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The rapid growth of biotherapeutic industry, with more and more complex molecules entering the market, forces the need for advanced analytical platforms that can quickly and accurately identify and quantify product quality attributes. Mass spectrometry has the potential to provide more detailed information about the quality attributes of complex products, and MS methods are more sensitive than UV methods for detection of impurities. The multi-attribute method (MAM), a liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry based analytical approach is an emerging platform which supports biotherapeutic characterization and cGMP testing. The main advantage lies in the ability to monitor multiple quality attributes in a single assay, both at the peptide and the intact level, facilitating streamlined biopharmaceutical production, from research and development to the QC environment. This review highlights the current landscape of the MAM approach with special attention given to increased analytical throughput, general requirements for QC in terms of instrumentation and software, regulatory requirements, and industry acceptance of the MAM platform. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mucus is a hydrated, viscoelastic, and adhesive gel that lubricates and protects the body from pathogens; however, its protective function hinders drug/nanomedicine diffusion and treatment efficiency. Therefore, novel drug delivery strategies are required to overcome challenging mucosal barriers. Here, multi‐responsive nanogels (NGs) are developed and explored their interaction with mucus. Specific NG features (e.g., surface charge, temperature responsiveness, and redox response) are evaluated in a typical mucus‐associated environment (i.e., mucin proteins and high glutathione concentrations). The results demonstrate that biocompatibility and the capacity to deliver a protein through mucosal barriers in different in vitro and in vivo models highlight the importance of specific NG design elements. Disulfide bonds are highlighted as redox‐sensitive cross‐linkers within the NG structure as critical for drug delivery performance; they function as degradation points that enable NG degradation and subsequent drug release and anchoring points to adhere to mucin, thereby enhancing their residence time at the desired site of action. Additionally, it is confirmed that surface charges impact interactions with mucin; positively charged NGs exhibit improved interactions with mucin compared to negatively charged and neutral NGs. Overall, the findings underline the importance of redox response and surface charge in NG design for reaching efficient mucosal drug delivery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Eddy stirring at mesoscale oceanic fronts generates finescale filaments, visible in submesoscale-resolving model simulations and high-resolution satellite images of sea surface temperature, ocean color, and sea ice. Submesoscale filaments have widths of O(1–10) km and evolve on time scales of hours to days, making them extremely challenging to observe. Despite their relatively small scale, submesoscale processes play a key role in the climate system by providing a route to dissipation; altering the stratification of the ocean interior; and generating strong vertical velocities that exchange heat, carbon, nutrients, and oxygen between the mixed layer and the ocean interior. We present a unique set of in situ and satellite observations in a standing meander region of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current (ACC) that supports the theory of cold filamentary intensification—revealing enhanced vertical velocities and evidence of subduction and ventilation associated with finescale cold filaments. We show that these processes are not confined to the mixed layer; EM-APEX floats reveal enhanced downward velocities (>100 m day−1) and evidence of ageostrophic motion extending as deep as 1600 dbar, associated with a ∼20-km-wide cold filament. A finer-scale (∼5 km wide) cold filament crossed by a towed Triaxus is associated with anomalous chlorophyll and oxygen values extending at least 100–200 dbar below the base of the mixed layer, implying recent subduction and ventilation. Energetic standing meanders within the weakly stratified ACC provide an environment conductive to the generation of finescale filaments that can transport water mass properties across mesoscale fronts and deep into the ocean interior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous research found that some organosilicon treatments proved effective in stabilizing waterlogged wood dimensions during drying. The present research aimed to determine the mechanism of wood stabilization by these chemicals to understand their mode of action. The study used chemically (ChP) and biologically degraded (BP) model Scots pine wood treated with Methyltrimethoxysilane (MTMS), (3-Mercaptopropyl) trimethoxysilane (MPTMS), or 1,3-Bis(diethylamino)-3-propoxypropanol)-1,1,3,3-tetramethyldisiloxane (DEAPTMDS). Synchrotron-based X-ray fluorescence microscopy (XFM) was used to investigate the penetration of organosilicons into the wood cellular structure and cell walls, and nanoindentation was used to study the mechanical properties of the treated wood cell walls. All treatments resulted in high volumetric anti-shrink efficiency (ASEV) values of 74–82%, except for MTMS-treated ChP with an ASEV of 52%. The multiscale XFM results revealed that all applied organosilicons penetrated throughout the whole wooden blocks and deposited in both cell lumina and cell walls. The retention of all applied organosilicons was highest in BP wood, and so was the dimensional stabilization effect. MTMS-treated ChP had the lowest measured cell wall infiltration, which likely contributed to its lower ASEv. DEAPTMDS treatments plasticized the cell walls and resulted in lowered nanoindentation elastic modulus (EsNI) and hardness (H) for all types of wood. MTMS and MPTMS had modest effects on cell wall mechanical properties, and the effect depended on the type of wood. The final effect of organosilicon treatment on the dimensional wood stabilization and mechanical properties of wood cell walls depended not only on the type of the applied organosilicon but also the type of wood degradation. This means that the treatment cannot be considered universal, and specific approaches are needed for the conservation of individual wooden objects. Although some mechanisms are now better understood, such as the need for organosilicons to infiltrate the cell walls and the plasticizing effect of DEAPTMDS, other aspects will benefit from a more detailed analysis of the molecular interactions between organosilicons and wood polymers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The electrolytic reduction of CO2 in aqueous media promises a pathway for the utilization of the green house gas by converting it to base chemicals or building blocks thereof. However, the technology is currently not economically feasible, where one reason lies in insufficient reaction rates and selectivities. Current research of CO2 electrolysis is becoming aware of the importance of the local environment and reactions at the electrodes and their proximity, which can be only assessed under true catalytic conditions, i.e. by in operando techniques. In this work, multinuclear in operando NMR techniques were applied in order to investigate the evolution of the electrolyte chemistry during CO2 electrolysis. The CO2 electroreduction was performed in aqueous NaHCO3 or KHCO3 electrolytes at silver electrodes. Based on 13C and 23Na NMR studies at different magnetic fields, it was found that the dynamic equilibrium of the electrolyte salt in solution, existing as ion pairs and free ions, decelerates with increasingly negative potential. In turn, this equilibrium affects the resupply rate of CO2 to the electrolysis reaction from the electrolyte. Substantiated by relaxation measurements, a mechanism was proposed where stable ion pairs in solution catalyze the bicarbonate dehydration reaction, which may provide a new pathway for improving educt resupply during CO2 electrolysis. The electrolytic reduction of CO2 in aqueous media promises a pathway for the utilization of the greenhouse gas by converting it to base chemicals, however, reactions at the electrodes and their proximity remain challenging to elucidate. Here, the authors use multinuclear in operando NMR to study CO2 electrolysis in aqueous media and find that stable ion pairs in solution catalyze the bicarbonate dehydration reaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mapped representations of species−habitat relationships often underlie approaches to prioritize area‐based conservation strategies to meet conservation goals for biodiversity. Generally a single surrogate species is used to inform conservation design, with the assumption that conservation actions for an appropriately selected species will confer benefits to a broader community of organisms. Emerging conservation frameworks across western North America are now relying on derived measures of intactness from remotely sensed vegetation data, wholly independent from species data. Understanding the efficacy of species‐agnostic planning approaches is a critical step to ensuring the robustness of emerging conservation designs. We developed an approach to quantify 'strength of surrogacy', by applying prioritization algorithms to previously developed species models, and measuring their coverage provided to a broader wildlife community. We used this inference to test the relative surrogacy among a suite of species models used for conservation targeting in the endangered grasslands of the Northern Sagebrush Steppe, where careful planning can help stem the loss of private grazing lands to cultivation. In this test, we also derived a simpler surrogate of intact rangelands without species data for conservation targeting, along with a measure of combined migration representative of key areas for connectivity. Our measure of intactness vastly outperformed any species model as a surrogate for conservation, followed by that of combined migration, highlighting the efficacy of strategies that target large and intact rangeland cores for wildlife conservation and restoration efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Waterlogged wood conservation is a complex and challenging task. Detailed knowledge about the interactions between the applied chemicals and wood is necessary to ensure the effective and safe conservation of wooden artifacts. The present research aims to determine the mechanism of dimensional stabilization of archeological wood by organosilicon compounds using the combination of synchrotron-based X-ray fluorescence microscopy (XFM) and nanoindentation. Archeological oak wood was treated with methyltrimethoxysilane, (3-mercaptopropyl)trimethoxysilane, or 1,3-bis-[(diethylamino)-3-(propoxy)propan-2-ol]-1,1,3,3-tetramethyldisiloxane, which in previous studies were found to be more effective than other organosilicons in stabilizing wood dimensions. The XFM and nanoindentation results showed that all three organosilicons infiltrated wood cell walls and enhanced their mechanical properties. The XFM also showed that part of the chemicals filled some void spaces like cell lumina. Based on the results obtained here and in our previous research, it is determined that the mechanism of archeological wood dimensional stabilization by organosilicon treatment is complex and likely involves both filling cell lumina and infiltration into cell walls where organosilicons interact with wood polymers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The dolphinfish (Coryphaena hippurus) is a globally distributed marine predator that supports one of the most important coastal fisheries along the Eastern Tropical Pacific (ETP), but its spatial movements in this area are poorly understood. Stable isotope values (δ13C and δ15N) of white muscle from dolphinfish (n = 220) captured at different locations across the ETP (i.e., Mexico, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Peru and oceanic areas) were normalized to copepod baseline stable isotope values to estimate dolphinfish trophic position, movements and population dispersal. Movement or residence patterns were inferred from the difference in δ15N values (Δ15Ndolphinfish‐copepod‰) between copepods and dolphinfish muscle. Baseline corrected isotope values (δ13Cdolphinfish‐copepod and δ15Ndolphinfish‐copepod) of dolphinfish muscle were used to estimate isotopic niche metrics and infer population dispersal across isoscapes. Values of δ13C and δ15N differed between juvenile and adult dolphinfish and across the ETP. Trophic position estimates ranged from 3.1 to 6.0 with a mean of 4.6. Adults and juveniles had similar trophic position estimates, whereas isotopic niche areas (SEA ‰2) of adults were greater relative to juveniles in every location. Adult dolphinfish showed "moderate movement by some individuals" in all locations based on Δ15Ndolphinfish‐copepod values, except for Costa Rica where adults were classified with "high degree of movement by some individuals" whereas juveniles showed "limited movement" in all areas except Mexico. Population dispersal based on Δ15Ndolphinfish‐copepod values showed "moderate" and "high" dispersal for adults and "no dispersal" for most juveniles, except for Mexico. This study provides insight into potential dolphinfish spatial mobility across an area of interest for multiple nations, which can help to improve stock assessments and management of the species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Peptide mapping is routinely used in the characterization of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) for confirmation of the primary sequence and for the detection of post-translational modifications (PTMs). Trypsin is one of the most commonly used proteases in peptide mapping protocols due to its high level of specificity. However, it has been observed that trypsin alone is not always sufficient for full sequence coverage because of the presence of long sequences of hydrophobic amino acids that lack trypsin-specific cleavage sites. In this article, trypsin was combined with chymotrypsin to overcome this loss of sequence coverage. Through the immobilization of these proteases on magnetic beads, and by performing the digestion using an automated platform, a rapid and reproducible digest was achieved with low levels of nonspecific peptides (< 1.3%) and a low number of unique peptides generated across technical replicates (< 6). By using a ratio of 50:50 (v/v) trypsin-chymotrypsin, full sequence coverage was achievable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In January 1909, the students of the Azhar, the Islamic world's most prestigious university, went on strike. Protesting recent curricular and administrative changes introduced by the Egyptian Khedive, they demanded increased material support and asserted the university's right to govern itself. After several weeks of demonstrations that drew thousands of supporters into the streets of Cairo, the Khedive suspended the reforms that first caused the Azharis to walk out. Oddly, this remarkable mobilization has nearly vanished into obscurity. Drawing on reporting from the Egyptian press and intelligence memoranda from the Egyptian Ministry of Interior, this article argues that the apparent incongruity of Azharis on strike was no mistake. Their willful rejection of ascribed categories helps to explain both why this movement of unionized seminarians speaking a language of self-government proved so striking for contemporary supporters and critics alike and why this event has slipped through the cracks of a historiography still framed by those very categories. Long forgotten in histories of both nationalism and organized labor, the Azhar strike represented a pivotal moment in the emergence of mass politics in Egypt. In invoking "union," the Azharis engaged in multiple, overlapping acts of comparison. Inspired by the modular repertoires of militant labor, they simultaneously hailed the constitutional revolution of the Ottoman Committee of Union and Progress as a model for political transformation. Rooted in a self-conscious critique of colonial comparativism, their struggle thereby furnished new materials with which to elaborate a telescopic series of anti-colonial solidarities that were themselves fundamentally comparative. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and illness anxiety disorder (IAD) often co-occur. Cognitive-behavioral models of both disorders overlap and include maladaptive attentional processes, misinterpretation of thoughts and physical sensations, and engagement in repetitive behaviors in an attempt to reduce associated distress. Given commonalities in their presentation and their common co-occurrence, it is important to understand how illness anxiety affects the presentation and treatment of OCD. In this article, theoretical conceptualizations of OCD and IAD and their comorbid presentation are outlined, and assessment and differential diagnosis of these conditions are discussed. Despite shared cognitive vulnerabilities and behavioral patterns, well-validated symptom measures, along with careful functional analysis, can be used to distinguish between OCD, IAD, and comorbid presentations. Best practices for the cognitive-behavioral treatment of these co-occurring conditions are also presented, with suggestions based on both the empirical literature and detailed case studies. Finally, recommendations for future research on co-occurring OCD and IAD and their treatment are explored. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mechanism of reversible lithium intercalation in graphite anodes is still not fully understood. In operando Raman spectroscopy provides a sensitive means to monitor structural changes during the intercalation process. Analysis of the D‐band to G‐band intensity ratio (D/G ratio) is a common method to study the structure of carbon materials. However, this approach is complicated for the investigation of graphite anodes during battery cycling, as the D‐band disappears with the onset of lithium intercalation. To circumvent this issue, the D/G ratio can be replaced by using the G‐band full‐width‐at‐half‐maximum (FWHM). In this study, an investigation of the G‐band FWHM during battery cell cycling is demonstrated as an alternative to monitor the intercalation of lithium into a graphite electrode. It was observed that lithium intercalation already occurs to a small extent during solid–electrolyte interphase (SEI) formation and that the formation of staged intercalation compounds leads to a continuous deformation of the boundary graphene layer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines the rhetoric of the Fisk Jubilee Singers, the famous nineteenth-century choir whose domestic and international performances saved Fisk University from financial ruin, legitimized African American spirituals as high art, and offered a powerful argument for Black American citizenship during the post-Reconstruction era. While scholars have examined reactions to the choir's performances in the nineteenthcentury press, none have studied the organization's own discourse for insights into how the choir's white leaders positioned and promoted the troupe. In this essay, I recover their discourse by examining 35 extant concert programs that accompanied the Singers' performances between 1871 and 1878. I argue that they work through a rhetorical move that I have termed paradoxical polysemy, a type of polysemy that emerges in contexts beset by ambivalence and navigates multiple, contradictory beliefs within a singular audience. Deploying appeals to the choir's "natural" musical talent that worked in two different registers, the programs negotiated white allies' inconsistent beliefs about race, appealing both to their desire to help Black people and their wish to maintain white supremacy. Additionally, these dual appeals to the "natural" worked to help the Singers argue for the political and social inclusion of all Black Americans, regardless of their level of education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the multitude of analytical methods available to characterize battery cathode materials, identifying the factors responsible for material aging is still challenging. We present the first investigation of transient redox processes in a spinel cathode during electrochemical cycling of a lithium ion battery by in operando electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR). The battery contains a LiNi0.5Mn1.5O4 (LNMO) spinel cathode, which is a material whose magnetic interactions are well understood. The evolution of the EPR signal in combination with electrochemical measurements shows the impact of Mn3+ on the Li+ motion inside the spinel. Moreover, state of charge dependent linewidth variations confirm the formation of a solid solution for slow cycling, which is taken over by mixed models of solid solution and two-phase formation for fast cycling due to kinetic restrictions and overpotentials. Long-term measurements for 480 h showed the stability of the investigated LNMO, but also small amounts of cathode degradation products became visible. The results point out how local, exchange mediated magnetic interactions in cathode materials are linked with battery performance and can be used for material characterization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Aedes aegypti, the main vector of dengue, yellow fever, and other arboviruses thrives in tropical and subtropical areas around the globe putting half of the world's population at risk. Despite aggressive efforts to control the transmission of those viruses, an unacceptable number of cases occur every year, emphasizing the need to develop new control strategies. Proposals for vector control focused on population suppression could offer a feasible alternative method to reduce disease transmission. The induction of extreme male-biased sex ratios has been hypothesized to be able to suppress or collapse a population, with previous experiments showing that stable expression of the male determining factor Nix in A. aegypti is sufficient to convert females into fertile males. Methodology/Principal findings: Here, we report on the conditional expression of Nix in transgenic A. aegypti under the control of the tetracycline-dependent (Tet-off) system, with the goal of establishing repressible sex distortion. A masculinization phenotype was observed in three of the seven transgenic lines with females exhibiting male-like long maxillary palps and most importantly, the masculinized females were unable to blood feed. Doxycycline treatment of the transgenic lines only partially restored the normal phenotype from the masculinized transgenic lines, while RT-qPCR analysis of early embryos or adults showed no correlation between the level of masculinization and ectopic Nix expression. Conclusions/Significance: While the conditional expression of Nix produced intersex phenotypes, the level of expression was insufficient to program full conversion. Modifications that increase both the level of activation (no tet) and the level of repression (with tet) will be necessary, as such this study represents one step forward in the development of genetic strategies to control vector-borne diseases via sex ratio distortion. Author summary: Morbidity and mortality from vector-borne diseases are an increasing public health problem. Approaches to reduce mosquito abundance to control pathogen transmission, known as population suppression, have been under development in an attempt to decrease the burden imposed by such diseases. One proposed strategy to collapse vector populations relies on skewing the sex ratio equilibrium to compromise fertility. Based on that, this research demonstrates the conditional expression of the male determining factor of the mosquito Ae. aegypti with the goal of establishing repressible sex distortion. Although full conversion of females into males was not achieved, a masculinization phenotype was observed in some transgenic lines, providing the foundation for the development of a new category of genetic vector control strategy via sex ratio distortion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Key content: Bilateral salpingo‐oophorectomy is indicated for patients with suspected or confirmed gynaecological malignancy.Risk reduction surgery is indicated in patients with a significant family history or a genetic predisposition to developing breast or ovarian cancer.Bilateral salpingectomy with ovarian conservation reduces the risk of ovarian cancer, whilst preserving ovarian function.Oophorectomy prior to the menopause is associated with increased all‐cause mortality and significant menopause related morbidity.Conservative measures such as weight loss, family planning and lifestyle advice could reduce the overall lifetime risk of ovarian cancer. Learning objectives: To understand the rationale of the decision‐making process for bilateral salpingo‐oophorectomy or bilateral salpingectomy with ovarian conversation at the time of hysterectomy for benign disease.To understand the risk–benefit balance of performing oophorectomy in the context of risk reduction of high‐risk patients compared with patients with no genetic predisposition or family history.To consider conservative risk reduction measures that do not involve oophorectomy. Ethical issues: In the absence of family history or genetic predisposition to ovarian or breast cancer, is it ethical to perform routine oophorectomy in perimenopausal or even postmenopausal women?Is it ethical to reduce the risk of ovarian cancer while increasing all‐cause mortality and menopause‐related morbidity?Is it ethical to offer bilateral salpingectomy as a female sterilisation procedure? [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (EGPA) is a rare disease associated with vascular inflammation and multisystem organ damage. The literature reporting EGPA incidence or prevalence is limited. We performed a systematic literature review and meta-analysis to describe the incidence, prevalence, and disease burden associated with EGPA. Real-world, observational, English-language studies in MEDLINE, MEDLINE In-Process, and Embase up to 6 June, 2019, were included. A single investigator screened all identified titles/abstracts and extracted data; an additional, independent investigator repeated the screening and validated the extracted data. A random-effects meta-analysis was conducted to generate pooled estimates for EGPA incidence and prevalence. Data from 100 eligible publications were extracted (32 with incidence/prevalence data, 65 with morbidity/healthcare resource data; 3 with both types of data). Significant evidence of between-study heterogeneity for reported incidence (p = 0.0013–0.0016) and prevalence (p = 0.0001–0.0006) estimates was observed. Global and European pooled estimates (95% confidence interval) of EGPA incidence were 1.22 (0.93, 1.60) and 1.07 (0.94, 1.35) cases per million person-years, respectively; global and European pooled estimates (95% confidence interval) for EGPA prevalence were 15.27 (11.89, 19.61) and 12.13 (6.98, 21.06) cases per million individuals, respectively. The proportions of patients experiencing relapses, or who had nasal polyps or severe asthma, varied considerably across studies. EGPA healthcare resource use was high, with inpatient admissions and emergency department visits reported for 17–42% and 25–42% of patients, respectively. Our results indicate that although global and European EGPA incidence and prevalence is low, the associated disease burden is substantial. Key points • We performed a systematic literature review and meta-analysis of real-world, observational studies describing the incidence, prevalence, and disease burden associated with eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (EGPA). • Based on meta-analysis data from 35 eligible studies reporting incidence and prevalence, the incidence and prevalence of EGPA were low (globally 1.22 cases per million person-years and 15.27 cases per million individuals, respectively). • Among the 49 studies with morbidity and/or healthcare resource data, most reported a large proportion of patients with EGPA relapses and comorbidities of nasal polyps and severe asthma. • Healthcare resource use was also high among patients with EGPA in these studies, with inpatient admissions and emergency department visits reported for 17–42% and 25–42% of patients, respectively. Taken together, these data indicate the substantial disease burden associated with EGPA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Disulfide bond reduction within antibody mass spectrometry workflows is typically carried out using chemical reducing agents to produce antibody subunits for middle-down and middle-up analysis. In this contribution we offer an online electrochemical reduction method for the reduction of antibodies coupled with liquid chromatography (LC) and mass spectrometry (MS), reducing the disulfide bonds present in the antibody without the need for chemical reducing agents. An electrochemical cell placed before the analytical column and mass spectrometer facilitated complete reduction of NISTmAb inter- and intrachain disulfide bonds. Reduction and analysis were carried out under optimal solvent conditions using a trapping column and switching valve to facilitate solvent exchange during analysis. The level of reduction was shown to be affected by electrochemical potential, temperature and solvent organic content, but with optimization, complete disulfide bond cleavage was achieved. The use of an inline electrochemical cell offers a simple, rapid, workflow solution for liquid chromatography mass spectrometry analysis of antibody subunits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Genetics-based pest management processes, including the sterile insect technique, are an effective method for the control of some pest insects. However, current SIT methods are not directly transferable to many important pest insect species due to the lack of genetic sexing strains. Genome editing is revolutionizing the way we conduct genetics in insects, including in Tribolium castaneum, an important genetic model and agricultural pest. We identified orthologues of β2Tubulin, Rad50-ATPase and enolase in T. castaneum. Using RT-PCR, we confirmed that these genes are predominantly expressed in the testis. PiggyBac-based transformation of T. castaneum cis-regulatory regions derived from Tc-β2t, Tc-rad50 or Tc-eno resulted in EGFP expression specifically in the T. castaneum testis. Additionally, we determined that each of these regulatory regions regulates EGFP expression in different cell types of the male gonad. Cis-regulatory regions from Tc-β2t produced EGFP expression throughout spermatogenesis and also in mature sperms; Tc-rad50 resulted in expression only in the haploid spermatid, while Tc-eno expressed EGFP in late spermatogenesis. In summary, the regulatory cis-regions characterized in this study are not only suited to study male gonadal function but could be used for development of transgenic sexing strains that produce one sex in pest control strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Genetics-based pest management processes, including the sterile insect technique, are an effective method for the control of some pest insects. However, current SIT methods are not directly transferable to many important pest insect species due to the lack of genetic sexing strains. Genome editing is revolutionizing the way we conduct genetics in insects, including in Tribolium castaneum, an important genetic model and agricultural pest. We identified orthologues of β2Tubulin, Rad50-ATPase and enolase in T. castaneum. Using RT-PCR, we confirmed that these genes are predominantly expressed in the testis. PiggyBac-based transformation of T. castaneum cis-regulatory regions derived from Tc-β2t, Tc-rad50 or Tc-eno resulted in EGFP expression specifically in the T. castaneum testis. Additionally, we determined that each of these regulatory regions regulates EGFP expression in different cell types of the male gonad. Cis-regulatory regions from Tc-β2t produced EGFP expression throughout spermatogenesis and also in mature sperms; Tc-rad50 resulted in expression only in the haploid spermatid, while Tc-eno expressed EGFP in late spermatogenesis. In summary, the regulatory cis-regions characterized in this study are not only suited to study male gonadal function but could be used for development of transgenic sexing strains that produce one sex in pest control strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article is the result of a literature review of health protocols for the return to school in 2021, concomitant with the analysis of the learning measures proposed in the context of pandemic. In this brief examination, we will point out the exclusion of teachers and other education professionals from the central role that they have in the teaching-learning process pari passu their needs in the pandemic context. Furthermore, we will debate the necessity and the real place of the school as an inclusion equipment of primordial importance for the construction of the so-called life project of the students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hereditary angioedema (HAE) is a rare genetic condition associated with episodic swelling due to dysfunction of bradykinin regulation pathways. This is most frequently caused by low level and/or function of the C1-esterase inhibitor protein (C1INH) which is known as hereditary angioedema with C1 inhibitor deficiency (C1INH-HAE). Pregnancy and labour can precipitate an attack, but the majority of women have an uncomplicated, spontaneous vaginal delivery. Intravenous C1INH is the first-line therapy in pregnancy and breastfeeding. It should be given if any obstetric intervention is planned. Routine prophylactic administration for uncomplicated vaginal birth is not mandatory but may be appropriate if symptoms recur frequently during the third trimester. Pregnant women with C1INH-HAE should deliver in a hospital with C1INH replacement, fiberoptic intubation and front-of-neck access equipment readily available. A documented treatment plan should be developed within a multi-disciplinary team to pre-empt complications. We describe a case of C1INH-HAE diagnosed in pregnancy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of plasma exposure and vacuum-ultraviolet (VUV) irradiation on the mechanical properties of low-k porous organosilicate glass (SiCOH) dielectric films were investigated. Nanoindentation measurements were made on SiCOH films before and after exposure to an electron-cyclotron-resonance plasma or a monochromatic synchrotron VUV beam, to determine the changes of film hardness, elastic modulus, and crack threshold due to these exposures. This permits the effects of ion bombardment and photon bombardment to be analyzed separately. The role of energetic ions was examined with a variety of inert plasma-exposure conditions. The role of VUV photons was analyzed as a function of synchrotron photon energy. It was found that both energetic ions and VUV photons with energies larger than the bond energy of the Si-O bond cause a significant increase in film hardness along with a smaller increase in elastic modulus and crack threshold. Differential Fourier transform infrared spectra and x-ray photoemission spectroscopy results show that the energetic ions affect the SiCOH properties mainly through physical bombardment, during which the ions transfer their momentum to the Si-O-Si backbone and transform them into more energetically stable Si-O-Si network structures. This results in the Si-O-Si network structures becoming densified. VUV photons assist reaction that increase the number of bridging O3=Si-O-Si=O3 bonds and deplete nonbridging O3=Si-O and C-Si=O3 bonds. This increased degree of cross linking in porous organosilicate dielectrics can substantially enhance their hardness and elastic modulus while showing no significant film shrinkage or densification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The War in Afghanistan inaugurated a shifting gender climate among all levels of the U.S. military. Counterinsurgency demanded that soldiers attempt to win "hearts and minds" of local populations and sent women soldiers to engage Afghan women in newly created female engagement teams (FETs). Analyzing the effectiveness of these teams fell to women analysts. Writing in the advent of a softer form of military masculinity and an appreciation for women's role in war, analysts seized the opportunity to construct themselves as experts by centering gender in their critique of military strategy. However, the conditions that authorized their voices committed them to measuring the FETs by masculine standards of objectivity and rationality. Thus, while the analysts faulted the military for ignoring gender, they also delegitimized the FETs by accepting gendered ways of knowing that denigrated their service. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water uptake in porous low-k dielectrics has become a significant challenge for both back-end-of-line integration and circuit reliability. The influence of absorbed water on the mechanical properties of plasma-enhanced chemical-vapor-deposited organosilicate glasses (SiCOH) was investigated with nanoindentation. The roles of physisorbed (α-bonded) and chemisorbed (β-bonded) water were examined separately through annealing at different temperatures. Nanoindentation measurements were performed on dehydrated organosilicate glass during exposure to varying humidity conditions. The elastic modulus and hardness for as-deposited SiCOH are intimately linked to the nature and concentration of the absorbed water in the dielectric. Under mild-annealing conditions, the water-related film mechanical property changes were shown to be reversible. The mechanical properties of UV-cured SiCOH were also shown to depend on absorbed water, but to a lesser extent because UV curing depopulates the hydrophilic chemical groups in SiCOH. High-load indentation tests showed that in-diffusion of water in the film/substrate interface can degrade the hardness of SiCOH/Si film stacks significantly, while not significantly changing the elastic modulus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We studied the habitat selection of pronghorn (Antilocapra americana) during seasonal migration; an important period in an animal's annual cycle associated with broad-scale movements. We further decompose our understanding of migration habitat itself as the product of both broad- and fine-scale behavioral decisions and take a multi-scale approach to assess pronghorn spring and fall migration across the transboundary Northern Sagebrush Steppe region. We used a hierarchical habitat selection framework to assess a suite of natural and anthropogenic features that have been shown to influence selection patterns of pronghorn at both broad (migratory neighborhood) and fine (migratory pathway) scales. We then combined single-scale predictions into a scale-integrated step selection function (ISSF) map to assess its effectiveness in predicting migration route habitat. During spring, pronghorn selected for native grasslands, areas of high forage productivity (NDVI), and avoided human activity (i.e., roads and oil and natural gas wells). During fall, pronghorn selected for native grasslands, larger streams and rivers, and avoided roads. We detected avoidance of paved roads, unpaved roads, and wells at broad spatial scales, but no response to these features at fine scales. In other words, migratory pronghorn responded more strongly to anthropogenic features when selecting a broad neighborhood through which to migrate than when selecting individual steps along their migratory pathway. Our results demonstrate that scales of migratory route selection are hierarchically nested within each other from broader (second-order) to finer scales (third-order). In addition, we found other variables during particular migratory periods (i.e., native grasslands in spring) were selected for across scales indicating their importance for pronghorn. The mapping of ungulate migration habitat is a topic of high conservation relevance. In some applications, corridors are mapped according to telemetry location data from a sample of animals, with the assumption that the sample adequately represents habitat for the entire population. Our use of multi-scale modelling to predict resource selection during migration shows promise and may offer another relevant alternative for use in future conservation planning and land management decisions where telemetry-based sampling is unavailable or incomplete. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The stone scorpionfish (Scorpaena mystes) is common throughout the Gulf of California in Mexico. Because little information is available regarding the basic biological characteristics of this species and because commercial demand for it is increasing, the need for studies of population dynamics is urgent. We sampled 233 stone scorpionfish (117 males and 116 females) in the Gulf of California from May 2015 through April 2016 to estimate age and individual growth. Total lengths (TL) ranged between 15.3 and 35.5 cm for males and between 19.0 and 44.5 cm for females. Results from analysis of the edge types of otoliths (opaque and translucent) indicate an annual periodicity in the formation of annuli in sagittae. Ages of stone scorpionfish ranged from 2 to 10 years for males and from 3 to 15 years for females. Estimates for the parameters of the von Bertalanffy growth function were 34.76 and 48.22 cm TL for asymptotic length, 0.202/year and 0.135/year for growth coefficient, and -1.28 and -0.80 years for theoretical age at length zero for males and females, respectively. This study resulted in the first estimates of age and individual growth of stone scorpionfish, information that is essential for evaluation and management of this important fishery resource. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Peptide mapping analysis is a regulatory expectation to verify the primary structure of a recombinant product sequence and to monitor post-translational modifications (PTMs). Although proteolytic digestion has been used for decades, it remains a labour-intensive procedure that can be challenging to accurately reproduce. Here, we describe a fast and reproducible protocol for protease digestion that is automated using immobilised trypsin on magnetic beads, which has been incorporated into an optimised peptide mapping workflow to show method transferability across laboratories. The complete workflow has the potential for use within a multi-attribute method (MAM) approach in drug development, production and QC laboratories. The sample preparation workflow is simple, ideally suited to inexperienced operators and has been extensively studied to show global applicability and robustness for mAbs by performing sample digestion and LC-MS analysis at four independent sites in Europe. LC-MS/MS along with database searching was used to characterise the protein and determine relevant product quality attributes (PQAs) for further testing. A list of relevant critical quality attributes (CQAs) was then established by creating a peptide workbook containing the specific mass-to-charge (m/z) ratios of the modified and unmodified peptides of the selected CQAs, to be monitored in a subsequent test using LC-MS analysis. Data is provided that shows robust digestion efficiency and low levels of protocol induced PTMs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The importance of conserving migratory populations is recognized across a variety of ungulate taxa, yet the demographic benefits of migration remain uncertain for ungulate populations that exhibit partial migration. We hypothesized that migratory pronghorn (Antilocapra americana) would experience greater survival compared to residents by moving longer distances to avoid severe winter weather and access higher quality forage. We used a Bayesian time‐to‐event approach to analyze the fates of 175 radio‐collared adult female pronghorn monitored over 8 biological years (2004–2011) in the Northern Sagebrush Steppe ecosystem. Annual survivorship of migratory pronghorn was 7% higher on average compared to residents but not statistically different. Migratory pronghorn had higher survivorship in summer and winter compared to residents, and few mortalities were observed during the short autumn and spring migration periods. Mortality risk for both movement tactics intensified under more severe winter weather; winter weather severity alone best explained annual pronghorn mortality risk. The top model predicted survival rates to decline on average by 56% over the range of observed winter climatic conditions. To minimize human impacts to pronghorn during extreme climatic events, we recommend working with transportation departments and land managers to enhance pronghorn crossings of roads and railroads, and landholders to modify fences to wildlife‐friendly standards. © 2020 The Authors. Journal of Wildlife Management published by Wiley Periodicals, LLC on behalf of The Wildlife Society. Annual survivorship of migratory pronghorn was higher on average compared to residents, and the mortality risk for both movement tactics intensified under more severe winter weather. We provide recommendations to reduce anthropogenic mortality and maintain landscape permeability to conserve pronghorn that depend on long‐distance migration for persistence at the northern periphery of their range. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our future bioeconomy depends on increased utilization of renewable lignocellulosic biomass. Controlling the diffusion of chemicals, such as inorganic ions, within secondary plant cell walls is central to many biomass applications. However, insufficient understanding of intra-cell-wall diffusion within secondary plant cell walls is hindering the advancement of many lignocellulosic biomass applications. In this work, X-ray fluorescence microscopy was used to measure diffusion constants of K+, Cu2+, and Cl− diffusing through loblolly pine (Pinus taeda) cell wall layers under 70%, 75%, or 80% relative humidity (RH). Results revealed that diffusion constants increased with RH, the larger Cu2+ diffused more slowly than the K+, and the Cl− diffusion constant was the same as that for the counter cation, indicating cations and anions diffused together to maintain charge neutrality. Comparison with electrical conductivity measurements showed that conductivity is being controlled by ion mobility over these RH. The results further support that intra-cell-wall diffusion of inorganic ions is a Fickian diffusion process occurring through rubbery amorphous polysaccharides, which contradicts previous assertions that intra-cell-wall diffusion is an aqueous process occurring through water pathways. Researchers can now utilize polymer science approaches to engineer the molecular architecture of lignocellulosic biomass to optimize properties for specific end uses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This essay analyzes Elbert Hubbard's 1911 Orpheum Vaudeville as I Have Found It, a nationally distributed advertisement for the Orpheum vaudeville circuit. While historians have argued that producers sold their performances through assurances of respectability and moral uprightness, we argue that Hubbard's pamphlet courts patronage through a therapeutic rhetoric that appeals to the ideals enshrined in the Arts and Crafts Movement. This rhetoric attempted to assuage the malaise brought on by a perceived loss of individual control by recasting capitalism from a tool of corrupt industry to an instrument of personal prosperity. Given Hubbard's celebrity and the broad circulation of his published work, this pamphlet offers insights into the ways that popular culture protected American capitalism in an era of widespread social and economic reform. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Single Wall Carbon Nanotubes (SWCNT) prepared by the “super growth” method and arc-grown material were used as templates for peapod preparation with La@C82. A qualitative change of the electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) properties of La@C82 is observed after incorporation into SWNT. The loss of lanthanum hyperfine interaction in combination with the observed increase of EPR susceptibility by two orders of magnitude after peapod preparation when comparing with signals from “empty” tubes is indicative for the generation of itinerant spins by charge and spin transfer from La@C82 to the tubes. This interpretation is supported by the observation of fast spin dephasing, detected with pulsed EPR techniques. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] Microneedles have garnered considerable attention over the years as a versatile pharmaceutical platform that could be leveraged to deliver drugs into and across the skin. In the current work, poly (N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAm) is synthesized and characterized as a novel material for the development of a physiologically responsive microneedle-based drug delivery system. Typically, this polymer transitions reversibly between a swell state at lower temperatures and a more hydrophobic state at higher temperatures, enabling precise drug release. This study demonstrates that dissolving microneedles patches made from PNIPAm, incorporating BIS-PNIPAm, a crosslinked polymer variant, exhibit enhanced mechanical properties, evident from a smaller height reduction in microneedle (∼10 %). Although microneedles using PNIPAm alone were achievable, it displayed poor mechanical strength, requiring the inclusion of additional polymeric excipients like PVA to enhance mechanical properties. In addition, the incorporation of a thermoresponsive polymer did not have a significant (p > 0.05) impact on the insertion properties of the needles as all formulations inserted to a similar depth of 500 µm into ex vivo skin. Furthering this, the needles were loaded with a model payload, 1,1′-dioctadecyl-3,3,3′,3′-tetramethylindodicarbocyanine perchlorate (DID) and the deposition of the cargo was monitored via multiphoton microscopy that showed that a deposit is formed at a depth of ≈200 µm. Also, it was revealed that crosslinked-PNIPAm (Bis-PNIPAm) formulations exhibited notable skin accumulationof the dye only after 4 h, independent of the excipient matrix used. This phenomenon was absent in non-crosslinked PNIPAm formulations, indicating a deposit formation in Bis-PNIPAm microneedle formulation. Collectively, this proof-of-concept study has advanced our understanding on the possibility to use PNIPAm for dissolving microneedle fabrication which could be harnessed for the deposition of nanoparticles into the dermis, for extended drug release within the skin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]