Chaos theory and its applications in forensic anthropology.

Chaos theory, initially developed by Edward Lorenz, a mathematician and meteorologist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, has evolved from a theory of the natural and physical sciences to a theory that has broad, interdisciplinary applications. Fundamentally, chaos theory connects various scientific disciplines by explaining how seemingly random behaviors that happen in non-linear or "chaotic" systems, no matter how minor, can lead to major consequences. While forensic anthropology is often considered an a-theoretical subfield of anthropology, the discipline has witnessed a proliferation of theoretical publications in recent years.

Serotonin 5-HT and 5-HT receptors differentially modulate the acquisition and expression of voluntary alcohol drinking in male mice.

Introduction: Studies suggest that serotonin (5-HT) plays an important role in alcohol use disorder (AUD). While several receptor subtypes modulate the role of 5-HT in AUD, evidence suggests that 5-HT and 5-HT receptors may be directly involved in alcohol drinking due to their interaction with the mesolimbic dopaminergic system. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of 5-HT and 5-HT antagonists, alone or in combination, on the acquisition and expression (i.

Durotaxis is a driver and potential therapeutic target in lung fibrosis and metastatic pancreatic cancer.

Durotaxis, cell migration along stiffness gradients, is linked to embryonic development, tissue repair and disease. Despite solid in vitro evidence, its role in vivo remains largely speculative. Here we demonstrate that durotaxis actively drives disease progression in vivo in mouse models of lung fibrosis and metastatic pancreatic cancer.

Sex differences in near-infrared spectroscopy reactive hyperemia: Influence of adipose tissue and desaturation rate.

Unlabelled: Sex differences in near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) reactive hyperemia outcomes have been previously reported, with females generally having a lower reperfusion slope. Sex differences have also been reported for adipose tissue thickness (ATT), which affects the NIRS signal, and desaturation during occlusion, which may act on reperfusion slopes. We aimed to compare statistically adjusted and unadjusted sex differences in reperfusion slope during reactive hyperemia.

Genomic resequencing unravels species differentiation and polyploid origins in the aquatic plant genus Trapa.

Trapa L. is a non-cereal aquatic crop with significant economic and ecological value. However, debates over its classification have caused uncertainties in species differentiation and the mechanisms of polyploid speciation.

Convergent evolution of -facilitated root nodule symbiosis.

The origin and phylogenetic distribution of symbiotic associations between nodulating angiosperms and nitrogen-fixing bacteria have long intrigued biologists. Recent comparative evolutionary analyses have yielded alternative hypotheses: a multistep pathway of independent gains and losses of root nodule symbiosis vs. a single gain followed by numerous losses.

Bayesian inversion for hurricane parameters based on underwater ambient noise levels.

A method is presented for determining the significant parameters, maximum wind speed and radius of maximum wind speed, of the surface winds associated with a hurricane. The method is based on Bayesian inversion, using Markov chain Monte Carlo sampling. Underwater acoustic measurements are used to estimate parameters in the axisymmetric Holland model for hurricane surface winds.

Mitigating the black maternal morbidity and mortality crisis in the United States.

The issue of maternal morbidity and mortality is a highly urgent American health problem, with more than 50,000 women experiencing pregnancy complications each year. However, Black women are three times more likely to die because of pregnancy-related problems than White women in the United States (U.S.

Dog Tired: A Cross-Sectional Examination of the Relation Between Dog and/or Cat Ownership and Owners' Sleep.

Many behaviours which promote sleep overlap with the reported benefits of pet ownership. Research on pet ownership and sleep has predominately focused on co-sleeping with pets, leaving other pet ownership factors largely unexamined. The present study aimed to examine the relation between pet ownership and sleep as well as moderators and mediators of this relation.

Biological findings from a newly developed photo-identification catalog for the critically endangered Rice's whale (Balaenoptera ricei).

The Rice's whale is among the world's most endangered whales. It has a small population size, low genetic diversity, and is exposed to several anthropogenic threats. In this study, we compiled photographs taken from whale sightings during vessel-based research surveys conducted by the U.

Complete genome of isolate S11-599 from the brain of a silver carp () during a mass mortality event in the Mississippi river.

The complete genome of isolate S11-599 is presented, recovered from the brain of a silver carp () during a fish mortality event affecting invasive carp in the Mississippi River.

ClinicSum: Utilizing Language Models for Generating Clinical Summaries from Patient-Doctor Conversations.

This paper presents ClinicSum, a novel framework designed to automatically generate clinical summaries from patient-doctor conversations. It utilizes a two-module architecture: a retrieval-based filtering module that extracts Subjective, Objective, Assessment, and Plan (SOAP) information from conversation transcripts, and an inference module powered by fine-tuned Pre-trained Language Models (PLMs), which leverage the extracted SOAP data to generate abstracted clinical summaries. To fine-tune the PLM, we created a training dataset of consisting 1,473 conversations-summaries pair by consolidating two publicly available datasets, FigShare and MTS-Dialog, with ground truth summaries validated by Subject Matter Experts (SMEs).

Beginning of the End (BOTE) Sign in the Setting of Recurrent Molluscum Contagiosum in a Child.

Molluscum contagiosum (MC) is a common cutaneous viral infection predominantly affecting children. In this report, we present the case of a five-year-old male with recurrent MC who developed the beginning of the end (BOTE) sign, reflecting an inflammatory response that correlates with imminent lesion resolution. The patient's lesions were monitored without further intervention following the appearance of the BOTE sign, and complete resolution was documented in roughly two months.

Percutaneous Coronary Intervention Difficulty in Tortuous Coronary Anatomy: A Case Report.

One of the relatively common anatomical variants of coronary vessels that is often overlooked in clinical practice is coronary artery tortuosity (CAT). CAT can have a significant impact on coronary blood flow and procedural outcomes during percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). It is defined by bends, curves, or loops within the coronary vasculature that can lead to increased vascular resistance.

From Patient Consultations to Graphs: Leveraging LLMs for Patient Journey Knowledge Graph Construction.

The shift toward patient-centric healthcare requires understanding comprehensive patient journeys. Current healthcare data systems often fail to provide holistic representations, hindering coordinated care. Patient Journey Knowledge Graphs (PJKGs) solve this by integrating diverse patient information into unified, structured formats.

The intersection of infant substance exposure, foster care placement & child welfare policy.

Fetal exposure laws mandate child welfare system referral for infants exposed to substances. Though these laws are relatively common, examinations of the consequences of child welfare system involvement for infants exposed to substances are less frequent. The purpose of this paper was to examine the impact of out-of-home placement at 18 and 36 months for substance-exposed infants.

The Impact of Medical Cannabis Laws on Cannabis and Opioid Use Disorder Treatment and Overdose-Related Health Care Utilization Among Adults With Chronic Noncancer Pain.

Unlabelled: Policy Points Among patients with chronic noncancer pain, state medical cannabis laws did not impact health care use for opioid use disorder. There were no changes in health care use for opioid overdose attributable to medical cannabis laws. Medical cannabis laws do not appear to lead to reductions in adverse opioid-related outcomes.

Collaboration of DNP- and PhD-prepared faculty in an undergraduate nursing research course: Leaning on each other's strengths.

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) and Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) pathways offer distinct yet complementary approaches to nursing education and research that, when combined, can advance knowledge of nursing science among undergraduate students. Previous studies on DNP- and PhD-prepared nurse collaborations have focused on graduate students and faculty efforts to address practice needs together. However, there is minimal current literature that discusses this collaboration among undergraduate faculty.

The business of recovery: A novel pilot study psychosocial intervention to build self-efficacy and reduce relapse risk in adolescent substance use treatment.

Introduction: Relapse rates following adolescent substance use disorder (SUD) treatment remain high, highlighting a need for innovative interventions that improve engagement and target key psychosocial mechanisms of recovery. Drawing on Social Cognitive Theory, this pilot study evaluated a novel, strength-based Entrepreneurial Education Program (EEP) designed to reduce relapse risk by increasing self-efficacy, positive affect, and emotion regulation.

Methods: Twenty-seven adolescent males (M age = 15.

Community Violence Exposure and Fear in Schools: Paths to Suspension Following Community Violence Exposure in Early Childhood.

Background: Limited research has examined whether fear in schools contributes to relationships between community violence exposure and negative outcomes for children. This study aimed to explore the relationship between community violence exposure in early childhood and school suspension, examining whether fear in schools and teacher-reported externalizing behavior mediated this relationship.

Methods: Data from the LONGSCAN consortium and path models were used to examine the relationship between violence exposure at age six, fear in schools at age six, teacher-reported externalizing behaviors at age eight, and suspension ages 11-12.

Ethanol-mediated freeze-drying enables robust bacterial cellulose aerogels for enhanced drug loading and hemostasis dressing.

This work reports an ethanol-mediated freeze-drying (EMFD) strategy that enables the scalable production of high-performance bacterial cellulose aerogels (BCAs), effectively addressing key limitations of conventional methods such as supercritical drying and standard freeze-drying, including fragility, low mechanical strength, and high cost. Specifically, by replacing water in bacterial cellulose hydrogels (BCHs) with ethanol-water solution (EWs) prior to freeze-drying, the process limits ice crystal formation and reduces capillary forces and adhesion, thereby preserving structural integrity and enhancing mechanical properties. The effects of EWs concentration on BCA morphology, volume shrinkage, mechanical strength, and pore structure were systematically investigated.

Unraveling the Mechanism of Interfacial Charge Transfer and Photoresponsivity of WS Quantum Dots/MoS (0D-2D) Heterostructure-Based Transistors.

To assess the efficacy of a mixed-dimensional van der Waals (vdW) heterostructure in modulating the optoelectronic responses of nanodevices, the charge transport properties of the transition-metal dichalcogenide (TMD)-based heterostructure comprising zero-dimensional (0D) WS quantum dots (QDs) and two-dimensional (2D) MoS flakes are critically analyzed. Herein, a facile strategy was materialized in developing an atomically thin phototransistor assembled from mechanically exfoliated MoS and WS QDs synthesized using a one-pot hydrothermal route. The amalgamated photodetectors exhibited a high responsivity of ∼8000 A/W at an incident power of 0.

Exploring the Relationship Between Gut Health and Autoimmune Diseases: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Autoimmune diseases (AIDs) are multifaceted, chronic illnesses characterized by immune dysregulation and systemic inflammation. Newer evidence has pointed a finger at the human gut microbiota, a trillion-fold population of microorganisms that inhabits the human GI tract, as a major influential modulator of immune reactivity and a significant contributor to autoimmune pathogenesis. This systematic review will seek to address how the literature correlates with systematic changes in the gut microbiota in AIDs as well as explore mechanistic associations with biological processes like intestinal permeability and modulation of the immune system, coupled with determining the effectiveness of microbiota-directed interventions.

Fulminant Influenza A Myocarditis in a Healthy Young Adult Salvaged With Biventricular Impella Support: A Case Report.

Fulminant myocarditis is a rare but life-threatening complication of influenza A infection that can result in acute biventricular failure leading to cardiogenic shock. Here, we present the case of a young patient who developed acute bilateral heart failure secondary to influenza A and was successfully stabilized using both right and left-sided Impella devices. This case highlights the critical role of early and aggressive mechanical circulatory support (MCS) in managing fulminant myocarditis and emphasizes the utility of Impella in cases of severe cardiac dysfunction.