Drillholes on shells provide a useful way to investigate prey and predator relationships. The current study documents predator–prey interactions exemplified by a faunal assemblage of the fossil gastropod Turritella cingulifera from the Pleistocene Szekou Formation in Hengchun Peninsula, Taiwan. All recognisable skeletal and shell fragments that are larger than 3 mm in size were collected and recorded. Processed bulk sediments (5.24 kg) contained 1462 molluscan shells, including 824 specimens of T. cingulifera, and 27 non-molluscan invertebrates. In the current study, approximately 41.6% (609/1462) of molluscs are drilled with at least one hole. Drilling intensities (DIs) regardless of shell completeness in all gastropods, bivalves and the turritelline gastropod T. cingulifera are 0.546, 0.060 and 0.413, respectively. DI on turritellids is significantly lower than that on other gastropods (χ2= 21.039, P < 0.001). Furthermore, the percentage of drillholes that occur in multiply drilled specimens is 34.7% (95/275) for turritelline gastropods based on complete to nearly complete specimens (n = 588). Our study shows no significant preference of drillhole position either on the suture or on the whorl (χ2= 0.055, P = 0.814). Most drillholes are located in whorls two to four proximal to the aperture. Drillhole diameters of the shells with one drillhole and ones with multiple drillholes are 1.0 and 0.5 mm on average, and the results of Mann–Whitney tests indicate that they are significantly different (P < 0.001). The first turritelline gastropod shell with an incomplete drillhole from Taiwan is documented here. The dominant drilling predators were naticids based on the drillhole morphology and the presence of naticids in the same assemblage. No apparent prey size selectivity is observed, so a ‘size refugium’ does not exist for the turritellids in the current study.

We obtained 24 air samples in 8 general wards temporarily converted into negative-pressure wards admitting coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients infected with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) omicron variant BA.2.2 in Hong Kong. SARS-CoV-2 RNA was detected in 19 (79.2%) of 24 samples despite enhanced indoor air dilution. It is difficult to prevent airborne transmission of SARS-CoV-2 in hospitals.

OBJECTIVES/GOALS: Early clinical case reports have described incidental epileptiform changes during electrophysiological monitoring. The objective of this study was to perform a systematic review of all existing investigations of epileptiform activity during sevoflurane use in pediatric anesthesia. The heterogenous EEG data will be analyzed in a meta analysis METHODS/STUDY POPULATION: A targeted, PICO-based clinical question was crafted and registered a priori on PROSPERO on 3/19/21. Under the guidance of a librarian from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, a boolean search string was generated to search articles and gray literature for terms such as pediatric, sevoflurane and electroencephalogram in PubMed, OVID, Cochrane, Google Scholar, etc. We utilized the software platform tool COVIDENCE to manage our review. 495 references were imported for initial screening. 56 English-language, full-text studies were included for further review. The final 13 references were included in data extraction and Newcastle-Ottawa bias assessment. The characteristics of the studies and their primary outcomes were collected in tabular form. Strategies for data synthesis were discussed weekly. RESULTS/ANTICIPATED RESULTS: Epileptiform changes reported in the literature during pediatric sevoflurane anesthesia ranged from 0 - 95%. EEG data were acquired using a variety of recording systems with variable number of leads and heterogeneous outcomes reported. The periods of anesthesia monitoring were also heterogeneous. Characteristics of the studies are presented in Table 1. 495 references were imported for screening with 13 final references for data extraction. EEG abnormalities were reported in 204/649 (31.4%) subjects ranging in age from neonate to 18 years; the majority of studies utilized less than 16 channels of (10/13, 76.9%) (Table 1). There was variability in sevoflurane dosing, premedication (e.g., midzolam, hydroxyzine), and periods of anesthesia monitored. DISCUSSION/SIGNIFICANCE: There was heterogeneity noted across reviewed literature including study design, phases of anesthesia, ventilation methods, number of EEG leads recorded and adjuvant anesthetics administered. Nevertheless, this review rigorously classified epileptiform activity during Sevoflurane thereby influencing modern anesthesia.

ABSTRACT IMPACT: Impaired neuromuscular control could lead to the failure in activation and deactivation of the target muscles in a timely manner, with the concurrence of activities of non-targeted muscles. OBJECTIVES/GOALS: Stroke leads to impaired capacity to manipulate objects with the hand in terms of timing and strength of grasp. The influence of abnormal coupling across more proximal arm muscles post stroke on the failure in normal functioning of finger flexor muscle activity is of interest to investigate. METHODS/STUDY POPULATION: We have recruited 12 participants with stroke hemiparesis in the sub-acute or chronic stage. Motor impairment of the arm was assessed using electromyography (EMG) and the Fugl-Meyer Upper Extremity (FMUE) assessment. Participants were requested to flex and relax the metacarpophalangeal (MCP) joints against motorized resistance in response to audible tones to determine timing and strength during flexion. They were asked to flex maximally, as quickly as possible, in response to the first of a pair of tones, and relax as quickly as possible after the second tone. Delays in initiation and termination were evaluated using EMG responses versus a predefined threshold. RESULTS/ANTICIPATED RESULTS: We anticipate greater delays in grasp initiation as well as in grasp termination in participants with a greater extent of abnormal coupling across more proximal muscles of the upper extremity in comparison to participants with a less extent, using the results of the FMUE assessment. Also it is expected that participants with a greater extent of the flexion synergy produce a less extent of force generation. The EMG results will show that activities of more proximal arm muscles precede the initiation of MCP flexion and their activity termination precedes that of MCP flexion, significantly more in participants with a greater extent of the flexion synergy. DISCUSSION/SIGNIFICANCE OF FINDINGS: The flexion synergy over the arm following stroke affects the timing and strength of hand grasp. Impaired neuromuscular control could lead to the failure in activation and deactivation of the target muscles in a timely manner, with the concurrence of activities of non-targeted muscles.

OBJECTIVES/GOALS: Damage to the sensorimotor cortex areas or/and motor/sensory pathways after a stroke could lead the motor system to a loss of controllability for joints. We investigate the loss of individual joint controllability called a loss of individualization during arm movement, which would provide an insight into abnormal motor coordination. METHODS/STUDY POPULATION: We recruit 12 chronic stroke survivors with Fugl-Meyer score between 26 and 50. A robotic exoskeleton with minimum mechanical resistance is equipped to measure the movements of the shoulder, elbow and wrist joints, respectively. Surface EMGs on muscles related to the joints are recorded using 11 wireless pre-amplified electrodes. Participants are asked to move the shoulder, elbow, or wrist joint individually throughout their range of motion, without moving the other joints voluntarily. RESULTS/ANTICIPATED RESULTS: It would be expected that participants show more difficulty in individualization of the distal joint in comparison with the proximal joint. A reduced joint range of motion would be observed in a descending order of the wrist, elbow and shoulder. These results are in line with the proximal-to-distal gradient of motor deficits after a stroke. Intention of moving the distal joint would induce a greater deviation in the position of the proximal joint than that of the distal joint when moving the proximal joint. A non-negative matrix factorization algorithm would reveal a decreased number of muscle synergies in the groups with a loss of individuation in comparison with the groups with no loss. DISCUSSION/SIGNIFICANCE OF IMPACT: We demonstrate that a stroke leads to a lack of individual joint controllability, with a greater deficits on the distal joint, and that it is related to a decreased number of muscle synergies across the corresponding joints. CONFLICT OF INTEREST DESCRIPTION: N/A.

We analyzed variations in the Sr/Ca, Ba/Ca, REE/Ca (REE: rare earth element), Zn/Ca, and Pb/Ca ratios preserved in an annually layered stalagmite, XL21, from central China. The stalagmite record spans the 95 year period AD 1914–2008. The Sr/Ca and Ba/Ca ratios have a significant positive correlation with the stalagmite's growth rate, suggesting that they were primarily controlled by growth-rate variations. Variations in REE/Ca ratios are consistent with local temperature changes, suggesting temperature influenced REE concentrations in the stalagmite over decadal to annual timescales. Higher temperature in this humid area can increase vegetation cover, microbial activity, and organic decomposition in the soil, resulting in enhanced pCO2, organic matter concentration and reduced pH, and consequently increased REE mobilization from the overlying soil layer and host rock. Higher temperatures may also increase the natural Zn mobilization from the overlying soil mediated by organic matter and consequently may have led to increased Zn retention in XL21. An increasing trend is seen in the Pb/Ca ratios from XL21 since 1985, which is consistent with increased lead production in this area, and indicates an increase in mine-derived lead pollution in the local environment over the past 30 years.

Synthesis of titania (TiO2) nanorods on various substrates has recently attracted attention for energy and environmental applications. Herein, we report growth of nanostructured TiO2 on Si(111) and glass borosilicate substrates by a two-step method. A thin film of anatase TiO2 was first laid down by spin coating and annealing, followed by the growth of rutile TiO2 nanorods with a hydrothermal method. To understand the role of the polycrystalline anatase TiO2 seed layer, we selected a relatively high temperature for the hydrothermal reaction, e.g., 175 °C at which no rutile TiO2 nanorods could grow without the precoated anatase TiO2 layer. The morphology and microstructure of both the polycrystalline anatase and rutile nanorod layers were characterized by electron microscopy and x-ray powder diffraction. Such a two-step fabrication method makes it possible to grow TiO2 nanorods on almost any substrate.

Excessive gestational weight gain and postpartum weight retention are risk factors for female obesity. The present study was to examine dietary intakes and weight history from a prospective follow-up study from early pregnancy to 1 year postpartum. A total of 151 pregnant women within 20 weeks of pregnancy in Taipei, Taiwan were interviewed periodically to collect dietary and lifestyle information. The participants had an average age of 30 years and the average gestational weight gain was 14 kg, with an average daily intake of 7830 kJ (1870 kcal) in the 1 year following parturition. By bivariate analyses, maternal age, pre-pregnancy BMI and breast-feeding were not related to postpartum weight retention, but gestational weight gain had significant positive correlations (r 0·54 at 6 months, r 0·44 at 1 year; P < 0·05). The generalised estimating equations showed that the average weight before pregnancy, at 6 months and 1 year postpartum was 53·35 kg, 55·75 kg (weight retention 2·36 kg; P < 0·01) and 54·75 kg (weight retention 1·48 kg; P < 0·01), respectively. After controlling for age, pre-pregnancy BMI, gestational weight gain and parity, we found at 6 months that the adjusted weight retention at postpartum was 0·79 kg (P < 0·01), but at 1 year it was − 0·08 kg (P>0·05). From multivariate analyses, dietary energy intake and energy intake per kg body weight as a long-term physical activity index could explain 24 % of the variation at 6 months and 27 % of the variation at 1 year in postpartum weight retention. These results suggest that pregnant women should be advised to control gestational weight gain, decrease energy intakes after child-bearing and maintain regular exercise in order to prevent postpartum obesity.

In this work, Ti pellets were selected as a model system to investigate the influences of oxygen impurity in nitrogen gas on the reaction of a metal with the nitrogen. Analyzing changes in the in situ oxygen partial pressures when titanium specimens were annealed in the oxygen-containing nitrogen shows that the dissolution of oxygen in Ti and TiNx is exothermic, and the solubility decreases as the temperature increases. X-ray diffraction results show that nitridation of Ti occurred before oxidation, even in an oxygen-containing nitrogen atmosphere. Kinetics apparently predominates over thermodynamics at low temperatures in such a system.

In this work, we report on the growth of ultraviolet (UV) AlGaN/GaN multiple quantum wells (MQWs) structure using atomic layer deposition (ALD) technique. The AlGaN/GaN MQW sample grown on the sapphire substrate consisted of three GaN QWs and four AlGaN barriers comprised AlN/GaN superlattices (SLs). The root-mean-square value of the surface morphology was only 0.35 nm observed from the atomic force microscope image and no crack was found on the surface. Both of the high resolution X-ray diffraction curves and transmission electron microscope images showed sharp interfaces between SLs layers and QWs with good periodicity. These results demonstrate that the ALD could be a very useful technique for controlling the crystalline quality and thickness of the III-nitride epilayer.

Twenty-one Candida albicans isolates from three HIV-infected patients were collected over a period of 3 years and characterized for fluconazole susceptibility, infectivity and genetic relatedness. Fluconazole resistance was found in five isolates, four exhibited dose-dependent susceptibility and the remainder were fully susceptible to this agent. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis of SfiI restriction digests of the genomic DNA from the isolates revealed that isolates from the same swab specimen were identical despite differences in susceptibility to fluconazole and isolates recovered over time from the three patients retained clonally related DNA fingerprints within each patient. This small-scale study confirms the persistence of oral colonization of C. albicans strains in HIV-infected patients. Clinical data also suggests that the primary infecting strain may become a persistent colonist in the oral cavity once the immune function of the patient has been restored.

As part of a 4-year Cosmology and Particle Astrophysics (CosPA) Research Excellence Initiative in Taiwan, AMiBA - a 19-element dual-channel 85-105 GHz interferometer array is being specifically built to search for high redshift clusters of galaxies via the Sunyaev-Zeldovich Effect (SZE). In addition, AMiBA will have full polarization capabilities, in order to probe the polarization properties of the Cosmic Microwave Background. AMiBA, to be sited on Mauna Kea in Hawaii or in Chile, will reach a sensitivity of ˜ 1 mJy or 7μK in 1 hour. The project involves extensive international scientific and technical collaborations. The construction of AMiBA is scheduled to starting operating in early 2004.