Corn cob hemicelluloses as stabilizer for ice recrystallization inhibition in ice cream.

Food stabilizers, such as guar gum and locust bean gum (LBG), are often added to ice cream to improve its texture and to combat its main shelf-life concern - ice recrystallization. Recently these gums have become increasingly expensive due to the limited supplies. In this study, holocellulose nanocrystals (holoCNCs) and hemicelluloses (hemiCs) were prepared from readily available corn cobs and tested for ice recrystallization inhibition (IRI) activities in the 25.0 % sucrose solution and ice cream mixes (ICMs). In the sucrose solution, holoCNCs were not IRI active at a concentration of 0.5 %, but hemiCs demonstrated a good IRI activity, even at 0.1 %. In the ICMs, the IRI activity of hemiCs was better than those of guar gum and LBG at a concentration of 0.2 %. Adding 0.2-0.5 % hemiCs had no negative influences on the physicochemical properties of ICMs and ice cream, including viscosity profile, particle size distribution, overrun, hardness, and meltdown rate. These research findings demonstrated corn cob hemiCs' potential as a more sustainable ice cream stabilizer.

Administrative records-based criterion measures.

This paper covers considerations in using criterion measures based on administrative data. We begin with a conceptual framework for understanding and evaluating administrative criterion measures as "objective" rather than (ratings-based) assessments of job performance. We then describe the associated advantages (e.g., availability) and disadvantages (e.g., contamination) of using administrative data for criterion-related validation purposes. Best practices in the use of administrative data for validation purposes, including procedures for (a) handling missing data, (b) performing data checks, and (c) reporting detailed decision rules so future researchers can replicate the analyses are also described. Finally, we discuss "modern data management" approaches for improving administrative data for supporting organizational decision-making.

Bioactive compounds, antioxidant capacity and anti-inflammatory activity of native fruits from Brazil.

The purpose of this study was to extract, identify, and quantify the phenolic compounds in grumixama (Eugenia brasilienses Lam.) and guabiju (Myrcianthes pungens), native fruits from southern region of Brazil, and to explore their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. The phenolic compounds were extracted with acidified water and acidified methanol and evaluated for their bioactive constituents, antioxidant capacity, and anti-inflammatory properties. Spectrophotometric quantification shows tannins to be the most prevalent at 2.3 to 5.8 g/100g fresh fruit with acidified methanol containing higher concentrations of different phenolics than acidified water. HPLC analysis indicates that gallic acid, catechin, vanillic acid, and ellagic acid are the most prevalent phenolics in the two fruits extracts. Scavenging of DPPH and NO radicals showed inhibition by as much as 95% and 80%, respectively, at 2.5 gallic acid equivalent (GAE)/mL of the extract. At 50 µg GAE/mL, the release of pro-inflammatory molecules NO and IL-6 was significantly reduced with acidified methanol extract having higher inhibitory activity. Our results revealed that these native fruits, grown in the south of Brazil, are rich sources of phenolic compounds and have great antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity.

Ice recrystallization inhibition effect of cellulose nanocrystals at constant and cycling temperatures.

Understanding the effects of ice recrystallization inhibitors at varying temperatures is critical for evaluating their applications. We studied the ice recrystallization inhibition (IRI) effects of cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) at constant and cycling temperatures. A splat assay using a 3.0 % sucrose solution showed that the IRI effect of 0.2 % CNCs decreased with increasing temperatures from -10 °C to -2 °C; the IRI effects of 0.5 % and 1.0 % CNCs remained unchanged for an increase in temperature from -10 °C to -4 °C but decreased at the temperature of -2 °C. A sandwich assay using a 25.0 % sucrose solution revealed that IRI effects increased with increasing temperatures, except in the presence of 0.2 % and 0.5 % CNCs at -5 °C and - 4 °C. A sandwich assay using a 35.0 % sucrose solution revealed that better IRI effects were observed at higher temperatures at all CNCs concentrations. At cycling temperatures, CNCs were inactive for storage times for ≤2 h, regardless of the rate, holding time, and amplitude of temperature fluctuation, but were active for storage times of 2 and 10 days. The IRI effects of CNCs at different temperatures may be related to the coverage of CNCs on ice surface, diffusion rate of CNCs to ice surface, and types of ice recrystallization.

Lunasin reduces the susceptibility of IL-10 deficient mice to inflammatory bowel disease and modulates the activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome.

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic inflammatory condition that can cause severe damage to the gastrointestinal tract leading to lower quality of life and productivity. Our goal was to investigate the protective effect of the soy peptide lunasin in an in vivo model of susceptibility to IBD and to identify the potential mechanism of action in vitro. In IL-10 deficient mice, oral administration of lunasin reduced the number and frequency of mice exhibiting macroscopic signs of susceptibility to inflammation and significantly decreased levels of the proinflammatory cytokines TNF-α, IL-1ß, IL-6, and IL-18 by up to 95%, 90%, 90%, and 47%, respectively, in different sections of the small and large intestines. Dose-dependent decrease of caspase-1, IL-1ß, and IL-18 in LPS-primed and ATP-activated THP-1 human macrophages demonstrated the ability of lunasin to modulate the NLRP3 inflammasome. We demonstrated that lunasin can decrease susceptibility to IBD in genetically susceptible mice by exerting anti-inflammatory properties.

Maternal dietary caffeine consumption and risk of birth defects in the National Birth Defects Prevention Study, 1997-2011.

BACKGROUND: Caffeine consumption is common during pregnancy, but published associations with birth defects are mixed. We updated estimates of associations between prepregnancy caffeine consumption and 48 specific birth defects from the National Birth Defects Prevention Study (NBDPS) for deliveries from 1997 to 2011. METHODS: NBDPS was a large population-based case-control study conducted in 10 U.S. states. We categorized self-reported total dietary caffeine consumption (mg/day) from coffee, tea, soda, and chocolate as: <10, 10 to <100, 100 to <200, 200 to <300, and ≥ 300. We used logistic regression to estimate adjusted odds ratios (aORs [95% confidence intervals]). Analyses for defects with ≥5 exposed case children were adjusted for maternal race/ethnicity, age at delivery, body mass index, early pregnancy cigarette smoking and alcohol use, and study site. RESULTS: Our analysis included 30,285 case and 11,502 control children, with mothers of 52% and 54%, respectively, reporting consuming <100 mg caffeine, and 11% of mothers of both cases and controls reported consuming ≥300 mg per day. Low (10 to <100 mg/day) levels of prepregnancy caffeine consumption were associated with statistically significant increases in aORs (1.2-1.7) for 10 defects. Associations with high (≥300 mg/day) levels of caffeine were generally weaker, except for craniosynostosis and aortic stenosis (aORs = 1.3 [1.1-1.6], 1.6 [1.1-2.3]). CONCLUSIONS: Given the large number of estimates generated, some of the statistically significant results may be due to chance and thus the weakly increased aORs should be interpreted cautiously. This study supports previous observations suggesting lack of evidence for meaningful associations between caffeine consumption and the studied birth defects.

Parents' report on the health care management of spina bifida in early childhood.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to describe health care use by type of health providers and care settings visited by children with spina bifida (SB) and to compare this use between children with and without a shunt. METHODS: Health care use data were extracted from a larger study on the health and functioning of children with SB aged 3-6 years. The present study focused on the medical information subsection of a parent-reported survey related to SB care, general care, specialty care (e.g., neurosurgery), emergency care, and complications related to SB and shunts. RESULTS: Parents of 101 children with SB participated. Most of the children were male with myelomeningocele and had a shunt. They visited a health care provider for SB care an average of 7.4 times and a specialist an average of 11.9 times in the previous 12 months. Most visited a multidisciplinary clinic for SB-related care and a private physician's office for general care. Children with a shunt had more SB-related medical visits, more visits to a specialist, and a greater number of different types of specialists than those without it. Frequency of emergency room visits did not differ between the two groups. Health providers informed parents about headaches, vomiting, and fever as signs of complications, and some parents did report shunt-related complications. CONCLUSION: SB is a complex medical condition requiring that children receive medical care from various medical specialists, especially for children with a shunt. Findings on health care use suggest high levels of monitoring and care coordination that parents navigate to care for their child.

International Natural Procreative Technology Evaluation and Surveillance of Treatment for Subfertility (iNEST): enrollment and methods.

STUDY QUESTION: What is the feasibility of a prospective protocol to follow subfertile couples being treated with natural procreative technology for up to 3 years at multiple clinical sites? SUMMARY ANSWER: Overall, clinical sites had missing data for about one-third of participants, the proportion of participants responding to follow-up questionnaires during time periods when participant compensation was available (about two-thirds) was double that of time periods when participant compensation was not available (about one-third) and follow-up information was most complete for pregnancies and births (obtained from both clinics and participants). WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY: Several retrospective single-clinic studies from Canada, Ireland and the USA, with subfertile couples receiving restorative reproductive medicine, mostly natural procreative technology, have reported adjusted cumulative live birth rates ranging from 29% to 66%, for treatment for up to 2 years, with a mean women's age of about 35 years. STUDY DESIGN SIZE DURATION: The international Natural Procreative Technology Evaluation and Surveillance of Treatment for Subfertility (iNEST) was designed as a multicenter, prospective cohort study, to enroll subfertile couples seeking treatment for live birth, assess baseline characteristics and follow them up for up to 3 years to report diagnoses, treatments and outcomes of pregnancy and live birth. In addition to obtaining data from medical record abstraction, we sent follow-up questionnaires to participants (both women and men) to obtain information about treatments and pregnancy outcomes, including whether they obtained treatment elsewhere. The study was conducted from 2006 to 2016, with a total of 10 clinics participating for at least some of the study period across four countries (Canada, Poland, UK and USA). PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS SETTING METHODS: The 834 participants were subfertile couples with the woman's age 18 years or more, not pregnant and seeking a live birth, with at least one clinic visit. Couples with known absolute infertility were excluded (i.e. bilateral tubal blockage, azoospermia). Most women were trained to use a standardized protocol for daily vulvar observation, description and recording of cervical mucus and vaginal bleeding (the Creighton Model FertilityCare System). Couples received medical and sometimes surgical evaluation and treatments aimed to restore and optimize female and male reproductive function, to facilitate in vivo conception. MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE: The mean age of women starting treatment was 34.0 years; among those with additional demographic data, 382/478 (80%) had 16 or more years of education, and 199/659 (30%) had a prior live birth. Across 10 clinical sites in four countries (mostly private clinical practices) with family physicians or obstetrician-gynecologists, data about clinic visits were submitted for 60% of participants, and diagnostic data for 77%. For data obtained directly from the couple, 59% of couples had at least one follow-up questionnaire, and the proportion of women and men responding to fill out the follow-up questionnaires was 69% and 67%, respectively, when participant financial compensation was available, compared to 38% and 33% when compensation was not available. Among all couples, 57% had at least one pregnancy and 44% at least one live birth during the follow-up time period, based on data obtained from clinic and/or participant questionnaires. All sites reported on female pelvic surgical procedures, and among all participants, 22% of females underwent a pelvic diagnostic and/or therapeutic procedure, predominantly laparoscopy and hysterosalpingography. Among the 643 (77%) of participants with diagnostic information, ovulation-related disorders were diagnosed in 87%, endometriosis in 31%, nutritional disorders in 47% and abnormalities of semen analysis in 24%. The mean number of diagnoses per couple was 4.7. LIMITATIONS REASONS FOR CAUTION: The level of missing data was higher than anticipated, which limits both generalizability and the ability to study different components of treatment and prognosis. Loss to follow-up may also be differential and introduce bias for outcomes. Most of the participating clinicians were not surgeons, which limits the opportunity to study the impact of surgical interventions. Participants were geographically dispersed but relatively homogeneous with regard to socioeconomic status, which may limit the generalizability of current and future findings. WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS: Multicenter studies are key to understanding the outcomes of subfertility treatments beyond IVF or IUI in broader populations, and the association of different prognostic factors with outcomes. We anticipate that the iNEST study will provide insight for clinical and treatment factors associated with outcomes of pregnancy and live birth, with appropriate attention to potential biases (including adjustment for potential confounders, multiple imputation for missing data, sensitivity analysis and inverse probability weighting for potential differential loss to follow-up, and assessments for clinical site heterogeneity). Future studies will need to either have: adequate funding to compensate clinics and participants for robust data collection, including targeted randomized trials; or a scaled-down, registry-based approach with targeted data points, similar to the multiple national and regional ART registries. STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTERESTS: Funding for the study came from the International Institute for Restorative Reproductive Medicine, the University of Utah, Department of Family and Preventive Medicine, Health Studies Fund, the Primary Children's Medical Foundation, the Mary Cross Tippmann Foundation, the Atlas Foundation, the St. Augustine Foundation and the Women's Reproductive Health Foundation. The authors declare no competing interests. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: The iNEST study is registered at clinicaltrials.gov, NCT01363596.

How Well Do ICD-9-CM Codes Predict True Congenital Heart Defects? A Centers for Disease Control and Prevention-Based Multisite Validation Project.

Background The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Surveillance of Congenital Heart Defects Across the Lifespan project uses large clinical and administrative databases at sites throughout the United States to understand population-based congenital heart defect (CHD) epidemiology and outcomes. These individual databases are also relied upon for accurate coding of CHD to estimate population prevalence. Methods and Results This validation project assessed a sample of 774 cases from 4 surveillance sites to determine the positive predictive value (PPV) for identifying a true CHD case and classifying CHD anatomic group accurately based on 57 International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-9-CM) codes. Chi-square tests assessed differences in PPV by CHD severity and age. Overall, PPV was 76.36% (591/774 [95% CI, 73.20-79.31]) for all sites and all CHD-related ICD-9-CM codes. Of patients with a code for complex CHD, 89.85% (177/197 [95% CI, 84.76-93.69]) had CHD; corresponding PPV estimates were 86.73% (170/196 [95% CI, 81.17-91.15]) for shunt, 82.99% (161/194 [95% CI, 76.95-87.99]) for valve, and 44.39% (83/187 [95% CI, 84.76-93.69]) for "Other" CHD anatomic group (X2=142.16, P<0.0001). ICD-9-CM codes had higher PPVs for having CHD in the 3 younger age groups compared with those >64 years of age, (X2=4.23, P<0.0001). Conclusions While CHD ICD-9-CM codes had acceptable PPV (86.54%) (508/587 [95% CI, 83.51-89.20]) for identifying whether a patient has CHD when excluding patients with ICD-9-CM codes for "Other" CHD and code 745.5, further evaluation and algorithm development may help inform and improve accurate identification of CHD in data sets across the CHD ICD-9-CM code groups.

Real-Time Monitoring of Gas-Phase and Dissolved CO2 Using a Mixed-Matrix Composite Integrated Fiber Optic Sensor for Carbon Storage Application.

Novel chemical sensors that improve detection and quantification of CO2 are critical to ensuring safe and cost-effective monitoring of carbon storage sites. Fiber optic (FO)-based chemical sensor systems are promising field-deployable systems for real-time monitoring of CO2 in geological formations for long-range distributed sensing. In this work, a mixed-matrix composite integrated FO sensor system was developed with a purely optical readout that reliably operates as a detector for gas-phase and dissolved CO2. A mixed-matrix composite sensor coating consisting of plasmonic nanocrystals and hydrophobic zeolite embedded in a polymer matrix was integrated on the FO sensor. The mixed-matrix composite FO sensor showed excellent reversibility/stability in a high humidity environment and sensitivity to gas-phase CO2 over a large concentration range. This remarkable sensing performance was enabled by using plasmonic nanocrystals to significantly enhance the sensitivity and a hydrophobic zeolite to effectively mitigate interference from water vapor. The sensor exhibited the ability to sense CO2 in the presence of other geologically relevant gases, which is of importance for applications in geological formations. A prototype FO sensor configuration, which possesses a robust sensing capability for monitoring dissolved CO2 in natural water, was demonstrated. Reproducibility was confirmed over many cycles, both in a laboratory setting and in the field. More importantly, we demonstrated on-line monitoring capabilities with a wireless telemetry system, which transferred the data from the field to a website. The combination of outstanding CO2 sensing properties and facile coating processability makes this mixed-matrix composite FO sensor a good candidate for practical carbon storage applications.

Site, frequency, and duration of pain in young children with spina bifida.

PURPOSE: To investigate the: (1) percent of children with spina bifida (SB) complaining of pain, (2) frequency, duration, and cause of pain by sex, level of lesion type of SB, and ambulation status, (3) body sites reported to hurt, by variables in objective 2, and (4) associations between physical and mental/emotional health between caregiver and child. METHODS: Cross-sectional study of 101 caregivers of children (3 to 6 years old) with SB. Survey data and information from medical records were included. Pearson chi-square, one-way ANOVA, Fisher's exact test, logistic regressions, and bivariate correlations were used. RESULTS: Seventy percent reported that their child complained of pain, which did not significantly differ by sex, level of lesion, type of SB, or ambulation status. Most (86%) were reported to have experienced pain for less than 24 hours. The most frequently reported pain site was the head, followed by the abdomen and the lower body. Number of pain sites was moderately correlated with frequency of pain complaints. Correlations between how caregivers reported their own physical/mental/emotional health and how they rated that of their children ranged from weak (r = 0.22) to moderate (r = 0.55). CONCLUSION: Almost seven of ten children reportedly complained of pain ranging from at least once a month to everyday. Pain needs to be routinely assessed and treated in this population.

Historic and Modern Approaches for the Discovery of Abandoned Wells for Methane Emissions Mitigation in Oil Creek State Park, Pennsylvania.

Hundreds of oil wells were drilled along Oil Creek in Pennsylvania in the mid-1800s, birthing the modern oil industry. No longer in operation, many wells are now classified as abandoned, and, due to their age, their locations are either unknown or inaccurately recorded. These historic-well sites present environmental, safety, and economic concerns in the form of possible methane leaks and physical hazards. Airborne magnetic and LiDAR surveys were conducted in the Pioneer Run watershed in Oil Creek State Park to find abandoned wells in a historically significant but physically challenging location. Wells were drilled in this area prior to modern geolocation and legal documentation. Although a large number of old wells were abandoned summarily without remediation of the site, much of the land area within Oil Creek State Park is now covered in trees and dense underbrush, which can obscure wellheads. The thick vegetation and steep terrain limited the possibility of ground-based surveys to easily find well sites for methane emissions studies. The data from remote sensing surveys were used to corroborate potential well locations from historic maps and photographs. Potential well sites were verified in a ground-based field survey and monitored for methane emissions. Two historic photographs documenting oil activity in the late 1800s were georeferenced using a combination of magnetic and LiDAR data. LiDAR data, which were more useful in georeferencing and in field verification, identified 290 field locations in the Pioneer Run watershed, 86% of which were possible well sites. Sixty-two percent of the ground-verified wells remained unplugged and comprised the majority of leaking wells. The mean methane emissions factor for unplugged wells was 0.027 ± 0.099 kg/day, lower than other Appalachian Basin methane emissions estimates. LiDAR was used for the first time, in combination with an airborne magnetic survey, to reveal underground oil industry features and inform well identification and remediation efforts in difficult-to-navigate regions. In the oldest oil fields, where well casing has been removed or wood conductor casing was installed, historic photographs provide additional lines of evidence for oil wells where ground disturbances have concealed surface features. Identification of well sites is necessary for mitigation efforts, as unplugged wells emit methane, a potent greenhouse gas.

Historic and modern approaches for discovery of abandoned wells for methane emissions mitigation in Oil Creek State Park, Pennsylvania.

BACKGROUND: Hundreds of oil wells were drilled along Oil Creek in Pennsylvania in the mid-1800s, birthing the modern oil industry. No longer in operation, many wells are now classified as abandoned, and, due to their age, their locations are either unknown or inaccurately recorded. These historic well sites present environmental, safety, and economic concerns in the form of possible methane leaks and physical hazards. METHODS: Airborne magnetic and LiDAR surveys were conducted in the Pioneer Run watershed in Oil Creek State Park to find abandoned wells in a historically significant but physically challenging location. Wells were drilled in this area prior to modern geolocation and legal documentation. Although a large number of old wells were abandoned summarily without remediation of the site, much of the land area within Oil Creek State Park is now covered in trees and dense underbrush, which can obscure wellheads. The thick vegetation and steep terrain limited the possibility of ground-based surveys to easily find well sites for methane emissions studies. The data from remote sensing surveys were used to corroborate potential well locations from historic maps and photographs. Potential well sites were verified in a ground-based field survey and monitored for methane emissions. RESULTS: Two historic photographs documenting oil activity in the late 1800s were georeferenced using a combination of magnetic and LiDAR data. LiDAR data, which were more useful in georeferencing and in field verification, identified 290 field locations in the Pioneer Run watershed, 86% of which were possible well sites. Sixty-two percent of the ground-verified wells remained unplugged and comprised the majority of leaking wells. The mean methane emissions factor for unplugged wells was 0.027 ± 0.099 kg/day, lower than other Appalachian Basin methane emissions estimates. CONCLUSIONS: LiDAR was used for the first time, in combination with an airborne magnetic survey, to reveal underground oil industry features and inform well identification and remediation efforts in difficult-to-navigate regions. In the oldest oil fields, where well casing has been removed or wood conductor casing was installed, historic photographs provide additional lines of evidence for oil wells where ground disturbances have concealed surface features. Identification of well sites is necessary for mitigation efforts, as unplugged wells emit methane, a potent greenhouse gas.

Constraining natural gas pipeline emissions in San Juan Basin using mobile sampling.

Quantifying methane (CH4) leaks of pipeline systems is critical to ensure accurate emission factors in regional and global atmospheric models. The previous emission factors in the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Greenhouse Gas Inventory (GHGI) are from 1996 and do not reflect the modern gathering pipeline system. Additional data from different basins across the United States are urgently needed to improve the emission factors. The National Energy Technology Laboratory conducted a ground-based vehicle survey at Carson National Forest in the San Juan Basin, New Mexico, in September 2019. 187 km of natural gas gathering pipeline systems were surveyed. The mobile CH4 survey system was efficient in identifying CH4 plumes and pinpointing the leak sources. Gaussian dispersion modeling suggested our survey system had a minimum detection limit of 1.5 LPM. No leaks were found from the pipelines while a leak of 7.1 +/- 0.2 LPM was on a pig launcher door and another leak of 0.7 +/- 0.1 LPM on a block valve. Limited access to the gathering pipeline system prevented us from quantifying all potential leaks detected by the CH4 sensors. The low leak frequency phenomenon was also observed in the sole existing study of natural gas gathering pipelines in the Fayetteville Shale.

Quantifying source contributions of volatile organic compounds under hydraulic fracking moratorium.

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are precursors for ozone (O3) and secondary particulate matter, which contribute to asthma and cardiovascular diseases. With the technology development of hydraulic fracking, the United States experienced a shale gas boom in the last decade while the public raised concerns about the potential health impacts of co-emitted VOCs and other airborne pollutants. National Energy Technology Laboratory conducted stationary trailer-based ambient monitoring to study the sources of VOCs in Maryland, where the state enacted a moratorium on unconventional natural gas extraction. The campaign had two periods, May to August 2014 (summer) and November 2014 to February 2015 (winter). Ethane was the most abundant VOC, averaging 12.3 ppb (SD = 15.7 ppb) in summer and 21.7 ppb (SD = 21.6 ppb) in winter. The seasonal variation of VOCs indicated different source strengths. The sampling region was in the nitrogen oxides (NOx) limited regime for O3 production, and the O3 concentrations were sensitive to VOC/NOx ratios in the early mornings. We derived a six-factor profile using positive matrix factorization: motor vehicles, industrial, biogenics, coal burning, fugitive and evaporative, and ozone secondary. The fugitive and evaporative factor explained 44.5% of total VOCs, and the motor vehicles factor followed second with 15.5%. Oil and gas activities had a considerable impact on the abundance of VOCs in this region.

Attrition and reenlistment in the Army: Using the Tailored Adaptive Personality Assessment System (TAPAS) to improve retention.

Attrition and reenlistment are critical outcomes that continually shape the Army's workforce. However, relatively little is known about factors that reliably predict which Soldiers will ultimately complete their first term of service or reenlist after their first term has concluded. The present study evaluated the efficacy of a noncognitive measure, the Tailored Adaptive Personality Assessment System (TAPAS), as well as a traditional cognitive test, the Armed Forces Qualification Test (AFQT), as predictors of attrition and reenlistment. Specific categories of attrition were examined based on the reasons Soldiers separated from the Army, both during training and while the Soldiers were in their units. Additionally, analyses were conducted to model attrition over time, and reenlistment was examined both Army-wide and for specific MOS. The paper concludes with a discussion of the findings and needs for future research concerning the potential value of cognitive and noncognitive measures for better understanding and predicting Army attrition and reenlistment.

Atmospheric impacts of a natural gas development within the urban context of Morgantown, West Virginia.

The Marcellus Shale Energy and Environment Laboratory (MSEEL) in West Virginia provides a unique opportunity in the field of unconventional energy research. By studying near-surface atmospheric chemistry over several phases of a hydraulic fracturing event, the project will help evaluate the impact of current practices, as well as new techniques and mitigation technologies. A total of 10 mobile surveys covering a distance of approximately 1500 km were conducted through Morgantown. Our surveying technique involved using a vehicle-mounted Los Gatos Research gas analyzer to provide geo-located measurements of methane (CH4) and carbon dioxide (CO2). The ratios of super-ambient concentrations of CO2 and CH4 were used to separate well-pad emissions from the natural background concentrations over the various stages of well-pad development, as well as for comparisons to other urban sources of CH4. We found that regional background methane concentrations were elevated in all surveys, with a mean concentration of 2.699 ± 0.006 ppmv, which simply reflected the complexity of this riverine urban location. Emissions at the site were the greatest during the flow-back phase, with an estimated CH4 volume output of 20.62 ± 7.07 g/s, which was significantly higher than other identified urban emitters. Our study was able to successfully identify and quantify MSEEL emissions within this complex urban environment.

Metaplastic breast cancer in a patient with neurofibromatosis type 1 and somatic loss of heterozygosity.

Metaplastic breast carcinoma (MBC) is rare and has a poor prognosis. Here we describe genetic analysis of a 41-yr-old female patient with MBC and neurofibromatosis type I (NF1). She initially presented with pT3N1a, grade 3 MBC, but lung metastases were discovered subsequently. To identify the molecular cause of her NF1, we screened for germline mutations disrupting NF1 or SPRED1, revealing a heterozygous germline single-nucleotide variant (SNV) in exon 21 of NF1 at c.2709G>A, Chr 17: 29556342. By report, this variant disrupts pre-mRNA splicing of NF1 transcripts. No pathogenic mutations were identified in SPRED1 A potential association between MBC and NF1 was reported in eight previous cases, but none underwent detailed genomics analysis. To identify additional candidate germline variants potentially predisposing to MBC, we conducted targeted exome sequencing of 279 established cancer-causing genes in a control blood sample, disclosing four rare SNVs. Analysis of her breast tumor showed markedly altered variant allelic fractions (VAFs) for two (50%) of them, revealing somatic loss of heterozygosity (LOH) at germline SNVs. Of these, only the VAF of the pathogenic SNV in NF1 was increased in the tumor. Tumor sequencing demonstrated five somatic mutations altering TP53, BRCA1, and other genes potentially contributing to cancer formation. Because somatic LOH at certain germline SNVs can enhance their impacts, we conclude that increased allelic imbalance of the pathogenic SNV in NF1 likely contributed to tumorigenesis. Our results highlight a need to assess predisposing genetic factors and LOH that can cause rare, aggressive diseases such as MBC in NF1.

Analytic validation and real-time clinical application of an amplicon-based targeted gene panel for advanced cancer.

Multiplex somatic testing has emerged as a strategy to test patients with advanced cancer. We demonstrate our analytic validation approach for a gene hotspot panel and real-time prospective clinical application for any cancer type. The TruSight Tumor 26 assay amplifies 85 somatic hotspot regions across 26 genes. Using cell line and tumor mixes, we observed that 100% of the 14,715 targeted bases had at least 1000x raw coverage. We determined the sensitivity (100%, 95% CI: 96-100%), positive predictive value (100%, 95% CI: 96-100%), reproducibility (100% concordance), and limit of detection (3% variant allele frequency at 1000x read depth) of this assay to detect single nucleotide variants and small insertions and deletions. Next, we applied the assay prospectively in a clinical tumor sequencing study to evaluate 174 patients with metastatic or advanced cancer, including frozen tumors, formalin-fixed tumors, and enriched peripheral blood mononuclear cells in hematologic cancers. We reported one or more somatic mutations in 89 (53%) of the sequenced tumors (167 passing quality filters). Forty-three of these patients (26%) had mutations that would enable eligibility for targeted therapies. This study demonstrates the validity and feasibility of applying TruSight Tumor 26 for pan-cancer testing using multiple specimen types.

Understanding the Natural Progression of Spina Bifida: Prospective Study.

BACKGROUND: Spina bifida (SB) is monitored through birth defects surveillance across the United States and in most developed countries. Although much is known about the management of SB and its many comorbid conditions in affected individuals, there are few systematic, longitudinal studies on population-based cohorts of children or adults. The natural history of SB across the life course of persons with this condition is not well documented. Earlier identification of comorbidities and secondary conditions could allow for earlier intervention that might enhance the developmental trajectory for children with SB. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this project was to assess the development, health, and condition progression by prospectively studying children who were born with SB in Arizona and Utah. In addition, the methodology used to collect the data would be evaluated and revised as appropriate. METHODS: Parents of children with SB aged 3-6 years were eligible to participate in the study, in English or Spanish. The actual recruitment process was closely documented. Data on medical history were collected from medical records; family functioning, child behaviors, self-care, mobility and functioning, and health and well-being from parent reports; and neuropsychological data from testing of the child. RESULTS: In total, 152 individuals with SB were identified as eligible and their parents were contacted by site personnel for enrollment in the study. Of those, 45 (29.6%) declined to participate and 6 (3.9%) consented but did not follow through. Among 101 parents willing to participate, 81 (80.2%) completed the full protocol and 20 (19.8%) completed the partial protocol. Utah enrolled 72.3% (73/101) of participants, predominately non-Hispanic (60/73, 82%) and male (47/73, 64%). Arizona enrolled 56% (28/50) of participants they had permission to contact, predominately Hispanic (18/28, 64%) and male (16/28, 57%). CONCLUSIONS: We observed variance by site for recruitment, due to differences in identification and ascertainment of eligible cases and the required institutional review board processes. Restriction in recruitment and the proportion of minorities likely impacted participation rates in Arizona more than Utah.