bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Overt and covert attention shifts to emotional faces: Combining EEG, eye tracking, and a go/no‐go paradigm
Authors: Kulke Louisa , Brümmer Lena , Pooresmaeili Arezoo , Schacht Annekathrin
Published: May 2021

In everyday life, faces with emotional expressions quickly attract attention and eye movements. To study the neural mechanisms of such emotion‐driven attention by means of event‐related brain potentials (ERPs), tasks that employ covert shifts of attention are commonly used, in which participants need to inhibit natural eye movements towards stimuli. It remains, however, unclear how shifts of attention to emotional faces with and without eye movements differ from each other. The current preregistered study aimed to investigate neural differences between covert and overt emotion‐driven attention. We combined eye tracking with measurements of ERPs to compare shifts of attention to faces with happy, angry, or neutral expressions when eye movements were either executed (go conditions) or withheld (no‐go conditions). Happy and angry faces led to larger EPN amplitudes, shorter latencies of the P1 component, and faster saccades, suggesting that emotional expressions significantly affected shifts of attention. Several ERPs (N170, EPN, LPC) were augmented in amplitude when attention was shifted with an eye movement, indicating an enhanced neural processing of faces if eye movements had to be executed together with a reallocation of attention. However, the modulation of ERPs by facial expressions did not differ between the go and no‐go conditions, suggesting that emotional content enhances both covert and overt shifts of attention. In summary, our results indicate that overt and covert attention shifts differ but are comparably affected by emotional content.
On Modeling Worldviews in Quantitative Decision Support
Authors: Stern Paul C.
Published: May 2021

To inform decisions under deep uncertainty, risk analysts need to consider how best to deal with the fact that stakeholders often do not share specific concerns or fundamental perspectives. Lempert and Turner propose that deliberation can improve if models incorporate three worldviews defined in social science theory. This commentary suggests that competence and legitimacy are more likely to emerge from deliberation when models are built inductively, inquiring first about stakeholders’ decision‐relevant concerns and then developing models to speak to them. The added complexity of Lempert and Turner's modeling approach presents difficult tradeoffs with accessibility and trust.
The clinical and histopathologic effects of potentiated chlorhexidine in the upper respiratory tract of horses
Authors: Stewart Holly L. , Engiles Julie B. , Richardson Dean W. , Levine David G.
Published: May 2021

Objective

To describe the bactericidal and fungicidal properties of a 0.0005% chlorhexidine (CHD) solution potentiated with EDTA‐Tris buffers (CHD‐EDTA‐Tris) and evaluate the safety of 0.0005% CHD‐EDTA‐Tris in the upper respiratory tract (URT) of normal horses.

Study Design

Clinical, prospective study.

Animals

Eight healthy, skeletally mature horses.

Methods

In vitro—serial dilutions of CHD‐EDTA‐Tris and EDTA‐Tris alone were evaluated for bactericidal and fungicidal activity againstAspergillus fumigatus,Escherichia coli,Staphylococcus aureus,Streptococcus equisubspecies ssp.equi,Streptococcus equissp.zooepidemicus, andPseudomonas aeruginosa. In vivo—eight healthy horses were topically treated twice with 30 ml of 0.0005% CHD‐EDTA‐Tris. Mucosal samples from each location were evaluated for the presence of inflammation or pathologic lesions.

Results

Solutions containing CHD were superior in fungal and bacterial killing to those without. In vitro—a 0.005% CHD‐EDTA‐Tris was 100% effective against all bacterial and fungal species evaluated, while a 0.0005% CHD‐EDTA‐Tris was less efficacious againstA. fumigatusandS. equissp.equi. In vivo—a 0.0005% CHD‐EDTA‐Tris did not cause any clinical, gross, or histologic abnormalities when topically applied to the equine URT.

Conclusions

A 0.0005% CHD‐EDTA‐Tris was highly effective for killing of common bacterial and fungal isolates in the equine upper respiratory tract. Short‐term topical treatment of the equine URT with dilute CHD did not cause gross or histological inflammation in the tissue.

Clinical Significance

A 0.0005% CHD solution with EDTA‐Tris should be considered for treatment of clinically relevant inflammatory or infectious conditions or in the URT of the horse.
The Effect of Heat Transfer on Turbine Performance
Authors: Jardine Lachlan , Miller Robert
Published: May 2021

For over 50 years, high-pressure gas turbine blades have been cooled using air bled from the compressor. This cooling results in very high rates of heat transfer, both within the fluid and within the blade. The heat transfer often occurs across large differences in temperature and thus is highly irreversible. It is therefore surprising that little is understood about the effect of this heat transfer on turbine performance. This paper solves this problem by applying a new method known as mechanical work potential, or euergy, analysis. The key consequence of the analysis is that the value placed on all heat, relative to work, becomes set by the Joule (Brayton) cycle efficiency. This means that when heat is transferred locally within a flow, or when viscous reheat occurs, the value of this heat should be set by the Joule cycle efficiency. This paper demonstrates how the new method can be implemented both in the preliminary design systems and in the analysis of conjugate CFD solutions of complex engine representative components. The new method provides the cooling designer with a new way of raising turbine efficiency, a form of recuperation locally in the flow. This method offers the exciting potential to design cooling systems that, when added to a blade profile, actually reduces profile loss by up to 7.3%.
Integrally Bladed Rotor Mistuning Identification and Model Updating Using Geometric Mistuning Models
Authors: Beck Joseph A. , Brown Jeffrey M. , Gillaugh Daniel L. , Carper Emily B. , Kaszynski Alex A.
Published: May 2021

Nonuniform manufacturing variations and uneven usage wear and damage, referred to as mistuning, can drastically alter the dynamic response of integrally blade rotors (IBRs). Optical scanners, combined with finite element model (FEM) mesh metamorphosis algorithms, have provided capabilities to create analytical models that reduce the effect of geometrical uncertainties in numerical predictions. However, deviations in material properties cannot be obtained via optical scanning, so additional approaches are needed. A geometric mistuning reduced-order model (ROM) is developed and modified to solve for unknown IBR sector eigenvalues that are linearly proportional to elastic modulus. The developed approach accounts for both proportional and nonproportional mistuning and allows updating of the elastic modulus for each sector in the ROM. Different tuned and mistuned modal reduction procedures are employed to understand the implications of each for identifying mistuning. Simulated test data with known inputs indicate the efficiency and accuracy of the method and improvements over using a traditional, tuned mode approach. The developed methods are then extended to bench-level traveling wave excitation (TWE) data to discern how sector frequencies vary due to geometry and modulus mistuning.
Optimization of Oxygen Delivery Within Hydrogels
Authors: Mavris Sophia M. , Hansen Laura M.
Published: May 2021

The field of tissue engineering has been continuously evolving since its inception over three decades ago with numerous new advancements in biomaterials and cell sources and widening applications to most tissues in the body. Despite the substantial promise and great opportunities for the advancement of current medical therapies and procedures, the field has yet to capture wide clinical translation due to some remaining challenges, including oxygen availability within constructs, both in vitro and in vivo. While this insufficiency of nutrients, specifically oxygen, is a limitation within the current frameworks of this field, the literature shows promise in new technological advances to efficiently provide adequate delivery of nutrients to cells. This review attempts to capture the most recent advances in the field of oxygen transport in hydrogel-based tissue engineering, including a comparison of current research as it pertains to the modeling, sensing, and optimization of oxygen within hydrogel constructs as well as new technological innovations to overcome traditional diffusion-based limitations. The application of these findings can further the advancement and development of better hydrogel-based tissue engineered constructs for future clinical translation and adoption.
Symbolic and Numeric Kernel Division for Graphics Processing Unit-Based Finite Element Analysis Assembly of Regular Meshes With Modified Sparse Storage Formats
Authors: Sanfui Subhajit , Sharma Deepak
Published: May 2021

This paper presents an efficient strategy to perform the assembly stage of finite element analysis (FEA) on general purpose graphics processing units (GPUs). This strategy involves dividing the assembly task using symbolic and numeric kernels, and thereby reducing the complexity of the standard single-kernel assembly approach. Two sparse storage formats based on the proposed strategy are also developed by modifying the existing sparse storage formats with the intention of removing the degrees-of-freedom-based redundancies in the global matrix. The inherent problem of race condition is resolved through the implementation of coloring and atomics. The proposed strategy is compared with the state-of-the-art GPU-based and central processing unit (CPU)-based assembly techniques. These comparisons reveal a significant number of benefits in terms of reducing storage space requirements and execution time and increasing performance (GFLOPS). Moreover, using the proposed strategy, it is found that the coloring method is more effective compared to the atomics-based method for the existing as well as the modified storage formats.
Experimental Investigation on the Change in Flow Boiling Characteristics Due to Boiling-Induced Copper Ageing
Authors: Jayaramu Prasanna , Jain Shashwat , Gedupudi Sateesh , Das Sarit K.
Published: May 2021

Heat sinks and heat exchangers based on flow boiling in mini/microchannels are expected to be more compact and efficient. One of the major challenges while using copper material for phase-change heat transfer application is the change in surface characteristics after prolonged usage due to the thermal oxidation of surface over time. This study involves the repeated experimental runs of flow boiling of water in a 1 mm hydraulic diameter end-milled copper channel to verify the influence of ageing on the thermal and hydraulic performance. As it is difficult to measure the surface wettability in a mini/microchannel, this work makes use of the ageing and surface characterization study conducted on the dummy copper samples to infer the influence of ageing on mini/microchannel surface characteristics and consequently its boiling performance. The test involves measuring over a period of time the wetting behaviors of the end-milled copper samples left in water at three different conditions: one in a constant temperature bath maintained at 60 °C and 1 atm and the remaining two in a pool of boiling water at 110 °C and 120 °C. The study compares the fresh sample and the aged sample for the surface oxidation, surface chemical composition and surface morphology, and discusses the changes in the contact angle and surface morphology caused by copper ageing.
Improving Hands-Free Speech Rehabilitation in Laryngectomized Patients: Preliminary Results of a Novel Intratracheal Fixation Device
Authors: Leemans Maartje , van Alphen Maarten J.A. , Dirven Richard , Verkerke Gijsbertus J. , Hekman Edsko E.G. , van den Brekel Michiel W.M.
Published: May 2021

Permanent hands-free speech with the use of an automatic speaking valve (ASV) is regarded as the optimal voice rehabilitation after total laryngectomy. Due to fixation problems, regular ASV use in laryngectomized patients is limited. We have developed a novel intratracheal fixation device (ITFD), composed of an intratracheal button augmented by a hydrophilic PVA foam exterior around its shaft. The aim of this study was to evaluate the ITFD’s feasibility in vitro, defined as an effective ASV fixation without causing mucosal tissue traumatization.

We found that when the expanded PVA foam is compressed less than 60% of its original thickness, it can potentially provide both a safe and effective ASV fixation in a range of tracheostoma morphologies; enough fixation to withstand pressures related to loud speech (approximately 6 kPa) without exerting excessive pressure (>32 mmHg) which could lead to ischemic damage to the tracheal tissue.

This study demonstrates the feasibility of the ITFD in vitro that might improve stomal attachment of ASVs. The ITFD’s deformable foam exterior may provide an effective fixation in most laryngectomized patients, compared to commercially available fixation methods, without the need for a user-specific customization. The results of a clinical feasibility study in laryngectomized patients are pending.
Kirigami-Based Disposable Laparoscopic Instruments Under Direct Surgeon Control
Authors: Nelson Carl A.
Published: May 2021

In this paper, we present a method for fabricating inexpensive, disposable, articulated instruments for minimally invasive surgery based on Japanese paper arts. Building on the literature covering the kinematics of origami, we introduce an articulated instrument design with antagonistic tendon actuation. A general method for achieving a fixed motion scaling ratio in these types of systems is also presented. Kinematic simulations and prototyping demonstrate feasibility of this concept.
Advanced Surface System for Central Venous Catheter Insertion Training
Authors: Brown Dailen , Tzamaras Haroula , Gonzalez-Vargas Jessica M. , Miller Scarlett , Moore Jason
Published: May 2021

An advanced surface for Central Venous Catheterization (CVC) training and evaluation was designed using sensorization techniques, including the use of a hall effect sensor array to measure the insertion depth of a catheter. The sensor array was tested for accuracy in both static and dynamic scenarios, and was found to be sufficiently accurate; measuring position with an accuracy of ±1.1 mm on average. The highest deviations in measured positions were located at the extreme ends of the array where calculations rely on only a single sensor. The maximum deviation in measured position was found to be 3.5 mm. This low-cost system of catheter measurement has the potential to improve feedback and assessment of CVC training.
Emergency Design and Production of Level 1 Hospital Gowns During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Liu John , Kerber James , Saliterman Steven
Published: May 2021

The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has induced a massive shortage of personal protective equipment (PPE) across the United States. To alleviate the crisis, efforts to develop rapidly-producible PPE should be explored. Herein, we present the rapid design and production process of level 1 hospital gowns to address this dire shortage at a large academic healthcare organization taken by a team of student engineers at the University of Minnesota. We detail the collaborative process of gown design, considering its constraints (time, cost, material, rapid producibility, volume, and delivery), in addition to how material manufacturers and converters were identified to alleviate this crisis.
Sensorization of Medical Trays for Tray-Based Surgical Procedure Simulation
Authors: Tzamaras Haroula M. , Brown Dailen , Gonzalez-Vargas Jessica M. , Moore Jason , Miller Scarlett R.
Published: May 2021

A concept for a sensorized medical tray in conjunction with real-time visual cues to aid medical residents in learning the steps of complicated tray-based medical procedures, such as central venous catheterization, was designed and tested as a first iteration. This paper outlines the selection of an LED screen to illuminate various medical devices and the testing of simple magnetic reed switches to use as sensors to track the movement of various medical tools from a tray. While this concept was designed around central venous catheterization, this work is translatable to any medical procedure using a pre-packaged plastic tray.
Design of Response Channels to Augment Speech and Language Rehabilitation in Children with Hearing Impairment
Authors: Venkatesh Kavyashree , Karia Deval , Jayaprakash Sangeeth Geetha , Nair Rishank Santosh , Manalel Littina George , A. Ramesh , Arora Manish
Published: May 2021

Hearing impairment impedes the normal development of speech and language skills in children. Lack of auditory stimulation restricts the ability of children to communicate using spoken language. Consequently, this hinders educational, social and career choices for children as they grow up. The standard of care for children with hearing impairment involves providing appropriate amplification devices (external/implanted) followed by speech and language therapy. The process of therapy is time and labor-intensive for all stakeholders. Regular compliance to therapy requires considerable time commitment by the parent/caretaker, which further implies a cost burden pertaining to therapy sessions and/or loss of wages. These challenges are compounded by the dearth, and a skewed distribution of qualified speech therapists in resource-constrained settings. An affordable intervention was proposed in our earlier work, wherein a smartphone application could facilitate home-based therapy for children with hearing impairment. Further discussions with stakeholders led to identification of other drawbacks in the current system of rehabilitation including lack of means to monitor and track the child’s progress during home-therapy. In this work, we propose the use of response channels to serve as quantitative metrics in analyzing and quantifying a child’s progress during the process of therapy. This technology-based solution may strengthen the support framework available for parents/caregivers to provide home-based therapy on a regular basis, and possibly reduce the need for frequent visits to the institution.
Design of a Flexure-Based Compliant Grasper for the Master Arm of a Surgical Robot
Authors: Chandrasekaran Karthik , Somayaji Adarsh , Thondiyath Asokan
Published: May 2021

A master arm of a tele-operated surgical robot serves as an input device to the system. A master arm typically has 6 Degrees of Freedom (DoF) input apart from grasping input used to control the grasping motion of the surgical tool located at the slave arm. The typical design of a master arm grasper makes use of either a gear driven or a crank-slider linkage to capture the grasping input from the surgeon. Such a mechanism has several moving components and needs joints with minimal clearance for reliable operation. A compliant mechanism that features a joint-less design offers superior performance and would serve as an ideal replacement for such a mechanism. This paper presents the design and analysis of a master arm grasper based on a partially compliant mechanism. An inherent advantage of the proposed mechanism for this application is the reduced number of components. Design details and the pseudo-rigid body analysis of the grasper are presented. A prototype of the grasper has been fabricated, and experimental verifications were carried out. The grasper was integrated into a custom-built master arm manipulator to demonstrate its utility in a surgical robot. Results show that the compliant grasper performs well for its intended purpose.
Evaluating the Potential Susceptibilities of Swine Bronchi to Colateral Damage from Applied Cryoablation
Authors: Upchurch Weston , Ramirez David , Iaizzo Paul A.
Published: May 2021

While thermal ablation to induce pulmonary vein isolation has proven to be successful in treating atrial fibrillation, the applied modalities create the possibilities for collateral damage to surrounding extracardiac structures. Bronchi are considered as one tissue susceptible to such collateral damage. Here, the relative impacts that focal cryoablation dosages have on bronchial tissues were investigated using an in vitro isolated tissue bath setup.
Paperometer: A Low-Cost Incentive Spirometer
Authors: Sharma Shonit Nair , Chidambaram Devrina , Mizzi Gianna , Rosen Daniel , Slaughter Kristin , Golecki Holly
Published: May 2021

As a preemptive response to the widespread need for respiratory medical devices developing in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, we propose a low-cost incentive spirometer for respiratory rehabilitation in patients with reduced lung function. An incentive spirometer manufactured entirely out of recyclable material, termed “Paperometer,” aims to address the multifaced problem of medical device inaccessibility: high cost, lack of user- or environmental-friendliness, and unavailability to those who need them the most. Operating in accordance with governing physical formulae including Ohm’s law and the Hagen-Poiseuille equation, Paperometer is intended to improve the user’s lung function through repeated use of the device, which facilitates slow, deep breaths of air. Several prototypes were created based on a list of design criteria established through background research and stakeholder interviews. From four initial prototypes, all created predominantly from simple foldable geometries, one design was selected for further iteration. The most promising functional prototype was crafted from recyclable plastic and paper folded into various shapes including a box, tube, and pinwheel. The Paperometer concept stands as an innovative solution to reduce the cost and environmental burden of meeting the demand for medical devices. Once validated, the device may serve as an important tool in combating the ongoing global pandemic.
The Effect of Mechanical Coupling on the Perception of Haptic Feedback
Authors: Molina Alicia , Hammond Frank L.
Published: May 2021

A wearable sensory transfer armband was developed to display haptic feedback on the forearm. This device provides focalized mechanotactile feedback in the form of pressure with balloon-like pneumatic actuators. The balloons inflate to exert pressure against the skin just below them. In order to understand and control how the feedback device interacts with the user, its performance was characterized by measuring the pneumatics’ internal pressure, the force applied against the arm surface by the balloon, and the air volume injected into the balloon. The mechanical coupling, or fit, of the feedback display against the arm was also characterized and varied as the previous parameters were observed, any changes and how these pertain to the perception of haptic feedback were analyzed. The study revealed that mechanical coupling significantly affects the forces felt against the forearm. The study also showed that the perception of haptic feedback can vary depending on the anatomical location on the forearm where feedback is applied.
Developing a Wire Navigation Simulator for Pedicle Screw Placement in Minimally Invasive Transforaminal Lumbar Interbody Fusion
Authors: Hill Jared , Long Steven , Williams Evan , Thomas Geb , Bechtold Joan , Anderson Donald D.
Published: May 2021

Simulation training provides an opportunity for surgeons to learn key skills in a safe environment. This is especially important for surgical procedures where mistakes have high consequences, such as working near the spinal cord. Wire navigation is a common orthopedic skill that spans many procedures. This paper presents the design steps taken to modify an existing simulator intended to train surgeons on hip wire navigation so that it can be used to train surgeons on placing a K-wire during a minimally invasive transforaminal lumbar fusion, or MIS-TLIF. The new design was able to accommodate several unique features of the MIS-TLIF task and successfully simulate placing the guide wire in the pedicle body. Results show that the simulator design functions normally even in the face of hammering needed to place the guide wire, a unique step in this procedure compared with other wire navigation procedures. Additional work remaining involves developing a training curriculum so that surgeons can benefit from this new tool.
User Centered Approach to the Supra-Functional Needs of People Living with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)
Authors: McDonagh Deana , Arquines Kayla , Hsiao-Wecksler Elizabeth T. , Mansouri Mahshid , Krishnan Girish , Alabed Mohammed , Zallek Christopher M.
Published: May 2021

User-centered design relies upon the appreciation that assistive technology device solutions need to include the functional and supra-functional (e.g., emotional, social, cultural) needs of users. Developing solutions without basing decision-making on both quantitative (functional) and qualitative (supra-functional) needs can lead to imbalanced devices, services, and/or environments. Satisfying both functional and supra-functional needs is the foundation of user-centered design, which in itself relies upon empathic understanding of the person that one is aiming to serve.

This paper presents a study of the lived experiences of people living with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, their caregivers, and members of the healthcare management team from a human-centered perspective in the pursuit of pain points, deeper understanding of the emotional needs, and revelation of opportunities for improving quality of life and human experience through more user-centered design. We focus on user-centered design-thinking research tools (e.g., mood boards, journey maps, personas) to (a) understand the authentic experience of the individual in their vernacular and their terminology, and (b) to support a data rich conversation that focuses upon both functional and supra-functional needs to highlight opportunities for design interventions).
A Novel Myofunctional Therapy Water Bottle to Reduce Snoring and Obstructive Sleep Apnea
Authors: Olmanson Anders , Nordmann Tyler , Olmanson Bjorn , Molitor Evan , Hodnefield Gunnar
Published: May 2021

There is a clear unmet need to provide alternative, first-line solutions for both obstructive sleep apnea and primary snoring. A novel myofunctional therapy nozzle that delivers therapy through drinking water provides a low risk, low burden, and affordable solution that can easily be administered to primary snorers and obstructive sleep apnea patients to reduce the overall harm from these conditions. A prototype myofunctional therapy nozzle and water bottle were developed and used to conduct a product usability study over the summer of 2020 to assess likeability, one-month adherence, and snoring improvement. 37 participants participated in the study and completed one month of device use. 27 participants were included in the snoring analysis and 35 participants in the tiredness analysis.

The one-month assessment has shown 88% adherence, the overall satisfaction of the product was 80% measured by CSAT, 93% have reported subjective improvements in reducing snoring intensity, occurrence, and/or impact, and 34% of participants reported improvements in tiredness. Bedpartner reported median snoring intensity decreased from somewhat loud to soft or quiet, overall snoring occurrence decreased, and median snoring impact reduced from moderately to a little bit after one month of device use. Preliminary results are promising and warrant further investigation.
Neuromorphic Representation of Cardiac Data from the American Black Bear During Hibernation
Authors: Iles Tinen L. , Laske Timothy G. , Iaizzo Paul A. , Tsur Elishai Ezra
Published: May 2021

Brain-inspired (neuromorphic) systems realize biological neural principles with Spiking Neural Networks (SNN) to provide high-performing, energy-efficient frameworks for robotics, artificial intelligence, and adaptive control. The Neural Engineering Framework (NEF) brings forth a theoretical framework approach for the representation of high-dimensional mathematical constructs with spiking neurons for the implementation of functional large-scale neural networks. Here, we explore the utilization of neuromorphic adaptive control for circadian modulated cardiac pacing by examining the neuromorphic representation of high-dimensional cardiac data. For this study, we have utilized a model from a data set acquired from an American black bear during hibernation. Black bears in Minnesota will hibernate for 4-6 months without eating and drinking while losing little muscle mass and remain relatively normothermic throughout the winter [10]. In the current study, we obtained EEG and ECG data from one black bear throughout the winter months in Grand Rapids, MN, represented with NEF. Our results demonstrated opposing requirements for neuromorphic representation. While using high synaptic time constants for obtained ECG data, provided desirable low pass filtering, representation of EEG data requires fast synapses and a high number of neurons. Although this is only an analysis of a small sample of the data available, these guidelines provided the robust pilot dataset to observe the SNN patterns during prolonged hibernation and pair this data with the cardiac responses and thus support research questions related to the autonomic tone during hibernation. This preliminary research will help further develop our neuromorphic adaptive controller to better adapt cardiac pacing to circadian rhythms. This unique dataset may pave the way toward deciphering the underlying neural mechanisms of hibernation, providing translational to humans.
The Process Implementation of Micro Manufactured SLA Printed Nasopharyngeal Swabs
Authors: Alfonzo Dani , Tucker Aaron , Rothweiler Paul , Galliger Zachary , Helms Haylie , Erdman Art , Panoskaltsis-Mortari Angela
Published: May 2021

We illustrate SLA 3d-printing printing methods to produce COVID-19 nasopharyngeal testing swabs, proving that they can be produced in a manner that is safe and clean for the users. 3D printing is an effective and efficient tool that can be used for a wide variety of applications, especially for a quick turn around in response to a shortage, and specifically for this application, this method was created in response to the swab shortage in early summer 2020.
The Feasibility of a Robotic Device to Objectively Measure Ankle Joint Proprioception
Authors: Huang Qiyin , Zhong Bin , Naveen Elangovan , Zhang Mingming , Konczak Jürgen
Published: May 2021

Proprioception is defined as the ability to sense limb and body position and motion. Proprioceptive signals originating from the mechanoreceptors around the ankle joint are critical for maintaining postural control and gait. Previous studies identified the detrimental effect of ankle somatosensory dysfunction on sensorimotor function such as balance control. However, a direct measure of ankle proprioception as a marker of proprioceptive dysfunction has not been identified. Recent advances in robotic rehabilitation devices allow precise movement of body segments while maintaining tight control over the exposed joint velocity. Here, we aim to design an ankle robot with 1-degree-of-freedom (DOF) – dorsiflexion/plantarflexion (DFPF) to objectively measure ankle joint proprioception in two aspects - joint position sense, and motion sense. To establish the feasibility of the device to evaluate ankle proprioceptive function, a small sample of healthy adult participants (n = 3) was recruited. A psychophysical 2-alternative forced-choice paradigm was employed for ankle position and motion sense evaluation. The ankle robot passively moved the ankle to one of two different positions or at two different stimulus velocities. Subsequently, participants verbally indicated the farthest position or the fastest motion. Based on their responses, a psychometric function was fitted, and a just-noticeable-difference (JND) threshold was established at the 75% correct response level, which served as a measure of ankle joint proprioception. The mean JND position threshold was 0.73°± 0.01°, and the mean JND motion threshold was 0.62°/s ± 0.05°/s. Test-retest reliability tests in all three subjects yielded the reliability coefficients of rT2 − T1 = 0.974 for JND position threshold, and rT2 − T1 = 0.948 for JND motion threshold. We here demonstrate that the feasibility and reliability of this new device to assess ankle proprioceptive acuity.
Pandemic Design: Protective Mask Utilizing Non-Endagered Components
Authors: Griffin Linsey , Durfee William K
Published: May 2021

A critical component of a successful N95 respirator alternative product in the United States is the ability to circumvent traditional avenues of sourcing and manufacturing. The purpose of this research was to develop and test an alternative facemask design to combat shortages of N95 facemasks by creating a design that can be produced locally with low specialization of materials and process. Through an interdisciplinary network of experts, a new mask design was developed and tested that uses repurposed air filtration media and commercially available components. Manufacturing viability was tested using a small unskilled workforce (n=10-20) to create 6000 masks over 10 days. The ability to quickly produce masks at scale using an unskilled workforce demonstrates the feasibility of the mask design and manufacturing approach to address shortages of critical healthcare equipment, mitigate risk for healthcare and essential workers, and minimize the transmission and spread of disease.
The Impact of Blade Technology on Paralympic Sprint Performance Between 1996 and 2016: Bilateral Amputees’ Competitive Advantage
Authors: Tuakli-Wosornu Yetsa A. , Li Xiang , Ona Ayala Kimberly E. , Wu Yinfei , Amick Michael , Frumberg David B.
Published: May 2021

It is known that high-performance sprinters with unilateral and bilateral prosthetic lower limbs run at different speeds using different spatiotemporal strategies. Historically, these athletes still competed together in the same races, but 2018 classification rule revisions saw the separation of these two groups. This study sought to compare Paralympic sprint performance between all-comer (i.e., transfemoral and transtibial) unilateral and bilateral amputee sprinters using a large athlete sample. A retrospective analysis of race speed among Paralympic sprinters between 1996 and 2016 was conducted. In total, 584 published race results from 161 sprinters revealed that unilateral and bilateral lower-extremity amputee sprinters had significantly different race speeds in all three race finals (100 m, p value <.001; 200 m, <.001; 400 m, <.001). All-comer bilateral amputee runners ran faster than their unilateral counterparts; performance differences increased with race distance. These data support current classification criteria in amputee sprinting, which may create more equal competitive fields in the future.
People with Down syndrome face high risk from coronavirus
Authors: Wadman Meredith
Published: May 2021

Advocates call for early vaccination of group made vulnerable by genetics and immune dysfunction.
As vaccines emerge, a global waiting game begins
Authors: Cohen Jon , Kupferschmidt Kai
Published: May 2021

Rich countries snapped up limited supplies, so protection will lag for others.
Nitric Oxide Signaling for Actinorhodin Production in Streptomyces coelicolor A3(2) via the DevS/R Two-Component System
Authors: Honma Sota , Ito Shinsaku , Yajima Shunsuke , Sasaki Yasuyuki
Published: May 2021

Diverse organisms, such as mammals, plants, and bacteria, utilize NO via well-known signal transduction mechanisms. Many useful secondary metabolite-producing bacteria of the
Streptomyces
genus had been also suggested for the metabolism regulated by endogenously produced NO; however, the regulatory mechanisms remain to be elucidated.
Antibacterial Activity of Caffeic Acid Combined with UV-A Light against Escherichia coli O157:H7, Salmonella enterica Serovar Typhimurium, and Listeria monocytogenes
Authors: Park Min-Young , Kang Dong-Hyun
Published: May 2021

Photodynamic inactivation (PDI), which involves photoactivation of a photosensitizer (PS), is an emerging field of study, as it effectively reduces various kinds of microorganisms. Although there are several PSs that have been used for PDI, there is a need to find naturally occurring PSs for safer application in the food industry.
The Seasonal Microbial Ecology of Plankton and Plankton-Associated Vibrio parahaemolyticus in the Northeast United States
Authors: Hartwick Meghan A. , Berenson Audrey , Whistler Cheryl A. , Naumova Elena N. , Jones Stephen H.
Published: May 2021

The
Vibrio
-plankton interaction is a focal relationship in
Vibrio
disease research; however, little is known about this dynamic in the Northeast United States, where
V. parahaemolyticus
is an established public health issue. We integrated phototactic plankton separation with seasonality analysis to determine the dynamics of the plankton community, water quality, and
V. parahaemolyticus
concentrations.
How To Prepare for the Unexpected: a Public Health Laboratory Response
Authors: Charlton Carmen L. , Hull Noah , Sloma Cari Roark , Bonifas Mary , Johnson Matthew , Strain Anna K. , Wolford Tyler , Staley Sherrie , Perkins Carey , Razzaque Rafia , Courtney Colleen , Bind Eric P.
Published: May 2021

Public health laboratories (PHLs) continue to face internal and external challenges to their abilities to provide successful, timely responses to public health crises and emerging threats. These laboratories are mandated to maintain the health of their communities by identifying, diagnosing, and warning constituents of potential and real health emergencies.
A Molecular-Beacon-Based Multiplex Real-Time PCR Assay To Distinguish Mycobacterium abscessus Subspecies and Determine Macrolide Susceptibility
Authors: Marras Salvatore A. E. , Chen Liang , Shashkina Elena , Davidson Rebecca M. , Strong Michael , Daley Charles L. , Kreiswirth Barry N.
Published: May 2021

Mycobacterium abscessus
is a rapidly growing nontuberculous mycobacterial species that comprises three subspecies:
M. abscessus
subsp.
abscessus
,
M. abscessus
subsp.
massiliense
, and
M. abscessus
subsp.
bolletii
. These predominantly environmental microorganisms have emerged as life-threatening chronic pulmonary pathogens in both immunocompetent and immunocompromised patients, and their acquisition of macrolide resistance due to the
erm
(41) gene and mutations in the 23S
rrl
gene has dramatically impacted patient outcome.
Coexistence of
optrA
and
fexA
in Campylobacter
Authors: Tang Biao , Wang Yao , Luo Yi , Zheng Xue , Qin Xiaoxia , Yang Hua , Shen Zhangqi
Published: May 2021

Florfenicol is widely used for the treatment of respiratory infections and as a feed additive in food animal production. As a foodborne pathogen,
Campylobacter
is constantly exposed to florfenicol, and resistance to this antimicrobial agent has increased in recent years.
Lipid A Structural Divergence in
Rickettsia
Pathogens
Authors: Guillotte Mark L. , Chandler Courtney E. , Verhoeve Victoria I. , Gillespie Joseph J. , Driscoll Timothy P. , Rahman M. Sayeedur , Ernst Robert K. , Azad Abdu F.
Published: May 2021

Spikes in rickettsioses occur as deforestation, urbanization, and homelessness increase human exposure to blood-feeding arthropods. Still, effective
Rickettsia
vaccines remain elusive.
Scorpion Venom Antimicrobial Peptides Induce Siderophore Biosynthesis and Oxidative Stress Responses in Escherichia coli
Authors: Tawfik Mohamed M. , Bertelsen Magnus , Abdel-Rahman Mohamed A. , Strong Peter N. , Miller Keith
Published: May 2021

The development of life-threatening resistance of pathogenic bacteria to the antibiotics typically in use in hospitals and the community today has led to an urgent need to discover novel antimicrobial agents with different mechanisms of action. As an ancient host defense mechanism of the innate immune system, antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are attractive candidates to fill that role.
Lsr2 and Its Novel Paralogue Mediate the Adjustment of Mycobacterium smegmatis to Unfavorable Environmental Conditions
Authors: Kołodziej Marta , Łebkowski Tomasz , Płociński Przemysław , Hołówka Joanna , Paściak Mariola , Wojtaś Bartosz , Bury Katarzyna , Konieczny Igor , Dziadek Jarosław , Zakrzewska-Czerwińska Jolanta
Published: May 2021

Nucleoid-associated proteins (NAPs) are the most abundant proteins involved in bacterial chromosome organization and global transcription regulation. The mycobacterial NAP family includes many diverse proteins; some are unique to actinobacteria, and many are crucial for survival under stress (e.g., HupB and Lsr2) and/or optimal growth conditions (e.g., mycobacterial integration host factor [mIHF]).
mSphere of Influence: Discovering New Layers of Complexity in the Immune System
Authors: Drummond Rebecca A.
Published: May 2021

Rebecca Drummond works in the field of antifungal immunity. In this mSphere of Influence article, she reflects on how papers by Amit et al. (H. Keren-Shaul, A. Spinrad, A. Weiner, O. Matcovitch-Natan, et al., Cell
169
:1276–1290, 2017) and Ayres et al. (K. K. Sanchez, G. Y. Chen, A. M. P. Schieber, S. E. Redford, et al., Cell
175
:146–158, 2018) made an impact on her by introducing her to new concepts in immune system complexity.
Acute appendicitis in pregnancy mimicking leiomyoma pain
Authors: Kim Yuna , Hwang Inchul
Published: May 2021

Acute appendicitis is the most common nonobstetric condition requiring surgery in pregnancy. However, the diagnosis of acute appendicitis during pregnancy is challenging because of obscure clinical manifestations and laboratory findings. Intravenous antibiotic treatment is not preferred over operation because of the poor outcome. Here, we present a case of a 34-year-old woman in the second trimester of pregnancy who presented with suprapubic pain and an unexpected 3.5 cm-long exophytic intramural myoma on the right anterolateral wall of the uterus rather than prominent appendicitis features; thus, it took 2 days to confirm the diagnosis. Laparoscopic appendectomy was performed, and the patient was discharged without lingering reports on postoperative day 6. Acute appendicitis during pregnancy is common; therefore, attentive clinical suspicion will contribute to shorter hospital stays as well as fewer maternal and fetal complications.
Peduncular hallucinosis after a thalamic stroke
Authors: Shahab Mohammad , Ahmed Rashid , Kaur Navreet , Masoud Hesham
Published: May 2021

Peduncular hallucinosis is a rare form of hallucinations consisting of vivid and nonthreatening colourful visual hallucinations. It was first described by French neurologist Jean Lhermitte in 1922. It sometimes includes distorted images of animals and people. Peduncular hallucinosis has been described after vascular and infective lesions of the mesencephalon and thalamus.

We present a case of peduncular hallucinosis after a right thalamic infarction. This is a case of a 75-year-old Caucasian man with a previous medical history of hypertension and hyperlipidaemia who presented as a transfer from an outside hospital with transient left facial palsy, upper and lower extremity weakness. His symptoms resolved on arrival. CTA head and neck revealed focal filling defect in the basilar artery and a right posterior cerebral artery (PCA) occlusion at its origin. MRI brain without contrast revealed a right thalamic infarct. The patient had vivid hallucinations including his wife sleeping on his hospital bed, seeing his favourite book on the table while he had left it at home, seeing his dogs and a TV show on his room television while it was off. He was easily redirectable, and the hallucinations resolved over 2 days without pharmacological intervention. In cases of thalamic, midbrain or peduncular infarctions, physicians should be cognizant of the possibility of peduncular hallucinosis and inquire about hallucinations. New onset hallucinations in a patient with no prior psychiatric history presenting with concerns for stroke should prompt physicians to strongly consider peduncular hallucinosis.
Metastatic endophthalmitis presenting as subretinal abscess following a forearm furuncle
Authors: Bariya Sonia , Bhattacharya Anusuya , Narang Subina
Published: May 2021

Metastatic endophthalmitis (ME) is rare form of secondary uveitis commonly prevalent in immunocompromised patients. A 55-year-old immunocompetent woman presented with painful decrease in left eye vision (referred to us as cytomegalovirus retinochoroiditis). Ocular examination revealed diffuse yellowish-white retinitis lesion (diagnosed as subretinal abscess on macular optical coherence tomography). Vitreous tap was unremarkable, but vitreous biopsy from the posterior vitreous overlying the subretinal abscess confirmed the growth of methicillin-sensitiveStaphylococcus aureus(MSSA). Detailed systemic examination revealed a forearm furuncle, which yielded MSSA on culture. The infection followed relentless course despite aggressive treatment with pars plana vitrectomy and antibiotics (topical, systemic and intravitreal). This case is presented due to rarity of presentation of ME as subretinal abscess following skin infection, which became a management challenge. Due to its rapid progression and irreversible damage to ocular tissue, high index of suspicion and aggressive management is needed in such cases. The disease course, management and prognosis of such cases are dismal in majority of the patients.
Treatment timing and the effects of rhythm control strategy in patients with atrial fibrillation: nationwide cohort study
Authors: Kim Daehoon , Yang Pil-Sung , You Seng Chan , Sung Jung-Hoon , Jang Eunsun , Yu Hee Tae , Kim Tae-Hoon , Pak Hui-Nam , Lee Moon-Hyoung , Lip Gregory Y H , Joung Boyoung
Published: May 2021

Objective

To investigate whether the results of a rhythm control strategy differ according to the duration between diagnosis of atrial fibrillation and treatment initiation.

Design

Longitudinal observational cohort study.

Setting

Population based cohort from the Korean National Health Insurance Service database.

Participants

22 635 adults with atrial fibrillation and cardiovascular conditions, newly treated with rhythm control (antiarrhythmic drugs or ablation) or rate control strategies between 28 July 2011 and 31 December 2015.

Main outcome measure

A composite outcome of death from cardiovascular causes, ischaemic stroke, admission to hospital for heart failure, or acute myocardial infarction.

Results

Of the study population, 12 200 (53.9%) were male, the median age was 70, and the median follow-up duration was 2.1 years. Among patients with early treatment for atrial fibrillation (initiated within one year since diagnosis), compared with rate control, rhythm control was associated with a lower risk of the primary composite outcome (weighted incidence rate per 100 person years 7.42 in rhythm control
v
9.25 in rate control; hazard ratio 0.81, 95% confidence interval 0.71 to 0.93; P=0.002). No difference in the risk of the primary composite outcome was found between rhythm and rate control (weighted incidence rate per 100 person years 8.67 in rhythm control
v
8.99 in rate control; 0.97, 0.78 to 1.20; P=0.76) in patients with late treatment for atrial fibrillation (initiated after one year since diagnosis). No significant differences in safety outcomes were found between the rhythm and rate control strategies across different treatment timings. Earlier initiation of treatment was linearly associated with more favourable cardiovascular outcomes for rhythm control compared with rate control.

Conclusions

Early initiation of rhythm control treatment was associated with a lower risk of adverse cardiovascular outcomes than rate control treatment in patients with recently diagnosed atrial fibrillation. This association was not found in patients who had had atrial fibrillation for more than one year.