An OSSE on Mesoscale Model Assimilation of Simulated HIRAD-Observed Hurricane Surface Winds

The hazards of landfalling hurricanes are well known, but progress on improving the intensity forecasts of these deadly storms at landfall has been slow. Many cite a lack of high-resolution data sets taken inside the core of a hurricane, and the lack of reliable measurements in extreme conditions near the surface of hurricanes, as possible reasons why even the most state-of-the-art forecasting models cannot seem to forecast intensity changes better. The Hurricane Imaging Radiometer (HIRAD) is a new airborne microwave remote sensor for observing hurricanes, and is operated and researched by NASA Marshall Space Flight Center in partnership with the NOAA Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory/Hurricane Research Division, the University of Central Florida, the University of Michigan, and the University of Alabama in Huntsville. This instrument?s purpose is to study the wind field of a hurricane, specifically observing surface wind speeds and rain rates, in what has traditionally been the most difficult areas for other instruments to study; the high wind and heavy rain regions. Dr. T. N. Krishnamurti has studied various data assimilation techniques for hurricane and monsoon rain rates, and this study builds off of results obtained from utilizing his style of physical initializations of rainfall observations, but obtaining reliable observations in heavy rain regions has always presented trouble to our research of high-resolution rainfall forecasting. Reliable data from these regions at such a high resolution and wide swath as HIRAD provides is potentially very valuable to mesoscale forecasting of hurricane intensity. This study shows how the data assimilation technique of Ensemble Kalman Filtering (EnKF) in the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model can be used to incorporate wind, and later rain rate, data into a mesoscale model forecast of hurricane intensity. The study makes use of an Observing System Simulation Experiment (OSSE) with a simulated HIRAD dataset sampled during a hurricane and uses EnKF to forecast the track and intensity prediction of the hurricane. Comparisons to truth and error metrics are used to assess the model?s forecast performance

Expression and localization of estrogen receptor-β in annulus cells of the human intervertebral disc and the mitogenic effect of 17-β-estradiol in vitro

BACKGROUND: Recent evidence suggests that estrogens exert effects in different tissues throughout the body, and that the estrogen receptor β (ERβ) may be important for the action of estrogen (17-β-estradiol) on the skeleton. The cellular localization of ERβ in the human intervertebral disc, however, has not yet been explored. METHODS: Human disc tissue and cultured human disc cells were used for immunocytochemical localization of ERβ. mRNA was isolated from cultured human disc cells, and RT-PCR amplification of ERβ was employed to document molecular expression of this receptor. Cultured human disc cells were tested to determine if 17-β-estradiol stimulated cell proliferation. RESULTS: In this report data are presented which provide evidence for ERβ gene expression in human intervertebral disc cells in vivo and in vitro. Culture of annulus cells in the presence of 10(-7) M 17-β-estradiol significantly increased cell proliferation. CONCLUSIONS: These data provide new insight into the biology of cells in the annulus of the intervertebral disc

Whole exome sequencing to identify genetic causes of short stature

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Short stature is a common reason for presentation to pediatric endocrinology clinics. However, for most patients, no cause for the short stature can be identified. As genetics plays a strong role in height, we sought to identify known and novel genetic causes of short stature. METHODS: We recruited 14 children with severe short stature of unknown etiology. We conducted whole exome sequencing of the patients and their family members. We used an analysis pipeline to identify rare non-synonymous genetic variants that cause the short stature. RESULTS: We identified a genetic cause of short stature in 5 of the 14 patients. This included cases of floating-harbor syndrome, Kenny-Caffey syndrome, the progeroid form of Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, as well as 2 cases of the 3-M syndrome. For the remaining patients, we have generated lists of candidate variants. CONCLUSIONS: Whole exome sequencing can help identify genetic causes of short stature in the context of defined genetic syndromes, but may be less effective in identifying novel genetic causes of short stature in individual families. Utilized in the clinic, whole exome sequencing can provide clinically relevant diagnoses for these patients. Rare syndromic causes of short stature may be underrecognized and underdiagnosed in pediatric endocrinology clinics

Adjustable Prone Trolley Design for People Suffering from Spinal Cord Injuries in Nepal

For people suffering from spinal cord injuries, it is important to stay active. However, with spinal cord injuries, the use of a wheelchair isn’t feasible. These patients require a prone trolley. A prone trolley is a horizontal pad with four wheels that a patient can maneuver and control while lying in a prone position. Our partner, International Nepal Fellowship (INF), deals directly with patients who suffer from spinal cord injuries on a daily basis. INF, a Christian, medical organization, manages a hospital in Pokhara, Nepal which specializes in treating patients with spinal cord injuries. The Nepal Prone Trolley Team’s goal is to provide our partner with a sustainable prone trolley design and create the required manufacturing documentation to enable them to produce the prone trolleys in country at their Green Pastures hospital. The team began our work by researching what a prone trolley is, how it functions and what is currently available. During the research, the team discovered that there weren’t many examples of a manually powered prone trolley or critical dimensions for ergonomics for manually powered trolleys. This drove the team to develop testing methods and preliminary designs specifically for INF. Various basic designs were considered, but, through communication with INF, a single design was chosen. Computer modeling of this design was used to decrease the overall weight of the trolley and simplify the frame. With most of the design finalized, the team is ready to begin prototyping next semester.https://mosaic.messiah.edu/engr2021/1012/thumbnail.jp

Single-cell RNA-sequencing reveals Transcriptional Changes and Clonal Architecture associated with Post-Transplant Relapse in Acute Myeloid Leukemia

"Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a malignancy characterized by overproduction of myeloid precursors at the expense of more differentiated, functional hematopoietic cells, resulting in anemia, thrombocytopenia, and neutropenia. Despite initial sensitivity to chemotherapy, a majority of patients with AML ultimately relapse. Among the challenges associated with relapse, post-allogeneic stem cell transplant relapse is particularly intractable because of our relative lack of understanding - and thus lack of effective treatment options - of the underlying mechanisms."--IntroductionZiheng Xu (1), Christopher A. Miller (2, 3), Sridhar N. Srivatsan (2), Catrina C. Fronick (3), Robert S. Fulton (3), Timothy J. Ley (2, 3, 4), and Allegra A. Petti (2, 3) ; 1. Washington University School of Medicine. 2. Division of Oncology, Washington University School of Medicine. 3. McDonnell Genome Institute, Washington University School of Medicine. 4. Department of Genetics, Washington University School of Medicine.Includes bibliographical reference

Adjustable Prone Trolley Design for People Suffering from Spinal Cords Injuries in Nepal

For people who suffer from spinal cord injuries in Nepal, rehabilitation and care are often difficult to receive, especially for those for whom fewer resources are available. Thankfully, International Nepal Fellowship (INF), a non-profit serving Nepal for nearly 70 years, aids patients with spinal cord injuries at Green Pastures Hospital and Rehabilitation Centre in Pokhara, Nepal. A crucial part of any rehabilitation is adequate exercise to improve circulation and prevent sores and muscular atrophy. Yet, due to the nature of the injury, using a traditional wheelchair is not an option to fulfill this need for those with spinal cord injuries. Therefore, Green Pastures uses prone trolleys so that these patients can exercise. A prone trolley is a horizontal cushioned board where the patient lies flat on their stomach and is able to move themselves using the wheels attached to the cushioned board. Despite the importance of the prone trolley, the trolleys at Green Pastures Hospital have a few critical issues. The major issue is that the prone trolleys are internationally imported, which not only means that delivery can take months, but also that the trolleys are also difficult to repair when damaged. Both these factors severely hamper Green Pastures Hospital’s ability to provide spinal cord injured patients with the care they need. The Nepal Prone Trolley team, a part of Messiah University Collaboratory, seeks to develop and design a fundamentally better prone trolley for INF. The goal of our project is to design a prone trolley that can be fabricated by the INF staff with locally sourced materials. The advantage of this new design is that it will be easier to obtain and can easily be repaired when needed. After creating a design that satisfies our goal and fulfills the criteria of a functional prone trolley as defined by INF, we were able to fabricate a prototype of the prone trolley using resources and techniques available in Pokhara. Moving forward, we will conduct testing and redesign the trolley so that our finalized prone trolley design will be able to transform how Green Pastures Hospital aids their spinal cord injury patients. Funding for this work provided by The Collaboratory for Strategic Partnerships and Applied Research.https://mosaic.messiah.edu/engr2022/1011/thumbnail.jp

Variant repeats within the DMPK CTG expansion protect function in myotonic dystrophy type 1

Objective: We tested the hypothesis that variant repeat interruptions (RIs) within the DMPK CTG repeat tract lead to milder symptoms compared with pure repeats (PRs) in myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1). Methods: We evaluated motor, neurocognitive, and behavioral outcomes in a group of 6 participants with DM1 with RI compared with a case-matched sample of 12 participants with DM1 with PR and a case-matched sample of 12 unaffected healthy comparison participants (UA). Results: In every measure, the RI participants were intermediate between UA and PR participants. For muscle strength, the RI group was significantly less impaired than the PR group. For measures of Full Scale IQ, depression, and sleepiness, all 3 groups were significantly different from each other with UA > RI > PR in order of impairment. The RI group was different from unaffected, but not significantly different from PR (UA > RI = PR) in apathy and working memory. Finally, in finger tapping and processing speed, RI did not differ from UA comparisons, but PR had significantly lower scores than the UA comparisons (UA = RI > PR). Conclusions: Our results support the notion that patients affected by DM1 with RI demonstrate a milder phenotype with the same pattern of deficits as those with PR indicating a similar disease process