An analysis of the environmental and hormonal effects on the growth and development of the moss Ceratodon purpureus

Ceratodon has not been documented in scientific literature as thoroughly as other species of moss such as Funaria or Tortula. Commonly known as fire moss or purple horned moss, Ceratodon is often reddish or yellow-brown and the spore capsules are usually purple (Crum, 1983). A picture of the species growing in its natural habitat is shown in Figure 4. Ceratodon often grows in tufts and is considered a weed, often thriving in polluted or disturbed areas and frequently invading after a fire (Crum 1983). Ceratodon belongs to the class Bryopsida, which also contains the previously mentioned Funaria and Tortula species. Since hormones and environmental factors both signal changes in moss, this study began with the goal of comparing the responses seen in the presence of each of these individually. This study planned to compare the results of experiments consisting of environmental changes with no external application of ABA to the results of an experiment with the application of ABA but no environmental change. Limited research has been conducted on hormones such as ABA and their effects on differen

The accused is entering the courtroom: the live-tweeting of a murder trial.

Megan Knight, ‘The accused is entering the courtroom: the live tweeting of a murder trial’, paper presented at the International Association for Media and Communication Research conference: 'Memory, Commemoration and Communication: Looking Back, Looking Forward', 27-31 July 2016, University of Leicester, UK.The use of social media, especially Twitter, is now widely accepted within journalism as an outlet for news information. Live tweeting of unfolding events is standard practice, with a few exceptions. As technology unfolds, the law tends to follow slowly, meaning that in many jurisdictions, the use of social media in courtrooms has been constrained. In March 2014, Oscar Pistorius went on trial in the Gauteng High Court for murder. Mobile phones were permitted in the courtroom, and the hundreds of journalists present began live-tweeting their coverage, an unprecedented combination of international media interest, relative flexibility of the sub judice rule and technology which resulted in massive streams of consciousness reports of events as they unfolded. Based on a corpus of Twitter feeds of twenty four journalists covering the trial, this study analyses the content and strategies of these feeds in order to present an understanding of how microblogging is used as a live reporting tool. The journalists selected cover national and international media for the full range of media outlets and are from a range of nationalities and backgrounds. This study shows the development of standardised language and strategies in reporting on Twitter. As opposed to earlier studies (Hedman, 2015; D. Lasorsa, 2012; D. L. Lasorsa, Lewis, & Holton, 2011; Vis, 2013) which found greater variation in what journalists did (or thought they did) on social media, a more narrow range of activity was found, with only three strategies being present in teh accounts: Promotion, Reportage and Interaction. No significant variation in these was found with regards to gender, location or medium. The study also found that when journalists converse on social media, they do so with each other. The narrow range of voices present in the media, and the extent o which journalists speak primarily to each other, and not the wider public has been researched and commented for some years (Awad, 2006; Kothari, 2010; Lariscy, Avery, Sweetser, & Howes, 2009; Sigal, 1999). This study shows that new technologies have not changed this significantly, and that social media is not expanding the community with access to the media. This study highlights that we are in the beginning phase of the development of standardised strategies and styles for social media: from the wide ranging possibilities of the early days, Twitter is coalescing into a particular kind of tool for particular kinds of journalism. This is in keeping with the development of news in other media as well, which evolved into the standardised forms and language that came to be accepted as “traditional” for the medium. (Barnhurst & Nerone, 2001; Briggs, 2001) This study is the preliminary phase of the development of standardised strategies and styles for social media: from the wide ranging possibilities of the early days, Twitter is coalescing into a particular kind of tool for particular kinds of journalism. This is in keeping with the development of news in other media as well, which evolved into the standardised forms and language that came to be accepted as “traditional” for the medium. (Barnhurst & Nerone, 2001; Briggs, 2001)Peer reviewedFinal Published versio

Making Change Stick: A Case Study of one High School’s Journey Towards Standards-Based Grading

The purpose of this study was to explain the experiences of high school teachers and administrators in the midst of transitioning to standards-based grading practices. The researchers used a single case study methodology to investigate how teachers and administrators described their school’s implementation successes and challenges. Data triangulation occurred through analyzing semi-structured interviews, meeting agendas, handbooks, and relevant documents provided by study participants. Using Kotter’s eight steps for leading organizational change as a framework, we recommend school leaders blow off the cobwebs and get started, understand staff needs and provide teacher support, and be comfortable with being uncomfortable

Turbulence kinetic energy for an axisymmetric steam jet

Jet noise prediction using acoustic analogy based models require the numerical evaluation of a tensor product of the propagator for the Linearized Euler equations (LEE) and the Reynolds stress auto-covariance tensor. This latter term is approximated using symmetry properties of the turbulence. This process essentially boils down to obtaining a representation of the tensor involving a sum of certain of its components each of which is multiplied by an irreducible product of basic invariants formed by appropriate permutations of the tensor suffixes such that they possess the same tensorial structure as the original. Obtaining this statistical information is an expensive task of either performing multiple experiment campaigns or running high-fidelity numerical simulations (typically in the form of Large-Eddy Simulations, LES). Low-order models of the acoustic spectrum assume that the amplitude of the correlation functions is proportional to the turbulence kinetic energy (TKE). This assumption works well when the TKE is scaled with a fixed pre-factor representing the change in the magnitude of the individual correlations (see Karabasov et al). The aim of this work is to assess how the structure of TKE distribution changes when the flow is 100% water vapour (cold steam) or various fractions thereof and compare this to a simulation of pure air. While this is a relatively straightforward task in terms of Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulation, the importance of this cannot be understated since it shows (in a very simple way) whether the addition of water vapour in the jet will ultimately cause a decrease or increase in radiated sound. The former is favourable for jet noise control purposes

Effects of bioremediation on genotoxic responses to extracts of soil from a former manufactured gas plant site

Soil from former manufactured-gas plant sites is typically contaminated with a complex mixture of hazardous compounds, including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, many of which are suspected carcinogens. However, biological treatment of these soils may result in the production of genotoxic metabolites. To determine whether bioremediation of an MGP soil increases the formation of products detrimental to DNA repair mechanisms, we tested the genotoxic profiles of solvent extracts of contaminated soil from Salisbury, NC both before and after treatment in a laboratory-scale column that simulated in situ biostimulation. This study utilized a cell library containing a parent DT40 vertebrate cell line and a battery of isogenic mutants deficient in at least one DNA damage response pathway. Overall genotoxic responses from this study suggest biostimulation of contaminated soil is an effective tool for the reduction of parent compounds but that metabolites from aerobic microbial activity are more genotoxic than the original untreated soil

Production of enzymes from underutilised crops using biological pretreatment

A rapidly growing demand for food, feed, fuel and fibre has put a strain on vital resources, leading to increased concern of energy security. This, along with threats of global warming has attracted research into renewable energy sources and the development of new technologies for biofuel and biochemical production. The use of lignocellulosic material for the production of sustainable and cost-effective value-added products could offer a solution, with underutilised crops playing an important role as the raw material used in the biorefining process. However, enzymatic hydrolysis of the lignocellulosic material is one of the major barriers to an economically viable process, preventing its widespread application. The aim of this research was to investigate the feasibility of using solid state fermentation (SSF) of underutilised crops for the generation of cellulase and glucoamylase enzymes and fermentable sugars, providing the basis for a biorefining process for converting the crops to bioethanol and/or biochemicals. Several underutilised crops were investigated – Bambara, Leucaena, Napier grass, Nipa palm, Oil palm fronds, and Sago hampas. Characterisation of the crops was performed to determine their basic composition. The crops were screened to investigate which crop(s) had the highest potential as a substrate for fungal cellulase production during SSF and submerged fermentation (SmF). Two fungi, Aspergillus niger and Trichoderma reesei, were used, exploring different fermentation conditions to optimise the process. The use of A. niger during SSF resulted in the highest cellulase activity overall. Under baseline conditions (addition of deionised water to 80% (w/v) moisture content (MC)), the cellulase activity after five days of incubation ranged from 1.08 ± 0.06 FPU/g to 17.17 ± 0.44 FPU/g, with the use of Napier resulting in the highest activity. This activity was increased significantly with the addition of starch (0.0070 g/g), yeast extract (YE, 0.0175 g/g) and minerals. When these nutrients were added to Napier, the cellulase activity increased to as high as 31.02 ± 1.01 FPU/g. Since Sago hampas contained over 50% (w/w) starch, it was also investigated as a substrate for the production of fungal glucoamylases and fermentable sugars, using the fungus A. awamori. Glucoamylases could not be detected in SSF recovered fungal filtrate, although glucose was being produced. A SSF with washing cycles was designed to recover the glucose, examining several parameters including nutrients added, length between washing cycle and washing solution used. The highest glucose was obtained from a daily washing cycle, with the use of 40.0 x 106 spores/g and the addition of YE (0.0175 g/g) and minerals to 80% (w/v) MC to the Sago hampas. This resulted in the conversion of 46.53 % of the available starch into glucose after six days of incubation. This was compared with the initial continuous SSF over 21 days of incubation which gave 10.11% conversion of starch. The processes explored in this work could enable the creation of novel biorefining processes, using on-site produced cellulase enzymes to hydrolyse underutilised crops to a sugar-rich hydrolysate. This, as well as the sugar-rich filtrate produced with the Sago hampas, could then be used in the production of biofuels and/or biochemicals

Assessing Habitat Compensation in the Lower Fraser River and Estuary

Over the last century, wetland ecosystems along the Lower Fraser River (LFR) have been heavily impacted by foreshore development and industry. Wetlands along the LFR provide important ecosystem services and habitat for wildlife such as rearing grounds for fish and staging grounds for migratory birds. For 30 years, habitat compensation has been the accepted method for offsetting habitat degradation; however, due to a lack of follow-up research and consistent baseline data it is yet to be determined if compensation projects truly replicate habitat lost. This project, funded by the National Wetland Conservation Fund, aims to (1) review, assess, and determine the success of selected wetland habitat compensation sites along the LFR and (2) create an open access, interactive online map to promote access to data and improve accountability. The success of each site was analysed in two ways; assessing both regulatory achievements and the ecosystem health. Regulatory success was determined by ground truthing habitats to determine if spatial obligations were fulfilled. Ecosystem health was assessed through vegetation surveys. The main indicators of health were based on the relative percent cover of native species relative to non-native species. The study also examined ecosystem health along spatial and temporal gradients, in relation to wetland structure design, as well as in relation to stressors such as waterfowl grazing and log debris. Project findings will provide tangible suggestions for increasing compensation habitat success in the region and a comprehensive source of baseline data for future studies

Production of enzymes from underutilised crops using biological pretreatment

A rapidly growing demand for food, feed, fuel and fibre has put a strain on vital resources, leading to increased concern of energy security. This, along with threats of global warming has attracted research into renewable energy sources and the development of new technologies for biofuel and biochemical production. The use of lignocellulosic material for the production of sustainable and cost-effective value-added products could offer a solution, with underutilised crops playing an important role as the raw material used in the biorefining process. However, enzymatic hydrolysis of the lignocellulosic material is one of the major barriers to an economically viable process, preventing its widespread application. The aim of this research was to investigate the feasibility of using solid state fermentation (SSF) of underutilised crops for the generation of cellulase and glucoamylase enzymes and fermentable sugars, providing the basis for a biorefining process for converting the crops to bioethanol and/or biochemicals. Several underutilised crops were investigated – Bambara, Leucaena, Napier grass, Nipa palm, Oil palm fronds, and Sago hampas. Characterisation of the crops was performed to determine their basic composition. The crops were screened to investigate which crop(s) had the highest potential as a substrate for fungal cellulase production during SSF and submerged fermentation (SmF). Two fungi, Aspergillus niger and Trichoderma reesei, were used, exploring different fermentation conditions to optimise the process. The use of A. niger during SSF resulted in the highest cellulase activity overall. Under baseline conditions (addition of deionised water to 80% (w/v) moisture content (MC)), the cellulase activity after five days of incubation ranged from 1.08 ± 0.06 FPU/g to 17.17 ± 0.44 FPU/g, with the use of Napier resulting in the highest activity. This activity was increased significantly with the addition of starch (0.0070 g/g), yeast extract (YE, 0.0175 g/g) and minerals. When these nutrients were added to Napier, the cellulase activity increased to as high as 31.02 ± 1.01 FPU/g. Since Sago hampas contained over 50% (w/w) starch, it was also investigated as a substrate for the production of fungal glucoamylases and fermentable sugars, using the fungus A. awamori. Glucoamylases could not be detected in SSF recovered fungal filtrate, although glucose was being produced. A SSF with washing cycles was designed to recover the glucose, examining several parameters including nutrients added, length between washing cycle and washing solution used. The highest glucose was obtained from a daily washing cycle, with the use of 40.0 x 106 spores/g and the addition of YE (0.0175 g/g) and minerals to 80% (w/v) MC to the Sago hampas. This resulted in the conversion of 46.53 % of the available starch into glucose after six days of incubation. This was compared with the initial continuous SSF over 21 days of incubation which gave 10.11% conversion of starch. The processes explored in this work could enable the creation of novel biorefining processes, using on-site produced cellulase enzymes to hydrolyse underutilised crops to a sugar-rich hydrolysate. This, as well as the sugar-rich filtrate produced with the Sago hampas, could then be used in the production of biofuels and/or biochemicals

Sequential Order of Swing Phase Initiation in Baseball

In order to successfully hit a baseball, hitters must utilize a series of preparatory movements (swing phases) which include shifting their body weight, stepping, landing, and swinging. The purpose of this study was to examine the differences between start times for swing phases (shifting, stepping, landing, and swinging)for currently active baseball players. Participants (n = 12) were all current collegiate baseball athletes. Retroreflective markers, surface electromyography (EMG) and two force platforms were utilized to complete a swing analysis. Each participant completed five swinging trials off a tee. All dependent variables were compared using a repeated measures 1×4 ANOVA with LSD post hoc comparison (p \u3c  0.05) if necessary. The results demonstrated that the participants started the swing phases in a statistically significant sequence of shifting, stepping, landing, and swinging. The ability of the athletes to start the swing phases in this sequential order may be advantageous to regulate spatial parameters of their swing and provide more time to generate power. These results allow for coaches to better understand how to instruct their athletes to be successful at the plate

THE ACCUSED IS ENTERING THE COURTROOM: THE LIVE-TWEETING OF A MURDER TRIAL.

© 2017 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis GroupThe use of social media is now widely accepted within journalism as an outlet for news information. Live tweeting of unfolding events is standard practice. In March 2014, Oscar Pistorius went on trial in the Gauteng High Court for murder. Hundreds of journalists present began live-tweeting coverage, an unprecedented combination of international interest, permission to use technology and access which resulted in massive streams of consciousness reports of events as they unfolded. Based on a corpus of Twitter feeds of twenty-four journalists covering the trial, this study analyses the content and strategies of these feeds in order to present an understanding of how microblogging is used as a live reporting tool. This study shows the development of standardised language and strategies in reporting on Twitter, concluding that journalists adopt a narrow range of approaches, with no significant variation in terms of gender, location, or medium. This is in contrast to earlier studies in the field (Awad, 2006, Hedman, 2015; Kothari, 2010; Lariscy, Avery, Sweetser, & Howes, 2009 Lasorsa, 2012; Lasorsa, Lewis, & Holton, 2011; Sigal, 1999, Vis, 2013).Peer reviewe