Sequence tolerance of immunoglobulin variable domain framework regions to noncanonical intradomain disulfide linkages.

Most immunoglobulin (Ig) domains bear only a single highly conserved canonical intradomain, inter-ß-sheet disulfide linkage formed between Cys23-Cys104, and incorporation of rare noncanonical disulfide linkages at other locations can enhance Ig domain stability. Here, we exhaustively surveyed the sequence tolerance of Ig variable (V) domain framework regions (FRs) to noncanonical disulfide linkages. Starting from a destabilized VH domain lacking a Cys23-Cys104 disulfide linkage, we generated and screened phage-displayed libraries of engineered VHs, bearing all possible pairwise combinations of Cys residues in neighboring ß-strands of the Ig fold FRs. This approach identified seven novel Cys pairs in VH FRs (Cys4-Cys25, Cys4-Cys118, Cys5-Cys120, Cys6-Cys119, Cys22-Cys88, Cys24-Cys86, and Cys45-Cys100; the international ImMunoGeneTics information system numbering), whose presence rescued domain folding and stability. Introduction of a subset of these noncanonical disulfide linkages (three intra-ß-sheet: Cys4-Cys25, Cys22-Cys88, and Cys24-Cys86, and one inter-ß-sheet: Cys6-Cys119) into a diverse panel of VH, VL, and VHH domains enhanced their thermostability and protease resistance without significantly impacting expression, solubility, or binding to cognate antigens. None of the noncanonical disulfide linkages identified were present in the natural human VH repertoire. These data reveal an unexpected permissiveness of Ig V domains to noncanonical disulfide linkages at diverse locations in FRs, absent in the human repertoire, whose presence is compatible with antigen recognition and improves domain stability. Our work represents the most complete assessment to date of the role of engineered noncanonical disulfide bonding within FRs in Ig V domain structure and function.

Optimizing Percutaneous Mitral Valvuloplasty for Rheumatic Mitral Stenosis　- Clinical Significance of Changes in Mitral Valve Area.

BACKGROUND: Percutaneous mitral valvuloplasty (PMV) is a standard treatment for severe rheumatic mitral stenosis (RMS). However, the prognostic significance of the change in mitral valve area (∆MVA) during PMV is not fully understood.Methods and Results: This study analyzed data from the Multicenter mitrAl STEnosis with Rheumatic etiology (MASTER) registry, which included 3,140 patients with severe RMS. We focused on patients with severe RMS undergoing their first PMV. Changes in echocardiographic parameters, including MVA quantified before and after PMV, and composite outcomes, including mitral valve reintervention, heart failure admission, stroke, and all-cause death, were evaluated. An optimal result was defined as a postprocedural MVA ≥1.5 cm2without mitral regurgitation greater than Grade II. Of the 308 patients included in the study, those with optimal results and ∆MVA >0.5 cm² had a better prognosis (log-rank P<0.001). Patients who achieved optimal results but with ∆MVA ≤0.5 cm² had a greater risk of composite outcomes than those with optimal outcomes and ∆MVA >0.5 cm² (nested Cox regression analysis, hazard ratio 2.27; 95% confidence interval 1.09-4.73; P=0.028). CONCLUSIONS: Achieving an increase in ∆MVA of >0.5 cm2was found to be correlated with improved outcomes. This suggests that, in addition to achieving traditional optimal results, targeting an increase in ∆MVA of >0.5 cm2could be a beneficial objective in PMV treatment for RMS.

Extracellular synthesis of silver nanoparticle using yeast extracts: antibacterial and seed priming applicationss.

The evolution and rapid spread of multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacterial pathogens have become a major concern for human health and demand the development of alternative antimicrobial agents to combat this emergent threat. Conventional intracellular methods for producing metal nanoparticles (NPs) using whole-cell microorganisms have limitations, including binding of NPs to cellular components, potential product loss, and environmental contamination. In contrast, this study introduces a green, extracellular, and sustainable methodology for the bio-materialization of silver NPs (AgNPs) using renewable resource cell-free yeast extract. These extracts serve as a sustainable, biogenic route for both reducing the metal precursor and stabilizing the surface of AgNPs. This method offers several advantages such as cost-effectiveness, environment-friendliness, ease of synthesis, and scalability. HR-TEM imaging of the biosynthesized AgNPs revealed an isotropic growth route, resulting in an average size of about ~ 18 nm and shapes ranging from spherical to oval. Further characterization by FTIR and XPS results revealed various functional groups, including carboxyl, hydroxyl, and amide contribute to enhanced colloidal stability. AgNPs exhibited potent antibacterial activity against tested MDR strains, showing particularly high efficacy against Gram-negative bacteria. These findings suggest their potential role in developing alternative treatments to address the growing threat of antimicrobial resistance. Additionally, seed priming experiments demonstrated that pre-sowing treatment with AgNPs improves both the germination rate and survival of Sorghum jowar and Zea mays seedlings. KEY POINTS: •Yeast extract enables efficient, cost-effective, and eco-friendly AgNP synthesis. •Biosynthesized AgNPs showed strong antibacterial activity against MDR bacteria. •AgNPs boost seed germination and protect against seed-borne diseases.

Shifts in Clinical Characteristics, Treatment, and Outcome for Rheumatic Mitral Stenosis: Insights From a 20-Year Multicentre Registry Study in Korea.

BACKGROUND: The rapid economic development of South Korea provides a unique model to study changes in the clinical characteristics, treatment approaches, and clinical outcomes of patients with rheumatic mitral stenosis (MS) relative to socioeconomic growth. METHODS: From the Multicenter mitrAl STEnosis with Rheumatic etiology (MASTER) registry, 2,337 patients diagnosed with moderate or severe rheumatic MS between January 2001 and December 2020 were analyzed. Patients were grouped into consecutive 5-year intervals based on their year of diagnosis. Clinical characteristics, echocardiographic data, and clinical outcomes were assessed. RESULTS: Over 20 years, the severity of mitral stenosis increased from 79.1% to 90.2%; similarly, the average age at diagnosis increased from 54.3 to 63.0 years (all P < 0.001). Comorbidities such as hypertension and atrial fibrillation increased (6.3% to 29.5% and 41.4% to 46.9%, respectively; all P for trend < 0.05). The rate of mitral intervention within five years after diagnosis increased from 31.2% to 47.4% (P for trend < 0.001). However, clinical outcomes of rheumatic mitral stenosis deteriorated over time in the composite outcomes (log-rank test, P < 0.001). Conversely, the incidence of stroke remained stable (60.6-73.7%; P < 0.001), which might be attributed to the increased use of anticoagulation therapy. CONCLUSION: This study observed an increase in patient age, comorbidities, and valve disease severity as the country transitioned from a developing to developed status. Despite a rise in mitral valve interventions, clinical outcomes deteriorated over 20 years, highlighting the need for modified treatment approaches to improve patient outcomes.

Thermostable Basic Fibroblast Growth Factor Enhances the Production and Activity of Human Wharton's Jelly Mesenchymal Stem Cell-Derived Extracellular Vesicles.

Wharton's jelly-derived mesenchymal stem cell (WJ-MSC)-derived exosomes contain a diverse cargo and exhibit remarkable biological activity, rendering them suitable for regenerative and immune-modulating functions. However, the quantity of secretion is insufficient. A large body of prior work has investigated the use of various growth factors to enhance MSC-derived exosome production. In this study, we evaluated the utilization of thermostable basic fibroblast growth factor (TS-bFGF) with MSC culture and exosome production. MSCs cultured with TS-bFGF displayed superior proliferation, as evidenced by cell cycle analysis, compared with wild-type bFGF (WT-bFGF). Stemness was assessed through mRNA expression level and colony-forming unit (CFU) assays. Furthermore, nanoparticle tracking analysis (NTA) measurements revealed that MSCs cultured with TS-bFGF produced a greater quantity of exosomes, particularly under three-dimensional culture conditions. These produced exosomes demonstrated substantial anti-inflammatory and wound-healing effects, as confirmed by nitric oxide (NO) assays and scratch assays. Taken together, we demonstrate that utilization of TS-bFGF for WJ-MSC-derived exosome production not only increases exosome yield but also enhances the potential for various applications in inflammation regulation and wound healing.

One-Pot Synthesis of 3,4-Dihydrocoumarins via C-H Oxidation/Conjugate Addition/Cyclization Cascade Reaction.

The 3,4-dihydrocoumarin derivatives were obtained from 2-alkyl phenols and oxazolones via C-H oxidation and cyclization cascade in the presence of silver oxide (Ag2O) and p-toluenesulfonic acid as a Brønsted acid catalyst. This approach provides a one-pot strategy to synthesize the multisubstituted 3,4-dihydrocoumarins with moderate to high yields (64-81%) and excellent diastereoselectivity (>20:1).

COVID-19 and Gun Violence: Keeping Unknown Shocks and Volatility in Perspective.

The current study estimates the varying effects of the pandemic on gun violence by social distancing type, fatality, and location. Interrupted time series analyses are used to examine weekly crime data from 2016 to 2020 in New York City. Box-Cox power transformation and GARCH techniques are used to address the problems of non-normality and heteroscedasticity in the models. There were significant increases in fatal and non-fatal shootings during the relaxation of social distancing. The impact of the BLM protests and depolicing is significant for non-fatal shootings. The pandemic led to greater increases in gun violence in The Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, and Queens, as opposed to Staten Island. In addition, there is some evidence of increases in the volatility of gun violence during the pandemic. High volatility implies crime rates are in severe flux, which then leads to greater uncertainty and fear for public safety. This paper surfaces useful information for guiding policy and practice.

Impact of aortic atheroma and distensibility on diastolic function and prognosis in patients with ischemic stroke.

BACKGROUND: Patients with ischemic stroke are vulnerable to heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) because these conditions share common risk factors. Although evaluation of the ascending aorta, aortic arch, and proximal descending thoracic aorta is an essential step to determine the source of the causative embolism, the relationship between the degree of aortic atheroma and left ventricular (LV) diastolic function has not been extensively investigated. METHODS: We analyzed the transesophageal and transthoracic echocardiography in ischemic stroke patients. Patients with previous coronary artery disease, valvular heart disease of more than moderate degree, and an LV ejection fraction of less than 50% were excluded. The relationships between the grade of the aortic atheroma, aortic stiffness indexes, and diastolic functional indexes were evaluated. RESULTS: In 295 patients, the atheroma grade was significantly correlated with aortic stiffness index, ratio of mitral annular and inflow velocities (E/e'), left atrial volume index, and LV diastolic elastance. With further adjustment for age, hypertension, diabetes, estimated glomerular filtration rate, left atrial volume index, and LV mass index, the significance of the atheroma grade was attenuated. In the subgroup analysis, the atheroma grade was significantly and independently related to E/e' in women (ß = 0.181, p = 0.032), but not in men. However, atheroma grade was not associated with poor clinical outcomes in either sex. CONCLUSIONS: Aortic atheroma grade was significantly and independently related to LV diastolic function, especially in women. This suggests that aortic atheroma is an index of arterial stiffness and a potential risk factor for HFpEF through ventricular-vascular interactions, especially in women.

Predictors of Subsequent Heart Failure After Left Atrial Appendage Closure.

BACKGROUND: Left atrial appendage occlusion (LAAO) plays an important role in preventing stroke in patients with atrial fibrillation. However, LAAO may interact unfavorably with left atrial (LA) compliance and reservoir function and thus increase the risk of heart failure (HF). The purpose of this study was to identify predictors of subsequent HF after successful LAAO.Methods and Results: A total of 98 patients (mean age 70±9 years, 68% male) who had undergone LAAO were included. The primary endpoint was unexpected HF admission after LAAO. During a mean period of 36±26 months, 16 of the 98 patients (16%) experienced hospital HF admission. In multivariate analysis, higher E/e' (hazard ratio [HR] 1.11, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.02-1.20, P=0.014), higher left ventricular mass index (HR 1.02, 95% CI 1.00-1.03, P=0.023), history of HF (HR 4.78, 95% CI 1.55-14.7, P=0.006), and lower LA strain (HR 0.80, 95% CI 0.70-0.93, P=0.003) were independently associated with hospital HF admission. Patients with LAAO had a significantly higher incidence of subsequent HF than the control group after propensity score matching (P=0.046). CONCLUSIONS: LAAO increases the occurrence of HF, and it is not uncommon after successful LAAO. A previous history of HF, left ventricular mass index, E/e', and abnormal LA strain are independently associated with the development of HF. These parameters should be considered before attempting LAAO.

The investigations on organic sources and inorganic formation processes and their implications on haze during late winter in Seoul, Korea.

This study investigated the sources and formation processes of particulate matter (PM) with an aerodynamic diameter ≤1 µm (PM1) and black carbon (BC) in Seoul during late winter via high-resolution time-of-flight aerosol mass spectrometry (HR-ToF-AMS) and positive matrix factorization (PMF) analysis. In this study, secondary aerosols (75.1%) exhibited higher contributions than did primary aerosols (24.9%), suggesting the importance of secondary aerosol formation over primary aerosol emissions for NR-PM1+BC during late winter. Frequent haze episodes were observed and these were found to proceed in two distinct stages each with different pattern of sulfur oxidation ratio (SOR), nitrogen oxidation ratio (NOR) and meteorological conditions, such as the wind speed, direction and relative humidity (RH). Haze formation during stage 1 was caused mainly by local accumulation of primary aerosols and formation of local secondary aerosols under stagnant conditions. However, there were some impacts of down mixing of regional transport. Stage 2 took place during the night following stage 1 and was characterized by enhanced secondary aerosol formation. Enhancement of SOR might be due to accelerated aqueous phase reactions under higher RH and enhanced NOR is probably because of the heterogeneous uptake of N2O5 by ammonium sulfate aerosols ensued after sulfate formation. These findings suggest that the winter air quality in Seoul depends on complex processes, from not only emissions and transport from upwind areas but also from significant impacts of meteorological condition.

Two Clinical Cases of Feline Hemoplasmosis in Korea.

Feline hemotropic mycoplasmosis (hemoplasmosis) is an infection of the red blood cells caused by the Mycoplasma haemofelis (Mhf), Candidatus Mycoplasma haemominutum (CMhm), and Candidatus Mycoplasma turicensis (CMt). The existence of Mhf, CMhm, and CMt has been demonstrated in feral cats in Korea using molecular methods, but no clinical cases have yet been reported. This study reports 2 clinical cases of hemotropic mycoplasmosis caused by CMhm and CMt in 2 anemic cats. The first case was a client-owned intact female domestic shorthair cat that presented with fever, pale mucous membranes, and normocytic normochromic non-regenerative anemia. Prior to referral, an immunosuppressive prednisolone dose was administered at the local veterinary clinic for 1 month. The cat was diagnosed with high-grade alimentary lymphoma. Organisms were found on the surface of the red blood cells on blood smear examination. The second case was of a rescued cat that presented with dehydration and fever. The cat had normocytic normochromic non-regenerative anemia. Necropsy revealed concurrent feline infectious peritonitis. Polymerase chain reaction assay targeting 16S rRNA revealed CMhm infection in case 1 and dual infection of CMhm and CMt in case 2. Normocytic normochromic non-regenerative anemia was observed in both cats before and during the management of the systemic inflammation. This is the first clinical case report in Korea to demonstrate CMhm and CMt infections in symptomatic cats.

The impact of COVID-19 on the spatial distribution of shooting violence in Buffalo, NY.

OBJECTIVES: This paper examines the extent to which hotspots of shooting violence changed following the emergence of COVID-19. METHODS: This analysis uses Andresen's Spatial Point Pattern test on 1500 by 1500 foot grid cells, correcting for multiple comparisons, on a 10-year sample of geocoded shooting data from Buffalo New York. RESULTS: This work finds zero micro-grid cells are not statistically different from pre to post COVID stay at home orders and instead that the observed rise in shootings in the sample appears to be a consistent proportional increase across the city. CONCLUSIONS: These findings provide law enforcement with useful information about how to respond to the recent rise in shooting violence, but additional work is needed to better understand what, among a number of competing theories, is driving the increase. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s11292-021-09497-4.

Caenimonas soli sp. nov., isolated from soil.

A non-motile, Gram-stain-negative, rod-shaped bacterium, designated strain S4T, was obtained from soil sampled at Wonju, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea. Cells were white-coloured, aerobic, grew optimally at 25-32 °C on R2A agar plate. A phylogenetic analysis based on its 16S rRNA gene sequence revealed that strain S4T formed a lineage within the family Comamonadaceae. The closest members were Caenimonas terrae SGM1-15T (98.1% sequence similarity), Caenimonas koreensis EMB320T (97.5%) and Ramlibacter solisilvae 5-10T (97.8%). The sequence similarities of strain S4T with other members of the family Comamonadaceae were ≤ 97.5%. The sole respiratory quinone was ubiquinone-8 (Q-8) and the principal polar lipid was phosphatidylethanolamine. The predominant cellular fatty acids were summed feature 3 (iso-C15 :0 2-OH/C16 :1 ω7c), C16:0 and summed feature 8 (C18:1 ω7c and/or C18:1 ω6c). The DNA G + C content was 65.1 mol%. In addition, the average nucleotide identity (ANIu) and in silico DNA-DNA hybridization (dDDH) relatedness values between strain S4T and Caenimonas koreensis were 77.6 and 21%, respectively. Based on genomic, chemotaxonomic, phenotypic, and phylogenetic analyses, strain S4T represents a novel species in the genus Caenimonas, for which the name Caenimonas soli sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is S4T (= KCTC 72742T = NBRC 114610T).

Long-term prognosis of short QT interval in Korean patients: a multicenter retrospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Short QT syndrome is a rare, inherited channelopathy associated with sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) but the characteristics and prognosis of short QT interval (SQTI) in Korean patients remain unclear. This study aimed to determine the clinical characteristics and outcomes of SQTI in a Korean population. METHODS: Consecutive patients with SQTI from January 1999 to March 2019 in three university hospitals in South Korea were recruited. SQTI was defined as a Bazett's formula-corrected QT interval (QTc) ≤ 340 ms in serial electrocardiograms. Age- and sex-matched patients with a normal QTc and without overt cardiovascular disease were included in a 1:4 ratio. Clinical and ECG features and outcomes were compared between patients with and without SQTI. RESULTS: 34 patients with SQTI [age, 23.5 (21-30.5) years; 31 male] were followed up for 4.8 (2.0-7.8) years. Early repolarization, tall T wave, and U wave were significantly more frequent in patients with SQTI than in those without SQTI. QT dispersion [44.0 (28.0-73.0) vs. 20.0 (12.0-35.0) ms, P < 0.001] was significantly wider and heart rate [52.0 (47.0-58.0) vs. 70.0 (62.3-84.0)/min, P < 0.001] was significantly slower in patients with SQTI than in those without. Atrial fibrillation (AF, 11.8% vs. 2.2%, P = 0.030) and ventricular arrhythmia (VA)/SCA (8.7% vs. 0%, P = 0.007) were significantly more frequent in patients with SQTI than in those without. SQTI was significantly associated with AF [odds ratio, 5.911; 95% confidence interval, 1.257-27.808; P = 0.025] and VA/SCA. CONCLUSIONS: In this subset of Korean population, SQTI was associated with AF and VA/SCA.

Nakamurella aerolata sp. Nov., Isolated from an Automobile Air Conditioning System.

A novel white-colored, aerobic, Gram-stain-positive, rod-shaped bacterium, designated strain DB0629T was isolated from a motor car evaporator core collected in South Korea. Strain DB0629T grew at 10-35 °C, pH 6.0-9.0, and 0-5.0% (w/v) NaCl concentration. The 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis showed that strain DB0629T belonged to the genus Nakamurella, with the nearest phylogenetic neighbor being Nakamurella lactea DSM 19367T (97.6% sequence similarity). The strain comprised diphosphatidylglycerol and phosphatidylinositol as the main polar lipids; MK-8(H4) as a sole respiratory quinone; meso-diaminopimelic acid as the diagnostic diamino acid in the cell-wall peptidoglycan and anteiso-C15:0, anteiso-C17:0, iso-C16:0, iso-C15:0, and C16:0 as the major fatty acids. The average nucleotide identity (ANI) and in silico DNA-DNA hybridization values between strain DB0629T and N. lactea DSM 19367T were 74.9% and 20.8%, respectively, which were below the threshold values of 95% and 70%, respectively. The DNA G + C content was 69.5 mol%. Based on the polyphasic taxonomic data, the novel species Nakamurella aerolata sp. nov. is proposed with the type strain DB0629T (= KCTC 72726T = NBRC 114624T).

Impact of Annealing Temperature on the Morphological, Optical and Photoelectrochemical Properties of Cauliflower-like CdSe0.6Te0.4 Photoelectrodes; Enhanced Solar Cell Performance.

We are reporting on the impact of air annealing temperatures on the physicochemical properties of electrochemically synthesized cadmium selenium telluride (CdSe0.6Te0.4) samples for their application in a photoelectrochemical (PEC) solar cell. The CdSe0.6Te0.4 samples were characterized with several sophisticated techniques to understand their characteristic properties. The XRD results presented the pure phase formation of the ternary CdSe0.6Te0.4 nanocompound with a hexagonal crystal structure, indicating that the annealing temperature influences the XRD peak intensity. The XPS study confirmed the existence of Cd, Se, and Te elements, indicating the formation of ternary CdSe0.6Te0.4 compounds. The FE-SEM results showed that the morphological engineering of the CdSe0.6Te0.4 samples can be achieved simply by changing the annealing temperatures from 300 to 400 °C with intervals of 50 °C. The efficiencies (ƞ) of the CdSe0.6Te0.4 photoelectrodes were found to be 2.0% for the non-annealed and 3.1, 3.6, and 2.5% for the annealed at 300, 350, and 400 °C, respectively. Most interestingly, the PEC cell analysis indicated that the annealing temperatures played an important role in boosting the performance of the photoelectrochemical properties of the solar cells.

Neutralizing Human Antibodies against Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Isolated from a Human Synthetic Fab Phage Display Library.

Since it was first reported in Wuhan, China, in 2019, the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has caused a pandemic outbreak resulting in a tremendous global threat due to its unprecedented rapid spread and an absence of a prophylactic vaccine or therapeutic drugs treating the virus. The receptor-binding domain (RBD) of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein is a key player in the viral entry into cells through its interaction with the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor protein, and the RBD has therefore been crucial as a drug target. In this study, we used phage display to develop human monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) that neutralize SARS-CoV-2. A human synthetic Fab phage display library was panned against the RBD of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein (SARS-2 RBD), yielding ten unique Fabs with moderate apparent affinities (EC50 = 19-663 nM) for the SARS-2 RBD. All of the Fabs showed no cross-reactivity to the MERS-CoV spike protein, while three Fabs cross-reacted with the SARS-CoV spike protein. Five Fabs showed neutralizing activities in in vitro assays based on the Fabs' activities antagonizing the interaction between the SARS-2 RBD and ACE2. Reformatting the five Fabs into immunoglobulin Gs (IgGs) greatly increased their apparent affinities (KD = 0.08-1.0 nM), presumably due to the effects of avidity, without compromising their non-aggregating properties and thermal stability. Furthermore, two of the mAbs (D12 and C2) significantly showed neutralizing activities on pseudo-typed and authentic SARS-CoV-2. Given their desirable properties and neutralizing activities, we anticipate that these human anti-SARS-CoV-2 mAbs would be suitable reagents to be further developed as antibody therapeutics to treat COVID-19, as well as for diagnostics and research tools.

Metastasis to ipsilateral medial retropharyngeal and deep cervical lymph nodes in 22 dogs with thyroid carcinoma.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the rate of nodal metastasis to the medial retropharyngeal (MRP) and deep cervical lymph nodes in dogs surgically treated for thyroid carcinoma. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective study. ANIMALS: Twenty-two client-owned dogs. METHODS: Medical records between July 2015 and October 2019 at the Universities of Missouri and Florida were reviewed. Dogs that underwent thyroidectomy with concurrent elective MRP lymphadenectomy ± deep cervical lymphadenectomy were included. Tumor site, preoperative staging, and histopathological findings were recorded. RESULTS: Twenty-two dogs with 26 total thyroid carcinomas were included. Primary tumors were lateralized in 19 dogs, bilateral in two dogs, and bilateral and midline ectopic in one dog. All dogs underwent ipsilateral MRP resection, including bilateral resection in dogs with bilateral tumors. Three contralateral MRP lymph nodes were excised from dogs with unilateral carcinomas. Four deep cervical lymph nodes and one superficial cervical lymph node were excised. Metastases were identified in 14 lymph nodes in 10 of 22 (45%) dogs. All four excised deep cervical lymph nodes and one contralateral MRP lymph node were identified as metastatic. Size of deposit could be classified in 13 of 14 metastatic lymph nodes. Macrometastasis was detected in seven lymph nodes, micrometastasis was detected in one node, and isolated tumor cells were detected in five lymph nodes. CONCLUSION: Regional metastasis was common within the lymph nodes sampled in this population of dogs with thyroid carcinoma. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: These results provide evidence to justify further exploration of a larger population to verify the rate of regional metastasis and determine the prognostic impact of nodal metastasis.

When COVID-19 and guns meet: A rise in shootings.

OBJECTIVE: The present study examines the impact of the COVID-19 stay-at-home order on gun violence in Buffalo, New York: fatal shootings, all non-fatal shootings, non-fatal shootings with injury, and non-fatal shootings without injury. It also estimated its impact on gang and non-gang related shootings. METHODS: Weekly crime data are analyzed at the city level using ARIMA and poisson models. Forecasting is used to verify the validity of both ARIMA and poisson models. RESULTS: The effect of the pandemic was conditional upon the types of gun violence and impact models of intervention. The pandemic caused a temporary increase in fatal shootings while leading to a long-term increase in all non-fatal shootings, non-fatal shootings with injury, non-fatal shootings without injury, and gang related shootings. CONCLUSIONS: The pandemic has changed the volume of gun violence possibly due to increased strain and/or changed routine activities. This study not only promotes further research but also has policy implications for public health and safety. From a public policy perspective, criminal justice agencies should focus more attention and resources on gun violence resulting from a sense of strain and fear among individuals during the pandemic.

Performance of chemically synthesized Mn3O4/rGO nanocomposite for electrochemical supercapacitor: a cost-effective high-performance electrode.

The manganese oxide graphene oxide (Mn3O4/rGO) composite heterojunction with copper oxide is useful for the production of an electrochemical supercapacitor. The graphene oxide and manganese oxide composite have been synthesized by adopting a method of co-precipitation. The composite of Mn3O4/rGO was synthesized with different concentrations of Mn3O4 and rGO. The structural, morphological, electrochemical and supercapacitive properties of Mn3O4/rGO composite have been examined. The electrochemical and supercapacitive properties have been studied with regard to different substrates. The Mn3O4/rGO composite was deposited on different substrates such as steel, copper and brass. The CuO/Mn3O4/rGO shows relatively better specific capacitance (856 F g-1) and better stability (82% retention after 2000 cycles) than other substrates used. The present work describes the development of cost-effective and high-performance CuO/Mn3O4/rGO-based nanomaterials for supercapacitors. The CuO/Mn3O4/rGO composite can be used as a flexible supercapacitor device.