Soil salinity inhibits plant shade avoidance

Global food production is set to keep increasing despite a predicted decrease in total arable land. To achieve higher production, denser planting will be required on increasingly degraded soils. When grown in dense stands, crops elongate and raise their leaves in an effort to reach sunlight, a process termed shade-avoidance. Shade is perceived by a reduction in the ratio of red (R) to (FR) light and results in the stabilisation of a class of transcription factors known as PHYTOCHROME INTERACTING FACTORs (PIFs). PIFs activate the expression of auxin biosynthesis genes and enhance auxin sensitivity, which promotes cell wall loosening and drives elongation growth. Despite our molecular understanding of shade-induced growth, little is known about how this developmental programme is integrated with other environmental factors. Here we demonstrate that low levels of NaCl in soil strongly impair the ability of plants to respond to shade. This block is dependent upon abscisic acid (ABA) signalling and the canonical ABA signalling pathway. Low R:FR light enhances the expression of a positive regulator of the brassinosteroid (BR) signalling pathway, BRASSINOSTEROID SIGNALLING KINASE 5 (BSK5). We found that ABA inhibits BSK5 up-regulation and interferes with GSK3-like kinase inactivation by the BR pathway, thus leading to a suppression of PIF function. By demonstrating a link between the ABA and BR-signalling pathways this study provides an important step forward in our understanding of how environmental cues are integrated into plant development

Innovative Solution for Building Integrated Photovoltaics

Among the main challenges of our century, the climate change and the need of diversification of the energy sources are of most importance. Renewable energies undoubtedly have an important role to play, photovoltaic (PV) electricity being especially well suited to face these energy challenges. However, the current integration of PV panels often comes without architectural consideration. In this context, the Archinsolar project [1] aims to develop a new generation of photovoltaic elements based on silicon thin films technologies (amorphous and micromorph), ultra-reliable and manufacturable at a very low cost, allowing a unique architectural integration, respectful of the bui lt environment and overall landscape. Here we will present our new developments on innovative PV elements including colored PV panels and a solar tile using a composite back-structure

History of the International Organization for Biological Control Global Working Group on Mass Rearing and Quality Assurance

The International Organization for Biological Control Global Working Group on Mass Rearing and Quality Assurance (MRQA) was established in 1980 as the Working Group on Quality Control (WGQC) to assure success of insect mass rearing for pest management that was being developed in the 1950s and 1960s. Due mostly to the efforts of WGQC, quality control became institutionalized in several insect mass rearing facilities during the 1980s. After addressing autocidal control programs, the WGQC concentrated on entomophagous insects, especially testing the quality of commercial biological control products. Universal Implementation of Quality Control for Mass-Reared Arthropods was finally achieved in the 1990s, having encompassed all aspects from insect production to field application and evaluation. This increased scope prompted a name change from WGQC to Arthropod Mass Rearing and Quality Control (AMRQC). Subsequently, the scope of the Working Group was expanded again and it was renamed MRQA to include a range of applications for mass-reared beneficial invertebrates. The geographic range of MRQA recently was extended beyond North and South America and Europe to include India. This expansion continued as insects for food and feed, networking and instruction, and legal and ethical issues were added to the most recent workshop held in Mexico. Thus, the MRQA continues to evolve as additional invertebrate organisms are mass produced for both established and novel applications

Investigation into Aphantasia: Neurological, Functional, and Behavioral Correlates

In this paper I will conduct a thorough examination and organization of available research on aphantasia. I will examine two theories of the known types of aphantasia, as well as the neurological correlates associated with a range of mental imagery ability, and the functional and behavioral correlates of aphantasia and low imaging ability. I will then consider published accounts of the effects of hallucinogenic drugs on the visualization abilities of people with aphantasia and review popular strategies for coping with and treating aphantasia. I will end by discussing related disorders and other extreme mental imaging phenomena, providing my own opinion on existing research, and suggesting possible future research about aphantasia.</p

Investigation into Aphantasia: Neurological, Functional, and Behavioral Correlates

In this paper I will conduct a thorough examination and organization of available research on aphantasia. I will examine two theories of the known types of aphantasia, as well as the neurological correlates associated with a range of mental imagery ability, and the functional and behavioral correlates of aphantasia and low imaging ability. I will then consider published accounts of the effects of hallucinogenic drugs on the visualization abilities of people with aphantasia and review popular strategies for coping with and treating aphantasia. I will end by discussing related disorders and other extreme mental imaging phenomena, providing my own opinion on existing research, and suggesting possible future research about aphantasia

Increasing Kindergarten Student Engagement through the Use of Social Emotional Learning and Improved Teacher Practice

The COVID-19 pandemic caused a radical change in the way teachers deliver instruction. Educators and parents expressed deep concerns for kindergarten students’ social and emotional learning (SEL) in remote environments. The purpose of this mixed methods Improvement Science study was to apply and learn from SEL practices that improve students’ connections to teachers and each other. The primary drivers for the study were 1) strengthening teacher practice in building and sustaining connections with students through a collaborative critical inquiry group and 2) embedding social emotional learning into daily professional and classroom activities through Yale’s RULER (Recognize, Understand, Label, Express, Regulate) approach, focusing on the Charter and the Mood Meter. Use of RULER’s Charter and Mood Meter increased overall connection and engagement, especially for students learning remotely. In the pre-survey, 14.0% of parents with remote-learning students “never” felt confident about their children’s education and well-being; after the study, 50.0% parents reported “always” feeling confident. Teachers shared daily reflections in their critical inquiry group, encouraging all voices to be heard; they reported that they were better able to learn from each other’s experiences and use those new learnings to build on their own practice. In the pre-survey, teachers felt “not at all prepared” (50.0%) to create connections and engage with their remote learners; after the study, teachers reported feeling “very prepared” (76.0%). These results align closely with the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL) Framework