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In 2009, John Hattie's book Visible Learning: A Synthesis of over 800 Meta-Analyses Relating to Achievement brought big data to education. In the decade and a half since Visible Learning was originally published it has been aggressively marketed and has now grown into a large suite of branded books, tools, and products. Visible Learning continues to exert influence over educational thinking, policy design, and decision making. This critical essay probes the foundations of Visible Learning, seeking to better understand the work's significance. Criticism is leveled at the methodology, positionality, capitalistic motivations, and mischaracterization of science underpinning the book and the subsequent franchise that has grown from it. The essay argues that the philosophy of education represented by Visible Learning resides within a reductive neoliberal ideology that pushes problematic reform, demands unreasonable accountability, and promotes the de-professionalization of teachers.

Abstract The establishment of industrial hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) fields near row crops has raised concerns about the potential adverse effects of herbicide drift on hemp production. This study examined hemp susceptibility to drift of herbicides registered for use in corn and/or soybeans. Herbicide solutions (2,4-D, dicamba, glufosinate, glyphosate, imazethapyr, lactofen, mesotrione) were applied separately in the wind tunnel (3.6 m s−1 airspeed), simulating drift scenarios, with conventional TP95015EVS (TP) and air inclusion AI95015EVS (AI) flat fan nozzles calibrated to deliver 140 L ha−1 carrier volume at 230 kPa. Mylar cards and hemp plants (20–25 cm tall) were placed downwind up to 12 m. Spray deposition from mylar cards was quantified using fluorometry and hemp biomass was collected 21 post application. Results indicated the nozzle design influenced downwind deposition; 5% of spray deposits from the TP nozzle reached 5.9 m downwind versus 2.0 m for the AI nozzle. Glyphosate, glufosinate, and mesotrione caused the highest biomass reductions, with 50% reductions observed at 19.3 (inferred), 8.7, and 9.3 m downwind for TP nozzle, and 4.1, 4.0, and 2.9 m for AI nozzle. These findings suggest herbicide applications at airspeeds of 3.6 m s−1 or greater present a risk to nearby hemp fields.

Here we provide the 'Global Spectrum of Plant Form and Function Dataset', containing species mean values for six vascular plant traits. Together, these traits -plant height, stem specific density, leaf area, leaf mass per area, leaf nitrogen content per dry mass, and diaspore (seed or spore) mass - define the primary axes of variation in plant form and function. The dataset is based on ca. 1 million trait records received via the TRY database (representing ca. 2,500 original publications) and additional unpublished data. It provides 92,159 species mean values for the six traits, covering 46,047 species. The data are complemented by higher-level taxonomic classification and six categorical traits (woodiness, growth form, succulence, adaptation to terrestrial or aquatic habitats, nutrition type and leaf type). Data quality management is based on a probabilistic approach combined with comprehensive validation against expert knowledge and external information. Intense data acquisition and thorough quality control produced the largest and, to our knowledge, most accurate compilation of empirically observed vascular plant species mean traits to date.

Terminology for the invasion status of alien species has typically relied either on ecological- or policy-based criteria, with the former emphasising species’ ability to overcome ecological barriers and the latter on species’ impacts. There remains no universal consensus about definitions of invasion. Without an agreement on definitions, it is difficult to combine data that comes from a range of sources. In Australia, information on plant invasions is provided by a collection of independent jurisdictions. This has led to inconsistencies in terminology used to describe species invasion status at the national level, impeding efficient management. In this paper, we review and discuss the steps taken to harmonise the different terminologies used across Australia’s states and territories. We identified mismatches in definitions and records of invasion status for vascular plant taxa across different jurisdictions and propose prioritisation procedures to tackle these mismatches and to integrate information into a harmonised workflow at the national scale. This integration has made possible the creation of a standardised dataset at the Australian national scale (the Alien Flora of Australia). In Australia, having an integrated workflow for referring to and monitoring alien flora will aid early warning and prevent species introduction, facilitate decision-making and aid biosecurity measures.

Multiparametric assays for risk stratification are widely used in the management of both node negative and node positive hormone receptor positive invasive breast cancer. Recent data from multiple sources suggests that different tests may provide different risk estimates at the individual patient level. The TEAM pathology study consists of 3284 postmenopausal ER+ve breast cancers treated with endocrine therapy Using genes comprising the following multi-parametric tests OncotypeDx®, Prosigna™ and MammaPrint® signatures were trained to recapitulate true assay results. Patients were then classified into risk groups and survival assessed. Whilst likelihood χ2 ratios suggested limited value for combining tests, Kaplan-Meier and LogRank tests within risk groups suggested combinations of tests provided statistically significant stratification of potential clinical value. Paradoxically whilst Prosigna-trained results stratified Oncotype-trained subgroups across low and intermediate risk categories, only intermediate risk Prosigna-trained cases were further stratified by Oncotype-trained results. Both Oncotype-trained and Prosigna-trained results further stratified MammaPrint-trained low risk cases, and MammaPrint-trained results also stratified Oncotype-trained low and intermediate risk groups but not Prosigna-trained results. Comparisons between existing multiparametric tests are challenging, and evidence on discordance between tests in risk stratification presents further dilemmas. Detailed analysis of the TEAM pathology study suggests a complex inter-relationship between test results in the same patient cohorts which requires careful evaluation regarding test utility. Further prognostic improvement appears both desirable and achievable.

Abstract Background Ultrasound is a powerful tool for diagnostic purposes and provides insight into both normal and pathologic tissue structure. Spatial frequency analysis (SFA) methods characterize musculoskeletal tissue organization from ultrasound images. Both sonographers in clinical imaging and researchers may alter a minimized range of ultrasound settings to optimize image quality, and it is important to know how these small adjustments of these settings affect SFA parameters. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of making small adjustments in a typical default ultrasound machine setting on extracted spatial frequency parameters (peak spatial frequency radius (PSFR), Mmax, Mmax%, and Sum) in the biceps femoris muscle. Methods Longitudinal B-mode images were collected from the biceps femoris muscle in 36 participants. The window depth, foci locations, and gain were systematically adjusted consistent with clinical imaging procedures for a total of 27 images per participant. Images were analyzed by identifying a region of interest (ROI) in the middle portion of the muscle belly in a template image and using a normalized two-dimensional cross-correlation technique between the template image and subsequent images. The ROI was analyzed in the frequency domain using conventional SFA methods. Separate linear mixed effects models were run for each extracted parameter. Results PSFR was affected by modifications in focus location only (p

The fungal genus Massospora (Zoopagomycota: Entomophthorales) includes more than a dozen obligate, sexually transmissible pathogenic species that infect cicadas (Hemiptera) worldwide. At least two species are known to produce psychoactive compounds during infection, which has garnered considerable interest for this enigmatic genus. As with many Entomophthorales, the evolutionary relationships and host associations of Massospora spp. are not well understood. The acquisition of M. diceroproctae from Arizona, M. tettigatis from Chile, and M. platypediae from California and Colorado provided an opportunity to conduct molecular phylogenetic analyses and morphological studies to investigate whether these fungi represent a monophyletic group and delimit species boundaries. In a three-locus phylogenetic analysis including the D1-D2 domains of the nuclear 28S rRNA gene (28S), elongation factor 1 alpha-like (EFL), and beta-tubulin (BTUB), Massospora was resolved in a strongly supported monophyletic group containing four well-supported genealogically exclusive lineages, based on two of three methods of phylogenetic inference. There was incongruence among the single-gene trees: two methods of phylogenetic inference recovered trees with either the same topology as the three-gene concatenated tree (EFL) or a basal polytomy (28S, BTUB). Massospora levispora and M. platypediae isolates formed a single lineage in all analyses and are synonymized here as M. levispora. Massospora diceroproctae was sister to M. cicadina in all three single-gene trees and on an extremely long branch relative to the other Massospora, and even the outgroup taxa, which may reflect an accelerated rate of molecular evolution and/or incomplete taxon sampling. The results of the morphological study presented here indicate that spore measurements may not be phylogenetically or diagnostically informative. Despite recent advances in understanding the ecology of Massospora, much about its host range and diversity remains unexplored. The emerging phylogenetic framework can provide a foundation for exploring coevolutionary relationships with cicada hosts and the evolution of behavior-altering compounds.

BackgroundTGFβ signaling appears to contribute to the pathogenesis of myxomatous mitral valve disease (MMVD) in both dogs and humans. However, little is known about the extent of the downstream signaling changes that will then affect cell phenotype and function in both species.ObjectiveIdentify changes in downstream signals in the TGFβ pathway in canine MMVD and examine the effects of antagonism of one significant signal (SMAD2 was selected).Materials and methodsCanine cultures of normal quiescent valve interstitial cells (qVICs) and disease-derived activated myofibroblasts (aVICs) (n = 6) were examined for TGFβ signaling protein expression using a commercial antibody array. Significant changes were confirmed, and additional proteins of interest downstream in the TGFβ signaling pathway and markers of cell phenotype were examined (PRAS40, S6K, elF4E IRS-1, αSMA, and VIM), using protein immunoblotting. RT-PCR examined expression of gene markers of VIC activation (ACTA2, TAGLN, and MYH10; encoding the proteins αSMA, SM22, and Smemb, respectively). Attenuation of pSMAD2 in aVICs was examined using a combination of RNA interference technology (siRNA) and the SMAD7 (antagonizes SMAD2) agonist asiaticoside.ResultsThe antibody array identified significant changes (P < 0.05) in 19 proteins, of which six were phosphorylated (p). There was increased expression of pSMAD2 and pRAC1 and decreased expression of pmTOR, pERK1/2, and pAKT1. Expression of pPRAS40 and pIRS-1 was increased, as was the mTOR downstream transcription factor pS6K, with increased expression of peIF4E in aVICs, indicating negative feedback control of the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway. SMAD2 antagonism by siRNA and the SMAD7 agonist asiaticoside decreased detection of pSMAD by at least 50%, significantly decreased expression of the aVIC gene markers ACTA2, TAGLN, and MYH10, and pαSMA, pAKT2, and pERK1, but had no effect on pS6K, pERK2, or pVIM expression in aVICs. SMAD2 antagonism transitioned diseased aVICs to normal qVICs, while maintaining a mesenchymal phenotype (VIM+) while concurrently affecting non-canonical TGFβ signaling.ConclusionMMVD is associated with changes in both the canonical and non-canonical TGFβ signaling pathway. Antagonism of SMAD2 transitions diseased-activated myofibroblasts back to a normal phenotype, providing data that will inform studies on developing novel therapeutics to treat MMVD in dogs and humans.

Entomopathogenic fungi routinely kill their hosts before releasing infectious spores, but a few species keep insects alive while sporulating, which enhances dispersal. Transcriptomics- and metabolomics-based studies of entomopathogens with post-mortem dissemination from their parasitized hosts have unraveled infection processes and host responses. However, the mechanisms underlying active spore transmission by Entomophthoralean fungi in living insects remain elusive. Here we report the discovery, through metabolomics, of the plant-associated amphetamine, cathinone, in four Massospora cicadina-infected periodical cicada populations, and the mushroom-associated tryptamine, psilocybin, in annual cicadas infected with Massospora platypediae or Massospora levispora, which likely represent a single fungal species. The absence of some fungal enzymes necessary for cathinone and psilocybin biosynthesis along with the inability to detect intermediate metabolites or gene orthologs are consistent with possibly novel biosynthesis pathways in Massospora. The neurogenic activities of these compounds suggest the extended phenotype of Massospora that modifies cicada behavior to maximize dissemination is chemically-induced.

Measurement(s) plant trait Technology Type(s) various Factor Type(s) none Sample Characteristic - Organism Tracheophyta Sample Characteristic - Environment natural environment Sample Characteristic - Location global

The family of ∼60 clustered protocadherins (Pcdhs) are cell adhesion molecules encoded by a genomic locus that regulates expression of distinct combinations of isoforms in individual neurons resulting in what is thought to be a neural surface “barcode” which mediates same-cell interactions of dendrites, as well as interactions with other cells in the environment. Pcdh mediated same-cell dendrite interactions were shown to result in avoidance while interactions between different cells through Pcdhs, such as between neurons and astrocytes, appear to be stable. The cell biological mechanism of the consequences of Pcdh based adhesion is not well understood although various signaling pathways have been recently uncovered. A still unidentified cytoplasmic regulatory mechanism might contribute to a “switch” between avoidance and adhesion. We have proposed that endocytosis and intracellular trafficking could be part of such a switch. Here we use “stub” constructs consisting of the proximal cytoplasmic domain (lacking the constant carboxy-terminal domain spliced to all Pcdh-γs) of one Pcdh, Pcdh-γA3, to study trafficking. We found that the stub construct traffics primarily to Rab7 positive endosomes very similarly to the full length molecule and deletion of a substantial portion of the carboxy-terminus of the stub eliminates this trafficking. The intact stub was found to be ubiquitinated while the deletion was not and this ubiquitination was found to be at non-lysine sites. Further deletion mapping of the residues required for ubiquitination identified potential serine phosphorylation sites, conserved among Pcdh-γAs, that can reduce ubiquitination when pseudophosphorylated and increase surface expression. These results suggest Pcdh-γA ubiquitination can influence surface expression which may modulate adhesive activity during neural development.

In this paper, we introduce 'Concept Questions,' a weekly writing assignment that has been incorporated into multiple upper-level engineering courses at a single university with the intent of enhancing students' conceptual understanding of the course content. To explore the influence of this activity on students in these courses, we compared students' scores on the Concept Question assignments with their final exam scores, analysed students' open-ended responses to questions regarding their learning in the course, and surveyed students who had taken these courses in previous semesters to understand how the Concept Question assignments may have influenced their learning approaches in subsequent courses. Our analysis revealed that students highlighted a variety of learning outcomes from the Concept Questions assignments and their performance on the assignments was correlated with their final exam scores. However, most students did not report that these assignments had changed their learning approaches overall. This paper supports prior work suggesting that such assignments can be helpful in individual engineering courses, but further work is needed to explore student learning across courses.

The fungal genus Massospora (Zoopagomycota: Entomophthorales) includes more than a dozen obligate, sexually transmissible pathogenic species that infect cicadas (Hemiptera) worldwide. At least two species are known to produce psychoactive compounds during infection, which has garnered considerable interest for this enigmatic genus. As with many Entomophthorales, the evolutionary relationships and host associations of Massospora spp. are not well understood. The acquisition of M. diceroproctae from Arizona, M. tettigatis from Chile, and M. platypediae from California and Colorado provided an opportunity to conduct molecular phylogenetic analyses and morphological studies to investigate if these fungi represent a monophyletic group and delimit species boundaries. In a three-locus phylogenetic analysis including the D1–D2 domains of the nuclear 28S rRNA gene (28S), elongation factor 1 alpha-like (EFL), and beta-tubulin (BTUB), Massospora was resolved in a strongly supported monophyletic group containing four well-supported genealogically exclusive lineages, based on two of three methods of phylogenetic inference. There was incongruence among the single-gene trees: two methods of phylogenetic inference recovered trees with either the same topology as the 3-gene concatenated tree (EFL), or a basal polytomy (28S, BTUB). Massospora levispora and M. platypediae isolates formed a single lineage in all analyses and are synonymized here as M. levispora . Massospora diceroproctae was sister to M. cicadina in all three single-gene trees and on an extremely long branch relative to the other Massospora , and even the outgroup taxa, which may reflect an accelerated rate of molecular evolution and/or incomplete taxa sampling. The results of the morphological study presented here indicate that spore measurements may not be phylogenetically or diagnostically informative. Despite recent advances in understanding the ecology of Massospora , much about its host range and diversity remains unexplored. The emerging phylogenetic framework can provide a foundation for exploring co-evolutionary relationships with cicada hosts and the evolution of behavior-altering compounds.

Abstract The objective of this study was to evaluate dicamba off‐target movement during and after applications over soybean at two growth stages. Dicamba‐tolerant soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] at V3 and R1 growth stages in Nebraska and Mississippi fields were treated with diglycolamine salt of dicamba (560 g ae ha−1), potassium salt of glyphosate (1260 g ae ha−1), and a drift‐reducing adjuvant (0.5% v v−1). Filter papers positioned outside the sprayed area were used to determine primary movement and air samplers positioned at the center of sprayed area were used to calculate dicamba flux from 0.5 up to 68 hours after application (HAA). Flux was calculated using the aerodynamic method. Soybean growth stage did not affect dicamba deposition on filter papers from 8 to 45 m downwind from the sprayed areas. At 33 m downwind (i.e., distance of the labeled buffer zone), a spray drift of less than 0.0091% (0.05 g ae ha−1) of applied rate is estimated. Dicamba secondary movement may not be affected by soybean growth stage during the application. Although dicamba was detected in air samples collected at 68 HAA, the majority of the secondary movement was observed in the first 24 HAA. Dicamba cumulative loss was lower than 0.77% of applied rate. Results suggest the more stable the atmospheric conditions, the higher the dicamba flux. Thus, meteorological conditions after applications must be considered, and tools to predict the occurrence of temperature inversion are needed to minimize secondary movement of dicamba.

Coastal rivers and estuaries provide habitat and migratory corridors for freshwater estuarine-opportunists. We evaluated movement patterns of 61 blue catfish (Ictalurus furcatus) in the tidal York and Rappahannock rivers in Virginia, USA with acoustic telemetry from July 2015 to June 2016. To evaluate river-specific movements, we utilized a multistate Cormack-Jolly-Seber (CJS) model within a Bayesian framework to estimate probabilities of detection and transition (movement) among established salinity zones (i.e., tidal-fresh (0[per thousand]-0.5[per thousand]), oligohaline (>0.5[per thousand]-5[per thousand]), mesohaline (>5[per thousand]-18[per thousand])). We considered flow as an environmental covariate. Despite high site fidelity in tidal-fresh zones, some individuals displayed movements into oligohaline and mesohaline habitats indicative of partial migration. Once downstream movement occurred, the probability of staying in the new salinity zone was higher than the probability of movements to other salinity zones. In the Rappahannock River only, movement upstream from mesohaline habitats was associated with below average flow. As flow increased, the probability of remaining in oligohaline and mesohaline zones increased. Our study shows blue catfish can move into downstream areas of tidal rivers with elevated salinities and that increased freshwater flow may allow them to remain in these habitats for extended durations. Les rivieres littorales et estuaires fournissent des habitats et des corridors migratoires pour les especes opportunistes estuariennes et d'eau douce. Nous avons evalue les motifs de deplacement de 61 poissons-chats bleus (Ictalurus furcatus) dans les cours tidaux des fleuves York et Rappahannock en Virginie (Etats-Unis), de juillet 2015 a juin 2016, a l'aide de la telemetrie acoustique. Afin d'evaluer les deplacements propres au fleuve, nous avons employe un modele multi-etats de Cormack- Jolly-Seber (CJS) dans un cadre bayesien pour estimer les probabilites de detection et de transition (deplacement) entre zones de salinite determinee (c.-a-d., tidales-d'eau douce (0[per thousand]-0,5[per thousand]), oligohalines (>0,5[per thousand]-5[per thousand]), mesohalines (>5[per thousand]-18[per thousand])). Le debit a ete traite comme une covariable environnementale. Malgre une grande fidelite au site dans les zones tidales-d'eau douce, certains individus se deplacaient vers des habitats oligohalins et mesohalins, temoignant d'une migration partielle. Une fois le deplacement vers l'aval effectue, la probabilite que les individus demeurent dans la nouvelle zone de salinite etait plus elevee que la probabilite de deplacement vers d'autres zones de salinite. Seulement dans le fleuve Rappahannock, les deplacements vers l'amont a partir d'habitats mesohalins etaient associes a des debits sous la moyenne. Plus le debit etait eleve, plus la probabilite que les individus demeurent dans des zones oligohalines et mesohalines etait grande. L'etude demontre que les poissons-chats bleus peuvent se deplacer vers des secteurs du cours inferieur de rivieres tidales de forte salinite et qu'un fort debit d'eau douce pourrait leur permettre de demeurer dans ces habitats pendant de longues periodes. [Traduit par la Redaction], Introduction Movement polymorphism (e.g., resident and migratory contingents; partial migrants) within animal populations is common in nature. An individual's propensity to migrate can be influenced by resource competition and predation [...]

Entomopathogenic fungi routinely kill their hosts before releasing infectious spores, but select species keep insects alive while sporulating, which enhances dispersal. Transcriptomics and metabolomics studies of entomopathogens with post-mortem dissemination from their parasitized hosts have unraveled infection processes and host responses, yet mechanisms underlying active spore transmission by Entomophthoralean fungi in living insects remain elusive. Here we report the discovery, through metabolomics, of the plant-associated amphetamine, cathinone, in four Massospora cicadina -infected periodical cicada populations, and the mushroom-associated tryptamine, psilocybin, in annual cicadas infected with Massospora platypediae or Massospora levispora , which appear to represent a single fungal species. The absence of some fungal enzymes necessary for cathinone and psilocybin biosynthesis along with the inability to detect intermediate metabolites or gene orthologs are consistent with possibly novel biosynthesis pathways in Massospora . The neurogenic activities of these compounds suggest the extended phenotype of Massospora that modifies cicada behavior to maximize dissemination is chemically-induced.

Abstract Background Hamstring strain injury (HSI) diagnosis is often corroborated using ultrasound. Spatial frequency analysis (SFA) is a quantitative ultrasound method that has proven useful in characterizing altered tissue organization. The purpose of this study was to determine changes in muscular tissue organization using SFA following HSI. Methods Ultrasound B-mode images were captured at time of injury (TOI) and return to sport (RTS) in collegiate athletes who sustained an HSI. Spatial frequency parameters extracted from two-dimensional Fourier Transforms in user-defined regions of interest (ROI) were analyzed. Separate ROIs encompassed injured and adjacent tissue within the same image of the injured limb and mirrored locations in the contralateral limb at TOI. The ROIs for RTS images were drawn to correspond to the injury-matched location determined from TOI imaging. Peak spatial frequency radius (PSFR) and the fascicular banded pattern relative to image background (Mmax%) were compared between injured and adjacent portions within the same image with separate paired t-tests. Within-image differences of SFA parameters in the injured limb were calculated and compared between TOI and RTS with Wilcoxon rank sum tests. Results Within the injured limb at TOI, PSFR differences in injured and healthy regions did not strictly meet statistical significance (p = 0.06), while Mmax% was different between regions (p

Abstract In an era of unprecedented ecological upheaval, monitoring ecosystem change at large spatial scales and over long‐time frames is an essential endeavor of effective environmental management and conservation. However, economic limitations often preclude revisiting entire monitoring networks at high frequency. We aimed here to develop a prioritization strategy for monitoring networks to select a subset of existing sites that meets the principles of complementarity and representativeness of the whole ecological reality, and maximizes ecological complementarity (species accumulation) and the spatial and environmental representativeness. We applied two well‐known approaches for conservation design, the “minimum set” and the “maximal coverage” problems, using a suite of alpha and beta biodiversity metrics. We created a novel function for the R environment that performs biodiversity metric comparisons and site prioritization on a plot‐by‐plot basis. We tested our procedures using plot data provided by the Terrestrial Ecosystem Research Network (TERN) AusPlots, an Australian long‐term monitoring network of 774 vegetation and soil monitoring plots. We selected 250 plots and 80% of the total species recorded as targets for the maximal coverage and minimum set problems, respectively. We compared the subsets selected by the different biodiversity metrics in terms of complementarity and spatial and environmental representativeness. We found that prioritization based on species turnover (i.e., iterative selection of the most dissimilar plot to a cumulative sample in terms of species replacement) maximized ecological complementarity and spatial representativeness, while also providing high environmental coverage. Species richness was an unreliable metric for spatial representation. Selection based on range‐rarity‐richness was balanced in terms of complementarity and representativeness, whereas its richness‐corrected implementation failed to capture ecological and environmental variation. Prioritization based on species turnover is desirable to cover the maximum variability of the whole network. Synthesis and applications: Our results inform monitoring design and conservation priorities, which can benefit by considering the turnover component of beta diversity in addition to univariate metrics. Our tool is computationally efficient, free, and can be readily applied to any species versus sites dataset, facilitating rapid decision‐making.