Tree-ring δ15N as an indicator of nitrogen dynamics in stands with N2-fixing Alnus rubra.

Tree-ring δ15N may depict site-specific, long-term patterns in nitrogen (N) dynamics under N2-fixing species, but field trials with N2-fixing tree species are lacking and the relationship of temporal patterns in tree-ring δ15N to soil N dynamics is controversial. We examined whether the tree-ring δ15N of N2-fixing red alder (Alnus rubra Bong.) would mirror N accretion rates and δ15N of soils and whether the influence of alder-fixed N could be observed in the wood of a neighboring conifer.

Identifying science in the news: An assessment of the precision and recall of Altmetric.com news mention data.

Unlabelled: The company Altmetric is often used to collect mentions of research in online news stories, yet there have been concerns about the quality of this data. This study investigates these concerns. Using a manual content analysis of 400 news stories as a comparison method, we analyzed the precision and recall with which Altmetric identified mentions of research in 8 news outlets.

Biofilm Growth on Simulated Fracture Fixation Plates Using a Customized CDC Biofilm Reactor for a Sheep Model of Biofilm-Related Infection.

Most animal models of infection utilize planktonic bacteria as initial inocula. However, this may not accurately mimic scenarios where bacteria in the biofilm phenotype contaminate a site at the point of injury. We developed a modified CDC biofilm reactor in which biofilms can be grown on the surface of simulated fracture fixation plates.

Feasibility of heating metal implants with alternating magnetic fields (AMF) in scaled up models.

Treatment of infected orthopedic implants remains a major medical challenge, involving prolonged antibiotic therapy and revision surgery, and adding a >$1 billion annual burden to the health care system in the US alone. Exposure of metallic implants to alternating magnetic fields (AMF) generates heat that can provide a noninvasive means to target biofilm adhered to the surface. In this study, an AMF system with a solenoid coil was constructed for targeting a metal plate surgically implanted in a sheep model.

A Phase II Trial of Neoadjuvant MK-2206, an AKT Inhibitor, with Anastrozole in Clinical Stage II or III -Mutant ER-Positive and HER2-Negative Breast Cancer.

Hyperactivation of AKT is common and associated with endocrine resistance in estrogen receptor-positive (ER) breast cancer. The allosteric pan-AKT inhibitor MK-2206 induced apoptosis in -mutant ER breast cancer under estrogen-deprived condition in preclinical studies. This neoadjuvant phase II trial was therefore conducted to test the hypothesis that adding MK-2206 to anastrozole induces pathologic complete response (pCR) in mutant ER breast cancer.