Opening the pathways to scholarly enhancements of teaching and learning

This short piece, written on behalf of the Publications Advisory Committee (PAC), celebrates Teaching & Learning Inquiry’s transition to open access and what that means for the future of the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning. Members of the PAC are Pat Hutchings (US, chair), Sean Brawley (Australia), Mick Healey (UK), Margy MacMillan (Canada), Rebecca Nowacek (US), Tony Ciccone (US), and (ex officio) TLI co-editors Nancy Chick and Gary Poole

Valuing Wrexham's Urban Forest

Urban forests are a valuable source of ecosystem services in towns and cities. They help us alleviate problems associated with densely packed populations by improving local air quality, capturing carbon and reducing flooding. They also provide food and habitat for animals, such as birds and bees, and improve social cohesion in communities.However, the value of urban trees, both quantifiable and otherwise, is often overlooked within planning developments. By valuing the quantifiable services provided by trees in Wrexham County Borough, Wrexham County Borough Council and Natural Resources Wales can increase the profile of the County‟s urban forests, ensuring their value is maintained and improved upon. In addition, valuing these ecosystem services helps town planners, landscape architects and tree officers to plan where trees will be planted for the maximum benefit.A survey of Wrexham County Boroughs trees‟ to value a number of ecosystem services was undertaken in summer 2013 with the aid of i-Tree Eco, used for the first time in Wales. i-Tree Eco is a model developed by the US Forest Service that allows scientists to measure a range of ecosystem services provided by urban trees, from carbon sequestration to pollutant removal. The study was funded by Natural Resources Wales and Wrexham County Borough Council and was carried out by Forest Research. The quality of life for residents of Wrexham is significantly improved by its urban forest, helping alleviate flash flooding and sewer blockages, providing cleaner air and supporting wildlife such as pollinators. In addition, Wrexham‟s urban forest contributes significantly to the local economy, saving around £1.44 million in services per year. This would be enough money to plant nearly 800 medium sized oak trees in Wrexham and iscomparable to the amount needed to refurbish Wrexham cemetery (Wrexham.com, 2014). Wrexham has a high density of trees but low canopy cover compared to similar sized towns. A further 28% of Wrexham‟s urban space could be planted with trees, bringingWrexham in line with other urban areas. Wrexham‟s urban forest could also be improved by planting a higher diversity of tree species, improving its resilience to pests and diseases. The number of large trees in Wrexham is above average for the UK and, in particular,there are many impressive old oaks. However, there are fewer large trees than recommended for a future-proofed urban forest, suggesting some room for improvement. Increasing planting of large stature trees may future proof Wrexham‟s impressive stock of large growing trees. A summary of key results is presented on page 5

Ammonia and nitrous oxide emission factors for excreta deposited by livestock and land-applied manure

Manure application to land and deposition of urine and dung by grazing animals are major sources of ammonia (NH3 ) and nitrous oxide (N2 O) emissions. Using data on NH3 and N2 O emissions following land-applied manures and excreta deposited during grazing, emission factors (EFs) disaggregated by climate zone were developed, and the effects of mitigation strategies were evaluated. The NH3 data represent emissions from cattle and swine manures in temperate wet climates, and the N2 O data include cattle, sheep, and swine manure emissions in temperate wet/dry and tropical wet/dry climates. The NH3 EFs for broadcast cattle solid manure and slurry were 0.03 and 0.24 kg NH3 -N kg-1 total N (TN), respectively, whereas the NH3 EF of broadcast swine slurry was 0.29. Emissions from both cattle and swine slurry were reduced between 46 and 62% with low-emissions application methods. Land application of cattle and swine manure in wet climates had EFs of 0.005 and 0.011 kg N2 O-N kg-1 TN, respectively, whereas in dry climates the EF for cattle manure was 0.0031. The N2 O EFs for cattle urine and dung in wet climates were 0.0095 and 0.002 kg N2 O-N kg-1 TN, respectively, which were three times greater than for dry climates. The N2 O EFs for sheep urine and dung in wet climates were 0.0043 and 0.0005, respectively. The use of nitrification inhibitors reduced emissions in swine manure, cattle urine/dung, and sheep urine by 45-63%. These enhanced EFs can improve national inventories; however, more data from poorly represented regions (e.g., Asia, Africa, South America) are needed

DATAMAN: A global database of nitrous oxide and ammonia emission factors for excreta deposited by livestock and land-applied manure

Nitrous oxide (N2 O), ammonia (NH3 ), and methane (CH4 ) emissions from the manure management chain of livestock production systems are important contributors to greenhouse gases (GHGs) and NH3 emitted by human activities. Several studies have evaluated manure-related emissions and associated key variables at regional, national, or continental scales. However, there have been few studies focusing on the drivers of these emissions using a global dataset. An international project was created (DATAMAN) to develop a global database on GHG and NH3 emissions from the manure management chain (housing, storage, and field) to identify key variables influencing emissions and ultimately to refine emission factors (EFs) for future national GHG inventories and NH3 emission reporting. This paper describes the "field" database that focuses on N2 O and NH3 EFs from land-applied manure and excreta deposited by grazing livestock. We collated relevant information (EFs, manure characteristics, soil properties, and climatic conditions) from published peer-reviewed research, conference papers, and existing databases. The database, containing 5,632 observations compiled from 184 studies, was relatively evenly split between N2 O and NH3 (56 and 44% of the EF values, respectively). The N2 O data were derived from studies conducted in 21 countries on five continents, with New Zealand, the United Kingdom, Kenya, and Brazil representing 86% of the data. The NH3 data originated from studies conducted in 17 countries on four continents, with the United Kingdom, Denmark, Canada, and The Netherlands representing 79% of the data. Wet temperate climates represented 90% of the total database. The DATAMAN field database is available at http://www.dataman.co.nz

Four-year longitudinal impact evaluation of the action for children UK neglect project : outcomes for the children, families, action for children, and the UK

Neglect has a devastating impact on children and is the most pervasive form of child maltreatment in the United Kingdom. The study purpose was to establish outcomes for neglected children following structured assessment and intervention to ascertain what worked and why it worked. This prospective cohort study included 85 cases of neglected children under 8 years of age from 7 centers across the United Kingdom. Data were collected between 2008 and 2012 through serial quantitative recording of the level of concern about neglect. Serial review of qualitative casefile data was undertaken for detail of assessment, interventions, and evidence of outcomes for the child. Data analysis was undertaken by paired t-test, Chi Square, descriptive statics for categorical data, and, for narrative data, identification of recurring factors and patterns, with correlation of presenting factors, interventions, and outcomes. Paired t-test demonstrated significant decrease in overall Action for Children Assessment Tool scores between assessment (M = 43.77, SD = 11.09) and closing the case (M = 35.47,SD = 9.6, t(84) = 6.77, p < 0.01). Improvement in the level of concern about neglect was shown in 79% of cases, with only 21% showing no improvement. In 59% of cases, concern about neglect was removed completely. Use of the assessment tool fostered engagement by parents. The relationship between lack of parental engagement and children being taken into care was statistically significant, with a large effect size (χ2 10.66, df1, p = 0.0001,OR = 17.24). When parents refused or were unable to respond positively to the intervention, children benefited from an expedited move into care

Management Effectiveness of the World's Marine Fisheries

A global analysis shows that fishery management worldwide is lagging far behind international standards, and that the conversion of scientific advice into policy, through a participatory and transparent process, holds promise for achieving sustainable fisheries

Evaluating the Effects of SARS-CoV-2 Spike Mutation D614G on Transmissibility and Pathogenicity.

Global dispersal and increasing frequency of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein variant D614G are suggestive of a selective advantage but may also be due to a random founder effect. We investigate the hypothesis for positive selection of spike D614G in the United Kingdom using more than 25,000 whole genome SARS-CoV-2 sequences. Despite the availability of a large dataset, well represented by both spike 614 variants, not all approaches showed a conclusive signal of positive selection. Population genetic analysis indicates that 614G increases in frequency relative to 614D in a manner consistent with a selective advantage. We do not find any indication that patients infected with the spike 614G variant have higher COVID-19 mortality or clinical severity, but 614G is associated with higher viral load and younger age of patients. Significant differences in growth and size of 614G phylogenetic clusters indicate a need for continued study of this variant

The James Webb Space Telescope Mission

Twenty-six years ago a small committee report, building on earlier studies, expounded a compelling and poetic vision for the future of astronomy, calling for an infrared-optimized space telescope with an aperture of at least $4m$. With the support of their governments in the US, Europe, and Canada, 20,000 people realized that vision as the $6.5m$ James Webb Space Telescope. A generation of astronomers will celebrate their accomplishments for the life of the mission, potentially as long as 20 years, and beyond. This report and the scientific discoveries that follow are extended thank-you notes to the 20,000 team members. The telescope is working perfectly, with much better image quality than expected. In this and accompanying papers, we give a brief history, describe the observatory, outline its objectives and current observing program, and discuss the inventions and people who made it possible. We cite detailed reports on the design and the measured performance on orbit.Comment: Accepted by PASP for the special issue on The James Webb Space Telescope Overview, 29 pages, 4 figure

Evaluating the Effects of SARS-CoV-2 Spike Mutation D614G on Transmissibility and Pathogenicity

Global dispersal and increasing frequency of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein variant D614G are suggestive of a selective advantage but may also be due to a random founder effect. We investigate the hypothesis for positive selection of spike D614G in the United Kingdom using more than 25,000 whole genome SARS-CoV-2 sequences. Despite the availability of a large dataset, well represented by both spike 614 variants, not all approaches showed a conclusive signal of positive selection. Population genetic analysis indicates that 614G increases in frequency relative to 614D in a manner consistent with a selective advantage. We do not find any indication that patients infected with the spike 614G variant have higher COVID-19 mortality or clinical severity, but 614G is associated with higher viral load and younger age of patients. Significant differences in growth and size of 614G phylogenetic clusters indicate a need for continued study of this variant

The efficacy of three techniques to alleviate soil compaction at a restored sand and gravel quarry. Soil Use and Management 22:362371

ABSTRACT 1 Reinstated soil at restored sites often suffers from severe compaction which can significantly impede root 2 development. Several methods, such as ripping and complete cultivation, are available to alleviate 3 compaction that may occur as a result of soil reinstatement. This paper examines the effectiveness of the 4 industry standard industrial ripper and a prototype modern ripper, the Mega-Lift, in comparison with the 5 recommended best practice method of complete cultivation. An investigation of the penetration resistance of 6 the soil at a restored sand and gravel quarry was carried out using a cone penetrometer and a &apos;lifting driving 7 tool&apos; (dropping weight penetrometer) three years following cultivation. All the cultivation treatments reduced 8 soil compaction to some degree compared to the untreated control plot. However, the penetration resistance 9 values suggest that rooting would be restricted at relatively shallow depths in the plots cultivated using th