Reversible actuation of fibrous artificial muscle under external compression load.

Herein, we report hybrid fibrous artificial muscles with reversible actuation, i.e., expansion upon cooling and contraction upon heating, under external compression.

APMAT analysis reveals the association between CD8 T cell receptors, cognate antigen, and T cell phenotype and persistence.

Elucidating the relationships between a class I peptide antigen, a CD8 T cell receptor (TCR) specific to that antigen, and the T cell phenotype that emerges following antigen stimulation, remains a mostly unsolved problem, largely due to the lack of large data sets that can be mined to resolve such relationships. Here, we describe Antigen-TCR Pairing and Multiomic Analysis of T-cells (APMAT), an integrated experimental-computational framework designed for the high-throughput capture and analysis of CD8 T cells, with paired antigen, TCR sequence, and single-cell transcriptome. Starting with 951 putative antigens representing a comprehensive survey of the SARS-CoV-2 viral proteome, we utilize APMAT for the capture and single cell analysis of CD8 T cells from 62 HLA A*02:01 COVID-19 participants.

APMAT analysis reveals the association between CD8 T cell receptors, cognate antigen, and T cell phenotype and persistence.

Elucidating the relationships between a class I peptide antigen, a CD8 T cell receptor (TCR) specific to that antigen, and the T cell phenotype that emerges following antigen stimulation, remains a mostly unsolved problem, largely due to the lack of large data sets that can be mined to resolve such relationships. Here, we describe Antigen-TCR Pairing and Multiomic Analysis of T-cells (APMAT), an integrated experimental-computational framework designed for the high-throughput capture and analysis of CD8 T cells, with paired antigen, TCR sequence, and single-cell transcriptome. Starting with 951 putative antigens representing a comprehensive survey of the SARS-CoV-2 viral proteome, we utilize APMAT for the capture and single cell analysis of CD8 T cells from 62 HLA A*02:01 COVID-19 participants.

Increases in donor/recipient predicted heart mass ratios do not result in large donor right ventricles.

Pulmonary hypertension puts strain on the right ventricle (RV), leading to the widespread practice of oversizing donor hearts to mitigate complications. However, contemporary evidence for this practice is neutral. We studied the relationship between donor-recipient predicted heart mass (D/R PHM) ratios and increases in donor left ventricle (LV) and RV mass.

Implementation and Evaluation of a Bystander Naloxone Training Course.

Introduction: Bystander provision of naloxone is a key modality to reduce opioid overdose-related death. Naloxone training courses are available, but no standardized program exists. As part of a bystander empowerment course, we created and evaluated a brief naloxone training module.

Two case reports of fulminant giant cell myocarditis treated with rabbit anti-thymocyte globulin.

Background: Giant cell myocarditis (GCM) is an inflammatory form of acute heart failure with high rates of cardiac transplantation or death. Standard acute treatment includes multi-drug immunosuppressive regimens. There is a small but growing number of case reports utilizing rabbit anti-thymocyte globulin in severe cases.

Integrative systems biology reveals NKG2A-biased immune responses correlate with protection in infectious disease, autoimmune disease, and cancer.

Infection, autoimmunity, and cancer are principal human health challenges of the 21 century. Often regarded as distinct ends of the immunological spectrum, recent studies hint at potential overlap between these diseases. For example, inflammation can be pathogenic in infection and autoimmunity.

Faecal incontinence with concurrent disorders of gut-brain interaction: A worse outcome.

Background: Faecal incontinence is a common debilitating condition associated with poor quality of life that generates substantial economic strain on healthcare systems.

Objectives: We aimed to evaluate, in a tertiary referral population presenting with faecal incontinence, the impact of suffering additional disorders of gut-brain interaction (DGBI) on symptom severity, anxiety, depression and quality of life.

Methods: Design: Retrospective cohort study.

An NKG2A biased immune response confers protection for infection, autoimmune disease, and cancer.

Infection, autoimmunity, and cancer are the principal human health challenges of the 21st century and major contributors to human death and disease. Often regarded as distinct ends of the immunological spectrum, recent studies have hinted there may be more overlap between these diseases than appears. For example, pathogenic inflammation has been demonstrated as conserved between infection and autoimmune settings.

ChatGPT outscored human candidates in a virtual objective structured clinical examination in obstetrics and gynecology.

Background: Natural language processing is a form of artificial intelligence that allows human users to interface with a machine without using complex codes. The ability of natural language processing systems, such as ChatGPT, to successfully engage with healthcare systems requiring fluid reasoning, specialist data interpretation, and empathetic communication in an unfamiliar and evolving environment is poorly studied. This study investigated whether the ChatGPT interface could engage with and complete a mock objective structured clinical examination simulating assessment for membership of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists.

A Qualitative Analysis of Clinician Perspectives of Ultrasound Biofeedback for Speech Sound Disorders.

Purpose: Ultrasound biofeedback therapy (UBT) is a relatively new type of technology-assisted speech-language therapy and has shown promise in remediating speech sound disorders. However, there is a current lack of understanding of the barriers and benefits that may influence the usage behavior and clinical decision making for the implementation of UBT from a clinician perspective. In this qualitative study, we explore the perspectives of speech-language pathologists (SLPs) who have used ultrasound biofeedback in programs of speech sound therapy using the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT) model.

Schistosomiasis Control in Ethiopia: The Role of Snail Mapping in Endemic Communities.

Introduction: Schistosomiasis, a neglected tropical disease (NTD), remains a public health problem in Ethiopia. Freshwater snails, acting as intermediate hosts, release cercariae, the infectious parasite, into the water, which penetrate human skin that encounters infested waters. The objective of this study was to map snail abundance along rivers and study its association with schistosomiasis infection in communities using these rivers.

Classification of accurate and misarticulated /r/ for ultrasound biofeedback using tongue part displacement trajectories.

Ultrasound biofeedback therapy (UBT), which incorporates real-time imaging of tongue articulation, has demonstrated generally positive speech remediation outcomes for individuals with residual speech sound disorder (RSSD). However, UBT requires high attentional demands and may therefore benefit from a simplified display of articulation targets that are easily interpretable and can be compared to real-time articulation. Identifying such targets requires automatic quantification and analysis of movement features relevant to accurate speech production.

Multiple early factors anticipate post-acute COVID-19 sequelae.

Post-acute sequelae of COVID-19 (PASC) represent an emerging global crisis. However, quantifiable risk factors for PASC and their biological associations are poorly resolved. We executed a deep multi-omic, longitudinal investigation of 309 COVID-19 patients from initial diagnosis to convalescence (2-3 months later), integrated with clinical data and patient-reported symptoms.

Anisotropic frontal polymerization in a model resin-copper composite.

This work investigates experimentally and numerically frontal polymerization in a thermally anisotropic system with parallel copper strips embedded in 1,6-hexanediol diacrylate resin. Both experiments and multiphysics finite element analyses reveal that the front propagation in the thermally anisotropic system is orientation-dependent, leading to variations in the front shape and the front velocity due to the different front-metal strip interaction mechanisms along and across the metal strips. The parameters entering the cure kinetics model used in this work are chosen to capture the key characteristics of the polymerization front, i.

A reasoned approach towards administering COVID-19 vaccines to pregnant women.

There are over 50 SARS-CoV-2 candidate vaccines undergoing Phase II and III clinical trials. Several vaccines have been approved by regulatory authorities and rolled out for use in different countries. Due to concerns of potential teratogenicity or adverse effect on maternal physiology, pregnancy has been a specific exclusion criterion for most vaccine trials with only two trials not excluding pregnant women.

Multi-Omics Resolves a Sharp Disease-State Shift between Mild and Moderate COVID-19.

We present an integrated analysis of the clinical measurements, immune cells, and plasma multi-omics of 139 COVID-19 patients representing all levels of disease severity, from serial blood draws collected during the first week of infection following diagnosis. We identify a major shift between mild and moderate disease, at which point elevated inflammatory signaling is accompanied by the loss of specific classes of metabolites and metabolic processes. Within this stressed plasma environment at moderate disease, multiple unusual immune cell phenotypes emerge and amplify with increasing disease severity.

Development of a Molecular Snail Xenomonitoring Assay to Detect and Infections in their Snail Hosts.

Schistosomiasis, a neglected tropical disease of medical and veterinary importance, transmitted through specific freshwater snail intermediate hosts, is targeted for elimination in several endemic regions in sub-Saharan Africa. Multi-disciplinary methods are required for both human and environmental diagnostics to certify schistosomiasis elimination when eventually reached. Molecular xenomonitoring protocols, a DNA-based detection method for screening disease vectors, have been developed and trialed for parasites transmitted by hematophagous insects, such as filarial worms and trypanosomes, yet few have been extensively trialed or proven reliable for the intermediate host snails transmitting schistosomes.

Management of overt hypothyroidism during pregnancy.

Overt hypothyroidism is a common endocrine disorder affecting 1-2% of women of reproductive age. Optimizing treatment in pregnant women with overt hypothyroidism can reduce adverse fetal and maternal outcomes. Ideally, women who are known to have a history of hypothyroidism or those with risk factors for becoming hypothyroid, should have adequate preconception care to ensure euthyroidism from the onset of pregnancy, with a TSH target of below 2.

Tongue Part Movement Trajectories for /r/ Using Ultrasound.

Purpose: Because it shows the movement of different parts of the tongue in real time, ultrasound biofeedback therapy is a promising technology for speech research and remediation. One limitation is the difficulty of interpreting real-time ultrasound images of tongue motion. Our image processing system, TonguePART, tracks the tongue surface and allows for the acquisition of quantitative tongue part trajectories.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and pregnancy.

The current coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pneumonia pandemic, caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is spreading globally at an accelerated rate, with a basic reproduction number (R0) of 2-2.5, indicating that 2-3 persons will be infected from an index patient. A serious public health emergency, it is particularly deadly in vulnerable populations and communities in which healthcare providers are insufficiently prepared to manage the infection.

Perceptions of the osteopathic profession in New York City's Chinese Communities.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to assess knowledge of and barriers to osteopathic medicine in Chinese immigrant communities in New York City (NYC).

Design: A cross-sectional study was designed in which a culturally appropriate survey in Chinese and English versions was administered anonymously to measure immigrant perceptions and knowledge of osteopathic medicine.

Setting: Data collection occurred in the municipal delineations for the Chinatown neighbourhood within the New York, New York borough of Manhattan.