Use of a Simulated Tumor Board to Teach Oncology and Multidisciplinary Collaboration to Pre-clinical Medical Students.

There is a need to teach interdisciplinary education in undergraduate medical education to encourage the fundamentals of teamwork and communication for enhanced patient outcomes. This report describes a novel interdisciplinary education session in the form of a simulated multidisciplinary oncology tumor board (TB) for pre-clinical medical students. Goals included the following: review of select pre-clinical lung cancer learning points, demonstration of diagnostic techniques relevant to the workup of lung cancer, and exposition of multidisciplinary and interprofessional teamwork.

Bone microstructure supports a Mesozoic origin for a semiaquatic burrowing lifestyle in monotremes (Mammalia).

The platypus and four echidna species are the only living egg-laying mammals and the sole extant representatives of Order Monotremata. The platypus and echidnas are very disparate both morphologically and ecologically: The platypus is a specialized semiaquatic burrowing form that forages for freshwater invertebrates, whereas echidnas are fully terrestrial and adapted for feeding on social insects and earthworms. It has been proposed that echidnas evolved from a semiaquatic, platypus-like ancestor, but fossil evidence for such a profound evolutionary transformation has been lacking, and this hypothesis remains controversial.

LungGENIE: the lung gene-expression and network imputation engine.

Background: Few cohorts have study populations large enough to conduct molecular analysis of ex vivo lung tissue for genomic analyses. Transcriptome imputation is a non-invasive alternative with many potential applications. We present a novel transcriptome-imputation method called the Lung Gene Expression and Network Imputation Engine (LungGENIE) that uses principal components from blood gene-expression levels in a linear regression model to predict lung tissue-specific gene-expression.

An anthropomorphic diagnosis system of pulmonary nodules using weak annotation-based deep learning.

The accurate categorization of lung nodules in CT scans is an essential aspect in the prompt detection and diagnosis of lung cancer. The categorization of grade and texture for nodules is particularly significant since it can aid radiologists and clinicians to make better-informed decisions concerning the management of nodules. However, currently existing nodule classification techniques have a singular function of nodule classification and rely on an extensive amount of high-quality annotation data, which does not meet the requirements of clinical practice.

Ancient genomes reveal over two thousand years of dingo population structure.

Dingoes are culturally and ecologically important free-living canids whose ancestors arrived in Australia over 3,000 B.P., likely transported by seafaring people.

An Anthropomorphic Diagnosis System of Pulmonary Nodules using Weak Annotation-Based Deep Learning.

Purpose: To develop an anthropomorphic diagnosis system of pulmonary nodules (PN) based on Deep learning (DL) that is trained by weak annotation data and has comparable performance to full-annotation based diagnosis systems.

Methods: The proposed system uses deep learning (DL) models to classify PNs (benign vs. malignant) with weak annotations, which eliminates the need for time-consuming and labor-intensive manual annotations of PNs.

Translatability of findings from cynomolgus monkey to human suggests a mechanistic role for IL-21 in promoting immunogenicity to an anti-PD-1/IL-21 mutein fusion protein.

AMG 256 is a bi-specific, heteroimmunoglobulin molecule with an anti-PD-1 antibody domain and a single IL-21 mutein domain on the C-terminus. Nonclinical studies in cynomolgus monkeys revealed that AMG 256 administration led to the development of immunogenicity-mediated responses and indicated that the IL-21 mutein domain of AMG 256 could enhance the anti-drug antibody response directed toward the monoclonal antibody domain. Anti-AMG 256 IgE were also observed in cynomolgus monkeys.

A geometric morphometric analysis of variation in Australian frog ilia and taxonomic interpretations.

Anurans including frogs and toads exhibit an ilium that is often regarded as taxonomically diagnostic. The ilium, one of the three paired bones that make up the pelvic girdle, has been important in the fossil record for identifying anuran morphotypes. Osteological collections for Australian frogs are rare in herpetological museums, and skeletonizing whole-bodied specimens requires destroying soft tissue morphology which is valuable to anuran specialists working on living species.

Patterns of ontogenetic evolution across extant marsupials reflect different allometric pathways to ecomorphological diversity.

The relatively high level of morphological diversity in Australasian marsupials compared to that observed among American marsupials remains poorly understood. We undertake a comprehensive macroevolutionary analysis of ontogenetic allometry of American and Australasian marsupials to examine whether the contrasting levels of morphological diversity in these groups are reflected in their patterns of allometric evolution. We collate ontogenetic series for 62 species and 18 families of marsupials (n = 2091 specimens), spanning across extant marsupial diversity.

Xenorhinos bhatnagari sp. nov., a new, nasal-emitting trident bat (Rhinonycteridae, Rhinolophoidea) from early Miocene forests in northern Australia.

A new Old World trident bat (Rhinonycteridae) is described from an early Miocene cave deposit in the Riversleigh World Heritage Area, northwestern Queensland, Australia. Living rhinonycterids comprise a small family of insect-eating, nasal-emitting rhinolophoid bats from Africa, Madagascar, Seychelles, the Middle East, and northern Australia. The new fossil species is one of at least 12 rhinonycterid species known from the Oligo-Miocene cave deposits at Riversleigh.

Sheath-tailed bats (Chiroptera: Emballonuridae) from the early Pleistocene Rackham's Roost Site, Riversleigh World Heritage Area, and the distribution of northern Australian emballonurid species.

Sheath-tailed bats (Family Emballonuridae) from the early Pleistocene Rackham's Roost Site cave deposit in the Riversleigh World Heritage Area, north-western Queensland are the oldest recorded occurrence for the family in Australia. The fossil remains consist of maxillary and dentary fragments, as well as isolated teeth, but until now their precise identity has not been assessed. Our study indicates that at least three taxa are represented, and these are distinguished from other Australian emballonurids based on morphometric analysis of craniodental features.

Natural Compound α-PGG and Its Synthetic Derivative 6Cl-TGQ Alter Insulin Secretion: Evidence for Diminishing Glucose Uptake as a Mechanism.

Purpose: Previously we showed that natural compound α-penta-galloyl-glucose (α-PGG) and its synthetic derivative 6-chloro-6-deoxy-1,2,3,4-tetra-O-galloyl-α-D-glucopyranose (6Cl-TGQ) act to improve insulin signaling in adipocytes by increasing glucose transport. In this study, we investigated the mechanism of actions of α-PGG and 6Cl-TGQ on insulin secretion.

Methods: Mouse islets and/or INS-1832/13 beta-cells were used to test the effects of our compounds on glucose-stimulated insulin secretion (GSIS), intracellular calcium [Ca] using fura-2AM, glucose transport activity via a radioactive glucose uptake assay, intracellular ATP/ADP, and extracellular acidification (ECAR) and mitochondrial oxygen consumption rates (OCAR) using Seahorse metabolic analysis.

Global elongation and high shape flexibility as an evolutionary hypothesis of accommodating mammalian brains into skulls.

Little is known about how the large brains of mammals are accommodated into the dazzling diversity of their skulls. It has been suggested that brain shape is influenced by relative brain size, that it evolves or develops according to extrinsic or intrinsic mechanical constraints, and that its shape can provide insights into its proportions and function. Here, we characterize the shape variation among 84 marsupial cranial endocasts of 57 species including fossils, using three-dimensional geometric morphometrics and virtual dissections.

Siderophore-Assisted Dissolution of Iron(III) Hydroxide Oxides from Iron-Rich Fossil Matrices.

Current paleontological techniques to separate vertebrate fossils from encasing iron-rich cements by chemical means are limited by the low solubility of common iron(III) hydroxide oxides such as hematite and goethite. This study examines novel geochemical extractions capable of selectively dissolving iron(III) hydroxide oxides, in aqueous solutions of pH 9-11, without damaging fossilised bones or teeth (hydroxidecarbonate-apatite). This involves the siderophore ligands pyridoxal isonicotinoyl hydrazone (PIH), salicylaldehyde isonicotinoyl hydrazone (SIH), and acetohydroxamic acid (aHA), whose coordination complexes with iron(III) show exceptionally high formation stability constants.

Quantitatively assessing mekosuchine crocodile locomotion by geometric morphometric and finite element analysis of the forelimb.

Morphological shifts observed in the fossil record of a lineage potentially indicate concomitant shifts in ecology of that lineage. Mekosuchine crocodiles of Cenozoic Australia display departures from the typical eusuchian body-plan both in the cranium and postcranium. Previous qualitative studies have suggested that these crocodiles had a more terrestrial habitus than extant crocodylians, yet the capacity of mekosuchine locomotion remains to be tested.

A new family of diprotodontian marsupials from the latest Oligocene of Australia and the evolution of wombats, koalas, and their relatives (Vombatiformes).

We describe the partial cranium and skeleton of a new diprotodontian marsupial from the late Oligocene (~26-25 Ma) Namba Formation of South Australia. This is one of the oldest Australian marsupial fossils known from an associated skeleton and it reveals previously unsuspected morphological diversity within Vombatiformes, the clade that includes wombats (Vombatidae), koalas (Phascolarctidae) and several extinct families. Several aspects of the skull and teeth of the new taxon, which we refer to a new family, are intermediate between members of the fossil family Wynyardiidae and wombats.

Does Tweeting Improve Citations? One-Year Results From the TSSMN Prospective Randomized Trial.

Background: The Thoracic Surgery Social Media Network (TSSMN) is a collaborative effort of leading journals in cardiothoracic surgery to highlight publications via social media. This study aims to evaluate the 1-year results of a prospective randomized social media trial to determine the effect of tweeting on subsequent citations and nontraditional bibliometrics.

Methods: A total of 112 representative original articles were randomized 1:1 to be tweeted via TSSMN or a control (non-tweeted) group.

Evaluation of Residues in Hen Eggs After Exposure of Laying Hens to Water Containing Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances.

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have been used in aqueous film-forming foams used in firefighting, resulting in soil and groundwater contamination and leading to human exposure via animal products grown in contaminated areas. The present study reports the relationship between PFAS intake by hens and the PFAS concentrations in the edible parts of eggs. Laying hens were exposed via drinking water to different concentrations of 4 PFAS compounds (perfluorooctane sulfonate [PFOS], perfluorohexane sulfonate [PFHxS], perfluorooctanoic acid [PFOA], and perfluorohexanoic acid) over 61 d.

The Burramys Project: a conservationist's reach should exceed history's grasp, or what is the fossil record for?

The fossil record provides important information about changes in species diversity, distribution, habitat and abundance through time. As we understand more about these changes, it becomes possible to envisage a wider range of options for translocations in a world where sustainability of habitats is under increasing threat. The Critically Endangered alpine/subalpine mountain pygmy-possum, (Marsupialia, Burramyidae), is threatened by global heating.