Variable Morphology Research Articles

Rethinking the unpretentious U-net for medical ultrasound image segmentation

Breast tumor segmentation from ultrasound images is one of the key steps that help us characterize and localize tumor regions. However, variable tumor morphology, blurred boundaries, and similar intensity distributions bring challenges for radiologists to segment breast tumors manually. During clinical diagnosis, there are higher demands on the segmentation accuracy and efficiency of breast ultrasound images, so there is an urgent need for an automated method to improve the segmentation accuracy as a technical tool to assist diagnosis. Inspired by the U-net and its many variations, this paper proposed an unpretentious nested U-net (NU-net) for accurate and efficient breast tumor segmentation. The key idea is to utilize U-nets with different depths and shared weights to achieve robust characterization of breast tumors. Specifically, we first utilize the deeper U-net (fifteen layers) as the backbone network to extract more sufficient breast tumor features. Then, we developed a multi-output U-net to be taken as the bond between the encoder and the decoder to enhance the network adaptability for breast tumors with different scales. Finally, the short-connection based on multi-step down-sampling is used to enhance the correlation of long-range information of encoded features. Extensive experimental results with fifteen state-of-the-art segmentation methods on three public breast ultrasound datasets demonstrate that our method has a more competitive segmentation performance on breast tumors. Furthermore, the robustness of our approach is further illustrated by the segmentation of renal ultrasound images. The source code is publicly available on https://github.com/CGPxy/NU-net.

Visualizing the formation process of interfacial polymerized (Co)polyarylate films by an optical three-dimensional microscope

Due to the complexity and rapidity, the formation process of interfacial polymerized (IP) films is difficult to be observed. Here, a visualized technique, optical three-dimensional microscope, is used to in situ investigate the formation process of (co)polyarylate film. As the polymerization time increases, the film surface shows varied morphologies which is mainly controlled by the formation rate of cross-linked film and the release rate of mixed gases, and tri-functional acyl chloride facilitates to form a homogeneous film comparing to bi-functional acyl chloride. The addition of phase transfer catalysts (PTCs) can accelerate the diffusion of monomer, which has two opposite effects: one is increasing the releasing rate of gases, the opposite is facilitating the increase of the cross-linking degree that inhibits the gases release. Moreover, different type of PTCs affects the film morphology in a different way. This study sheds light on the fundamental understanding of the formation process of IP films.

Clinical features of 6 children with uridine-responsive developmental epileptic encephalopathy 50 caused by CAD gene variants

Objective: To analyze the clinical features of children with uridine responsive developmental epileptic encephalopathy 50 (DEE50) caused by CAD gene variants. Methods: A retrospective study was conducted on 6 patients diagnosed with uridine-responsive DEE50 caused by CAD gene variants at Beijing Children's Hospital and Peking University First Hospital from 2018 to 2022. The epileptic seizures, anemia, peripheral blood smear, cranial magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), visual evoked potential (VEP), genotype features and the therapeutic effect of uridine were descriptively analyzed. Results: A total of 6 patients, including 3 boys and 3 girls, aged 3.5(3.2,5.8) years, were enrolled in this study. All patients presented with refractory epilepsy, anemia with anisopoikilocytosis and global developmental delay with regression. The age of epilepsy onset was 8.5 (7.5, 11.0) months, and focal seizures were the most common seizure type (6 cases). Anemia ranged from mild to severe. Four patients had peripheral blood smears prior to uridine administration, showing erythrocytes of variable size and abnormal morphology, and normalized at 6 (2, 8) months after uridine supplementation. Two patients suffered from strabismus, 3 patients had VEP examinations, indicating of suspicious optic nerve involvement, and normal fundus examinations. VEP was re-examined at 1 and 3 months after uridine supplementation, suggesting significant improvement or normalization. Cranial MRI were performed at 5 patients, demonstrating cerebral and cerebellar atrophy. They had cranial MRI re-examined after uridine treatment with a duration of 1.1 (1.0, 1.8) years, indicating significant improvement in brain atrophy. All patients received uridine orally at a dose of 100 mg/(kg·d), the age at initiation of uridine treatment was 1.0 (0.8, 2.5) years, and the duration of treatment was 2.4 (2.2, 3.0) years. Immediate cession of seizures was observed within days to a week after uridine supplementation. Four patients received uridine monotherapy and were seizure free for 7 months, 2.4 years, 2.4 years and 3.0 years respectively. One patient achieved seizure free for 3.0 years after uridine supplementation and had discontinued uridine for 1.5 years. Two patients were supplemented with uridine combined with 1 to 2 anti-seizure medications and had a reduced seizure frequency of 1 to 3 times per year, and they had achieved seizure free for 8 months and 1.4 years respectively. Conclusions: The clinical manifestations of DEE50 caused by CAD gene variants present a triad of refractory epilepsy, anemia with anisopoikilocytosis, and psychomotor retardation with regression, accompanied by suspected optic nerve involvement, all of which respond to uridine treatment. Prompt diagnosis and immediate uridine supplementation could lead to significant clinical improvement.

PO-04-013 A CASE OF INTERMITTENT ANODAL CAPTURE AFTER LEFT BUNDLE AREA PACING

Left bundle area pacing (LBAP) is emerging as a reliable form of conduction system pacing (CSP) that can be beneficial in cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT). We present a case of intermittent anodal capture noted after septal lead insertion in a patient undergoing LBAP. N/A An 80-year-old male with hypertension, COPD, and sick sinus syndrome who had undergone dual chamber pacemaker implantation in 2007, had known atrial lead fracture since 2020, now presented with heart failure syndrome (EF dropped from 60% to 15%). A coronary angiogram showed non-obstructive coronary artery disease. As such decision was made for fractured atrial lead extraction and implantation of new atrial lead to provide AV synchrony as well as upgrading the device to biventricular ICD, given the persistent low ejection fraction. During the procedure, coronary sinus anatomy was found unsuitable for lead insertion, and hence LBAP was opted for instead. LBAP lead was placed at an appropriate septal location with QRS morphology in lead V1 changing from an initial “W” pattern to notching as the lead was advanced with an appropriate rise in thresholds. QRS duration decreased to 144 milliseconds; however, intermittently variable QRS morphologies were noted. In LBAP, anodal capture can occur during bipolar configuration where the tip of the lead (cathode) is capturing the left bundle, and the ring (anode) starts capturing the right bundle area. This happens when the lead is penetrating the interventricular septum (IVS) enough for the ring portion to come into contact with the right septal area. In our patient, note the different QRS morphologies in lead V1 (Panel A). The right bundle morphology QRS (marked red) is the expected result of LB pacing, while the left bundle morphology QRS (marked green) is likely occurring from concurrent anodal capture of the right bundle. The QRS duration is noted to be somewhat narrower when the left bundle morphology is present, as would be expected when both bundles are simultaneously captured (LB by the tip and RB by the ring) (Panel B). It is unclear whether such a phenomenon as anodal capture of the RB along with concurrent LB pacing can be of any clinical significance and needs further research.

AAU-Net: An Adaptive Attention U-Net for Breast Lesions Segmentation in Ultrasound Images.

Various deep learning methods have been proposed to segment breast lesions from ultrasound images. However, similar intensity distributions, variable tumor morphologies and blurred boundaries present challenges for breast lesions segmentation, especially for malignant tumors with irregular shapes. Considering the complexity of ultrasound images, we develop an adaptive attention U-net (AAU-net) to segment breast lesions automatically and stably from ultrasound images. Specifically, we introduce a hybrid adaptive attention module (HAAM), which mainly consists of a channel self-attention block and a spatial self-attention block, to replace the traditional convolution operation. Compared with the conventional convolution operation, the design of the hybrid adaptive attention module can help us capture more features under different receptive fields. Different from existing attention mechanisms, the HAAM module can guide the network to adaptively select more robust representation in channel and space dimensions to cope with more complex breast lesions segmentation. Extensive experiments with several state-of-the-art deep learning segmentation methods on three public breast ultrasound datasets show that our method has better performance on breast lesions segmentation. Furthermore, robustness analysis and external experiments demonstrate that our proposed AAU-net has better generalization performance in the breast lesion segmentation. Moreover, the HAAM module can be flexibly applied to existing network frameworks. The source code is available on https://github.com/CGPxy/AAU-net.

Reliability of MRI Interpretation of Discoid Lateral Meniscus: A Multicenter Study.

Discoid lateral meniscus (DLM) has a varied and complex morphology that can be challenging to assess and treat. Preoperative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is frequently used for diagnosis and surgical planning; however, it is not known whether surgeons are reliable and accurate in their interpretation of MRI findings when defining the pathomorphology of DLM. Surgeons experienced in treating DLM are able to reliably interpret DLM pathology using MRI. Cohort study (diagnosis); Level of evidence, 3. Knee MRI scans from 44 patients (45 knees) were selected from a pool of surgically treated patients with DLM. Five reviewers (fellowship-trained pediatric sports medicine surgeons) performed independent review of each MRI scan using the PRiSM Discoid Meniscus Classification. Inter- and intraobserver reliability of the rating factors-primary (width, height, presence of peripheral instability or tear) and secondary (location of instability or tear, tear type)-was assessed using the Fleiss κ coefficient, designed for multiple readers with nominal variables (fair reliability, 0.21-0.40; moderate, 0.41-0.60; substantial, 0.61-0.80; excellent, 0.81-1.00). Reliability is reported as κ (95% CI). Interobserver reliability in assessing most primary and secondary characteristics ranged from substantial (meniscal width) to moderate (peripheral instability, anterior instability, posterior instability, and posterior tear). Intraobserver reliability for most characteristics ranged from substantial (peripheral instability, presence of tear, anterior instability, posterior instability, and posterior tear) to moderate (meniscal width, anterior tear, and tear type). Notable exceptions were presence of tear, anterior tear, and tear type-all with fair interobserver reliability. Height had poor interobserver reliability and fair intraobserver reliability. Orthopaedic surgeons reliably interpret MRI scans using the PRiSM Discoid Meniscus Classification for the majority of DLM characteristics but vary in their assessment of height and presence and type of tear. MRI evaluation may be helpful to diagnose discoid by width and identify the presence of instability: 2 major factors in the decision to proceed with surgery. Arthroscopic evaluation should be used in conjunction with MRI findings for complete DLM diagnosis.

Shallow Suberitida (Porifera, Demospongiae) from Peru.

This study describes 81 specimens belonging to Suberitida, collected during the projects Esponjas del Perú (ESPER), Esponjas da América do Sul (EsponjAS) and Semilla UCSUR 2019 (Demospongiae) along the coast of Peru, down to 30 m depth. Using morphological analyses, eight species were identified, one of which is new to science: Halichondria (H.) cristata, H. (H.) prostrata, Hymeniacidon perlevis, Johannesia reticulosa, Plicatellopsis expansa, Suberites aff. latus, Terpios cf. granulosus and Suberites inti sp. nov. Halichondria (H.) cristata, originally from Tierra del Fuego (SW Atlantic), was found widely distributed along the coast of Peru (06° S-14° S). The Magellanican H. (H.) prostrata and the formerly Chilean endemic P. expansa are extended up to Central Peru (12° S). Hymeniacidon perlevis, which presents a highly variable morphology (colour, shape, and spicule size), is firstly reported from the SE Pacific and its continuous occurrence in Peru (04° S-17° S) should be monitored given its supposed invasive potential. Johannesia reticulosa, previously known from Chile (20° S) and southern Peru (13° S), was found further north (11° S). Suberites latus and T. granulosus were originally recorded far-off from the Peruvian coast, in British Columbia and Hawaii, respectively. Thus, the occurrences of Suberites aff. latus and Terpios cf. granulosus are unexpected and should receive special attention in future molecular studies assessing their taxonomical status. Suberites inti sp. nov. characterised by its skeleton with ectosomal bouquets and multispicular choanosomal tracts, and two categories of straight tylostyles, is provisionally endemic to Paracas (13° S). With these results, the number of shallow Suberitida from Peru increases from 2 to 9. However, this number might rise as sampling in deeper environments could bring descriptions of new records.

Clinicopathologic Classification of Renal Cell Carcinoma in Patients ≤40 Years Old From Peru.

There are scant data on renal cell carcinoma (RCC) from relatively younger patients in South America using contemporary classification. Fifty-nine consecutively treated patients with RCC (≤40 years old) were assessed from the National Institute of Neoplastic Diseases in Peru from 2008 to 2020 (34 males; 25 females), age range of 13 to 40 years. Most common presenting symptoms were flank pain (n = 40), hematuria (n = 19), and weight loss (n = 12). Associated conditions included 4 patients with proven or presumed tuberous sclerosis and 1 patient with von Hippel Lindau syndrome, all with clear cell RCC. Tumor histopathology was clear cell RCC in 32 of 59 (54%), chromophobe RCC in 6 of 59 (10%), and 5 of 59 (8%) each of papillary RCC and MiT family translocation-associated RCC. Four of 59 (7%) were FH-deficient RCC and 2 of 59 (3%) remained unclassified. The remaining tumors were isolated examples of clear cell papillary renal cell tumor, eosinophilic solid and cystic RCC (ESC RCC), RCC with fibromyomatous stroma, sarcomatoid RCC, and sarcomatoid clear cell RCC. Of the 4 FH-deficient RCCs, none had the classic morphology. The 5 MiT family translocation RCCs had variable morphology. There were 41 tumors without recurrence or metastases, 3 tumors with local recurrence only, 8 tumors with metastases only, and 7 tumors with both local recurrence and metastases. The current study demonstrates the importance of special studies in accurately classifying RCC in younger individuals. The distribution of RCC subtypes in younger individuals is similar between 2 representative large institutions of the United States and Peru.

Morphological study of glenoid cavity of scapula

Scapula is a flat triangular bone lies on chest wall from second to sixth ribs. Its lateral angle is truncated and shows variable morphology in shape. The objectives of the present study were to obtain morphometric data of scapulae and the glenoid cavity specifically the diameters and various shape of glenoid.: The present study was conducted on 90 right scapulae and 90 left scapulae. Metrical and nonmetrical measurements were noted. Length of scapulae, breadth of scapulae, height of Glenoid cavity, antero-posterior diameter 1 and antero-posterior diameter 2 were observed. Shape of Glenoid cavity was noted.Length of scapula on right side was 135.40±13.2mm and on left side it was 136.5±12.9mm. Breadth of scapula on right side was 98.7 ±7.2mm on left side it was 98.2±6.8mm but the difference was not statistically significant. The height of Glenoid cavity on right side was 35.2±2.9mm and on left side it was 35.8±3.1. Antero-posterior diameter 1 of Glenoid cavity on right side was 24.2±2.3 mm and on left side it was 23.9±2.1 mm. Antero-posterior diameter 2 of Glenoid cavity on right side was16.8±2.5 mm and on left side it was 16.7±2.4mm. The most common shape of glenoid cavity was pear shaped followed by oval and least common was inverted comma shape.Knowledge of various measurements of Glenoid cavity is important for prosthesis of shoulder orthoplasty. It is useful in evaluation of various pathological conditions of shoulder joint. Since this study was conducted on limited number of scapulae further clinical, cadaveric and radiological studies are required.

Distinct Clinical and Prognostic Features of Myelodysplastic Syndrome in Patients from the Middle East, North Africa, and Beyond: A Systemic Review.

Myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) describes a group of bone marrow malignancies with variable morphologies and heterogeneous clinical features. The aim of this study was to systematically appraise the published clinical, laboratory, and pathologic characteristics and identify distinct clinical features of MDS in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. We conducted a comprehensive search of the PubMed, Web of Science, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library databases from 2000 to 2021 to identify population-based studies of MDS epidemiology in MENA countries. Of 1935 studies, 13 independent studies published between 2000 and 2021 representing 1306 patients with MDS in the MENA region were included. There was a median of 85 (range 20 to 243) patients per study. Seven studies were performed in Asian MENA countries (732 patients, 56%) and six in North African MENA countries (574 patients, 44%). The pooled mean age was 58.4 years (SD 13.14; 12 studies), and the male-to-female ratio was 1.4. The distribution of WHO MDS subtypes was significantly different between MENA, Western, and Far East populations (n = 978 patients, p < 0.001). More patients from MENA countries were at high/very high IPSS risk than in Western and Far East populations (730 patients, p < 0.001). There were 562 patients (62.2%) with normal karyotypes and 341 (37.8%) with abnormal karyotypes. Our findings establish that MDS is prevalent within the MENA region and is more severe than in Western populations. MDS appears to be more severe with an unfavorable prognosis in the Asian MENA population than the North African MENA population.

Abstract 5418: AI-driven image analysis enables simplified, label-free cytotoxicity screening

Abstract The increasing use of precious, patient-derived cells has driven the need for non-perturbing and label-free cell measurements, particularly in the oncology field. To address this we developed the Incucyte® AI Cell Health Analysis Software Module, which uses two pre-trained deep neural networks to perform automated, unbiased analysis of Phase contrast images to segment individual cells and perform label-free Live/Dead cell classification. The neural networks which perform cell instance segmentation and infer cell viability were trained on a wide diversity of cell types with varied morphologies, ensuring that the analysis is applicable across a variety of adherent and suspension tumor cell types. Here, we demonstrate the application of this analysis across diverse and commonly used biological models of breast cancer, glioblastoma, and B-cell lymphoma. In each case, cells were treated with chemotherapeutic compounds or biosimilar antibodies and Phase contrast images were acquired at regular intervals over 3 - 4 days using the Incucyte® Live-Cell Analysis System. Using the Incucyte® AI Cell Health Analysis cells were accurately segmented and the percentage of dead cells were quantified over time without the requirement for a fluorescent reporter or other exogenous label, and with limited user input. Four breast cancer cell lines were treated with a panel of chemotherapeutics designed to target specific expression patterns. AI Cell Health analysis showed that Estrogen receptor (ER) inhibitor Tamoxifen selectively induced &amp;gt;60% cell death only in ER positive cell lines BT474 and MCF7; dual epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR/HER2) inhibitor Lapatinib induced cell death in AU565, BT474 and MCF7 which express these surface markers. In contrast, Lapatinib and Tamoxifen induced morphological change - but minimal cell death - in triple negative MDA-MB-231 cells. Three glioblastoma cell lines A172, U87 and T98G were treated with a larger panel of chemotherapeutic compounds and for four of the active compounds, efficacy was also determined. Cisplatin, doxorubicin, vinblastine and taxol induced concentration-dependent cell death in A172 and T98G cells; U87 cells displayed resistance to each of these compounds with a maximal 46.5% cell death induced by doxorubicin. Ramos B-cell lymphoma cells were exposed to increasing concentrations of monoclonal antibody Rituximab and the biosimilar Truxima®. The antibodies induced specific cell death via the surface marker CD20 in a time and concentration-dependent manner with similar efficacy (IC50 Rituximab 94.7 ng/mL; Truxima® 110.3 ng/mL), while antibody control IgG1 remained non-perturbing to cells. These results demonstrate that the Incucyte® AI Cell Health Analysis is applicable to a broad range of cancer types cultured in 2D monolayer. This unbiased method enables accurate, label-free quantification of cytotoxic effects induced by clinically relevant therapeutics. Citation Format: Gillian Lovell, Daniel A. Porto, Jasmine Trigg, Nevine Holtz, Nicola Bevan, Timothy Dale, Daniel Appledorn. AI-driven image analysis enables simplified, label-free cytotoxicity screening. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2023; Part 1 (Regular and Invited Abstracts); 2023 Apr 14-19; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2023;83(7_Suppl):Abstract nr 5418.

A Review of Transition Metal Sulfides as Counter Electrodes for Dye-Sensitized and Quantum Dot-Sensitized Solar Cells.

Third-generation solar cells, including dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) and quantum dot-sensitized solar cells (QDSSCs), have been associated with low-cost material requirements, simple fabrication processes, and mechanical robustness. Hence, counter electrodes (CEs) are a critical component for the functionality of these solar cells. Although platinum (Pt)-based CEs have been dominant in CE fabrication, they are costly and have limited market availability. Therefore, it is important to find alternative materials to overcome these issues. Transition metal chalcogenides (TMCs) and transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) have demonstrated capabilities as a more cost-effective alternative to Pt materials. This advantage has been attributed to their strong electrocatalytic activity, excellent thermal stability, tunability of bandgap energies, and variable crystalline morphologies. In this study, a comprehensive review of the major components and working principles of the DSSC and QDSSC are presented. In developing CEs for DSSCs and QDSSCs, various TMS materials synthesized through several techniques are thoroughly reviewed. The performance efficiencies of DSSCs and QDSSCs resulting from TMS-based CEs are subjected to in-depth comparative analysis with Pt-based CEs. Thus, the power conversion efficiency (PCE), fill factor (FF), short circuit current density (Jsc) and open circuit voltage (Voc) are investigated. Based on this review, the PCEs for DSSCs and QDSSCs are found to range from 5.37 to 9.80% (I-/I3- redox couple electrolyte) and 1.62 to 6.70% (S-2/Sx- electrolyte). This review seeks to navigate the future direction of TMS-based CEs towards the performance efficiency improvement of DSSCs and QDSSCs in the most cost-effective and environmentally friendly manner.

Diploid chastity vs. polyploid promiscuity – Extensive gene flow among polyploid cytotypes blurs genetic, morphological and taxonomic boundaries among Dinaric taxa of Knautia (Caprifoliaceae)

Heteroploid Knautia sect. Trichera constitutes a taxonomically intricate assemblage of taxa with highly complex genetic architecture, which is mirrored in high morphological variability and blurred boundaries among the species. Here, we aim to disentangle the relationships among the xerophytic taxa from the Dinaric Mountains on the western Balkan Peninsula, which, based on relative genome size estimations, comprise di-, tetra- and hexaploid populations. Our analyses of amplified fragment length polymorphisms (AFLP) revealed a clear genetic differentiation among the diploid members, which are also morphologically clearly divergent. On the other hand, the phylogenetic structure among tetraploid and hexaploid populations as well as the ties with their diploid progenitors are complex, conferring unclear boundaries among species. Tetraploids were intermingled among the divergent diploid lineages, suggesting recurrent polyploidisation and/or extensive gene flow across sympatric lineages, whereas hexaploids clustered in two groups, pointing to two separate origins. In line with the genetic pattern, there is a high overlap in morphological characters across and within different ploidies. Nevertheless, comparisons of environmental niches showed differentiation among the ploidy levels, with the niche of hexaploids being most divergent. It is thus obvious that dynamic polyploid evolution, virtual lack of crossing barriers among polyploid cytotypes pertaining to different species, and exceedingly variable morphology along with the uniformity of reproductive characters preclude establishing a clear-cut taxonomic structure. Still, albeit generally corroborating previous observations for K. sect. Trichera as a whole, our study restricted to a limited geographic and taxonomic assemblage yielded constructive insights towards a workable taxonomic framework in this complex system. As a result, we propose a revised taxonomic treatment, including description of a new species, Knautia ehrendorferi, but we are aware that species identifications will remain challenging also in the future. Data availabilityData will be made available on request.

Observational Study of Leprosy Presenting with Solitary Skin Lesion from a Tertiary Care Hospital in South India

Background: Leprosy presents with varied clinical morphology, and most often the morphological pattern and distribution of lesions denote a particular spectrum of leprosy; however, it may not be correct in all the cases which can lead to under treatment and dissemination of infection, particularly, in multibacillary leprosy presenting with single skin lesion. Objective: The objective of the study was to describe cases of leprosy presenting with solitary skin lesion and to establish the spectrum by slit-skin smear (SSS) and histopathological examination of skin biopsy. Materials and Methods: A prospective study involving thirty cases of leprosy presenting with single skin lesion to the department of dermatology of a tertiary care hospital spread over 2 years. Examination of skin lesion and nerves was carried out, and details were recorded. Routine hematological and biochemical investigations were done. SSS from the lesion, both ear lobes, right elbow, left middle finger, and right middle toe and lesional biopsy was done. Bacteriological index and morphological index were calculated in all cases, and the diagnosis was correlated by histopathology. Results: Of the thirty cases studied, twenty were males (66.7%) and ten (33.3%) were females with male-to-female ratio of 2:1. The most common age group afflicted was 21–40 years (70%). Hypopigmented patch was the most common presentation 19 (63.3%) in our study. The most common site of patch was forearm in 9 (30%). Of the thirty cases, 20 (66.7%) were diagnosed as borderline tuberculoid, 9 (30%) as tuberculoid tuberculosis, and 1 (3.3%) as indeterminate leprosy. Ulnar nerve was the most common nerve involved (80%). Ten patients (33.3%) were positive and twenty (66.7%) were negative for acid-fast bacilli on SSS examination. Out of the thirty clinically diagnosed leprosy cases, 19 (63.3%) showed positive histopathological correlation. Conclusions: The presentation of borderline lepromatous leprosy and lepromatous leprosy as single skin lesion reinforces the fact that certain aspects of the host cell-mediated response and pathophysiology of this disease are still not fully understood. It illustrates the importance of SSS and biopsy in these cases as such cases are undertreated.

Imaging of Anatomical Variants Around the Hip.

Considering the current widespread use of imaging as an integral part of managing hip pain, variable hip geometries and anatomical variants are increasingly being detected. These variants are commonly found in the acetabulum and proximal femur, as well as the surrounding capsule-labral tissues. The morphology of specific anatomical spaces confined by the proximal femur and the bony pelvis may also vary significantly among individuals. Familiarity with the spectrum of imaging appearances of the hip is necessary to identify variant hip morphologies with or without potential clinical relevance and reduce an unnecessary work-up and overdiagnosis. We describe anatomical variations and variable morphologies of the bony structures comprising the hip joint and the soft tissues, around the hip. The potential clinical significance of these findings is further analyzed in conjunction with the patient's profile.

Dinosaur tracks from the Frontier Formation, Montana: preservation, distribution and palaeoecological significance for the middle Cretaceous terrestrial ecosystems of North America

ABSTRACT The Coniacian-Santonian stages in western North America are characterized by a sparse fossil record. We present here the first account of dinosaur tracks from nine sites in the Frontier Formation (Coniacian-Santonian) of southwestern Montana. Tracks are largely preserved in distal alluvial facies as sandstone casts, with a single example of shallow epirelief impression interpreted as undertrack. Sandstone casts show significant relief, kinematic features (i.e., scale marks), and variable morphologies, arguing for a strong substrate control on their preservation. Putative producers are assigned to ornithopod, ankylosaurian, and theropod dinosaurs in decreasing order of abundance. This record reflects a composition similar to those of other middle Cretaceous formations in North America. Moreover, ankylosaurian tracks of the Frontier Formation represent the first known from Coniacian strata in North America. The incorporation of body and trace fossils yielded by the Frontier Formation indicates the presence of a fauna with North American endemic elements. The establishment of Coniacian-Santonian dinosaurian palaeocommunities akin to those observed in Campanian and Maastrichtian formations may reflect the trend towards provincialism attested for the end of the Mesozoic in North America.

The mechanisms and microstructures of passive atmospheric CO2 mineralisation with slag at ambient conditions

Removal of CO2 already in the Earth's atmosphere through CO2 mineralisation with alkaline waste materials such as steel slag is one approach to mitigate the effects of anthropogenically-induced climate change. However, the microstructures produced during passive carbonation of slag are not well known. Here we use Scanning Electron Microscopy imaging and chemical mapping, X-Ray diffraction and stable isotopes (δ13C and δ18O) to show that ingassed and hydroxylated atmospheric CO2 reacts with Ca leached from slag to precipitate calcite directly on the slag surface. Precipitated calcite crystal morphologies vary, ranging from bladed and acicular crystals to layered deposits of micron-scale equant crystals. The variable morphology and extent of calcite precipitation documented is linked to a combination of internal (i.e. microstructural properties of the slag itself) and external (environmental conditions) factors. This work shows that atmospheric CO2 can be drawn down and mineralised passively by the slag at ambient conditions as part of the slag valorisation and reutilisation process.

Sperm quality metrics were improved by a biomimetic microfluidic selection platform compared to swim-up methods

Sperm selection is an essential component of all assisted reproductive treatments (ARTs) and is by far the most neglected step in the ART workflow in regard to technological innovation. Conventional sperm selection methodologies typically produce a higher total number of sperm with variable motilities, morphologies, and levels of DNA integrity. Gold-standard techniques, including density gradient centrifugation (DGC) and swim-up (SU), have been shown to induce DNA fragmentation through introducing reactive oxygen species (ROS) during centrifugation. Here, we demonstrate a 3D printed, biologically inspired microfluidic sperm selection device (MSSP) that utilizes multiple methods to simulate a sperms journey toward selection. Sperm are first selected based on their motility and boundary-following behavior and then on their expression of apoptotic markers, yielding over 68% more motile sperm than that of previously reported methods with a lower incidence of DNA fragmentation and apoptosis. Sperm from the MSSP also demonstrated higher motile sperm recovery after cryopreservation than that of SU or neat semen. Experiments were conducted side-by-side against conventional SU methods using human semen (n = 33) and showed over an 85% improvement in DNA integrity with an average 90% reduction in sperm apoptosis. These results that the platform is easy-to-use for sperm selection and mimics the biological function of the female reproductive tract during conception.

Distributed Size-constrained Clustering Algorithm for Modular Robot-based Programmable Matter

Modular robots are defined as autonomous kinematic machines with variable morphology. They are composed of several thousands or even millions of modules that are able to coordinate to behave intelligently. Clustering the modules in modular robots has many benefits, including scalability, energy-efficiency, reducing communication delay, and improving the self-reconfiguration process that focuses on finding a sequence of reconfiguration actions to convert robots from an initial shape to a goal one. The main idea of clustering is to divide the modules in an initial shape into a number of groups based on the final goal shape to enhance the self-reconfiguration process by allowing clusters to reconfigure in parallel. In this work, we prove that the size-constrained clustering problem is NP-complete, and we propose a new tree-based size-constrained clustering algorithm called “SC-Clust.” To show the efficiency of our approach, we implement and demonstrate our algorithm in simulation on networks of up to 30000 modules and on the Blinky Blocks hardware with up to 144 modules.

Description of two new species of apple snail (Ampullariidae: Pomacea) from Peruvian Amazonia

Two new species of apple snails are described, Pomacea penai sp. nov. and Pomacea reevei sp. nov. that are used as food resources in Peruvian Amazonia. We used anatomical and conchological features to diagnose these two species. Pomacea penai sp. nov. is characterized by a highly variable shell morphology, spire that is prominent to immersed, apical penis sheath gland covering 1/3 penis sheath and elongated basal gland, prostate broad proximally, reduced stomach septum, green eggs, and commonly inhabits temporary flooded areas, creeks, and oxbow lakes. Pomacea reevei sp. nov. possesses a large shell, ranging from 81-137 mm, grey broad penis sheath, small apical penis sheath gland and the basal gland covering 1/3 penis sheath, tall stomach septum, white eggs, and found in deep lentic water bodies.