Endangered Przewalski's Horse, , Cloned from Historically Cryopreserved Cells.

Cloning from historically cryopreserved cells offers a potential means to restore lost genetic variation or increase the representation of particular lineages within bottlenecked species, provided such biobanked materials are archived for such genetic rescue applications. One species for which cloning can provide genetic management benefits is Przewalski's horse, . All ~1800 living Przewalski's horses, distributed across ex situ breeding facilities and in situ reintroduction sites, are descended from one or more of the five founder lineages established by the 12 horses captured from the wild between 1898 and 1947.

Forensic Analytical Chemistry for Minimizing Injustice: Advances and Challenges.

Forensic analytical chemistry has evolved significantly, embracing a myriad of methodological and technological advancements to expand the frontiers of evidence analysis. Beyond technology, modern forensic scientists face challenges working within the criminal justice system where scientific operational and research choices are directed by law enforcement agencies. This review examines issues surrounding the accuracy of presumptive tests, the use of portable instrumentation, and sample contamination, as exemplified by field drug testing.

Improving forensic examiner decision-making through deliberate practice.

Forensic examiners make important decisions to address legal questions, yet there is now ample evidence that their decisions can be subjective and inconsistent. This commentary suggests that elements of deliberate practice may help in not only having more consistent forensic decisions but also toward expected accuracy. Specifically, four elements of deliberate practice: (1) setting a goal, (2) motivation, (3) feedback, and (4) repetition are outlined with examples for addressing issues of cognitive bias and managing stress at work.

Rethinking scientific communication in courts: A question of credibility.

The high value placed on forensic information in the criminal justice process is demonstrated by the fallout resulting when questions are raised as to the validity of methods used, deficiencies in the understanding of the limitations of results, or uncertainties around the professional expertise or ethical practices of the provider of the information. To effectively act as the "speaker" for the scientific evidence in court, forensic science needs to have credibility. The workshop "Rethinking scientific communication in courts" held at the Australian National University College of Law in November 2023 explored the subject of science communication in the legal context through the lens of philosophy, law, forensic service provision and meta-science, demonstrating the unique challenges placed on the field of forensic science as a scientific profession confined and defined within a non-scientific system.

Synthesis Pathway of Layered-Oxide Cathode Materials for Lithium-Ion Batteries by Spray Pyrolysis.

We report the synthesis of LiCoO (LCO) cathode materials for lithium-ion batteries via aerosol spray pyrolysis, focusing on the effect of synthesis temperatures from 600 to 1000 °C on the materials' structural and morphological features. Utilizing both nitrate and acetate metal precursors, we conducted a comprehensive analysis of material properties through X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Our findings reveal enhanced crystallinity and significant oxide decomposition within the examined temperature range.

Photoelectrochemical CO Reduction to CO Enabled by a Molecular Catalyst Attached to High-Surface-Area Porous Silicon.

A high-surface-area -type porous Si photocathode containing a covalently immobilized molecular Re catalyst is highly selective for the photoelectrochemical conversion of CO to CO. It gives Faradaic efficiencies of up to 90% for CO at potentials of -1.7 V (versus ferrocenium/ferrocene) under 1 sun illumination in an acetonitrile solution containing phenol.

Management and disclosure of quality issues in forensic science: A survey of current practice in Australia and New Zealand.

The investigation of quality issues detected within the forensic process is a critical feature in robust quality management systems to provide assurance of the validity of reported results and inform strategies for continuous improvement and innovation. A survey was conducted to gain insight into the current state of practice in the management and handling of quality issues amongst the government service provider agencies of Australia and New Zealand. The results demonstrate the value of standardised quality system structures for the recording and management of quality issues, but also areas where inconsistent reporting increases the risk of overlooking important data to inform continuous improvement.

Chromosome-length genome assembly and karyotype of the endangered black-footed ferret (Mustela nigripes).

The black-footed ferret (Mustela nigripes) narrowly avoided extinction to become an oft-cited example of the benefits of intensive management, research, and collaboration to save a species through ex situ conservation breeding and reintroduction into its former range. However, the species remains at risk due to possible inbreeding, disease susceptibility, and multiple fertility challenges. Here, we report the de novo genome assembly of a male black-footed ferret generated through a combination of linked-read sequencing, optical mapping, and Hi-C proximity ligation.

Chromosome-length genome assemblies and cytogenomic analyses of pangolins reveal remarkable chromosome counts and plasticity.

We report the first chromosome-length genome assemblies for three species in the mammalian order Pholidota: the white-bellied, Chinese, and Sunda pangolins. Surprisingly, we observe extraordinary karyotypic plasticity within this order and, in female white-bellied pangolins, the largest number of chromosomes reported in a Laurasiatherian mammal: 2n = 114. We perform the first karyotype analysis of an African pangolin and report a Y-autosome fusion in white-bellied pangolins, resulting in 2n = 113 for males.

Interpol review of forensic management, 2019-2022.

This paper reviews and summarizes the forensic management literature from late 2019 to late 2022, covering laboratory strategic, tactical and operational decision-making, benchmarking, quality assurance, and managerial impacts from technological developments.

Registered reports in forensic science.

Research assessing the validity and reliability of many forensic science disciplines has been published; however, the quality of this research varies depending on the methodologies employed. This was a major point of contention with the United States' President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology, who recognized the existing literature but found the majority lacking because of methodological issues. Questionable scientific methodologies have undermined the forensic science community's ability to defend the scientific foundations and examination protocols used to examine evidence in criminal cases.

Optimization of Electrode and Cell Design for Ultrafast-Charging Lithium-Ion Batteries Based on Molybdenum Niobium Oxide Anodes.

Niobium oxides are an emerging class of anode materials for use in high-power lithium-ion batteries. Galvanostatic cycling and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) were used in this study to investigate the influence of electrode porosity, electrode mass ratio, and cycling rate on the capacity, cycle life, and ionic conductivity of Li-ion battery cells based on a modified micron-sized MoNbO (MNO) anode powder. Both electrode and cell designs were found to have a significant impact on the rate performance and cycle life of Li-ion half- and full cells.

Theoretical Prediction and Explanation of Reaction Site Selectivity in the Addition of a Phenoxy Group to Perfluoropyrimidine, Perfluoropyridazine, and Perfluoropyrazine.

Perfluoroaromatics, such as perfluoropyridine and perfluorobenzene, are privileged synthetic scaffolds in organofluorine methodology, undergoing a series of regioselective substitution reactions with a variety of nucleophiles. This unique chemical behavior allows for the synthesis of many perfluoroaromatic derived molecules with unique and diverse architectures. Recently, it has been demonstrated that perfluoropyridine and perfluorobenzene can be utilized as precursors for a variety of materials, ranging from high performance polyaryl ethers to promising drug scaffolds.

Fluoromaticity: The Molecular Orbital Contributions of Fluorine Substituents to the π-Systems of Aromatic Rings.

The addition of fluorine atoms to an aromatic ring brings about an additional set of π-bonding and antibonding orbitals culminating after the addition of the sixth fluorine with a new set of π-aromatic-like orbitals that affect the molecule in a way that we will refer to hereafter as "fluoromaticity". Depending on the number and position of the fluorine atoms, the contributed π-orbitals can even further stabilize the ring leading to smaller bond lengths within the ring and higher resistance to addition reactions. This added ring stability partially explains the high thermostability and chemical resistance found in polymers containing fluorinated aromatics in their architecture.

Conceptual ex ante simulation for Green Stormwater Infrastructure Adoption on private property using agent-based modeling.

This paper presents the Green Stormwater Infrastructure Social Spatial Adoption (G-SSA) model, a cellular automata agent-based model that simulates the behavior of private property owners responding to incentives to adopt on-site green stormwater infrastructure (GSI). Concepts such as small-world social networks, opinion dissemination, and diffusion of innovation are used to capture dynamic social, spatial, and temporal aspects of green stormwater infrastructure adoption. Demographic information, site constraints, GSI practice type and costs, and financial incentive information are integrated into modeling rules that influence adoption dynamics.