Experimental investigations of colloid-associated metal mobility in mine-impacted wetland sediment.

Metal mining operations can release toxic metals to surrounding environments where site-specific conditions control the movement of contaminants. Colloid-facilitated transport, the transport of contaminants with small, mobile particles, has been recognized as a potential contaminant transport vector in groundwater, but it remains unclear under what conditions it is important and whether neutral, metal-rich mine drainage from legacy mining impacts this transport vector. This work presents a set of laboratory column experiments that study the effect of colloids on metal mobility in saturated, wetland sediment that has been receiving neutral mine drainage for nearly a century, using mixed and single metal input solutions at neutral pH.

A Highly Divergent Mitochondrial Genome in Extant Cape Buffalo From Addo Elephant National Park, South Africa.

The reduced cost of next-generation sequencing (NGS) has allowed researchers to generate nuclear and mitochondrial genome data to gain deeper insights into the phylogeography, evolutionary history and biology of non-model species. While the Cape buffalo () has been well-studied across its range with traditional genetic markers over the last 25 years, researchers are building on this knowledge by generating whole genome, population-level data sets to improve understanding of the genetic composition and evolutionary history of the species. Using publicly available NGS data, we assembled 40 Cape buffalo mitochondrial genomes (mitogenomes) from four protected areas in South Africa, expanding the geographical range and almost doubling the number of mitogenomes available for this species.

Understanding the Formation Dynamics and Physical Properties of Nanocapsules Using Charge Detection Mass Spectrometry.

Characterizing the size, structure, and composition of nanoparticles is vital in predicting and understanding their macroscopic properties. In this work, charge detection mass spectrometry (CDMS) was used to analyze nanocapsules (∼10-200 MDa) consisting of a liquid oleic acid core surrounded by a dense silica outer shell. CDMS is an emerging method for nanoparticle analysis that can rapidly measure the mass and charge of thousands of individual nanoparticles.

Presenteeism and Absenteeism Before and After Carpal Tunnel Release or Open Reduction and Internal Fixation for Distal Radius Fracture.

Purpose: The use of a person's hands is crucial to their ability to succeed at work. Hand pathologies can impact work success by increasing absenteeism (ie, not being able to go to work) and presenteeism (ie, being able to work but in a reduced capacity). In this study, we quantified employed patients' presenteeism and absenteeism following carpal tunnel release or surgical fixation of a distal radius fracture (DRF).

Genomic regions associated with flag leaf and panicle architecture in rice (Oryza sativa L.).

Background: Flag leaf (FL) and panicle architecture (PA) are critical for increasing rice grain yield as well as production. A genome-wide association study (GWAS) can better understand the genetic pathways behind complex traits like FL and PA.

Results: In this study, 208 diverse rice germplasms were grown in the field at the Texas A&M AgriLife Research Center at Beaumont, TX, during 2022 and 2023 following Augmented Randomized Complete Block Design.