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The southern corn rootworm, Diabrotica undecimpunctata howardiBarber, is native to the US where it is a pest of peanut, Arachis hypogaea. The banded cucumber beetle, Diabrotica balteataLeConte, is native to the neotropics, but its range has expanded and currently includes most of the US peanut production area. The purpose of this study was to: (i) define seasonal variation in adult rootworm populations in peanut fields, and (ii) determine the effect(s) of proximity to a putative early season host (i.e., corn, Zea mays) and the presence of irrigation on rootworm infestation and pod injury in peanut. Seasonal abundance of adult rootworms in commercial peanut fields in Georgia was monitored in 2021 and 2022 using plant volatile lures attached to yellow sticky traps. Traps were located at 45, 90, and 180 m from the field edge in irrigated and nonirrigated peanut fields with and without a corn border. Two peaks in abundance were observed for both species in each year. Though peak abundance for the two species occurred nearly simultaneously, D. balteatawas more abundant than D. u. howardi.Beetle abundance was highest in fields bordered by corn, but presence of irrigation was not as important for D. balteataas it was for D. u. howardi. Pod injury was greater in fields bordered by corn in both years, but there was no difference in pod injury between irrigated and nonirrigated fields. The number of beetles captured and incidence of pod injury within a field did not differ with distance from the field border.

In May 2021, President Biden nominated Gwynne A. Wilcox to the National Labor Relations Board ("NLRB"), which the Senate then confirmed. Member Wilcox's term will last until August 2023. Prior [...]

Little is known about whether a breast or gynecologic cancer diagnosis increases long-term cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk among Black females. The purpose of this study was to determine whether a breast or gynecologic cancer diagnosis is associated with CVD risk and identify determinants of subsequent CVD risk among Black females with an incident breast or gynecologic cancer diagnosis.

In June 2021, President Biden nominated David M. Prouty to the National Labor Relations Board ("NLRB"), which the Senate then confirmed. Member Prouty's term will last until August 2026. Prior [...]

IMPORTANCE: Treatment at high-volume centers (HVCs) has been associated with improved overall survival (OS) in patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC); however, it is unclear how patterns of referral affect these findings. OBJECTIVE: To understand the relative contributions of treatment site and selection bias in driving differences in outcomes in patients with PDAC and to characterize socioeconomic factors associated with referral to HVCs. DESIGN, SETTING, PARTICIPANTS: A population-based retrospective review of the Oregon State Cancer Registry was performed from 1997 to 2019 with a median 4.3 months of follow-up. Study participants were all patients diagnosed with PDAC in Oregon from 1997 to 2018 (n = 8026). EXPOSURES: The primary exposures studied were diagnosis and treatment at HVCs (20 or more pancreatectomies for PDAC per year), low-volume centers ([LVCs] less than 20 per year), or both. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: OS and treatment patterns (eg, receipt of chemotherapy and primary site surgery) were evaluated with Kaplan-Meier analysis and logistic regression, respectively. RESULTS: Eight thousand twenty-six patients (male, 4142 [52%]; mean age, 71 years) were identified (n = 3419 locoregional, n = 4607 metastatic). Patients receiving first-course treatment at a combination of HVCs and LVCs demonstrated improved median OS for locoregional and metastatic disease (16.6 [95% CI, 15.3-17.9] and 6.1 [95% CI, 4.9-7.3] months, respectively) vs patients receiving HVC only (11.5 [95% CI, 10.7-12.3] and 3.9 [95% CI, 3.5-4.3] months, respectively) or LVC-only treatment (8.2 [95% CI, 7.7-8.7] and 2.1 [95% CI, 1.9-2.3] months, respectively; all P < .001). No differences existed in disease burden by volume status of diagnosing institution. When stratifying by site of diagnosis, HVC-associated improvements in median OS were smaller (locoregional: 10.4 [95% CI, 9.5-11.2] vs 9.9 [95% CI, 9.4-10.4] months; P = .03; metastatic: 3.6 vs 2.7 months, P < .001) than when stratifying by the volume status of treating centers, indicating selection bias during referral. A total of 94% (n = 1103) of patients diagnosed at an HVC received HVC treatment vs 18% (n = 985) of LVC diagnoses. Among patients diagnosed at LVCs, later year of diagnosis and higher estimated income were independently associated with higher odds of subsequent HVC treatment, while older age, metastatic disease, and farther distance from HVC were independently associated with lower odds. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: LVC-to-HVC referrals for PDAC experienced improved OS vs HVC- or LVC-only care. While disease-related features prompting referral may partially account for this finding, socioeconomic and geographic disparities in referral worsen OS for disadvantaged patients. Measures to improve access to HVCs are encouraged.

Purpose To examine the prevalence of cardiovascular diseases (CVD) among breast cancer (BC) survivors.Design Cross-sectional observational study using the data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2003–2018.Setting United States (US).Subjects A nationally representative sample of US women with a history of BC.Measures Self-reported CVD status (i.e., coronary artery disease (CAD), heart failure, and stroke) and time of the CVD diagnosis were used to categorize BC survivors into three groups: No CVD, preexisting CVD, and post-acquired CVD after BC diagnosis.Analysis The prevalence of CVD among BC survivors were estimated by demographic characteristics. Complex sampling design of the NHANES was accounted to estimate the population-level prevalence.Results A total of 658 BC survivors were identified, representing 3.01% (≈3.4 million) of the US women aged ≥18 years old. Of those, ≈6% (≈.2 million) had preexisting CVD and ≈11% (≈.4 million) had at least one CVD diagnosed after BC diagnosis, with an average time elapsed ranging from ≈5 years for heart failure to ≈9 years for CAD and stroke. The prevalence of CVD among BC survivors differed by demographic characteristics including age, education, marital status, menopausal, and physical activity levels.Conclusion Our findings suggest that BC survivors are at risk of suffering from CVD and public health strategies for the long-term management of CVD risk factors in this vulnerable population group is recommended.

Surfing the Web, texting a friend, downloading mobile apps, taking online courses and perhaps checking an online bank account have become common and daily activities of students across the globe. [...]

THE CASE It is a busy day in the clinic. You enter your next exam room and meet a friendly 11-year-old white girl and her mother who recently moved to [...]

Background: Prevalence of Chlamydia trachomatis and risk factors for infection are not well described in male college students enrolled in the Reserved Officer Training Corps (ROTC). Goal: The goal was to determine prevalence of C. trachomatis infection, percentage of asymptomatic infections, and risk factors for infection in a population of male college ROTC students. Study Design: We conducted a prevalence survey of C. trachomatis infection and risk factors using urine ligase chain reaction and questionnaire. Participants were 1443 ROTC male college cadets at Ft. Lewis, Washington, from June to July 2001. Results: Prevalence of C. trachomatis infection was 31 of 1252 (2.48%); 93.6% of the infections were asymptomatic. Black race, exposure to a partner with a prior sexually transmitted disease, and self-reported symptoms were significant risk factors. Conclusions: The prominence of asymptomatic infection in a male population with comparatively low prevalence suggests that risk factor rather than clinically based screening could be beneficial in this population.

A compact model representing the dynamics between piezoelectric voltage inputs and cantilever probe positioning, including nonlinear surface interaction forces, for atomic force microscopes (AFM) is considered. By considering relatively large cantilever stiffness, singular perturbation methods reduce complexity in the model and allows for faster responses to Van der Waals interaction forces. In this study, we outline a near-optimal feedback control approach for non-contact mode imaging designed to maintain the cantilever tip about the equilibrium point of the attraction and repulsion forces. The tracking control problem for AFM raster scanning along the lateral directions is also addressed.

Much attention has been focused on credit files recently. Banks are rushing to improve credit file quality, while bank examiners are busy reviewing credit files to determine the quality of a bank's portfolio. This article explains exactly what credit files are and why they are getting so much attention. (Reprinted by permission of the publisher.), A credit file is the primary file established by a bank for each of its borrowers and should contain all the information needed to make an informed credit decision. The [...]

ABSTRACTMetastatic pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a rapidly lethal disease, with less than half of patients surviving 12 months, and 5-year survival approximately 3%. These outcomes are in large part due to a lack of effective medical and surgical therapies for metastatic PDAC. Herein, we present the case of a patient with oligometastatic liver recurrence of BRCA2-mutated PDAC following a curative-intent resection. Through a combination of systemic chemotherapy, metastasectomy, radiotherapy, and subsequent targeted therapy with olaparib, the patient is asymptomatic four years following metastatic diagnosis with stable low-volume disease. This patient’s excellent outcome is attributable to the multi-disciplinary care received, all aspects of which were informed by new evidence surrounding metastasectomy for metastatic PDAC, the unique biology and medical treatment of BRCA-mutated PDAC, and the role of radiotherapy in controlling locoregional recurrence. We provide a review of this evidence, while highlighting the importance of evaluating disease biology through somatic and germline genetic testing as well as monitoring response to systemic chemotherapy.

A remarkably flexible, multifunctional, 2D coordination polymer exhibiting an unprecedented mode of reversible mechanical motion, enabling pores to open and close, is reported. Such multifunctional materials are highly sought after, owing to the potential to exploit coexisting electronic and mechanical functionalities that underpin useful technological applications such as actuators and ultrasensitive detectors. The coordination polymer, of composition Mn(F4TCNQ)(py)2(F4TCNQ = 2,3,5,6-tetrafluoro-7,7,8,8-tetracycanoquinodimethane; py = pyridine), consists of Mn(II) centers bridged by F4TCNQ dianions and coordinated by py molecules that extend above and below the 2D network. Exposure of Mn(F4TCNQ)(py)2, in its collapsed state, to carbon dioxide results in a pore-opening process at a threshold pressure for a given temperature. In addition to carbon dioxide, a variety of volatile guests may be incorporated into the pores, which are lined with electron-rich F4TCNQ dianions. The inclusion of electron-deficient guests such as 1,4-benzoquinone, nitrobenzene, maleic anhydride, and iodine into the pores is accompanied by a striking color change associated with a new host–guest charge-transfer interaction and an improvement in the semiconductor behavior, with the iodine adduct showing an increase in conductivity of almost 5 orders of magnitude. Experimental and density functional theory calculations on this remarkable multifunctional material demonstrate a reduction in the optical band gap with increasing electron affinity of the guest.

In Georgia and the southeast region of the United States, acreage of soft red winter wheat (SRWW) (Triticum aestivumL.) has decreased in recent years. There is an urgent need to release new cultivars with high yield potential, resistance to yield‐limiting diseases and insects, and good baking quality to maximize value in regional markets. To address this, the SRWW breeding program at the University of Georgia (UGA), in collaboration with the SUNGRAINS breeding programs, developed ‘GA JT141‐14E45’ (Reg. no. CV‐1183, PI 689519), a SRWW cultivar released by the UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences and licensed to AGSouth (AGS) Genetics as AGS 3030. GA JT141‐14E45 is widely adapted to the U.S. Southeast, having high yield, good resistance to diseases such as leaf rust, stripe rust, powdery mildew, and Soil‐borne wheat mosaic virus(SBWMV) and to current biotypes of Hessian fly (Mayetiola destructorSay). It has good resistance to Fusarium head blight (FHB) or scab. GA JT141‐14E45 has good grain volume weight and acceptable milling and baking quality. GA JT141‐14E45 was derived from the cross of ‘AGS 2026’/‘Jamestown’. Jamestown was used in the cross mainly for its resistance to FHB (FHB QTL 1A‐Neuse and 1B‐Jamestown). AGS 2026 is a UGA cultivar released in 2007 with very good disease resistance to rusts (Yr17/Lr37/Sr38), Hessian fly resistance (H13), and excellent yield.

Soft red winter wheat (SRWW) (Triticum aestivumL.), historically a major crop in Georgia and the U.S. Southeast (SE) region, has been challenged by numerous biotic and abiotic constraints resulting in decreased hectarage in recent years. Hence, an urgent need exists to release new cultivars with high yield potential, good resistance to predominant diseases and insects, and acceptable quality attributes to capture and maximize value in regional markets. The SRWW breeding program at the University of Georgia (UGA), in collaboration with the Southeastern University GRAINS (SUNGRAINS) breeding programs, is responding to these challenges by developing and releasing superior SRWW cultivars adapted to Georgia and the SE wheat region. ‘GA 07353‐14E19’ (Reg. no. CV‐1179, PI 689520), a SRWW cultivar developed by the UGA small grains breeding program, was released by the UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences and licensed to Stratton Seed Company in 2017 as GO WHEAT 2032. GA 07353‐14E19 is adapted to the SE region with high yield, good resistance to prevalent diseases, including leaf and stripe rusts, Fusarium head blight, powdery mildew, and Soil‐borne wheat mosaic virus. GA 07353‐14E19 also showed good resistance to current biotypes of Hessian fly. GA 07353‐14E19 possesses the H13, Sbm1, and Yr17–Lr37–Sr38genes that protect it against the above pests. It has very good grain volume weight and good milling and baking quality as a SRWW.

Soft red winter wheat (SRWW) (Triticum aestivumL.) is a major crop in Georgia and the U.S. Southeast (SE) region. Hence, new cultivars with high yield potential, high resistance levels to predominant pests, and adequate quality parameters are required to capture and maximize regional market values. Therefore, the University of Georgia SRWW breeding program in collaboration with the SUNGRAINS breeding programs, aims to develop and release SRWW cultivars adapted to Georgia and the SE wheat region with high yield, quality, and pest resistance. ‘GA 051207‐14E53’ SRWW (Reg. no. CV‐1168, PI 689518) was developed and released by the University of Georgia and licensed to AGSouth Genetics Company in 2017 under the name AGS 3040. GA 051207‐14E53 is well adapted to Georgia and the SE region. It has high yield and high resistance to leaf rust, stripe rust, and Soil‐borne wheat mosaic virus. It has medium resistance to powdery mildew and to biotypes C and O of Hessian fly and is resistant to biotypes B and L. GA 051207‐14E53 has good Fusarium head blight resistance. GA 051207‐14E53 possesses H9, Sbm1, and the 2NS:2AS alien introgression from Aegilops ventricosaTausch, having the Yr17/Lr37/Sr38genes that protect it against these pests. Grain volume weight and milling and baking qualities of GA 051207‐14E53 are good and meet the SRWW grade standards.

The elucidation of mechanisms to modulate the properties of multifunctional electroactive, conductive, and magnetic porous materials is desirable to aid their future application. The synthesis and characterization of a two-dimensional (2D) mixed-valence metal–tetraoxolene coordination polymer containing a redox-active dication, (PhenQ)[Fe2(Clan)3]·solvent (1; Clann–= deprotonated 3,6-dichloro-2,5-dihydroxy-1,4-benzoquinone; PhenQ2+= 5,6-dihydropyrazino[1,2,3,4-lmn][1,10]-phenanthrolindiium), are reported. The PhenQ2+cation in 1introduces additional accessible framework redox states and effectively directs the localization of ligand valence states. Static and dynamic magnetic susceptibility measurements demonstrated that the dimethylformamide (DMF) solvate, 1b, undergoes spontaneous magnetization below Tc= 31 K, with variable-temperature electrical conductivity measurements revealing that 1bis a modest semiconductor with a conductivity of σ295K= 4.9 × 10–4S cm–1(Ea= 0.249(2) eV). In concert, these results demonstrate that introducing noncovalent interactions between anionic metal–tetraoxolene frameworks and redox-active cations is an effective method to alter the electronic structure and properties of these porous frameworks. Moreover, they forecast the synthesis of new anionic metal–tetraoxolene compounds with diverse electronic and magnetic properties using this hitherto unused strategy.

Black breast cancer patients delay and underutilize adjuvant breast cancer therapies; yet, very few studies have specifically examined Black women's attitudes toward breast cancer therapy. This study observed the influence of self-reported interpersonal processes of care (e.g. self-efficacy) clinical and sociodemographic factors and sociocultural (e.g. religiosity), related to Black breast cancer patients' attitudes toward radiation and systemic therapies (chemotherapy and adjuvant endocrine therapy – “AET”).

Neonatal epilepsy occurs for many reasons. Infants may present shortly after birth with seizure activity or seizures may occur later in the neonatal period. Seizures that are refractory to treatment can be difficult to manage and because of different presentations, there may be a delay in diagnosing the exact etiology. Prompt intervention is necessary and developing a plan of care can be done while exploring the etiology. There are several genetic mutations, including the SCN2Asodium ion channelopathy, that can result in a wide array of epileptic conditions, ranging from mild to severe. This case review focuses on diagnosis and management of SCN2Arefractory seizures.

Like proteins, some RNAs fold to compact structures. We can model functional RNAs as a series of short, rigid, base-paired elements, connected by non-base-paired nucleotides that serve as junctions. These connecting regions bend and twist, facilitating the formation of tertiary contacts that stabilize compact states. Here, we explore the roles of salt and junction sequence in determining the structures of a ubiquitous connector: an asymmetric internal loop. We focus on the J5/5a junction from the widely studied P4–P6 domain of the Tetrahymenaribozyme. Following the addition of magnesium ions to fold P4–P6, this junction bends dramatically, bringing the two halves of the RNA domain together for tertiary contact engagement. Using single-molecule fluorescence resonance energy transfer (smFRET), we examine the role of sequence and salt on model RNA constructs that contain these junction regions. We explore the wild-type J5/5a junction as well as two sequence variants. These junctions display distinct, salt-dependent conformations. Small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) measurements verify that these effects persist in the full-length P4–P6 domain. These measurements underscore the importance of junction sequence and interactions with ions in facilitating RNA folding.

Soft red winter wheat (SRWW) (Triticum aestivumL.) is a major crop in Georgia and the southeastern region of the United States. Despite a decrease of wheat acreages in this region, about 100,000 ha were grown to SRWW in Georgia in 2015. To capture and maximize regional market value of wheat, the new released cultivars must have high yield potential, excellent resistance levels to predominant diseases and insects, and good quality. Therefore, the major goal of the SRWW breeding program at the University of Georgia (UGA) is to develop and release SRWW cultivars adapted to the southeastern wheat region with high yield, quality, and pest resistance. ‘Savoy’ (Reg. No. CV‐1135, PI 676043) is a SRWW cultivar developed by the small grains breeding program at UGA in cooperation with the SUNGRAINS and released by the UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences in 2015. Savoy was subsequently licensed to CPS DYNA‐GRO Seed Company. Savoy was released because it is widely adapted to Georgia and the US Southeast. It has high grain yield, good resistance to races of leaf rust and stripe rust predominant in Georgia and the Southeast. Savoy possesses the H13gene that confers resistance to predominant biotypes of Hessian fly in Georgia and the Southeast. It has good resistance to powdery mildew and Soil‐borne wheat mosaic virus. Savoy is moderately susceptible to Fusarium head blight, or scab. It also has high grain volume weight and acceptable SRWW milling and baking quality.

A pair of coordination polymers of composition (NBu4)2[M2(fan)3] (fan = fluoranilate; M = Fe and Zn) were synthesized and structurally characterized. In each case the compound consists of a pair of interpenetrating three-dimensional, (10,3)-anetworks in which metal centers are linked by chelating/bridging fluoranilate ligands. Tetrabutylammonium cations are located in the spaces between the two networks. Despite the structural similarity, significant differences exist between (NBu4)2[Fe2(fan)3] and (NBu4)2[Zn2(fan)3] with respect to the oxidation states of the metal centers and ligands. For (NBu4)2[Fe2(fan)3] the structure determination as well as Mössbauer spectroscopy indicate the oxidation state for the Fe is close to +3, which contrasts with the +2 state for the Zn analogue. The differences between the two compounds extends to the ligands, with the Zn network involving only fluoranilate dianions, whereas the average oxidation state for the fluoranilate in the Fe network lies somewhere between −2 and −3. Magnetic studies on the Fe compound indicate short-range ordering. Electrochemical and spectro-electrochemical investigations indicate that the fluoranilate ligand is redox-active in both complexes; a reduced form of (NBu4)2[Fe2(fan)3] was generated by chemical reduction. Conductivity measurements indicate that (NBu4)2[Fe2(fan)3] is a semiconductor, which is attributed to the mixed valency of the fluoranilate ligands.

Soft red winter wheat (SRWW) (Triticum aestivumL.) is a major crop in the southeastern region of the United States and in Georgia. Although wheat acreages have been decreasing in Georgia and the SE region in recent years, more than 100,000 ha were grown to SRWW in 2015. Newly released cultivars must have high yield potential, excellent resistance levels to predominant diseases and insects, and good quality to capture and maximize regional market value. One objective of the SRWW breeding program at the University of Georgia (UGA) is to develop and release SRWW cultivars adapted to the SE wheat region with high yield, quality, and pest resistance. ‘GA 03564‐12E6’ (Reg. No. CV‐1122, PI 677366) SRWW was developed by the UGA small grains breeding program and the SUNGRAINS cooperative and released by the UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences and licensed to Limagrain Cereal Seeds as L11544 in 2015. GA 03564‐12E6 was released primarily for its wide adaptation to the SE region with high grain yield, excellent Hessian fly resistance, and excellent grain volume weight. Additionally, GA 03564‐12E6 has good resistance to races of leaf rust and stripe rust predominant in Georgia and the SE United States. It has good resistance to powdery mildew (caused by Blumeria graminisf. sp. tritici) and Soil‐borne wheat mosaic virusand has acceptable SRWW milling and baking quality. However, it is susceptible to Fusarium head blight (FHB) or scab [caused by Fusarium graminearumSchwabe; teleomorph Gibberella zeae(Schwein.) Petch].

Molecular tools increasingly reveal cryptic lineages and species that were previously unnoticed by traditional taxonomy. The discovery of cryptic species in sympatry prompts the question of how they coexist in the apparent absence of ecological divergence. However, this assumes first that the molecular taxonomy used to identify cryptic lineages delimits species boundaries accurately. This issue is important, because many diversity studies rely heavily or solely on data from mitochondrial DNA sequences for species delimitation, and several factors may lead to poor identification of species boundaries. We used a multilocus population genetics approach to show that three mtDNA-defined cryptic lineages of the fig wasp Pleistodontes imperialis Saunders, which pollinate Port Jackson figs (Ficus rubiginosa) in north-eastern Australia, represent reproductively isolated species. These species coexist locally, with about 13% of figs (where mating occurs) containing wasps from two or three species. However, there was no evidence for gene flow between them. Confirmed cases of coexisting cryptic species provide excellent opportunities for future studies of the ecological and evolutionary forces shaping both species coexistence and fig/pollinator coevolution.

Prior work has demonstrated that d-amphetamine hastens recovery of beam-walking ability following unilateral sensorimotor or frontal cortex ablation (Hovda & Feeney, 1984). In this study, after bilateral frontal cortex ablation, cats given injections of d-amphetamine showed an enduring acceleration of recovery of beam-walking ability relative to saline controls. In general, rates of spontaneous and drug-induced recovery in cats with bilateral lesions were similar to those previously reported for cats with unilateral ablations. These results indicate that the bilateral corticostriate and corticothalamic projections from the contralateral homotopic cortex do not mediate the beneficial effects of d-amphetamine on locomotor recovery after unilateral cortical ablation.

After bilateral visual cortex ablation, cats exhibit a loss of depth perception as measured on a visual cliff, which recovers following administration of d-amphetamine. In this Study, 3 amphetamine-treated cats with visual cortex ablations showed a rapid and enduring recovery, with 2 of these animals obtaining levels of performance seen only with binocular vision, suggesting a restoration of binocular depth perception. Cats with asymmetrical lesions showed only a transient improvement during amphetamine treatment, and some animals not displaying autonomic signs of amphetamine intoxication did not improve. Saline-treated cats showed no signs of improvement, and the effect of amphetamine was blocked by the catecholaminergic antagonist haloperidol. These results indicate that amphetamine can induce an enduring recovery from a behavioral deficit after brain injury, which if left untreated would not spontaneously recover.

Prescription drug program coverage trends indicate a predominance of only major medical coverage with decreasing coverage of prescription drugs due to increasing deductibles, and a cost trend reflecting high inflationary rates, and an increased utilization trend. For cost control there are a variety of options including increasing deductibles; prescription service, chain, and mail-order plans; and even generic substitution. Coverage trends in dental programs indicate movement toward 100 percent coverage with a zero deductible for preventive care, an increase in orthodontia, and a termination of coverage at age sixty-five, while the inflationary trend is low and the utilization trend is only increasing for preventive services. Included among dental plan options are: dental capitation plans; direct reimbursement plans; and in-house dental services.

We here at Flexible Packaging have added a new little sustainable package to the family; our esteemed editor-in-chief, Erin J. Wolford, and her husband Bob, welcomed their first child last [...]

Plasmodium vivax is a major public health burden, responsible for the majority of malaria infections outside Africa. We explored the impact of demographic history and selective pressures on the P. vivax genome by sequencing 182 clinical isolates sampled from 11 countries across the globe, using hybrid selection to overcome human DNA contamination. We confirmed previous reports of high genomic diversity in P. vivax relative to the more virulent Plasmodium falciparum species; regional populations of P. vivax exhibited greater diversity than the global P. falciparum population, indicating a large and/or stable population. Signals of natural selection suggest that P. vivax is evolving in response to antimalarial drugs and is adapting to regional differences in the human host and the mosquito vector. These findings underline the variable epidemiology of this parasite species and highlight the breadth of approaches that may be required to eliminate P. vivax globally.

Female hormones play a significant role in the etiology and treatment of many women’s health conditions. This article focuses on the common uses of hormonal therapy. When prescribing estrogen-containing regimens throughout the span of a woman’s life, the risks are similar (ie, cardiovascular risk and venous thromboembolism), but the degree of risk varies significantly depending on a woman’s particular set of risk factors and the details of the hormone regimen. In addition to estrogens and progestogens, this article also touches on the use of selective steroid receptor modulators in emergency contraception and in treatment of menopause symptoms.

The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine reports that in the United States about four in ten adults and one in nine children use some form of complementary and [...]

I was recently deployed by the American Red Cross to an area in Southern Missouri that was devastated by flooding. Although I'm a life member of DAV, I never realized […]

The increasing awareness of RNA’s central role in biology calls for a new understanding of how RNAs, like proteins, recognize biological partners. Because RNA is inherently flexible, it assumes a variety of conformations. This conformational flexibility can be a critical aspect of how RNA attracts and binds molecular partners. Structurally, RNA consists of rigid basepaired duplexes, separated by flexible non-basepaired regions. Here, using an RNA system consisting of two short helices, connected by a single-stranded (non-basepaired) junction, we explore the role of helix length and junction sequence in determining the range of conformations available to a model RNA. Single-molecule Förster resonance energy transfer reports on the RNA conformation as a function of either mono- or divalent ion concentration. Electrostatic repulsion between helices dominates at low salt concentration, whereas junction sequence effects determine the conformations at high salt concentration. Near physiological salt concentrations, RNA conformation is sensitive to both helix length and junction sequence, suggesting a means for sensitively tuning RNA conformations.