Stability of diluted adenosine solutions in polyvinyl chloride infusion bags

Purpose The stability of diluted adenosine solutions in polyvinyl chloride infusion bags was studied. Methods Adenosine 50-, 100-, and 220-μg/mL solutions were prepared in 50-mL polyvinyl chloride (PVC) infusion bags containing 0.9% sodium chloride injection or 5% dextrose injection and stored at room temperature (23–25 °C) or under refrigeration (2–8 °C). Each sample of every combination of concentration, diluent, and storage temperature was prepared in triplicate, yielding 36 samples. The samples were assayed using a stability-indicating, reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatographic method immediately after preparation (time zero) and at 24 hours, 48 hours, 7 days, and 14 days. pH was measured at time zero, 48 hours, 7 days, and 14 days. Time zero concentrations were calculated from the equation produced from a calibration curve of standards ranging from 10 to 500 μg/mL. Samples were also visually inspected against a light background for clarity, color, and the presence of crystalline particulate matter. Stability was defined as retaining at least 90% of the initial adenosine concentration. Results After 14 days, all samples retained greater than 98% of the initial adenosine concentration, with no evidence of adsorption, visible precipitation, or considerable change in pH, suggesting minimal to no loss of product due to degradation or adsorption. Conclusion Adenosine 50-, 100-, and 220-μg/mL solutions in 50-mL PVC infusion bags containing 0.9% sodium chloride injection or 5% dextrose injection stored at room temperature and refrigerated conditions were stable for at least 14 days

MSIQ: Joint Modeling of Multiple RNA-seq Samples for Accurate Isoform Quantification

Next-generation RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) technology has been widely used to assess full-length RNA isoform abundance in a high-throughput manner. RNA-seq data offer insight into gene expression levels and transcriptome structures, enabling us to better understand the regulation of gene expression and fundamental biological processes. Accurate isoform quantification from RNA-seq data is challenging due to the information loss in sequencing experiments. A recent accumulation of multiple RNA-seq data sets from the same tissue or cell type provides new opportunities to improve the accuracy of isoform quantification. However, existing statistical or computational methods for multiple RNA-seq samples either pool the samples into one sample or assign equal weights to the samples when estimating isoform abundance. These methods ignore the possible heterogeneity in the quality of different samples and could result in biased and unrobust estimates. In this article, we develop a method, which we call "joint modeling of multiple RNA-seq samples for accurate isoform quantification" (MSIQ), for more accurate and robust isoform quantification by integrating multiple RNA-seq samples under a Bayesian framework. Our method aims to (1) identify a consistent group of samples with homogeneous quality and (2) improve isoform quantification accuracy by jointly modeling multiple RNA-seq samples by allowing for higher weights on the consistent group. We show that MSIQ provides a consistent estimator of isoform abundance, and we demonstrate the accuracy and effectiveness of MSIQ compared with alternative methods through simulation studies on D. melanogaster genes. We justify MSIQ's advantages over existing approaches via application studies on real RNA-seq data from human embryonic stem cells, brain tissues, and the HepG2 immortalized cell line

Condom use and incident sexually transmitted infection after initiation of long-acting reversible contraception

Background Use of more effective contraception may lead to less condom use and increased incidence of sexually transmitted infection. Objective The objective of this study was to compare changes in condom use and incidence of sexually transmitted infection acquisition among new initiators of long-acting reversible contraceptives to those initiating non-long-acting reversible contraceptive methods. Study Design This is a secondary analysis of the Contraceptive CHOICE Project. We included 2 sample populations of 12-month continuous contraceptive users. The first included users with complete condom data (baseline, and 3, 6, and 12 months) (long-acting reversible contraceptive users: N = 2371; other methods: N = 575). The second included users with 12-month sexually transmitted infection data (long-acting reversible contraceptive users: N = 2102; other methods: N = 592). Self-reported condom use was assessed at baseline and at 3, 6, and 12 months following enrollment. Changes in condom use and incident sexually transmitted infection rates were compared using χ2 tests. Risk factors for sexually transmitted infection acquisition were identified using multivariable logistic regression. Results Few participants in either group reported consistent condom use across all survey time points and with all partners (long-acting reversible contraceptive users: 5.2%; other methods: 11.3%; P < .001). There was no difference in change of condom use at 3, 6, and 12 months compared to baseline condom use regardless of method type (P = .65). A total of 94 incident sexually transmitted infections were documented, with long-acting reversible contraceptive users accounting for a higher proportion (3.9% vs 2.0%; P = .03). Initiation of a long-acting reversible contraceptive method was associated with increased sexually transmitted infection incidence (odds ratio, 2.0; 95% confidence ratio, 1.07–3.72). Conclusion Long-acting reversible contraceptive initiators reported lower rates of consistent condom use, but did not demonstrate a change in condom use when compared to preinitiation behaviors. Long-acting reversible contraceptive users were more likely to acquire a sexually transmitted infection in the 12 months following initiation

Exciton diffusion in semiconducting single-wall carbon nanotubes studied by transient absorption microscopy

Spatiotemporal dynamics of excitons in isolated semiconducting single-walled carbon nanotubes are studied using transient absorption microscopy. Differential reflection and transmission of an 810-nm probe pulse after excitation by a 750-nm pump pulse are measured. We observe a bi-exponentially decaying signal with a fast time constant of 0.66 ps and a slower time constant of 2.8 ps. Both constants are independent of the pump fluence. By spatially and temporally resolving the differential reflection, we are able to observe a diffusion of excitons, and measure a diffusion coefficient of 200 cm2/s at room temperature and 300 cm2/s at lower temperatures of 10 K and 150 K.Comment: 6 pages, 4 figure

Borderline Personality Features and Integration of Positive and Negative Thoughts About Significant Others

Taking the bad with the good is a necessity of life, and people who readily integrate thoughts of their loved one’s flaws with thoughts of their more positive attributes maintain more stable, satisfying relationships. Borderline personality disorder, however, is often characterized by interpersonal perceptions that fluctuate between extremes of good and bad. We used a timed judgment task to examine information processing about significant others in individuals high in borderline personality features relative to healthy individuals and those high in avoidant personality features. In Study 1, when judging traits of a liked significant other, same-valence facilitation by negative primes (judging negative traits faster than positive traits after a negative prime) was significantly stronger in the borderline features group than the other two groups, and was inversely associated with self-reports of integrated thoughts about significant others. In contrast, same-valence facilitation by positive primes (judging positive traits faster than negative traits after a positive prime) was significantly stronger in the avoidant features group than the other two groups, and inversely associated with self-esteem. No between-group differences in same-valence facilitation were statistically significant when participants judged traits of disliked significant others, liked foods, and disliked foods. In Study 2, same-valence facilitation by negative primes when judging traits of a liked significant other was significantly associated with less integrated positive/negative thoughts about that person in a 12-day diary. These results identify an implicit information-processing pattern relevant to interpersonal difficulties in borderline personality disorder

Building A National Research Data Management Course for Health Information Professionals

Background: In August 2017 the National Network of Libraries of Medicine Training Office (NTO) was awarded an administrative supplement from the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to create training for librarians in biomedical and health research data management (RDM). The primary goal of the training was to enable information professionals to initiate or enhance RDM at their institutions. Case Presentation: An eight-week online course was developed to address key concepts in RDM. Each module was organized around measurable learning objectives using existing subject resources, such as readings, tutorials, and videos. Within each module, an expert in the field co-facilitated relevant discussions, created and graded a practical assignment, and answered questions. Thirty-eight participants were selected for this initial cohort. Mentors were assigned to each participant for guidance in completing a required project action plan to further their RDM goals at their institution. The course was evaluated through pre- and post-tests and an online questionnaire. Results: Thirty participants successfully completed the online course work and project, and gathered at the National Institutes of Health for a Capstone Summit. Students demonstrated improved knowledge of RDM concepts between the pre- and post-tests. Most students also self-reported increased skill and confidence. Practical assignments with individual feedback from experienced data librarians were the most valued aspect of the course. Time to complete each module was underestimated. Conclusions: The initial offering of this training program improved the RDM skills and knowledge of participants and enabled students to add or enhance services at their institutions. Further investigations are necessary to determine the longer-term impact on the individuals and their libraries. While many of the participants will need additional training to become part of the data-ready workforce of health information professionals, completing this training is an important step in their professional development

One Venue, Two Conferences: The Separation of Chinese and American Citation Networks

At NeurIPS, American and Chinese institutions cite papers from each other's regions substantially less than they cite endogamously. We build a citation graph to quantify this divide, compare it to European connectivity, and discuss the causes and consequences of the separation.Comment: Workshop on Cultures of AI and AI for Culture @ NeurIPS 202

Exciton diffusion in semiconducting single-walled carbon nanotubes studied by transient absorption microscopy

This is the publisher's version, also available electronically from http://journals.aps.org/prb/abstract/10.1103/PhysRevB.86.205417.Spatiotemporal dynamics of excitons in isolated semiconducting single-walled carbon nanotubes are studied using transient absorption microscopy. Differential reflection and transmission of an 810-nm probe pulse after excitation by a 750-nm pump pulse are measured. We observe a biexponentially decaying signal with a fast time constant of 0.66 ps and a slower time constant of 2.8 ps. Both constants are independent of the pump fluence. By spatially and temporally resolving the differential reflection, we are able to observe a diffusion of excitons, and measure a diffusion coefficient of 200±10 cm2/s at room temperature and 300±10 cm2/s at lower temperatures of 10 K and 150 K