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Recognising and removing players with suspected sport-related concussions is crucial for community sports., Objectives: Quantify rates and factors associated with non-reporting of concussion symptoms in community rugby league., Methods: Overall, 484 community rugby league players aged ≥18 years and 965 parents of rugby league players aged <18 years completed an online survey, regarding concussion history, knowledge, prevalence and reasons for non-reporting of concussion, long-term implications and perceptions of concussion., Results: Thirty-five percent of players aged ≥18 years and 22% of parents of players aged <18 years reported at least one concussion in the last two seasons. Forty-three percent of players aged ≥18 years and 5% of parents of players aged<18 years surveyed stated they did not report concussion-related symptoms sustained during 2020 and 2021 seasons. The two most common reasons for non-reporting of concussion symptoms were 'didn't want to be ruled out of a match' and 'didn't want to let down the team' . Players aged ≥18 years who received external coaching pressures around concussion were more likely to not report concussion symptoms. Over 40% of parents and players were concerned about the potential long-term implications. Ten percent of players aged ≥18 years and 7% of parents of players aged <18 years would encourage their family members/children to not play rugby league., Conclusions: Non-reporting rates of suspected concussion symptoms in adult community players were twice as high as in professional rugby league, with similar reasons (wanting to play and not letting the team down). Engaging coaches to prioritise brain health and providing broader and appropriate education on concussion should be focused on, given the concerns reported by community players and parents., Competing Interests: Competing interests: Daniel Tadmor’s PhD is part-funded by Leeds Rhinos rugby club and works as a medical doctor for multiple sports teams. Kevin Till is employed by Leeds Rhinos in a consultancy capacity. Gemma Phillips is employed in a consultancy capacity by the Rugby Football League and Hull Kingston Rovers. Laura Fairbank is employed by the Rugby Football League. James Brown has received research funding from World Rugby. Matt Cross is employed by Premiership Rugby and has recieved funding for travel from World Rugby. He has previously been employed by the Rugby Football Union. Andrew J Gardner has a clinical practice in neuropsychology involving individuals who have sustained sport-related concussion (SRC) (including current and former athletes). He has been a contracted concussion consultant to Rugby Australia. He has received travel funding or been reimbursed by professional sporting bodies, and commercial organisations for discussing or presenting SRC research at meetings, scientific conferences, workshops and symposiums. Previous grant funding includes the NSW Sporting Injuries Committee, the Brain Foundation (Australia), an Australian–American Fulbright Commission Postdoctoral Award, a Hunter New England Local Health District, Research, Innovation and Partnerships Health Research & Translation Centre and Clinical Research Fellowship Scheme, and the Hunter Medical Research Institute (HMRI), supported by Jennie Thomas, and the HMRI, supported by Anne Greaves. He has current philanthropic support from the Nick Tooth Foundation. He acknowledges unrestricted philanthropic support from the National Rugby League (NRL), Cameron Owen’s research fellowship is part-funded by the Rugby Football League, and he has consulted for World Rugby. Keith Stokes is employed by the Rugby Football Union. Ben Jones is employed in a consultancy capacity by Premiership Rugby and the Rugby Football League., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2024. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

Rule changes within football-code team sports aim to improve performance, enhance player welfare, increase competitiveness, and provide player development opportunities. This manuscript aimed to review research investigating the effects of rule changes in football-code team sports. A systematic search of electronic databases (PubMed, ScienceDirect, CINAHL, MEDLINE, and SPORTDiscus) was performed to August 2023; keywords related to rule changes, football-code team sports, and activity type. Studies were excluded if they failed to investigate a football-code team sport, did not quantify the change of rule, or were review articles. Forty-six studies met the eligibility criteria. Four different football codes were reported: Australian rules football ( n  = 4), rugby league ( n  = 6), rugby union ( n  = 16), soccer ( n  = 20). The most common category was physical performance and match-play characteristics ( n  = 22). Evidence appears at a high risk of bias partly due to the quasi-experimental nature of included studies, which are inherently non-randomised, but also due to the lack of control for confounding factors within most studies included. Rule changes can result in unintended consequences to performance (e.g., longer breaks in play) and effect player behaviour (i.e., reduce tackler height in rugby) but might not achieve desired outcome (i.e., unchanged concussion incidence). Coaches and governing bodies should regularly and systematically investigate the effects of rule changes to understand their influence on performance and injury risk. It is imperative that future studies analysing rule changes within football codes account for confounding factors by implementing suitable study designs and statistical analysis techniques.

Illness prevention is essential for athlete health management, but little is known about its uptake in sport. Prior to the pandemic, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) published a consensus statement recommending illness prevention guidelines are implemented in sports. Yet, little is known about guideline uptake. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the (1) illness experiences of rugby players and athlete support personnel and (2) barriers and enablers to illness prevention guideline uptake in rugby, using the lens of behaviour change theory. In a bid to inform and enhance athlete welfare, we sought to amplify the voices of participants through qualitative inquiry. Between August 2020 and May 2021, 16 semi-structured interviews were undertaken with players and athlete support personnel working across rugby. Analysis was conducted using Braun and Clarke's reflexive thematic analysis. Prior to COVID-19, participants deemed illness to be of little concern, with experience of illnesses and the global pandemic critical enablers to guideline uptake. The rugby environment was a barrier to illness prevention, particularly in women's and academy teams where resource deficiency was highlighted. 'Rugby identity' acted as both a barrier and enabler with participants' passion for rugby driving both guideline adherence and non-adherence. Tackling resource inequalities between men's and women's cohorts is critical to effectively implement guidelines. Coach and player education is essential, and emphasis must be placed on continuing preventative behaviours adopted due to COVID-19. Our findings offer new insight into illness prevention, moving away from prevailing quantitative research, and instead voicing players' experiences., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: Full-contact football-code team sports offer a unique environment for illness risk. During training and match-play, players are exposed to high-intensity collisions which may result in skin-on-skin abrasions and transfer of bodily fluids. Understanding the incidence of all illnesses and infections and what impact they cause to time-loss from training and competition is important to improve athlete care within these sports. This review aimed to systematically report, quantify and compare the type, incidence, prevalence and count of illnesses across full-contact football-code team sports., Design/methods: A systematic search of Cochrane Library, MEDLINE, SPORTDiscus, PsycINFO and CINAHL electronic databases was performed from inception to October 2019; keywords relating to illness, athletes and epidemiology were used. Studies were excluded if they did not quantify illness or infection, involve elite athletes, investigate full-contact football-code sports or were review articles., Results: Twenty-eight studies met the eligibility criteria. Five different football-codes were reported: American football (n=10), Australian rules football (n=3), rugby league (n=2), rugby sevens (n=3) and rugby union (n=9). One multi-sport study included both American football and rugby union. Full-contact football-code athletes are most commonly affected by respiratory system illnesses. There is a distinct lack of consensus of illness monitoring methodology., Conclusions: Full-contact football-code team sport athletes are most commonly affected by respiratory system illnesses. Due to various monitoring methodologies, illness incidence could only be compared between studies that used matching incidence exposure measures. High-quality illness surveillance data collection is an essential component to undertake effective and targeted illness prevention in athletes., (Copyright © 2020 Sports Medicine Australia. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

This synthesis explores specific ethical questions that commonly arise in isotopic analysis. For more than four decades, isotope analysis has been employed in archeological studies to explore past human and animal dietary habits, mobility patterns, and the environment in which a human or animal inhabited during life. These analyses require consideration of ethical issues. While theoretical concepts are discussed, we focus on practical aspects: working with descendant communities and other rights holders, choosing methods, creating and sharing data, and working mindfully within academia. These layers of respect and care should surround our science. This paper is relevant for specialists in isotope analysis as well as those incorporating these methods into larger projects. By covering the whole of the research process, from design to output management, we appeal broadly to archaeology and provide actionable solutions that build on the discussions in the general field., (© 2024 The Author(s). American Journal of Biological Anthropology published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Objectives: Bomb pulse (BP) radiocarbon ( 14 C) dating methods are used by forensic anthropologists to estimate the year-of-death (YOD) of unidentified individuals. Method resolution and accuracy depend on establishing lag times, or the difference between a tissue's BP 14 C-derived year and the YOD, of various tissue types from known deceased persons. Bone lag times span many years and are thought to increase with age as a function of slowing remodeling rates. However, remodeling rates for various skeletal elements, bone structures and phases are not well known., Materials and Methods: Here a simple method is used to estimate bone remodeling rates from a compilation of published cortical femur bone collagen BP 14 C measurements (n = 102). Linear regression models and nonparametric tests are used to detect changes in lag times and remodeling rates with increasing age-at-death., Results: Remodeling rates and lag times of 3.5%/year and 29 years, respectively, are estimated from individuals aged 40-97 years. In contrast to previous work, the analysis yielded modest and negligible changes in remodeling rates and lag times with advancing age. Moreover, statistically significant differences in remodeling rates and lag times were not found between reported females and males., Discussion: Implications for the temporal contexts within an individual's lifetime of biogeochemical data in archaeology and forensic anthropology are discussed, warranting additional BP 14 C studies of known individuals and integration with histomorphometric analysis., (© 2024 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

We report isotopic data (δ²H, δ18O n = 196; δ13C, δ15N n = 142; δ34S n = 85) from human hair and drinking water (δ²H, δ18O n = 67) collected -across China, India, Mongolia, and Pakistan. Hair isotope ratios reflected the large environmental isotopic gradients and dietary differences. Geographic information was recorded in H and O and to a lesser extent, S isotopes. H and O data were entered into a recently developed model describing the relationship between the H and O isotope composition of human hair and drinking water in modern USA and pre-globalized populations. This has anthropological and forensic applications including reconstructing environment and diet in modern and ancient human hair. However, it has not been applied to a modern population outside of the USA, where we expect different diet. Relationships between H and 0 isotope ratios in drinking water and hair of modern human populations in Asia were different to both modern USA and pre-globalized populations. However, the Asian dataset was closer to the modern USA than to pre-globalized populations. Model parameters suggested slightly higher consumption of locally produced foods in our sampled population than modern USA residents, but lower than pre-globalized populations. The degree of in vivo amino acid synthesis was comparable to both the modern USA and pre-globalized populations. C isotope ratios reflected the predominantly C3-based regional agriculture and C4 consumption in northern China. C, N, and S isotope ratios supported marine food consumption in some coastal locales. N isotope ratios suggested a relatively low consumption of animal-derived products compared to western populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Environmental factors can significantly affect disease prevalence, including neuropsychiatric disorders such as depression. The ratio of deuterium to protium in water shows substantial geographical variation, which could affect disease susceptibility. Thus the link between deuterium content of water and depression was investigated, both epidemiologically, and in a mouse model of chronic mild stress. We performed a correlation analysis between deuterium content of tap water and rates of depression in regions of the USA. Next, we used a 10-day chronic stress paradigm to test whether 2-week deuterium-depleted water treatment (91 ppm) affects depressive-like behavior and hippocampal SERT. The effect of deuterium-depletion on sleep electrophysiology was also evaluated in naïve mice. There was a geographic correlation between a content of deuterium and the prevalence of depression across the USA. In the chronic stress model, depressive-like features were reduced in mice fed with deuterium-depleted water, and SERT expression was decreased in mice treated with deuterium-treated water compared with regular water. Five days of predator stress also suppressed proliferation in the dentate gyrus; this effect was attenuated in mice fed with deuterium-depleted water. Finally, in naïve mice, deuterium-depleted water treatment increased EEG indices of wakefulness, and decreased duration of REM sleep, phenomena that have been shown to result from the administration of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI). Our data suggest that the deuterium content of water may influence the incidence of affective disorder-related pathophysiology and major depression, which might be mediated by the serotoninergic mechanisms., (Copyright © 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

During the Late Pleistocene, stadial and interstadial fluctuations affected vegetation, fauna, and human groups that were forced to cope with these pronounced spatial–temporal climatic and environmental changes. These changes were especially abrupt during Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 3. Here, we reconstruct the climatic trends in northern Iberia considering the stable isotopic composition of ungulate skeletal tissue found in archaeological deposits dated between 80 and 15 kacalBP. The carbon and oxygen isotopic composition preserved in the carbonate fraction of tooth enamel provides a reliable and high-resolution proxy of the food and water consumed by these animals, which is indirectly related to the local vegetation, environment, and climate, allowing us to estimate palaeotemperatures and rainfall intensity. This study presents new isotope data from 44 bovine, equid, and cervid teeth from five archaeological sites in the Vasco-Cantabrian region (El Castillo, Axlor, Labeko Koba, Aitzbitarte III interior, and El Otero) and one in northeastern Iberia (Canyars), where human evidence is attested from the Mousterian to the Magdalenian. The carbon isotope values reflect animals feeding on diverse C3 plants in open environments and point to differentiated ecological niches for equids and bovines, especially during the Aurignacian in the Vasco-Cantabrian region. Temperature estimations based on oxygen isotopic compositions and rainfall obtained from carbon isotopic compositions indicate colder and more arid conditions than nowadays for the human occupations from the Late Mousterian to the Aurignacian. The contemporary northeastern Iberian site shows slightly lower temperatures related to an arid period when animals mainly grazed in open landscapes. In the Vasco-Cantabrian region, during MIS 2, the Gravettian data reflect a landscape opening, whereas the Magdalenian points to warmer (but still arid) conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The molar heat capacity of 1,4-bis(3-methylimidazolium-1-yl)butane bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide dicationic ionic compound ([C4(MIm)2][NTf2]2) has been studied over the temperature range from 6 to 350 K by adiabatic calorimetry. In the above temperature interval, this compound has been found to form crystal, liquid, and supercooled liquid. For [C4(MIm)2][NTf2]2, the temperature of fusion T°fus = (337.88 ± 0.01) K has been determined by the fractional melting experiments, the enthalpy of fusion ΔfusH° = (52.79 ± 0.28) kJ mol−1 has been measured using the calorimetric method of continuous energy input, and the entropy of fusion ΔfusS° = (156.2 ± 1.7) J K−1 mol−1 has also been evaluated. The standard thermodynamic functions of the studied dicationic ionic compound, namely, the heat capacity Cp°(T), the enthalpy [H°(T) − H°(0)], the entropy S°(T) and the Gibbs free energy [G°(T) − H°(0)] have been calculated on the basis of the experimental data for the temperature range up to 350 K. The results have been discussed and compared with those available in the literature and in the NIST Ionic Liquids Database (ILThermo) for monocationic ionic compounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Middle Ages in the Iberian Peninsula is a period of special interest for studying the relationship of climate change with historical and socioeconomic processes. Between the 8th and 15th centuries AD, the Peninsula was characterized not only by complex political, cultural, and social transitions but also by major variations in the climate. The objective of this study was to examine differences in diet and mobility between distinct populations of the Peninsula and explore the possible relationship of diet, mobility, and culture with environmental variables and geographical settings. For this purpose, we obtained stable isotopic ratios of carbon and oxygen (δ13C and δ18O) from the enamel apatite of first upper incisors from 145 individuals at eight archeological sites that represent both Christian and Islamic communities and both rural and urban social settings. Results revealed a dietary difference between Christian and Islamic populations, observing a greater contribution of C4 plants, possibly sorghum, in the diet of the latter, especially in a rural setting. The disparity in oxygen isotopic ratios between populations from the North and South of the Peninsula is consistent with modern climatic differences between these regions. In this line, intraregional variability in oxygen isotopic ratios may hint at diachronic occupation phases under varying climatic conditions. The few isotopic outliers in our sample suggest overall low mobility levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Burn wounds are vulnerable to various infections due to damage to the tissue and changes in immune responses. Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a critical bacterium that can cause burn wound infections, which can be life-threatening and delay wound healing. Therefore, it is essential to develop an efficient strategy to prevent the spread of infection in burn wounds. The present study aims to investigate the effectiveness of electrospun nanofibers of royal jelly on a chitosan/polyvinyl alcohol polymer scaffold in repairing burn wounds infected with Pseudomonas aeruginosa. To achieve this, the researchers analyzed the morphology and physicochemical properties of the synthesized nanofibers using SEM, FTIR, BET, and TGA analyses. They also examined the antibacterial properties of the nanofibers using agar diffusion and spread plate techniques. In addition, hemolysis tests were carried out to assess biocompatibility. Finally, the ability of the nanofibers to repair burn wounds infected with Pseudomonas aeruginosa was evaluated using a laboratory mouse model. The study results showed that the synthesized nanofibers had desirable morphology and physicochemical properties and significant antibacterial effects in both in vitro and in vivo conditions. Also, loading RJ into the polymer scaffold significantly reduced erythrocyte lysis. The wound healing and contraction rates were significantly higher than the control groups, and tissue repair, re-epithelialization, and collagen synthesis occurred faster, preventing the spread of infection to deeper tissue areas. Based on these findings, the synthesized system has the potential to serve as a suitable substitute for some invasive treatments and chemical drugs to improve chronic wounds and manage infection control in burn injuries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The structural proteins that comprise approximately 90% of animal hair have the potential to record environmentally and physiologically determined variation in delta2H and delta18O values of body water. Broad, systematic, geospatial variation in stable hydrogen and oxygen isotopes of environmental water and the capacity for rapid, precise measurement via methods such as high-temperature conversion elemental analyzer/isotope ratio mass spectrometry (TC/EA-IRMS) make these isotope systems particularly well suited for applications requiring the geolocation of hair samples. In order for such applications to be successful, however, methods must exist for the accurate determination of hair delta2H and delta18O values reflecting the primary products of biosynthesis. Here, we present the results of experiments designed to examine two potential inaccuracies affecting delta2H and delta18O measurements of hair: the contribution of non-biologic hydrogen and oxygen to samples in the form of sorbed molecular water, and the exchange of hydroxyl-bound hydrogen between hair keratin and ambient water vapor. We show that rapid sorption of molecular water from the atmosphere can have a substantial effect on measured delta2H and delta18O values of hair (comprising approximately 7.7% of the measured isotopic signal for H and up to approximately 10.6% for O), but that this contribution can be effectively removed through vacuum-drying of samples for 6 days. Hydrogen exchange between hair keratin and ambient vapor is also rapid (reaching equilibrium within 3-4 days), with 9-16% of the total hydrogen available for exchange at room temperature. Based on the results of these experiments, we outline a recommended sample treatment procedure for routine measurement of delta2H and delta18O in mammal hair., (Copyright (c) 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.)

Trace element concentrations and isotope ratios of hair reflect the blood levels at the time of hair formation, but can be affected by external factors such as dyeing, bleaching, and bathing. To investigate the effect of dyeing, bleaching, and bathing on hair, hair was immersed in tap water, and changes in trace element concentrations and the Sr isotope ratio were observed over time. During soaking, alkaline earth metals (Ca, Mg, and Sr) from tap water were gradually absorbed into the hair over time. After about one day, the adsorption capacity of hair reached a maximum and the reverse reaction started to occur. In contrast, alkaline metals (Na and K) behaved in reverse. In dyed and bleached hair, Na was significantly desorbed from the hair and gradually migrated to the water over time. The adsorption and desorption of trace elements were minimal in untreated original hair, but much higher in dyed and bleached hair. Thus, dyeing and bleaching appear to damage the hair surface structure and greatly promote the exchange of trace elements. The rapid exchange of trace elements, including Sr, between hair and tap water observed in this study indicates that hair samples can be easily contaminated during bathing., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V.)

Numerous models for sleep stage scoring utilizing single-channel raw EEG signal have typically employed CNN and BiLSTM architectures. While these models, incorporating temporal information for sequence classification, demonstrate superior overall performance, they often exhibit low per-class performance for N1-stage, necessitating an adjustment of loss function. However, the efficacy of such adjustment is constrained by the training process. In this study, a pioneering training approach called separating training is introduced, alongside a novel model, to enhance performance. The developed model comprises 15 CNN models with varying loss function weights for feature extraction and 1 BiLSTM for sequence classification. Due to its architecture, this model cannot be trained using an end-to-end approach, necessitating separate training for each component using the Sleep-EDF dataset. Achieving an overall accuracy of 87.02%, MF1 of 82.09%, Kappa of 0.8221, and per-class F1-socres (W 90.34%, N1 54.23%, N2 89.53%, N3 88.96%, and REM 87.40%), our model demonstrates promising performance. Comparison with sleep technicians reveals a Kappa of 0.7015, indicating alignment with reference sleep stags. Additionally, cross-dataset validation and adaptation through training with the SHHS dataset yield an overall accuracy of 84.40%, MF1 of 74.96% and Kappa of 0.7785 when tested with the Sleep-EDF-13 dataset. These findings underscore the generalization potential in model architecture design facilitated by our novel training approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Propolis, a natural product with many biological activities, is a resinous material produced by honeybees. It contains not only valuable components but also some possible contaminants in varying amounts. Hence, this study aimed to examine how the process step of wax separation affects certain elements, pesticide residues, and phenolic compounds in propolis. Total phenolics, elements, and some pesticide residues were analyzed in the crude propolis (CP samples), wax portion (W samples), and remaining propolis fraction (PF samples) after wax separation. Total phenolics of the CP samples were determined in the range of 31.90–45.00 mg GAE g−1 sample, while those of the PF samples were in the range of 54.97–162.09 mg GAE g−1 sample. Loss/reduction values by means of wax separation for phenolics were calculated as 10.88% and 17.89%, respectively. Pb contents of all PF samples were low (0.232–1.520 mg kg−1), but it was also noteworthy that nearly 40% or even more of Cr, As, Cd, and Pb were removed by wax separation. Removal of significant amounts of carbendazim (38.09%–67.35%), metalaxyl (81.57%–72.67%), tebuconazole (65.99%–78.36%), and propargite (88.46%–83.05%) was also achieved. Wax separation enables the removal of toxic substances from crude propolis without causing huge losses in phenolic compounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present the first national-scale lead (Pb) isotope maps of Australia based on surface regolith for five isotope ratios, 206Pb/204Pb , 207Pb/204Pb , 208Pb/204Pb , 207Pb/206Pb , and 208Pb/206Pb , determined by single-collector sector field inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry after an ammonium acetate leach followed by aqua regia digestion. The dataset is underpinned principally by the National Geochemical Survey of Australia (NGSA) archived floodplain sediment samples. We analysed 1219 samples (0–10 cm depth, <2 mm grain size), collected near the outlet of 1119 large catchments covering 5.647×106 km 2 (∼75% of Australia). The samples consist of mixtures of the dominant soils and rocks weathering in their respective catchments (and possibly those upstream) and are therefore assumed to form a reasonable representation of the average isotopic signature of those catchments. This assumption was tested in one of the NGSA catchments, within which 12 similar samples were also taken; results show that the Pb isotope ratios of the NGSA catchment outlet sediment sample are close to the average of the 12 upstream sub-catchment samples. National minimum, median, and maximum values were 15.56, 18.84, and 30.64 for 206Pb/204Pb ; 14.36, 15.69, and 18.01 for 207Pb/204Pb ; 33.56, 38.99, and 48.87 for 208Pb/204Pb ; 0.5880, 0.8318, and 0.9847 for 207Pb/206Pb ; and 1.4149, 2.0665, and 2.3002 for 208Pb/206Pb , respectively. The new dataset was compared with published bedrock and ore Pb isotope data, and it was found to dependably represent crustal elements of various ages from Archaean to Phanerozoic. This suggests that floodplain sediment samples are a suitable proxy for basement and basin geology at this scale, despite various degrees of transport, mixing, and weathering experienced in the regolith environment, locally over protracted periods of time. An example of atmospheric Pb contamination around Port Pirie, South Australia, where a Pb smelter has operated since the 1890s, is shown to illustrate potential environmental applications of this new dataset. Other applications may include elucidating details of Australian crustal evolution and mineralisation-related investigations. The new regolith Pb isotope dataset for Australia is publicly available (Desem et al., 2023; 10.26186/5ea8f6fd3de64). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This document is a special issue of the International Journal of Molecular Sciences that focuses on the analysis and applications of mass spectra in biochemistry. It discusses the definitions of analytical chemistry and how it applies to mass spectrometry, highlighting the use of soft ionization methods as the gold standard in analytical practice. The document explores advancements in high-resolution mass analyzers and their impact on various research fields. It also mentions the importance of isotopomers in fields like medicine, ecology, geology, and forensic anthropology. The article concludes by discussing the diverse applications of mass spectrometry, including direct analysis, imaging techniques, monitoring chemical reactions, and determining kinetics and thermodynamics of chemicals. The text also mentions the use of computational quantum chemistry methods and other instrumental techniques for studying molecular structures. The Special Issue aims to provide innovative developments in mass spectrometry for researchers in different disciplines. [Extracted from the article]

Objective: To evaluate the potential of compound-specific isotope analysis of amino acids (CSIA-AA) for investigating infant feeding practices, we conducted a long-term study that compared infant and maternal amino acid (AA) nitrogen isotope ratios., Materials and Methods: Fingernail samples were collected from a single mother-infant dyad over 19 months postpartum. Carbon and nitrogen stable isotope ratios were measured in the bulk keratin of the fingernail samples. Selected samples were then hydrolyzed and derivatized for compound-specific nitrogen isotope analysis of keratin AAs., Results: As in previous studies, infant bulk keratin nitrogen isotope values increased during exclusive breastfeeding and fell with the introduction of complementary foods and eventual cessation of breastfeeding. Infant trophic AAs had elevated nitrogen isotope values relative to the mother, while the source AAs were similar between the mother and infant. Proline and threonine appeared to track the presence of human milk in the infant's diet as the isotopic composition of these AAs remained offset from maternal isotope values until the cessation of breastfeeding., Discussion: Although CSIA-AA is costly and labor intensive, it appears to hold potential for estimating the duration of breastfeeding, even after the introduction of complementary foods. Through the analysis of a full suite of AAs, it may also yield insights into infant physiology and AA synthesis., (© 2024 The Author(s). American Journal of Biological Anthropology published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Within the complex world of disaster victim identification, or DVI, forensic science practitioners use a variety of investigative techniques to work toward a common goal: identification of the decedents, bringing closure to the affected communities. Identification is a complex undertaking; the event (disaster) also can be extraordinarily complex, as it may be an acute event, or one that spans months or years. Compounding this time issue, remains may be heavily fragmented, dispersed, commingled, or otherwise disrupted by either the perpetrators or the disaster itself. To help solve these complexities, we explore the use of stable isotope analysis (SIA) in DVI events. SIA can be used with a variety of body tissues (hair, nail, bone, and teeth), and each represents different time depths in a decedent's life. Bone collagen and tooth enamel carbonate are useful to reconstruct an individual's diet and source water intakes, respectively, leading to likely population or geographic origin determinations. Additionally, the carbon and nitrogen isotopic signatures of bone collagen have calculated intraperson ranges. These facts allow investigators to determine likely origin of remains using isotopic data and can be used to link skeletal elements (to an individual), or perhaps more importantly, show that remains are not linked. Application of SIA can thus speed remains identification by eliminating individuals from short lists for identification, linking or decoupling remains, and reducing the need for some DNA testing. These strategies and hypothesis tests should commence early in the DVI process to achieve maximum effectiveness., (© 2024 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.)

This study reviews recent advances in osteometric, genetic, geochemical, and digital modeling applications since 2014 to demonstrate the expanded range of analyses and skeletal elements that can be used to separate individuals from commingled contexts. While traditional methods remain foundational to commingling resolution, new advances allow increased individuation, identification of human versus non-human remains, and an amplified scale of assemblages that can be analyzed. This summary offers ways for practitioners to consider the juxtaposition of analytical goals, time, financial concerns, and methods when managing commingled assemblages. Forensic anthropology and bioarchaeology case studies illustrate differences related to application of methods in terms of recovery environments, project goals, and recovered materials. Whether the goal is to isolate and individuate only major elements or as many bones as possible, in nearly all cases, it is best practice to combine several types of methods to fulfill the project scope within the established parameters. This review can help practitioners identify the most appropriate analytical protocols and methods for their projects., (© 2023 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.)

The role of altered brain mitochondrial regulation in psychiatric pathologies, including Major Depressive Disorder (MDD), has attracted increasing attention. Aberrant mitochondrial functions were suggested to underlie distinct inter-individual vulnerability to stress-related MDD syndrome. In this context, insulin receptor sensitizers (IRSs) that regulate brain metabolism have become a focus of recent research, as their use in pre-clinical studies can help to elucidate the role of mitochondrial dynamics in this disorder and contribute to the development of new antidepressant treatment. Here, following 2-week chronic mild stress (CMS) using predation, social defeat, and restraint, MDD-related behaviour and brain molecular markers have been investigated along with the hippocampus-dependent performance and emotionality in mice that received the IRS dicholine succinate (DS). In a sucrose test, mice were studied for the key feature of MDD, a decreased sensitivity to reward, called anhedonia. Based on this test, animals were assigned to anhedonic and resilient-to-stress-induced-anhedonia groups, using a previously established criterion of a decrease in sucrose preference below 65%. Such assignment was based on the fact that none of control, non-stressed animals displayed sucrose preference that would be smaller than this value. DS-treated stressed mice displayed ameliorated behaviours in a battery of assays: sucrose preference, coat state, the Y-maze, the marble test, tail suspension, and nest building. CMS-vulnerable mice exhibited overexpression of the inflammatory markers Il-1β, tnf, and Cox-1, as well as 5-htt and 5-ht2a-R, in various brain regions. The alterations in hippocampal gene expression were the closest to clinical findings and were studied further. DS-treated, stressed mice showed normalised hippocampal expression of the plasticity markers Camk4, Camk2, Pka, Adcy1, Creb-ar, Nmda-2r-ar, and Nmda-2r-s. DS-treated and non-treated stressed mice who were resilient or vulnerable to anhedonia were compared for hippocampal mitochondrial pathway regulation using Illumina profiling. Resilient mice revealed overexpression of the mitochondrial complexes NADH dehydrogenase, succinate dehydrogenase, cytochrome bc1, cytochrome c oxidase, F-type and V-type ATPases, and inorganic pyrophosphatase, which were decreased in anhedonic mice. DS partially normalised the expression of both ATPases. We conclude that hippocampal reduction in ATP synthesis is associated with anhedonia and pro-inflammatory brain changes that are ameliorated by DS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The oxygen isotope ratio of phosphates is a powerful tool to study phosphorus in the soil‐plant system. In the past two decades, the scientific community has made substantial progress in characterizing biogeochemical processes that lead to an alteration of oxygen isotope ratios in phosphates and in evaluating oxygen isotope ratios of phosphates in plants and soils under various environmental conditions around the globe. However, there are still uncertainties with respect to their interpretation in environmental systems. These uncertainties include the comprehensive analysis of isotope endmembers, artifacts during the chemical extractions and the phosphate purification protocols, overlapping isotope values from various processes and sources, gaps of knowledge about isotope effects of metabolic pathways, and the possibly erroneous assumption that insights from experiments under controlled laboratory conditions can be directly translated into the complex soil‐plant system. This paper provides a critical discussion of these uncertainties addressing recommendations and needs for future research and gives an outlook on recent technological advances, such as triple oxygen isotope analysis or the use of high‐resolution mass spectrometry. We conclude by suggesting that a concerted and systematic effort by scientists from a wide range of disciplines will be necessary to remove the uncertainties in the interpretation of oxygen isotope ratios in phosphates as an environmental tracer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Colombia faces the complex humanitarian challenges of locating approximately 100,000 missing persons and identifying thousands who are deceased. Identification is a difficult task in many cases, because the skeletonized bodies are deteriorated, missing person data are unavailable for comparison, and the provenance of the remains is often totally unknown. Isotopic analysis of human tissues (e.g., bone, hair, nails, and teeth) aid in the identification process of unknown individuals because they can provide valuable information on possible geographic origin. This project evaluated the isotopic variability of carbon (C), oxygen (O), strontium (Sr), and lead (Pb) in modern Colombian teeth according to city, department (a political designation similar to "state" in the US or Mexico), and one of four geographically determined regions of origin; and assessed its utility for human identification in Colombia. Isotopic data (O‐C‐Sr‐Pb) were analyzed from modern Colombians originating from the cities of Bogotá, Cali, and Neiva (n = 95); and these data were compiled with published Colombian data of individuals mainly from the city of Medellín (n = 61). Results indicate a wide range and overlap of O‐C‐Sr‐Pb isotopic distribution according to the defined categories. However, differences between coastal and lowland individuals are observed when using δ18O values, and differences between mountainous regions are observed when using 87Sr/86Sr values. In addition, this study suggests that the usefulness of isotopic analysis for unidentified individuals in Colombia would be with assigning them geographically using the designations of North, Central Andes, Eastern Andes, or Southwest Andes versus making classifications at a city or department level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: In the global migration crisis, one of the challenges in the effort to identify deceased migrants is establishing their region of origin, which facilitates the search for ante-mortem data to be compared with the post-mortem information. This pilot study explores the potential of using stable isotope analysis to distinguish individuals coming from West Africa and the Horn of Africa. Six individuals (four of known and two of unknown origin) were sampled for the analysis of stable nitrogen, carbon, oxygen, and strontium isotopes in hair, bone, and dental enamel. The results of the study showed that the stable isotope compositions of the individual from the Horn of Africa differed from the other individuals. The differences found between strontium isotopic composition in enamel and bone, as well as the variations in stable oxygen and carbon isotopes in bone and hair, reflect changes in sources of food and water, in accordance with regionally typical migration journeys. The analysis of multiple stable isotopes delivered promising results, allowing to narrow down the region of origin of deceased migrants and to corroborate the information about the migration journey. In the global migration crisis, one of the challenges in the effort to identify deceased migrants is establishing their region of origin, which facilitates the search for ante mortem data to be compared with the post mortem information. This pilot study explores the potential of using stable isotope analysis to distinguish between individuals coming from West Africa and the Horn of Africa. Six individuals (four of known origin and two of unknown origin) were sampled. δ13CVPDB(keratin), δ15NVPDB(keratin) and δ18OVSMOW(keratin) of hair were analysed using Elemental Analyzers coupled with Isotope Ratio Mass Spectrometry (IRMS). δ18OVSMOW(carbonate) and δ13CVPDB(carbonate) of bone were analysed using GasBench II with IRMS, while 87Sr/86Sr composition was determined in bone and dental enamel using laser ablation multi-collector inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. The stable isotope compositions of the individual from the Horn of Africa differed from the other individuals. The differences found between 87Sr/86Sr of enamel and bone and between δ18O and δ13C in bone and hair reflect changes in sources of food and water in accordance with regionally typical migration journeys. The analysis of multiple stable isotopes delivered promising results, allowing us to narrow down the region of origin of deceased migrants and corroborate the information about the migration journey. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Measurements of stable‐isotope composition on an isotope‐delta scale can be subject to bias between laboratories or over time within a single laboratory. This bias can arise not just from differences in method protocol but also from changes in reporting guidelines, or even to the isotope‐delta scales themselves. Without a clear description of method protocols, including all sample preparation steps, instrumental parameters and settings, data processing including calibration of results and estimation of measurement uncertainty, the traceability and comparability of isotope‐delta values cannot be assured as bias(es) may remain hidden. To address this need, there are now clear guidelines published by IUPAC for reporting isotope‐delta values for the "light" elements hydrogen, carbon, nitrogen, oxygen and sulfur.1 We recommend that authors and reviewers adhere to those guidelines when preparing and reviewing future publications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: In modern bone biology, the term "remodeling" generally refers to internal bone turnover that creates secondary osteons. However, it is also widely used by skeletal biologists, including biological anthropologists as a catch‐all term to refer to different skeletal changes. In this review, we investigated how "remodeling" is used across topics on skeletal biology in biological anthropology to demonstrate potential problems with such pervasive use of a generalized term. Methods: Using PubMed and Google Scholar, we selected and reviewed 205 articles that use the term remodeling to describe skeletal processes and have anthropological implications. Nine edited volumes were also reviewed as examples of collaborative work by different experts to demonstrate the diverse and extensive use of the term remodeling. Results: Four general meanings of bone "remodeling" were identified, namely, internal turnover, functional adaptation, fracture repair, and growth remodeling. Additionally, remodeling is also used to refer to a broad array of pathological skeletal changes. Discussion: Although we initially identified four general meanings of bone remodeling, they are not mutually exclusive and often occur in combination. The term "remodeling" has become an extensively used catch‐all term to refer to different processes and outcomes of skeletal changes, which inevitably lead to misunderstanding and a loss of information. Such ambiguity and confusion are potentially problematic as the field of biological anthropology becomes increasingly multidisciplinary. Therefore, we advocate for precise, context‐specific definitions and explanations of bone remodeling as it continues to be used across disciplines within and beyond biological anthropology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The game of rugby is becoming more and more popular, despite the fact that it is a collision sport in which skill plays a large role. In the training process, great importance is placed on the development of general physical fitness, in particular, on strength, power and muscular endurance. Aim: The aim of this study is to analyse the co-organisation between range of motion, body balance, power and speed of the kick and throw in men practicing rugby. Material and methods: The study involved 19 players training rugby on the Extraleague team of MKS Ogniwo Sopot, with an average age of 27.32±5.49. The Inbody 270 body composition analyser, the EPSR1 mat measuring the distribution of foot pressure on the ground, the WiVA sensor for measuring the range of motion and the Tendo Unit for measuring the explosive force were used to carry out testing. Results: The results indicate that people with a higher level of balance perform a throw with more power and speed. It was also shown that the range of motion in the upper limb is directly proportional to the range of motion in the hip joint. Conclusions: In the sport of rugby, flexion and extension movements of both the shoulder and hip joints are performed alternately. Based on the results, it can be concluded that in rugby athletes, balance training deserves special attention, which may translate into greater speed and power of the throw during a game. At the same time, an increase in the range of motion when flexing the arm and an increase in the pressure on the forefoot were noted, and the inversely proportional relationship between the COP area of the whole body and the heel area of the left foot may indicate the transfer of body mass by the tested players to the metatarsal and forefoot. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Beeswax is an important agricultural product in many developing countries and its quality can be affected by various factors of the harvesting and processing. This study compared the extraction yield as well as physicochemical properties of beeswax melted by different methods (solar energy and conventional method) and collected at different positions (surface of honeycomb and the old nest cakes). Obtained results showed that melting method mainly affected the recovery yield of beeswax and did not cause significant changes of chemical properties of products. However, samples collected at the surface of honeycomb seemed to have a higher quality in compared to samples collected from the old nest cakes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Among a long list of parasites and pathogens that threaten the European honey bee (Apis mellifera), European Foulbrood (EFB) has become an urgent apiary disease, as epidemic outbreaks are becoming increasingly common. EFB is a bacterial disease of larval honey bees, caused by a gram-positive, anaerobic bacterium, Melissococcus plutonius. The most effective current treatment for EFB, oxytetracycline hydrochloride, can disrupt the bee microbiome, cause bee mortality and residues may persist in honey harvested for human consumption. In this study, we explore the efficacy of more sustainable bee-derived solutions, including propolis, honey comb, and brood comb ethanol extracts. Propolis has been shown to successfully inhibit the growth of a similar larval bee disease, American Foulbrood (AFB). Using a series of dilutions of these extracts, we determined the minimum inhibitory concertation (MIC) of each bee-derived product on M. plutonius, as well as two model bacterial species, Staphylococcus saprophyticus (gram-positive) and Escherichia coli (gram-negative). Overall, we found that propolis extract was most effective at inhibiting the growth of gram-positive bacteria, and that M. plutonius was also susceptible to honey comb (MIC = 16.00 mg/mL) and brood comb (MIC = 45.33 mg/mL) extracts, but at much higher concentrations than that of propolis (MIC = 1.14 mg/mL). As previously demonstrated for AFB, propolis is a promising natural defense against EFB, which could have important implications for hive management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The industry demands high quality and standards-compliant beeswax, which is difficult to find in western countries. As a result, it is necessary to explore new geographical sources. This work focuses on the characterization of beeswax from Mozambique in terms of saturated hydrocarbon profile and thermal properties comparing them with others from diverse origins. The hydrocarbons found (C21H44-C35H72) do not contain enough information for its differentiation. However, melting and cooling enthalpies together with all the temperatures associated with the different lipid polymorphic forms achieved this goal. A higher average melting enthalpy values obtained in Mozambique samples (up to 234 J/g) and Honduras (231 J/g) indicates more energy is required to melt these beeswaxes than those from Spain (193 J/g) and an analytical reactive pure beeswaxes considered as "reference" (168 J/g). This might be linked to the tropical temperatures where the bees produce specific wax. These results are significant in characterizing beeswax from tropical climates and for the industry to exploit its peculiar properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) are patrilocal, with males remaining in their natal community and females dispersing when they reach sexual maturity. However, the details of female chimpanzee dispersal, such as their possible origin, are difficult to assess, even in habituated communities. This study investigates the utility of 87 Sr/ 86 Sr analysis for (1) assessing Sr baseline differences between chimpanzee territories and (2) identifying the status (immigrant or natal) of females of unknown origin within the territories of five neighboring communities in Taï National Park (Côte d'Ivoire)., Materials and Methods: To create a local Sr isoscape for the Taï Chimpanzee Project (TCP) study area, we sampled environmental samples from TCP-established territories (n = 35). To assess dispersal patterns, 34 tooth enamel samples (one per individual) were selected from the Taï chimpanzee skeletal collection. 87 Sr/ 86 Sr analysis was performed on all 69 samples at the W.M. Keck Lab. The theoretical density and overlap of chimpanzee communities as well as generalized linear mixed models (GLMMs) were used to test each question., Results: 87 Sr/ 86 Sr ratios for natal male chimpanzees ranged from 0.71662 to 0.72187, which is well within the corresponding environmental baseline range of 0.70774-0.73460. The local Sr isoscapes fit was estimated with the root-mean-square error value, which was 0.0048 (22% of the whole 87 Sr/ 86 Sr data range). GLMMs identified significant differences in 87 Sr/ 86 Sr ratios between natal and unknown North community origin groups, suggesting that after 1980, females of unknown origin could be immigrants to North community (n = 7, z-ratio = -4.08, p = 0.0001, power = 0.94)., Discussion: This study indicates that 87 Sr/ 86 This study indicates that 87 Sr/ 86 Sr analysis can successfully identify immigrant females in skeletal collections obtained from wild chimpanzee communities, enabling the tracking of female dispersal patterns historically. There are, however, significant limitations within the scope of this study, such as (1) the absence of reliable maps for the TCP study area, (2) limited capacity for environmental sampling, (3) small sample sizes, and (4) tooth formation in wild chimpanzees., (© 2024 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Stable isotope analysis of human tissues has become a valuable tool for mapping human geolocation. This study adds to the existing knowledge of the relationship between oxygen stable isotopes in human enamel and drinking water by presenting enamel oxygen values in clinic-extracted human dental enamel with known provenance. The results from this study indicate that the theoretical isotopic relationship between enamel and drinking water oxygen is weak at the city and country-level. Differences of up to 15‰ were observed between predicted drinking water oxygen values using existing models and observed values, highlighting the complexity of using water/enamel conversion equations. The lower isotopic boundary of enamel oxygen values is now understood for Metro Vancouver at δ 18 O c(VPDB)  = - 11.0‰ and presents the possibility of using stable isotope analysis as an exclusionary tool where individuals falling below threshold value can be identified as non-local. Overall, this study's results support the development of geographical reference maps for human enamel oxygen., (© 2021. The Author(s).)

Climatic conditions affect animals but range‐wide impacts at the population level remain largely unknown, especially in migratory species. However, studying climate–population relationships is still challenging in small migrants due to a lack of efficient and cost‐effective geographic tracking method.Spatial distribution patterns of environmental stable isotopes (so called 'isoscapes') generally overcome these limitations but none of the currently available isoscapes provide a substantial longitudinal gradient in species‐rich sub‐Saharan Africa. In this region, sulphur (δ34S) has not been sufficiently explored on a larger scale.We developed a δ34S isoscape to trace animal origins in sub‐Saharan Africa by coupling known‐origin samples from tracked migratory birds with continental remotely sensed environmental data building on environment–δ34S relationships using a flexible machine learning technique. Furthermore, we link population‐specific nonbreeding grounds with interannual climatic variation that might translate to breeding population trends.The predicted δ34S isotopic map featured east–west and coast‐to‐inland isotopic gradients and was applied to predict nonbreeding grounds of three breeding populations of Eurasian Reed Warblers Acrocephalus scirpaceus with two distinct migratory phenotypes. Breeding populations as well as migratory phenotypes exhibited large‐scale segregation within the African nonbreeding range. These regions also differed substantially in the interannual climatic variation, with higher interannual variability in the eastern part of the range during 2001–2012. Over the same period, the eastern European breeding population seemed to have experienced a more steep decline in population size.The link between migratory patterns and large‐scale climatic variability appears important to better understand population trajectories in many declining migratory animals. We believe animal tracing using sulphur isotopes will facilitate these efforts and offers manifold ecological and forensic applications in the biodiversity hotspot of sub‐Saharan Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to explore the understanding and actualization of teacher leadership among teachers and principals in the school development process. Teacher leadership is considered a powerful concept by providing teachers with the opportunity to contribute to sustainable school development by supporting professional development among their colleagues and improving teaching practices. Semi-structured interviews were conducted in five Estonian schools with sixteen teachers and five principals. Deductive and inductive approaches were applied to data analysis. Three analysis themes were used: 1) understanding of teacher leadership characteristics and activities of a teacher leader; 2) the impact and; 3) the conditions for teacher leadership. The results revealed that although some of the characteristics and activities coincided with earlier findings, teachers and principals in this study had a rather limited understanding of teacher leadership. Therefore, we argue that the concept of teacher leadership should be introduced much more systematically during initial teacher education and should be fundamental to the continuing professional development of the school development program. Furthermore, principals need to improve their skills as they play an influential role in creating a school environment that supports teachers to take the initiative. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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As "natural fingerprint" of food growing environment, stable isotope abundance has attracted great attention in tracing and adulterating analysis of animal products. In recent years, the number of research papers on tracing animal products by stable isotope ratio analysis has increased. And the combination of stable isotope ratio analysis and other methods has gradually became a promising method for the authenticity and traceability of animal products. Our results summarized the latest progress of stable isotopes technology in animal products, including beef, lamb, poultry, pork, cheese, milk, and seafood, aiming to provide a reference for the application of stable isotope technology in animal products traceability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Korean War claimed approximately 36,500 American service member casualties in its 3 years, of which nearly 7600 are still unaccounted for. The Korea 208 (K208) Project began in 2011 to more strategically address the highly commingled nature of 208 boxes of human remains that were repatriated from North Korea to the United Nations Command in the early 1990s and subsequently turned over to the Central Identification Laboratory, Hawaii (now Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency [DPAA]) for analysis and identification. The K208 was further expanded by the recovery of remains from Joint Recovery Operations (JROs) in North Korea between 1996 and 2005, which revealed, among other issues, the presence of non-U. S. casualties and crossover of elements between these two assemblages. More recently, 55 boxes of human remains (known as the K55) were repatriated from North Korea in 2018 with many of the same commingling and assemblage crossover issues originally presented by the K208. Additionally, there has been an increased push to disinter more than 800 unknown Korean War service members buried at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific (also known as the Punchbowl) in Honolulu, which represent casualties recovered from both North and South Korea that had undergone prior analysis in the 1950s and 1960s. Subsequent examination has revealed that many Punchbowl remains are commingled despite being thought to have been originally buried as discrete individuals. Because of these developments, the K208 Project has grown in complexity and scope, thus changing its name to the Korean War Identification Project (KWIP) in 2017. Now under its purview are the original accessions from the K208 and JROs as well as the K55 and Punchbowl, representing the largest identification project within the DPAA. A robust and defensible identification process begins with an initial triage of the remains, followed by a systematic process of segregation, consolidation, and corroboration leading to identification. This unique case of highly commingled human remains, involving thousands of missing persons from varied proveniences, highlights the challenges and successes of a multi-disciplinary approach involving historians, anthropologists, odontologists, and DNA and isotope specialists at the forefront, while also working with family members towards resolution. As of December 31, 2020, the KWIP has identified a total of 591 service members and continues to seek ways to innovate and improve both the quantity and quality of its work. This article is categorized under: Forensic Anthropology > Anthropology in Mass Disaster & War Crime Contexts Forensic Biology > Forensic DNA Technologies Forensic Medicine > Historical Perspectives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The resolution of unidentified human remains (UHR) and long-term missing persons (LTMP) cases is paramount for administrative, legal, and humanitarian reasons. There are various forensic profiling methods for human identification; however, their utility is dependent on several factors. First, UHR can be found in different stages of decomposition, so the availability and diversity of post-mortem (PM) information will differ. Second, the availability and totality of the LTMP's ante-mortem (AM) information will differ. Therefore, the suitability of existing methods will be dependent on the quality and quantity of PM and/or AM data available for comparison. Visual recognition is the simplest and quickest method, but typically not practiced or possible, owing to the altered, fragmented, or skeletonized state of UHR. Primary forensic profiling methods involve the comparison of fingerprint, dental, DNA, and medical data. Secondary forensic profiling methods from anthropology, radiology, geochemistry, and anatomy disciplines can provide supplementary evidence to support comparative identification approaches. Emerging forensic molecular technologies such as genomics, microbiomics, epigenetics, and proteomics, together with individual digital footprints from personal devices, offer new investigative leads for establishing identity. However, despite the success of these individual methods, their limitations must be considered when used in isolation. Through the development of a guiding forensic examination framework, this review endorses an interdisciplinary response to unidentified and missing persons investigations, where various forensic specialists collaboratively examine UHR using a suite of contemporary forensic profiling methods to produce multiple and/or different lines of evidence to link them effectively, efficiently, comprehensively, and systematically to LTMP. This article is categorized under: Forensic Science in Action/Crime Scene Investigation > Special Situations and Investigations Forensic Biology > DNA Testing in Disaster Victim and Missing Persons Identification Forensic Medicine > Medicolegal Death Investigation Systems Jurisprudence and Regulatory Oversight > Interdisciplinary Collaboration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cannabis sativa, also known as "hemp" or "weed," is a versatile plant with various uses in medicine, agriculture, food, and cosmetics. This review attempts to evaluate the available literature on the ecology, chemical composition, phytochemistry, pharmacology, traditional uses, industrial uses, and toxicology of Cannabis sativa. So far, 566 chemical compounds have been isolated from Cannabis, including 125 cannabinoids and 198 non-cannabinoids. The psychoactive and physiologically active part of the plant is a cannabinoid, mostly found in the flowers, but also present in smaller amounts in the leaves, stems, and seeds. Of all phytochemicals, terpenes form the largest composition in the plant. Pharmacological evidence reveals that the plants contain cannabinoids which exhibit potential as antioxidants, antibacterial agents, anticancer agents, and anti-inflammatory agents. Furthermore, the compounds in the plants have reported applications in the food and cosmetic industries. Significantly, Cannabis cultivation has a minimal negative impact on the environment in terms of cultivation. Most of the studies focused on the chemical make-up, phytochemistry, and pharmacological effects, but not much is known about the toxic effects. Overall, the Cannabis plant has enormous potential for biological and industrial uses, as well as traditional and other medicinal uses. However, further research is necessary to fully understand and explore the uses and beneficial properties of Cannabis sativa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dew is one of the important moisture sources in many arid and semiarid regions. The knowledge of moisture origin of dew under various climatic conditions is still lacking. Isotopic variations can preserve information about moisture origin and formation mechanisms. Therefore, the isotopic compositions of dew and precipitation (δ2H, δ18O, δ17O, d‐excess, lc‐excess and 17O‐excess) were investigated at three sites with different climatic conditions (i.e., Gobabeb with extremely dry climate, Nice with Mediterranean climate and Indianapolis with humid continental climate). The results showed that there were three types of dew at Gobabeb: advective dew, groundwater‐derived dew, and shallow soil water‐derived dew, accounting for 27.3%, 45.4% and 27.3% of the dew events, respectively. The ultimate moisture sources of advective dew and the other two types of dew at Gobabeb were from the South Atlantic Ocean and a mixture of the Indian and South Atlantic Oceans, respectively. Dew in Nice included ocean‐derived dew from the North Atlantic Ocean with local evapotranspiration replenishment, and local‐derived dew, mainly from the continental Europe and Mediterranean Sea, accounting for 39.1% and 60.9% of the dew events, respectively. All the Indianapolis dew were likely local‐derived dew. Based on the moisture origins, the future dew trends were speculated under global warming. Dew frequencies at Gobabeb and Indianapolis under future climates are uncertain due to the concurrent increases in atmospheric water vapour and temperature. The local‐derived dew in Nice would likely decrease due to the decreasing precipitation and increasing drought, and the ocean‐derived dew under future climates is uncertain. This study provides a practical method to distinguish dew moisture sources, and such information is useful for future prediction of dew trends under climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]