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Hydrogen may play a critical role in our efforts to de‐carbonize by 2050. However, there remain technical challenges in the storage and transport of hydrogen. Metal‐organic frameworks (MOFs) have shown significant promise for hydrogen storage at cryogenic temperatures. A material that can meet the US department of energy (DOE) ultimate goal of 6.5 wt. % for gravimetric performance and 50 g/L for volumetric storage at near‐ambient temperatures would unlock hydrogen as a future fuel source for on‐board applications. Metal‐organic frameworks typically have low heat of adsorptions (i. e. 4–7 kJ/mol), whereas for storing significant quantities of hydrogen at near‐ambient temperatures, 15–25 kJ/mol is likely required. In this review we explore the current methods used (i. e., open‐metal sites, alkali dopants and hydrogen spillover) for promoting strong adsorption within MOFs. Further we discuss MOF‐based materials with respect to the technical aspects of deliverable capacity, kinetics and stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Breast cancer survivors are at increased risk of cardiovascular dysfunction following their diagnosis; however, hypertension remains underexplored within this context. This retrospective cohort study examined the incidence of hypertension in breast cancer survivors and the association of race with hypertension risk among them. Methods: Data for this study were abstracted from the electronic health records of women diagnosed with Stages I–III breast cancer. Incident hypertension diagnosis was identified through International Classification of Diseases codes. Bivariate associations were tested using Student's t‐test and chi‐squared test of independence. Bivariable Cox regression analysis was used to determine demographic and clinical factors that may have been associated with the development of hypertension. Results: A total of 664 women were included. Most women were 50 years of age or younger (52.0%), White (33.0% Black), and received a mastectomy (80.6%). Overall, 45.5% of the cohort developed hypertension. The 1‐year hypertension‐free survival estimates were 47% (95% confidence interval [CI], 41–54) in Black women and 73% (95% CI, 69–77) in White women (p < 0.0001). Besides race, statistically significant predictors of hypertension included: age greater than 50 (vs. ≤50) (adjusted Hazard Ratio [HR]: 1.40; 95% CI, 1.09–1.80) and residing in a non‐metropolitan area (vs. metropolitan) (adjusted HR: 1.60; 95% CI, 1.19–2.16). Conclusions: This study suggests that breast cancer survivors who are older, Black, or residing in non‐metropolitan areas may benefit from added surveillance and hypertension prevention strategies during treatment. Future studies are needed to identify contributors to the observed racial and geographic disparities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Adjuvant endocrine therapy (AET) often causes debilitating endocrine symptoms that compromise quality of life (QOL) in women diagnosed with hormone receptor positive breast cancer (BC). We examined whether greater levels of physical activity (PA) or prolonged sitting were associated with reduced side effects or worse side effects of AET, respectively. Methods: We used parallel process latent growth curve models to examine longitudinal patterns in PA and sitting behaviors, and their association with endocrine symptoms and QOL over 3 years of follow‐up in 554 female BC survivors undergoing AET. Results: At baseline, women were a mean age of 59 years, mostly white (72%), with overweight/obesity (67%), and approximately 50% were within 1 year of diagnosis. Unconditional models showed significant increases in PA (p < 0.01) over time but no change in sitting. Endocrine symptoms, general and BC‐specific QOL all significantly worsened over time (p < 0.01). Parallel process models showed no cross‐sectional or longitudinal associations between PA and endocrine symptoms. Higher levels of baseline PA were associated with higher baseline QOL scores (p = 0.01) but changes in PA were not associated with changes in QOL. Conversely, more sitting at baseline was associated with worse endocrine symptoms, general and BC specific QOL (ps <0.01). At baseline, having better QOL scores was associated with increases in sitting (ps <0.01), while having worse endocrine symptoms was associated with a slower rate of increase in sitting (p < 0.01). Increases in sitting time were also associated with a slower rate of increase in endocrine symptoms (p = 0.017). Model fit statistics (x2, CFI, TLI, SRMR) were acceptable. Conclusion: Both PA and sitting behaviors are important for the management of symptoms and in maintaining QOL in BC survivors. Women with already high symptom burden do not increase sitting time further but having better general and BC specific QOL to begin with means a greater decline over time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Residual neuromuscular blockade is associated with significant morbidity. It has been widely studied in anaesthesia; however, the incidence of residual neuromuscular blockade in patients managed in the ICU is unknown. We conducted a prospective observational study in a tertiary ICU to determine the incidence of residual neuromuscular blockade using quantitative accelerographic monitoring. We tested for residual neuromuscular blockade (defined as a train-of-four ratio < 0.9) before cessation of sedation in anticipation of tracheal extubation. We also surveyed 16 other ICUs in New Zealand to determine their use of neuromuscular monitoring. A total of 191 patients were included in the final analysis. The incidence (95%CI) of residual neuromuscular blockade was 43% (36-50%), with a similar incidence observed in non-postoperative and postoperative patients. There was a lower risk of residual neuromuscular blockade with atracurium than rocuronium (risk ratio (95%CI) of 0.39 (0.12-0.78)) and a higher risk with pancuronium than rocuronium (1.59 (1.06-2.49)). Our survey shows that, in New Zealand ICUs, monitoring of neuromuscular function is rarely carried out before tracheal extubation. When neuromuscular monitoring is undertaken, it is based on individual clinician suspicion and performed using qualitative measurements. No ICU reported using a quantitative monitor or a clinical guideline. The results demonstrate a high incidence of residual neuromuscular blockade in our ICU patients and identify the type of neuromuscular blocking drug as a possible risk factor. Monitoring neuromuscular function before tracheal extubation is not currently the standard of care in New Zealand ICUs. These data suggest that residual neuromuscular blockade may be an under-recognised problem in ICU practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: We examined whether there are racial disparities in pain management, opioid medicine prescriptions, symptom severity, and quality of life constructs in breast cancer survivors. Methods: We conducted a secondary analysis of longitudinal data from the Women's Hormonal Therapy Initiation and Persistence (WHIP) study (n = 595), a longitudinal study of hormonal receptor‐positive breast cancer survivors. Upon study enrollment, patients completed a survey assessing an array of psychological, behavioral, and treatment outcomes, including adjuvant endocrine therapy (AET)‐induced symptoms, and provided a saliva biospecimen. Opioid prescription records were extracted from the health maintenance organizations (HMOs) pharmacy database. The final analytic sample included women with complete HMO pharmacy records for 1 year. Results: There were 251 eligible patients, of which 169 (67.3%) were White. The average age was 61.09 years old (SD = 11.07). One hundred seventy‐two patients (68.5%) had received at least one opioid medication and 37.1% were prescribed opioids longer than 90 days (n = 93). Sixty‐four Black patients (78%) had a record of being prescribed with opioids compared to 64% of White patients (n = 108, p = 0.03). Black patients reported worse vasomotor, neuropsychological, and gastrointestinal symptoms, as well as lower quality of life and greater healthcare discrimination than White patients (p's < 0.05). Black patients were more likely to be prescribed opioids for 90 days or longer compared to White patients, when controlling for age, marital status, income, body mass index (BMI), cancer stage, and chemotherapy status (adjusted Odds Ratio = 2.72, p = 0.014). Conclusion: Findings indicate that there are racial differences in opioid prescriptions supplied for pain management and symptomatic outcomes. Future research is needed to understand the causes of disparities in cancer pain management and symptomatic outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oxygen is a critical gas for medical and industrial settings. Much of today's global oxygen supply is via inefficient technologies such as cryogenic distillation, membranes or zeolites. Metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) promise a superior alternative for oxygen separation, as their fundamental chemistry can in principle be tailored for reversible and selective oxygen capture. We evaluate the characteristics for reversible and selective uptake of oxygen by MOFs, focussing on redox‐active sites. Key characteristics for separation can also be seen in MOFs for oxygen storage roles. Engineering solutions to release adsorbed oxygen from the MOFs are discussed including Temperature Swing Adsorption (TSA), Pressure Swing Adsorption (PSA) and the highly efficient Magnetic Induction Swing Adsorption (MISA). We conclude with the applications and outlooks for oxygen capture, storage and release, and the likely impacts the next generation of MOFs will have on industry and the broader community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Insect herbivores and their parasitoids make up a large proportion of biodiversity, but studies of their communities rarely involve geographic comparisons. If the community on a host plant varies geographically, insect diversity will be underestimated by ignoring this. In addition, community functional structure may vary geographically due to differential abundance of functional groups.To address these issues, we compared the composition and structure of the fig wasp community associated with Ficus rubiginosa between temperate (Sydney) and tropical (Townsville) regions of eastern Australia. We sampled figs from four sites per region, twice a year for 2 years, resulting in about 14,000 wasps from 11 genera and 19 sub‐generic taxa. Since two of these taxa each comprise two cryptic species, we refer to taxonomic diversity below, but this is largely at species level.Taxonomic richness (14) was the same in both regions and nine taxa were shared across regions. However, 10 taxa were found in only one of the two regions, driving a significant difference in the taxonomic composition of the tropical and temperate communities, and increasing overall diversity in the system.The wasps belong to five functional groups – pollinators, small and large gallers, and small and large parasitoids. In contrast to taxonomic composition and diversity, community functional structure did not differ significantly between regions.Our results highlight that there can be broad latitudinal conservation of functional community structure across regions, despite considerable regional differences in taxonomic composition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Radical antegrade modular pancreatosplenectomy (RAMPS) was developed to improve R0 resections and lymph node harvests versus distal pancreatectomy (DP) in pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PDAC); relative complication rates are understudied. Methods: Patients undergoing distal pancreas resections from 2006 to 2020 were identified from our institutional NSQIP database, grouped by resection method, and evaluated for the following outcomes: postoperative pancreatic fistula (POPF), clinically relevant POPF (crPOPF), incisional surgical site infection (iSSI), organ space SSI (osSSI), and Clavien-Dindo grade ≥ 3 (CD ≥ 3) complications using logistic regression. Patients were matched 1:1 based on disease risk score. Results: Two-hundred-thirty-six and 117 patients underwent DP and RAMPS, respectively. POPF, crPOPF, CD ≥ 3 complications, iSSI, and osSSIs occurred in 105 (30%), 43 (12%), 74 (21%), 34 (10%) and 52 (15%) patients, respectively. Disease risk score matching yielded 89 similar patients per group. On multivariable analysis, patients undergoing RAMPS were not significantly more likely to experience POPF (OR 0.69, P = 0.26), crPOPF (OR 0.41, P = 0.72), CD ≥ 3 complication (OR 0.78, P = 0.44), iSSI (OR 0.58, P = 0.27), or osSSI (OR 0.93, P = 0.86). Of patients with PDAC (n = 108) mean nodal harvest were 14.8 (SD 11.30) and 19.4 (SD 7.19) nodes for patients undergoing DP and RAMPS, respectively (P = 0.01). Six patients (20%) undergoing DP had positive margins versus 12 (15%) undergoing RAMPS (P = 0.56). At a median follow-up of 17 months, there was no difference in locoregional recurrence-free survival (P = 0.32) or overall survival (P = 0.92) on Kaplan–Meier analysis. Conclusion: RAMPS does not result in increased complications compared to DP and routine use is encouraged in pancreatic malignancies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Disparities in pancreatic cancer incidence and outcomes exist in Native American populations. These disparities are multifactorial, difficult to quantify, and are influenced by historical, socioeconomic, and health care structural factors. The objective of this article was to assess these factors and offer a call to action to overcome them. The authors reviewed published data on pancreatic cancer in Native American populations with a focus on disparities in incidence, outcomes, and research efforts. The historical context of the interactions between Native Americans and the United States health care system was also analyzed to form actionable items to build trust and collaboration. The incidence of pancreatic cancer in Native Americans is higher than that in the general US population and has the worst survival of any major racial or ethnic group. These outcomes are influenced by a patient population with often poor access to high‐quality cancer care, historical trauma potentially leading to reduced care utilization, and a lack of research focused on etiologies and comorbid conditions that contribute to these disparities. A collaborative effort between nontribal and tribal leaders and cancer centers is key to addressing disparities in pancreatic cancer outcomes and research. More population‐level studies are needed to better understand the incidence, etiologies, and comorbid conditions of pancreatic cancer in Native Americans. Finally, a concerted, focused effort should be undertaken between nontribal and tribal entities to increase the access of Native Americans to high‐quality care for pancreatic cancer and other lethal malignancies. More population‐level studies are needed to better understand the incidence, etiologies, and comorbid conditions of pancreatic cancer in Native Americans. A concerted, focused effort should be undertaken between nontribal and tribal entities to increase the access of Native Americans to high‐quality care for pancreatic cancer and other lethal malignancies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Substantial construct overlap exists between indicators of frailty and symptoms of some psychiatric disorders. This study aimed to gain consensus of expert academic opinion on the potential impact of psychiatric illness on frailty assessment and how best to conceptualise and measure frailty indicators in the context of psychiatric symptoms. Design: A classic Delphi approach was employed across two studies to achieve consensus: The first‐round questionnaire consisted of open‐ended questions, analysed through content analysis. The results informed the development of statements for participants to rate their agreement with in subsequent Delphi rounds. Statements with ≥66% agreement were accepted. Delphi Study 1 recruited experts in frailty assessment (n = 13) and Delphi Study 2 recruited experts in frailty and psychiatric disorder (n = 8). Experts were recruited globally. Results: Overall, 40% of Delphi Study 1 statements and 43% of Delphi Study 2 statements were accepted. Primarily, consensus was reached for statements concerning the influence of depression/anxiety on frailty assessment and potential methods of conceptualising and measuring frailty indicators in the context of psychiatric symptoms. Little consensus was reached concerning the ease and importance of differentiating between frailty indicators and psychiatric assessment criteria with substantial overlap. Conclusions: The Delphi studies provide a novel exploration and consensus of expert academic opinions concerning the assessment of frailty indicators in the context of psychiatric symptoms. The results will inform future research into the adaptation or development of a frailty assessment tool specifically for use in older adult psychiatric populations. Key points: Through two expert Delphi studies, the impact of psychiatric symptoms on the assessment of frailty in older adults was explored, as was how best to measure frailty indicators in the context of psychiatric symptoms.Consensus was reached for statements concerning the influence of depression/anxiety on frailty assessment and potential methods of measuring frailty indicators in the context of psychiatric symptoms.Identifying co‐morbid frailty in older adult psychiatric populations is vital for effective treatment planning and provision. The Delphi results will inform future developments in assessing frailty in such populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Higher self‐efficacy in receiving genetic counseling and testing (GCT) has been associated with greater participation in GCT for women at risk of hereditary breast and ovarian cancer (HBOC), but little is known about correlates of self‐efficacy in Black women eligible for GCT. The goal of this secondary analysis was to identify sociodemographic and psychosocial factors regarding GCT. Multivariable regression analysis was conducted to assess the relationship between self‐efficacy and correlates of interest. Of the 100 Black women surveyed, most women had a college degree (64%), were employed (84%), and had health insurance (93%). In the multivariable model, greater self‐efficacy was associated with more positive attitudes toward GCT (Β = 0.126; CI = 0.01 to 0.25; p = 0.039), greater confidence in the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA) (Β = 0.250; CI = 0.04 to 0.46; p = 0.019), and lower ratings of perceived difficulty obtaining GCT (Β = −0.219; CI = −0.46 to −0.10; p = 0.003). Community‐level interventions to promote self‐efficacy are needed that address perceived barriers to GCT, with the goals of increasing GINA Law awareness in the general public, increasing accessibility to genetic counseling (e.g., telemedicine), and promoting more positive attitudes about GCT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To report on the development and preliminary findings of a community‐based cancer registry, including the community‐engaged approach to recruitment, participant profile, and distribution of cancer risk factors by race/ethnicity and geography. Methods: Community outreach and engagement best practices were used to recruit a diverse convenience sample of Virginia residents (≥18 years) that oversampled residents living in rural areas, defined as Rural‐Urban Continuum Codes (RUCC) 4–9 and African American (AA)/Black residents. Multiple survey administration methods included electronic (e‐survey) and in‐person survey by community‐based staff. Results: At the time of this analysis, 595 participants are enrolled; 73% are rural, 46% are AA/Black. AA/Black participants reported similar education but lower income (p < 0.01) and health literacy (p < 0.01), lower alcohol use (p < 0.001), fewer sedentary behaviors (p = 0.01), but greater BMI (p < 0.05) compared to White participants. Rural residents reported significantly lower household income (p < 0.001) and greater use of Medicaid (p = 0.01) compared to urban participants. Biennial mammography was reported by 82% of women aged 45–74 years old and colonoscopy by 77% of participants ≥50 years old. Tobacco use was reported by 17%; no differences in cancer screening or tobacco use were identified by geography or by race. Conclusion and relevance: Community engagement strategies successfully enrolled diverse residents within the cancer service area. AA/Black participants reported fewer cancer risk behaviors, similar educational attainment but lower income and health literacy compared to White respondents. Nuanced examinations of interactions among multilevel factors are needed to understand how individual, community, and institutional factors converge to maintain cancer disparities among AA/Black Virginians. Additional findings indicate a need for tobacco cessation, lung cancer screening, obesity treatment, and prevention initiatives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Georgia and the southeast region of the United States, acreage of soft red winter wheat (SRWW) (Triticum aestivum L.) 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 destructor Say). 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. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Levels of circulating hybrid cells (CHCs), a newly identified circulating tumor cell (CTC), correlate with disease stage and progression in cancer. We investigated their utility to risk‐stratify patients with clinically N0 (cN0) oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma (OCSCC), and to identify patients with occult cervical lymph node metastases (pN+). Methods: We analyzed peripheral blood samples for CHCs with co‐expression of cytokeratin (tumor) and CD45 (leukocyte) from 22 patients with cN0 OCSCC using immunofluorescence microscopy, then correlated levels with pathologic lymph node status. Results: CHC levels exceeded CTCs and correlated with the presence of both clinically overt (p = 0.002) and occult nodal metastases (p = 0.006). Conclusions: For evaluated cN0 OCSCC patients, those with cN0 → pN+ status harbored elevated CHC levels compared to patients without occult disease. Our findings highlight a promising blood‐based biologic assay with potential utility to determine the necessity of surgical neck dissection for staging and treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soft red winter wheat (SRWW) (Triticum aestivum L.), 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–Sr38 genes that protect it against the above pests. It has very good grain volume weight and good milling and baking quality as a SRWW. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Loss‐of‐function mutations in the deoxyguanosine kinase (DGUOK) gene result in a mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) depletion syndrome. DGUOK plays an important role in converting deoxyribonucleosides to deoxyribonucleoside monophosphates via the salvage pathway for mtDNA synthesis. DGUOK deficiency manifests predominantly in the liver; the most common cause of death is liver failure within the first year of life and no therapeutic options are currently available. in vitro supplementation with deoxyguanosine or deoxyguanosine monophosphate (dGMP) were reported to rescue mtDNA depletion in DGUOK‐deficient, patient‐derived fibroblasts and myoblasts. CERC‐913, a novel ProTide prodrug of dGMP, was designed to bypass defective DGUOK while improving permeability and stability relative to nucleoside monophosphates. To evaluate CERC‐913 for its ability to rescue mtDNA depletion, we developed a primary hepatocyte culture model using liver tissue from DGUOK‐deficient rats. DGUOK knockout rat hepatocyte cultures exhibit severely reduced mtDNA copy number (~10%) relative to wild type by qPCR and mtDNA content remains stable for up to 8 days in culture. CERC‐913 increased mtDNA content in DGUOK‐deficient hepatocytes up to 2.4‐fold after 4 days of treatment in a dose‐dependent fashion, which was significantly more effective than dGMP at similar concentrations. These early results suggest primary hepatocyte culture is a useful model for the study of mtDNA depletion syndromes and that CERC‐913 treatment can improve mtDNA content in this model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soft red winter wheat (SRWW) (Triticum aestivum L.) 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 ventricosa Tausch, having the Yr17/Lr37/Sr38 genes 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. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Physical activity (PA) is recommended for women with breast cancer (BC); however, data are sparse on the association of PA with quality of life (QOL) and patient-reported symptoms for women on adjuvant endocrine therapy (AET).Methods: Women with hormone receptor-positive BC who were taking AET completed standardized surveys about their health-related QOL, AET-related symptoms, and levels of PA using validated measures. A Wald chi-square test and an analysis of variance were used to assess associations with PA and independent variables. Generalized linear regression analyses assessed associations between PA, QOL, and AET-related symptoms.Results: The analytic cohort included 485 Black and White women. Black race, a high body mass index (BMI), and being on aromatase inhibitors (vs tamoxifen) were associated with lower PA in a bivariate analysis. In a multivariate analysis, lower self-reported PA was associated with a high BMI (P = .02) and chemotherapy uptake (P = .006). Better health-related QOL (P = .01), less severe overall AET-related symptoms (P = .02), and less severe gynecological symptoms (P = .03) were associated with increasing levels of moderate PA.Conclusions: Among women taking AET, moderate levels of PA may be associated with fewer medication-related symptoms and overall better ratings of health-related QOL. Because of the low levels of PA observed in the sample overall and particularly for Black women, identifying successful strategies to promote PA are needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The synthesis, structure and properties of a 2D FeIII network material of composition [Fe(O‐bipy)2Cl](TCNQ)2 (O‐bipy = 4,4'‐bipyridyl N,N'‐dioxide; TCNQ = 7,7,8,8‐tetracyanoquinodimethane) are presented. The structure consists of a square grid in which square pyramidal FeIII centers are linked to four equivalent centers through O‐bipy ligands. Pairs of TCNQ radical anions are located within rectangular cavities of the 2D network. The apical position on each Fe center is occupied by a chloride ion. Magnetic studies are indicative of weak antiferromagnetic coupling. Electrical conductivity measurements reveal that the compound is a semiconductor and on the basis of DFT calculations it is proposed that electrical conduction occurs via charge hopping between interlayer TCNQ anions. Mössbauer spectra indicate a rare example of the Goldanskii–Karyagin effect and are suggestive of unusual dynamic processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The importance of the Subtropical Convergence Zone south of Australia as a feeding area to the pygmy blue whale of the eastern Indian Ocean was investigated to better understand migration patterns and habitat use. A combination of satellite tagging studies during 2003–2005 and acoustic and visual surveys during the austral summer of 2013 confirmed the presence of pygmy blue whales in the Subtropical Convergence Zone and provided evidence for feeding throughout the region. Of the 67 pygmy blue whales acoustically detected, many were localized in proximity to sea surface temperature fronts and high chlorophyll concentrations, which could be a behavioral strategy to attract conspecifics to good feeding sites. Aggregations of up to four pygmy blue whales, along with decreased call rates during the day, may suggest feeding despite no direct observations of pygmy blue whales consuming euphausiids. The oceanographic features present throughout the Subtropical Convergence Zone continue to create an environment productive enough to support the world's largest living mammals during their migratory foraging movements between the Southern Ocean and Indonesia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

1. Mutualisms may be particularly vulnerable to climate change as interacting species are likely to respond differently, which could destabilise interactions. 2. Temperate zone insects typically experience mean temperatures below their thermal optima, making them less vulnerable than tropical insects to small increases in mean temperature. However, they are likely to experience a higher frequency of extreme heat events, putting mutualism persistence in jeopardy. 3. This study investigated the potential impacts of climate change on Pleistodontes imperialis, a temperate Australian fig wasp that pollinates Port Jackson figs (Ficus rubiginosa). Wasp emergence and longevity were measured at temperatures ranging from those commonly experienced in nature (25 °C) to high values (> 40 °C) that are currently infrequent, but which are becoming more common with climate change. 4. Wasp emergence was unaffected by temperatures up to 39 °C, but it declined drastically above 39 °C. Adult longevity was unaffected by temperatures up to 30 °C, but decreased at 35 °C and above. Low humidity reduced wasp longevity across all temperatures. 5. Fitness reductions were observed at temperatures ∼5 °C above the summer daily mean maximum, suggesting that P. imperialis has a high thermal tolerance, but is vulnerable to extreme heat. Figs located in the shade may provide protected microhabitats under hot conditions. 6. Tropical pollinators may be threatened by small increases in mean temperature. In contrast, it is shown here that temperate pollinators may face a different primary threat from climate change – the increasing frequency of extreme heat events – despite their higher thermal tolerances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Importance This study is the first paper to establish a learning curve by a single technician. Background Preparation of pre-cut corneal endothelial grafts commenced at Lions New South Wales Eye Bank in December 2014. The primary objective of this study was to review the safety and reliability of the preparation method during the first year of production. Design This is a hospital-based, prospective case series. Participants There were 234 consecutive donor corneal lenticules. Methods Donor lenticules were prepared by a single operator using a linear cutting microkeratome. Immediately prior to cutting, central corneal thickness values were recorded. Measurements of the corneal bed were taken immediately following lenticule preparation. Outcomes were separated by blade sizes, and intended thickness was compared to actual thickness for each setting. Early specimens were compared to later ones to assess for a learning curve within the technique. Main Outcome Measure The main parameter measured is the mean difference from intended lamellar cut thickness. Results The mean final cut thickness was 122.36 ± 20.35 μm, and the mean difference from intended cut was 30.17 ± 37.45 μm. No significant difference was found between results achieved with early specimens versus those achieved with later specimens ( P = 0.425). Conclusions and Relevance Thin, reproducible endothelial grafts can routinely be produced by trained technicians at their respective eye banks without significant concerns for an extended learning curve. This service can reduce perioperative surgical complexity, required surgical paraphernalia and theatre times. The consistent preparation of single-pass, ultrathin pre-cut corneas may have additional advantages for surgeons seeking to introduce lamellar techniques. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pomacea maculata is a relatively new invasive species to the Gulf Coast region and potentially threatens local agriculture (rice) and ecosystems (aquatic vegetation). The population dynamics of P. maculata have largely been unquantified, and therefore, scientists and field‐workers are ill‐equipped to accurately project population sizes and the resulting impact of this species. We studied the growth of P. maculata ranging in weights from 6 to 105 g, identifying the sex of the animals when possible. Our studied population had a 4:9 male:female sex ratio. We present the findings from initial analysis of the individual growth data of males and females, from which it was apparent that females were generally larger than males and that small snails grew faster than larger snails. Since efforts to characterize the male and female growth rates from individual data do not yield statistically supported estimates, we present the estimation of several parameterized growth rate functions within a population‐level mathematical model. We provide a comparison of the results using these various growth functions and discuss which best characterizes the dynamics of our observed population. We conclude that both males and females exhibit biphasic growth rates, and thus, their growth is size‐dependent. Further, our results suggest that there are notable differences between males and females that are important to take into consideration in order to accurately model this species' population dynamics. Lastly, we include preliminary analyses of ongoing experiments to provide initial estimates of growth in the earliest life stages (hatchling to ≈6 g). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The structure of populations across landscapes influences the dynamics of their interactions with other species. Understanding the geographic structure of populations can thus shed light on the potential for interacting species to co-evolve. Host-parasitoid interactions are widespread in nature and also represent a significant force in the evolution of plant-insect interactions. However, there have been few comparisons of population structure between an insect host and its parasitoid. We used microsatellite markers to analyse the population genetic structure of Pleistodontes imperialis sp. 1, a fig-pollinating wasp of Port Jackson fig ( Ficus rubiginosa), and its main parasitoid, Sycoscapter sp. A, in eastern Australia. Besides exploring this host-parasitoid system, our study also constitutes, to our knowledge, the first study of population structure in a nonpollinating fig wasp species. We collected matched samples of pollinators and parasitoids at several sites in two regions separated by up to 2000 km. We found that pollinators occupying the two regions represent distinct populations, but, in contrast, parasitoids formed a single population across the wide geographic range sampled. We observed genetic isolation by distance for each species, but found consistently lower FST and RST values between sites for parasitoids compared with pollinators. Previous studies have indicated that pollinators of monoecious figs can disperse over very long distances, and we provide the first genetic evidence that their parasitoids may disperse as far, if not farther. The contrasting geographic population structures of host and parasitoid highlight the potential for geographic mosaics in this important symbiotic system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Nucleic acids are highly charged polyelectrolytes that interact strongly with salt ions. Rigid, base-paired regions are successfully described with wormlike chain models, but nonbase-paired single stranded regions have fundamentally different polymer properties because of their greater flexibility. Recently, attention has turned to single stranded nucleic acids due to the growing recognition of their biological importance, as well as the availability of sophisticated experimental techniques sensitive to the conformation of individual molecules. We investigate polyelectrolyte properties of poly(dT), an important and widely studied model system for flexible single stranded nucleic acids, in physiologically important mixed mono- and divalent salt. We report measurements of the form factor and interparticle interactions using SAXS, end-to-end distances using smFRET, and number of excess ions using ASAXS. We present a coarse-grained model that accounts for flexibility, excluded volume, and electrostatic interactions in these systems. Predictions of the model are validated against experiment. We also discuss the state of all-atom, explicit solvent molecular dynamics simulations of poly(dT), the next step in understanding the complexities of ion interactions with these highly charged and flexible polymers. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Biopolymers 99: 1032-1045, 2013. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abuse of Δ-THC by females during adolescence may produce long-term deficits in complex behavioral processes such as learning, and these deficits may be affected by the presence of ovarian hormones. To assess this possibility, 40 injections of saline or 5.6 mg/kg of Δ-THC were administered i.p. daily during adolescence to gonadally intact or ovariectomized (OVX) female rats, yielding four treatment groups (intact/saline, intact/THC, OVX/saline, and OVX/THC). Δ-THC (0.56-10 mg/kg) was then re-administered to each of the four groups during adulthood to examine their sensitivity to its disruptive effects. The behavioral task required adult subjects to both learn (acquisition component) different response sequences and repeat a known response sequence (performance component) daily. During baseline (no injection) and control (saline injection) sessions, OVX subjects had significantly higher response rates and lower percentages of error in both behavioral components than the intact groups irrespective of saline or Δ-THC administration during adolescence; the intact group that received Δ-THC had the lowest response rates in each component. Upon re-administration of Δ-THC, the groups that received adolescent ovariectomy alone, adolescent Δ-THC administration alone, or both treatments were found to be less sensitive to the rate-decreasing effects, and more sensitive to the error-increasing effects of Δ-THC than the control group (i.e. intact subjects that received saline during adolescence). Neurochemical analyses of the brains from each adolescent-treated group indicated that there were also persistent effects on cannabinoid type-1 (CB-1) receptor levels in the hippocampus and striatum that depended on the brain region and the presence of ovarian hormones. In addition, autoradiographic analyses of the brains from adolescent-treated, but behaviorally naïve, subjects indicated that ovariectomy and Δ-THC administration produced effects on receptor coupling in some of the same brain regions. In summary, chronic administration of Δ-THC during adolescence in female rats produced long-term effects on operant learning and performance tasks and on the cannabinoid system that were mediated by the presence of ovarian hormones, and that altered their sensitivity to Δ-THC as adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Laser in situ keratomileusis has become a widely accepted and commonly performed surgical refractive procedure. With the rapid advances in laser technology and surgical techniques, the visual outcomes and safety of this procedure has significantly improved. This review outlines the historical background, recent technological advances, indications, patient assessment and selection, the surgical technique, as well as complications of the procedure and their management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To assess the incidence and risk factors forAcanthamoebakeratitis (AK), the diagnostic interval, and the efficacy and outcome of current treatment among the population of New South Wales, Australia.A retrospective review was carried out of all cases of AK treated at the Sydney Eye Hospital between January 1997 and December 2002.Twenty patients were identified with a mean follow up of 24.8 ± 21.5 months.Acanthamoebakeratitis constitutes 4.7% of severe infective keratitis treated at Sydney Eye Hospital. The mean interval from first presentation to diagnosis was 26.6 ± 35.1 days overall; 17.2 ± 33.1 days for those presenting directly to our unit (69% being diagnosed within 72 h of presentation), and 44.1 ± 34.0 days for those first presenting elsewhere. Of those with a diagnostic delay>1 month, 57% had been mistakenly diagnosed with Herpes simplex keratitis. Sixteen (80%) wore contact lenses, and eight (40%) had additional risk factors including poor lens hygiene. Complications occurred in 16 (80%), with seven (35%) requiring surgical intervention. Visual acuity improved in 18 (90%), worsened in two patients (10%), and 75% achieved 6/12 or better at last follow up.Acanthamoebakeratitis is a rare infection, and contact lens wear remains the commonest association, with poor hygiene constituting significant additional risk. The visual outcome has improved with the availability of effective amoebicidal agents, but patients with a diagnostic delay and non-contact lens wearers are at increased risk of recurrent disease. A high index of clinical suspicion remains the most effective strategy in implementing early treatment, and enabling a favourable outcome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The primary goal of this study was to describe the development and assessment of the Community Awareness Motivation Partnership (CAMP) Teen Theatre intervention. Based on the behavioural ecological model, CAMP addressed the role of contraceptive use in safe sex behaviour through a brief informative, entertaining, and culturally responsive dramatization programme. Adolescents (N = 1613) between the ages of 11 and 18 (M = 13.31, SD = 0.76) received the intervention, and 961 participants completed both pre- and post-tests. The majority of participants were Latino (78.5%, n = 1039), many of whom were first generation immigrants. Results indicated that the intervention increased participants' reported intentions to delay sex and use contraceptives. The intervention produced short-term changes in safe-sex behavioural intentions and knowledge. Suggestions for producing long-term changes were discussed. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Investigates the rates of release of odor and gas from anaerobic lagoons for treating swine waste in the U.S. Use of a buoyant convective flux chamber; Determination of the effect of lagoon loading rate on measured odor and gas releases; Evaluation of odor concentration, intensity and hedonic tone.

Discusses the popularity of films about prisoners of war and missing in action U.S. soldiers in the U.S.-Vietnam war. Reasons for the popularity of the motion pictures "Missing in Action," "Rambo in the Garden" and "Rambo: First Blood, Part II"; Implications of democracy on the American monomyth; Display of communist savagery in "Missing in Action."

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