Research in Brief - Can They Teach Each Other? : The Restructuring of Higher Education and the Rise of Undergraduate Student “Teachers” in Ontario

Changes to public funding regimes, coupled with transformations in how universities are managed and measured have altered the methods for educating undergraduate students. The growing reliance on teaching fellows, teaching assistants, and increasingly undergraduate peer educators (administering Supplemental Instruction [SI] programs) is promoted as a means toachieve a greater “return on investment” in the delivery of postsecondary education. Neoliberal discourses legitimating this downloading of teaching labour suggest it offers a “win-win” solution to the “problem” of educating growing numbers of undergraduate students. It proposes universities can deliver the same curricula, and achieve the same “outcomes” (primarily measured through grades and retention) for a substantially lower investment. Taking a political economy approach to examining transformations in Canadian postsecondary education, this article has three objectives. First, it traces the emergence and development of the discourses supporting the restructuring of teaching. Second, it unpacks these discourses and situates them within the context of successive reductions of public funding in postsecondary education. Third, it explores the expansion of SI as a microcosm of the broader complex shifts in the organization, management, and search for “efficiencies” in higher education, and challenges uncritical policy supporting the outcomes of SI

Osteoarthritic changes in the knees of recently retired male professional footballers: a pilot study

Background: Knee osteoarthritis (OA) is common amongst retired male professional footballers. There is limited understanding with respect to the interplay between imaging findings, clinical presentation and patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) in retired professional footballers with knee OA. Objectives: This pilot study aimed to evaluate the extent of radiological and clinical knee OA in a cohort of retired male professional footballers, and to explore the relationship between these findings and knee-related PROMs. Methods: Fifteen retired male professional footballers underwent knee radiographs and were surveyed on their history of clinical OA, severe knee injury and previous knee surgery. The Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score Physical Function Short Form (KOOS-PS) and the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System Global Health (PROMIS-GH) were used to assess health outcomes, such as level of function and pain. Results: Radiological knee OA was diagnosed in six out of 15 participants. Seven of the participants had a clinical diagnosis of knee OA. Evidence of clinical and radiological OA was present amongst four participants. Radiological knee OA and clinical OA was significantly associated with a history of severe knee injury and previous knee surgery. Low correlations (ρ<-0.40) were found between knee OA severity and knee-related PROMs. Moderate correlation (ρ=-0.65) was found between clinical knee OA and KOOS-SP. Conclusion: Clinical knee OA correlates with PROMs amongst retired professional footballers but radiological OA does not. Further studies are required to understand the relationship between imaging findings, clinical presentation and PROMs amongst retired professional footballers with knee OA.

The Friend zone: An In/inite Place Where Nothing Good Happens: A Comprehensive Study of Friend zoning Across Varying Genders and Sexual Orientations

“Friend zone” is a popular culture term used to describe a friendship where one member in a friend dyad desires a romantic or sexual relationship and the other member does not. Sexual Script Theory (Simon & Gagnon, 2003) and Sexual Strategies Theory (Buss & Schmidt, 1993) suggest that individuals will typically view the friend zone as a Qield dominated by female-to-male interactions, given sexual scripts on women as gatekeepers and men as being more active in initiating relationships. It may be expected then that men and women and individuals who are not exclusively heterosexual may then follow different scripts for making and negotiating friend zone choices. There is very little data available concerning instances of the use of the term friend zone in same-sex friendship interactions. Individuals are typically expected to have relationships that conform to the heteronormative script, so most people are resistant to the thought of being attracted to others of the same sex (Lamb, 2004). Because of this, many “best friendships” between those of the same sex have been used as protection against claims of same-sex attraction/relationships (Lamb, 2004). Given the lack of research on same-sex friend zoning, as well as the restrictive nature of heteronormative scripts, the current study explores the practice of friend zoning within same-sex friendships.https://orb.binghamton.edu/research_days_posters/1003/thumbnail.jp

Estimating Photosynthetic Attributes from High-Throughput Canopy Hyperspectral Sensing in Sorghum

Sorghum, a genetically diverse C(4) cereal, is an ideal model to study natural variation in photosynthetic capacity. Specific leaf nitrogen (SLN) and leaf mass per leaf area (LMA), as well as, maximal rates of Rubisco carboxylation (V (cmax)), phosphoenolpyruvate (PEP) carboxylation (V (pmax)), and electron transport (J (max)), quantified using a C(4) photosynthesis model, were evaluated in two field-grown training sets (n = 169 plots including 124 genotypes) in 2019 and 2020. Partial least square regression (PLSR) was used to predict V (cmax) (R (2) = 0.83), V (pmax) (R (2) = 0.93), J (max) (R (2) = 0.76), SLN (R (2) = 0.82), and LMA (R (2) = 0.68) from tractor-based hyperspectral sensing. Further assessments of the capability of the PLSR models for V (cmax), V (pmax), J (max), SLN, and LMA were conducted by extrapolating these models to two trials of genome-wide association studies adjacent to the training sets in 2019 (n = 875 plots including 650 genotypes) and 2020 (n = 912 plots with 634 genotypes). The predicted traits showed medium to high heritability and genome-wide association studies using the predicted values identified four QTL for V (cmax) and two QTL for J (max). Candidate genes within 200 kb of the V (cmax) QTL were involved in nitrogen storage, which is closely associated with Rubisco, while not directly associated with Rubisco activity per se. J (max) QTL was enriched for candidate genes involved in electron transport. These outcomes suggest the methods here are of great promise to effectively screen large germplasm collections for enhanced photosynthetic capacity

Estimating Photosynthetic Attributes from High-Throughput Canopy Hyperspectral Sensing in Sorghum

Sorghum, a genetically diverse C(4) cereal, is an ideal model to study natural variation in photosynthetic capacity. Specific leaf nitrogen (SLN) and leaf mass per leaf area (LMA), as well as, maximal rates of Rubisco carboxylation (V (cmax)), phosphoenolpyruvate (PEP) carboxylation (V (pmax)), and electron transport (J (max)), quantified using a C(4) photosynthesis model, were evaluated in two field-grown training sets (n = 169 plots including 124 genotypes) in 2019 and 2020. Partial least square regression (PLSR) was used to predict V (cmax) (R (2) = 0.83), V (pmax) (R (2) = 0.93), J (max) (R (2) = 0.76), SLN (R (2) = 0.82), and LMA (R (2) = 0.68) from tractor-based hyperspectral sensing. Further assessments of the capability of the PLSR models for V (cmax), V (pmax), J (max), SLN, and LMA were conducted by extrapolating these models to two trials of genome-wide association studies adjacent to the training sets in 2019 (n = 875 plots including 650 genotypes) and 2020 (n = 912 plots with 634 genotypes). The predicted traits showed medium to high heritability and genome-wide association studies using the predicted values identified four QTL for V (cmax) and two QTL for J (max). Candidate genes within 200 kb of the V (cmax) QTL were involved in nitrogen storage, which is closely associated with Rubisco, while not directly associated with Rubisco activity per se. J (max) QTL was enriched for candidate genes involved in electron transport. These outcomes suggest the methods here are of great promise to effectively screen large germplasm collections for enhanced photosynthetic capacity

Electrochemical Characterization of Escherichia coli Adaptive Response Protein AidB

When exposed to known DNA-damaging alkylating agents, Escherichia coli cells increase production of four DNA repair enzymes: Ada, AlkA, AlkB, and AidB. The role of three enzymes (Ada, AlkA, and AlkB) in repairing DNA lesions has been well characterized, while the function of AidB is poorly understood. AidB has a distinct cofactor that is potentially related to the elusive role of AidB in adaptive response: a redox active flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD). In this study, we report the thermodynamic redox properties of the AidB flavin for the first time, both for free protein and in the presence of potential substrates. We find that the midpoint reduction potential of the AidB flavin is within a biologically relevant window for redox chemistry at −181 mV, that AidB significantly stabilizes the flavin semiquinone, and that small molecule binding perturbs the observed reduction potential. Our electrochemical results combined with structural analysis allow for fresh comparisons between AidB and the homologous acyl-coenzyme A dehydrogenase (ACAD) family of enzymes. AidB exhibits several discrepancies from ACADs that suggest a novel catalytic mechanism distinct from that of the ACAD family enzymes.National Institutes of Health (U.S.) (Grant P30-ES002109)National Institutes of Health (U.S.) (Grant R01-GM69857)National Science Foundation (U.S.) (Grant MCB-0543833

Genetic basis of sorghum leaf width and its potential as a surrogate for transpiration efficiency

Leaf width was correlated with plant-level transpiration efficiency and associated with 19 QTL in sorghum, suggesting it could be a surrogate for transpiration efficiency in large breeding program. Enhancing plant transpiration efficiency (TE) by reducing transpiration without compromising photosynthesis and yield is a desirable selection target in crop improvement programs. While narrow individual leaf width has been correlated with greater intrinsic water use efficiency in C4 species, the extent to which this translates to greater plant TE has not been investigated. The aims of this study were to evaluate the correlation of leaf width with TE at the whole-plant scale and investigate the genetic control of leaf width in sorghum. Two lysimetry experiments using 16 genotypes varying for stomatal conductance and three field trials using a large sorghum diversity panel (n = 701 lines) were conducted. Negative associations of leaf width with plant TE were found in the lysimetry experiments, suggesting narrow leaves may result in reduced plant transpiration without trade-offs in biomass accumulation. A wide range in width of the largest leaf was found in the sorghum diversity panel with consistent ranking among sorghum races, suggesting that environmental adaptation may have a role in modifying leaf width. Nineteen QTL were identified by genome-wide association studies on leaf width adjusted for flowering time. The QTL identified showed high levels of correspondence with those in maize and rice, suggesting similarities in the genetic control of leaf width across cereals. Three a priori candidate genes for leaf width, previously found to regulate dorsoventrality, were identified based on a 1-cM threshold. This study provides useful physiological and genetic insights for potential manipulation of leaf width to improve plant adaptation to diverse environments

Genetic basis of sorghum leaf width and its potential as a surrogate for transpiration efficiency

Leaf width was correlated with plant-level transpiration efficiency and associated with 19 QTL in sorghum, suggesting it could be a surrogate for transpiration efficiency in large breeding program. Enhancing plant transpiration efficiency (TE) by reducing transpiration without compromising photosynthesis and yield is a desirable selection target in crop improvement programs. While narrow individual leaf width has been correlated with greater intrinsic water use efficiency in C4 species, the extent to which this translates to greater plant TE has not been investigated. The aims of this study were to evaluate the correlation of leaf width with TE at the whole-plant scale and investigate the genetic control of leaf width in sorghum. Two lysimetry experiments using 16 genotypes varying for stomatal conductance and three field trials using a large sorghum diversity panel (n = 701 lines) were conducted. Negative associations of leaf width with plant TE were found in the lysimetry experiments, suggesting narrow leaves may result in reduced plant transpiration without trade-offs in biomass accumulation. A wide range in width of the largest leaf was found in the sorghum diversity panel with consistent ranking among sorghum races, suggesting that environmental adaptation may have a role in modifying leaf width. Nineteen QTL were identified by genome-wide association studies on leaf width adjusted for flowering time. The QTL identified showed high levels of correspondence with those in maize and rice, suggesting similarities in the genetic control of leaf width across cereals. Three a priori candidate genes for leaf width, previously found to regulate dorsoventrality, were identified based on a 1-cM threshold. This study provides useful physiological and genetic insights for potential manipulation of leaf width to improve plant adaptation to diverse environments

Forgotten Plotlanders: Learning from the survival of lost informal housing in the UK.

Colin Ward’s discourses on the arcadian landscape of ‘plotlander’ housing are unique documentations of the anarchistic birth, life, and death of the last informal housing communities in the UK. Today the forgotten history of ‘plotlander’ housing documented by Ward can be re-read in the context of both the apparently never-ending ‘housing crisis’ in the UK, and the increasing awareness of the potential value of learning from comparable informal housing from the Global South. This papers observations of a previously unknown and forgotten plotlander site offers a chance to begin a new conversation regarding the positive potential of informal and alternative housing models in the UK and wider Westernised world