A meta-analysis of bulk RNA-seq datasets identifies potential biomarkers and repurposable therapeutics against Alzheimer's disease.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) poses a major challenge due to its impact on the elderly population and the lack of effective early diagnosis and treatment options. In an effort to address this issue, a study focused on identifying potential biomarkers and therapeutic agents for AD was carried out. Using RNA-Seq data from AD patients and healthy individuals, 12 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified, with 9 expressing upregulation (ISG15, HRNR, MTATP8P1, MTCO3P12, DTHD1, DCX, ST8SIA2, NNAT, and PCDH11Y) and 3 expressing downregulation (LTF, XIST, and TTR).

Integrated polarization-free Bragg filters with subwavelength gratings for photonic sensing.

We present polarization-free Bragg filters having subwavelength gratings (SWGs) in the lateral cladding region. This Bragg design expands modal fields toward upper cladding, resulting in enhanced light interaction with sensing analytes. Two device configurations are proposed and examined, one with index-matched coupling between transverse electric (TE) and transverse magnetic (TM) modes and the other one with hybrid-mode (HM) coupling.

Anisotropic leaky-like perturbation with subwavelength gratings enables zero crosstalk.

Electromagnetic coupling via an evanescent field or radiative wave is a primary characteristic of light, allowing optical signal/power transfer in a photonic circuit but limiting integration density. A leaky mode, which combines both evanescent field and radiative wave, causes stronger coupling and is thus considered not ideal for dense integration. Here we show that a leaky oscillation with anisotropic perturbation rather can achieve completely zero crosstalk realized by subwavelength grating (SWG) metamaterials.

High-density integrated delay line using extreme skin-depth subwavelength grating waveguides.

Optical delay lines control the flow of light in time, introducing phase and group delays for engineering interferences and ultrashort pulses. Photonic integration of such optical delay lines is essential for chip-scale lightwave signal processing and pulse control. However, typical photonic delay lines based on long spiral waveguides require extensively large chip footprints, ranging from mm to cm scales.

Broadband integrated polarization splitter and rotator using subwavelength grating claddings.

We present a broadband integrated photonic polarization splitter and rotator (PSR) using adiabatically tapered coupled waveguides with subwavelength grating (SWG) claddings. The PSR adiabatically rotates and splits the fundamental transverse-magnetic (TM) input to the fundamental transverse-electric (TE) mode in the coupler waveguide, while passing the TE input through the same waveguide. The SWGs work as an anisotropic metamaterial and facilitate modal conversions, making the PSR efficient and broadband.

Efficient Visualization of Whole Slide Images in Web-based Viewers for Digital Pathology.

Context.—: Wide adoption of digital pathology requires efficient visualization and navigation in Web-based digital slide viewers, which is poorly defined.

Objective.

Averting BER Floor with Iterative Source and Channel Decoding for Layered Steered Space-Time Codes.

The widespread development in wireless technologies and the advancements in multimedia communication have brought about a positive impact on the performance of wireless transceivers. We investigate the performance of our three-stage turbo detected system using state-of-the-art high efficiency video coding (HEVC), also known as the H.265 video standard.

Mode-evolution-based ultra-broadband polarization beam splitter using adiabatically tapered extreme skin-depth waveguide.

We present an ultra-broadband silicon photonic polarization beam splitter (PBS) using adiabatically tapered extreme skin-depth (eskid) waveguides. Highly anisotropic metamaterial claddings of the eskid waveguides suppress the crosstalk of transverse-electric (TE) mode, while the large birefringence of the eskid waveguide efficiently cross-couples the transverse-magnetic (TM) mode. Two eskid waveguides are adiabatically tapered to smoothly translate TM mode to the coupled port via mode evolution while keeping the TE mode in the through port.

SSG-LUGIA: Single Sequence based Genome Level Unsupervised Genomic Island Prediction Algorithm.

Background: Genomic Islands (GIs) are clusters of genes that are mobilized through horizontal gene transfer. GIs play a pivotal role in bacterial evolution as a mechanism of diversification and adaptation to different niches. Therefore, identification and characterization of GIs in bacterial genomes is important for understanding bacterial evolution.

Ultra-high extinction ratio polarization beam splitter with extreme skin-depth waveguide.

In this Letter, we present a high extinction ratio and compact on-chip polarization beam splitter (PBS), based on an extreme skin-depth (eskid) waveguide. Subwavelength-scale gratings form an effectively anisotropic metamaterial cladding and introduce a large birefringence. The anisotropic dielectric perturbation of the metamaterial cladding suppresses the TE polarization extinction via exceptional coupling, while the large birefringence efficiently cross-couples the TM mode, thus reducing the coupling length.

Genotype-phenotype correlation of β-lactamase-producing uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC) strains from Bangladesh.

Escherichia coli is a pathogen commonly encountered in clinical laboratories, and is capable of causing a variety of diseases, both within the intestinal tract (intestinal pathogenic strains) and outside (extraintestinal pathogenic E. coli, or ExPEC). It is associated with urinary tract infections (UTIs), one of the most common infectious diseases in the world.

Telecytology implementation: Deployment of telecytology for rapid on-site evaluations at an Academic Medical Center.

Introduction: There are limited publications that address technical and practical informatics considerations when implementing telecytology for rapid on-site evaluation (ROSE). Our aim was to share the experience of deploying telecytology for ROSE at our institution.

Materials And Methods: Key informatics issues relevant to adopting telecytology for ROSE at our institution were appraised including workflow, information technology (IT), validation, training, and quality assurance (QA).

Augmented Reality Technology Using Microsoft HoloLens in Anatomic Pathology.

Context Augmented reality (AR) devices such as the Microsoft HoloLens have not been well used in the medical field. Objective To test the HoloLens for clinical and nonclinical applications in pathology. Design A Microsoft HoloLens was tested for virtual annotation during autopsy, viewing 3D gross and microscopic pathology specimens, navigating whole slide images, telepathology, as well as real-time pathology-radiology correlation.

Comparison of glass slides and various digital-slide modalities for cytopathology screening and interpretation.

Background: Whole-slide imaging in cytology is limited when glass slides are digitized without z-stacks for focusing. Different vendors have started to provide z-stacking solutions to overcome this limitation. The Panoptiq imaging system allows users to create digital files combining low-magnification panoramic images with regions of interest (ROIs) that are imaged with high-magnification z-stacks.

Fourier ptychographic microscopy using an infrared-emitting hemispherical digital condenser.

Fourier ptychographic microscopy is demonstrated in the near-infrared spectral range using a computer-controlled hemispherical digital condenser comprising multiple 940 nm wavelength light emitting diodes. This technique was used to image periodic patterned samples (photonic crystals). Experimental and simulated results using a phase retrieval algorithm were found to be in excellent correspondence.

Evaluation of panoramic digital images using Panoptiq for frozen section diagnosis.

Introduction: Whole slide imaging (WSI) permits intraoperative consultations (frozen sections) to be performed remotely. However, WSI files are large and can be problematic if there are tissue artifacts (e.g.

Exploring virtual reality technology and the Oculus Rift for the examination of digital pathology slides.

Background: Digital slides obtained from whole slide imaging (WSI) platforms are typically viewed in two dimensions using desktop personal computer monitors or more recently on mobile devices. To the best of our knowledge, we are not aware of any studies viewing digital pathology slides in a virtual reality (VR) environment. VR technology enables users to be artificially immersed in and interact with a computer-simulated world.

Smartphone adapters for digital photomicrography.

Background: Photomicrographs in Anatomic Pathology provide a means of quickly sharing information from a glass slide for consultation, education, documentation and publication. While static image acquisition historically involved the use of a permanently mounted camera unit on a microscope, such cameras may be expensive, need to be connected to a computer, and often require proprietary software to acquire and process images. Another novel approach for capturing digital microscopic images is to use smartphones coupled with the eyepiece of a microscope.

Pocket pathologist: A mobile application for rapid diagnostic surgical pathology consultation.

Introduction: Telepathology allows the digital transmission of images for rapid access to pathology experts. Recent technologic advances in smartphones have allowed them to be used to acquire and transmit digital images of the glass slide, representing cost savings and efficiency gains over traditional forms of telepathology. We report our experience with developing an iPhone application (App - Pocket Pathologist) to facilitate rapid diagnostic pathology teleconsultation utilizing a smartphone.

Bio-mimic optimization strategies in wireless sensor networks: a survey.

For the past 20 years, many authors have focused their investigations on wireless sensor networks. Various issues related to wireless sensor networks such as energy minimization (optimization), compression schemes, self-organizing network algorithms, routing protocols, quality of service management, security, energy harvesting, etc., have been extensively explored.

Experience with multimodality telepathology at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.

Several modes of telepathology exist including static (store-and-forward), dynamic (live video streaming or robotic microscopy), and hybrid technology involving whole slide imaging (WSI). Telepathology has been employed at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) for over a decade at local, national, and international sites. All modes of telepathology have been successfully utilized to exploit our institutions subspecialty expertise and to compete for pathology services.

Management of Jehovah's Witnesses in otolaryngology, head and neck surgery.

It is imperative that surgeons should have some knowledge and understanding of the beliefs of Jehovah's Witnesses to respect the patient's wishes and effectively minimize and manage blood loss. The objective of this review was to provide a management strategy for Jehovah's Witness patients undergoing otolaryngology, head and neck surgery, because there is paucity of information regarding this within our literature. A systematic review of medical literature was conducted.

Webcasting pathology department conferences in a geographically distributed medical center.

As academic pathology departments have become increasingly based in large, regional medical systems spread across hundreds of square miles, new methods are needed to tie these increasingly distributed departments together as integrated units. An important part of that integration is the ability to share academic and teaching conferences across long distances. In this article we present an effective, low-cost webcasting system that has evolved at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Department of Pathology over the past several years based on inexpensive, widely available software.