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Course-embedded research experiences (CUREs) are increasingly being used to engage a large number of students in undergraduate research. By involving external clients in the course, students can work on novel projects while still in a structured environment. Students can continue to work on the project independently for the client the next semester and beyond if they choose. In a time of tight budgets, course supplies can be used to generate preliminary results for clients, who in this case were often faculty on our campus. In this paper we report our results using this approach both from the student and client perspectives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Biomédica: Revista del Instituto Nacional de Salud is the property of Instituto Nacional de Salud of Colombia and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Ciencia en su PC is the property of Instituto de Informacion Cientifica y Tecnologica and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Danielle Dhouailly received her Bachelor of Science degree (Biology) from Paris University. She then worked on a Ph.D. with Philippe Sengel at Grenoble University. After that, she went to Canada and the USA to work with Drs. M. Hardy, R. Sawyer and H. Sun before going back to Grenoble and starting her own laboratory. In the 1970s, she began a series of creative epithelial-mesenchymal recombination experiments among chicken feathers, mouse hairs and lizard scales, and later between rabbit cornea / mouse hairs. Through these original experiments, she elegantly demonstrated that the dermis initiates the formation of cutaneous appendages, while their type is specified by the class and regional origin of the epidermis. Subsequently she showed that the induction of an ectodermal organ, even in an adult epithelium, provokes the appearance of the related tissue stem cells. These works pioneered the concepts which are used in stem cell biology today. Her laboratory now works on the molecular mechanisms underlying these processes. Her papers are typically characterized by an initial insightful observation, followed by rigorous experiments and thoughtful discussions. They are rich with different shades of perspectives, almost like a piece of impressionist art. She loves gardening and her pets. She considers herself a good observer and hard worker driven by curiosity. Her best moments occur when she suddenly becomes enlightened as to an explanation of a basic concept when looking at experimental results or discussing ideas with colleagues. She believes that good results last forever, although interpretations can change. Her advice to young scientists is to be rigorous at the bench, to think hard, and not to be shy to speak up. The following is the story of how this young, female naturalist grew into a well-respected developmental biologist. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of IBS, Immuno-analyse & Biologie Specialisee is the property of Elsevier B.V. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Media attention to marine plastic pollution is increasing, yet it is unclear which topics are being discussed. This paper analyses all 2019 news articles referencing marine plastics in the four leading UK online newspapers. Examining 943 articles in a structural topic model, this is the first analysis to depict what is being reported and how this varied according to political alignment (right vs. left-wing), type (broadsheet vs. tabloid), and publication date. We identified 36 topics, suggesting a large variety in the coverage, with plastic pollution ranging from the primary focus to only mentioned in passing. Greater emphasis was on explaining current issues of marine plastics, with limited reference to actionable reduction measures or producer responsibility. Many topics' prevalence varied across the media outlets. We discuss how this coverage varies across media outlets, and how it relates to a broader context (i.e. potential links to behaviour and current policy efforts). [Display omitted] • Investigates coverage of marine plastics on four leading UK online news sites • Quantitative analysis examined 943 articles published in 2019. • Articles reported 36 topics with plastic as primary, secondary or tertiary focus. • Prevalence of topics related to tabloid/broadsheet, political orientation, and date • Topics are often emotive and there is little focus on consumer responsibility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ecotoxicity of arsenic (As) contamination toward small soil fauna living in soil pore water such as soil enchytraeids has rarely been studied but is important in the assessment of soil pollution. Here, the endpoints of As ecotoxicity to Enchytraeus crypticus were studied at three biological levels, i.e., individual (morphology and body tissue As concentrations), population (survival, reproduction and growth) and cell biochemistry (antioxidant enzymes CAT, POD and SOD and peroxidation malondialdehyde MDA). Contact filter paper tests without soil and single species tests with OECD artificial and field soils were conducted. Arsenic contamination resulted in severe morphological pathologies in E. crypticus and the symptoms and degree of damage increased gradually with increasing As concentration and exposure time up to 48 h. The abnormal morphological effects occurred before the impairment of fecundity. The population endpoints responded to the As concentration and the EC50 values increased in the following sequence: reproduction, juvenile body weight, adult body weight, juvenile length and adult length. Changes in biochemistry parameters were induced rapidly and changed with increasing As concentration and exposure time. The activity peak values of enzymes were 3–5 times higher and the activity maximum values of MDA were 1–3 time higher than their controls. The sensitivity of enzyme activities was generally much higher than that of MDA and CAT generally showed the highest enzyme activity. The results indicate that As contamination can be very harmful to soil enchytraeids and the endpoints of the ecotoxicity tests of soil enchytraeids can be used to complement existing soil As assessment systems or may be used alone for the assessment of soil As pollution. Image 1 • E. crypticus was studied at endpoints of different biological levels. • Arsenic contamination can be very harmful to soil enchytraeids. • Abnormal morphological parameters occurred before fecundity damage. • Sensitivity of CAT to As was generally higher than that of POD or SOD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The organic-rich shales deposited in marine-continental transitional environments are well developed in China. Previous studies mainly focused on the petrology and geochemical characteristics of the transitional shale. However, the factor controlling organic matter (OM) enrichment in the shale has not been studied adequately, limiting the optimal reservoir selection in shale gas exploration. Based on laboratory analyses and field investigations, this paper documents the geochemical features of the transitional shales in Upper Paleozoic (the Benxi, Taiyuan and Shanxi Formations) of the northeastern Ordos Basin, China. The sedimentary environment evolution and the relevant influence on OM enrichment are discussed to reveal the factor controlling the interlayer difference of the OM enrichment in the shale. The results show that the shale in the Taiyuan Formation hosts the highest OM content in the Upper Paleozoic. The sedimentary setting of the study area transited from barrier-flats to fluvial deltas, accompanied by gradually arid climates, decreasing degree of reduction and salinity of waters, and increasing clastic influx. During the middle stage of the marine-continental transition (the depositional stage of the Taiyuan Formation), the warm and humid climate was beneficial to the OM production, and the anoxic condition was conducive to the OM preservation. In addition, the increasing clastic influx ensured the OM input, and the moderate depositional rate favored the OM preservation. All the factors above commonly established an excellent environment for the OM enrichment. Our results reveal the OM enrichment mechanism in transitional shales, which is helpful to the optimal reservoir selection in the shale gas exploration in the Ordos Basin as well as the similar basins. • The organic matter content shows interlayer difference. • The changes of paleoenvironment and clastic influx of transitional shales are discussed. • Paleoenvironments and clastic influxes jointly influence organic matter enrichment. • The sedimentary environment in the middle of the transition stage is optimal for organic matter enrichment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]