Evaluating the Efficiency and Equity of Autism Diagnoses via Telehealth During COVID-19.

Given existing barriers to a timely autism diagnosis, this study compares the efficiency and equity of diagnoses conducted in-person vs. telehealth in a developmental behavioral pediatrics setting. The transition to telehealth was prompted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Improving Efficiency and Equity in Early Autism Evaluations: The (S)TAAR Model.

This paper describes the (Sin Exclusión) Transdisciplinary Autism Assessment and Resources ([S]TAAR) model and presents early metrics tracking efficiency and equity in access to high-quality comprehensive autism evaluations for young children. Retrospective chart reviews over one year (08/2018-08/2019) with n = 173 children were reviewed. Through care coordination with community providers, the model was developed to meet local needs by increasing throughput of children (< 4 years old) evaluated by a transdisciplinary team.

CT Texture Analysis of Ex Vivo Renal Stones Predicts Ease of Fragmentation with Shockwave Lithotripsy.

Introduction: Understanding the factors affecting success of extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy (SWL) would improve informed decision-making on the most appropriate treatment modality for an individual patient. Although stone size and skin-to-stone distance do correlate with fragmentation efficacy, it has been shown that stone composition and architecture, as reflected by structural heterogeneity on CT, are also important factors. This study aims to determine if CT texture analysis (CTTA), a novel, nondestructive, and objective tool that generates statistical metrics reflecting stone heterogeneity, could have utility in predicting likelihood of SWL success.

Hepitopes: A live interactive database of HLA class I epitopes in hepatitis B virus.

Increased clinical and scientific scrutiny is being applied to hepatitis B virus (HBV), with focus on the development of new therapeutic approaches, ultimately aiming for cure. Defining the optimum natural CD8+ T cell immune responses that arise in HBV, mediated by HLA class I epitope presentation, may help to inform novel immunotherapeutic strategies. Therefore, we have set out to develop a comprehensive database of these epitopes in HBV, coined 'Hepitopes'.

Cardiac Non-myocyte Cells Show Enhanced Pharmacological Function Suggestive of Contractile Maturity in Stem Cell Derived Cardiomyocyte Microtissues.

The immature phenotype of stem cell derived cardiomyocytes is a significant barrier to their use in translational medicine and pre-clinical in vitro drug toxicity and pharmacological analysis. Here we have assessed the contribution of non-myocyte cells on the contractile function of co-cultured human embryonic stem cell derived cardiomyocytes (hESC-CMs) in spheroid microtissue format. Microtissues were formed using a scaffold free 96-well cell suspension method from hESC-CM cultured alone (CM microtissues) or in combination with human primary cardiac microvascular endothelial cells and cardiac fibroblasts (CMEF microtissues).