Eliminating osmotic stress during cryoprotectant loading: A mathematical investigation of solute-solvent transport.

Osmotic stresses during cryoprotectant loading induce changes in cellular volume, leading to membrane damage or even cell death. Appropriate model-guided mitigation of these osmotic gradients during cryoprotectant loading is currently lacking, but would be highly beneficial in reducing viability loss during the loading process. To address this need, we reformulate the two-parameter formalism described by Jacobs and Stewart for cryoprotectant loading under the constraint of constant cell volume.

Perspectives and needs of assistive technology advisors and suppliers in Queensland, Australia.

Purpose: An assistive technology ecosystem requires co-ordinated collaboration between policy, products, provision processes, and personnel. A needs assessment was conducted of the assistive technology sector in Queensland to examine these components from the perspective of all key stakeholders. This paper reports the findings of the expressed needs of the assistive technology sector as experienced by the AT advisors and suppliers.

Molecular-based laboratory testing confer accuracy over microscopical testing for tick identification.

As per published literature, the tick is the primary Lyme disease vector in British Columbia (BC), while the tick species is the dominant vector on the East Coast of Canada, with no . presence seen in BC. However, a recent publication reported presence of in BC which initiated this study to determine the accuracy of the microscopic identification of ticks received in the BC Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC) Public Health Laboratory and compare morphologic methods to molecular methods.

Assessment of the European Hernia Society Classification of Ventral Hernias and Clinical Outcomes.

Background: Ventral hernias are a common but heterogeneous disease. Communication among key stakeholders (eg, patients, clinicians, administrators, payers, and researchers) can be augmented by a widely utilized classification system. The European Hernia Society (EHS) developed an expert-opinion-based hernia classification system organized by hernia type (primary versus incisional) and size.

Investigations for Suspected Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Unknown Primary (HNSCCUP): A National Cohort Study.

Objectives: Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma from unknown primary (HNSCCUP) is a rare and challenging condition. This study aimed to investigate the diagnostic pathways of suspected HNSCCUP patients in the United Kingdom.

Methods: A retrospective observational cohort study was conducted, over 5 years from January 2015, in UK Head and Neck centres of consecutive adults undergoing 18F-Fluorodeoxyglucose-PET-CT (PET-CT) within 3 months of diagnosis with metastatic cervical squamous cell carcinoma.

How Does Deep Neural Network-Based Noise Reduction in Hearing Aids Impact Cochlear Implant Candidacy?

Background/objectives: Adult hearing-impaired patients qualifying for cochlear implants typically exhibit less than 60% sentence recognition under the best hearing aid conditions, either in quiet or noisy environments, with speech and noise presented through a single speaker. This study examines the influence of deep neural network-based (DNN-based) noise reduction on cochlear implant evaluation.

Methods: Speech perception was assessed using AzBio sentences in both quiet and noisy conditions (multi-talker babble) at 5 and 10 dB signal-to-noise ratios (SNRs) through one loudspeaker.

Movement pattern biofeedback training after total knee arthroplasty: a randomized controlled trial.

Objective: Habitual movement compensations, such as decreased surgical peak knee extension moments (pKEM), persist years after total knee arthroplasty (TKA), are linked to poorer recovery, and may influence contralateral osteoarthritis (OA) progression. The purpose of this randomized clinical trial was to determine if a movement training program (MOVE) improves movement quality and recovery after TKA compared to a standardized rehabilitation program without movement training (CONTROL).

Methods: One hundred thirty-eight individuals were randomized to either MOVE or CONTROL groups after TKA.

The Impact of Patient Resiliency on Successful Same-Day Discharge and Postoperative Outcomes in Primary Total Hip and Knee Arthroplasty.

Background: Total hip (THA) and knee arthroplasty (TKA) rates in the outpatient setting continue to increase in the United States. Patient resiliency is one facet surgeons may consider when determining whether a patient would make a suitable candidate for same-day discharge (SDD). This study examined the relationship between resilience and success of SDD in patients undergoing primary THA and TKA.

Understanding the experiences and needs of assistive technology users in Queensland.

Assistive technology (AT) can significantly enhance the daily lives of people with disabilities if matched appropriately to the individual and their context. Gaps remain in the AT sector in terms of provision and uptake. Consequently, this study examined current experiences and needs regarding AT provision throughout Queensland from AT users' perspectives.

Decreased voluntary alcohol intake and ventral striatal epigenetic and transcriptional remodeling in male Acss2 KO mice.

Metabolic-epigenetic interactions are emerging as key pathways in regulating alcohol-related transcriptional changes in the brain. Recently, we have shown that this is mediated by the metabolic enzyme Acetyl-CoA synthetase 2 (Acss2), which is nuclear and chromatin-bound in neurons. Mice lacking ACSS2 fail to deposit alcohol-derived acetate onto histones in the brain and show no conditioned place preference for ethanol reward.

PROPEL Discharge: An Interdisciplinary Throughput Initiative.

Background: Increased care demands at a health care institution led to strained resources, emergency department (ED) congestion, safety events, and patient and employee dissatisfaction. Moreover, high volumes of afternoon discharges contributed to limited early morning bed availability and admission bottlenecks.

Methods: A 29-month pre-post design quality improvement project on 19 acute care, adult medicine units across two campuses at a large academic medical center was implemented to improve discharge timeliness, length of stay (LOS), and ED throughput by increasing pre-11:00 a.

Diagnosis and management of invasive fungal diseases by next-generation sequencing: are we there yet?

Introduction: Invasive fungal diseases (IFDs) are a serious threat to immunocompromised patients. Routine diagnostic methods have limited performance in identifying IFDs. Next-generation sequencing (NGS), including metagenomic NGS (mNGS) and whole-genome sequencing (WGS), recently emerged as diagnostic methods that could provide more accurate and timely diagnoses and management of IFDs.

Outcomes with transcutaneous bone conduction implants in patients with mixed hearing loss.

Objective: To evaluate audiological outcomes of transcutaneous devices among individuals with mixed hearing loss (MHL) who underwent implantation with the Cochlear™ Osia® and Med-El Bonebridge™ devices.

Methods: Adults with MHL in at least one ear, including a best bone conduction (BBC) threshold of 30 dB HL or poorer, and air-bone gaps of 15 dB HL or more at one or more frequencies were implanted with the Cochlear™ Osia® or Med-El Bonebridge™ devices for MHL. Four-frequency pure tone average (PTA) was calculated for aided thresholds and compared to preoperative PTAs for BBC thresholds.

Provider Perspectives on Contraceptive Care: A Systematic Review.

Introduction: Contraceptive care is critical piece of quality sexual reproductive healthcare. Providers directly impact client experiences and clinical outcomes; it is important to understand how providers offer contraceptive care and the factors influencing this care. This systematic review summarizes recent research on providers, their perspectives, experiences, barriers, and facilitators to offering contraceptive counseling, education, and care.

Client Perspectives on Contraceptive Care: A Systematic Review.

Introduction: Contraceptive care is an opportunity for providers to help clients achieve their reproductive health goals. Client-centeredness is a core element of quality care; however, evidence suggests that the provision of client-centered contraceptive counseling needs improvement. This systematic review summarizes recent evidence on client preferences related to contraceptive care, including how client-centered approaches inform outcomes.

Iridium(III) Complexes of Bifunctional 2-(2-Pyridyl)imidazole Ligands: Electrochemiluminescent Emitters in Aqueous Media.

A series of electrochemiluminescent (ECL) iridium(III) complexes with the general formula [Ir(CN)(pim)] (where CN = cyclometalating ligands 2-phenylpyridinato (ppy) or 2-(2,4-difluorophenyl)pyridinato (dFppy), and pim = 2-(2-pyridyl)imidazole) have been synthesized. In each case, the 2-(2-pyridyl)imidazole ancillary ligand has been modified to facilitate bioconjugation and ECL label development. All complexes exhibit blue-shifted optical and electro-generated phosphorescence relative to the archetypal complex [Ir(ppy)(bpy)] (bpy = 2,2'-bipyridine).

tRNA modification enzyme-dependent redox homeostasis regulates synapse formation and memory.

Post-transcriptional modification of RNA regulates gene expression at multiple levels. ALKBH8 is a tRNA-modifying enzyme that methylates wobble uridines in a subset of tRNAs to modulate translation. Through methylation of tRNA-selenocysteine, ALKBH8 promotes selenoprotein synthesis and regulates redox homeostasis.

Double-pentagon silicon chains in a quasi-1D Si/Ag(001) surface alloy.

Silicon surface alloys and silicide nanolayers are highly important as contact materials in integrated circuit devices. Here we demonstrate that the submonolayer Si/Ag(001) surface reconstruction, reported to exhibit interesting topological properties, comprises a quasi-one-dimensional Si-Ag surface alloy based on chains of planar double-pentagon Si moieties. This geometry is determined using a combination of density functional theory calculations, scanning tunnelling microscopy, and grazing incidence x-ray diffraction simulations, and yields an electronic structure in excellent agreement with photoemission measurements.

Social Determinants of Health and Risk-Adjusted Sepsis Mortality in the Nationwide Veterans Affairs Healthcare System.

Importance: Traditional risk prediction and risk adjustment models have focused on clinical characteristics, but accounting for social determinants of health (SDOH) and complex health conditions could improve understanding of sepsis outcomes and our ability to predict outcomes, treat patients, and assess quality of care.

Objective: To evaluate the impact of SDOH and health scales in sepsis mortality risk prediction and hospital performance assessment.

Design: Observational cohort study.

The αvβ6 integrin specific virotherapy, Ad5-A20.FCU1, selectively delivers potent "in-tumour" chemotherapy to pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.

Background: Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) represent an unmet clinical need. Approximately 90% of PDACs express high levels of αvβ6 integrin. We have previously described Ad5-A20, an adenovirus vector with ablated native means of cell entry and retargeted to αvβ6 integrin by incorporation of an A20 peptide.

A sulphide resistant Ag|AgCl reference electrode for long-term monitoring.

Reference electrodes which demonstrate long-term potential stability are essential for many continuous monitoring applications and are commonly based on Ag|AgCl electrodes; however, these electrodes are susceptible to poisoning from aqueous sulphide species which are commonly present in wastewater and natural groundwater. This work presents a sulphide resistant solid-state reference electrode (SSRE) based on a composite material using suspended KCl electrolyte and sacrificial AgCl in a cross-linked polyvinyl acetate polymer matrix. Sulphidation of the sacrificial AgCl produces a stable AgS precipitate and prevents further ingress of the poisoning sulphide species through the composite material.

Aerodynamic Size-Dependent Collection and Inactivation of Virus-Laden Aerosol Particles in an Electrostatic Precipitator.

Electrostatic precipitators (ESPs) may enable high particle collection efficiency with minimal pressure drop in HVAC systems. However, studies of pathogen collection and inactivation in ESPs at medium to higher flow rates are limited. Here, a single-stage, wire-plate ESP operated at flow rates of 51 and 85 m h was used to study the removal of virus-laden aerosol particles for three different airborne viruses: (1) bovine coronavirus (BCoV), (2) influenza A virus (IAV), and (3) porcine reproductive and respiratory virus (PRRSV).