Yield of Echocardiography with Bubble Studies Among Acute Ischemic Stroke Patients.

Transthoracic (TTE) and transesophageal (TEE) echocardiographic studies with agitated saline, also known as "bubble studies" (BSs), are used to diagnose patent foramen ovales (PFOs) in cryptogenic strokes (CSs). Guidelines limit PFO closure recommendations to CS patients ≤ 60 but BSs are often performed as part of standard order sets, leading to inappropriate studies in older patients with already-established stroke etiologies. This retrospective single-center study included acute ischemic stroke patients between January 2021 and June 2022 and assessed the stroke etiology and number of the echocardiographic studies performed.

Synergistic Effect of Laser, Water Vapor, and Electron-Beam on the Degradation of Quasi-Two-Dimensional Ruddlesden-Popper Perovskite Flakes.

Understanding the effects of laser light, water vapor, and energetic electron irradiation on the intrinsic properties of perovskites is important in the development of perovskite-based solar cells. Various phase transition and degradation processes have been reported when these agents interact with perovskites separately. However, detailed studies of their synergistic effects are still missing.

A Canadian National Survey Study of Harassment in Surgery-Still a Long Way to Go.

Objectives: Previous literature has consistently documented harassment and discrimination in surgery. These experiences may contribute to the continuing gender inequity in surgical fields. The objective of our study was to survey Canadian surgeons and surgical trainees to gain a greater understanding of the experience of harassment across genders, career stage, and specialty.

An Escape Room to Teach First- and Second-Year Medical Students Nephrology.

Unlabelled: An escape room is a team-based activity that requires players to solve a series of puzzles to complete a story and "break out" of a room. It has recently gained traction in medical education for its ability to interactively and effectively present learning objectives. This was a prospective educational study that describes the successful application of a nephrology themed escape room for first- and second-year medical students.

Impact of caudal block on revision rates after hypospadias repair: Multi-institution review.

Introduction: There is controversy surrounding the association between caudal block and complication rates after hypospadias repair. Conflicting results have been reported mostly from single-center, low volume studies and those that did not include relevant variables.

Objectives: We hypothesized that caudal block is not associated with increased rates of reoperation after primary repair and is associated with more complex hypospadias surgery.

Phase transition of individual anatase TiO microcrystals with large percentage of (001) facets: a Raman mapping and SEM study.

TiO has been extensively studied in many fields including photocatalysis, electrochemistry, optics, Understanding the mechanism of the anatase-rutile phase transition (ART) process is critical for the design of TiO-based high-activity photocatalysts and tuning its properties for other applications. In this work, the ART process using individual anatase micro-particles with a large percentage of (001) facets was monitored and studied. Phase concentration evolution obtained Raman microscopy was correlated with the morphological evolution observed in scanning electron microscope (SEM) images.

The Efficacy of an Immersive Virtual Reality Exergame Incorporating an Adaptive Cable Resistance System on Fitness and Cardiometabolic Measures: A 12-Week Randomized Controlled Trial.

Exergaming, combining elements of video game into the realm of exercise, has recently incorporated immersive virtual reality (IVR) with resistance training. Thirty-two participants (14 females, mean age = 24.3) were randomized to IVR or self-directed control group (SELF) and worked out thrice weekly for 12 weeks (for 36 sessions).

Effect of Real-Time Feedback on Power Output Using a Novel Smart-Resisted Sled Push.

Prior studies have demonstrated the beneficial effects of real-time data feedback (RTF) on athletic performance and motivation. Despite this evidence, the lack of practical means to implement RTF has hindered its widespread adoption. Recently, a smart-resisted sled push was developed to improve athletic power by utilizing electromagnetic motors as a resistance mechanism, coupled with an RTF display.

The discovery of the DNA methylation episignature for Duchenne muscular dystrophy.

Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD) is an X-linked recessive neuromuscular disorder characterized by progressive muscle weakness due to loss of function mutations in the dystrophin gene. Variation in clinical presentation, the rate of disease progression, and treatment responsiveness have been observed amongst DMD patients, suggesting that factors beyond the loss of dystrophin may contribute to DMD pathophysiology. Epigenetic mechanisms are becoming recognized as important factors implicated in the etiology and progression of various diseases.

Autologous regeneration of blood vessels in urinary bladder matrices provides early perfusion after transplant to the bladder.

Large animal testing and clinical trials using bioengineered bladder for augmentation have revealed that large grafts fail due to insufficient blood supply. To address this critical issue, an in vivo staged implant strategy was developed and evaluated to create autologous, vascularized bioengineered bladder tissue with potential for clinical translation. Pig bladders were used to create acellular urinary bladder matrices (UBMs), which were implanted on the rectus abdominus muscles of rats and pigs to generate cellular and vascular grafts.

Muscle Activity During Immersive Virtual Reality Exergaming Incorporating an Adaptive Cable Resistance System.

The purpose of this exploratory study was to characterize muscle activation via surface electromyography (sEMG), user-perceived exertion, and enjoyment during a 30-minute session of immersive virtual reality (IVR) cable resistance exergaming. Ten healthy, college-aged males completed a signature 30-minute exergaming session using an IVR adaptive cable resistance system that incorporated six traditional compound exercises. Muscle activation (sEMG) was captured during the session with a wearable sEMG system.

Resonant Degenerate Four-Wave Mixing at the Defect Energy Levels of 2D Organic-Inorganic Hybrid Perovskite Crystals.

Two-dimensional organic-inorganic lead halide perovskites are generating great interest due to their optoelectronic characteristics such as high solar energy conversion efficiency and a tunable direct band gap in the visible regime. However, the presence of defect states within the two-dimensional crystal structure can affect these properties, resulting in changes to their band gap emission as well as the emergence of nonlinear optical phenomena. Here, we have investigated the effects of the presence of defect states on the nonlinear optical phenomena of the 2D hybrid perovskite (BA)(MA)PbBr.

Physiological and Metabolic Requirements, and User-Perceived Exertion of Immersive Virtual Reality Exergaming Incorporating an Adaptive Cable Resistance System: An Exploratory Study.

To measure metabolic and physiological demand, subjective fatigue, and enjoyment during a signature 30-minute immersive virtual reality (IVR) adaptive cable resistance exergaming session. Fourteen healthy college-aged individuals (seven females) were initially acquainted with the IVR equipment and gameplay dynamics. Participants then underwent a 30-minute IVR exergaming session performing six different cable resistance exercises.

Pediatric cervical spine fracture case report: Best practice to delay transition to rear-facing restraint.

Pediatric physicians and motor vehicle safety experts have been advocating for change in child passenger restraint practices for decades. As professional recommendations evolve to support extended rear-facing restraint, actual practices remain disparate. We report a case of pediatric cervical spine fracture due to motor vehicle collision, an uncommon, yet predictable, pattern of injury for which prevention education is undoubtedly preferable to managing the consequences of premature forward-facing in vulnerable pediatric patients.

α-tropomyosin gene (TPM3) mutation in an infant with nemaline myopathy.

We report a case of neonatal nemaline myopathy with a de novo mutation, which has been classified as a likely pathogenic mutation. With the expanding use of genetic testing in congenital myopathies, genotype-phenotype descriptions of novel variants are important to inform clinical care, diagnosis, genetic counseling, and management of disease.

Lower Limb Graduated Compression Garments Modulate Autonomic Nervous System and Improve Post-Training Recovery Measured via Heart Rate Variability.

Prior studies have examined the benefits of graduated compression garments (GCG) with regards to diverse exercise regimens; however, the relationship between GCG and the autonomic nervous system (ANS) has not been fully explored. The aim of this study was to examine Heart Rate Variability (HRV) trends-a proxy for ANS modulation-in response to donning GCG during a progressive overload training regimen designed to induce overtraining. Ten college-aged male novice runners were recruited for the 8-week crossover study.

Energy Expenditure and Muscular Recruitment Patterns of Riding a Novel Electrically Powered Skateboard.

Analysis of metabolic gas exchange and muscular output measures have enabled researchers to index activity intensity and energy expenditure for a myriad of exercises. However, there is no current research that investigates the physiological demands of riding electrically powered skateboards. The aim of this study was to measure the energetic cost and muscular trends of riding a novel electrically powered skateboard engineered to emulate snowboarding on dry-land.

Efferocytic Defects in Early Atherosclerosis Are Driven by GATA2 Overexpression in Macrophages.

The loss of efferocytosis-the phagocytic clearance of apoptotic cells-is an initiating event in atherosclerotic plaque formation. While the loss of macrophage efferocytosis is a prerequisite for advanced plaque formation, the transcriptional and cellular events in the pre-lesion site that drive these defects are poorly defined. Transcriptomic analysis of macrophages recovered from early-stage human atherosclerotic lesions identified a 50-fold increase in the expression of GATA2, a transcription factor whose expression is normally restricted to the hematopoietic compartment.

Not All HIFT Classes Are Created Equal: Evaluating Energy Expenditure and Relative Intensity of a High-Intensity Functional Training Regimen.

The demand for efficient and effective exercises has grown in concert with increased attention to fitness as a determinant of overall health. While past studies have examined the benefits traditional conditioning exercises, there have been few investigations of high intensity functional training (HIFT). The aim of this study was to measure the energy expenditure and relative intensity from participation in a signature, 35-minute group-based HIFT regimen.

Photoacoustic identification of laser-induced microbubbles as light scattering centers for optical limiting in a liquid suspension of graphene nanosheets.

Liquid suspensions of carbon nanotubes, graphene and transition metal dichalcogenides have exhibited excellent performance in optical limiting. However, the underlying mechanism has remained elusive and is generally ascribed to their superior nonlinear optical properties such as nonlinear absorption or nonlinear scattering. Using graphene as an example, we show that photo-thermal microbubbles are responsible for optical limiting as strong light scattering centers: graphene sheets absorb incident light and become heated up above the boiling point of water, resulting in vapor and microbubble generation.

Quantum plasmonic control of trions in a picocavity with monolayer WS.

Monitoring and controlling the neutral and charged excitons (trions) in two-dimensional (2D) materials are essential for the development of high-performance devices. However, nanoscale control is challenging because of diffraction-limited spatial resolution of conventional far-field techniques. Here, we extend the classical tip-enhanced photoluminescence based on tip-substrate nanocavity to quantum regime and demonstrate controlled nano-optical imaging, namely, tip-enhanced quantum plasmonics.

Association of Ledipasvir-Sofosbuvir Treatment With Uveitis in Patients Treated for Hepatitis C.

Importance: Ledipasvir-sofosbuvir has become the current standard of care for hepatitis C since its release in 2014. Therefore, potential adverse effects are important to identify.

Objective: To report findings of uveitis after treatment with ledipasvir-sofosbuvir for hepatitis C.

Seeding fiber amplifiers with piecewise parabolic phase modulation for high SBS thresholds and compact spectra.

We propose using piecewise parabolic phase modulation of the seed laser for suppressing stimulated Brillouin scattering (SBS) in a fiber amplifier. Simulations are run with a 9 m passive fiber. Compared with random phase modulation and 0-π pseudo-random phase modulation, the piecewise parabolic phase waveform yields a higher SBS threshold per unit bandwidth.

Tip-Enhanced Raman Imaging of Single-Stranded DNA with Single Base Resolution.

Tip-enhanced Raman scattering (TERS) is a promising optical and analytical technique for chemical imaging and sensing at single molecule resolution. In particular, TERS signals generated by a gap-mode configuration where a silver tip is coupled with a gold substrate can resolve a single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) molecule with a spatial resolution below 1 nm. To demonstrate the proof of subnanometer resolution, we show direct nucleic acid sequencing using TERS of a phage ssDNA (M13mp18).