From the results found in the disc, it was found that the posterior region had the highest values in multiple viscoelastic parameters when compared to the other regions. The mandibular condylar cartilage was only found to be significantly different in the transverse modulus between the posterior and lateral regions. Both the TMJ disc and MCC had similar magnitudes of values and behavior under this testing modality. Copyright (c) 2020 by ASME.PURPOSE Defects in both CYP21A2 and TNXB genes can cause congenital adrenal hyperplasia combined with hypermobility type Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, which has recently been named CAH-X syndrome. learn more The purpose of this study is to assess the prevalence of chimeric TNXA/TNXB gene and clinical symptoms in a Chinese cohort with 21-hydroxylase deficiency (21-OHD). METHODS A total of 424 patients with 21-OHD who were genetically diagnosed were recruited for this study. Multiplex ligation dependent probe amplification and sequencing were used to identify the CAH-X genotype. Clinical features of joints, skin, and others systems were evaluated in 125 patients. RESULTS Here, 94 of the 424 patients had a deletion on at least one allele of CYP21A2 and 59 of them harbored heterozygotic TNXA/TNXB chimera. Frequencies of CAH-X CH-1, CH-2, and CH-3 were 8.2%, 3.1%, and 2.6%, respectively. The incidences of clinical features of EDS were 71.0% and 26.6% in patients with chimeric TNXA/TNXB genes or without (p less then 0.001). There were statistically significant differences in manifestations among the articular (p less then 0.001 in generalized hypermobility) and dermatologic (p less then 0.001 in hyperextensible skin, p=0.015 in velvety skin and p=0.033 in poor wound healing). The prevalence of generalized hypermobility was more common in CAH-X CH-2 or CH-3 than CH-1 patients (60% vs 20%, P=0.028). CONCLUSIONS In summary, about 14% of patients with 21-OHD may have chimeric TNXA/TNXB gene mutations in our study and most of them showed EDS related clinical symptoms. The correlation between CAH-X genotypes and clinical features in connective tissue like joint or skin needs to be further investigated. © Endocrine Society 2020. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail [email protected] Since the identification of the first two Candida auris cases in Chicago, Illinois, in 2016, ongoing spread has been documented in the Chicago area. We describe C. auris emergence in high-acuity long-term healthcare facilities and present a case-study of public health response to C. auris and carbapenemase-producing organisms (CPOs) at one ventilator-capable skilled nursing facility (vSNF A). METHODS We performed point prevalence surveys (PPSs) to identify patients colonized with C. auris, infection control (IC) assessments, and provided ongoing support for IC improvements in Illinois acute and long-term care facilities during August 2016-December 2018. During 2018, we initiated a focused effort at vSNF A, and conducted seven C. auris PPSs; during four PPSs, we also performed CPO screening and environmental sampling. RESULTS During August 2016-December 2018 in Illinois, 490 individuals were found to be colonized or infected with C. auris. PPSs identified highest prevalence of C. auris colonization in vSNF settings (prevalence 23-71%). IC assessments in multiple vSNFs identified common challenges in core IC practices. Repeat PPSs at vSNF A in 2018 identified increasing C. auris prevalence from 43% to 71%. Most residents screened during multiple PPSs remained persistently colonized with C. auris. Among 191 environmental samples collected, 39% were positive for C. auris, including samples from bedrails, windowsills, and shared patient-care items. CONCLUSIONS High burden in vSNFs along with persistent colonization of residents and environmental contamination point to the need for prioritizing IC interventions to control spread of C. auris and CPOs. © The Author(s) 2020. Published by Oxford University Press for the Infectious Diseases Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, e-mail [email protected] aortic valve (AV) mechanics is crucial in elucidating both the mechanisms that drive the manifestation of valvular diseases as well as the development of treatment modalities that target these processes. Genetically modified mouse models have provided mechanistic insight into AV development and disease. However, very little is known about mouse aortic valve leaflet (MAVL) tensile properties due to their microscopic size (~500µm long and 45µm thick) and the lack of proper mechanical testing modalities to assess uniaxial and biaxial tensile properties of the tissue. We developed a method in which the biaxial tensile properties of MAVL tissues can be assessed by adhering the tissues to a silicone rubber membrane utilizing dopamine as an adhesive. Applying equiaxial tensile loads on the tissue-membrane composite and tracking the engineering strains on the surface of the tissue resulted in the characteristic orthotropic response of AV tissues seen in human and porcine tissues. Our data suggests that the circumferential direction is approximately 155 kPa stiffer than the radial direction (n=6, P=0.0006) in MAVL tissues. This method can be implemented in future studies involving longitudinal mechanical stimulation of genetically modified MAVL tissues bridging the gap between cellular and biomolecular mechanisms and valve mechanics in popular mouse models of valve disease. Copyright (c) 2020 by ASME.Despite promising advances with metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) as stationary phases for chromatography, the application of MOFs for one- and two-dimensional micro-gas chromatography (μGC and μGC × μGC) applications has yet to be shown. We demonstrate for the first time, μGC columns coated with two different MOFs, HKUST-1 and ZIF-8, for the rapid separation of high volatility light alkane hydrocarbons (natural gas) and determined the partition coefficients for toxic industrial chemicals, using μGC and μGC × μGC systems. Complete separation of natural gas components, methane through pentane, was completed within 1 min, with sufficient resolution to discriminate n-butane from i-butane. Layer-by-layer controlled deposition cycles of the MOFs were accomplished to establish the optimal film thickness, which was validated using GC (sorption thermodynamics), quartz-crystal microbalance gravimetric analysis and scanning electron microscopy. Complete surface coverage was not observed until after ~17 deposition cycles.