Increasing Academic Achievement and College-Going Rates for Latina/o English Language Learners: A Survey of School Counselor Interventions

This study was conducted to identify the extent to which school counselors use various intervention strategies to promote college attendance for Latina/o English Language Learners (ELLs). Specifically, school counselors across the Northeast (n = 198) were asked to identify activities they implement on behalf of Latina/o ELLs to increase college-going rates. The results suggested the importance of the following: collaborating with multiple school and community stakeholders, addressing the inadequacy of resources through advocacy and leadership, and keeping track of dropout, graduation, and college-acceptance data for Latina/o ELLs to ensure equitable access to educational opportunities

Environmental Drivers of Leaf Breakdown Rate in an Urban Watershed

Leaf litter breakdown is a critical ecosystem process in urban streams, but environmental conditions in urban streams may generate confounding effects on breakdown rates. Reduced abundance of macroinvertebrate shredders may slow breakdown, but rates may increase if high nutrient concentrations stimulate microbial decomposers and if flooding enhances leaf fragmentation. We used the litter bag technique to measure the relative importance of multiple environmental drivers on breakdown of eastern cottonwood (Populus deltoides) leaves at 5 sites throughout the North Branch of the Chicago River watershed. Sites spanned a gradient of urbanization, but no specialized macroinvertebrate shredders were present at any sites. However, generalist taxa including isopods (Ascellus aquaticus) and amphipods (Gammarus sp.) were among the most abundant macroinvertebrates at all sites, and we used large and small mesh bags to test their effect on breakdown rate. In addition, we measured discharge, water chemistry, organic matter standing stock, benthic macroinvertebrate community composition, and sub-watershed land-use at each site. Leaf breakdown was significantly different among sites and between bag types. Discharge and isopod abundance were positively related to leaf breakdown, while nutrient concentrations and land-use categories showed no relationship to breakdown. Litterbags were `hot spots\u27 for isopods and amphipods, as their abundance in litterbags was significantly higher than benthic samples. We conducted a follow-up study in artificial streams to test the individual effects of water velocity and isopods on leaf breakdown using conditions matching the field sites. Increasing water velocity from 0.02 m/s (control) to 0.07 m/s (high velocity) increased leaf breakdown by 33%, and adding isopods at density of 1,034/m2 increased leaf breakdown by 40%. Measuring the combined and individual environmental controls on leaf breakdown is critical for use of breakdown rates as an assessment tool in urban streams. In addition, advances in watershed-scale approaches for stream management and restoration will require studies which examine leaf breakdown across multiple sites within watersheds. Finally, laboratory experiments may be an underutilized tool to measure the role of individual environmental factors on breakdown which are otherwise inextricable in field approaches, and will help parameterize models of stream ecosystem function in urban watersheds

Field measurements of a massive Porites coral at Goolboodi (Orpheus Island), Great Barrier Reef

An exceptionally large coral Porites sp. has been identified and measured at Goolboodi (Orpheus Island), Great Barrier Reef (GBR). This coral was measured in March 2021 during citizen science research of coral reefs in the Palm Islands group. We conducted a literature review and consulted scientists to compare the size, age and health of the Porites with others in the GBR and internationally. This is the largest diameter Porites coral measured by scientists and the sixth highest coral measured in the GBR. The health of the Porites was assessed as very good with over 70% live coral cover and minor percentages of sponge, live coral rock and macroalgae. An estimated age of 421–438 years was calculated based on linear growth models. Manbarra Traditional Owners were consulted and suggested that the Porites be named Muga dhambi (big coral) to communicate traditional knowledge, language and culture to indigenous, tourists, scientists and students

If Human Brain Organoids Are the Answer to Understanding Dementia, What Are the Questions?

Because our beliefs regarding our individuality, autonomy, and personhood are intimately bound up with our brains, there is a public fascination with cerebral organoids, the "mini-brain," the "brain in a dish". At the same time, the ethical issues around organoids are only now being explored. What are the prospects of using human cerebral organoids to better understand, treat, or prevent dementia? Will human organoids represent an improvement on the current, less-than-satisfactory, animal models? When considering these questions, two major issues arise. One is the general challenge associated with using any stem cell-generated preparation for in vitro modelling (challenges amplified when using organoids compared with simpler cell culture systems). The other relates to complexities associated with defining and understanding what we mean by the term "dementia." We discuss 10 puzzles, issues, and stumbling blocks to watch for in the quest to model "dementia in a dish."The author(s) disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: The Australian Dementia Stem Cell Consortium has received generous start-up travel grants from the Australian NHMRC National Institute for Dementia Research. Authors have been supported by Dementia Australia Research Foundation, Yulgilbar Alzheimer’s Research Program, DHB Foundation (AP), Brain Foundation (DH, AP), the C.F. Leung Memorial Trust (AP), the University of Melbourne (AP) and Operational Infrastructure Support from the Victorian Government (DH, AP), Monash University (AG), JO and JR Wicking Trust (Equity Trustees) (ALC and AEK), University of Sydney (MV), and generous gifts from the Sinclair, Smith and Jolly families (MV). AEK is supported by a National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) of Australia Boosting Dementia Research Leadership Fellowship (APP1136913). AG is supported by a NHMRC-ARC Dementia Research Development Fellowship (GNT1097461). AP is supported by an ARC Future Fellowship (FT140100047) and a NHMRC Senior Research Fellowship (1154389). LO is supported by a NHMRC of Australia Boosting Dementia Research Leadership Fellowship (APP1135720). MV is supported by a NHMRC Career Development Fellowship (APP1112813). VG is supported by Australian Research Council’s Discovery Early Career Researcher Award (DE180100775)