Wildlife reintroduction projects often face resistance from local residents who see potential conflicts with the species or lack trust or confidence in the agencies and professionals involved in reintroduction. Yet the linkages between trust, confidence, risk perceptions, attitudes towards the species and local support for its reintroduction are not well known. The Dual-Mode Model of Cooperation and Cognitive Hierarchy Model were theoretical frameworks used to shed light on these linkages by exploring the potential roles trust and confidence play as mediators between risk perceptions and attitudes towards, and support for, reintroduced elk in Tennessee (USA). A mail survey of 1005 residents living in the five-county area surrounding the North Cumberland Elk Restoration Zone assessed resident attitudes and risk perceptions towards the reintroduced elk, trust towards the managing wildlife agency and support for continued conservation efforts. A structural equation model revealed that trust and confidence play positive roles in mitigating risk perceptions and improving support for the reintroduction of elk. The findings confirm the roles public trust and confidence play in wildlife reintroductions and should help agencies work towards building local trust and confidence, minimizing risks, improving attitudes and increasing the chances for successful outcomes for the species and people.

One major challenge in the study of late-Quaternary extinctions (LQEs) is providing better estimates of past megafauna abundance. To show how megaherbivore population size varied before and after the last extinctions in interior Alaska, we use both a database of radiocarbon-dated bone remains (spanning 25–0 ka) and spores of the obligate dung fungus, Sporormiella, recovered from radiocarbon-dated lake-sediment cores (spanning 17–0 ka). Bone fossils show that the last stage of LQEs in the region occurred at about 13 ka ago, but the number of megaherbivore bones remains high into the Holocene. Sporormiella abundance also remains high into the Holocene and does not decrease with major vegetation changes recorded by arboreal pollen percentages. At two sites, the interpretation of Sporormiella was enhanced by additional dung fungal spore types (e.g., Sordaria). In contrast to many sites where the last stage of LQEs is marked by a sharp decline in Sporormiella abundance, in interior Alaska our results indicate the continuance of megaherbivore abundance, albeit with a major taxonomic turnover (including Mammuthus and Equus extinction) from predominantly grazing to browsing dietary guilds. This new and robust evidence implies that regional LQEs were not systematically associated with crashes of overall megaherbivore abundance.

Several grass and broadleaf weed species around the world have evolved multiple-herbicide resistance at alarmingly increasing rates. Research on the biochemical and molecular resistance mechanisms of multiple-resistant weed populations indicate a prevalence of herbicide metabolism catalyzed by enzyme systems such as cytochrome P450 monooxygenases and glutathione S-transferases and, to a lesser extent, by glucosyl transferases. A symposium was conducted to gain an understanding of the current state of research on metabolic resistance mechanisms in weed species that pose major management problems around the world. These topics, as well as future directions of investigations that were identified in the symposium, are summarized herein. In addition, the latest information on selected topics such as the role of safeners in inducing crop tolerance to herbicides, selectivity to clomazone, glyphosate metabolism in crops and weeds, and bioactivation of natural molecules is reviewed.

Building on the recent advances in next-generation sequencing, the integration of genomics, proteomics, metabolomics, and other approaches hold tremendous promise for precision medicine. The approval and adoption of these rapidly advancing technologies and methods presents several regulatory science considerations that need to be addressed. To better understand and address these regulatory science issues, a Clinical and Translational Science Award Working Group convened the Regulatory Science to Advance Precision Medicine Forum. The Forum identified an initial set of regulatory science gaps. The final set of key findings and recommendations provided here address issues related to the lack of standardization of complex tests, preclinical issues, establishing clinical validity and utility, pharmacogenomics considerations, and knowledge gaps.

OBJECTIVES/SPECIFIC AIMS: Objectives/goals: Describe the process used to develop leveled competencies and associated examples. Discuss the final leveled competencies and their potential use in clinical research professional workforce initiatives. METHODS/STUDY POPULATION: The revised JTFCTC Framework 2.0 has 51 competency statements, representing 8 domains. Each competency statement has now been refined to delineate fundamental, skilled or advanced levels of knowledge and capability. Typically, the fundamental level describes the competency for a professional that requires some coaching and oversight, but is able to understand and identify basic concepts. The skilled level of the competency reflects the professional’s solid understanding of the competency and use of the information to take action independently in most situations. The advanced level embodies high level thinking, problem solving, and the ability to guide others in the competency. The process for developing both the three levels and examples involved 5 workgroups, each chaired by a content expert and comprising of national/international clinical research experts, including representatives from research sites, professional associations, government, and industry and academic sponsors. RESULTS/ANTICIPATED RESULTS: The committee developed 51 specific competencies arrayed across 3 levels and examples of each to demonstrate an appropriate application of the competency. The competencies and examples, and potential utilization, will be described. DISCUSSION/SIGNIFICANCE OF IMPACT: The use of competencies in the context of workforce development and training initiatives is helping to create standards for the clinical research profession. These leveled competencies allow for an important refinement to the standards that can be used to enhance the quality and safety of the clinical research enterprise and guide workforce development.

Chemical constituents trapped within glacial ice provide a unique record of climate, as well as repositories for biological material such as pollen grains, fungal spores, viruses, bacteria and dissolved organic carbon. Past research suggests that the veins of polycrystalline ice may provide a liquid microenvironment for active microbial metabolism fueled by concentrated impurities in the veins. Despite these claims, no direct measurements of impurity concentration in ice veins have been made. Using micro-Raman spectroscopy, we show that sulfate and nitrate concentrations in the veins of glacial ice from Greenland (Greenland Ice Sheet Project 2) and Antarctic (Newall Glacier and a Dominion Range glacier) core samples were 104 and 105 times greater than the concentrations measured in melted (bulk) core water. Methanesulfonate was not found in the veins, consistent with its presence as particulate matter within the ice. The measured vein concentration of molecular anions implies a highly acidic (pH < 3) vein environment with high ionic strength (mM-M). We estimate that the vein volume provides 16.7 and 576 km3 of habitable space within the Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets, respectively, which could support the metabolism of organisms that are capable of growing in cold, high ionic strength solutions with low pH.

Two field experiments were conducted to examine the competitive effect of common cocklebur and sicklepod in soybean. Factors examined included sap flow of both the weed and the crop, as well as the traditional parameters of weed and crop growth and crop yield. The intent was to determine to what extent competitive effects could be attributed to differential water utilization. In the first study, soybean planted at 20 plants m−1 row was infested with either sicklepod at 10 plants m−1 row or common cocklebur at two plants m−1 row. Sicklepod reduced soybean sap flow and yield 53 and 49%, respectively. Common cocklebur reduced soybean sap flow and yield 31 and 38%, respectively. Within a weed species, weed-induced yield and sap flow reductions were comparable, indicating that water deprivation was the primary detriment that these weeds inflicted on soybean. Individual common cocklebur plants were 3.9 times more competitive than sicklepod with respect to reducing soybean yield. However, sap flow of individual common cocklebur plants was only 1.4 times more than that of sicklepod, indicating that water deprivation was not the only causal factor in weed-crop competition. In the second experiment, sicklepod was planted in soybean (fixed density) and clipped to either half the height, same height as soybean, or left unclipped, in an attempt to simulate herbicide-induced stunting. Clipping sicklepod had a positive effect on soybean sap flow and yield. Thus, the benefits of reduced weed competition were achieved without killing sicklepod.

Field experiments evaluated pitted morningglory, velvetleaf, and barnyardgrass control in soybean with imazethapyr applied alone and with either crop oil concentrate at 1.0% v/v, a blend of methylated seed oil and organosilicone surfactant, or a blend of methylated seed oil, phosphate esters, and organosilicone surfactant at 0.5% v/v, each with and without a 28% N mixture of urea and ammonium nitrate (URAN) applied at 2.3 L/ha. Treatments were applied at spray volumes of 94 and 9.4 L/ha. Control of each species was often increased with the addition of both oil adjuvants and URAN. The blend of methylated seed oil, phosphate esters, and organosilicone surfactant and the blend of methylated seed oil and organosilicone surfactant were each more effective than crop oil concentrate on pitted morningglory and barnyardgrass, while each oil adjuvant was similar on velvetleaf. The URAN effectively increased imazethapyr control of all species. Control of all species was similar at the spray volume of 9.4 L/ha and at 94 L/ha.

Greenhouse and growth chamber experiments with potted plants were conducted to determine the effects of interspecific root and canopy interference, light intensity, and soil moisture on water uptake and biomass of soybean, common cocklebur, and sicklepod. Canopy interference and canopy plus root interference of soybean with common cocklebur increased soybean water uptake per plant and per unit leaf area. Root interference with soybean decreased common cocklebur water uptake per plant. Canopy interference of soybean with sicklepod increased soybean water uptake per unit leaf area, while root interference decreased uptake per plant. Combined root and canopy interference with soybean decreased water uptake per plant for sicklepod. Soybean leaf area and shoot weight were reduced by root interference with both weeds. Common cocklebur and sicklepod leaf area and shoot weight were reduced by root and canopy interference with soybeans. Only common cocklebur root weight decreased when canopies interfered and roots did not. The relationship between light intensity and water uptake per unit leaf area was linear in both years with water uptake proportional to light intensity. In 1991 water uptake response to tight was greater for common cocklebur than for sicklepod. The relationship between soil moisture level and water uptake was logarithmic. Common cocklebur water uptake was two times that of soybean or sicklepod at −2 kPa of pressure potential. In 1991 common cocklebur water uptake decreased at a greater rate than soybean or sicklepod in response to pressure potential changes from −2 to −100 kPa.

Laboratory and field studies were conducted to determine the effect of the drift control adjuvants HM 2005B and HM 9752 on the droplet spectra and efficacy of spray mixtures of a potassium salt formulation of glyphosate. Droplet spectra were examined using a laser spray droplet analyzer. The addition of each adjuvant decreased the percentage of the spray volume in small diam spray droplets (<141μm) and either had no effect or increased glyphosate efficacy. These adjuvants could prove useful for providing management in potential drift situations.

Survey-based contingent valuation (CV) techniques are commonly used to value the potential effects of a policy change when market-based valuation of those effects is not possible. The results of these analyses are often intended to inform policy decisions, which are made within the context of formal policymaking institutions. These institutions are typically designed to reduce the large number of potential options for addressing any given policy problem to a binary choice between the continuation of current policy and a single, specified alternative. In this research we develop an approach for conducting CV exercises in a manner consistent with the decision structure typically faced by policymakers. The data generated from this approach allow for an estimate of willingness to pay (WTP) for a defined policy alternative, relative to leaving policy unchanged, which we argue is of direct interest to policymakers. We illustrate our approach within the context of policy governing the storage of used nuclear fuel in the United States. We value the policy option of constructing an interim storage facility relative to continuation of current policy, wherein used nuclear fuel is stored on-site at or near commercial nuclear generating plants. We close the paper with a discussion of the implications for future research and the role of CV in the policymaking process.

We have attempted to verify the presence of increased aluminum (Al) levels in Alzheimer's disease (AD) brains by energy dispersive X-ray microanalysis (EDX) and flameless atomic absorption spectrophotometry (AAS). Tissue from seven AD brains, mounted on carbon polymerized coverslips, were stained with Congored or treated immunohistochemically to allow optical localization of AD-associated lesions during EDX. Despite a demonstrated sensitivity of 20-25 ppm, we were unable to detect Al in either plaque cores or neurons containing neurofibrillary tangles. For AAS, wet weight samples (ranging from 48-144 mg) from six of the seven AD brains and four controls were selected from regions similar to those studied under EDX, i.e., Brodmann areas 9, 11, 28, 46, 47, and the hippocampus. The tissue surrounding each sample site was sectioned and stained for thioflavin S. Both controls and AD samples revealed similar levels of Al ranging from undetectable to 1.80 ng/mg wet wt. (mean AD: 0.28 ± 0.39 (SD), control: 0.54 ± 0.58 (SD)), independent of degree of histopathology or age of the case. We conclude that the combined strengths of these two techniques on similar tissue specimens demonstrate that abnormal Al levels are not required to produce the histologic findings of AD and that this element may not accumulate in the aging brain. It is unlikely, therefore, that Al is essential in the etiology of pathogenesis of plaques and tangles in AD. Al's role as a primary or secondarily associated event, when present, needs further delineation.