A Primer for Monitoring Water Funds

This document is intended to assist people working on Water Funds to understand their information needs and become familiar with the strengths and weaknesses of various monitoring approaches. This primer is not intended to make people monitoring experts, but rather to help them become familiar with and conversant in the major issues so they can communicate effectively with experts to design a scientifically defensible monitoring program.The document highlights the critical information needs common to Water Fund projects and summarizes issues and steps to address in developing a Water Fund monitoring program. It explains key concepts and challenges; suggests monitoring parameters and an array of sampling designs to consider as a starting-point; and provides suggestions for further reading, links to helpful resources,and an annotated bibliography of studies on the impacts that result from activities commonly implemented in Water Fund projects

On the Enigma of Glutathione-Dependent Styrene Degradation in Gordonia rubripertincta CWB2

Heine T, Zimmerling J, Ballmann A, et al. On the Enigma of Glutathione-Dependent Styrene Degradation in Gordonia rubripertincta CWB2. APPLIED AND ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY. 2018;84(9): 16.Among bacteria, only a single styrene-specific degradation pathway has been reported so far. It comprises the activity of styrene monooxygenase, styrene oxide isomerase, and phenylacetaldehyde dehydrogenase, yielding phenylacetic acid as the central metabolite. The alternative route comprises ring-hydroxylating enzymes and yields vinyl catechol as central metabolite, which undergoes meta-cleavage. This was reported to be unspecific and also allows the degradation of benzene derivatives. However, some bacteria had been described to degrade styrene but do not employ one of those routes or only parts of them. Here, we describe a novel "hybrid" degradation pathway for styrene located on a plasmid of foreign origin. As putatively also unspecific, it allows metabolizing chemically analogous compounds (e.g., halogenated and/or alkylated styrene derivatives). Gordonia rubripertincta CWB2 was isolated with styrene as the sole source of carbon and energy. It employs an assembled route of the styrene side-chain degradation and isoprene degradation pathways that also funnels into phenylacetic acid as the central metabolite. Metabolites, enzyme activity, genome, transcriptome, and proteome data reinforce this observation and allow us to understand this biotechnologically relevant pathway, which can be used for the production of ibuprofen. IMPORTANCE The degradation of xenobiotics by bacteria is not only important for bioremediation but also because the involved enzymes are potential catalysts in biotechnological applications. This study reveals a novel degradation pathway for the hazardous organic compound styrene in Gordonia rubripertincta CWB2. This study provides an impressive illustration of horizontal gene transfer, which enables novel metabolic capabilities. This study presents glutathione-dependent styrene metabolization in an (actino-) bacterium. Further, the genomic background of the ability of strain CWB2 to produce ibuprofen is demonstrated

Project-based learning - area of improving the quality of school

U traženju najboljih načina za ostvarivanje ciljeva nastave, jedno od mogućih didaktičkih rješenja pronalazimo u projektnoj nastavi. Ravitz i sur. (2012) opisuju projektnu nastavu kao koncept stvaranja uvjeta u kojima učenici mogu učiti složenija znanja i vještine koja su im nepohodna za život u 21. stoljeću. Ona predstavlja brojne izazove za učitelje i škole, a poteškoće na koje nailaze pri njezinoj implementaciji su brojne. Za učinkovito rješavanje problema implementacije projektne nastave u radu škole, neophodno je omogućiti učiteljima samovrednovanje nastavnog procesa. Samovrednovanje je proces koji sustavno prati, analizira i procjenjuje uspješnost rada kako bi se trajno unaprijedila kvaliteta i stvorilo poticajno radno okruženje. U ovom je radu prikazan primjer Školskog razvojnog plana, kao sastavnog dijela procesa samovrednovanja, kojim je projektna nastava definirana kao prioritetno područje unaprjeđenja rada škole i razvojnih ciljeva koji proizlaze iz njih.In finding the best ways to accomplish learning goals one of the possible didactic solutions would be project-based learning. Ravitz et al. (2012) describe project-based learning as a concept that involves creating conditions which would help students learn more complex knowledge and skills vital for the life in the 21st century. This concept holds many challenges for both teachers and schools, and many issues arise in its implementation. The effective solution for the implementation problems of project-based learning in schools necessary involves self-evaluation of the teaching process. Self-evaluation is a process that systematically monitors, analyses and assesses the work performance in order to permanently achieve better quality and create a more productive working surroundings. This paper shows an example of a school development plan, as an integral part of the self-evaluation process, that defines the project-based learning as a priority area in improving the school processes and development goals which derive from them

Multitrophic Interaction in the Rhizosphere of Maize: Root Feeding of Western Corn Rootworm Larvae Alters the Microbial Community Composition

BACKGROUND: Larvae of the Western Corn Rootworm (WCR) feeding on maize roots cause heavy economical losses in the US and in Europe. New or adapted pest management strategies urgently require a better understanding of the multitrophic interaction in the rhizosphere. This study aimed to investigate the effect of WCR root feeding on the microbial communities colonizing the maize rhizosphere. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: In a greenhouse experiment, maize lines KWS13, KWS14, KWS15 and MON88017 were grown in three different soil types in presence and in absence of WCR larvae. Bacterial and fungal community structures were analyzed by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) of the 16S rRNA gene and ITS fragments, PCR amplified from the total rhizosphere community DNA. DGGE bands with increased intensity were excised from the gel, cloned and sequenced in order to identify specific bacteria responding to WCR larval feeding. DGGE fingerprints showed that the soil type and the maize line influenced the fungal and bacterial communities inhabiting the maize rhizosphere. WCR larval feeding affected the rhiyosphere microbial populations in a soil type and maize line dependent manner. DGGE band sequencing revealed an increased abundance of Acinetobacter calcoaceticus in the rhizosphere of several maize lines in all soil types upon WCR larval feeding. CONCLUSION/SIGNIFICANCE: The effects of both rhizosphere and WCR larval feeding seemed to be stronger on bacterial communities than on fungi. Bacterial and fungal community shifts in response to larval feeding were most likely due to changes of root exudation patterns. The increased abundance of A. calcoaceticus suggested that phenolic compounds were released upon WCR wounding

Road avoidance and its energetic consequences for reptiles

CITATION: Paterson, J. E., et al. 2019. Road avoidance and its energetic consequences for reptiles. Ecology and Evolution, 9(17):9794-9803, doi:10.1002/ece3.5515.The original publication is available at https://onlinelibrary.wiley.comRoads are one of the most widespread human-caused habitat modifications that can increase wildlife mortality rates and alter behavior. Roads can act as barriers with variable permeability to movement and can increase distances wildlife travel to access habitats. Movement is energetically costly, and avoidance of roads could therefore impact an animal's energy budget. We tested whether reptiles avoid roads or road crossings and explored whether the energetic consequences of road avoidance decreased individual fitness. Using telemetry data from Blanding's turtles (Emydoidea blandingii; 11,658 locations of 286 turtles from 15 sites) and eastern massasaugas (Sistrurus catenatus; 1,868 locations of 49 snakes from 3 sites), we compared frequency of observed road crossings and use of road-adjacent habitat by reptiles to expected frequencies based on simulated correlated random walks. Turtles and snakes did not avoid habitats near roads, but both species avoided road crossings. Compared with simulations, turtles made fewer crossings of paved roads with low speed limits and more crossings of paved roads with high speed limits. Snakes made fewer crossings of all road types than expected based on simulated paths. Turtles traveled longer daily distances when their home range contained roads, but the predicted energetic cost was negligible: substantially less than the cost of producing one egg. Snakes with roads in their home range did not travel further per day than snakes without roads in their home range. We found that turtles and snakes avoided crossing roads, but road avoidance is unlikely to impact fitness through energetic expenditures. Therefore, mortality from vehicle strikes remains the most significant impact of roads on reptile populations.https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/ece3.5515Publisher's versio

Reauthorizing No Child Left Behind: Assessing the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

When Democrats and Republicans crafted the 2002 No Child Left Behind (NCLB), the bipartisan reauthorization of the 1965 Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), they did so with the best of intentions: Close our nation’s staggering achievement gap with federal leadership, accountability, flexibility, and choice. But a over a decade later, many argue the law’s flaws have outweighed its successes to detriment of our public education system, schools, teachers, and most importantly, our students. In accordance with ESEA’s traditional reauthorization cycle, NCLB was signed into law in 2002 and expired in 2007. It is now 2013, and our nation’s education policy still has yet to be reauthorized. In examining how this can be accomplished, this paper first demonstrates how our tradition of local school control developed into one of dual jurisdiction. It then examines the executive and legislative battle that produced NCLB in the 107th Congress. Next, this paper analyzes the intended and unintended consequences of NCLB, which include conflicting conservative and liberal mechanisms, perverse incentives, narrowing and homogenizing education, inadequate resources, ignoring community issues, and seeking annual educational profit over qualitative learning. The paper concludes with an outlook on reauthorization–how NCLB should be substantively improved, as well as, the political context in which this reauthorization will occur

Assessing the impact of the funding environment on researchers’ risk aversion: the use of citation statistics

The funding environment has a profound impact on researchers’ behavior. In particular, it influences their freedom and readiness to conduct research ventures with highly uncertain outcomes. In this conceptual paper, we propose a concise new methodology to evaluate researchers’ risk aversion based on citation statistics. The derived single-number criterion PR is sensitive to the ratio of high impact versus average impact work, based on citation counts. We demonstrate the usefulness of PR on a micro and meso level in the field of chemistry. PR is a potentially valuable tool for managers in higher education, to control for the impact of their funding instruments. The conducted testing may, in addition, contribute to the literature stream dealing with the effects of peer review in the allocation of research funding. Our results support the view that peer review fosters mainstream research. However, faculties with the highest percentages of third-party funding may find ways to avoid the restrictive effects. We also find evidence that permanent positions back risky research endeavors.ISSN:0018-1560ISSN:1573-174

A mobile system for precise wireless pulse transit time (PTT) monitoring

The pulse transit time (PTT) is a parameter which can be used to characterize the functional state of the cardiovascular system. The PTT, which is closely connected to the blood pressure, can be derived from an electrocardiogram (ECG) and a simultaneously recorded photoplethysmogram (PPG) signal. In contrast to conventional non-invasive blood pressure measurements, the PTT can be calculated quasi continuously, giving instant feedback to condition changes. Many proposed systems use cables to connect ECG and PPG sensors. This is sufficient for stationary applications. This paper presents a system for wireless PTT measurements that permits patient mobility and thus makes new application scenarios possible. The main challenge of wireless time synchronization, necessary for precise PTT results, is solved using the IEEE 802.15.4 beacon enabled mode