A Dental Analysis of the South Dakota Arikara Including a Comparative Analysis of C. G. Turner\u27s 1967 \u3cem\u3eThe Dentition of Arctic Peoples\u3c/em\u3e

A metric and non-metric dental trait analysis was performed on the South Dakota Arikara population housed at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Fifty-one male, female, and sex indeterminable individual skeletons from the Larson, Leavenworth, Mobridge, and Sully excavations were examined for standard metric and non-metric dental traits. These data were subjected to standard chi-square analyses in order to test for statistically significant sexual dimorphism. Significant sexual dimorphism was found on the basis of many of the metric dental traits. Several non-metric dental traits also exhibited significant sexual dimorphism. This analysis was then compared to C.G. Turner\u27s Arctic populations data and other analyses based on standard dental traits. The South Dakota Arikara data were similar to data obtained from other Asian-derived populations, but differed significantly from data obtained from African-derived and European-derived populations. Instances of non-metric dental trait sexual dimorphism may be traced to studies linking metric and non-metric dental trait sexual dimorphism to developmental dental genetics

Thermogenesis in plants: the mode of heating and regulation in hot flowers

Thermogenesis or self heating in plants has been known to scientists for more than 100 years. It occurs across a number of different plant families, most commonly in the Araceae family, however questions remain as to which tissues heat, the heating mechanisms and the respiratory substrates used for heating in the majority of species. Heat production is thought to occur via the alternative oxidase (AOX), the plant uncoupling protein (pUCP), or perhaps a combination of the two. In this study four thermogenic plant species were investigated: three species from the Araceae family, Amorphophallus titanum, Dracunculus vulgaris and Philodendron bipinnatifidum; and one from Nelumbonaceae, Nelumbo nucifera. Nelumbo nucifera receptacles, petals and stamens were all found to heat independently of one another. The receptacle heated most above non-thermogenic tissue temperature (8.1 1.9C), stamens intermediate and petals the least (2.8 4.2C). In P. bipinnatifidum both the sterile male florets and the fertile male florets heated independently, whilst the female florets did not heat. Heating in fertile male florets was characterised by a pattern similar to sterile male florets but with a lower mean peak temperature, regulated at 35.7ºC; compared with the sterile male peak temperature which was regulated at \u3e 40°C. The sterile and fertile male florets continued to heat more than 10°C above laboratory temperature (22°C) for up to 30 hrs following removal from the plant. The pattern of heating (a peak, followed by a dip and then a regulatory plateau) continued despite removal from the plant indicating that all resources for the thermogenic phase are within the florets themselves. The male florets of D. vulgaris heated 5.6 ± 0.9°C above ambient while the appendix did not heat despite high respiratory flux values. Unlike the male florets, the large appendix is not insulated by the spathe, thus it is possible that heat loss exceeds heat production in the appendix of this species. AOX protein was found in the thermogenic tissues of all study species during the thermogenic period. In N. nucifera, D. vulgaris and P. bipinnatifidum there was a significant increase in AOX protein with the onset of thermogenesis in thermogenic tissues and a significant decrease at the end of the thermogenic period. In contrast, the non-thermogenic female florets of P. bipinnatifidum showed little change in AOX protein levels during floral development. In vivo flux through the AOX pathway in N. nucifera and P. bipinnatifidum was quantified using stable oxygen isotope methodology and a significant positive relationship between AOX flux and the amount of heating above ambient was confirmed. During the thermogenic period AOX flux accounted for up to 99% of the total flux in P. bipinnatifidum and 93% in N. nucifera. The localisation of AOX protein in the various floral parts and possible evolutionary rationale is discussed. Amino acid sequencing of the N. nucifera receptacle AOX protein revealed two isoforms, NnAOX1a and NnAOX1b. In both isoforms, the N-terminal regulatory cysteine residue found in most plant AOXs was replaced with a serine residue. Accordingly, the protein was activated by succinate, not the α-keto acid pyruvate, and the majority of protein could not be oxidised with diamide. Similarly, the majority of AOX protein isolated from N. nucifera petals and stamens could not be oxidised by diamide either, suggesting that AOX in these tissues also lacks the first regulatory cysteine. By contrast, AOX from P. bipinnatifidum fertile male and sterile male florets could be partly oxidised while AOX from the non-thermogenic female florets was almost fully oxidised by diamide. Functional differences between AOX from thermogenic and non-thermogenic tissues are discussed. Plant uncoupling proteins were not detected in N. nucifera or A. titanum tissues. In P. bipinnatifidum, pUCPs were detected in both thermogenic and non-thermogenic tissues, however there was no significant change in pUCP expression during floral development in any tissue. Flux through the energy conserving COX (cytochrome oxidase) pathway was not correlated with heating or COX protein levels. The lack of change in either flux through the COX pathway or pUCP expression during thermogenesis, as well as the extremely high fluxes through the AOX pathway during peak heating events suggests that pUCPs are unlikely to contribute to heating in these species. Lipids and carbohydrates were investigated as possible substrates for thermogenesis. In N. nucifera floral tissues carbohydrates decreased by 90% during the thermogenic period while lipids remained stable, suggesting that carbohydrates, not lipids, are the respiratory substrate in this species. In P. bipinnatifidum, storage lipids (triaclyglycerides) in sterile male florets significantly decreased, while lipids in the fertile male florets were low and did not significantly change during thermogenesis. Conversely, fertile male florets had significantly higher concentrations of starch than sterile male florets. Starch concentration in fertile male florets decreased by 82% during the thermogenic period while there was no change in the sterile male florets. In this species it appears that both lipids and carbohydrates are used as respiratory substrates for thermogenesis. Advancing our understanding of the physiology and biochemistry of several thermogenic and thermoregulatory plant species, this study provides compelling evidence that AOX, rather than pUCP, plays a role in thermogenesis in the species studied. The methods utilised could be used to identify the involvement of the AOX pathway in other thermogenic species and thus further our knowledge of plant respiration in general

Maine\u27s Salt Marshes: Their Functions, Values, and Restoration

This illustrated resource booklet for Maine residents educates the reader about the properties and functions of salt marshes. It also facilitates leadership and participation in restoration efforts by providing information for further resources

Agricultural innovations for sustainable crop production intensification

Sustainable crop production intensification should be the first strategic objective of innovative agronomic research for the next 40 years. A range of options exist (often very location specific) for farming practices, approaches and technologies that ensure sustainability, while at the same time improving crop production. The main challenge is to encourage farmers in the use of appropriate technologies, and to ensure that knowledge about sound production practices is increasingly accepted and applied by farmers. There is a huge, but underutilized potential to link farmers' local knowledge with science-based innovations, through favourable institutional arrangements. The same holds for the design, implementation and monitoring of improved natural resource management that links community initiatives to external expertise. It is also suggested that a comprehensive effort be undertaken to measure different stages of the innovation system, including technological adoption and diffusion at the farm level, and to investigate the impact of agricultural policies on technological change and technical efficiency. This paper provides a brief review of agronomic management practices that support sustainable crop production system and evidence on developments in the selection of crops and cultivars; describes farming systems for crop which take a predominantly ecosystem approach; discusses the scientific application of ecosystem principles for the management of pest and weed populations; reviews the improvements in fertilizer and nutrient management that explain productivity growth; describes the benefits and constraints of irrigation technologies; and suggests a way forward. Seven changes in the context for agricultural development are proposed that heighten the need to examine how innovation occurs in the agricultural sector

Defining Sedation-Related Adverse Events in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit

Background Clinical trials exploring optimal sedation management in critically ill pediatric patients are urgently needed to improve both short- and long-term outcomes. Concise operational definitions that define and provide best-available estimates of sedation-related adverse events (AE) in the pediatric population are fundamental to this line of inquiry. Objectives To perform a multiphase systematic review of the literature to identify, define, and provide estimates of sedation-related AEs in the pediatric ICU setting for use in a multicenter clinical trial. Methods In Phase One, we identified and operationally defined the AE. OVID-MEDLINE and CINAHL databases were searched from January 1998 to January 2012. Key terms included sedation, intensive and critical care. We limited our search to data-based clinical trials from neonatal to adult age. In Phase Two, we replicated the search strategy for all AEs and identified pediatric-specific AE rates. Results We reviewed 20 articles identifying sedation-related adverse events and 64 articles on the pediatric-specific sedation-related AE. A total of eleven sedation-related AEs were identified, operationally defined and estimated pediatric event rates were derived. AEs included: inadequate sedation management, inadequate pain management, clinically significant iatrogenic withdrawal, unplanned endotracheal tube extubation, post-extubation stridor with chest-wall retractions at rest, extubation failure, unplanned removal of invasive tubes, ventilator-associated pneumonia, catheter-associated bloodstream infection, Stage II+ pressure ulcers and new tracheostomy. Conclusions Concise operational definitions that defined and provided best-available event rates of sedation-related AEs in the pediatric population are presented. Uniform reporting of adverse events will improve subject and patient safety

General practice palliative care: Patient and carer expectations, advance care plans and place of death-a systematic review

Background: With an increasing ageing population in most countries, the role of general practitioners (GPs) and general practice nurses (GPNs) in providing optimal end of life (EoL) care is increasingly important. Objective: To explore: (1) patient and carer expectations of the role of GPs and GPNs at EoL; (2) GPs’ and GPNs’ contribution to advance care planning (ACP) and (3) if primary care involvement allows people to die in the place of preference. Method: Systematic literature review. Data sources: Papers from 2000 to 2017 were sought from Medline, Psychinfo, Embase, Joanna Briggs Institute and Cochrane databases. Results: From 6209 journal articles, 51 papers were relevant. Patients and carers expect their GPs to be competent in all aspects of palliative care. They valued easy access to their GP, a multidisciplinary approach to care and well-coordinated and informed care. They also wanted their care team to communicate openly, honestly and empathically, particularly as the patient deteriorated. ACP and the involvement of GPs were important factors which contributed to patients being cared for and dying in their preferred place. There was no reference to GPNs in any paper identified. Conclusions: Patients and carers prefer a holistic approach to care. This review shows that GPs have an important role in ACP and that their involvement facilitates dying in the place of preference. Proactive identification of people approaching EoL is likely to improve all aspects of care, including planning and communicating about EoL. More work outlining the role of GPNs in end of life care is required

Testing a Model of Minority Identity Achievement, Identity Affirmation and Psychological Well-Being among Ethnic Minority and Sexual Minority Individuals

How is social identity related to psychological well-being among minority individuals? Drawing on developmental models of identity formation (e.g., Erikson, 1968) and on Social Identity Theory (Tajfel & Turner, 1979), we tested a conceptual model examining links between two key aspects of social identity and psychological well-being. We proposed that the association between identity achievement (exploring and understanding the meaning of one\u27s identity) and psychological well-being is mediated by identity affirmation (developing positive feelings and a sense of belonging to one\u27s social group). Across three studies, including ethnic minority high school students (Study 1), ethnic minority college students (Study 2) and lesbian and gay male adults (Study 3), we found strong support for the model. Results suggest that the process of exploring and understanding one\u27s minority identity can serve as an important basis for developing positive feelings toward and an enhanced sense of attachment to the group, which can in turn confer psychological benefits for minority individuals. Implications and directions for future research are discussed