Scaffolded autoethnography: a method for examining practice-to-research

Teachers often perceive educational research as confusing and can be disenfranchised by the research process. We propose scaffolded authethnography as a method to support principled examination of authentic practice. The approach is appealing because it is motivated by the teacher’s own day-to-day practice in a research context. Our demonstration of this method uses an analytical autoethnographic approach coupled with a data capture tool that documents the pedagogic content knowledge of a practicing teacher. We include a short case-study description where the method was used in the context of research in the area of threshold concept identification

Decomposition of canola stubble by solid-state fermentation with Cyathus olla

Le Cyathus olla est étudié pour sa valeur comme inoculant pour accélérer la décomposition du chaume de canola, et ainsi réduire, dans cette culture, la fréquence des maladies véhiculées par le chaume. Le chaume envahi par le C. olla devient mou et macéré, mais l'importance de la décomposition induite par ce champignon est inconnue. La composition de la fibre du chaume de cinq cultivars de canola a été déterminée par la méthode de caractérisation des fibres de Goering Van Soest. Du substrat stérile de canola (cv. Cyclone) a été inoculé avec le C. olla et incubé à 25 C durant 45 jours avant que les fibres ne soient analysées pour détecter des modifications dans leur composition. Tous les cultivars variaient quant à la composition de la paroi cellulaire. Après incubation, le substrat de canola inoculé avec le C. olla f. brodiensis avait conservé 60,6 % de la lignine de départ, par rapport à 65,9 % pour le substrat incubé avec le C. olla f. olla et 71,8 % avec le C. olla f. anglicus. Le contenu en hémicellulose a été réduit puisque seulement 75,3, 78,6, et 81,6 % du contenu d'origine en hémicellulose a persisté après incubation avec respectivement le C. olla f. brodiensis, le C. olla f. olla, et le C. olla f. anglicus. La cellulose a aussi été dégradée, et la fraction soluble avec un détergent neutre a augmenté. Le Cyathus olla a été capable de dégrader la lignine in vitro, mais des essais au champ doivent maintenant être entrepris pour évaluer son activité de décomposition en conditions naturelles.Cyathus olla is being studied for its potential as an inoculant to accelerate decomposition of canola stubble, and hence to reduce the incidence of stubble-borne diseases of this crop. Stubble infested by C. olla appears soft and macerated, but the extent of decomposition incited by this fungus is not known. Composition of stubble fiber of five canola cultivars was determined with the Goering Van Soest method of fiber determination. Sterile canola (cv. Cyclone) substrate was inoculated with C. olla and incubated at 25 C for 45 days, followed by fiber analyses to detect changes in the fiber content. All cultivars were variable with respect to cell wall composition. Canola substrate inoculated with C. olla f. brodiensis had 60.6% of the original lignin remaining after incubation, compared to 65.9% for the substrate incubated with C. olla f. olla and 71.8% with C. olla f. anglicus. Hemicellulose content was reduced as only 75.3, 78.6, and 81.6% of the original hemicellulose content remained after incubation with C. olla f. brodiensis, C. olla f. olla, and C. olla f. anglicus, respectively. Cellulose was also degraded, and the neutral detergent soluble fraction increased. Cyathus olla was capable of degrading lignin in vitro, but field testing must follow to assess its decomposing activity under natural conditions

Enzymatic activity of Cyathus olla during solid state fermentation of canola roots

Le Cyathus olla, une nidulaire, est étudié comme agent de lutte biologique contre les maladies du canola véhiculées par le chaume. Dans cette étude, notre but est de détecter et d'identifier des enzymes produites par le C. olla lors de la fermentation, en milieu solide, de racines de canola et capables de dégrader les parois cellulaires de plantes. Nous avons trouvé des activités laccase et manganèse peroxydase après 1 et 4 semaines d'incubation, et une activité aryl alcool oxydase après 4 semaines d'incubation. Des extraits bruts dans du tampon ont été testés pour la présence de cellulases et de polygalacturonase, mais seulement la polygalacturonase a été détectée. Nous en concluons que le C. olla possède des enzymes pour dégrader la lignine et qu'il pourrait être utilisé comme inoculant pour accélérer la décomposition du chaume.Cyathus olla, a bird's nest fungus, is being studied as a biological control agent of stubble-borne diseases of canola. Our objectives in this study were to detect and identify plant cell wall degrading enzymes produced by C. olla during solid state fermentation of canola roots. We identified laccase and manganese peroxidase in both 1- and 4-week incubations, and aryl-alcohol oxidase was detected following 4 weeks of incubation. Crude buffer extracts were assayed for cellulases and polygalacturonase, but only the latter was detected. We conclude that C. olla has enzymes to degrade lignin and that it may have use as an inoculant to accelerate stubble decomposition

A Comparison of Four Mower Conditioners on Drying Rate and Leaf Loss in Alfalfa and Agrass

Mechanical conditioning of forage can be accomplished by passing the crop through fluted intermeshing rolls or by passing the crop over the tines of an impeller rotor. Three impeller conditioners and one intermeshing roll conditioner were compared in field experiments. The impeller conditioners differed on the type of tine used on the rotor. Hood position and impeller speed were the two adjustments made on all impeller conditioners. The linear load on the rolls was the only adjustment made on the intermeshing roll conditioner. The effect of the conditioning mechanisms and their adjustments on drying rate and leaf loss in alfalfa and grass crops was measured. Comparisons were made exclusively among impeller conditioners using all adjustment combinations and among all machines with specific aggressive and nonaggressive adjustments selected. In alfalfa, among impeller conditioners exclusively, the fast rotor speed caused about 7.3% leaf loss, which was 1.1 percentage point greater than the leaf loss caused by the slow rotor speed. With respect to hood position, the maximum average leaf loss was 6.77% and varied by less than 0.1 percentage point. Incidentally, in the first day of drying, alfalfa conditioned with the fast impeller speed exhibited a 3% greater drying rate constant than the drying rate constant of alfalfa conditioned with the slow impeller speed. In the first day of drying, grass conditioned with the fast impeller speed exhibited a 13% greater drying rate than the drying rate of grass conditioned with the slow impeller speed. In addition, drying rates in alfalfa varied less than 8% and drying rates in grass varied less than 10% in the first day of drying with respect to hood position. When comparisons were made exclusively among impeller conditioners, statistically significant differences in drying rate and leaf loss were only exhibited between the fast and slow impeller speeds. In the first day of drying, forage (both grass and alfalfa) conditioned by aggressively-set impeller machines exhibited drying rates 23 to 63% greater than drying rates of forage conditioned by the aggressively-set intermeshing roll conditioner. Also in the first day of drying, forage (both grass and alfalfa) conditioned by nonaggressively-set impeller machines exhibited drying rates 49 to 60% greater than the drying rates of forage conditioned by the nonaggressively-set intermeshing roll conditioner. Results also suggest that aggressively-set impeller machines, caused 1.7 to 3.4 percentage points more leaf loss than the aggressively-set intermeshing roll machine, and nonaggressively-set impeller machines caused 1.2 to 2.2 percentage points more leaf loss than the nonaggressively-set intermeshing roll machine

Supporting Students with Chronic Pain: A Group Manual for School Counselors

The purpose of this literature review was to examine the current literature on evidence-based interventions for working with youth who have a chronic pain condition. Interventions and other relevant information found were then used to formulate a school counseling group manual utilizing evidence-based interventions for school counselors to deliver to a group of students who live with chronic pain. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is an empirically supported intervention for use with people with chronic pain, adolescents, and group work. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is a newer modality that has promising research on efficacy for adolescents with chronic pain and use with adolescents in the school setting. The benefits and drawbacks of delivering interventions in a group format will be discussed as well as the role school counselors play in working with students who have chronic pain. There is currently a lack of resources available for school counselors to address common issues that occur for this population of students. Evidence-based treatments highlighted in this review include using a multidisciplinary approach, improving physical exercise and sleep routines, CBT, ACT, and mindfulness approaches for managing pain or anxiety. A 6-week group manual was developed utilizing CBT and ACT principles targeting specific areas of struggle for adolescents with chronic pain to support this group

Identification of Bruton's tyrosine kinase as a therapeutic target in acute myeloid leukemia

Bruton's tyrosine kinase (BTK) is a cytoplasmic protein found in all hematopoietic cell lineages except for T cells. BTK mediates signalling downstream of a number of receptors. Pharmacological targeting of BTK using ibrutinib (previously PCI-32765) has recently shown encouraging clinical activity in a range of lymphoid malignancies. This study reports for the first time that ibrutinib inhibits blast proliferation from human acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) and that treatment with ibrutinib significantly augmented cytotoxic activities of standard AML chemotherapy cytarabine or daunorubicin. Here we describe that BTK is constitutively phosphorylated in the majority of AML samples tested, with BTK phosphorylation correlating highly with the cell's cytotoxic sensitivity towards ibrutinib. BTK targeted RNAi knock-down reduced colony forming capacity of primary AML blasts and proliferation of AML cell lines. We showed ibrutinib binds at nanomolar range to BTK. Furthermore, we also showed ibrutinib's anti-proliferative effects in AML are mediated via an inhibitory effect on downstream nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) survival pathways. Moreover, ibrutinib inhibited AML cell adhesion to bone marrow stroma. Furthermore, these effects of ibrutinib in AML were seen at comparable concentrations efficacious in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). These results provide a biologic rationale for clinical evaluation of BTK inhibition in AML patients

Safeguarding Silence: The Weaponization of Nondisclosure Agreements and the Need for More Regulation

With the surge of the #MeToo movement, the weaponization of Nondisclosure agreements in cases of sexual assault and harassment has been brought to the forefront. This comment discusses the use and laws of nondisclosure agreements (NDAs) in cases of sexual assault and sexual harassment, highlighting their role in silencing victims and shielding perpetrators from accountability and underscores the broader implications of NDAs in perpetuating a culture of silence. Emphasizing the prevalence of NDAs, this comment scrutinizes their misuse and explores the historical context, highlighting the intertwining of #MeToo movement and NDAs. This comment compares State responses, exemplified by Washington, California, New Jersey, and Oregon, and how they showcase varied approaches to regulate NDAs. Federal initiatives, like the Federal Tax Cuts and Jobs Act and the Speak Out Act, are examined, revealing limitations in curbing NDA’s misuse. The comment suggests that a more comprehensive regulatory framework at both state and federal levels regarding the use and enforcement of Nondisclosure agreements may be required to regulate this area of law

Nomenclature Of Texas Varieties Of Descurainia Pinnata (Cruciferae)

In LeRoy E. Detling\u27s Revision of the North American species of Descurainia (Amer. Midi. Nat. 22: 481-520, 1939), the barely distinguishable races of D. pinnata are termed subspecies. The following are credited to Texas, listed here with the proper name as variety. Since a proposal to make mandatory the repetition of the specific epithet for the typical variety of a species has been approved by members of the American Society of Plant Taxonomists, and by a preliminary symposium at Utrecht considering proposals to be submitted to the next International Botanical Congress (see Brittonia 7: 16-17, 1949), no name is proposed here for Detling\u27s D. pinnata ssp. typica