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This paper presents experimental testing evaluating the ability of a bridge deck deicing system to mitigate concrete deterioration from thermal stresses, frost action, and early-age cracking. Two experimental bridge deck models were constructed with embedded heat exchanger tubing and instrumented with thermocouples and strain gauges. Model 1 evaluated the efficiency of a deicing system in deicing and mitigating concrete deterioration from thermal stresses and frost action in concrete bridge decks, while Model 2 tested the effect of a deicing system on early-age cracking in bridge decks. The models were tested in a cold chamber laboratory under conditions representative of Montana's winter weather, with the system circulating warm fluid through the decks. Results showed the system succeeded in increasing concrete temperatures at all depths. While the system did not always raise temperatures above freezing, the consistent increases suggested that the system could enable deicing and mitigate frost action given certain conditions and higher inlet fluid temperatures. The system also successfully decreased thermal movement strain by up to 40% and reduced thermal shrinkage by decreasing the difference between peak cured and stabilized temperatures. Although the system did not eliminate thermal gradients, the maximum gradient induced was insignificant. Further testing is needed on strength impacts. Overall, the deicing system showed promise to reduce thermally induced deterioration in concrete bridge decks by regulating temperatures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Blackfeet Nation in northwestern Montana, United States, is implementing its Agriculture Resource Management Plan (ARMP), an Indigenous-led, sustainable agriculture plan prioritizing economic development for Indigenous producers, intergenerational health and well-being of Amskapi Piikani Blackfeet people, and ecological and cultural sensitivities within this sovereign nation and its traditional territories. Since the passage of the American Indian Agricultural Resource Management Act of 1993, only three Tribes have drafted and finalized Agricultural Resource Management Plans (ARMPs). The Blackfeet ARMP is now being held up as a national model of Tribal sovereignty. "Blackfeet Innovation Pathways to Food Sovereignty," an Indigenous-led research project, emerged from the Blackfeet Nation's community-based strategic planning process identifying gaps, systemic barriers and impactful solutions for achieving Blackfeet food sovereignty through the implementation of the Blackfeet Nation ARMP, along with research influenced by the ARMP. This paper provides a community case study of the ongoing process and offers a translational model of sustainable agriculture and food sovereignty within Indigenous lands to improve the economic futures of producers and their families, as well as health outcomes for Native communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent research has produced data useful in inferring burial depths for sandstones from compaction microtextures. Burial depths can also be inferred from erosional remnants and coal rank, among other means. These methods are especially useful over generally horizontal plains when other methods are unavailable to provide minimum overburden depths. That immense amounts of erosion occurred in the study area has long been recognized, but no effective lithification model has been available whereby to estimate burial depths or diagenetic environments. In this paper, we present research from the northern Great Plains focused on sandstones in an effort to develop a semi-quantitative lithification model for estimating initial overburden thickness (burial depth) and conditions of lithification. While development of such a model eludes us, approximations are possible and can be very helpful in studying Earth history. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper discusses a non-state justice system (Sistema Comunitario de Seguridad, Justicia y Reeducación, hereafter: SCSJR) applied by some of the Afromexican and Indigenous communities of the Guerrero state in Mexico as an example of a maximalist restorative justice system. Restorative justice is presented here as an alternative to criminal justice. While it responds to similar moral concerns as retributive justifications do, it offers more adequate mechanisms of dealing with certain crimes and aims to reduce coerciveness of justice when dealing with lawbreaking. Restorative justice is also an approach that should be perceived as more legitimate when handling cases where the state lacks the moral standing to prosecute offenders. The SCSJR is used as an example to demonstrate the possibility of a justice system based on restorative principles to be effective in handling the entirety of lawbreaking in a community. In the case of the SCSJR this approach to justice has been proved to be effective even in the wake of high levels of criminal activity in the region. This paper discusses the SCSJR’s institutions and attitude toward lawbreaking and argues that they demonstrate an example of a justice system based on restorative justice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Scholars and practitioners have investigated high growth firms because a small number of high growth firms contribute disproportionately to economic development. However, we find that the standard perception and support programs of high growth firms are heavily geared toward to firms in the high-tech sector that seek venture capital investment and hyper growth. The authors in this paper conducted multiple research projects of high growth firms in Kansas City, St Louis, Indianapolis, Columbus, and Montana, and came to conclude that many high growth firms are sector agonistic, locally rooted, grow organically based on market niche, and exist in every city. This alternative model of high growth firms leads to a completely different set of policy and support implications, which we synthesize in eight points. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This paper aims to explore the important role boundaries play in back-office framing of environmental engagement. This is of particular interest because it is not clear how organizations in an industry without standardized environmental reporting navigate their boundaries behind the scenes and why they engage with the environment the way they do. This element of their environmental identity offers important insights into the emergence of sustainability reporting. Design/methodology/approach: Guided by Miles and Ringham (2019) the authors conduct an ethnography of the Montana ski industry. The ethnography includes extensive on-site observations at nine Montana ski areas and interviews with 16 ski area executives, two regulators and a land development executive. Findings: The authors find three key boundaries – accountability structure, degree of regulatory burden and impact measurement approach – that shape the back-office economic and environmental framing of ski executives (Goffman, 1959, 1974). From these back-office frames the authors identify four front-office cultural performances – community ecosystem, quantitative ownership, approval seeking and advocacy platform – that represent the environmental engagement strategies at these resorts. Practical implications: Understanding the relationships between boundaries and environmental engagement is an important step in developing appropriate industry-wide environmental accountability and sustainability expectations. The study's findings extend to other industries that are both highly dependent on the environment and are in the early stages of developing environmental reporting standards. Originality/value: Ski resorts operate in an industry that is impacted by changes in the natural environment. The authors chronicle the process by which boundaries lead to framing which leads to environmental engagement in this weather-dependent industry. The authors explain the process of environmental identity building, the result of which both precedes environmental reporting and puts such reporting into context. In this sense, the authors show how boundaries are set and maintained in the ski resort industry, and how fundamental these boundaries are to the development of individual companies' environmental engagement strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Montana has long been known for the big game hunting opportunities it provides both residents and nonresidents. This may change in the future, as the state confronts a number of challenging issues that pose a serious threat to its long-standing hunting culture. This paper examines key changes that have occurred in recent years involving population and technology, landownership and access, and politics and license allocation. The potential impacts of these issues on the hunting experience are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Use-wear studies have identified a long-lasting system of agricultural practices (harvesting) from the very beginning of the Early Neolithic in Bulgaria. For almost two millennia during the Neolithic and Chalcolithic (6th and 5th millennia BC), the archaeological evidence suggests the use of sickle elements based on blade segments and tools on blades inserted obliquely in a curved handle - the well-known Karanovo type of sickle. Post-Chalcolithic times are marked by a shift in the harvesting toolkit. This paper focuses on agricultural toolkits from three recently discovered and excavated sites in north Bulgaria: Oreshets near Belogradchik, Rasovo near Montana, and Chavdartsi in Lovech district. The sites are multilayered, the flint assemblages presented here belong to the LBA (Oreshets and Chavdartsi) and LBA/EIA (Rasovo). No structures or features directly associated with the flint artefacts were identified, but the assemblages exhibit most (if not all) of the characteristics of the BA and post-BA agricultural repertoire. This repertoire includes varieties of denticulates (mainly blades) which from the beginning of the BA became diagnostic finds and marked a momentous shift from the preceding style of sickle. During the BA sickle inserts and blades were increasingly shaped through truncation and backing, both of which aided the accommodation of the implements in grooved handles and handheld tool manipulation. As an innovation, the emergence of which is difficult to fix chronologically within the BA, large, curved blades (ca 15 cm) appear in the agricultural toolkit during the LBA, with reminiscent use in the EIA as well. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nowhere do we see the beauty of our struggles so clearly as in the world of dreams. This past year saw the passing of one of our most creative and inspiring poets of the world of dreams, Paul Lippmann. In this paper, I speak from and about the world of dreams, recognizing ways in which they call to our attention aspects of experience which, unparsed, leave us caught emotionally. Considered will be the dream itself, its forms and functions, ways in which our emotional tangles within the dream space become visual pictograms. Bion suggested that the purpose of psychoanalysis is to enhance the capacities for feeling, thinking and dreaming. The dreaming process is enhanced by and in the psychoanalytic session. Through the dream work of analyst and analysand, dream elements become more fully elaborated into meaningful symbols that enrich the evolving narratives within the sessions. I will also consider ways in which psychosocial perspectives and psychoanalytic field theory have enhanced our understanding of and ability to make sense of our dreams, providing an enlarged playing field beyond the reconstructive efforts of early psychoanalysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Arthritis and joint pain are highly prevalent in agricultural (ag) workers. Many ag operations are sustained by a small number of workers, and the disability of even one worker thus contributes to economic hardship. This study investigated associations between joint health in Montana ag workers and economic well-being and work capacity.Methods: This observational mixed-methods study utilized quantitative survey data and qualitative focus group data. 299 ranchers and farmers in 9 Montana counties completed either an online or paper survey that included participant demographics, joint symptoms, history of arthritis and arthritis type, financial status, work capacity, and the need to rely on others to complete one's work. The Western Ontario and McMaster Universities arthritis index (WOMAC) survey was completed by those with hip or knee pain. Data were entered into REDCap v8.9.2 for analysis with SAS 9.4, using logistic and linear regression models to detect associations between covariables and to calculate odds ratios and confidence intervals. Focus groups were held with ranchers in two Montana counties, discussing similar topics, and the themes expressed were identified.Results: 87.6% of survey respondents reported joint pain, 47.8% a diagnosis of arthritis, and 22.4% osteoarthritis (OA). A 10-point increase in WOMAC was significantly associated with lower work capacity (OR 2.00; 95% CI [1.58, 2.55], p < 0.01), worse financial condition (OR 1.23; 95% CI [1.01,1.48], p = 0.04), and increased reliance on others (OR 1.82; 95% CI [1.32, 2.55], p < 0.01). An arthritis diagnosis was associated with worsening work capacity (OR 4.66; 95% CI [2.71, 8.01], p < 0.01) and increased odds of relying on others (OR 3.23; 95% CI [1.56, 6.66], p < 0.01). A diagnosis of OA was significantly associated with decreased work capacity (OR 3.47; 95% CI [1.97, 6.11], p < 0.01). Unadjusted for age and BMI, we found a significant association between years spent working in agriculture and joint health, which became non-significant after adjusting for age and BMI. Focus group themes included decreased productivity with increased joint symptoms and a tendency for ranchers to avoid interaction with the health care system.Conclusion: Poor joint health is associated with economic risk on Montana ranches and farms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper will contribute to our understanding of the Block, its pedagogical rationale and value, and explain why, apart from pandemic conditions, these might constitute a compelling alternative to traditional academic calendars. Current research highlights the need for further research on the nature of the Block, driven by an increased global focus on student outcomes and retention in Higher Education. This paper offers five case studies from institutions that have adopted a version of the Block at some time over the last 50 years. The authors seek to define the features that comprise block courses whereas the nature and functionality distinguish blocks from other intensive formats. A survey of the limited literature on this topic was based on theoretical underpinnings offered by one-course-at-a-time delivery, scholarship of teaching and learning on compressed education, and experiential learning. Using the research question, "Other than scheduling alternatives, what does the block offer HE institutions?", this project uses research that is qualitative in nature drawing on a controlled comparison of case studies which enables a cross-institutional evaluation. The case studies explain why each institution adopted the Block, how these schedules work, and discusses the challenges and affordances of teaching in this intensive format. First findings of this cross-institutional exploration suggest that blocks are unique in their delivery, often experiential in nature, and effective in their outcomes. The various versions of the Block described within, provide ongoing transformative models of teaching philosophy, curriculum, student success, and more.

Over 50 years ago nymphs of the Plecoptera species, Paraperla frontalis Banks, 1906 (Plecoptera: Chloroperlidae), were shown to exist in a shallow floodplain aquifer of the Tobacco River, a gravel‐bed river in western Montana and later they were documented throughout the main stems of the Flathead River system. Nymphs are almost never found in surface waters, until they emerge on the river shorelines. As teneral adults, they mate and subsequently deposit fertilized eggs into the river. This novel life cycle is termed "amphibitic." Over the years we and others have found P. wilsoni Ricker, 1965 (Plecoptera: Chloroperlidae), Kathroperla perdita Banks, 1920 (Plecoptera: Kathroperlidae), and five species of Isocapnia Banks, 1938 (Plecoptera: Capniidae), including long‐winged and brachypterous adults and wingless dwarfs (male and female), occupying amphibitic niches in the alluvial aquifers of rivers in Washington, Idaho, Colorado, Alaska and British Columbia. These stoneflies are remarkably tolerant of hypoxia which allows them to exist as abundant consumers in aquifer food webs subsidized by ancient methane. Indeed, stonefly tissues contain carbon that is up to 7000 years old, underscoring the existence of a strong interaction involving the uptake of labile carbon derived from methanogenic and methanotrophic process in aquifers. Details of life cycles, trophic relationships, distribution and abundance have been documented by a suite of studies on the Nyack Floodplain of the Middle Flathead River, Montana. In this paper we review the ecophysiology and ecology of these unique stoneflies in the context of their functional role in gravel‐bed river ecosystems. This article is categorized under:Water and Life > Nature of Freshwater EcosystemsWater and Life > Conservation, Management, and Awareness [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Areas used for military training have a typical character of open sites with a varied mosaic of habitats and a significant representation of early successional stages. The diversity of habitats creates favorable conditions for species-rich plant and animal communities. This paper presents the results of a repeated inventory survey of Orthoptera species at 42 abandoned military sites in the Czech Republic conducted in 2008–2009 and 2021– 2022, respectively. In total, 61 species were recorded, representing 68 % of all Orthoptera species with recent occurrence in the Czech Republic. Seventeen of the identified species are listed in the recent Red List of Threatened Species of the Czech Republic. The most important records include Dociostaurus brevicollis, Montana montana, Ephippiger ephippiger, Chorthippus pullus, Aiolopus thalassinus, Acrida ungarica and Oedaleus decorus. The high species diversity of grasshoppers and bush-crickets with a significant proportion of endangered and rare species underscores the crucial importance of abandoned military sites for the conservation of this insect group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

: Despite the determination of zinc (Zn) isotope in soil being undertaken by several laboratories worldwide, sample preparation steps are varied due to diverse soil properties and compositions. This paper proposes a widely applicable soil acid digestion procedure that has been thoroughly evaluated for both soil and geological reference materials. To ensure the general applicability of this method to large varieties of soil samples, synthetic multi‐element solutions of high matrix element: Zn ratios (M/Zn) were prepared by embracing all possible elemental compositions of forty‐three certified reference materials; the chemical preparation procedure was then tested and optimised using these synthetic solutions. Results show that the recovery rate of Zn could reach 99–100% after the pre‐treatment. Based on this method, the δ66/64Zn data relative to JMC‐Lyon 3‐0749L Zn of previously uncharacterised NIST reference materials (including SRM 2709a San Joaquin soil, SRM 2710a Montana Soil and SRM 2711 Montana Soil) and Chinese certified reference materials (GSS‐1a, GSS‐7a, GSS‐5, GSS‐8, GSS‐14, GSS‐18, GSS‐20, GSS‐24, GSS‐31) were measured using MC‐ICP‐MS with a range from ‐0.08‰ to 0.35‰. The Zn isotope compositions of twenty‐nine soil samples from twenty‐one provinces/municipalities across China were also analysed and were found to fall within typical ranges from ‐0.09‰ to 0.28‰. The intermediate precision of several pure Zn standard solutions was better than ± 0.05‰ (2s) over 22 months of measurement. This method and results are useful for comparison and calibration of data between laboratories as well as providing a solid reference soil dataset for future studies dealing with Zn isotopes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Judaic law famously bans pigs. For millennia, scholars have wondered why. This paper uses the economics of property rights to resolve the puzzle. We argue that the Judaic pig ban was an instrument for internalizing swine externalities. Free ranging pigs in search of sustenance trespass on agricultural landowners' property, wreaking destruction. Activities that foster such pigs thus create negative externalities that can cripple agricultural economies. When the expected cost of swine externalities becomes large, internalization becomes worthwhile: lawmakers with a vested interest in the agricultural economy ban activities that foster free ranging pigs. That is what transpired in ancient Judah, where lawmakers were priests whose livelihoods depended on agriculture, where all swine ranged freely, and where the expected cost of swine externalities surged during the late Iron Age. Lawmakers invoked God to enjoin involvement with pigs because a supernatural injunction was cheaper to enforce than a natural one: in a land of faithful Hebrews, Yahweh's swine prohibition enforced itself. The Judaic pig ban's features are consistent with pig bans recently adopted by US states such as Montana, which everyone agrees are instruments for internalizing swine externalities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Frequency – Duration – Intensity (IDF) curves are essential in designing channel and rainwater drainage systems, and their unavailability is a real issue for the designers of such structures. This paper aims to perform a large-scale regionalization analysis of the IDF curves' parameters on the Moroccan rainfall network. The parameters for this study were derived from rainfall distribution greater than 24 h and analyzed using the ordinary co-kriging interpolator. The outcome provided spatial distribution maps that estimate IDF curves' parameters for any location within the study area. The latter are obtained using the Montana law equation i (T) = a (T)*t(b(T)), with the variables: the return period T, the rainfall duration t, and the precipitation intensity i. The IDF curves' parameters analysis revealed that average precipitation parameter estimates "a" range from 260 to 821 mm/h for return periods of 2 to 100 years, while the parameter estimates "b" fall between 0.49 and 0.89. The cross-validation approach was performed to ensure reliability and accuracy. The results showed that R2 values are very close to 1 (0.9925 for a (T = 2yrs), 0.9998 for a (T = 5yrs), 0.9979 for a (T = 10yrs), 0.9958 for a (T = 20yrs), 0.9934 for a (T = 50yrs), 0.9920 for a (T = 100yrs), 0.9934 for b) which confirm the precision of the outputs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Infectious disease data can often involve complex spatial patterns intermixed with temporal trends. Archetypal Analysis is a method to mine complex spatio-temporal data, and can be used to discover the dynamics of spatial patterns. The application of Archetypal Analysis to epidemiological data is relatively new, and here we present one of the first applications on COVID-19 data from March 13, 2020 to April 26, 2022, for the counties of Montana, USA. We present three views of the data set decomposed with Archetypal Analysis. First, we evaluate the entire 56 county data set. Second, we use a mutual information calculation to remove counties whose dynamics are mainly independent from the other counties, reducing the set to 17 counties. Finally, we analyze the top ten counties in terms of population size to focus on the dynamics in the large cities in the state. For each data set, we analyze four significant disease outbreaks across Montana. Archetypal Analysis uncovers distinct spatial patterns for each outbreak and demonstrates that each has a unique trajectory across the state. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sagebrush steppe is one of the most threatened ecosystems in North America. Adult density of songbirds within sagebrush steppe is a metric used to evaluate conservation actions. However, relying on only adult density to guide conservation may be misleading. Information on how conservation actions influence the nest density and nest survival of songbird species, in addition to adult density, are needed. We evaluated the relationships between nest density, nest survival, and adult density of Brewer's sparrow (Spizella breweri) and vesper sparrow (Pooecetes gramineus) over 3 breeding seasons in central Montana. Our findings suggest that adult pairs of both species were often present in higher numbers than nests, and this relationship was most prominent for Brewer's sparrows. However, our results do not support density dependence when considering nest survival. This discrepancy suggests that songbirds may not breed every year and that density dependence may be operating on nest densities within these populations differently than we examined. This study provides information on relationships between population demographics for 2 songbird species in grazed sagebrush steppe that will improve monitoring and management activities of conservation efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Romani imperfect and pluperfect are built by the agglutination of the same morpheme to the inflected forms of the present and the perfect, respectively. This morpheme, labelled as “remoteness marker” (Matras 2001: 35) by the literature on Romani varieties, conveys a temporal value of distance towards a determined point of reference excluding at the same time any overlapping with the moment of speech, and thus its meaning approaches the “temporal discontinuity” highlighted by Plungian and Van der Auwera (2006). The remoteness marker is quite homogeneous in Romani varieties and the main recorded forms in the different dialects (-as/-a/-e/-s/-ys/-ahi, cf. Matras 2002: 152) allow to reconstruct a single Proto-Romani form *asi (cf. Bloch 1932, Bubeník 1995) or *sasi (Scala 2020), both going back to the Old Indo-Aryan as- ‘to be’, maybe through the third person Middle IndoAryan form āsi or āsī ‘he/she/it was’. Nevertheless, some dialects show a greater complexity and a certain level of internal variation, and suggest that the general uniformity displayed by Romani varieties may have been preceded by a more composite situation. In particular, the paper analyses the remoteness markers of Kalajdž i Romani of Montana (Bulgaria). Besides the widespread -as, this dialect shows the previously unnoticed remoteness markers -asa and -asta, which have the same distribution of -as, but a diff erent origin. The objective of the study is to propose a reconstruction of the genesis of the two variants. While the remoteness marker -asa can be explained as the outcome of recent internal innovation of Kalajdž i, the remoteness marker -asta seems to be connected to the OIA root sthā - and, pointing to a more ancient phase of the language, suggests a higher complexity of the Proto-Romani strategies to build the imperfect and the pluperfect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper presents the first experimental results on the chemical interdiffusion of major components (SiO2, Al2O3, Na2O, CaO, MgO, and FeO) and the anion at interaction between basalt and kimberlite melts under moderate pressures. The research was carried out using a high gas pressure apparatus of original design at Ar or CO2 pressures of 100 MPa and a temperature of 1300°C, with the use of the method of diffusion pairs. It is established that the rate of the oncoming chemical diffusion of all major components of melts (SiO2, Al2O3, Na2O, CaO, and MgO) and anion is almost identical at the interaction of model basalt and kimberlite carbonate-containing melts and is approximately one order of magnitude higher than the diffusion rate of these components at the interaction of melts in the more polymerized andesite–basalt model system. The latter is explained by the significantly lower viscosity of the boundary melt (Montana boundary), which is formed during the interaction of model basalt and kimberlite melts. The equal diffusion rates of CaO and the anion indicate that the CaCO3 carbonate diffuses from kimberlite to basalt (both model and natural) melts by means of the diffusion of the end members. The pattern of the diffusion processes significantly changes when melt of natural magnesian basalt interacts with model kimberlite. Thereby calcite diffuses into magnesian basalt also by means of diffusion of the end members. The diffusion rates of all other components of the melts (SiO2, MgO, and FeO) significantly increase. A weak exponential concentration dependence of all diffusing components is determined, with this dependence close to D(i) = constant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Minority voters have experienced a renewed effort to curtail their access to the ballot box in recent years. Although a host of research has examined the impact of election changes on Black and Latino voters, scholars have dedicated much less attention to the rights of Native Americans, even as they face challenges to voting in states where they comprise a significant portion of the population. Many of these states are likewise increasingly important to national elections. Such laws may impact Native Americans when they intersect with the political geography of living on a reservation, and voting rights advocates have challenged them in places like Montana, Nevada and North Dakota. This paper empirically evaluates how such laws might uniquely impact Native American voters. We draw on North Dakota's voter identification law as a case study, but our analysis has wider implications, since residency is the primary means by which election administration uniquely impacts this group. Drawing on two rich survey datasets collected in 2015 and 2017, we offer descriptive evidence of the barriers individuals may encounter while trying to obtain an ID under North Dakota's law, and find that Native Americans are statistically less likely to have access to an ID than are whites. This gap is largely due to the requirement that an ID has a physical address and attendant difficulties in obtaining such an ID, given the remote nature of reservations. We bring needed attention to the impact of carefully crafted electoral rules on this often-overlooked group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The expansion of access to medication-assisted treatment by states and the federal government serves as one important tool for tackling the opioid crisis. Achieving this goal requires increasing the number of medical professionals who hold DATA Waiver 2000 waived status, which allows providers to prescribe the medication utilized by treatment programs. Waived providers are scarce throughout rural America, placing a potentially large burden on those who do hold a waiver. This paper uses data gathered through qualitative interviews with healthcare workers and patients at MAT clinics in Montana to understand how the relationship between rural healthcare workers and MAT patients contributes to burnout and potential staff turnover in a rural setting. Patients defined quality care via the patient-staff relationship, including expectations of personal support and viewing staff availability as a requirement for their recovery. Healthcare workers, in contrast, refer to their availability to patients as overwhelming and necessary both during and after business hours. These findings illuminate the need to continue expanding MAT access in rural communities, especially in non-specialty care settings including primary care offices and Federally Qualified Health Centers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Northern Rocky Mountain Front (hereafter Northern Front) is a prominent geographic feature in archaeological models of human dispersal in the terminal Pleistocene and Early Holocene of North America. Testing those models has been arduous because of local geomorphological factors that tend to obliterate or otherwise limit access to archaeological finds of relevant age. In this paper, we present well-stratified archaeological and environmental records dating back to 14,000–13,000 cal yr BP from the site of Billy Big Spring (Blackfeet Indian Reservation, Montana), located on a glacial kettle, a type of landform that has been largely ignored by regional archaeological research to date. Findings from Billy Big Spring show the continuous use of the Northern Front foothills throughout the major climatic and environmental disturbances of the Early Holocene, and possibly the terminal Pleistocene as well. As such, Billy Big Spring contributes to refining several archaeological models of early settlement of the Northern Front, particularly those that posit differential use of foothills versus plains settings during the midst of the Holocene Thermal Maximum. The record at Billy Big Spring also suggests that kettles, regardless of physiographic setting, provide a yet unsuspected and unsampled potential for preserving high-quality and easily accessible early archaeological and paleoenvironmental records. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Species of the genus Rosa L. have importance for: creating green spaces, getting roses and their use as rootstock for cultivated varieties. The purpose of this paper is to highlight the possibilities of identifying potential ornamental species in the genus Rosa sp. The observations regarded six rose varieties: 'Queen Elizabeth', 'Golden Monica', 'Kardinal', 'Ingrid Bergman', 'Montana' and 'Diamond Jubilee'. There were studied six features defining the decorative value of these varieties, respectively: the foliage, the diseases resistance, the flowering intensity, the form of the flower, the colour of the petals and the odor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the long history of research in the late Campanian Judith River Formation in northern Montana, most of the vertebrate fossils are represented by fragmentary remains, making precise taxonomic identifications difficult. Contrary to this, the partially contemporaneous Dinosaur Park Formation, Alberta, Canada is known for its tremendous fossil preservation, permitting rigorous studies of dinosaur diversity, evolution, and biostratigraphy. Hadrosaurids comprise one of the most abundant dinosaur clades in the Dinosaur Park Formation, but taxonomic affinities of hadrosaurid specimens remain poorly understood in the Judith River Formation. Corythosaurus is the most common hadrosaurid in the Dinosaur Park Formation and, to date, has been restricted to this formation. This study reports the first definitive Corythosaurus specimens from the Judith River Formation, which were discovered on two private ranches in northern Montana. The attribution of the most complete skeleton to Corythosaurus is indicated by: wide crest-snout angle, presence of premaxilla-nasal fontanelle, dorsoventrally expanded nasal, laterally exposed ophthalmic canal of the laterosphenoid, and tall neural spines. A second specimen preserves a large ilium that can be positively identified as Corythosaurus based on its associated skull, which is now in private hands. The specimens were recovered from the Coal Ridge Member of the Judith River Formation, which is approximately time equivalent to the Dinosaur Park Formation. Thus, the discovery of Corythosaurus in the Judith River Formation extends the biogeographic range of this genus and establishes a framework for future interformational biostratigraphic studies of Late Cretaceous dinosaur faunas in North America., (© 2022 American Association for Anatomy.)

A cranium belonging to a baenid turtle was recently recovered from the lower half of the Judith River Formation, Montana. Badlands Dinosaur Museum (BDM) 004 is a well-preserved partial cranium that includes the posterior cranial vault, cranial base, and otic capsules. Based on diagnostic characters, the skull can be attributed to Plesiobaena antiqua, which has been previously reported from the Judith River Formation. It also shares with palatobaenines projecting posterior processes of the tubercula basioccipitale and a prominent condylus occipitalis with a deep central pit, demonstrating variation within the Pl. antiqua hypodigm. In a phylogenetic analysis, an operational taxonomic unit of BDM 004 was positioned within Baenodda in an unresolved polytomy with Pl. antiqua, Edowa zuniensis, Palatobaeninae, and Eubaeninae. Microcomputed tomographic (μCT) scans revealed morphology of the middle and inner ear and endocast that are largely unknown in baenids. Semicircular canals of BDM 004 are virtually identical to those of Eubaena cephalica and consistent in dimensions to those of other turtle taxa, including anterior and posterior semicircular canals that are robust and taller than the common crus and diverge from each other at an angle of approximately 90°. The digital endocast reveals a moderately flexed brain with rounded cerebral hemispheres and minimal separation between the metencephalon and myelencephalon. Its well-preserved columella auris (stapes) is gracile with a posterodorsally flared basis columella. It arcs across the middle ear and flattens near its terminus. This study adds to the understanding of baenid middle and inner ear and neuroanatomical morphology and expands the morphological understanding of Pl. antiqua., (© 2023 American Association for Anatomy.)

Population declines were documented in multiple ruminant species in Montana and surrounding states starting in 1995. While weather, food sources, and predation certainly contributed, the declines were often attributed, at least partly, to unexplained factors. Use of teratogenic agrichemicals, notably neonicotinoid insecticides, fungicides, and glyphosate-based herbicides, massively increased regionally in 1994–96. The question explored in this review is whether this vastly increased use of these teratogenic pesticides might have contributed to observed population declines. We provide references and data documenting that specific developmental malformations on vertebrates can be associated with exposure to one or more of these agrichemicals. These pesticides are known to disrupt thyroid and other hormonal functions, mitochondrial functions, and biomineralization, all of which are particularly harmful to developing fetuses. Exposures can manifest as impaired embryonic development of craniofacial features, internal and reproductive organs, and musculoskeletal/integumental systems, often resulting in reproductive failure or weakened neonates. This paper reviews: a) studies of ruminant populations in the region, especially elk and white-tailed deer, prior to and after 1994; b) published and new data on underdeveloped facial bones in regional ruminants; c) published and new data on reproductive abnormalities in live and necropsied animals before and after 1994; and d) studies documenting the effects of exposures to three of the most applied teratogenic chemicals. While answers to the question posed above are complex and insufficient evidence is available for definitive answers, this review provides ideas for further consideration. [Display omitted] • Teratogenic agrichemical use (imidacloprid, chlorothalonil, and glyphosate-based herbicides) increased regionally in 1994–96. • Vitality of Cervus canadensis calves declined between 1990–92 and 1997–99 in central Wyoming. • Calf/cow ratios in Alces alces declined in central Wyoming beginning in the mid-1990s. • Reproductive abnormalities and underdeveloped facial bones were discovered in Odocoileus virginianus fawns in spring 1995. • Similar abnormalities and reduced vitality were found in Odocoileus virginianus experimentally exposed to imidacloprid. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the 150 years since Sternberg's Law of downstream fining was published, causes and complications have proliferated with research in many fluvial environments. The basic relationship is a first-order differential equation expressing an energy relationship, and the geologic causes and effects that fall under its umbrella are diverse. Grain size distributions of sands provide indications of modes of deposition, but gravels do not. However, while competence is seldom a limiting factor for sands, it is for gravels. The study area includes the low-relief Great Plains and the high relief of the Rocky Mountains. Island mountain ranges complicate this somewhat, but stream courses are sufficiently simple for Sternberg's Law. Most of the study area exhibits features generally believed to have resulted from Ice-Age glaciation. Catastrophic evidence in the form of planation surfaces is also present. Thus channelized flow, transport by ice, and sheet flow are all candidate processes for transport of gravel. Predictions of grain size distributions from these processes are compared with results from statistical analysis of 5,839 sieve analysis reports. The results indicate a complex history for the surficial gravel deposits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Interfacility patient transfers are fraught with issues such as missed or ineffective communication in Montana given wide geographic distance between facilities and variance in resources. Inaccurate, absent, or delayed patient details may negatively affect patient outcomes and further result in duplicative testing and medication errors. Objective: The objective of this study was to describe the process of patient information communication during interfacility transfers as perceived by nurses practicing in Montana. Methods: The study design was a pilot cross-sectional descriptive approach. An online Qualtrics survey included demographic questions, two exploratory communication competence instruments, and four open-ended questions regarding communicating interfacility transfer patient information. Results: A total of 33 nurses completed the study, with the majority practicing at a critical access hospital (n = 15, 47%). Communication competence mean scores increased with dyad conversations, and a lack of standardized handoff tools was noted as a challenge. Nurses identified the following as barriers in the interfacility transfer handoff: incivility, amount of paperwork, interoperability issues, incomplete or outdated information, time, and resources. Implications for Practice: There is wide variability in current communication practices, ranging from verbal to electronic document transfers. The rural healthcare space is prime to continue examinations surrounding workflow optimization, accuracy, and consistency in shared information exchange at the time of interfacility transfer. There is an opportunity for potential training and education surrounding effective communication, interpersonal behaviors that support cross-organizational interactions, and the development of a standardized handoff tool contextual for interfacility transfer patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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A total of 205 tardigrades representing two orders, five families, nine genera and ten species were extracted from a moss sample (104 tardigrades) and a lichen sample (101 tardigrades) collected near Missoula, Montana, in 2016. Three of the species are new to Montana and one is new to science, Platicrista loloensis nov. sp., which is distinguished by its smooth cuticle, the presence of internal cuticular bars at the base of the claws of legs II and III and a median cuticular bar between the claws of leg IV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many of the world's iconic, endangered and endemic species rely on large, contiguous landscapes for their survival.In the US West, working ranches are integral to large landscape conservation goals and there are numerous influences on ranchers' conservation actions, including their relational values, perceived self‐efficacy and property rights concerns.Using survey data from 681 ranchers in eastern Idaho and western Montana, we sought to answer the question: How do relational values, property rights orientations, perceived efficacy and public lands dependence affect reported conservation actions on private ranch lands?Conservation adoption varied widely by action, with invasive plant removal having the highest (92%) and conifer removal the lowest (21%) rates of adoption.Conservation adoption was higher among ranchers who believe they are responsible for conserving nature, believe their land should be used to provide environmental benefits to the region, have higher perceived self‐efficacy, lower property rights concerns and higher incomes.Programmes encouraging the adoption of conservation on private lands could benefit from message framing that resonates with the worldviews of landowners and land managers. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to obtain high yields of chemicals and fuels from biomass, feedstocks need to be selected that contain high amounts of glucose, xylose, or lignin, depending on the end product. The first objective of this study was to evaluate the biomass composition of 20 samples from 11 broadleaf and grass crop species grown at two distinct sites in Montana. Another objective was to investigate the influence of growing location and seed type to determine which cultivars may be best for renewable chemical production in the northern Great Plains. There was a significant effect due to the growing location as the biomass samples from the site that had higher precipitation exhibited a significantly higher acid-insoluble lignin (23.8%) content compared to the biomass samples from the lower precipitation site (20.0%). Additionally, the 357 napus had a significantly higher amount of glucose (1.8% more) and acid-soluble lignin (0.2% more) than compared to the 940 napus both grown at the Froid site that may be attributed to genetic modifications. In terms of sugar content for potential upgrading, the grasses had significantly more glucose (36.1% total), xylose (24.3%), and arabinose (2.3%) than the Brassicaceae biomasses, but the lignin content was not significantly different. Switchgrass, in particular, had the highest total sugar content of close to 70 wt%. Understanding the impact of growing location on biomass composition is an important consideration for optimizing biomass utilization strategies and developing sustainable bioenergy production systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article provides an overview of Montana's significant role in wildfire management, with a focus on the Mann Gulch disaster in 1949. The disaster resulted in advancements in wildfire science, the development of new technologies and tactics, and a greater recognition of the humanity of wildland firefighters. Montana has been at the forefront of wildfire research for over a century. The article also delves into the history of smokejumping and the challenges faced by the US Forest Service in controlling wildfires. The Mann Gulch tragedy prompted investigations into fire behavior and firefighting practices, leading to improvements in training, safety practices, and equipment. The author emphasizes the impact of Norman Maclean's book, "Young Men and Fire," in humanizing firefighters and raising important questions about the value of individual life and the demands placed on wildland firefighters. The disaster sparked a reevaluation of fire management practices and a commitment to enhancing firefighter safety. The text underscores the importance of remembering the sacrifice made by the firefighters and the ongoing efforts to protect both ecosystem health and the lives of firefighters. [Extracted from the article]

This article provides a historical account of the OTO Ranch in Montana, one of the first dude ranches in the area. It explores the origins of dude ranching and its association with the American West and cowboy culture. The article discusses how the OTO Ranch, owned by Dick and Dora Randall, became a popular tourist destination through their promotional efforts, including talks, films, and brochures. It also highlights the involvement of railroad companies in promoting dude ranches. The article concludes by discussing the preservation and recent use of the OTO Ranch by the US Forest Service and the True Ranch Collection. [Extracted from the article]

The purpose of this study is to explore immigrants' perceptions of their daily lives in a state with anti-immigrant policies in the United States. Using snowball sampling, researchers recruited a sample of 30 Latino immigrants in southwest Montana. The research team conducted semi-structured interviews in Spanish and analyzed the data using thematic analysis. We identified four themes: difficulty accessing healthcare, frustration over the inability to obtain driver's licenses, challenges related to employment, and desire to make a life in Montana. Fear permeated all topics. Lack of documentation presents complex economic, health, and social challenges that prevent immigrants from fully integrating into their communities. These are exacerbated in states that employ anti-immigrant policies. As Western states continue to experience growth in immigrant populations, it is critical to develop policies to support integration and equitable access to health and social services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is an urgent need to build the public's resilience in the face of disinformation. Nevertheless, librarians may be hesitant to assume a frontline role in confronting politicized misinformation. We conducted ethnographic observations and interviews across three Montana libraries to understand the informational needs and search habits of library patrons and the role that librarians play in promoting effective search practices. Montana poses unique challenges with regard to broadband speed and access; however, our findings replicated studies in school settings across the country regarding reliance on antiquated search literacy techniques. The librarians interviewed noted challenges with confronting patrons about specific information claims that might be politically sensitive, but they expressed confidence in their ability to build patron trust and teach effective search literacy practices. We built and tested interventions designed to enable librarians to build their skills and empower patrons to better confront misinformation now and in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Glacier National Park encompasses over one million acres in the mountains of northwestern Montana, along the United States–Canada border. Our survey of online databases indicates that the earliest extant fern and lycophyte collections from this area were taken by Robert S. Williams in 1892. In the summer of 1919, Paul C. Standley, a botanist with the United States National Museum, conducted a survey of the flora of the newly created Park and recorded 39 species of ferns and lycophytes. In 2002, a revised flora for the Park by Peter Lesica increased this number to 61. Here we summarize 130 years of collections-based research on the ferns and lycophytes of Glacier National Park, documenting how our understanding of the flora has changed through time. In the summer of 2019, the lead author conducted a field survey to relocate as many ferns and lycophytes as possible within park boundaries. In parallel, we scoured herbarium online portals and databases for high-resolution digitized specimen images to confirm or refute historical vouchers of ferns and lycophytes collected from the Park. In a few cases, specimen loans were requested from herbaria to confirm our determinations. The results from our combined field and online herbarium studies are presented here. Of the 61 taxa recognized by Lesica in 2002, we were able to confirm all but seven. In sum, we recognize here a total of 71 fern and lycophyte taxa for the Park. Most previously unreported taxa belong to Botrychium, a genus that has seen a flurry of recent taxonomic work by co-author Farrar and collaborators. These new data are presented here together with updated nomenclature and discussion to provide a current taxonomic account of the fourteen fern and lycophyte families known to occur in Glacier National Park. We anticipate this study will provide a useful foundation for further investigations in the Park. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates natural acid rock drainage in two streams draining either side of Mt Evans, Montana. Bedrock consists of pyrrhotite-bearing schist intruded by granitic dykes and plutons of Late Cretaceous to Tertiary age. The headwaters of both streams are moderately acidic (pH < 5.0) and carry elevated loads of dissolved sulfate, aluminum and other trace metals (Cd, Co, Cu, Mn, Zn) as well as rare earth elements (REEs). Copious aluminum precipitates inferred to be hydrobasaluminite coat boulders of both streams as pH rises > 5, with adsorption of copper and REEs. Concentrations and loads of dissolved sulfate and trace elements are anomalously high in a small tributary that is sourced by meltwater from a rock glacier. The S-isotope composition of dissolved sulfate in both watersheds is similar to that of pyrrhotite in the meta-sediments, but not molybdenite in late porphyry dykes. Calculations of sulfate flux (i.e. sulfate load divided by surface area) indicate a relatively fast rate of sulfide oxidation in the study area, possibly due to exposure of fresh bedrock in the steep and recently glaciated field area. Overall, the geochemistry of the site suggests the possible presence of a metamorphosed sedimentary–exhalative deposit, a possibility that is unlikely to be tested by drilling given the proximity of the site to a federal wilderness area. Supplementary material: All analytical data related to this project, additional maps and photographs, and selected results from geochemical modelling are available at https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.c.5649850 Thematic collection: This article is part of the Hydrochemistry related to exploration and environmental issues collection available at: https://www.lyellcollection.org/cc/hydrochemistry-related-to-exploration-and-environmental-issues [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ice formation on roads leads to a higher incidence of accidents and increases winter de-icing/anti-icing costs. This study analyzed 3 years (2019–2021) of Road Weather Information System (RWIS) sub-hourly measurements collected by the Montana Department of Transportation (MDT) to understand the first-order factors of road ice formation and its mechanisms. First, road ice is formed only when the road pavement surface temperature is equal to or below the freezing point (i.e., 32 °F (i.e., 0 °C)), while the corresponding 2 m air temperature could be above 32 °F. Nevertheless, when the road pavement was below 32 °F ice often did not form on the roads. Therefore, one challenge is to know under what conditions road ice forms. Second, the pavement surface temperature is critical for road ice formation. The clear road (i.e., with no ice or snow) surface pavement temperature is generally warmer than the air temperature during both day and night. This feature is different from a natural land surface, where the land skin temperature is lower than the air temperature on cloud-free nights due to radiative cooling. Third, subsurface temperature, measured using a RWIS subsurface sensor below a road surface, did not vary as much as the pavement temperature and, thus, may not be a good index for road ice formation. Fourth, urban heat island effects lead to black ice formation more frequently than roads located in other regions. Fifth, evaporative cooling from the water surface near a road segment further reduces the outlying air temperature, a mechanism that increases heat loss for bridges or lake-side roads in addition to radiative cooling. Additionally, mechanical lifting via mountains and hills is also an efficient mechanism that makes the air condense and, consequently, form ice on the roads. Forecasting road ice formation is in high demand for road safety. These observed features may help to develop a road ice physical model consisting of functions of hyper-local weather conditions, local domain knowledge, the road texture, and geographical environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Spatial clustering of undervaccination leads to increased risk of vaccine-preventable diseases. We identified spatial clustering of undervaccination patterns among children aged <24 months in Montana. Methods: We used Montana's immunization information system data to analyze deidentified vaccination records of children aged <24 months born from January 2015 through November 2017. We measured 3 outcomes that were not mutually exclusive: not completing the combined 7-vaccine series by age 24 months, having an undervaccination pattern indicative of parental hesitancy, and having an undervaccination pattern indicative of structural barriers to timely vaccination. Using geomasked residential addresses, we conducted separate Bernoulli spatial scans with a randomization P <.01 to identify spatial clusters consisting of ≥100 children for each outcome and calculated the relative risk of having the undervaccination pattern inside versus outside the cluster. Results: Of 31 201 children aged <24 months included in our study, 11 712 (37.5%) had not completed the combined 7-vaccine series by age 24 months, and we identified 5 spatial clusters of this outcome across Montana. We identified 4 clusters of undervaccination patterns indicative of parental vaccine hesitancy, all in western Montana. The cluster with the largest relative risk (2.3) had a radius of 23.7 kilometers (n = 762 children, P <.001). We also identified 4 clusters of undervaccination patterns indicative of structural barriers, with 3 of the largest clusters in eastern Montana. Conclusion: In Montana, different strategies to increase routine and timely childhood vaccination are needed in distinct areas of this large and predominantly rural state. Immunization information system data can pinpoint areas where interventions to increase vaccination uptake are needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Genomic regions related to tropical adaptability are of paramount importance for animal breeding nowadays, especially in the context of global climate change. Moreover, understanding the genomic architecture of these regions may be very relevant for aiding breeding programs in choosing the best selection scheme for tropical adaptation and/or implementing a crossbreeding scheme. The composite MONTANA TROPICAL® population was developed by crossing cattle of four different biological types to improve production in harsh environments. Pedigree and genotype data (51962 SNPs) from 3215 MONTANA TROPICAL® cattle were used to i) characterize the population structure; ii) identify signatures of selection with complementary approaches, i.e. Integrated Haplotype Score (iHS) and Runs of Homozygosity (ROH); and iii) understand genes and traits related to each selected region. The population structure based on principal components had a weak relationship with the genetic contribution of the different biological types. Clustering analyses (ADMIXTURE) showed different clusters according to the number of generations within the composite population. Considering results of both selection signatures approaches, we identified only one consensus region on chromosome 20 (35399405–40329703 bp). Genes in this region are related to immune function, regulation of epithelial cell differentiation, and cell response to ionizing radiation. This region harbors the slick locus which is related to slick hair and epidermis anatomy, both of which are related to heat stress adaptation. Also, QTLs in this region were related to feed intake, milk yield, mastitis, reproduction, and slick hair coat. The signatures of selection detected here arose in a few generations after crossbreeding between contrasting breeds. Therefore, it shows how important this genomic region may be for these animals to thrive in tropical conditions. Further investigations on sequencing this region can identify candidate genes for animal breeding and/or gene editing to tackle the challenges of climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]