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Introduction/Objective Anti-U is an IgG antibody directed against the U antigen, which usually forms after exposure to U antigen via blood transfusion and/or pregnancy. U antigen is located on glycophorin B (GYPB) as part of the MNS blood group system. Approximately 2% of the African American population lacks this antigen, making them prone to developing anti-U. Anti-U can cause hemolytic disease of fetus and newborn (HDFN) and hemolytic transfusion reactions (HTR). Methods/Case Report A 60-year-old African American male underwent aortic valve surgery. The patient was A Pos with a negative antibody screen. During surgery, the patient was transfused with 3 random units of packed red blood cells (PRBCs). The postoperative course was uncomplicated, and the patient was discharged home. 6 months later, the patient was admitted for another procedure and was expected to require blood products. Thus, a type and screen test was ordered, revealing pan reactivity on screening cells. This prompted further investigation. Antibody detection was performed with the solid-phase technique followed by the tube method with Polyethylene glycol (PEG) as an enhancement medium. PEG technique is the next choice of method if the solid phase requires extended antibody work up, which was the case in our patient. PEG tube method successfully identified Anti-U, and the patient's phenotype was confirmed to be U negative. Results (if a Case Study enter NA) N/A. Conclusion It is imperative to stress the importance of racial disparity while investigating antibodies against high prevalence. In our case, our suspicion was high for Anti-U, given that patient was of African American descent. Tube methods with PEG and Solid Phase techniques are usually used for antibody identification. It is recommended that patients with rare antibodies carry an Antibody ID card indicating the rare antibody they have to prevent further exposure.

感染性颅内动脉瘤是一种罕见的感染性神经系统血管病变，急性或亚急性感染性心内膜炎引起的细菌性栓塞为其常见病因。该文报道了1例急性感染性心内膜炎患者行瓣膜置换术后出现蛛网膜下腔出血，结合病史及神经影像学检查诊断为感染性颅内动脉瘤。该例患者经抗感染治疗及血管内介入治疗后完全好转。.

Laser brazing has recently become a preferred process for the joining of thin-gauge sheet metal for outer closures in automotive body structures. One of the key concerns is the very small and often hard-to-predict surface distortions resulting from the transient and high-powered laser heat input. In this study, we established an efficient shell-element-based sequential thermal-structural finite element simulation procedure to predict the laser-brazing-induced surface distortion. The procedure was experimentally validated via both temperature and distortion measurements in laser brazing of two 0.65 mm thick L-shape steel plates. Following the established procedure, a series of simulation cases were carried out to parametrically study the effects of laser beam offset, clamping conditions and trailing cooling on the predicted distortions. It was found that strong fixturing and trailing cooling can effectively reduce brazing-induced distortion.

Surveying and mapping plays an important role in all aspects of economic development, national infrastructure construction and national defence construction. Especially in the overall and strategic level, most of them need to apply geospatial information. Geospatial information acquired through surveying and mapping technology has become an important strategic resource. Because space photography is faster, cheaper and unrestricted by regions and borders, countries around the world are scrambling to develop their own mapping satellites.In recent years, great breakthrough has been made in the field of on-board optical stereo mapping, many countries have launched satellites with surveying and mapping as the main function, and obtained image data from 1:50000 to 1:10000 scale. This paper describes a design of a stereo surveying and mapping camera system that can achieve 1:10000 scale maps.

Introduction: Previous studies have linked chronic pelvic pain (CPP) to appendix pathologies. However, few studies have investigated appendix pathology specifically in the context of CPP that is right-side predominant (R-CPP). We hypothesized that women with R-CPP have higher rates of appendix pathology compared with women with CPP that is not right-side predominant (N-CPP). Methods: We conducted a retrospective case–control study of 220 women who underwent diagnostic laparoscopy and planned or incidental appendectomy for CPP and suspected endometriosis between January 2015 and December 2018 at a tertiary care center in Saint Louis, MO. Results: No significant difference in abnormal appendix pathology was found between women with R-CPP and women with N-CPP (30.9% vs 34.5%, p = 0.74, odds ratio = 0.85, 95% CI: (0.44, 1.62)). Gross abnormalities of the appendix were documented in 40 of 220 patients (18.2%), with the most common abnormal gross findings being adhesions (8.2%), followed by abnormal lesions (7.3%). Conclusion: In this study, the presence of abnormal pathology within the appendix did not correlate with R-CPP, indicating triage based on predominant pain location cannot help identify patients with underlying appendix pathology. However, consistent with previous studies, we identified a high rate of abnormal appendix pathology overall, supporting the practice of many surgeons to perform routine appendectomy in women with CPP.

Based on wave measurements lasting three and a half years, typhoon wave characteristics in a lagoon of the South China Sea are discussed in this paper. According to the upper boundaries of wind speed and significant wave height Hs, the maximum wave height has a similar rate of change as the maximum wind speed. The peak frequencies decrease in the approaching stage and are concentrated with an average of 0.1415 Hz in the leaving stage. The distributions of the wind and wave directions indicate that the local wind waves and the waves from the open sea propagated to the site in the approaching and leaving stages, respectively. Wind waves generated inside the lagoon are fetch-trapped, and the spectra can be described by αf(−4) or βk(−2.5) when f > fp. In addition, the measurements show that the nondimensional maximum spectrum can be estimated by the nondimensional fetch. The spectra of the waves from the open sea can be described by . Parameters a and c are determined by the nondimensional peak frequency. In addition, it is found that the peak energy density S(fp) is a linear function of for all waves.

Biochar amended clay layer has emerged as a sustainable hydraulic barrier for hazardous municipal waste containment system. The effects of pore fluid salinity on soil shrinkage and water retention characteristics of biochar amended clay are unknown. This study aims to investigate the behavior of soil shrinkage and water retention of biochar amended kaolin under different pore fluid salinity. A series of volumetric shrinkage and water retention tests were conducted on biochar amended kaolin in sodium chloride solution at initial concentrations of 1 %, 5 %, and 10 %. Biochar addition increased the shrinkage limit and minimum void ratio of kaolin by up to 17 % and 11 %, respectively. Air entry value of kaolin increased by 6-88 times with an increase in pore fluid salinity, caused by interparticle aggregation. Micrographs showed that biochar intrapore was filled by kaolin particles, partially hindering the interparticle aggregation of clay in the salt solution. Biochar addition lowered zeta potential on the surface of kaolin particles by 50-75 %, indicating that the immobilisation of excess sodium ions was achieved by biochar. Correspondingly, osmotic suction of pore fluid decreased by 21-64 % due to biochar's ion absorption. The findings highlighted that biochar addition to kaolin specimens minimises NaCl-induced soil shrinkage and reduces the pore fluid salinity. This study indicates that biochar could be potentially helpful for desalinisation and mitigating volumetric change issues for geo-environmental infrastructures.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the difference in intestinal flora composition between individuals with sub-health status and healthy subjects. METHODS: From November, 2020 to May, 2021, a total of 150 nursing staff members in Nanfang Hospital were selected for this study, including 75 participants with sub-health status (SHS group) and 75 healthy participants (control group). Fecal samples were collected from all the participants for analysis of the diversity and species composition of the intestinal flora using high-throughput sequencing for V3-V4 region of 16S rRNA gene. RESULTS: The results of α diversity analysis showed no significant difference in Chao1 index between the two groups (P=0.619), but the Shannon index was significantly higher in SHS group than in the control group (P < 0.001). The results of β diversity analysis showed significant differences in the community structure between the SHS group and the control group (R=0.227, P=0.001). At the phylum level, the intestinal flora in the two groups were composed mainly of Bacteroidota, Firmicutes and Actinobacteriata, and of Prevotella, Bacteroides, Blautia and Faecalibacterium at the genus level. Species difference analysis identified significant differences in the relative abundance between the two groups in 4 phyla, 3 classes, 3 orders, 3 families and 3 genera (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Compared with healthy subjects, the individuals with sub-health status have obviously unbalanced structure of the intestinal flora.

The ^{13}C(α,n)^{16}O reaction is the main neutron source for the slow-neutron-capture process in asymptotic giant branch stars and for the intermediate process. Direct measurements at astrophysical energies in above-ground laboratories are hindered by the extremely small cross sections and vast cosmic-ray-induced background. We performed the first consistent direct measurement in the range of E_{c.m.}=0.24 to 1.9 MeV using the accelerators at the China Jinping Underground Laboratory and Sichuan University. Our measurement covers almost the entire intermediate process Gamow window in which the large uncertainty of the previous experiments has been reduced from 60% down to 15%, eliminates the large systematic uncertainty in the extrapolation arising from the inconsistency of existing datasets, and provides a more reliable reaction rate for the studies of the slow-neutron-capture and intermediate processes along with the first direct determination of the alpha strength for the near-threshold state.

Na-ion solid state batteries operating at room temperature are typically supposed to have a metallic Na anode for sufficiently high energy density. The less known but due to easy processing very promising Na-conducting Na5YSi4O12 glass ceramic is investigated regarding it`s interface resistance in contact with metallic Na electrodes. Two types of this material, with and without P-addition, are investigated. The surface is treated by polishing to induce a defined roughness. Highly polished surfaces lead to incomplete covering with Na metal by application of pressure sufficiently low to avoid the breaking of ceramic. In contrast, surfaces with higher roughness could be covered more homogeneously with Na and thus exhibited significantly reduced interface resistance. These measurements reveal the intrinsically small interface resistance between Na5YSi4O12 glass ceramics and metallic Na, which makes Na5YSi4O12 to promising electrolyte for Na-ion solid state batteries. It is found that prolonged contact of the electrolyte with humid air, like several days or weeks, leads to a strongly increased interface resistance. Thus, storage conditions and surface treatment of the samples after air contact need to be considered carefully.

The CST–Polα/primase complex is essential for telomere maintenance and functions to counteract resection at double-strand breaks. We report a 4.6-Å resolution cryo-EM structure of human CST–Polα/primase, captured prior to catalysis in a recruitment state stabilized by chemical cross-linking. Our structure reveals an evolutionarily conserved interaction between the C-terminal domain of the catalytic POLA1 subunit and an N-terminal expansion in metazoan CTC1. Cross-linking mass spectrometry and negative-stain EM analysis provide insight into CST binding by the flexible POLA1 N-terminus. Finally, Coats plus syndrome disease mutations previously characterized to disrupt formation of the CST–Polα/primase complex map to protein–protein interfaces observed in the recruitment state. Together, our results shed light on the architecture and stoichiometry of the metazoan fill-in machinery.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of postmastectomy radiotherapy (PMRT) on the overall survival (OS) and breast cancer-specific survival (BCSS) of patients with metaplastic breast cancer (MpBC) in comparison with those of patients with invasive ductal breast carcinoma (IDC). METHODS: We selected the patients with pathologically confirmed MpBC and IDC who either received PMRT or not from the archived cases (from January, 1998 to December, 2016) in the National Cancer Institute's Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database. In total, 31 982 patients were selected, including 308 patients with MpBC and PMRT, 629 with MpBC and PMRT, and 31 045 with IDC and PMRT. All the included patients were above 18 years of age without distant metastases or a second primary cancer and underwent radical surgery. Baseline characteristics of the patients were compared among the 3 subgroups, and multivariate Cox regression and Kaplan-Meier analyses were performed for analyzing the prognostic factors of MpBC, OS, and BCSS. RESULTS: The majority (81.2%) of patients with MpBC were older than 50 years, had pathological grade III (68%), and were negative for ER (75.9%) and PR (79.8%) and in stage T2-3 (71.3%) and N0-1 (85.6%). Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that age, T stage, N stage, PMRT, and chemotherapy were significantly associated with the prognosis of patients with MpBC (P < 0.05), while pathological grade, ER status, or PR status did not significantly affect the prognosis (P>0.05). Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that the patients with MpBC and PMRT had better OS (HR=1.394, 95% CI: 1.125-1.727; P < 0.05) and BCSS (HR=1.390, 95% CI: 1.074-1.800; P < 0.05) than those with MpBC who did not receive PMRT; but after PMRT, the patients with MpBC had worse OS (HR=1.626, 95%CI: 1.386-1.908; P < 0.001) and BCSS (HR=1.710, 95% CI: 1.418-2.062; P < 0.001) as compared with those with IDC. CONCLUSION: MpBC has unique clinicopathological features. In patients with MpBC, age, T stage, N stage, radiotherapy and chemotherapy are all the prognostic factors affecting the survival outcomes, and PMRT can improve the OS and BCSS of the patients.

The CST-Polα/primase complex is essential for telomere maintenance and functions to counteract resection at double-strand breaks. We report a 4.6-Å resolution cryo-EM structure of human CST-Polα/primase, captured prior to catalysis in a recruitment state stabilized by chemical cross-linking. Our structure reveals an evolutionarily conserved interaction between the C-terminal domain of the catalytic POLA1 subunit and an N-terminal expansion in metazoan CTC1. Cross-linking mass spectrometry and negative-stain EM analysis provide insight into CST binding by the flexible POLA1 N-terminus. Finally, Coats plus syndrome disease mutations previously characterized to disrupt formation of the CST-Polα/primase complex map to protein-protein interfaces observed in the recruitment state. Together, our results shed light on the architecture and stoichiometry of the metazoan fill-in machinery.

Introduction Magseed-guided localisation has emerged as a suitable alternative to wire-guided localisation (WGL) for impalpable breast cancers, with advantages including advanced insertion and simpler logistical planning. Given the severe disruption to elective surgeries during the Covid-19 pandemic, a local Magseed pathway was developed enabling safe patient flow. Magseed was inserted well in advance of the operation, enabling time to self-isolate and obtain a negative COVID swab prior to admission to a dedicated COVID -free suite. We present the patient-reported outcomes of the new pathway. Method A prospective service evaluation was conducted in a University hospital. Patients undergoing Magseed-guided wide local excision (WLE) from 01/07/2020 to present were surveyed to detail their experiences on the Magseed pathway. Qualitative data investigating anxiety and comfort post-insertion were reported using 10-fold Likert scales. Quantitative data was collected on patient demographics and tumour specification. Results 41/46 women who underwent Magseed localisation WLE completed the survey, with median age 65 years (IQR 53-72) and median BMI 26.5 kg/m2 (IQR 22.4-30.8). 71% had invasive ductal carcinoma with or without ductal carcinoma in-situ. 10% women found the procedure uncomfortable ( Conclusions The new Magseed pathway is regarded positively among patients, despite ongoing disruption in elective breast cancer services. Given the progression of the second wave and likelihood of future outbreaks, Magseed localisation could be adopted widely to ensure continuous provision of safe elective surgeries.

Introduction/Objective Identifying antibodies to red blood cell (RBC) antigens is one of transfusion medicine’s most critical and challenging issues. There are 354 RBC antigens recognized by the International Society of Blood Transfusion. Accurate identification of clinically significant alloantibodies is imperative for identifying and preventing hemolytic transfusion reactions and hemolytic disease of the fetus and newborn. We compared the performance of the tube (polyethylene glycol–indirect antiglobulin test [PEG-IAT]) and solid-phase techniques for antibody identification. Methods/Case Report We performed a retrospective study on all antibody screens and identifications performed between 2007–2021 at Stanford Hospital. Over this period, 631,535 antibody screens were performed predominantly using an automated solid-phase technique. Subsequent antibody identification studies were performed using manual tube testing (PEG-IAT) and automated solid-phase techniques. Results (if a Case Study enter NA) Antibody screening resulted in 28,316 (4.5%) positive samples with at least one antibody. Antibody identification performed on both platforms identified 50 discordant [DMH1] samples. 8 anti-Jka, 2 anti-Jkb, 1 anti-S, and 1 anti-M were detected by automatic solid-phase technique but were not detected by PEG-IAT. 20 anti-E, 6 anti-K, 2 anti-Fya, 2 anti-c , 2 anti-C, 2 anti-Fyb, 1 anti-cE[DMH2] , 1 anti-e,1 anti-M, and 1 anti-S were detected by PEG-IAT but were negative by automated solid-phase technique. Anti-E had the least sensitivity (98.99%) in the automated solid-phase technique, while anti-Jkb had the least sensitivity (98.78%) in PEG-IAT. Conclusion This is the first robust 15-year study comparing methodologic sensitivity to detect clinically significant alloantibodies. The incidence of discordant results between the PEG-IAT and solid-phase technique was low. Among discordant samples, anti-Jka was commonly detected by solid-phase but not by PEG-IAT. In contrast, anti-E was commonly detected by PEG-IAT but not by the solid phase.

The 12C+12C fusion reaction was studied in the range of E c.m.=8.9 to 21 MeV using the active-target Time Projection Chamber. With full information on all tracks of the reaction products, cross sections of the 12C(12C,8Be)16Og.s. channel and the 12C(12C,3α)12C channel could be measured down to the level of a few milibarns. The 12C(12C,8Be)16Og.s. reaction channel was determined to be 10 mb at E c.m.=11.1 MeV, supporting the direct α transfer reaction mechanism. The 12C(12C,3α)12C reaction channel was studied for the first time using an exclusive measurement. Our result does not confirm the anomaly behavior reported in the previous inclusive measurement by Kolata et al. [Phys. Rev. C 21, 579 (1980)]. Our comparisons with statistical model calculations suggest that the 3α channel is dominated by the fusion evaporation process at E c.m. > 19 MeV. The additional contribution of the 3α channel increases the fusion reaction cross section by 10% at energies above 20 MeV. We also find that an additional reaction mechanism is needed to explain the measured cross section at E c.m. < 15 MeV at which point the statistical model prediction vanishes.

Background Cytomegalovirus (CMV) end-organ disease (EOD) continues to pose a significant risk to patients with advanced HIV disease despite decreased incidence with combination anti-retroviral therapy (ART) and lower mortality with effective anti-CMV therapy. Subclinical CMV shedding may also contribute to ongoing inflammation and non-infectious comorbidities. Methods We examined the occurrence of CMV EOD and CMV shedding in a cohort of patients participating in a prospective observational study of severely immunosuppressed (CD4 ≤100 cells/μl), ART-naïve, HIV-1 infected adult participants. Results We studied 206 participants, of whom 193 (93.7%) were CMV IgG positive. Twenty-five participants (12.1%) developed confirmed CMV EOD. At baseline, 47 (22.8%) had CMV viremia detectable by PCR in the absence of clinical disease (CMV viremia). The remaining 134 (65%) had neither CMV EOD nor CMV viremia detected at baseline. Five participants with CMV EOD (2.4% of total cohort, 20% of CMV EOD) met AIDS Clinical Trials Group criteria for CMV immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome (IRIS). Only one-third of CMV EOD patients had retinitis, while two-thirds presented with histologically confirmed gastrointestinal illness. CMV viremia was associated with higher percentages of activated CD8+ T cells even after HIV suppression. Conclusion The manifestations of CMV EOD in advanced HIV disease before and after initiation of ART may be more diverse than previously described, with high incidence of gastrointestinal illness. Recognition and treatment of unusual clinical presentations of CMV infection remains important in reducing morbidity and mortality from HIV co-infections., Highlights • Cytomegalovirus end organ disease (CMV EOD) remains an important complication in HIV/AIDS patients. • We found that gastrointestinal disease was the most common presentation of CMV EOD. • In addition, subclinical CMV viremia was associated with increased immune activation.

This paper proposes an agent-based simulation model with route choice process to predict the crowd behaviours and evaluate the evacuation safety on passenger ships. The model focuses on the behaviours of two common types of passengers that are not typically accounted for during most evacuation analyses, namely, passengers who are not familiar with the ship layout and passengers who have family members or friends with them. In the proposed model, a marker concept is introduced to represent critical routing points of the layout and passenger agents make a route choice based on their surroundings and characteristics instead of just following the shortest routes. The simulation model is tested by two small but targeted scenarios and one comprehensive scenario on a ship deck. For ship designers, a more realistic evacuation time is provided to better assess the evacuation performance of a ship, and a heat map of crowd density is presented to identify possible bottleneck areas.

The mechanical properties and microstructure of 7075 aluminum alloy during the two-stage aging process have been studied by means of Rockwell hardness test, tensile test, X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and high-resolution TEM. The results illustrated that there existed double peaks for both the hardness and strength in 7075 aluminum alloy during the two-stage aging process. Furthermore, the aging time to reach the second peak was obviously shortened compared to single-stage aging process. At the first peak aging state, the strengthening effect of the alloy was dominated by high-density GP zones, but η′ phase (MgZn2) was mainly the strengthening phase at the second peak aging state.

Magnetic circular dichroism (MCD) and magnetic linear dichroism (MLD) have been investigated in a photoemission electron microscopy (PEEM) system excited by a deep ultra-violet (DUV) laser (with λ = 177.3 nm and hυ = 7.0 eV) for the first time. High resolution PEEM magnetic images (down to 43.2 nm) were directly obtained on a (001)-oriented magnetic FePt film surface with a circularly-polarized light under normal incidence. Furthermore, a stepped Cr seeding layer was applied to induce the formation of large-area epitaxial FePt films with (001) and (111) two orientations, where MLD with large asymmetry was observed in the transition area of two phases. It demonstrates that DUV laser can be a powerful source for high resolution magnetic imaging in the laboratory in absence of synchrotron facilities.

Background and aims The vascular remodeling plays a crucial role in pathogenesis of diabetic cardiovascular complications. In this study, we intended to explore the effects and potential mechanisms of microRNA-24 (miR-24) on vascular remodeling under diabetic conditions. Methods and Results MiR-24 recombinant adenovirus (Ad-miR-24-GFP) was used to induce miR-24 overexpression either in carotid arteries or high glucose (HG)-induced vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs). Cell proliferation was analyzed using CCK-8 method. Cell migration was examined using wound-healing and transwell assay. mRNA and protein expressions of critical factors were, respectively, measured by real-time PCR and western blot as follows: qRT-PCR for the levels of miR-24, PIK3R1; western blot for the protein levels of PI3K (p85α), Akt, p-Akt, mTOR, p-mTOR, 4E-BP1, p-4E-BP1, p70s6k, p-p70s6k, MMP 2, MMP 9, collagen Ⅰ, as well as collagen Ⅲ. Carotid arteries in diabetic rats suffered balloon injury were harvested and examined by HE, immunohistochemical and Masson trichrome staining. The expression of miR-24 was decreased in HG-stimulated VSMCs and balloon-injured carotid arteries of diabetic rats, accompanied by increased mRNA expression of PIK3R1. The up-regulation of miR-24 suppressed VSMCs proliferation, migration, collagen deposition not only induced by HG in vitro, but also in balloon-injured diabetic rats, which were related to inactivation of PI3K/Akt signaling pathway. Conclusion The up-regulation of miR-24 significantly attenuated vascular remodeling both in balloon-injured diabetic rats and HG-stimulated VSMCs via suppression of proliferation, migration and collagen deposition by acting on PIK3R1 gene that modulated the PI3K/Akt/mTOR axes.

In order to solve the corrosion and wear of 7050 aluminium alloy (AA7050) caused by the marine environment and prepare excellent coating structure to prolong its service life, the micro-arc oxidati...

Principles of Evidence in Public International Law as Applied by Investor-State Tribunals explores the fundamental principles of evidence and how these principles relating to burden of proof and standards of proof are derived. By tracing the applications of major principles recognized by the International Court of Justice and applied by investor-state tribunal jurisprudence, the authors offer valuable insight into the interpretation, understanding, and nuances of indispensable principles of evidence, an area that has been ignored in both investor-state arbitration and public international law more generally. Each principle is analyzed through historical and modern lenses to provide clarity and cohesion in understanding how fundamental principles of evidence will affect evidentiary dispositions of parties in investment arbitration and public international law cases.

The deadliest mass shooting in modern United States history occurred on October 1, 2017, in Las Vegas, killing 58 and overwhelming hospitals with more than 600 injured. The scope of the tragedy offers insight into medical demands, which may help guide preparedness for future mass shooting incidents.Retrospective, deidentified, health care institution-provided data from all hospitals and blood banks providing care to Las Vegas shooting victims were gathered. Study authors independently reviewed all data and cross-referenced it for verification. Main outcomes and measures include the number of victims requiring hospital and intensive care admission, the amount and types of blood components transfused during the first 24 hours, and the amount of blood donated to local blood banks following the Las Vegas mass shooting.Two hundred twenty patients required hospital admission, 68 of them to critical care. Nearly 500 blood components were transfused during the first 24 hours in a red blood cell-to-plasma-to-platelet ratio of 1:0.54:0.81. Public citizens donated almost 800 units of blood immediately after the shooting; greater than 17% of this donated blood went unused.The amount of blood components transfused per patient admitted was similar in magnitude to other mass casualty events, and available blood supply met patient demand. The public call for blood donors was not necessary to meet immediate demand and led to resource waste. Preparation for future mass shooting incidents should include training the community in hemorrhage control, encouraging routine blood donation, and avoiding public calls for blood donation unless approved by local blood suppliers.Therapeutic study, level V.

Trypanosoma cruzi is the intracellular parasite of Chagas disease, a chronic condition characterized by cardiac and gastrointestinal morbidity. Protective immunity requires CD4(+) T cells, and Th1 cells and gamma interferon (IFN-γ) are important players in host defense. More recently, Th17 cells and interleukin 17A (IL-17A) have been shown to exert protective functions in systemic T. cruzi infection. However, it remains unclear whether Th17 cells and IL-17A protect in the mucosa, the initial site of parasite invasion in many human cases. We found that IL-17RA knockout (KO) mice are highly susceptible to orogastric infection, indicating an important function for this cytokine in mucosal immunity to T. cruzi. To investigate the specific role of Th17 cells for mucosal immunity, we reconstituted RAG1 KO mice with T. cruzi-specific T cell receptor transgenic Th17 cells prior to orogastric T. cruzi challenges. We found that Th17 cells provided protection against gastric mucosal T. cruzi infection, indicated by significantly lower stomach parasite burdens. In vitro macrophage infection assays revealed that protection by Th17 cells is reduced with IL-17A neutralization or reversed by loss of macrophage NADPH oxidase activity. Consistently with this, mice lacking functional NADPH oxidase were not protected by Th17 cell transfer. These data are the first report that Th17 cells protect against mucosal T. cruzi infection and identify a novel protective mechanism involving the induction of NADPH oxidase activity by IL-17A. These studies provide important insights for Chagas vaccine development and, more broadly, increase our understanding of the diverse roles of Th17 cells in host defense.

Dentistry increasingly integrates artificial intelligence (AI) to help improve the current state of clinical dental practice. However, this revolutionary technological field raises various complex ethical challenges. The objective of this systematic scoping review is to document the current uses of AI in dentistry and the ethical concerns or challenges they imply. Three health care databases (MEDLINE [PubMed], SciVerse Scopus, and Cochrane Library) and 2 computer science databases (ArXiv, IEEE Xplore) were searched. After identifying 1,553 records, the documents were filtered, and a full-text screening was performed. In total, 178 studies were retained and analyzed by 8 researchers specialized in dentistry, AI, and ethics. The team used Covidence for data extraction and Dedoose for the identification of ethics-related information. PRISMA guidelines were followed. Among the included studies, 130 (73.0%) studies were published after 2016, and 93 (52.2%) were published in journals specialized in computer sciences. The technologies used were neural learning techniques for 75 (42.1%), traditional learning techniques for 76 (42.7%), or a combination of several technologies for 20 (11.2%). Overall, 7 countries contributed to 109 (61.2%) studies. A total of 53 different applications of AI in dentistry were identified, involving most dental specialties. The use of initial data sets for internal validation was reported in 152 (85.4%) studies. Forty-five ethical issues (related to the use AI in dentistry) were reported in 22 (12.4%) studies around 6 principles: prudence (10 times), equity (8), privacy (8), responsibility (6), democratic participation (4), and solidarity (4). The ratio of studies mentioning AI-related ethical issues has remained similar in the past years, showing that there is no increasing interest in the field of dentistry on this topic. This study confirms the growing presence of AI in dentistry and highlights a current lack of information on the ethical challenges surrounding its use. In addition, the scarcity of studies sharing their code could prevent future replications. The authors formulate recommendations to contribute to a more responsible use of AI technologies in dentistry.

The increasing demand for natural products is currently transforming the meat industry, making grass-fed and finished beef a valuable option for improving profits. However, the transformation of conventional operations to grass-fed systems comprises many modifications, such as logistical, technological, and financial that could be very complex and expensive, involving economic risk. Therefore, in this study, we analyzed the growth curve, critical economic traits, and carcass quality and finished characteristics over several consecutive years in closely related grass-fed and finished Angus steers, to reduce the genetic effect on the results. We found that grass-fed steers require around 188 additional days to reach the market weight (approx. 470 kg) and had approximately 70% less average daily gain compared to the grain-fed and finished steers. Regression analysis demonstrated an interaction between feed and age (P

When Caribbean long-spined sea urchins, Diadema antillarum, are stable at high population densities, their grazing facilitates scleractinian coral dominance. Today, populations remain suppressed after a mass mortality in 1983–1984 caused a loss of their ecosystem functions, and led to widespread declines in ecosystem health. This study provides three lines of evidence to support the assertion that a lack of habitat complexity on Caribbean coral reefs contributes to their recovery failure. Firstly, we extracted fractal dimension (D) measurements, used as a proxy for habitat complexity, from 3D models to demonstrate that urchins preferentially inhabit areas of above average complexity at ecologically relevant spatial scales. Secondly, controlled behaviour experiments showed that an energetically expensive predator avoidance behaviour is reduced by 52% in complex habitats, potentially enabling increased resource allocation to reproduction. Thirdly, we deployed a network of simple and cost-effective artificial structures on a heavily degraded reef system in Honduras. Over a 24-month period the adult D. antillarum population around the artificial reefs increased by 320% from 0.05 ± 0.01 to 0.21 ± 0.04 m−2 and the juvenile D. antillarum population increased by 750% from 0.08 ± 0.02 to 0.68 ± 0.07 m−2. This study emphasises the important role of habitat structure in the ecology of D. antillarum and as a barrier to its widespread recovery.

Entamoeba histolytica is a unicellular parasite that causes amebiasis. The parasite resides in the colon and feeds on the colonic microbiota., Queuosine is a naturally occurring modified ribonucleoside found in the first position of the anticodon of the transfer RNAs for Asp, Asn, His, and Tyr. Eukaryotes lack pathways to synthesize queuine, the nucleobase precursor to queuosine, and must obtain it from diet or gut microbiota. Here, we describe the effects of queuine on the physiology of the eukaryotic parasite Entamoeba histolytica, the causative agent of amebic dysentery. Queuine is efficiently incorporated into E. histolytica tRNAs by a tRNA-guanine transglycosylase (EhTGT) and this incorporation stimulates the methylation of C38 in tRNAGUCAsp. Queuine protects the parasite against oxidative stress (OS) and antagonizes the negative effect that oxidation has on translation by inducing the expression of genes involved in the OS response, such as heat shock protein 70 (Hsp70), antioxidant enzymes, and enzymes involved in DNA repair. On the other hand, queuine impairs E. histolytica virulence by downregulating the expression of genes previously associated with virulence, including cysteine proteases, cytoskeletal proteins, and small GTPases. Silencing of EhTGT prevents incorporation of queuine into tRNAs and strongly impairs methylation of C38 in tRNAGUCAsp, parasite growth, resistance to OS, and cytopathic activity. Overall, our data reveal that queuine plays a dual role in promoting OS resistance and reducing parasite virulence.

The usage of combination antiretroviral therapy in people with HIV (PWH) has incited profound improvement in morbidity and mortality. Yet, PWH may not experience full restoration of immune function which can manifest with non-AIDS comorbidities that frequently associate with residual inflammation and can imperil quality of life or longevity. In this review, we discuss the pathogenesis underlying chronic inflammation and residual immune dysfunction in PWH, as well as potential therapeutic interventions to ameliorate them and prevent incidence or progression of non-AIDS comorbidities. Current evidence advocates that early diagnosis and prompt initiation of therapy at high CD4 counts may represent the best available approach for an improved immune recovery in PWH.

By exploiting the exotic quantum states of a probe, it is possible to realize efficient sensors that are attractive for practical metrology applications and fundamental studies. Similar to other quantum technologies, quantum sensing is suffering from noises and thus the experimental developments are hindered. Although theoretical schemes based on quantum error correction (QEC) have been proposed to combat noises, their demonstrations are prevented by the stringent experimental requirements, such as perfect quantum operations and the orthogonal condition between the sensing interaction Hamiltonian and the noise Lindbladians. Here, we report an experimental demonstration of a quantum enhancement in sensing with a bosonic probe with different encodings, by exploring the large Hilbert space of the bosonic mode and developing both the approximate QEC and the quantum jump tracking approaches. In a practical radiometry scenario, we attain a 5.3 dB enhancement of sensitivity, which reaches $9.1\times10^{-4}\,\mathrm{Hz}^{-1/2}$ when measuring the excitation population of a receiver mode. Our results demonstrate the potential of quantum sensing with near-term quantum technologies, not only shedding new light on the quantum advantage of sensing by revealing its difference from other quantum applications, but also stimulating further efforts on bosonic quantum technologies., Comment: 8 pages, 4 figures