Lucid Technologies (United States)

Abstract Introduction Individuals born with dense bilateral cataracts, for whom sight was restored later in life (congenital cataract reversal individuals), provide a unique opportunity to explore the impact of early (visual) experience on the development of the human brain. Methods Using diffusion MRI we assessed white matter microstructure in a sample of 20 congenital cataract reversal individuals using along-the-tract analysis of major visual white matter tracts and non-visual control tracts. We additionally recruited three control groups: 8 permanently congenitally blind individuals, 11 individuals with reversed later-onset cataracts (developmental cataract reversal individuals), and 24 age– and sex-matched typically sighted controls. Results Diffusion tensor metrics exhibited significant group differences which were specific to visual tracts. Compared to normally sighted controls, congenitally blind and congenital cataract reversal individuals both showed impaired white matter integrity. However, differences were much more spatially extensive for permanently congenitally blind individuals, and a direct comparison revealed relatively higher tract integrity for congenital cataract reversal individuals, suggesting a high degree of recovery following sight restoration. Discussion The present pattern of results is compatible with the idea of both a sensitive period for white matter development and significant white matter plasticity later in life. We propose that group differences are largely driven by differences in myelination. Thus, the considerable recovery in congenital cataract reversal individuals would suggest that life-long myelin plasticity may remain higher than neuronal structural plasticity.

Background: Barrett’s Esophagus (BE) is the only known precursor for esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC). Patients with multiple risk factors for BE/EAC are recommended for screening; however, few eligible patients undergo evaluation by endoscopy. EsoGuard® (EG) is a commercially available biomarker assay used to analyze esophageal cells collected non-endoscopically with EsoCheck® (EC) for the qualitative detection of BE/EAC. This study evaluates the real-world clinical utility of EG on cells collected with EC in patients defined by U.S. gastroenterology societies to be at-risk for BE and EAC. Methods: This multi-center, observational CLinical Utility of EsoGuard (CLUE) study enrolled screening-eligible patients as defined by the American College of Gastroenterology (ACG) and the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA). Clinical utility was evaluated by the provider decision impact of EG and additionally by assessing patient compliance outcomes with recommended follow-up testing. Results: There were 551 patients enrolled, with a mean age of 62.0 ± 12.4 years and 56.1% (309/551) meeting ACG guideline criteria for BE screening. EC cell collection was successful in 97.1% (535/551), among which the EG positivity rate was 27.3% (n = 146). The provider decision impact was high, with 100% of EG-positive patients being referred for esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD), while 98% of EG negative patients were not referred. Among the EG-positive patients, the overall compliance with follow-up EGD was 85.4%. Conclusions: Combining EC non-endoscopic esophageal cell collection with the EG biomarker assay is effective in guiding provider decision-making for the detection of BE and EAC. Patients with positive EG results demonstrate high compliance with recommended follow-up EGD.

We previously reported an encapsulated balloon (EsoCheck TM , EC), which selectively samples the distal esophagus, that coupled with a two methylated DNA biomarker panel (EsoGuard TM , EG), detected Barrett's esophagus (BE) and esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC), with a sensitivity and specificity of 90.3% and 91.7%, respectively. This previous study utilized frozen EC samples. To assess a next generation EC sampling device and EG assay that utilizes a room temperature sample preservative to enable office-based testing. Cases with nondysplastic (ND) and dysplastic (indefinite=IND, low grade dysplasia = LGD, high grade dysplasia = HGD) BE, EAC, junctional adenocarcinoma (JAC) and controls with no intestinal metaplasia (IM) were included. Nurses or physician assistants at six institutions, who were trained in EC administration, delivered the encapsulated balloon per orally and inflated it in the stomach. The inflated balloon was pulled back to sample 5 cm of the distal esophagus, then deflated and retracted into the EC capsule to prevent sample contamination from proximal esophagus. Nextgen EG sequencing assays performed on bisulfite-treated DNA extracted from EC samples determined levels of methylated Vimentin (mVIM) and methylated Cyclin A1 (mCCNA1) in a CLIA-certified laboratory, blinded to patients' phenotypes. A total of 243 evaluable patients - 88 cases (median age 68 years, 78% men, 92% white) and 155 controls (median age 57 years, 41% men, 88% white) - underwent adequate EC sampling. Mean time for EC sampling was just over 3 minutes. The cases included 31 NDBE, 16 IND/LGD, 23 HGD, and 18 EAC/JAC. Thirty-seven (53%) of the non-dysplastic and dysplastic BE cases were short-segment BE (SSBE; < 3 cm). Overall sensitivity for detecting all cases was 85% (95% CI= 0.78-0.93) and specificity was 85% (95% CI=0.79-0.90). Sensitivity for NDBE was 84% (n=37). The EC/EG test detected 100% of cancers. The next-generation EC/EG technology has been both successfully updated to incorporate a room temperature sample collection preservative and successfully implemented in a CLIA certified laboratory. When performed by trained personnel, EC/EG detects non-dysplastic BE, dysplastic BE, and cancer with high sensitivity and specificity, replicating the operating characteristics of the initial pilot study of this technology. Future applications utilizing EC/EG to screen broader populations at risk for developing cancer are proposed. This multi-center study demonstrates the successful performance of a commercially available clinically implementable non-endoscopic screening test for BE in the U.S., as recommended in the most recent ACG Guideline and AGA Clinical Update. It transitions and validates a prior academic laboratory-based study of frozen research samples over to a CLIA laboratory, one that also integrates a clinically practical room temperature method for sample acquisition and storage, enabling office-based screening.

As stationary hybrid energy‐storage systems (HESS) for power systems applications have recently drawn interest due to their enhanced performance and decreasing cost, developing systematic approaches for HESS design while considering controls is gaining traction. Herein, a method is presented to optimally design hybrid battery storage by proposing a mathematical modeling framework, formulated as a mixed integer linear programming model. The optimization is capable of handling multiple subsystems of batteries, considering their economic and technological performance. Decisions involve sizing of the batteries, optimal temporal and strategic dispatch to end uses, and energy sources for charging each battery. The applicability of the model is tested on four case studies for three battery chemistries representing distinct objectives: high‐power, high‐energy, and second life. Compared to traditionally designed battery storage with a homogeneous battery, optimally designed hybrid systems can save 12%–26% of system costs, depending on the nature of the dispatch profile. Findings point to design preference toward the second life battery supplemented with some high‐power or high‐energy battery capacity, or both. With the utilized electricity price structure, customers can experience approximately 10%–35% reduction in their bills.

Neo banks, also known as digital banks or challenger banks, are online financial institutions that leverage advanced technologies to deliver convenient, efficient, and personalized banking services. They disrupt the traditional banking landscape by challenging established banks to adapt and innovate to remain competitive, and are gaining popularity among tech-savvy consumers who value convenience and innovation in their banking experience. Based on a sample size of 200 respondents collected via a Google form, the purpose of this study is to better understand how the Neo banks changing the banking industry by competing with traditional banks in India. according to the findings of the study the increasing usage of neo banks over traditional banks is driven by high levels of customer satisfaction with the services provided and also play a significant role in the adoption of neo banks. However, regulatory compliance remains a challenge for new banks. Opportunities lie in offering innovative and tailored financial products and enhancing user experience technologies. Despite the rising usage of neo banks, traditional banks are unlikely to be replaced in the future as both types of banks can coexist and serve different customer needs in the evolving banking landscape.

Spinal cord stimulation (SCS) is increasingly used to treat painful diabetic neuropathy (PDN). At the time of a recent meta-analysis in this field, data were only available from randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of traditional low-frequency SCS (LF-SCS). However, outcomes from high-frequency 10 kHz SCS treatment are now available. Our study aimed to systematically review the contemporary evidence for SCS in patients with lower limb pain due to PDN and include an indirect comparison of the high- and low-frequency modalities. We searched the PubMed/CENTRAL databases up to 18 August 2022, for peer-reviewed RCTs of SCS that enrolled PDN patients with lower limb pain symptoms. The quality of the evidence was assessed with the Cochrane Risk of Bias tool. Using SCS treatment arm data from the RCTs, we indirectly compared the absolute treatment effect of 10 kHz SCS and LF-SCS. Results are presented in tables and forest plots. This systematic review was reported according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) 2020 guidelines. Three RCTs met our eligibility criteria, including the recent 10 kHz SCS RCT (N = 216, 90 implanted) and 2 others that examined LF-SCS (N = 36, 17 implanted; N = 60, 37 implanted). Our analysis of 6-month data found clinically meaningful pain relief with each SCS modality. However, significantly greater pain reduction was identified for 10 kHz SCS over LF-SCS: average pain reduction in the 10 kHz SCS cohort was 73.7% compared with 47.5% in the pooled LF-SCS group (p < 0.0001). In the permanent implant subset, the 50% pain reduction responder rate was 83.3% in the 10 kHz SCS cohort versus 63.0% in the pooled LF-SCS group (p = 0.0072). The overall risk of bias of each included RCT was deemed high, mainly due to the absence of patient blinding. Our analysis indicates that paresthesia-free 10 kHz SCS can provide superior pain relief and responder rate over LF-SCS for managing PDN patients refractory to conventional medical management.

The United States menhaden oil annual production is sufficient to supply all of the recommended long chain Omega‐3s for Americans over 55 with coronary heart disease (CHD) and pregnant and lactating women. According to a recent study, the utilization of preventable intake levels could potentially save up to $1.7 billion annually in hospital costs alone. In addition, the remaining oil could be used to support a culture of enough Atlantic salmon to provide every pregnant and lactating woman in the U.S. with 8‐12 ounces of fish per week, as recommended by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), throughout the duration of pregnancy and lactation. Based on the FDA's quantitative assessment, this may result in a net increase of IQ by 5.5 points in children and improve their early age verbal development.

Emulsified fish oil supplements provide an alternative to encapsulated fish oils. Oil-in-water emulsions may offer an advantage in digestion and absorption thereby increasing the bioavailability of fatty acids.We evaluated the effect of three oil-in-water emulsified fish oils (Emulsion B, Emulsion S, and Emulsion N) vs. an encapsulated fish oil (Oil capsules) on plasma phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) content over 48 hours.In a cross-over designed randomized trial, 10 healthy volunteers consumed a single dose of fish oil supplement (matched on EPA). Blood was drawn at 0, 2, 4, 8, 24 and 48 hours and analyzed for PLFA content by gas chromatography. Data was used to calculate individual time point differences and the incremental 48 hour area under the curve (iAUC48). Repeated measures ANOVA shows a reduction (p<.05) in % of LA, total n6, and the n6:n3 ratio and an increase (p<.05) in % of EPA, DHA,and total n3 in PLFA for all supplements. The iAUC48 of EPA was increased (p<.05) after Emulsion S and Emulsion N compared to Emulsion B and Oil capsules. iAUC48 for DHA, total n3, and the n6:n3 ratio was not different between supplements. Although all supplements enhanced n3 and reduced n6 content of PLFA , Emulsion S and Emulsion N showed improved EPA incorporation into PLFA. The study was supported by a grant from the Dyson Foundation, Atlanta GA and by 5450-51000-049-00D from USDA.

We present a dual-modality high-resolution imaging approach for real-time assessment of cancer lesions in directly or endoscopically accessible organs. The detailed description of the instrumentation and preliminary results on various excised tissue specimens will be presented.