time- and angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (tr-ARPES) with extreme ultra-violet (XUV) pulses, we measure the response of the Dirac electrons near the K-point. We observe that lattice modulation causes anomalous carrier dynamics, with the Dirac electrons reaching lower peak temperatures and relaxing at faster rate compared to when the excitation is applied away from the phonon resonance or in monolayer samples. Frozen phonon calculations predict dramatic band structure changes when the E1u vibration is driven, which we use to explain the anomalous dynamics observed in the experiment.Comment: 16 pages, 8 figure

Tracer Survey in the Cape Verde Region Traceraufnahme in der Kapverdenregion Cruise No. 10, Leg 1 October 31 – December 06, 2008 Ponta Delgada (Portugal) – Mindelo (Cape Verde Islands)

The research cruise MSM10/1 was extremely successful. All programs were able to collect high quality data and the anticipated goals of the expedition were fully met. We have been able to carry out the first comprehensive survey of a tracer release in the Guinea Upwelling region (GUTRE) roughly seven month after the tracer was released at 8°N 23°W in April 2008. We have estimated that a total of 40% of the tracer was found during this cruise. While the horizontal spreading and mixing was larger than anticipated, the vertical extent of the tracer found was small. The low vertical tracer spreading rate estimates are supported by the micro structure profile data. The extensive survey of the upper 1000m of the oxygen minimum zone (OMZ) allowed comparing our sections with several previous surveys. We found that the lowest oxygen values in the core of the OMZ have dropped at record low values below 40 μmol/kg. The preliminary findings from the trace metal work focused on Fe ligand measurements shows a slight higher excess ligand concentration in the surface (50m) for three stations. The two other stations show a slight decrease at this depth. A large number of biochemical samples were taken and were analyzed in Kiel for DNA and RNA diversity. The tracer release experiment provided an ideal environment for repeated biochemical sampling in the same water mass

Spatial Variability of Shortwave Irradiance for Snowmelt in Forests

The spatial variation of melt energy can influence snow cover depletion rates and in turn be influenced by the spatial variability of shortwave irradiance to snow. The spatial variability of shortwave irradiance during melt under uniform and discontinuous evergreen canopies at a U. S. Rocky Mountains site was measured, analyzed, and then compared to observations from mountain and boreal forests in Canada. All observations used arrays of pyranometers randomly spaced under evergreen canopies of varying structure and latitude. The spatial variability of irradiance for both overcast and clear conditions declined dramatically, as the sample averaging interval increased from minutes to 1 day. At daily averaging intervals, there was little influence of cloudiness on the variability of subcanopy irradiance; instead, it was dominated by stand structure. The spatial variability of irradiance on daily intervals was higher for the discontinuous canopies, but it did not scale reliably with canopy sky view. The spatial variation in irradiance resulted in a coefficient of variation of melt energy of 0.23 for the set of U. S. and Canadian stands. This variability in melt energy smoothed the snow-covered area depletion curve in a distributed melt simulation, thereby lengthening the duration of melt by 20%. This is consistent with observed natural snow cover depletion curves and shows that variations in melt energy and snow accumulation can influence snow-covered area depletion under forest canopies

Radiative Transfer Modeling of a Coniferous Canopy Characterized by Airborne Remote Sensing

Solar radiation beneath a forest canopy can have large spatial variations, but this is frequently neglected in radiative transfer models for large-scale applications. To explicitly model spatial variations in subcanopy radiation, maps of canopy structure are required. Aerial photography and airborne laser scanning are used to map tree locations, heights, and crown diameters for a lodgepole pine forest in Colorado as inputs to a spatially explicit radiative transfer model. Statistics of subcanopy radiation simulated by the model are compared with measurements from radiometer arrays, and scaling of spatial statistics with temporal averaging and array size is discussed. Efficient parameterizations for spatial averages and standard deviations of subcanopy radiation are developed using parameters that can be obtained from the model or hemispherical photography

MTBP inhibits the Erk1/2-Elk-1 signaling in hepatocellular carcinoma

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common cancers worldwide, and the prognosis of HCC patients, especially those with metastasis, remains extremely poor. This is partly due to unclear molecular mechanisms underlying HCC metastasis. Our previous study indicates that MDM2 Binding Protein (MTBP) suppresses migration and metastasis of HCC cells. However, signaling pathways regulated by MTBP remain unknown. To identify metastasis-associated signaling pathways governed by MTBP, we have performed unbiased luciferase reporter-based signal array analyses and found that MTBP suppresses the activity of the ETS-domain transcription factor Elk-1, a downstream target of Erk1/2 MAP kinases. MTBP also inhibits phosphorylation of Elk-1 and decreases mRNA expression of Elk-1 target genes. Reduced Elk-1 activity is caused by inhibited nuclear translocation of phosphorylated Erk1/2 (p-Erk) by MTBP and subsequent inhibition of Elk-1 phosphorylation. We also reveal that MTBP inhibits the interaction of p-Erk with importin-7/RanBP7 (IPO7), an importin family member which shuttles p-Erk into the nucleus, by binding to IPO7. Moreover, high levels of MTBP in human HCC tissues are correlated with cytoplasmic localization of p-Erk1/2. Our study suggests that MTBP suppresses metastasis, at least partially, by down-modulating the Erk1/2-Elk-1 signaling pathway, thus identifying a novel regulatory mechanism of HCC metastasis by regulating the subcellular localization of p-Erk