OBTAINING MODELS FOR ALFALFA, SORGHUM, AND WHEAT RESIDUE DECOMPOSITION

Crop residues provide an economical means for controlling wind and water erosion in addition to being a valuable source of plant nutrients. As residues decompose they lose nutrients, mass and the ability to protect the soil surface from erosive forces. The research was designed to evaluate rates of residue decomposition of sorghum, wheat and alfalfa on the soil surface and buried, in five soil moisture regimes. Moisture was applied to soil by line source irrigation and bags containing crop residues were retrieved and analyzed across time. Thus, observations were repeated in both space and time . Wieder and Lang (1982) reported that mass-loss over time was modeled well by the negative exponential. Because residue can be divided into fast (labile) and slow (recalcitrant) decomposing fractions, the double exponential is suggested. Assuming the ratio of labile to recalcitrant is constant for. a crop regardless of soil moisture, and whether on the surface or buried, it would be sufficient for each crop to fit a set of simultaneous non-linear functions with three parameters, a constant A (proportion labile) over all equations with different k1,\u27s (labile fraction decomposition rates) and k 2\u27s (recalcitrant decomposition rates) for soil moisture levels and whether buried or unburied . For alfalfa the results were consistent with the above theory. For wheat and sorghum data holding A constant over all environments resulted in k\u27 s \u3e 0. Convergence of the estimations process could not be obtained when forcing k\u27s ≤ 0. The single exponential provided a satisfactory model of decomposition, but without the advantage of separating the residues into labile and recalcitrant fractions. The inability to obtain estimates using the double exponential apparently resulted from an insufficient observation period. The recalcitrant fraction of the surface residues of these crops had not disappeared after more than a year

Citizen Science and Open Data: a model for Invasive Alien Species in Europe

Invasive Alien Species (IAS) are a growing threat to Europe's biodiversity. The implementation of European Union Regulation on IAS can benefit from the involvement of the public in IAS recording and management through Citizen Science (CS) initiatives. Aiming to tackle issues related with the use of CS projects on IAS topics, a dedicated workshop titled “Citizen Science and Open Data: a model for Invasive Alien Species in Europe” was organized by the Joint Research Centre (JRC) and the European Cooperation in Science and Technology (COST Association). Fifty key stakeholders from all Europe, including two Members of the European Parliament, attended the workshop. With a clear focus on IAS, the workshop aimed at addressing the following issues: a) CS and policy, b) citizen engagement, and c) CS data management. Nine short presentations provided input on CS and IAS issues. Participants discussed specific topics in several round tables (“world café” style) and reported back their conclusions to the audience and full assembly moderated discussions. Overall, the workshop enabled the sharing of ideas, approaches and best practices regarding CS and IAS. Specific opportunities and pitfalls of using CS data in the whole policy cycle for IAS were recognized. Concerning the implementation of the IAS Regulation, CS data could complement official surveillance systems, and contribute to the early warning of the IAS of Union concern after appropriate validation by the Member States’ competent authorities. CS projects can additionally increase awareness and empower citizens. Attendees pointed out the importance for further public engagement in CS projects on IAS that demonstrate specific initiatives and approaches and analyze lessons learned from past experiences. In addition, the workshop noted that the data gathered from different CS projects on IAS are fragmented. It highlighted the need for using an open and accessible platform to upload data originating from CS sources or to mirror validated data into a single, easy-to-use web service, in line with the EU Open Science Strategic Priority. The workshop provided ten key recommendations of best practices for CS projects on IAS, addressed to researchers, policy makers and implementing authorities, indicating future research and policy directions and opportunities

Pedagogical approaches for e-assessment with authentication and authorship verification in Higher Education

Checking the identity of students and authorship of their online submissions is a major concern in Higher Education due to the increasing amount of plagiarism and cheating using the Internet. The literature on the effects of e-authentication systems for teaching staff is very limited because it is a novel procedure for them. A considerable gap is to understand teaching staff’ views regarding the use of e-authentication instruments and how they impact trust in e-assessment. This mixed-method study examines the concerns and practices of 108 teaching staff who used the TeSLA - Adaptive Trust-based e-Assessment System in six countries: UK, Spain, Netherlands, Bulgaria, Finland and Turkey. The findings revealed some technological, organisational and pedagogical issues related to accessibility, security, privacy and e-assessment design and feedback. Recommendations are to provide: a FAQ and an audit report with results, to raise awareness about data security and privacy, to develop policies and guidelines about fraud detection and prevention, e-assessment best practices and course team support

Corporate Social Responsibility and Sustainable Development Goal 9

With the spread of neoliberalism, corporate social responsibility (CSR) and private governance have become integral parts of corporate behavior. This entry discusses the aspects of Goal 9 (industry, innovation, and infrastructure) of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in relation to CSR. Goal 9 emphasizes sustainability, resilience, and equity of corporations, industries, and other social and economic actors in the processes of innovation and advancement of infrastructures. Although the concept of CSR, which represents positive social and environmental influences of corporations, is not explicitly mentioned in Goal 9, it is an important mechanism in accomplishing the objectives of the goal

Valgus and varus deformity after wide-local excision, brachytherapy and external beam irradiation in two children with lower extremity synovial cell sarcoma: case report

BACKGROUND: Limb-salvage is a primary objective in the management of extremity soft-tissue sarcoma in adults and children. Wide-local excision combined with radiation therapy is effective in achieving local tumor control with acceptable morbidity and good functional outcomes for most patients. CASE PRESENTATION: Two cases of deformity after wide-local excision, brachytherapy and external beam irradiation for lower-extremity synovial cell sarcoma are presented and discussed to highlight contributing factors, time course of radiation effects and orthopedic management. In an effort to spare normal tissues from the long-term effects of radiation therapy, more focal irradiation techniques have been applied to patients with musculoskeletal tumors including brachytherapy and conformal radiation therapy. As illustrated in this report, the use of these techniques results in the asymmetric irradiation of growth plates and contributes to the development of valgus or varus deformity and leg-length discrepancies. CONCLUSIONS: Despite good functional outcomes, progressive deformity in both patients required epiphysiodesis more than 3 years after initial management. There is a dearth of information related to the effects of radiation therapy on the musculoskeletal system in children. Because limb-sparing approaches are to be highlighted in the next generation of cooperative group protocols for children with musculoskeletal tumors, documentation of the effects of surgery and radiation therapy will lead to improved decision making in the selection of the best treatment approach and in the follow-up of these patients

2019 Scholars at Work Conference Program

Program for the 2019 Scholars at Work Conference at Minnesota State University, Mankato on March 29, 2019

Obesity Takes Its Toll on Visceral Pain: High-Fat Diet Induces Toll-Like Receptor 4- Dependent Visceral Hypersensitivity

Exposure to high-fat diet induces both, peripheral and central alterations in TLR4 expression. Moreover, functional TLR4 is required for the development of high-fat diet-induced obesity. Recently, central alterations in TLR4 expression have been associated with the modulation of visceral pain. However, it remains unknown whether there is a functional interaction between the role of TLR4 in diet-induced obesity and in visceral pain. In the present study we investigated the impact of long-term exposure to high-fat diet on visceral pain perception and on the levels of TLR4 and Cd11b (a microglial cell marker) protein expression in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) and hippocampus. Peripheral alterations in TLR4 were assessed following the stimulation of spleenocytes with the TLR4-agonist LPS. Finally, we evaluated the effect of blocking TLR4 on visceral nociception, by administering TAK-242, a selective TLR4-antagonist. Our results demonstrated that exposure to high-fat diet induced visceral hypersensitivity. In parallel, enhanced TLR4 expression and microglia activation were found in brain areas related to visceral pain, the PFC and the hippocampus. Likewise, peripheral TLR4 activity was increased following long-term exposure to high-fat diet, resulting in an increased level of pro-inflammatory cytokines. Finally, TLR4 blockage counteracted the hyperalgesic phenotype present in mice fed on high-fat diet. Our data reveal a role for TLR4 in visceral pain modulation in a model of diet-induced obesity, and point to TLR4 as a potential therapeutic target for the development of drugs to treat visceral hypersensitivity present in pathologies associated to fat diet consumption