Administrative Aspects of Molecular Diagnostics-Oversight, Regulatory Approval Process, Clinical and Operational Workflows, and Payment Models.

This paper discusses the administrative aspects of molecular diagnostics in oncology, including US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) oversight, the regulatory approval process, clinical, and operational workflows, and payment models. Comprehensive molecular testing is important to deliver optimal oncology care and improve patient outcomes. Despite the potential benefits of testing, utilization remains low.

Whole-body fluorescence cryotomography identifies a fast-acting, high-contrast, durable contrast agent for fluorescence-guided surgery.

Imaging of tumor-specific fluorescent contrast agents to guide tumor removal has been shown to improve outcomes and is now standard practice for some neurosurgical procedures. However, many agents require administration hours before surgery, a practical challenge, and may exhibit inconsistent concordance with contrast-enhanced MRI (CE-MRI), the current standard for diagnosing and guiding glioma removal. A fluorescent agent that accurately marks tumor shortly after administration and is otherwise similar to CE-MRI would help overcome these shortcomings.

Endemic La Crosse Virus Neuroinvasive Disease in North Carolina Residents: 2000-2020.

Background: La Crosse virus neuroinvasive disease (LACVND) is the most common cause of arboviral encephalitis in children within the United States; in North Carolina, it is the most prevalent endemic mosquito-borne disease in humans.

Methods: Here we report a surveillance summary of confirmed and probable LACVND during 2000-2020 using North Carolina Electronic Disease Surveillance System data, and we describe associated demographic characteristics, spatiotemporal distribution, clinical features, and mortality rates.

Results: A total of 355 cases (74.

LA CROSSE VIRUS VECTOR RESTING BEHAVIORS - FIELD STUDIES WITH PROKOPAK AND RESTING SHELTER COLLECTIONS PROVIDE LOW YIELD.

Resting adult mosquito collections provide opportunities to sample broad physiological conditions (e.g., blood-engorged, gravid, nectar-engorged, and/or parous) that yield important biological information necessary to understand vector and pathogen transmission ecology.

Persistent spatial clustering and predictors of pediatric La Crosse virus neuroinvasive disease risk in eastern Tennessee and western North Carolina, 2003-2020.

The combined region of eastern Tennessee and western North Carolina has a persistently high risk of pediatric La Crosse virus neuroinvasive disease (LACV-ND). To guide public health intervention in this region, the objectives of this retrospective ecological study were to investigate the geographic clustering and predictors of pediatric LACV-ND risk at the ZIP code tabulation area (ZCTA) level. Data on pediatric cases of LACV-ND reported between 2003 and 2020 were obtained from Tennessee Department of Health and North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services.

Three-dimensional printing of the human lung pleural cavity model for PDT malignant mesothelioma.

Objective: The primary aim was to investigate emerging 3D printing and optical acquisition technologies to refine and enhance photodynamic therapy (PDT) dosimetry in the management of malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM).

Materials And Methods: A rigorous digital reconstruction of the pleural lung cavity was conducted utilizing 3D printing and optical scanning methodologies. These reconstructions were systematically assessed against CT-derived data to ascertain their accuracy in representing critical anatomic features and post-resection topographical variations.

Reduction of Postoperative Delirium and Opioid Use in Hip Fracture Patients Through Utilization of Emergency Department Physician Administered Regional Nerve Blocks.

Introduction: The complication of delirium for hip fracture patients is a predictor of mortality. Use of opioid medication increases the incidence of delirium in the pre- and postoperative periods. Regional nerve blocks are effective in managing acute pain for acute hip fractures.

La Crosse virus neuroinvasive disease: the kids are not alright.

La Crosse virus (LACV) is the most common cause of neuroinvasive mosquito-borne disease in children within the United States. Despite more than 50 years of recognized endemicity in the United States, the true burden of LACV disease is grossly underappreciated, and there remain severe knowledge gaps that inhibit public health interventions to reduce morbidity and mortality. Long-standing deficiencies in disease surveillance, clinical diagnostics and therapeutics, actionable entomologic and environmental risk indices, case response capacity, public awareness, and availability of community support groups clearly frame LACV disease as neglected.

Retrospective Assessment of Preparedness for Mosquito Control Post-Hurricane Florence in North Carolina.

Objectives: Ideally, mosquito control programs (MCPs) use surveillance to target control measures to potentially dangerous mosquito populations. In North Carolina (NC), where there is limited financial support for mosquito control, communities may suffer from mosquito-related issues post-hurricane due to lack of existing MCPs. Here, study objectives were to (1) investigate the emergency response of a subset of NC counties post-Hurricane Florence and (2) develop guidelines and policy recommendations to assist MCPs in post-hurricane mosquito control response.

Characterization of Cherenkov imaging parameters and positional constraints on an O-ring linear accelerator.

. With the introduction of Cherenkov imaging technology on the Halcyon O-ring linear accelerator platform, we seek to demonstrate the imaging feasibility and optimize camera placement..

A Comparison of Oak Leaf and Fescue Hay Infusion-Baited Gravid Trap Collections-An Analysis Steeped in the Context of La Crosse Virus Vector Surveillance Effectiveness.

Neuroinvasive La Crosse virus disease remains the primary cause of pediatric arboviral encephalitis in the USA. In spite of the persistent public health burden, there are limited entomologic surveillance options that target both native and invasive La Crosse virus (LACV) vectors. In this study we used Reiter/Cummings tacklebox gravid traps to compare white oak (Quercus alba) and hay (predominately Festuca arundinacea) infusions within a LACV-endemic area of western North Carolina.

Evaluating Receptor-Specific Fresh Specimen Staining for Tumor Margin Detection in Clinical Breast Specimens.

Purpose: Reliable and rapid identification of tumor in the margins of breast specimens during breast-conserving surgery to reduce repeat surgery rates is an active area of investigation. Dual-stain difference imaging (DDSI) is one of many approaches under evaluation for this application. This technique aims to topically apply fluorescent stain pairs (one targeted to a receptor-of-interest and the other a spectrally distinct isotype), image both stains, and compute a normalized difference image between the two channels.

Operational Insights Into Mosquito Control Disaster Response in Coastal North Carolina: Experiences With the Federal Emergency Management Agency After Hurricane Florence.

Preparation for post-hurricane mosquito control is essential for an effective emergency response to protect public health and promote recovery efforts. Effective pre-hurricane planning includes laying the groundwork for a successful reimbursement application to the Federal Emergency Management Agency. The critical and overlapping need to sustain funding for mosquito control programs is highlighted here in the context of both normal and emergency responses.

Intramedullary Threaded Nail Fixation Versus Plate and Screw Construct in Metacarpal Neck Fractures: A Biomechanical Study.

Background: Indicated surgical management of metacarpal neck fractures varies with techniques, including Kirschner wire fixation, plate fixation, intramedullary fixation, and headless compression screw fixation, without demonstrated superiority. This study compares intramedullary threaded nail (ITN) fixation with a locking plate construct.

Methods: Index through small finger metacarpals were harvested from 10 embalmed cadavers.

Survey of Invasive Mosquito Surveillance and Control Capacity in Southeastern USA Reveals Training and Resource Needs.

Several invasive mosquito species that are nuisances or of medical and veterinary importance have been introduced into the Southeastern region of the USA, posing a threat to other species and the local ecosystems and/or increasing the risk of pathogen transmission to people, livestock, and domestic pets. Prompt and effective monitoring and control of invasive species is essential to prevent them from spreading and causing harmful effects. However, the capacity for invasive mosquito species surveillance is highly variable among mosquito control programs in the Southeast, depending on a combination of factors such as regional geography and climate, access to resources, and the ability to interact with other programs.

Stimulating Transcription in Antibiotic-Tolerant Escherichia coli Sensitizes It to Fluoroquinolone and Nonfluoroquinolone Topoisomerase Inhibitors.

Antibiotic tolerant bacteria and persistent cells that remain alive after a course of antibiotic treatment can foster the chronicity of infections and the development of antibiotic resistance. Elucidating how bacteria overcome antibiotic action and devising strategies to bolster a new drug's activity can allow us to preserve our antibiotic arsenal. Here, we investigate strategies to potentiate the activities of topoisomerase inhibitors against nongrowing Escherichia coli that are often recalcitrant to existing antibiotics.

A new candidate agent for fluorescence guided neurosurgery produces high, persistent tumor contrast shortly after administration.

Neurosurgical fluorescence guidance relies on contrast agents to identify tumor regions to aid in increasing the extent of resection. Existing contrast agents for this indication each have their own limitation: unpredictable contrast from tumor heterogeneity, significant extravasation into the background brain and long incubation times. An ideal contrast agent should have high and rapid contrast that persists well into the surgical procedure.

Whole-brain MR-registered cryo-imaging of a porcine-human glioma model to compare contrast agent biodistributions.

As rapidly accelerating technology, fluorescence guided surgery (FGS) has the potential to place molecular information directly into the surgeon's field of view by imaging administered fluorescent contrast agents in real time, circumnavigating pre-operative MR registration challenges with brain deformation. The most successful implementation of FGS is 5-ALA-PpIX guided glioma resection which has been linked to improved patient outcomes. While FGS may offer direct in-field guidance, fluorescent contrast agent distributions are not as familiar to the surgical community as Gd-MRI uptake, and may provide discordant information from previous Gd-MRI guidance.

Maternally transferred mAbs protect neonatal mice from HSV-induced mortality and morbidity.

Neonatal herpes simplex virus (nHSV) infections often result in significant mortality and neurological morbidity despite antiviral drug therapy. Maternally transferred herpes simplex virus (HSV)-specific antibodies reduce the risk of clinically overt nHSV, but this observation has not been translationally applied. Using a neonatal mouse model, we tested the hypothesis that passive transfer of HSV-specific human mAbs can prevent mortality and morbidity associated with nHSV.

Patterns of association and distribution of estuarine-resident common bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) in North Carolina, USA.

The social structure of estuarine-resident bottlenose dolphins is complex and varied. Residing in habitats often utilized for resource exploitation, dolphins are at risk due to anthropogenic pressures while still federally protected. Effective conservation is predicated upon accurate abundance estimates.

Survey of United States Mosquito Control Programs Reveals Opportunities to Improve the Operational Value of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Bottle Bioassays.

Mosquito control programs have increasingly used Centers for Disease Control and Prevention bottle bioassays (BB) to evaluate insecticide resistance (IR). The reported utility, benefits, and limitations of BB and other methods were assessed via electronic survey of U.S.

Vitamin D supplementation and body composition changes in collegiate basketball players: a 12-week randomized control trial.

Background: Vitamin D promotes bone and muscle growth in non-athletes, suggesting supplementation may be ergogenic in athletes. Our primary aim was to determine if modest Vitamin D supplementation augments favorable body composition changes (increased bone and lean mass and decreased fat mass) and performance in collegiate basketball players following 12 weeks of standardized training.

Methods: Members of a men's and women's NCAA D1 Basketball team were recruited.

A Cross-Sectional Household Survey in the US Virgin Islands (2019) Reveals Cisterns as Challenging Peridomestic Aedes aegypti Habitats.

Most residences in the United States Virgin Islands (USVI) rely on household rainwater-catchment systems and subterranean cisterns for long-term water storage that may provide suitable habitats for mosquitoes of public health relevance. We conducted a household cistern survey (n = 164) on the islands of St. Croix, St.

Ancient and modern genomics of the Ohlone Indigenous population of California.

SignificanceCalifornia supports a high cultural and linguistic diversity of Indigenous peoples. In a partnership of researchers with the Muwekma Ohlone tribe, we studied genomes of eight present-day tribal members and 12 ancient individuals from two archaeological sites in the San Francisco Bay Area, spanning ∼2,000 y. We find that compared to genomes of Indigenous individuals from throughout the Americas, the 12 ancient individuals are most genetically similar to ancient individuals from Southern California, and that despite spanning a large time period, they share distinctive ancestry.