Investigating the benefits of virtual reality on student acquisition of 3D anatomical information

Virtual reality (VR) technology is becoming more accessible within educational settings due to price decreases and greater software availability. VR is particularly useful for teaching anatomy, as students often struggle to learn the three-dimensional relationships between body structures from two-dimensional images in textbooks. Using funds from Augustana’s Pedagogy and Technology Grant, we purchased and assembled a VR workstation and began researching the effectiveness of VR in anatomy education. The early results of this research show that students exhibited substantial increases in their knowledge anatomical structures and their ability to reconstruct the three-dimensional relationships between anatomical structures after 30 minutes using the 3D Organon VR Anatomy© program. This increase, however, was similar to the knowledge increase shown by students using an anatomy visualization program made for desktop computers from the same company. When asked to compare the two, students indicated a preference for the VR program because of the ability to interact with structures in three-dimensions. Furthermore, participants reported that the VR program was easy to use, even though very few of them had previously used VR. These results, while preliminary, indicate that VR has the potential to greatly enhance the student experience of learning anatomy when used in conjunction with traditional anatomical education methods

Improved Upper Limits on Gravitational Wave Emission from NS 1987A in SNR 1987A

We report on a new search for continuous gravitational waves from NS 1987A, the neutron star born in SN 1987A, using open data from Advanced LIGO and Virgo's third observing run (O3). The search covered frequencies from 35-1050 Hz, more than five times the band of the only previous gravitational wave search to constrain NS 1987A [B. J. Owen et al., ApJL 935, L7 (2022)]. It used an improved code and coherently integrated from 5.10 days to 14.85 days depending on frequency. No astrophysical signals were detected. By expanding the frequency range and using O3 data, this search improved on strain upper limits from the previous search and was sensitive at the highest frequencies to ellipticities of 1.6e-5 and r-mode amplitudes of 4.4e-4, both an order of magnitude improvement over the previous search and both well within the range of theoretical predictions.Comment: 7 pages, 1 figur

Changes in SARS-CoV-2 viral load and mortality during the initial wave of the pandemic in New York City

Funding: This work was partially supported by the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences of the National Institutes of Health (UL1 TR0023484 to Julianne Imperato-McGinley) and the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (UM1 AI069470 to M.E.S).Public health interventions such as social distancing and mask wearing decrease the incidence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection, but it is unclear whether they decrease the viral load of infected patients and whether changes in viral load impact mortality from coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). We evaluated 6923 patients with COVID-19 at six New York City hospitals from March 15-May 14, 2020, corresponding with the implementation of public health interventions in March. We assessed changes in cycle threshold (CT) values from reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction tests and in-hospital mortality and modeled the impact of viral load on mortality. Mean CT values increased between March and May, with the proportion of patients with high viral load decreasing from 47.7% to 7.8%. In-hospital mortality increased from 14.9% in March to 28.4% in early April, and then decreased to 8.7% by May. Patients with high viral loads had increased mortality compared to those with low viral loads (adjusted odds ratio 2.34). If viral load had not declined, an estimated 69 additional deaths would have occurred (5.8% higher mortality). SARS-CoV-2 viral load steadily declined among hospitalized patients in the setting of public health interventions, and this correlated with decreases in mortality.Peer reviewe

Hydrologie et production agricole dans le nord-ouest de l’Amazonie

En « Amazonie des rivières », la période de basses eaux permet la mise en culture de vastes zones exondées et fertiles sur les berges des rivières et dans les plaines d’inondation. La variabilité des extrêmes hydrologiques et celle de la structure du cycle de décrue, facteurs réputés importants pour la qualité des récoltes sont explorés à la station fluviométrique de Tamshiyacu sur le fleuve Amazonas. Le riz, culture rentable dans cette région, est notre référence. Les résultats ne présentent pas les liens supposés entre résultats agricoles et durée de la saison de basses eaux ou vitesse de remontée des eaux. Néanmoins, ils montrent la baisse des étiages, l’allongement de la durée de décrue en relation avec un retard de la montée des eaux et une accélération de la remontée des eaux pendant la période 1985-2015.In the northwestern Amazon basin, the low water period favors flood recession farming on large emerging fertile surfaces on the river banks and in the inundations plains. The variability of hydrological extremes and of the structure of the flood recession cycle are analyzed in the fluviometric Tamshiyacu station on the Amazonas River, as they are considered as important for the crop quality. Rice cropping which is a profitable activity in this region is neither related to the duration of low-waters, nor to the speed of the rising water. But this work show that since 1985, low water levels have decreased while the duration of the low water period has increased. Moreover, there has been an acceleration of the speed of the water rising.En el noroeste de la cuenca amazónica, el periodo de estiaje de los ríos favorece el cultivo en vastas zonas fértiles que emergentes en los bancos de arena y las planicies de inundación. La variabilidad de los extremos hidrológicos y de la estructura del ciclo de recesión de las aguas son factores importantes para la calidad y cantidad de la cosecha. Estos factores hidrológicos son analizados en la estación hidrométrica de Tamshiyacu en el Río Amazonas (Perú). Como referencia se emplea el cultivo de arroz, que es rentable en esta región. Los resultados presentados no muestran relación entre la producción agrícola y la duración del periodo de aguas bajas o la velocidad de incremento de las aguas. No obstante, este estudio muestra que durante el periodo 1985-2015 el nivel de las aguas bajas ha disminuido, mientras que la duración del periodo de estiaje se ha incrementado. Además se documenta una aceleración en la velocidad en el incremento de las aguas entre el periodo de aguas bajas y aguas altas.Na « Amazônia dos grandes rios » o período de aguas baixas permite cultivos em vastas zonas férteis de várzeas ao longo dos rios e planicies de inundação. A variabilidade dos extremos hidrológicos e a da estrutura dos ciclos de descidas são fatores importantes para a qualidade e quantidade de colheita. Exploramos esta relação na estação hidrológica de Tamshiyacu no rio Amazonas, Peru. O arroz, cultura rentável nesta região, é referência. Os resultados apresentados mostram pouca relação entre a duração das águas baixas ou a velocidade da subida. Mas este estudo mostra que desde 1985-2015 o nível das águas baixas tem diminuido enquanto que a duração do mesmo período tem aumentado. Além do que tem havido uma aceleração da velocidade de subida das aguas

Evaluation of a Droplet Digital Polymerase Chain Reaction Format for DNA Copy Number Quantification

ABSTRACT: Droplet digital polymerase chain reaction (ddPCR) is a new technology that was recently commercialized to enable the precise quantification of target nucleic acids in a sample. ddPCR measures absolute quantities by counting nucleic acid molecules encapsulated in discrete, volumetrically defined, water-in-oil droplet partitions. This novel ddPCR format offers a simple workflow capable of generating highly stable partitioning of DNA molecules. In this study, we assessed key performance parameters of the ddPCR system. A linear ddPCR response to DNA concentration was obtained from 0.16 % through to 99.6 % saturation in a 20,000 droplet assay corresponding to more than 4 orders of magnitude of target DNA copy number per ddPCR. Analysis of simplex and duplex assays targeting two distinct loci in the Lambda DNA genome using the ddPCR platform agreed, within their expanded uncertainties, with values obtained using a lower density microfluidic chamber based digital PCR (cdPCR). A relative expanded uncertainty under 5 % was achieved for copy number concentration using ddPCR. This level of uncertainty is much lower than values typically observed for quantification of specific DNA target sequences using currently commercially available real-time and digital cdPCR technologies

Replication and shedding kinetics of infectious hematopoietic necrosis virus in juvenile rainbow trout

Viral replication and shedding are key components of transmission and fitness, the kinetics of which are heavily dependent on virus, host, and environmental factors. To date, no studies have quantified the shedding kinetics of infectious hematopoietic necrosis virus (IHNV) in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss), or how they are associated with replication, making it difficult to ascertain the transmission dynamics of this pathogen of high agricultural and conservation importance. Here, the replication and shedding kinetics of two M genogroup IHNV genotypes were examined in their naturally co-evolved rainbow trout host. Within host virus replication began rapidly, approaching maximum values by day 3 post-infection, after which viral load was maintained or gradually dropped through day 7. Host innate immune response measured as stimulation of Mx-1 gene expression generally followed within host viral loads. Shedding also began very quickly and peaked within 2 days, defining a generally uniform early peak period of shedding from 1 to 4 days after exposure to virus. This was followed by a post-peak period where shedding declined, such that the majority of fish were no longer shedding by day 12 post-infection. Despite similar kinetics, the average shedding rate over the course of infection was significantly lower in mixed compared to single genotype infections, suggesting a competition effect, however, this did not significantly impact the total amount of virus shed. The data also indicated that the duration of shedding, rather than peak amount of virus shed, was correlated with fish mortality. Generally, the majority of virus produced during infection appeared to be shed into the environment rather than maintained in the host, although there was more retention of within host virus during the post-peak period. Viral virulence was correlated with shedding, such that the more virulent of the two genotypes shed more total virus. This fundamental understanding of IHNV shedding kinetics and variation at the individual fish level could assist with management decisions about how to respond to disease outbreaks when they occur. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved

NGC 3503 and its molecular environment

We present a study of the molecular gas and interstellar dust distribution in the environs of the HII region NGC 3503 associated with the open cluster Pis 17 with the aim of investigating the spatial distribution of the molecular gas linked to the nebula and achieving a better understanding of the interaction of the nebula and Pis 17 with their molecular environment. We based our study in ^{12}CO(1-0) observations of a region of ~0.6 deg. in size obtained with the 4-m NANTEN telescope, unpublished radio continuum data at 4800 and 8640 MHz obtained with the ATCA telescope, radio continuum data at 843 MHz obtained from SUMSS, and available IRAS, MSX, IRAC-GLIMPSE, and MIPSGAL images. We found a molecular cloud (Component 1) having a mean velocity of -24.7 km s^{-1}, compatible with the velocity of the ionized gas, which is associated with the nebula and its surroundings. Adopting a distance of 2.9 +/- 0.4 kpc the total molecular mass and density yield (7.6 +/- 2.1) x 10^3 Msun and 400 +/- 240 cm^{-3}, respectively. The radio continuum data confirm the existence of an electron density gradient in NGC 3503. The IR emission shows the presence of a PDR bordering the higher density regions of the nebula. The spatial distribution of the CO emission shows that the nebula coincides with a molecular clump, with the strongest CO emission peak located close to the higher electron density region. The more negative velocities of the molecular gas (about -27 km s^{-1}), is coincident with NGC 3503. Candidate YSOs were detected towards the HII region, suggesting that embedded star formation may be occurring in the neighbourhood of the nebula. The presence of a clear electron density gradient, along with the spatial distribution of the molecular gas and PAHs in the region indicates that NGC 3503 is a blister-type HII region that probably has undergone a champagne phase

In vitro analysis of the cytotoxicity and the antimicrobial effect of four endodontic sealers

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Introduction</p> <p>The aim of this study was to investigate <it>in vitro </it>the cytotoxicity and antibacterial properties of four different endodontic sealers using human periodontal ligament fibroblast cell proliferation and visual analysis of growth inhibition.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A silicone (GuttaFlow), silicate (EndoSequence BC), zinc oxide eugenol (Pulp Canal Sealer EWT) and epoxy resin (AH Plus Jet) based sealer were incubated with PDL fibroblasts (10⁴cells/ml, n = 6) up to 96 h. Cell proliferation (RFU) was determined by means of the Alamar Blue assay. Cell growth and morphology was visualized by means of fluorescent dyes. Possible antibacterial properties of the different sealers were visualized by means of SEM (<it>Enterococcus faecalis; Parvimonas micra</it>).</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Fibroblast proliferation depended on sealer and cultivation time. After 72 and 96 h GuttaFlow and EndoSequence BC showed relatively non-cytotoxic reactions, while Pulp Canal Sealer EWT and AH Plus Jet caused a significant decrease of cell proliferation (p < 0.001). Visualization of cell growth and morphology with various fluorescent dyes supplemented the results. No antibacterial effect of EndoSequence BC to <it>P. micra </it>was found, whereas GuttaFlow showed a weak, Pulp Canal Sealer EWT and AH Plus Jet extensive growth inhibition. Also, no antibacterial effect of GuttaFlow, EndoSequence BC or AH Plus Jet to <it>E. faecalis </it>could be detected.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>These <it>in vitro </it>findings reveal that GuttaFlow and EndoSequence BC can be considered as biocompatible sealing materials. However, prior to their clinical employment, studies regarding their sealing properties also need to be considered.</p