RI woman thanks paramedic for saving her life

By EMS1 Staff

SCITUATE, R.I. — Seven weeks after a woman was seriously injured in a horseback riding incident, she has credited paramedics with saving her life. 

Sandy Kelley suffered 10 broken ribs and a collapsed lung after she was knocked off her horse and hit a fence Oct. 17. Doctors said a volunteer paramedic likely saved Kelley's life, reported the Valley Breeze. 

"That was very lucky," Kelley said. "There must have been an angel on my shoulder."

Kelley's husband immediately called 911, and paramedic Joseph Krewko and Mike Conti arrived to the scene. Krewko works as a volunteer per diem in Scituate, but works full-time for the Fall River Fire Department.

While Kelley was being transported by ambulance to the hospital, Krewko performed a thoracostomy. Kelley spent 11 days in the hospital, eight of which were in the ICU.

After the incident, doctors told Kelley she was lucky a paramedic happened to be on-call and responded; there are four different volunteer fire and rescue departments in Scituate.

"You wouldn't get a [paramedic] every single time," Krewko said. "It's a toss-up of who's going to come to your house."

Kelley brought coffee and donuts to Krewko and Conti at their station last week to thank them for saving her life. They took a selfie together. 

Kelley said she doesn't remember much during the ambulance ride to the hospital. She did say the incident "does make you look at life differently. You value every day, every friend. Everybody has been wonderful."

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Characterization of the first fully human anti-TEM1 scFv in models of solid tumor imaging and immunotoxin-based therapy

Abstract

Tumor endothelial marker 1 (TEM1) has been identified as a novel surface marker upregulated on the blood vessels and stroma in many solid tumors. We previously isolated a novel single-chain variable fragment (scFv) 78 against TEM1 from a yeast display scFv library. Here, we evaluated the potential applications of scFv78 as a tool for tumor molecular imaging, immunotoxin-based therapy and nanotherapy. Epitope mapping, three-dimensional structure docking and affinity measurements indicated that scFv78 could bind to both human and murine TEM1, with equivalent affinity, at a well-conserved conformational epitope. The rapid internalization of scFv78 and scFv78-labeled nanoparticles was triggered after specific TEM1 binding. The scFv78-saporin immunoconjugate also exerted dose-dependent cytotoxicity with high specificity to TEM1-positive cells in vitro. Finally, specific and sensitive tumor localization of scFv78 was confirmed with optical imaging in a tumor mouse model that has highly endogenous mTEM1 expression in the vasculature. Our data indicated that scFv78, the first fully human anti-TEM1 recombinant antibody, recognizes both human and mouse TEM1 and has unique and favorable features that are advantageous for the development of imaging probes or antibody–toxin conjugates for a large spectrum of human TEM1-positive solid tumors.

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SCN2A p.Ala263Val variant a phenotype of neonatal seizures followed by paroxysmal ataxia in toddlers

Publication date: Available online 8 December 2016
Source:Pediatric Neurology
Author(s): K.M. Gorman, M.D. King




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A potential life threatening reaction to Glatiramer acetate in Rett syndrome

Publication date: Available online 7 December 2016
Source:Pediatric Neurology
Author(s): Andreea Nissenkorn, Mona Kidon, Bruria Ben-Zeev
Background and objectivesRett syndrome is an X-linked dominant neurodevelopmental disorder manifesting with severe intellectual disability in females, caused by various mutations in the MECP2 gene. Brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is one of the main proteins regulated by the MECP2 protein; it`s over expression in the MeCP2 mouse model partially correct the Rett phenotype. Pharmacological manipulations that will lead to increased BDNF in Rett patients are expected to have a positive effect on the disorder. Glatiramer acetate, a well-known and safe multiple sclerosis immune modulator, which also increases BDNF levels in multiple sclerosis animal models and treatment responding patients, as well as in Rett mouse model. Based on it`s safety profile was approved for a clinical trial in MECP2 positive Rett patients leading to a designed clinical trial. Our objective is to describe an unexpected potential life threatening event to glatiramer in patients with Rett syndrome.Results4 out of 14 patients with Rett syndrome that were recruited and treated with daily injections of Glatiramer acetate as part of an open label clinical trial developed an exaggerated immediate post injection response (IPIR) which was experienced as life threatening in 3 of the patients necessitating arrest of the trial .ConclusionDespite the known safety profile of Glatiramer acetate in adult and pediatric patients with multiple sclerosis its use in Rett syndrome should be cautiously re-considered. The described severe adverse event can be related to these patients' primary autonomic nervous system dysfunction.



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Large Vessel Vasculopathy in Children with Sickle Cell Disease: an MRI study of Infarct Topography and Focal Atrophy

Publication date: Available online 7 December 2016
Source:Pediatric Neurology
Author(s): Kristin P. Guilliams, Melanie E. Fields, Dustin K. Ragan, Yasheng Chen, Cihat Eldeniz, Monica L. Hulbert, Michael M. Binkley, James N. Rhodes, Joshua S. Shimony, Robert C. McKinstry, Katie Vo, Hongyu An, Jin-Moo Lee, Andria L. Ford
BackgroundLarge-vessel vasculopathy (LVV) increases stroke risk in pediatric sickle cell disease (SCD) beyond the baseline elevated stroke risk in this vulnerable population. The mechanisms underlying this added risk and its unique impact on the developing brain are not established.MethodsWe analyzed magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and angiography (MRA) scans of 66 children with SCD and infarcts by infarct density heatmaps and Jacobian determinants, a metric utilized to delineate focal volume change, to investigate if infarct location, volume, frequency, and cerebral atrophy differed among hemispheres with and without LVV.ResultsInfarct density heatmaps demonstrated infarct "hot spots" within the deep white matter internal borderzone region in both LVV and non-LVV hemispheres, but with greater infarct density and larger infarct volumes in LVV hemispheres (2.2 mL vs 0.25 mL, p <0.001). Additional scattered cortical infarcts in the internal carotid artery territory occurred in LVV hemispheres, but were rare in non-LVV hemispheres. Jacobian determinants revealed greater atrophy in gray and white matter of the parietal lobes of LVV compared to non-LVV hemispheres.ConclusionLVV in SCD appears to increase ischemic vulnerability in the borderzone region, as demonstrated by the increased frequency and extent of infarction within deep white matter, and increase risk of focal atrophy. Scattered infarctions across the LVV-affected hemispheres suggest additional stroke etiologies of vasculopathy (i.e. thrombo-embolism) in addition to chronic hypoxia-ischemia.



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KCNQ2 Mutation Explains the Aetiology of Chloral Hydrate Responsive Ohtahara Syndrome

Publication date: Available online 8 December 2016
Source:Pediatric Neurology
Author(s): Katalin Štěrbová, Petra Laššuthová, Ivana Perníková, Michal Beran, Jana Neupauerová, Pavel Kršek, Pavel Seeman




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Intradialytic creatine supplementation: a scientific rationale for improving the health and quality of life of dialysis patients

Publication date: Available online 7 December 2016
Source:Medical Hypotheses
Author(s): Theo Wallimann, Uwe Riek, Michael Möddel
The CK/PCr-system, with creatine (Cr) as an energy precursor, plays a crucial role in cellular physiology. In the kidney, as in other organs and cells with high and fluctuating energy requirements, energy-charged phospho-creatine (PCr) acts as an immediate high-energy source and energy buffer, and as an intracellular energy transport vehicle. A maximally filled total Cr (Cr plus PCr) pool is a prerequisite for optimal functioning of the body and its organs, and health. Skeletal- and cardiac muscles of dialysis patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) are depleted of Cr in parallel with the duration of dialysis. The accompanying accumulation of cellular damage seen in CKD patients lead to a deterioration of musculo-skeletal and neurological functioning and poor quality of life (QOL). Therefore, to counteract Cr depletion, it is proposed to supplement CKD patients with Cr. The anticipated benefits include previously documented improvements in the musculo-skeletal system, brain and peripheral nervous system, as well as improvements in the common comorbidities of CKD patients (see below). Thus, with a relatively simple, safe and inexpensive Cr supplementation marked improvements in quality of life (QOL) and life span are likely reached. To avoid Cr and fluid overload by oral Cr administration, we propose intradialytic Cr supplementation, whereby a relatively small amount of Cr is added to the large volume of dialysis solution to a final concentration of 1-10mM. From there, Cr enters the patient's circulation by back diffusion during dialysis. Because of the high affinity of the Cr transporter (CRT) for Cr affinity for Cr (Vmax of CRT for Cr = 20-40 μM Cr), Cr is actively transported from the blood stream into the target cells and organs, including skeletal and cardiac muscle, brain, proximal tubules of kidney epithelial cells, neurons, and leukocytes and erythrocytes, which all express CRT and depend on the CK/PCr system. By this intradialytic strategy, only as much Cr is taken up by the body as is needed to fill the tissue Cr pools and no excess Cr has to be excreted, as is the case with oral Cr. Because aqueous solutions of Cr are not very stable, Cr must be added immediately before dialysis either as solid Cr powder or from a frozen Cr stock solution to the dialysate, or alternatively, Cr could become an additional component of a novel dry dialysate mixture in a cartridge device.



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Extended high frequency audiometry in users of personal listening devices

Publication date: Available online 8 December 2016
Source:American Journal of Otolaryngology
Author(s): Poornima Kumar, Prabhakar Upadhyay, Ashok Kumar, Sunil Kumar, Gautam Bir Singh
PurposeNoise exposure leads to high frequency hearing loss. Use of Personal Listening Devices may lead to decline in high frequency hearing sensitivity because of prolonged exposure to these devices at high volume. This study explores the changes in hearing thresholds by Extended High Frequency audiometry in users of personal listening devices.Material and methodA descriptive, hospital based observational study was performed with total 100 subjects in age group of 15–30years. Subjects were divided in two groups consisting of 30 subjects (Group A) with no history of Personal Listening Devices use and (Group B) having 70 subjects with history of use of Personal Listening Devices. Conventional pure tone audiometry with extended high frequency audiometry was performed in all the subjects.ResultSignificant differences in hearing thresholds of Personal Listening Device users were seen at high frequencies (3kHz, 4kHz and 6kHz) and extended high frequencies (9kHz, 10kHz, 11kHz, 13kHz, 14kHz, 15kHz and 16kHz) with p value <0.05.Elevated hearing thresholds were observed in personal listening devices users which were directly proportional to volume and duration of usage.ConclusionIn present study no significant changes were noted in hearing thresholds in PLD users before 5years of PLD use. However, hearing thresholds were significantly increased at 3kHz, 10kHz, 13kHz in PLD users having >5years usage at high volume. Thus, it can be reasonably concluded that extended high frequencies can be used for early detection of NIHL in PLD users.



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Radical resection and improvised surgical reconstruction for a rare malignant triton tumour of intercostal nerve in a patient with neurofibromatosis type 1

A man aged 28 years, with neurofibromatosis type 1, presented with abdominal pain and visible right lower chest swelling. He had cutaneous neurofibromas and several café-au-lait spots. CT scan of the chest and abdomen revealed a giant mass most likely originating from the right 7th intercostal nerve, extending downwards into the abdomen causing massive hepatic compression. A Trucut biopsy showed malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumour. Radical surgical resection with wide margins was performed. The chest wall and diaphragm were reconstructed with improvised surgical technique with excellent results. Final histopathology report revealed a triton tumour of the intercostal nerve.

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IgG4-related disease presenting with headache and papilloedema

Description

A previously healthy man aged 57 years presented with a 4-week duration of predominant decubitus daily holocranial headache after minor head injury. Apart from unintentional weight loss of 8 pounds, there were no associated constitutional or systemic manifestations. The general and neurological examination was unremarkable. The funduscopy showed bilateral grade 2 papilloedema. Brain magnetic resonance (MRI) findings are shown in figure 1A–E. The brain MRI showed the presence of diffuse dural thickening (figure 1B–E) hypointense on unenhanced T1 imaging (figure 1B–F), with dural enhancement on T1-weighed imaging (figure 1B–F). The opening cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) pressure was 380 mm  Hg. With the exception of serum-elevated IgG4 immunoglobulin (IgG4=302 mg/dL) and elevated CSF protein level (68 mg/dL), the wide and extensive complementary study including body positron emission tomography scan, laboratory blood/CSF work-up was negative, excluding neoplastic, infectious, autoimmune and collagen vascular disorders. Meningeal biopsy showed fibrous...

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Acute hypertensive encephalopathy presenting with a partial third nerve palsy: image findings

Description

A middle-aged patient presented with partial third nerve palsy with pupillary sparing; the time of onset was unclear. A collateral history revealed that the patient had suffered gradual memory impairment, difficulty performing tasks and word finding problems in the preceding months.

The patient's blood pressure on admission was 210/140 mm Hg; subsequently malignant hypertension was diagnosed. There was no significant medical history and the patient did not take any prescription medications. There was a family history of stroke.

On examination there was partial third nerve palsy, pupils were equal and reactive to light. Exophthalmos was evident bilaterally. Tone was mildly increased symmetrically, in the upper and lower limbs. There was central obesity.

An MRI of the brain showed patchy foci of acute ischaemic change throughout the cerebrum with associated restricted diffusion (figures 1 and 2). There were multifocal small parenchymal haemorrhages in the basal ganglia,...

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Bladder agenesis, ectopic ureters and a multicystic dysplastic horseshoe kidney in one twin newborn with normal amniotic fluid index in utero

A monochorionic-diamniotic twin baby presented with intrauterine growth restriction and anuria. The baby was found to have bladder agenesis, a pelvic dysplastic horseshoe kidney, vertebral anomalies, a ventricular septal defect and facial dysmorphisms. It was surprising to find no abnormalities in amniotic fluid indices prenatally, suggesting the possibility of urine output that declined as the pregnancy proceeded. Some degree of twin-to-twin transfusion of amniotic fluid was also possible, which could have rescued the oligohydramnios known to be associated with kidney and urinary tract abnormalities. It was also notable that there was no abnormality in respiratory function, especially since further investigations revealed close to no kidney function. The intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) along with the multiple anomalies found made the baby unsuitable for dialysis and transplant, and the decision of transition to palliative care was made.

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Fungal mobile mass on echocardiogram: native mitral valve Aspergillus fumigatus endocarditis

The most common type of infective endocarditis is bacterial endocarditis. However, fungal infections have been seen more frequently, mostly in the immunocompromised population. We report a case of invasive Aspergillus fumigatus native mitral valve endocarditis. The patient received appropriate empiric antifungal treatment with a combination of liposomal amphotericin B and flucytosine, associated with surgical debridement, valve replacement and chordae tendineae repair. Despite receiving the standard treatment of Aspergillus endocarditis, and susceptibility of the microorganism to the antifungal regimen, the patient, unexpectedly, developed early-onset septic emboli. It is surprising to see that the patient had developed such complications early, despite attempts to eliminate the source of infection with surgical intervention.

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Effect of CPAP on acute aortic dissection with recanalisation

Description

A man aged 55 years presented to the emergency room with acute back pain. Contrast-enhanced CT revealed thrombosed-type acute aortic dissection (AD) from the distal aortic arch to the level of the renal arteries. The patient was admitted to our intensive care unit, and continuous infusion of nicardipine and propranolol was started; this infusion was titrated to maintain blood pressure below 120/80 mm Hg. Although blood pressure was well controlled for 1-week as shown by the 24-hour blood pressure monitoring results (figure 1), the follow-up CT scans showed progression for three consecutive weeks (figure 2A–C). Since the blood pressure showed a non-dipping pattern during sleep (figure 1), we suspected that the patient had sleep apnoea (SA).1

Figure 1

Blood pressure monitoring for 24 hours. Blood pressure was strictly controlled throughout the day and the night, but showed a non-dipping pattern during...

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Rapidly progressing dual infection with Aspergillus and Rhizopus: when soil inhabitants become deadly invaders

We present a case report of a 61-year-old patient with acute pulmonary and cerebral infections with Aspergillus and Rhizopus. The only risk factor for invasive fungal disease was high-dose corticosteroids used to treat her chronic obstructive pulmonary disease exacerbation. She had rapid progression and succumbed to her infections within 2 weeks of diagnosis in spite of aggressive antifungal therapy and surgery. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first reported case of rapidly fatal dual infection with Aspergillus and Rhizopus. Our case highlights the role of high-dose corticosteroids as a risk factor for invasive fungal disease in patients without traditional risk factors like haematological malignancies, solid organ transplantation or uncontrolled diabetes.

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Multifactorial pathological hip subluxation in neurofibromatosis type-1 (NF1) due to intra-articular plexiform neurofibroma, lumbar radiculopathy and neurofibromatous polyneuropathy

Neurofibromatosis type-1 (NF1) is a multisystem disorder with very rare descriptions of hip instability. We report a case of a 37-year-old man with known NF1 and childhood-onset of left foot drop, who developed persistent left hip pain following a minor trauma. Physical examination revealed left-sided mild foot drop, hip abductor weakness, bilateral sensory loss in feet and an antalgic gait. Work-up revealed anterolateral subluxation of the left femoral head along with left hip plexiform neurofibroma (PN), dysplastic and degenerative changes, neurofibromatous neuropathy and chronic left L5 radiculopathy. Initial improvement after surgical resection of the PN was unsustained and followed by increasing pain and recurrent hip subluxation, prompting a total hip arthroplasty which resulted in marked improvement of symptoms. Our patient, unlike those in other reports, illustrates multiple aetiologies of hip dislocation in NF1 including local factors, lumbar radiculopathy and polyneuropathy, reinforcing the importance of a multidisciplinary approach in the management of such cases.

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Management of splenic ectopic pregnancy presenting with massive haemoperitoneum

Abdominal ectopic pregnancy (EP) accounts for only 1.3% of EPs and occurs when a fertilised ovum implants in an extrapelvic peritoneal location. Primary splenic pregnancy is a rare type of abdominal EP, with only 16 cases previously reported in the literature. Early diagnosis is essential as delay in treatment carries significant potential for morbidity and mortality. We present the case of a 27-year-old woman presenting with left upper quadrant abdominal pain, elevated human chorionic gonadotropin levels, absence of intrauterine gestational sac and massive haemoperitoneum on transvaginal ultrasound. The patient underwent emergent surgical exploration for high suspicion of ruptured abdominal EP. An open splenectomy was performed when the source of bleeding was confirmed to originate from the left upper quadrant. Final pathology confirmed subcapsular gestational sac implantation within the spleen. While two cases of medical management have been reported, splenectomy remains the current definitive management of rare cases of primary splenic pregnancy.

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Reverse fluorescein cap sign of cavernous haemangioma of optic nerve on OCT angiography

Description

A man aged 57 years, a known hypertensive, presented with symptoms of visual loss in the upper field in the left eye since 6 months. Best-corrected visual acuity in both eyes was 20/20, N6 (with eccentric fixation in the left eye). On clinical examination, he was found to have a vascular malformation of the optic nerve head (ONH) with typical grape clusters appearance of ONH in both eyes, suggestive of cavernous haemangioma and associated inferotemporal branch retinal artery occlusion corresponding to the upper visual field defect in the left eye.

Cavernous haemangioma is a non-progressive rare retinal vascular hamartoma. Typical fundus findings are clumps of dark saccular aneurysms (cluster of grapes appearance) with fibroglial tissue over the tumour, absence of feeder vessels and absence of exudation. Complications include haemorrhage and retinal arterial occlusions.12 Diagnosis is based on clinical picture and typical fluorescein cap sign...

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Squamous cell carcinoma of the extrahepatic bile duct with metachronous para-aortic lymph node metastasis successfully treated with S-1 plus cisplatin

The most common histological classification of bile duct cancer is adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is relatively rare. We report a case of a 78-year-old man with SCC of the extrahepatic bile duct associated with metachronous para-aortic lymph node metastasis. He had undergone subtotal stomach-preserving pancreatoduodenectomy. The pathological findings demonstrated moderately differentiated SCC of the distal extrahepatic bile duct (T1N1M0, stage IIB). 6 months after surgery, recurrence of the para-aortic lymph node was shown in abdominal CT. 5 courses of tegafur/gimeracil/oteracil (S-1) plus cisplatin therapy was performed and the para-aortic lymph node disappeared, confirmed as complete response by imaging findings. The patient is alive without recurrence, 10 months after recurrence and chemotherapy.

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Loss of pleural fluid level postpneumonectomy

Description

A 73-year-old woman presented to a thoracic surgical clinic reporting of increased shortness of breath associated with a cough, productive of copious amounts of yellow stained fluid. She had undergone a right intrapericardial pneumonectomy 4 weeks previously for a T4N2M0 primary lung adenocarcinoma. The clinic chest X-ray demonstrated loss of the fluid level (figure 1) compared with a film taken 3 weeks previously (figure 2). A subsequent bronchoscopy demonstrated a bronchopleural fistula. She was admitted under a thoracic surgical team and underwent thoracotomy and bronchial stump repair using a muscle flap. The thoracotomy was not closed to allow packing of the thoracic cavity with iodine soaked swabs (figure 3). She was discharged home 190 days later following closure of the thoracostomy window after three negative thoracic cavity swabs.

Learning points

A pleural effusion is anticipated after pneumonectomy due to fluid filling...

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Delayed ventricular septal rupture complicating anterior wall myocardial infarction

A 59-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital with acute pulmonary oedema and cardiogenic shock 35 days after anterior ST elevation myocardial infarction. She developed a new loud pan systolic murmur. Echocardiography revealed a ventricular septal rupture with a significant left to right shunt. She was immediately transferred to the local cardiothoracic unit where she underwent a successful ventricular septal defect (VSD) repair. Ventricular septal rupture often presents within the first 24 hours of acute myocardial infarction and is rare thereafter. It carries a poor mortality (41–80%) even when recognised. Timely recognition of this life-threatening complication can help reduce the resultant morbidity and mortality. Doctors should be aware that this well-recognised complication may present unusually late as in this case.

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Dataset on elemental concentration and group identification of ancient potteries from Tamil Nadu, India

Publication date: February 2017
Source:Data in Brief, Volume 10
Author(s): A. Chandrasekaran, A. Naseerutheen, R. Ravisankar
The dataset contains concentration of major and trace elements of ancient potteries from Tamilnadu and grouping different potteries from the statistical techniques of factor and cluster analysis (Figs. 2, 3 and 4). The major and trace elemental concentration data generated using energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence technique (EDXRF) and factor and cluster analysis data obtained using STATISTICA (10.0 version) software. The concentration of major and trace elements determines the type of clay minerals (Calcareous/Non-Calcareous and either low or high refractory) and firing atmosphere adopted by the artisans at the time of manufacture. The statistical tool examined graphically the grouping pattern of the samples in terms of chemical composition and extract information about their provenance. The compilation of this data provides a resource for the wider research community in archeology.



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Dataset of urinary metabolites measured by 1H NMR analysis of normal human urine

Publication date: Available online 7 December 2016
Source:Data in Brief
Author(s): Marc Cassiède, Sindhu Nair, Meghan Dueck, James Mino, Ryan McKay, Pascal Mercier, Bernadette Quémerais, Paige Lacy
The data in this article are related to the research entitled, "Assessment of ¹H NMR-based metabolomics analysis for normalization of urinary metals against creatinine" (M. Cassiède, S. Nair, M. Dueck, J. Mino, R. McKay, P. Mercier, B. Quémerais, P. Lacy, 2016) [1]. This article describes the analysis of urinary metabolites in normal, healthy individuals by ¹H NMR-based metabolomics. NMR spectra of urine samples typically contain hundreds of peaks that must be carefully screened for reproducibility and detectability. An important requirement in the screening of appropriate urinary metabolites is to ensure that they are reproducibly detected. In our study, we applied the peak profiles of 151 known urinary metabolites to 10 normal human urine samples and found that 50 metabolites were reproducibly measured between 600 and 700MHz magnets in the same samples. The data set has been made publicly available to enable critical or extended analysis.



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Engineered HA hydrogel for stem cell transplantation in the brain: Biocompatibility data using a design of experiment approach

Publication date: February 2017
Source:Data in Brief, Volume 10
Author(s): Lina R. Nih, Pouria Moshayedi, Irene L. Llorente, Andrew R. Berg, Jessica Cinkornpumin, William E. Lowry, Tatiana Segura, S. Thomas Carmichael
This article presents data related to the research article "Systematic optimization of an engineered hydrogel allows for selective control of human neural stem cell survival and differentiation after transplantation in the stroke brain" (P. Moshayedi, L.R. Nih, I.L. Llorente, A.R. Berg, J. Cinkornpumin, W.E. Lowry et al., 2016) [1] and focuses on the biocompatibility aspects of the hydrogel, including its stiffness and the inflammatory response of the transplanted organ. We have developed an injectable hyaluronic acid (HA)-based hydrogel for stem cell culture and transplantation, to promote brain tissue repair after stroke. This 3D biomaterial was engineered to bind bioactive signals such as adhesive motifs, as well as releasing growth factors while supporting cell growth and tissue infiltration. We used a Design of Experiment approach to create a complex matrix environment in vitro by keeping the hydrogel platform and cell type constant across conditions while systematically varying peptide motifs and growth factors. The optimized HA hydrogel promoted survival of encapsulated human induced pluripotent stem cell derived-neural progenitor cells (iPS-NPCs) after transplantation into the stroke cavity and differentially tuned transplanted cell fate through the promotion of glial, neuronal or immature/progenitor states. The highlights of this article include: (1) Data of cell and bioactive signals addition on the hydrogel mechanical properties and growth factor diffusion, (2) the use of a design of Experiment (DOE) approach (M.W. 2 Weible and T. Chan-Ling, 2007) [2] to select multi-factorial experimental conditions, and (3) Inflammatory response and cell survival after transplantation.



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Theoretical and analyzed data related to thermal degradation kinetics of poly (L-lactic acid)/chitosan-grafted-oligo L-lactic acid (PLA/CH-g-OLLA) bionanocomposite films

Publication date: Available online 7 December 2016
Source:Data in Brief
Author(s): Akhilesh Kumar Pal, Vimal Katiyar
The theoretical and analyzed data incorporated in this article are related to the recently published research article entitled "Thermal degradation behaviour of nanoamphiphilic chitosan dispersed poly (lactic acid) bionanocomposite films" (http://ift.tt/2gfTztD) (A.K. Pal, V. Katiyar, 2016) [1]. Supplementary information and data (both raw and analyzed) are related to thermal degradation kinetics and explains various model fitting and is conversional methods, which are used in this research work to enhance the knowledge about degradation behaviour of PLA/CH-g-OLLA bionanocomposite system. Non-isothermal degradation kinetics of such polymeric system was proposed using Kissinger, Kissinger–Akahira–Sunose, Flynn–Wall–Ozawa and Augis and Bennett models to estimate the activation energies (Ea) and R² values.



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Flow cytometric data analysis of circulating progenitor cell stability

Publication date: Available online 7 December 2016
Source:Data in Brief
Author(s): Ernestine A. Mahar, Liping Mou, Salim S. Hayek, Arshed A. Quyyumi, Edmund K. Waller
We performed a quality control assessment of the stability of circulating blood progenitor cells in blood samples stored at 4°C, to determine the time period during which blood samples can be analyzed and yield consistent data for progenitor cell content. Healthy volunteers (n=6) were recruited and underwent phlebotomy, and blood was stored in EDTA tubes at 4°C. Flow cytometry was performed to quantitate progenitor cell subsets at 0–4h, 24h, and 48h post phlebotomy. All processed samples were fixed with 1% Paraformaldehyde and 1,000,000 total data events were collected. We found no significant differences in PC data for both CD34+ (P=0.68 for one-way ANOVA) and CD34+/CD133+ (P=0.74 for one-way ANOVA).



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Singing the 13th century

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Abstracts

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The Romance of Alexander

A detailed study of the instruments illustrated in a magnificent mid-14th century manuscript in the Bodleian Library, Oxford, the Romance of Alexander.

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Songs and arias

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Biblical commentary in the Old Hispanic liturgy: a Passiontide case study

Old Hispanic (Mozarabic) chant was sung on the Iberian Peninsula until the 11th century. Although thousands of notated chants survive, for the whole liturgical year, almost all of them are in unpitched notation. The meaning of this music is best accessed first through its texts, reading them in the light of the other liturgical elements that surrounded them, and through the traditions of biblical exegesis that were known on the Iberian Peninsula. This better positions us to analyse the notation and how it might relate to the text. Through this method, as we show in a case study of one simple Lenten Office, we can begin to form a picture of what the chant texts meant to participants in the liturgy and how the melodies helped to convey this meaning.

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Novel music

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Roman claviorgans and 'table organs with a spinetta on top, 1567-1753

In an absolute sense, the first mention of the term 'claviorgan'—in its modern meaning—is found in a couple of notarial deeds dated, respectively, 1568 and 1576, the last one also containing the first known contract for the making of such an instrument. Furthermore, a set of deeds dating from 1611–13 provides the first detailed description of the cheaper 'portable' version of this instrument, the 'table organ with a spinetta on top'. The organi a tavolino, chamber instruments often furnished with wooden pipes, enjoyed their maximum distribution in the first quarter of the 17th century, i.e. during the age of the so-called madrigali a tavolino concertati. Later they were replaced by the more sonorous organi ad ala, still 'portable' instruments, but better suited to the church polychoral performances which had taken over from the madrigali concertati.

The claviorgan also underwent a rather rapid decline from the mid-17th century onwards, precipitated largely by the problems of mistuning between the pipe- and string-sections of the instrument caused by variations in ambient temperature; a theoretical investigation of this problem perfectly agrees with the degree of mistuning reported in 1630–5 by Giovanni Battista Doni. Doni was also one of the most fervent supporters of using the graviorgano (as it was often called in Rome and in other Italian cities) for theatre music. Even if he does not provide documentation in this regard, it is known that this instrument was used in the commedie con intermedi and drammi in musica staged in Florence (c.1596–1645); it was also prescribed by Antonio Cesti for his Il pomo d'oro (Vienna, 1668) and, in 1699, recorded in the orchestra of a theatre at Pistoia. As far as Rome is concerned, according to a caricature by Pier Leone Ghezzi, a claviorgan seems to have been used much later at the Teatro Argentina during the Carnival of 1753, for the performance of Nicola Logroscino's L'Olimpiade.

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Racconto di due citta

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Thoughts on Maraiss second thoughts

Marin Marais's first collection of music for basse de viole, Pieces à une et à deux violes, was published in two partbooks: the viol partbook appeared in 1686, and the basse continue partbook was printed in 1689. In preparing his critical edition of this collection, John Hsu identified some 413 readings in which the earliest copies off the press differed from later copies. These differences were the results of changes that Marais authorized to be made to the plates from which the partbooks were printed. Some scholars have assumed that the differences reflected changes in the way that Marais played the pieces in the collection, but careful analysis of the variants indicates that both states of the plates represent essentially the same interpretations. Some (a very few) of the changes were made to correct errors; some were made to incorporate musical second thoughts; some were made to adapt pieces composed for unaccompanied viol to the presence of a basse continue; but the overwhelming majority were made to provide additional technical or interpretative data—fingerings, bowings, ornamentation—to amplify the instructions provided in the earlier states. The motive behind this detail was to encourage—indeed, to the extent possible, to oblige—players to perform the pieces as the composer himself did. The quality of his music apart, it is the level of detail and the concern for representing components of performance that makes Marais's publications so valued today.

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Musicians, publishers and pirates of the mid-Baroque

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Muted violins from Lully to Haydn

To describe the effect of muted violins, modern commentators often default to such terms as 'ethereal', 'otherworldly', or similarly magical and disembodied images. But in the 18th century, musicians had different ways of understanding the effect and meaning of muted violin tone. This article identifies conditions and principles that underpinned the usage and perception of muted violins from their beginnings to the 18th century, as well as significant shifts that took place during this time. For most of this period, musicians preferred metal to wooden violin mutes. Whether the accessory fundamentally altered the tone-quality of the instrument, or simply made it quieter, was up for debate, the question complicated both by regional differences in violins, and the fact that 'timbre modification' was not yet a familiar concept. And while otherworldly associations are sometimes apropos, more often the idea was to hear murmuring water, a mournful character, or some other effect—magical or mundane—cued by the particular context.

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The giant Handel edifice

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Printing, politics and 'a well-regulated church music: a new perspective on J. S. Bachs Mühlhausen cantatas

Johann Sebastian Bach's earliest cantatas, composed during his tenure in the Thuringian city of Mühlhausen, are often seen as being part of his larger project of composing cantatas for the Lutheran liturgy. The article shows that such a view is misplaced. The composition and publication of music in Mühlhausen in the late 17th and early 18th centuries was embedded in a complex social framework. This can be traced back to Bach's predecessors Johann Rudolph and Johann Georg Ahle. Most of Bach's pieces from 1707–8 were not liturgical in nature but rather served a function in the public and political culture of this imperial city.

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Beethovens symphonies reintroduced

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Roger Longs gut-strung keyboard instruments and Thomas Bartons harpsichord stringing

In 1720 Pepusch signed an inventory of the Duke of Chandos's instruments that included a gut-strung harpsichord by a 'Mr Longfellow of Pembroke Hall in Cambridge'. The maker was in fact Roger Long, Fellow and later Master of Pembroke Hall (now Pembroke College), Lowndes Professor of Astronomy, but also a keen musician and maker of astronomical, musical and other instruments. Long's commonplace book in Pembroke's library contains valuable information about gut and wire harpsichord stringing from the first decade of the 18th century, some of which he was given by the harpsichord-maker Thomas Barton. The article examines this extremely rare information (only one other brief reference is known to a gut-strung harpsichord in 17th- or 18th-century England) as well as comparing the information about wire-strung instruments to Barton's only surviving harpsichord. Accounts from other sources also exist of Long's construction of a lyrichord, which he presented to the king and queen, and which he probably modelled on Plenius's design. A further instrument of Long's invention, a gut-strung travelling 'harpsichord' is also described. All of this information is set in the context of earlier studies of European gut-strung keyboard instruments. Clearly, throughout his life Long was committed to making keyboard instruments whose gut stringing produced a more subtle and gentler tone than their wire-strung counterparts. The fact that Long probably received information about gut stringing from a London maker also suggests that there was more interest in this sort of instrument than has hitherto been acknowledged.

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French fancies from the Renaissance and early Baroque

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National saints

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Italian Baroque opera

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Centres and peripheries of 15th-century music

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The wedding of the century, Munich 1568

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Composition effects on the fcc-hcp martensitic transformation and on the magnetic ordering of the fcc structure in Fe-Mn-Cr alloys

Publication date: 15 February 2017
Source:Materials & Design, Volume 116
Author(s): L.M. Guerrero, P. La Roca, F. Malamud, A. Baruj, M. Sade
This paper presents an experimental study on the fcc/hcp martensitic transformation temperatures (MTTs) and Néel temperatures (TN) of the fcc phase of Fe-Mn-Cr alloys. A wide range of chemical compositions (13.7<Mn<27.5wt.% and 0<Cr<12.4wt.%) has been studied. X-ray diffraction measurements were conducted in order to confirm that the martensitic transformation takes place between an fcc structure and the hcp martensite. Transition temperatures were measured by means of electrical resistivity and dilatometry. All transition temperatures tend to decrease with the increment in Cr content while the addition of Mn decreases the MTTs and increases TN. These different effects and the stabilization effect of the antiferromagnetic ordering on the fcc austenite result in different MTTs behaviors depending on whether the martensitic transition occurs from a magnetically ordered austenite or not. For these later cases, a phenomenological model of MTTs is presented that could be of use for alloys design.

Graphical abstract

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Exceptional thermal strain reduction by a tilting pillar architecture: Suspended Ge layers on Si (001)

Publication date: 15 February 2017
Source:Materials & Design, Volume 116
Author(s): Anna Marzegalli, Andrea Cortinovis, Francesco Basso Basset, Emiliano Bonera, Fabio Pezzoli, Andrea Scaccabarozzi, Fabio Isa, Giovanni Isella, Peter Zaumseil, Giovanni Capellini, Thomas Schroeder, Leo Miglio
In this paper we present the exceptional thermal strain release provided by micrometric Si pillar arrays to Ge epitaxial patches suspended on them, for different pillar aspect ratios and patch sizes. By combining 3D and 2D Finite Element Method simulations, low-energy plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition on patterned Si substrates, μ-Raman, μ-photoluminescence and XRD measurements, we provide a quantitative and consistent picture of this effect with the patch sizes. Strain relaxation up to 85% of the value for the corresponding planar films can be obtained for a squared patch 100μm in size. Finally, the enhanced thermal strain relaxation is analytically explained in terms of the Si pillar lateral tilting, critically dependent on the pillar aspect ratio, very similarly to the well-known case of a deflected beam. Our results are transferable to any material deposited, or wafer bonded at high temperature, on any patterned substrate: wafer bowing can be controlled by micrometric patterned features well within the present capabilities of deep reactive ion etching.

Graphical abstract

http://ift.tt/2gornDa

Designing of experiments for evaluating the interactions of influencing factors on the photocatalytic activity of NiS and SnS2: Focus on coupling, supporting and nanoparticles

Publication date: 15 March 2017
Source:Journal of Colloid and Interface Science, Volume 490
Author(s): Hadis Derikvandi, Alireza Nezamzadeh-Ejhieh
Synergistic photocatalytic activity of SnS2 and NiS supported was observed by coupling and supporting the semiconductors onto clinoptilolite nanoparticles (NC). Formation of electrical double layer at the semiconductors' interface in the coupled semiconductors significantly prevented from electron/hole recombination which in turn enhanced the photodegradation activity. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and cyclic voltammetry (CV) confirmed enhancement in charge transfer efficiency of the coupled/supported system with respect to the mono-component systems. Consequently the coupled/supported system showed the best photodegradation activity in degradation of metronidazole (MZ). The response surface methodology (RSM) showed that irradiation time, solution pH and interactions of time-CMZ and time-pH are the most important factors in MZ degradation. The best degradation extent was obtained at pH 4, catalyst dosage of 3gL⁻¹, 3mgL⁻¹ of MZ at irradiation time of 270min. R² of 0.9743 confirmed that the data predicted by RSM well agree with the experimental results. Catalyst dosage and irradiation time had synergistic effect and initial pH and CMZ had an antagonistic effect on the response, meaning that increasing in time and catalyst dosage and decreasing in pH and CMZ decreased MZ photodegradation. Sharp decrease in the UV–Vis absorption at 319nm and increase in the intensity at 240 and 206nm during the process confirmed converting the nitro group and nitrogen existing in MZ to nitrite ion.

Graphical abstract

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Comprehensive study on enhanced photocatalytic activity of heterojunction ZnS-NiS/zeolite nanoparticles: Experimental design based on response surface methodology (RSM), impedance spectroscopy and GC-MASS studies

Publication date: 15 March 2017
Source:Journal of Colloid and Interface Science, Volume 490
Author(s): Hadis Derikvandi, Alireza Nezamzadeh-Ejhieh
In the present work, coupled and supported NiS and ZnS onto the mechanically prepared clinoptilolite nanoparticles (NC) was prepared and characterized by XRD, FTIR, SEM-EDX, X-ray mapping, DRS, BET, cyclic voltammetry (CV) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) techniques. The obtained catalysts were used in photodegradation of metronidazole (MZ). The mole ratio of NiS/ZnS affects the degradation activity of the obtained catalysts so the best activity was obtained for the NZ4-NC (NiS1.0–ZnS5.2/NC, containing 1.0 and 5.2W% of NiS and ZnS, respectively and mole ratio of ZnS/NiS about 4) catalyst. The simultaneous effects of the experimental parameters were studied using central composite design combined with response surface methodology (RSM). Results of CV and EIS have good agreement with photodegradation results, so the coupled NiS-ZnS-NC system with significant enhancement in charge transfer with respect to the monocomponent systems showed the best photodegradation activity. The best degradation extent of MZ was obtained at a run including pH 2, catalyst dose of 3gL⁻¹, 4mgL⁻¹ of MZ at irradiation time of 150min. The high correlation coefficient (R²=0.9883) for the second-order polynomial model, showed that the data predicted using RSM were in good agreement with the experimental results. Change of initial pH of MZ solution from 5.5 to 4.1 during 150min, confirms formation of acidic degradation intermediates.

Graphical abstract

http://ift.tt/2h9KimJ