Reproductive resilience but not root architecture underpins yield improvement under drought in maize.

Because plants capture water and nutrients through roots, it was proposed that changes in root systems architecture (RSA) might underpin the 3-fold increase in maize (Zea mays L.) grain yield over the last century. Here we show that both RSA and yield have changed with decades of maize breeding, but not the crop water uptake.

Catalysis-in-a-Box: Robotic Screening of Catalytic Materials in the Time of COVID-19 and Beyond.

This work describes the design and implementation of an automated device for catalytic materials testing by direct modifications to a gas chromatograph (GC). The setup can be operated as a plug-flow isothermal reactor and enables the control of relevant parameters such as reaction temperature and reactant partial pressures directly from the GC. High-quality kinetic data (including reaction rates, product distributions, and activation barriers) can be obtained at almost one-tenth of the fabrication cost of analogous commercial setups.

A subgroup analysis of penetrating injuries to the pancreas: 777 patients from the National Trauma Data Bank, 2010-2014.

Background: This study is the first to analyze penetrating injuries to the pancreas within subgroups of severe traumatic brain injury (TBI), early deaths, and potential survivors. Our objectives were to identify national patterns of injury, predictors of mortality, and to validate the American Association for Surgery of Trauma Organ Injury Scale (AAST-OIS) pancreas injury grades by mortality. Secondary outcomes included hospital and intensive care unit length of stay and days on mechanical ventilation.

Penetrating injuries to the duodenum: An analysis of 879 patients from the National Trauma Data Bank, 2010 to 2014.

Background: Despite wide belief that the duodenal Organ Injury Scale has been validated, this has not been reported in the published literature. Based on clinical experience, we hypothesize that the American Association for Surgery of Trauma Organ Injury Scale (AAST-OIS) for duodenal injuries can independently predict mortality. Our objectives were threefold: (1) describe the national profile of penetrating duodenal injuries, (2) identify predictors of morbidity and mortality, and (3) validate the duodenum AAST-OIS as a statistically significant predictor of mortality.

Survival, Durable Response, and Long-Term Safety in Patients With Previously Treated Advanced Renal Cell Carcinoma Receiving Nivolumab.

Purpose: Blockade of the programmed death-1 inhibitory cell-surface molecule on immune cells using the fully human immunoglobulin G4 antibody nivolumab mediates tumor regression in a portion of patients with advanced treatment-refractory solid tumors. We report clinical activity, survival, and long-term safety in patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC) treated with nivolumab in a phase I study with expansion cohorts.

Patients And Methods: A total of 34 patients with previously treated advanced RCC, enrolled between 2008 and 2012, received intravenous nivolumab (1 or 10 mg/kg) in an outpatient setting once every two weeks for up to 96 weeks and were observed for survival and duration of response after treatment discontinuation.

Increasing parvovirus filter throughput of monoclonal antibodies using ion exchange membrane adsorptive pre-filtration.

Pre-filtration using ion exchange membrane adsorbers can improve parvovirus filter throughput of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs). The membranes work by binding trace foulants, and although some antibody product also binds, yields > or =99% are easily achieved by overloading. Results show that foulant adsorption is dependent on pH and conductivity, but independent of scale and adsorber brand.