An Assessment of the Limitations of Macroscopic Lithic Raw Material Identification and Parent Nodule Assignment within Archaeological Contexts in Minnesota and an Analysis of Lithic Raw Material Utilization at 21LN2

University of Minnesota M.A. thesis. May 2013. Major: Anthropology. Advisor: Katherine Hayes. 1 computer file (PDF); ix, 199 pages.The objective of this study was twofold; one, test the limitations of macroscopic lithic raw material identification and parent nodule assignment with regard to materials commonly identified within prehistoric contexts in Minnesota (the secondary study); and two, assess the lithic raw material utilization at 21LN2 (the primary study). The initial results of the secondary study indicate that macroscopic observation can be an effective method with regard to differentiating and identifying lithic raw material types commonly encountered at archaeological sites in Minnesota. The results also suggest that Minimum Analytical Nodule Analysis should be quite applicable to most lithic assemblages identified at archaeological sites in Minnesota. The results of the primary study demonstrate that the prehistoric inhabitants of 21LN2 operated within a vast sphere of interaction and relied heavily upon local and non-local lithic resources. Indications are that the Law of Least Effort does not adequately describe the procurement pattern found at 21LN2. Non-locally procured raw materials tend to exhibit a higher degree of curation and retooling appears to have been an important aspect of the lithic industry at the site. The results of the study also demonstrate that high quality raw materials of non-local provenience were, in general, reduced more efficiently and retouched with greater intensity than other raw material types identified at the site

Variation in pepper pungency as a factor in the quality of process cheese with jalapeno peppers

Call number: LD2668 .T4 1979 D66Master of Scienc

TSPO: kaleidoscopic 18-kDa amid biochemical pharmacology, control and targeting of mitochondria

The 18-kDa translocator protein (TSPO) localizes in the outer mitochondrial membrane (OMM) of cells and is readily up-regulated under various pathological conditions such as cancer, inflammation, mechanical lesions and neurological diseases. Able to bind with high affinity synthetic and endogenous ligands, its core biochemical function resides in the translocation of cholesterol into the mitochondria influencing the subsequent steps of (neuro-)steroid synthesis and systemic endocrine regulation. Over the years, however, TSPO has also been linked to core cellular processes such as apoptosis and autophagy. It interacts and forms complexes with other mitochondrial proteins such as the voltage-dependent anion channel (VDAC) via which signalling and regulatory transduction of these core cellular events may be influenced. Despite nearly 40 years of study, the precise functional role of TSPO beyond cholesterol trafficking remains elusive even though the recent breakthroughs on its high-resolution crystal structure and contribution to quality-control signalling of mitochondria. All this along with a captivating pharmacological profile provides novel opportunities to investigate and understand the significance of this highly conserved protein as well as contribute the development of specific therapeutics as presented and discussed in the present review

Starting with the end in mind:recommendations to optimize implementation of a novel TBI classification from the 2024 NINDS TBI Classification and Nomenclature Workshop's Knowledge to Practice Working Group

The Knowledge to Practice Working Group (K2P WG) was one of six expert groups convened in early 2023 to plan the 2024 National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke Traumatic brain injury (TBI) Classification and Nomenclature Workshop. Recognizing that implementation of revised classification systems is essential to achieve intended impact, the K2P WG’s key aims were to foster shared understanding of knowledge translation (KT), build capacity for implementation of a revised TBI classification system, identify and prioritize KT actions, implementation steps and audiences; and make recommendations to advance implementation. The cornerstone of this work was a focused survey to identify “who needs to do what differently,” while prioritizing potential implementation actions. Survey findings, dialogue with other working groups, stakeholder discussions, and public feedback were also utilized to support implementation of the revised Clinical, Biomarker, Imaging-Modifiers and retrospective TBI classification system. Forty researchers across five working groups responded to the survey (Response Rate = 59.7%). Fifty-two unique implementation actions were identified. The top 15 priorities across the five working groups comprised six pertaining to clinical practice (e.g., change Glasgow Coma Scale [GCS] assessment); seven focusing on research (e.g., develop tools for measuring psychological and environmental factors); and one each on lived experience (simplified language for patients and families) and other settings (insurance company support for biomarker testing). Twenty-seven stakeholder groups and 18 target settings were identified as being most impacted by the revised classification system. Key recommendations included: develop guidelines based on systematic reviews, clearly explain the rationale for the change, develop implementation toolkits with input from all stakeholders, and embed the new classification in a learning health system database to facilitate implementation strategies based on audits, feedback, and cost-effectiveness analyses.</p

Clinical assessment on days 1–14 for the characterization of traumatic brain injury: recommendations from the 2024 NINDS traumatic brain injury classification and nomenclature initiative clinical/symptoms working group

The current classification of traumatic brain injury (TBI) primarily uses the Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) to categorize injuries as mild (GCS 13-15), moderate (GCS 9-12), or severe (GCS ≤8). However, this system is unsatisfactory, as it overlooks variations in injury severity, clinical needs, and prognosis. A recent report by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (USA) recommended updating the classification system, leading to a workshop in 2024 by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. This resulted in the development of a new clinical, biomarker, imaging, and modifier (CBI-M) framework, with input from six working groups, including the Clinical/Symptoms Working Group (CSWG). The CSWG included both clinical and non-clinical experts and was informed by individuals with lived experience of TBI and public consultation. The CSWG primarily focused on acute clinical assessment of TBI in hospital settings, with discussion and recommendations based on pragmatic expert reviews of literature. Key areas reviewed included: assessment of neurological status; performance-based assessment tools; age and frailty, pre-existing comorbidities, and prior medication; extracranial injuries; neuroworsening; early physiological insults; and physiological monitoring in critical care. This article reports their discussions and recommendations. The CSWG concluded that the GCS remains central to TBI characterization but must include detailed scoring of eye, verbal, and motor components, with identification of confounding factors and clear documentation of non-assessable components. Pupillary reactivity should be documented in all patients, but recorded separately from the GCS, rather than as an integrated GCS-Pupils score. At ceiling scores on the GCS (14/15), history of loss of consciousness (LoC) and the presence and duration of post-traumatic amnesia should be recorded using validated tools, and acute symptoms documented in patients with a GCS verbal score of 4/5 using standardized rating scales. Additional variables to consider for a more complete characterization of TBI include injury mechanism, acute physiological insults and seizures; and biopsychosocial-environmental factors (comorbidities, age, frailty, socioeconomic status, education, and employment). The CSWG recommended that, for a complete characterization of TBI, disease progression/resolution should be monitored over 14 days. While there was a good basis for the recommendations listed above, evidence for the use of other variables is still emerging. These include: detailed documentation of neurological deficits, vestibulo-oculomotor dysfunction, cognition, mental health symptoms, and (for hospitalized patients) data-driven integrated measures of physiological status and therapy intensity. These recommendations are based on expert consensus due to limited high-quality evidence. Further research is needed to validate and refine these guidelines, ensuring they can be effectively integrated into the CBI-M framework and clinical practice

A Spatial Characterization of Vegetative Composition, Landscape Structure, and Hydrology of the Yellow River Floodplain, Central Wisconsin

The Yellow River floodplain forest, like many floodplain ecosystems, is a unique and diverse landscape both in structure and in composition. Recent research has suggested that although ecological processes operating at local spatial scales are important, they may not be adequate to understand local species abundance and diversity, habitat fragmentation, and other biotic interactions. The objectives for this study were to determine (a) what types of communities exist, (b) how the assemblages are structured, (c) the structure and composition of the plant communities, and (d) to determine the pre- and post- dam hydrologic regime for a section of the Yellow River in central Wisconsin. In 2000, vegetative data were collected at four layers; overstory, intermediate, saplings, and seedlings. Data were collected at pre-determined plot locations along established transects that extended perpendicular from the river margin to the observed edge of the floodplain. Silver maple (Acer saccharinum), northern red oak (Quercus rubra), swamp white oak (Quercus bicolor), red maple (Acer rubrum), and green ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica) were found to comprise 64% of the co-dominant overstory that contained 18 species. The intermediate layer was comprised of 15 species with one species, black cherry (Prunus serotina), that was rare and did not occur within the overstory. At 30% of the sample plots, no intermediate layer was present. The seedling and sapling layers were comprised of 15 and 7 species, respectively. Regeneration was largely inadequate for most species and sparse for the entire landscape. It appears that the sparse regeneration was due to the high level of the canopy cover. Ninety-six species were found in the herbaceous layer. Thirty of these species occurred in ≥ 5% of the sample plot locations with the most frequent being violet spp. (Viola spp.), bristly greenbrier (Smilax pseudochina), stinging nettle (Urtica dioica), and touch-me-nots (Impatiens spp.) –all light generalists. To elucidated species patterns within the floodplain, two principal component analyses were performed using SAS statistical software. The first principal component analyses of the overstory and intermediate layers indicated that 69% of the variance was accounted for by the first eight components. The second principal component analysis of the sapling and seedling layers indicated that 58% of the variation could be accounted for by the first six principal components. The patterns detected indicate that species with similar flood tolerances appeared to occur within the same plot locations. Despite this possible interpretation of the species patterns, several environmental factors not included in this study are most likely contributing to the structure and therefore it is difficult to determine the driving force behind those patterns. FRAGSTATS*ARC analyses on two coverages, patch types and structural components, indicate that there are three community types, silver maple, oak, and mixed deciduous, that occupy 58% of the floodplain. These communities are mostly dense, mature forests. In 1965, the Dexterville Dam was constructed on the Yellow River located in central Wisconsin. Using the statistical package, Indicators of Hydrologic Alteration (IHA), analyses were conducted to determine if water flow had decreased or increased in frequency and duration from the time the dam was erected. Daily streamflow data, reported in cubic feet / second (cfs), collected from 1944–2000, were acquired from the Babcock water station (number 05402000), located five miles downstream from the dam. A pre-impact and a post-impact period were established and defined as 1944-1965 and 1966-2000, respectively. Results indicate flood events, as defined by the high pulse, occurred at approximately the same time of the year with April being the peak flood month. The median high pulse was 385.1 cfs (10.9 cms) pre-impact and 524.0 cfs (14.8 cms) post-impact, an increase of 138.9 cfs (3.93 cms). Maximum water flow within a 3-day period increased 60.0 cfs (1.7 cms). The frequency of low and high pulses indicated that approximately the same number of days are affected each time period, but the duration and frequency has changed, especially for the low pulses. These events had a duration of 14.3 days pre-dam and 5.0 days post-dam and a frequency that changed from five to two times per year. Additionally, the rise and fall rate increased as well as the number of times per year that the water flow changed from rising to falling or visa versa, which was 17% greater post-impact. Results from this study indicate that water flows have increased since the construction of the dam. This increase in flow could have negative implications for the regeneration and succession of floodplain tree species and on animal species that utilize the floodplain for feeding or nesting grounds. Precipitation records from 1903-2001 were analyzed using a Wilcoxon-Mann- Whitney non-parametric test. The result indicated that there has been a significant increase in the precipitation amount (p=0.0291) for the Yellow River study area. Although precipitation increased, flow characteristics such as the rise and fall rates, reversals, and durations are more likely to have been altered by dam fragmentation. These measurements can have a major influence on the vegetation, sedimentation, and geomorphology in a system. This suggests that the hydrologic changes observed are most likely influenced by both climatic differences as well as the dam modification to the system. Although extensive data on vegetation have been collected within the Yellow River study area, the results indicate that dams have landscape-level effects that are difficult to predict and interpret due to the variations in the hydrologic regime. To better understand the river and its adjoining floodplain, more research is needed that further addresses other features such as topography, ground cover (litter, soil and woody debris), elevation (changes observed throughout the floodplain in association with levees and oxbows), landscape metrics on nearest neighbors (similar patches adjacent to each other), sediment load, and channel morphology in the Yellow River or similar floodplain ecosystems