Search

The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenological study was to understand how Black undergraduate music education students make meaning of their lived experiences in predominantly White schools of music (PWSOM). The study was guided by the overall research questions: (1) What makes the lived experience of Black undergraduate music education students unique? and (2) What meaning(s) and understanding(s) do Black undergraduate music education students ascribe to their experiences in PWSOM? Data were collected primarily through open-ended interviews with nine Black undergraduate music education students in PWSOM in the United States. Data analysis revealed seven emergent themes, including (a) navigating the negative perceptions of White people; (b) making White people comfortable; (c) working harder to prove myself; (d) "Do I belong here?"; (e) a climate of racial and cultural insensitivity; (f) distrust of White faculty; and (g) sacrifice and survival. Findings were interpreted using Du Bois's theory of double consciousness and van Manen's four existentials of lived experience. Interpretation revealed the essence of the phenomenon to be living a dissonant existence.

RationaleTreatments with the serotonergic psychedelic psilocybin are being investigated for multiple neuropsychiatric disorders. Because many patients with these disorders use selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), understanding interactions between psilocybin and SSRIs is critical for evaluating the safety, efficacy, and scalability of psilocybin-based treatments. Current knowledge about these interactions is limited, as most clinical psilocybin research has prohibited concomittant SSRI use.ObjectivesWe aimed to explore potential interactions between psilocybin and SSRIs by characterizing peoples' real-world experiences using psilocybin mushrooms and SSRIs together.MethodsWe conducted a systematic search of Reddit for posts describing psilocybin mushroom and SSRI coadministration. We identified 443 eligible posts and applied qualitative content analysis to each.Results8% of posts reported negative physical or psychological effects resulting from coadministration. These included 13 reports that may reflect serotonin toxicity, and 1 concerning for a psychotic/manic episode. 54% of posts described reduced intensity of the acute psilocybin experience, but 39% reported unchanged intensity with SSRI coadministration.ConclusionsPsilocybin's interactions with SSRIs are likely complex and may depend on multiple factors. Prospective studies are needed to evaluate whether psilocybin treatments are reliably safe and effective in the setting of SSRI use.

UC Agriculture and Natural Resources (UC ANR) is working to develop one of the most promising groundwater recharge approaches — replenishing aquifers by spreading wintertime river flood flows onto farm lands and other open spaces.

Analysis of bacterial biofilms is particularly challenging and important with diverse applications from systems biology to biotechnology. Among the variety of techniques that have been applied, time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF-SIMS) has many powerful features in studying the surface characteristics of biofilms. ToF-SIMS offers high spatial resolution, mass resolution, and mass accuracy, which permit surface sensitive analysis of biofilm components. Thus, ToF-SIMS provides a powerful solution to addressing the challenge of bacterial biofilm analysis. This dataset covers ToF-SIMS analysis of Shewanella oneidensis MR-1 isolated from freshwater lake sediment in New York state. The MR-1 strain is known to have metal and sulfur reducing properties and it can be used for bioremediation and wastewater treatment. There is a current need to identify small molecules and fragments produced from bacterial biofilms, especially those from extracellular polymeric substance (EPS). Static ToF-SIMS spectra of MR-1 were obtained using an IONTOF TOF.SIMS V instrument equipped with a 25 keV Bi3+ metal ion gun. Identified molecules and molecular fragments are compared against known biological databases and the reported peaks have at least 65 ppm mass accuracy. These molecules range from lipids, fatty acids, flavonoids, and quinolones to other naturally occurring organic compounds. It is anticipated that the mass spectral identification of key peaks will assist detection of metabolites, EPS molecules like polysaccharides, and biologically relevant small organic molecules using ToF-SIMS in future surface and interface research.

A 24-year-old female presented with granulomatous slack skin (GSS) cutaneous T-cell lymphoma. The patient underwent systemic chemotherapy. Owing to the development of several chemotherapy-related complications, therapy was discontinued. Subsequently, disease progression was noted clinically. Our patient's disease progression was clearly demonstrated by 18F-fludeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (PET)/CT findings. PET/CT imaging findings of GSS have not yet previously been reported. In this report, we present PET/CT characteristics of a patient with GSS.

California Agriculture - All Issues

Abstract Reintroductions are often needed to recover carnivore populations and restore ecological processes. Felids are common subjects of reintroduction efforts, but published population models informing felid reintroduction plans are uncommon, and poor planning has sometimes caused issues in felid reintroduction programs. In the United States, ocelots (Leopardus pardalis pardalis) are classified as endangered, and recovery requires population expansion into historic habitat. A multi‐organization effort is underway to establish a new ocelot population in Texas by releasing ocelots into an area of 478 km2 of suitable habitat in ocelots' historic but now unoccupied range. In this study, we used population viability analyses to compare different ocelot reintroduction strategies for the identified reintroduction area. Based on a potential ocelot breeding program's limitations, we modeled reintroduction using a founding population of no more than six ocelots and no more than four ocelots released per year for no more than 15 subsequent years. Within these limitations, we assessed projected population abundances and extinction risks after 30 years for 20 different reintroduction strategies. We found that long‐term releases are necessary to establish a viable population; under conservative model assumptions, releasing six ocelots in the initial year and then releasing four individuals annually for an additional 10–15 years is necessary for attaining a projected population greater than 36.62 ocelots (baseline) with

This paper investigates the phenomena of overclaiming -- the propensity for individuals to claim more knowledge about an issue or topic than they really (or could possibly) do. Using Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) data from nine Anglophone countries and over 40,000 young people, we examine teenagers' propensity to claim knowledge of three mathematics constructs that do not really exist. We find substantial differences in young people's tendency to overclaim across countries, genders, and socio-economic groups. Those who are most likely to overclaim are also found to exhibit high levels of overconfidence and believe they work hard, persevere at tasks, and are popular amongst their peers. Together this provides important new insight into overclaiming, how this differs across groups, and how it relates to other psychological constructs.

The California Irrigation Management Information System (CIMIS), developed and operated by the California Department of Water Resources, was assessed using a UC Cooperative Extension survey and the CIMIS user database. We found that the benefits of the program far outweigh the state cost of about $850,000 per year. Statewide, 363,816 agricultural acres are under CIMIS, with annual estimated benefits of $64.7 million. Fresno and Kern counties receive the largest net benefits, while Santa Barbara and Ventura counties have the highest benefits per acre. According to our calculation, statewide agricultural water applications are reduced by 107,300 acre-feet annually. Initially designed for irrigation management, CIMIS weather information stations benefit a host of other agricultural and nonagricultural activities such as pest control and water use by parks and golf courses. Using general economic principles, we also assessed alternative scenarios for future management of CIMIS, such as charging fees or continuing its operation as a public-sector resource.

The Crested-tailed deer mouse, Habromys lophurus, is one of seven arboreal species within the genus Habromys. Species of this genus are monotypic, relatively rare, and occur in low densities. Their geographical distribution is highly fragmented due to being restricted to montane cloud forest in Mesoamerica and they are of conservation concern. All Habromys species are endemic to Mexico, except H. lophurus, which is also distributed in Guatemala and El Salvador. In this study, we obtained and characterized the first mitogenome and several thousand nuclear ultraconserved elements (UCEs) of H. lophurus to determine its phylogenetic position within neotomine–peromyscine mice. Its mitogenome sequence (16,509 bp) is only the second complete mitogenome obtained for this poorly known genus. We also obtained the first nuclear genomic data for H. lophurus, including 3,654 UCE loci, as well as a partial mitogenome of H. simulatus (6,349 bp), and 2,186 UCE for the outgroup Holochilus sciureus. Phylogenetic analyses that included our newly generated genomic data coupled with previously published data from other neotomine–peromyscine mice confirm the placement of H. lophurus, H. simulatus, and H. ixtlani within a highly supported clade. The Habromys clade was nested within a clade that also contains members of the genus Peromyscus and provides further support for the hypothesis of the paraphyly of Peromyscus. These genomic resources will contribute to future phylogenomic studies that aim to further elucidate the evolutionary history of this rare and critically endangered genus of rodents.

Our study is among the first to provide a comprehensive review of cross-national patterns of gender differences in various STEM-related constructs--achievement, beliefs, attitudes, aspirations, and participation, concerning country-level gender equality. We complement our review with empirical analyses utilizing rigorous methodologies and richer datasets from individual and country levels. Specifically, we examine gender differences in relative strength measures (e.g., strength in science relative to math and reading) and STEM aspirations and graduation, using PISA 2015 and PISA 2018 data from 78 countries/regions (N = 941,475). Our analysis corroborates our literature review, indicating that support for both the gender stratification hypothesis and the gender equality paradox (i.e., whether gender gaps favoring male students are smaller or larger in more gender-equal countries) is generally inconsistent and weak. Various factors contribute to this inconsistency, including specific outlier countries, different years of data collection, diverse data sources, a range of composite and domain-specific measures of gender equality, and statistical models. Our study also introduces a robust statistical model to compare performances in three subjects and evaluate the predictive power of relative strength measures for STEM aspirations at the student level. Our analyses reveal that general academic achievement and math achievement relative to reading are key predictors of STEM aspirations, compared with science achievement relative to math and reading. By juxtaposing both levels of analysis, our findings offer a more nuanced understanding of gender differences in decision-making processes that lead to careers in STEM-related fields.

The use of water price or best management practices have been advocated by some commentators to induce adoption of low-volume irrigation technologies and to encourage water use efficiency. However, the method of water application is only one of many inputs and constraints in agricultural production. California's highly diverse topography, soil types and variety of crops influence irrigation technology choices, therefore a policy mandating adoption of modern technologies is likely to have undesirable impacts. Crop type appears to be a major consideration in technology choice, as some technologies may be incompatible with some types of crops.

Abstract We performed a preliminary study of neutron resonance absorption imaging to investigate the spatial distribution of constituent elements in borosilicate glasses containing simulated high-level radioactive waste, in which elemental inhomogeneities affect the physical and chemical stabilities of the glass. Dips generated by the resonance absorptions of Rh, Pd, Na, Gd, Cs, and Sm were observed in the neutron transmission spectra of the glass samples. The spatial distributions of these elements were obtained from the neutron transmission images at the resonance energies. The distributions of Rh and Pd visualized the sedimentation of these platinum group elements. In contrast, the lanthanides (Gd and Sm) and Cs were uniformly dispersed. These results show that neutron resonance absorption imaging is a promising tool for characterizing borosilicate glasses and investigating the vitrification mechanism of high-level radioactive waste.

During a single season, researchers compared California fresh peaches for quality and price at the producer and retail levels. While prices at both levels declined during the season, they responded differently to changes in quality characteristics. The results suggest a potential for increased revenues from marketing sweeter, more mature fruit.

Abstract Background Identifying blood-based signatures of brain health and preclinical pathology may offer insights into early disease mechanisms and highlight avenues for intervention. Here, we systematically profiled associations between blood metabolites and whole-brain volume, hippocampal volume, and amyloid-β status among participants of Insight 46—the neuroscience sub-study of the National Survey of Health and Development (NSHD). We additionally explored whether key metabolites were associated with polygenic risk for Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Methods Following quality control, levels of 1019 metabolites—detected with liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry—were available for 1740 participants at age 60–64. Metabolite data were subsequently clustered into modules of co-expressed metabolites using weighted coexpression network analysis. Accompanying MRI and amyloid-PET imaging data were present for 437 participants (age 69–71). Regression analyses tested relationships between metabolite measures—modules and hub metabolites—and imaging outcomes. Hub metabolites were defined as metabolites that were highly connected within significant (p FDR

Biodiversity within ecological communities has been shown to influence plant resistance and tolerance to herbivory, and may strongly interact with climate change. However, the effects of diversity within microbial symbionts on their plant hosts’ responses to herbivores is less well documented, particularly within the context of agricultural systems. Here we examine the interactive effects of rhizobial diversity and drought in promoting soybean resistance and tolerance to insect and mammalian herbivores in an outdoor pot experiment. We demonstrate that soybean plants provided with a diverse mixture of rhizobial strains experience 30% less damage by chewing insect herbivores under both drought (reduced watering and increased temperature) and ambient weather conditions, as well as half as much colonization by aphids under drought conditions. This effect was not due to the presence of any particularly beneficial rhizobial strain (i.e., not a selection effect), but rather due to an enhanced benefit provided by the rhizobial strains in combination (i.e., a complementarity effect). No effects of rhizobial diversity were observed on the rate of defoliation by rabbits. While rhizobial diversity did affect soybean resistance to insect herbivores, these differences in insect damage did not carry through to affect soybean growth or final yield. Thus, soybean plants exhibited high tolerance to herbivory regardless of our experimentally imposed rhizobial diversity or drought treatments. With future projections for increased pest outbreaks and drought, understanding the factors that can sustainably enhance agricultural yield is critical. Our results suggest that promoting rhizobial diversity within soybean agriculture may be one nature-based solution to promote the resistance of this critical crop to insect pests.

A scarcity of studies of the dynamics of wild bee populations hampers conservation efforts by bee ecologists and conservationists. Present limited information suggests that bee populations are highly unpredictable from year-to-year. Here we present an historical data set from nine sites replicated in 1984 and 1985 that demonstrates extreme between-year variability in numbers for 19 xylophilous bee species. Sixteen of those species produced far fewer nests in 1985, and 13 species in 1985 produced less than a third the number of nests produced in 1984. We argue that the 1985 collapse was not due to semivoltinism, i.e., the absence of morphs that require two years to mature, or to excessive sampling in 1984, but to a record cold period from January to March 1985 which likely killed most diapausing bees. Such events illustrate the dynamism of wild bee populations and thereby the large number of years needed to establish statistically significant population trends. We suggest that the current emphasis by bee conservationists to promote widespread surveillance monitoring programs is misguided and that funds are more effectively spent on hypothesis-driven targeted monitoring and on actions to actually reclaim degraded wild bee habitat.

Abstract Bats are important pest control agents in agriculture. Yet, the underlying fine‐scale biotic and abiotic mechanisms that drive their foraging behaviors and responses to insect outbreaks are unclear. Herbivore‐induced plant volatiles (HIPVs) can attract both invertebrate and vertebrate natural enemies that use the chemical plant cues to locate insect prey. The ability of HIPVs to attract multiple species raises the question of whether they may also be a biotic factor influencing insectivorous bat activity. Additionally, abiotic factors, such as weather conditions, can affect bat activity in agricultural settings, but little is known about how bats respond to shifting environmental conditions on short timescales in this landscape context. Using a model crop system, soybean (Glycine max), our study asked three questions: (1) Which bat species are active in eastern Maryland soybean fields? (2) Is insectivorous bat activity affected by naturally occurring soybean HIPVs and/or synthetic soybean HIPVs (indole or farnesene)? (3) How is insectivorous bat activity affected by hourly weather conditions in this landscape? In soybean fields in eastern Maryland, we created paired treatment plots: HIPV plots (damaged plants or synthetic HIPV dispensers) and control plots (undamaged plants or empty dispensers). We measured bat activity using ultrasonic recorders, summarizing hourly and nightly activity, and detected 10 total species. The most abundant species were big brown/silver‐haired bats (Eptesicus fuscus/Lasionycteris noctivagans). Bat activity did not significantly differ between control and HIPV plots in any of the three experiments. Thus, our results do not support our expectation that bats in eastern Maryland use soybean HIPVs to locate insect prey. However, bat activity did increase with increasing average hourly temperature and wind speed. This initial study of bats and HIPVs, as well as the fine‐scale examination of weather conditions on bat activity, may serve as a guide for future research on bat–plant interactions that can support the development of new strategies for sustainable pest management.

The sodium-bicarbonate cotransporter (NBCe1) has three primary variants: NBCe1-A, -B and -C. NBCe1-A is expressed in renal proximal tubules in the cortical labyrinth, where it is essential for reclaiming filtered bicarbonate, such that NBCe1-A knockout mice are congenitally acidemic. NBCe1-B and -C variants are expressed in chemosensitive regions of the brainstem, while NBCe1-B is also expressed in renal proximal tubules located in the outer medulla. Although mice lacking NBCe1-B/C (KOb/c) exhibit a normal plasma pH at baseline, the distribution of NBCe1-B/C indicates that these variants could play a role in both the rapid respiratory and slower renal responses to metabolic acidosis (MAc). Therefore, in this study we used an integrative physiologic approach to investigate the response of KOb/c mice to MAc. By means of unanesthetized whole-body plethysmography and blood-gas analysis, we demonstrate that the respiratory response to MAc (increase in minute volume, decrease in pCO2) is impaired in KOb/c mice leading to a greater severity of acidemia after 1 day of MAc. Despite this respiratory impairment, the recovery of plasma pH after 3-days of MAc remained intact in KOb/c mice. Using data gathered from mice housed in metabolic cages we demonstrate a greater elevation of renal ammonium excretion and greater downregulation of the ammonia recycling enzyme glutamine synthetase in KOb/c mice on day 2 of MAc, consistent with greater renal acid-excretion. We conclude that KOb/c mice are ultimately able to defend plasma pH during MAc, but that the integrated response is disturbed such that the burden of work shifts from the respiratory system to the kidneys, delaying the recovery of pH.

Matthew Parker et al. use the ARTIC network tiled amplicon PCR and Oxford Nanopore sequencing of thousands of SARS-CoV-2 samples to detect subgenomic RNA changes in the B.1.1.7 lineage endemic in the UK in late 2020/early 2021. They discovered higher subgenomic RNA in B.1.1.7 compared to previous lineages, and find a noncanonical subgenomic RNA that could encode ORF9b.

Abstract Background Equal-tailed confidence intervals that maintain nominal coverage (0.95 or greater probability that a 95% confidence interval covers the true value) are useful in interval-based statistical reliability standards, because they remain conservative. For age-adjusted death rates, while the Fay–Feuer gamma method remains the gold standard, modifications have been proposed to streamline implementation and/or obtain more efficient intervals (shorter intervals that retain nominal coverage). Methods This paper evaluates three such modifications for use in interval-based statistical reliability standards, the Anderson–Rosenberg, Tiwari, and Fay–Kim intervals, when data are sparse and sample size-based standards alone are overly coarse. Initial simulations were anchored around small populations (P = 2400 or 1200), the median crude all-cause US mortality rate in 2010–2019 (833.8 per 100,000), and the corresponding age-specific probabilities of death. To allow for greater variation in the age-adjustment weights and age-specific probabilities, a second set of simulations draws those at random, while holding the mean number of deaths at 20 or 10. Finally, county-level mortality data by race/ethnicity from four causes are selected to capture even greater variation: all causes, external causes, congenital malformations, and Alzheimer disease. Results The three modifications had comparable performance when the number of deaths was large relative to the denominator and the age distribution was as in the standard population. However, for sparse county-level data by race/ethnicity for rarer causes of death, and for which the age distribution differed sharply from the standard population, coverage probability in all but the Fay–Feuer method sometimes fell below 0.95. More efficient intervals than the Fay–Feuer interval were identified under specific circumstances. When the coefficient of variation of the age-adjustment weights was below 0.5, the Anderson–Rosenberg and Tiwari intervals appeared to be more efficient, whereas when it was above 0.5, the Fay–Kim interval appeared to be more efficient. Conclusions As national and international agencies reassess prevailing data presentation standards to release age-adjusted estimates for smaller areas or population subgroups than previously presented, the Fay–Feuer interval can be used to develop interval-based statistical reliability standards with appropriate thresholds that are generally applicable. For data that meet certain statistical conditions, more efficient intervals could be considered.

Young women (18-45 years of age) with breast cancer often view the end of active treatment as a significant milestone. While completing treatment is largely celebrated, little is known about the immediate time after completing active treatment. The purpose of this qualitative, descriptive study was to explore the needs of young women survivors transitioning out of active breast cancer treatment and into survivorship. We used a qualitative design with convenience sampling of young women who completed active breast cancer treatment within the last 5 years to participate in semi-structured online focus groups from November 2020 to May 2021. Thematic analysis was used to reveal the needs as women transitioned out of active treatment and into survivorship. Thirty-three young women breast cancer survivors (75.8% White, 12.1% Black, 12.1% other) participated in 7 online focus groups each lasting approximately 90 min. Three dominant themes with accompanying subthemes emerged from the data: (1) “feeling like a different kind of woman” (physical [cognitive, weight, sexual] changes, emotional changes [defining normal, loss of purpose]); (2) lingering emotional trauma (active treatment, survivorship); and (3) recommendations (services needed, content needed). Participants in this study did not feel prepared for the physical and emotional changes associated with the transition from active treatment and into survivorship as identified in our 2 main themes of “feeling like a different kind of woman” and lingering emotional trauma. Participants recommended more thorough communication about expectations in survivorship focusing on physical aspects like cognitive, weight, and sexual changes as well emotional challenges like loss of identity in survivorship. More communication specific to young women could assist in the transition to survivorship.

SARS-CoV-2 has resulted in multiple outbreaks in hospitals, but identifying transmission events is challenging. Here, the authors combine whole genome sequencing and epidemiological data from the first two waves of the pandemic at a UK hospital trust and characterise transmission chains.

Longevity of species populations depends largely on interactions among animals and plants in an ecosystem. Predation and seed dispersal are among the most important interactions necessary for species conservation and persistence, and diet analysis is a prerequisite tool to evaluate these interactions. Understanding these processes is crucial for identifying conservation targets and for executing efficient reforestation and ecological restoration. In this study, we applied a scat DNA metabarcoding technique using the P6-loop of the trnL (UAA) chloroplastic marker to describe the seasonal plant diet composition of 15 mammal species from a highly biodiverse Lebanese forest in the Eastern Mediterranean. We also recovered plant seeds, when present, from the scats for identification. The mammal species belong to 10 families from 5 different orders. More than 133 plant species from 54 plant families were detected and identified. Species from the Rosaceae, Poaceae, Apiaceae, Fabaceae, Fagaceae and Berberidaceae families were consumed by the majority of the mammals and should be taken into consideration in future reforestation and conservation projects. Our results showed that the DNA metabarcoding approach provides a promising method for tracking the dietary plant components of a wide diversity of mammals, yielding key insights into plant-animal interactions inside Lebanon’s forests.

Summary: Mitochondria are vital organelles that require sophisticated homeostatic mechanisms for maintenance. Intercellular transfer of damaged mitochondria is a recently identified strategy broadly used to improve cellular health and viability. Here, we investigate mitochondrial homeostasis in the vertebrate cone photoreceptor, the specialized neuron that initiates our daytime and color vision. We find a generalizable response to mitochondrial stress that leads to loss of cristae, displacement of damaged mitochondria from their normal cellular location, initiation of degradation, and transfer to Müller glia cells, a key non-neuronal support cell in the retina. Our findings show transmitophagy from cones to Müller glia as a response to mitochondrial damage. Intercellular transfer of damaged mitochondria represents an outsourcing mechanism that photoreceptors use to support their specialized function.

The parahippocampal cingulum bundle (PHCB) interconnects regions known to be vulnerable to early Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathology, including posteromedial cortex and medial temporal lobe. While AD-related pathology has been robustly associated with alterations in PHCB microstructure, specifically lower fractional anisotropy (FA) and higher mean diffusivity (MD), emerging evidence indicates that the reverse pattern is evident in younger adults at increased risk of AD. In one such study, Hodgetts et al. (2019) reported that healthy young adult carriers of the apolipoprotein-E (APOE) ε4 allele – the strongest common genetic risk factor for AD – showed higher FA and lower MD in the PHCB but not the inferior longitudinal fasciculus (ILF). These results are consistent with proposals claiming that heightened neural activity and intrinsic connectivity play a significant role in increasing posteromedial cortex vulnerability to amyloid-β and tau spread beyond the medial temporal lobe. Given the implications for understanding AD risk, here we sought to replicate Hodgetts et al.‘s finding in a larger sample (N = 128; 40 APOE ε4 carriers, 88 APOE ε4 non-carriers) of young adults (age range = 19–33). Extending this work, we also conducted an exploratory analysis using a more advanced measure of white matter microstructure: hindrance modulated orientational anisotropy (HMOA). Contrary to the original study, we did not observe higher FA or lower MD in the PHCB of APOE ε4 carriers relative to non-carriers. Bayes factors (BFs) further revealed moderate-to-strong evidence in support of these null findings. In addition, we observed no APOE ε4-related differences in PHCB HMOA. Our findings indicate that young adult APOE ε4 carriers and non-carriers do not differ in PHCB microstructure, casting some doubt on the notion that early-life variation in PHCB tract microstructure might enhance vulnerability to amyloid-β accumulation and/or tau spread.

AbstractGrowing orogenic wedges cool rocks during exhumation of thrust hanging walls and heat them during burial of footwalls, leaving behind a resilient thermal record of earlier deformation in fold-thrust belts. In order to investigate early burial of deformed strata within the retroarc Idaho-Montana fold-thrust belt, we use Raman spectroscopy of carbonaceous material to construct a maximum temperature profile that constrains the thicknesses of eroded rocks structurally above the Lemhi arch, a pre-thrusting basement high. In the eastern portion of the study area, a sharp maximum temperature change of ~120°C occurs across the Johnson thrust, signifying that regional burial and heating predated late-stage faulting. West of here, cumulative exhumation is irregular, varying by up to 5 km over large (~75 km) wavelength folds; however, maximum temperatures in this same region are consistently ~200°C higher than correlative stratigraphic units in the adjacent foreland. The pre-thrusting, low-relief unconformity above the Lemhi arch, which served as the early décollement to the fold-thrust belt, was everywhere buried to at least ~6.5 km depth, which is ~1.5-5.0 km deeper than can be explained by stratigraphic burial. We hypothesize that between ~145 and 80 Ma, a combination of Cretaceous deposition and folding and thrusting at higher structural levels buried the décollement of the Medicine Lodge-McKenzie thrust system to this depth. These results suggest that the early orogenic wedge had exceptionally low taper. We propose that thin strata over the low-relief Lemhi arch limited the availability of potential décollements, which restricted the maximum surface slope that could be constructed in a thin-skinned system. Subsequent growth of the orogenic wedge required activation of a much deeper décollement and a switch to a thick-skinned structural style, promoting a shift from burial to exhumation of the former décollement and the underlying Lemhi arch. This suggests that the growth of an orogenic wedge is dependent on the thicknesses of the preexisting strata and the availability of potential décollements, with sedimentation and burial heating potentially playing a key role.

It is estimated that in the human brain, short association fibres (SAF) represent more than half of the total white matter volume and their involvement has been implicated in a range of neurological and psychiatric conditions. This population of fibres, however, remains relatively understudied in the neuroimaging literature. Some of the challenges pertinent to the mapping of SAF include their variable anatomical course and proximity to the cortical mantle, leading to partial volume effects and potentially affecting streamline trajectory estimation. This work considers the impact of seeding and filtering strategies and choice of scanner, acquisition, data resampling to propose a whole-brain, surface-based short (≤30–40 mm) SAF tractography approach. The framework is shown to produce longer streamlines with a predilection for connecting gyri as well as high cortical coverage. We further demonstrate that certain areas of subcortical white matter become disproportionally underrepresented in diffusion-weighted MRI data with lower angular and spatial resolution and weaker diffusion weighting; however, collecting data with stronger gradients than are usually available clinically has minimal impact, making our framework translatable to data collected on commonly available hardware. Finally, the tractograms are examined using voxel- and surface-based measures of consistency, demonstrating moderate reliability, low repeatability and high between-subject variability, urging caution when streamline count-based analyses of SAF are performed.

Abstract Background Urban areas are often built along large rivers and surrounded by agricultural land. This may lead to small tributary streams that have agricultural headwaters and urbanized lower reaches. Our study objectives assessed are as follows: (1) landscape, geomorphic, and water quality variables that best explained variation in aquatic communities and their integrity in a stream system following this agricultural-to-urban land use gradient; (2) ways this land use gradient caused aquatic communities to differ from what would be expected for an idealized natural stream or other longitudinal gradients; and (3) whether the impacts of this land use gradient on aquatic communities would grow larger in a downstream direction through the agricultural and urban developments. Our study area was an impaired coldwater stream in Michigan, USA. Results Many factors structured the biological communities along the agricultural-to-urban land use gradient. Instream woody debris had the strongest relationship with EPT (Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, and Trichoptera) abundance and richness and were most common in the lower, urbanized watershed. Fine streambed substrate had the strongest relationship with Diptera taxa and surface air breather macroinvertebrates and was dominant in agricultural headwaters. Fish community assemblage was influenced largely by stream flow and temperature regimes, while poor fish community integrity in lower urban reaches could be impacted by geomorphology and episodic urban pollution events. Scraping macroinvertebrates were most abundant in deforested, first-order agricultural headwaters, while EPT macroinvertebrate richness was the highest downstream of agricultural areas within the urban zone that had extensive forest buffers. Conclusion Environmental variables and aquatic communities would often not conform with what we would expect from an idealized natural stream. EPT richness improved downstream of agricultural areas. This shows promise for the recovery of aquatic systems using well-planned management in watersheds with this agricultural-to-urban land use pattern. Small patches of forest can be the key to conserving aquatic biodiversity in urbanized landscapes. These findings are valuable to an international audience of researchers and water resource managers who study stream systems following this common agricultural-to-urban land use gradient, the ecological communities of which may not conform with what is generally known about land use impacts to streams.