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While regular physical activity is a cornerstone of health, wellness, and vitality, the impact of endurance exercise training on molecular signaling within and across tissues remains to be delineated. The Molecular Transducers of Physical Activity Consortium (MoTrPAC) was established to characterize molecular networks underlying the adaptive response to exercise. Here, we describe the endurance exercise training studies undertaken by the Preclinical Animal Sites Studies component of MoTrPAC, in which we sought to develop and implement a standardized endurance exercise protocol in a large cohort of rats. To this end, Adult (6-mo) and Aged (18-mo) female (n = 151) and male (n = 143) Fischer 344 rats were subjected to progressive treadmill training (5 d/wk, ∼70%-75% VO2max) for 1, 2, 4, or 8 wk; sedentary rats were studied as the control group. A total of 18 solid tissues, as well as blood, plasma, and feces, were collected to establish a publicly accessible biorepository and for extensive omics-based analyses by MoTrPAC. Treadmill training was highly effective, with robust improvements in skeletal muscle citrate synthase activity in as little as 1-2 wk and improvements in maximum run speed and maximal oxygen uptake by 4-8 wk. For body mass and composition, notable age- and sex-dependent responses were observed. This work in mature, treadmill-trained rats represents the most comprehensive and publicly accessible tissue biorepository, to date, and provides an unprecedented resource for studying temporal-, sex-, and age-specific responses to endurance exercise training in a preclinical rat model.

Regular exercise promotes whole-body health and prevents disease, but the underlying molecular mechanisms are incompletely understood1-3. Here, the Molecular Transducers of Physical Activity Consortium4 profiled the temporal transcriptome, proteome, metabolome, lipidome, phosphoproteome, acetylproteome, ubiquitylproteome, epigenome and immunome in whole blood, plasma and 18 solid tissues in male and female Rattus norvegicus over eight weeks of endurance exercise training. The resulting data compendium encompasses 9,466 assays across 19 tissues, 25 molecular platforms and 4 training time points. Thousands of shared and tissue-specific molecular alterations were identified, with sex differences found in multiple tissues. Temporal multi-omic and multi-tissue analyses revealed expansive biological insights into the adaptive responses to endurance training, including widespread regulation of immune, metabolic, stress response and mitochondrial pathways. Many changes were relevant to human health, including non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, inflammatory bowel disease, cardiovascular health and tissue injury and recovery. The data and analyses presented in this study will serve as valuable resources for understanding and exploring the multi-tissue molecular effects of endurance training and are provided in a public repository ( https://motrpac-data.org/ ).

Wearable devices have revolutionized real-time health monitoring, yet challenges persist in enhancing their flexibility, weight, and accuracy. This paper presents the development of a wearable device employing a conductive polyacrylamide–lithium chloride–MXene (PLM) hydrogel sensor, an electronic circuit, and artificial intelligence (AI) for gait monitoring. The PLM sensor includes tribo-negative polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) and tribo-positive polyurethane (PU) layers, exhibiting extraordinary stretchability (317% strain) and durability (1000 cycles) while consistently delivering stable electrical signals. The wearable device weighs just 23 g and is strategically affixed to a knee brace, harnessing mechanical energy generated during knee motion which is converted into electrical signals. These signals are digitized and then analyzed using a one-dimensional (1D) convolutional neural network (CNN), achieving an impressive accuracy of 100% for the classification of four distinct gait patterns: standing, walking, jogging, and running. The wearable device demonstrates the potential for lightweight and energy-efficient sensing combined with AI analysis for advanced biomechanical monitoring in sports and healthcare applications.

ObjectiveThe United States faces an opioid crisis. Integrating prescription drug monitoring programs into electronic health records offers promise to improve opioid prescribing practices. This study aimed to evaluate 2 different user interface designs for prescription drug monitoring program and electronic health record integration.Materials and MethodsTwenty-four resident physicians participated in a randomized controlled experiment using 4 simulated patient cases. In the conventional condition, prescription opioid histories were presented in tabular format, and computerized clinical decision support (CDS) was provided via interruptive modal dialogs (ie, pop-ups). The alternative condition featured a graphical opioid history, a cue to visit that history, and noninterruptive CDS. Two attending pain specialists judged prescription appropriateness.ResultsParticipants in the alternative condition wrote more appropriate prescriptions. When asked after the experiment, most participants stated that they preferred the alternative design to the conventional design.ConclusionsHow patient information and CDS are presented appears to have a significant influence on opioid prescribing behavior.

Photographic identification is increasingly being used as a cost-effective and minimally invasive method to monitor species, which is of particular importance for endangered populations that are vulnerable to intrusive research methods. The purpose of our study was to collect photographs of an endangered population of beluga whales (Delphinapterus leucas (Pallas, 1776)) in Cumberland Sound, Nunavut, Canada, for use in photographic identification. Rather than pursuing the whales with boats to collect photographs, drones were used to minimize disturbance. We analyzed drone photographs from 2017 to 2019 for distinctive markings on the whales, which were used to develop a photographic identification catalogue. In total, 93 individuals were identified, with 24 resightings of marked individuals over the survey period. Approximately 43.4% (standard error 3.3%) of the adult beluga population was uniquely marked. The beluga population has been harvested at a rate of 41 whales per year, not including struck and lost, since 2002. The markings were from unknown origins (61%), scars/wounds from gunshots (27%), anthropogenic or predatory given the size and severity (11%), or a satellite tag (1%). The continuation of the photographic identification program will allow for the estimation of important population demographics, such as abundance and calving interval, which are important parameters for population conservation and management.

Wearable devices have revolutionized real-time health monitoring, yet challenges persist in enhancing their flexibility, weight, and accuracy. This paper presents the development of a wearable device employing a conductive polyacrylamide–lithium chloride–MXene (PLM) hydrogel sensor, an electronic circuit, and artificial intelligence (AI) for gait monitoring. The PLM sensor includes tribo-negative polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) and tribo-positive polyurethane (PU) layers, exhibiting extraordinary stretchability (317% strain) and durability (1000 cycles) while consistently delivering stable electrical signals. The wearable device weighs just 23 g and is strategically affixed to a knee brace, harnessing mechanical energy generated during knee motion which is converted into electrical signals. These signals are digitized and then analyzed using a one-dimensional (1D) convolutional neural network (CNN), achieving an impressive accuracy of 100% for the classification of four distinct gait patterns: standing, walking, jogging, and running. The wearable device demonstrates the potential for lightweight and energy-efficient sensing combined with AI analysis for advanced biomechanical monitoring in sports and healthcare applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Structure determination via NMR spectroscopy is a fundamental topic taught in many advanced level chemistry courses. Despite its importance as an analytical instrument, many students find the principle behind NMR-facilitated structure determination difficult to embrace. To this end, an artificial intelligence (AI) software package, namely, ACD/Structure Elucidator, is used to facilitate the teaching of NMR spectroscopic principles and its application in "de novo" structure elucidation of large complex organic molecules in an upper level organic chemistry class. For the purpose of this technology report, a set of standard multidimensional NMR spectra of quinidine will be used as an example, illustrating to students the potential of computer-assisted structure elucidation (CASE) as a tool for better understanding NMR spectra.

ObjectiveTo provide expert recommendations for the safe and effective application of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) in the treatment of major depressive disorder (MDD).ParticipantsParticipants included a group of 17 expert clinicians and researchers with expertise in the clinical application of rTMS, representing both the National Network of Depression Centers (NNDC) rTMS Task Group and the American Psychiatric Association Council on Research (APA CoR) Task Force on Novel Biomarkers and Treatments.EvidenceThe consensus statement is based on a review of extensive literature from 2 databases (OvidSP MEDLINE and PsycINFO) searched from 1990 through 2016. The search terms included variants of major depressive disorder and transcranial magnetic stimulation. The results were limited to articles written in English that focused on adult populations. Of the approximately 1,500 retrieved studies, a total of 118 publications were included in the consensus statement and were supplemented with expert opinion to achieve consensus recommendations on key issues surrounding the administration of rTMS for MDD in clinical practice settings.Consensus processIn cases in which the research evidence was equivocal or unclear, a consensus decision on how rTMS should be administered was reached by the authors of this article and is denoted in the article as "expert opinion."ConclusionsMultiple randomized controlled trials and published literature have supported the safety and efficacy of rTMS antidepressant therapy. These consensus recommendations, developed by the NNDC rTMS Task Group and APA CoR Task Force on Novel Biomarkers and Treatments, provide comprehensive information for the safe and effective clinical application of rTMS in the treatment of MDD.

In conducting Arctic field research, hiring local field guides has long been a necessity for providing field teams with local knowledge and fundamental needs of boat operation and navigation, general field logistics/safety, and traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) of local animal distribution and natural history. As new threats to Arctic wildlife emerge and as field research methods evolve, including local Inuit as long-standing members of research teams has provided additional collaborative benefits through expanded local knowledge, greater efficiency of data collection, and longer temporal sampling which provides the opportunity to study uncommon events. We describe the collaboration between southern-based scientists and local Inuit from the community of Pangnirtung, Nunavut, to conduct field research on marine mammals in Cumberland Sound from 1997 to 2021. Through a keen interest in marine mammal field research, Inuit partners in Pangnirtung have become highly proficient in all aspects of sample and data collection and have received advanced technical training to allow for an expanded role in achieving research objectives. This expanded role includes running field research operations independently, as well as the extensive use of drones to capture photographs of whales for the purposes of photographic-identification and to record behavior. Collaboration with local Inuit also provides benefits through employment opportunities, development of technical skills, and opportunities to actively participate in research that aims to conserve culturally important local wildlife populations.

Effective management of animal populations requires knowledge of life history parameters and estimates of population abundance. One method commonly used to estimate abundance is capture–recapture analyses of photographs. Small, relatively inexpensive, rotary-wing drones have become an effective platform for obtaining high-quality aerial photographs of whales. To conduct capture–recapture analyses the animal needs to be defined as marked or unmarked and the photographs must be of high quality. While a system for scoring quality and markedness has previously been developed for bowhead whales (Balaena mysticetus Linnaeus, 1758) (Rugh et al. 1998. Rep. int. Whal. Commn. 48: 501–512), a revised scoring system was needed to incorporate increased information in photographs taken by drones. We present a revised scoring system that enlarges two of the previously defined areas of the whale examined for markings and incorporates smaller markings into the definition of marked whales. We scored 30 whales using the previous criteria and the revised criteria developed in this paper. More whales were identified as marked (23%) and mark scores were higher for 30% of the zones scored using the new system. Increasing the number of marked whales during capture–recapture studies increases the precision of estimated parameters and permits us to make those estimates with smaller samples of photographs.

The temporal evolution of intermediate-depth seismicity before and after the 2011 M9.0 Tohoku-oki earthquake reveals interactions between plate interface slip and deformation in the subducting slab. We investigate seismicity rate changes in the upper and lower planes of the double seismic zone beneath northeast Japan using both a β statistic approach and a temporal epidemic type aftershock sequence model. We do not observe an anomalous precursory increase in intermediate-depth earthquake activity preceding the mainshock; however, following the mainshock, we observe a rate increase for the intermediate-depth earthquakes in the upper plane. The average ratio of upper plane to lower plane activity and the mean deep aseismic slip rate both increased by factor of 2. An increase of downdip compression in the slab resulting from coseismic and postseismic deformation enhanced seismicity in the upper plane, which is dominated by events accommodating downdip shortening from plate unbending.

The 1999 Texas A&M University Bonfire collapse killed 12 students and injured dozens. Response to this event involved a number of campus administrators, lasted for many years, and led to the emergence of new risk management standards. Nearly 20 years later, researchers explored how campus leaders experienced the tragedy and reflected on their role over time. The study analyzed personal experiences and lessons learned from 15 leaders who led the crisis response and recovery.

How do people come to think of themselves as instructional designers? This is partly a matter of acquiring expertise, e.g., the knowledge and skill sets found in professional standards, e.g., those of IBSTPI or AECT. But identity also involves adoption of new professional roles and affiliation and active engagement with professional communities. IDT academic programs facilitate and sport student in their induction into the field, but not always in a systematic, intentional way. Indeed in today's world, IDT professionals may identify with different fields and roles depending on situation and context. This article explores these issues and provides a conceptual framework for understanding how people take on new IDT identities and the role played by academic programs in that process. The framework consists of a set of guiding principles and processes, A set of recommendations is then offered for IDT academic programs to begin seeing professional identity as a learning outcome and supporting students along that important journey.

Climate change poses new challenges to Arctic marine mammals, with increasing vessel traffic and associated underwater noise pollution emerging as significant threats. The bowhead whale (Balaena mysticetus), an endemic Arctic cetacean, faces these new threats. The Eastern Canada‐West Greenland (ECWG) bowhead whale population migrates through areas with the highest levels of vessel traffic in the Canadian Arctic. Here, we document the spatial and temporal overlap between 36 satellite‐tagged ECWG bowhead whales and vessels equipped with Automatic Identification System (AIS) transponders during 2012–2017. We report 1,145 instances where vessels were within 125 km of a tagged whale, with 306 occurrences within distances ≤50 km. Overlap between vessels and tagged bowhead whales was quantified monthly within years to investigate individual whale encounter rates. Results indicate that ECWG bowhead whales encounter the majority (79%) of vessels annually during August–October, with the highest number of encounters (42%) observed in September. Encounter rates ranged from 0.25 to 0.51 vessels encountered per day per whale during August–October compared to <0.07 vessels per day in all other months in this study. To better inform conservation strategies, further research is required to assess bowhead whale behavioral responses relative to distance from vessels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The properties of the first kilometers of the Martian atmospheric Planetary Boundary Layer have until now been measured by only a few instruments and probes. InSight offers an opportunity to investigate this region through seismoacoustics. On six occasions, its seismometers recorded short low‐frequency waveforms, with clear dispersion between 0.4 and 4 Hz. These signals are the air‐to‐ground coupling of impact‐generated infrasound, which propagated in an low‐altitude atmospheric waveguide. Their group velocity depends on the structure of effective sound speed in the boundary layer. Here, we conduct a Bayesian inversion of effective sound speed up to 2,000 m altitude using the group velocity measured for events S0981c, S0986c and S1034a. The inverted effective sound speed profiles are in good agreement with estimates provided by the Mars Climate Database. Differences between inverted and modeled profiles can be attributed to a local wind variation in the impact→station direction, of amplitude smaller than 2 m/s. Plain Language Summary: The Martian Planetary Boundary Layer corresponds to the first few kilometers of the atmosphere. The InSight lander offers the opportunity to investigate its properties via the coupling of seismic and acoustic waves. Impact‐generated infrasound waves were recorded for the first time on Mars by the seismometers of the InSight mission. These infrasound waves propagated in an atmospheric waveguide in the first kilometers above the Martian surface, and thus present a frequency‐dependent group velocity. This frequency‐dependence, also known as a dispersion relation, is influenced by the structure of the speed of sound in the waveguide. Here, we use group velocity measured for events S0981c, S0986c and S1034a to invert the variations of effective sound speed between 0 and 2,000 m altitude. For the three events, the inverted profiles are in good agreement with estimates provided by the Mars Climate Database using global climate modeling. The differences between inverted and modeled profiles can be attributed to a local variation in wind in the impact→station direction, with magnitude smaller than 2 m/s. Key Points: InSight recorded impact‐generated infrasound on Mars. Their group velocity is sensitive to the structure of the atmospheric boundary layerWe conduct a Bayesian inversion of effective sound speed profiles with altitude based on group velocities measured for three impact eventsThe inverted profiles provide an indirect measurement of the Martian boundary layer, and validate models of the Mars Climate Database [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alkyl nitrites ("poppers") are a diverse class of volatile chemical compounds with a varied legal and medical history. Though once commonly prescribed to treat angina, popper use is now almost exclusively recreational. Currently, poppers are widely available and sold legally under labels like "solvent cleaner", despite marketing suggesting they are meant to be consumed. As a result, there is little incentive for producers to implement robust quality controls to protect users. In this study, nine common popper brands were analyzed using hydrogen-1 and carbon-13 nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy to assess the presence of impurities. Physical labels on all nine samples indicated the contents were "pure" isobutyl nitrite, despite contradictory online marketing in several cases. Spectral results showed isobutyl nitrite was present in all popper samples. However, there was evidence that various unlabeled compounds were also present in all samples. The identity and concentration of these contaminants were not clear, but the seemingly ubiquitous presence of impurities and lack of consistency in the tested samples are concerning and may represent a threat to users' health. We hope the results of this study draw attention to the potential dangers of recreational popper use and the need to reassess how these compounds are regulated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the biogeochemical drivers of aragonite saturation state (ΩAr) in Baffin Bay, with a focus on the relatively undersampled west Greenland shelf. Our findings reveal two main depth‐dependant processes controlling the spatial distribution of ΩAr in Baffin Bay; within the upper 200 m, lower ΩAr coincides with increasing fractions of Arctic‐outflow waters, while below 200 m organic matter respiration decreases ΩAr. A temporal analysis comparing historical measurements from 1997 and 2004 with our 2019 data set reveals a significant decrease in the ΩAr of Arctic‐outflow waters, coinciding with reduced total alkalinity (TA). However, no discernible anthropogenic ocean acidification signal is identified. Significant Arctic water fractions (20%–40%) are found to be present on the west Greenland shelf, associated with reduced TA and ΩAr. A numerical modeling simulation incorporating a passive tracer demonstrates that periodic changes in wind direction lead to a switch from onshore to offshore Ekman transport along the Baffin Island current, transporting Arctic waters toward the west Greenland shelf. This challenges the conventional understanding of Baffin Bay's circulation and underscores the need for further research on the region's physical oceanography. Based on salinity‐TA relationships, surface waters on the west Greenland shelf have a significantly lower meteoric TA end‐member compared to waters of the Baffin Island Current in western Baffin Bay. The low eastern TA freshwater end‐member agrees well with recent glacial meltwater TA measurements, suggesting that glacial meltwater is the main freshwater source to surface waters on the west Greenland shelf. Plain Language Summary: Baffin Bay, with its complex interplay of Atlantic and Arctic water masses, is particularly susceptible to ongoing ocean acidification, mainly due to the presence of relatively fresh and low‐alkalinity Arctic waters. To date measurements of the inorganic carbon system in Baffin Bay have primarily been captured at key entrance and exit gateways, and on the Canadian side of the bay, leaving the west Greenland shelf relatively undersampled. This study provides a bay‐wide perspective of the main factors influencing aragonite saturation state (ΩAr; an indicator of ocean acidification impacts on marine calcifying organisms) across Baffin Bay, including the west Greenland shelf. We found that within the upper 200 m, low ΩAr coincides with increased presence of Arctic waters, while below 200 m the breakdown of organic matter decreases ΩAr. Historical data from 1997 and 2004 compared to our 2019 measurements show a significant drop in ΩAr of Arctic waters, but no clear signal of anthropogenic ocean acidification was observed. Surprisingly, the west Greenland shelf has significant fractions (20%–40%) of Arctic water. A numerical modeling simulation suggests that periodic changes in wind direction can transport Arctic waters from across Baffin Bay, challenging our traditional understanding of the bay's circulation. Key Points: Increased fractions of Arctic waters decrease aragonite saturation state (ΩAr) in the upper 200 m, while respiration does so below 200 mDecreased ΩAr of Arctic waters over the last two decades is associated with decreased alkalinity, not additional CO2Significant fractions of Arctic‐outflow waters on the west Greenland shelf challenges current knowledge of circulation in Baffin Bay [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]