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The suspension of in-person classes brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic necessitated adjustments to all manner of instruction. Laboratory instruction was particularly challenged since the primary response was to deliver content remotely, i.e., online. In an effort to reinforce laboratory topics and engage students, five click-through organic chemistry lab stories modeled after the "Choose your Own Adventure" book series were created. These "labventures" were (1) "use of FT-IR"; (2) "identification by mixed melting point"; (3) "liquid-liquid extraction"; (4) "recrystallization"; and (5) "chemical reaction." To facilitate assessment, each story was deployed on the Learning Management System so the number of times students visit each page of the story could be counted. These assignments were generally well received by students and revealed varied levels of understanding of the laboratory material.

Serine protease inhibitors (SPIs) are ubiquitously distributed and structurally well-conserved proteins that interfere with serine protease catalysis and function as intrinsic defense molecules for plants. Potato inhibitor type II (Pin-II) SPIs found mainly in Solanaceous species are important in minimizing injury caused by pathogen infection and insect herbivory. Eggplant (Solanum melongena L.), an important vegetable crop, is severely damaged by insect pests and diseases. Multiple Pin-II SPI proteins had been identified in tomato, potato, tobacco, and pepper, with only one in eggplant. This study conducted a bioinformatics analysis and identified 15 Pin-2SPI genes in cultivated eggplant, herein named as SmePin-2SPI.1 to SmePin-2SPI.15. Phylogenetic and syntenic analyses confirmed the homology of these genes with Pin-II SPIs from other Solanaceae and non-Solanaceae plant species based on the conserved protease inhibitor 2 (PF02428; Prot-Inhib 2) domains and coding regions, indicating conservation within the Solanaceae. Functional annotation indicates that these genes are involved in the negative regulation of serine peptidase activity and plant defense. Major cis-acting regulatory elements are associated with plant hormones and stress responses. An in-silico analysis of transcriptomic profiles for constitutive and induced expression indicates that SmePin-2SPI genes are highly expressed in reproductive organs and exhibit strong reactions to biotic stress, particularly bacterial wilt infection. SmePin-2SPI.1 is highly expressed in most plant organs and shows differential expression in response to various stress treatments. This study also demonstrated sequence homology of Pin-2SPI genes using PCR amplification for three species of eggplant within the Solanum clade, the cultivated species S. melongena, S. aethiopicum, and the wild species S. mammosum. These initial findings provide insights on the diversity of the Pin-II SPI gene family in eggplants, as well as their potential role in plant defense. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We offer many specific detailed examples, several of which are new, that instructors can use (in lecture or as student projects) to revitalize the role of complex variables throughout the curriculum. We conclude with three primary recommendations: revise the syllabus of Calculus II to allow early introductions of complex numbers and linear algebra, include complex variables and some infinite-dimensional linear maps in linear algebra courses, and spice up complex variable courses by better connecting them with the mathematics used in engineering in physics.

Existing methods for estimating formation boundaries from well-log data only analyze the formation along the wellbore, failing to capture changes in the 3D formation structure around it. This paper presents a method for real-time 3D formation boundary interpretation using readily available well logs and seismic image data. In the proposed workflow, the mean formation boundary is estimated as a curve following the well path. 3D surfaces are then fitted through this boundary curve, aligning with the slopes and features in the seismic image data. The proposed method is tested on both synthetic and field datasets and illustrates the capabilities of accurate boundary estimation near the well path and precise representation of boundary shape changes further away from the well trajectory. With this fully automated geological interpretation workflow, human bias and interpretation uncertainty can be minimized. Subsurface conditions can be continually updated while drilling to optimize drilling decisions and further automate the geosteering process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic and high hospitalization rates placed a tremendous strain on hospital resources, necessitating the use of models to predict hospital volumes and the associated resource requirements. Complex epidemiologic models have been developed and published, but many require continued adjustment of input parameters. We developed a simplified model for short-term bed need predictions that self-adjusts to changing patterns of disease in the community and admission rates. The model utilizes public health data on community new case counts for SARS-CoV-2 and projects anticipated hospitalization rates. The model was retrospectively evaluated after the second wave of SARS-CoV-2 in New York, New York (October 2020–April 2021) for its accuracy in predicting numbers of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) admissions 3, 5, 7, and 10 days into the future, comparing predicted admissions with actual admissions for each day at a large integrated health-care delivery network. The mean absolute percent error of the model was found to be low when evaluated across the entire health system, for a single region of the health system or for a single large hospital (6.1%–7.6% for 3-day predictions, 9.2%–10.4% for 5-day predictions, 12.4%–13.2% for 7-day predictions, and 17.1%–17.8% for 10-day predictions). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although many students learn best in different ways, the widest range of students can be reached when multiple modes of input are employed, especially if the student is simultaneously completing a set of handwritten notes. Computers, meanwhile, have led to countless changes in society, and education has not been exempt from these changes. Students rarely, if ever, are without some sort of electronic device. Be it a smart phone, laptop computer, or tablet, the modern student is nearly perpetually "connected" to the Web. Screen capture has been used to produce high-quality videos for students in organic chemistry classes as an attempt to (i) exploit the students' perpetually connected state for educational purposes by making not just course materials but also course meetings available online after class; (ii) provide course materials such as assignment keys and demonstrations that go beyond the boundaries of paper-based materials in a way that employs multiple modes of input; and (iii) accommodate legitimate student absences more rigorously. To date, such materials have been implemented in the mainstream organic chemistry course and its corresponding lab, as well as the basic nonmajor, one-semester, organic chemistry class. A description of this implementation is offered here.

Background: The influence of player workload on hamstring and calf injuries in professional baseball players remains unknown. Hypothesis: Increased workload would significantly increase hamstring and calf strain injury risk. Study Design: Case-control. Level of Evidence: Level 3. Methods: All professional baseball players who sustained a hamstring or calf injury between 2011 and 2017 were identified using the Major League Baseball (MLB) Health and Injury Tracking System (HITS). A separate player usage dataset was used to determine workload. We then compared these variables between player games 2, 6, 12, and >12 weeks before a documented calf strain to player games from a noncalf injury control group. In a paired analysis, we compared the acute workload (2, 6, and 12 weeks) before injury with the injured player's workload >12 weeks before injury. Results: There were 175 unique calf strains (71% occurred in position players) and 1042 unique hamstring strains (97.8% occurred in position players) documented in the MLB HITS database from 2011 to 2017. In all time periods, position players with fewer days rest, more innings fielded, and more plate appearances were associated with a higher risk of subsequent hamstring and calf strains. Having only 1 day rest was associated with a 2.08-fold increase in percentage of players who sustained a subsequent calf strain compared with those with 4 days rest. Position players with >5 days of rest had a 4.03-fold decrease in percentage of players who sustained a hamstring strain compared with players with 1 day rest. Position players who fielded >9 innings per game had a 2.01-fold increase in percentage of players with a subsequent calf strain and a 3.68-fold increase in percentage of players who sustained a subsequent hamstring strain compared with players who only fielded 1 innings per game. Conclusion: Position players with fewer days rest, more innings fielded, and more plate appearance per game had an increased risk of sustaining a hamstring or calf injury. Clinical Relevance: Increased workload had a direct relationship with risk of hamstring and calf strains in professional baseball players. Teams should consider more days rest for position players to avoid calf injuries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]