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How pesticides are used is very important in determining the risk they pose to both the user, and the environment. Given they can have toxic properties, if pesticides are misused they could cause serious harm to the users health as well as a range of environmental damage. Despite this, very little research has quantified whether agricultural use of pesticides is compliant with the legally binding obligations and associated guidance surrounding application. In this survey we used an online, fully anonymous, questionnaire to ask Irish farmers about how they use pesticides. We used a self-reporting methodology, directly asking farmers about their compliance levels. We had a total of 76 unique valid respondents. Our respondents covered the broad range of Irish agriculture, and we quantified how this relates to national demographics. Overall compliance regarding pesticide use was high, with the majority of respondents complying the majority of the time. However, we also found a sizable group who report low compliance levels for certain topics. Respondents reported the highest levels of non-compliance with the use of personal protective equipment, with nearly half of all respondents admitting to not wearing certain required protective equipment on a regular basis. In contrast, for some areas like application rate, very high compliance was reported. Moderate levels of non-compliance with bee protective mitigation measures were found, and some reported practices like not emptying or washing out the spray tank between sprays could have serious impacts on pollinators, soil organisms and other non-targets. Additionally, a minority of respondents admitted to actions which could cause serious water course pollution. As the first survey on a range of pesticide compliance topics within a developed nation, the compliance seen is very high compared to levels in developing nations. Our results demonstrate that the assumption that all legal obligations and guidance surrounding pesticide use are followed is unfounded, but that the majority of the respondents are mostly compliant. Education or enforcement should be targeted to certain areas where compliance is weakest to minimise harm from pesticide use. Reducing the non-compliance we report here could benefit both farmer and environmental health, and ensure that pesticides are used in a manner that risk assessment has deemed safe.

Soil salinity adversely affects plant growth, crop yield and the composition of ecosystems. Salinity stress impacts plants by combined effects of Na+ toxicity and osmotic perturbation. Plants have evolved elaborate mechanisms to counteract the detrimental consequences of salinity. Here we reflect on recent advances in our understanding of plant salt tolerance mechanisms. We discuss the embedding of the salt tolerance‐mediating SOS pathway in plant hormonal and developmental adaptation. Moreover, we review newly accumulating evidence indicating a crucial role of a transpiration‐dependent salinity tolerance pathway, that is centred around the function of the NADPH oxidase RBOHF and its role in endodermal and Casparian strip differentiation. Together, these data suggest a unifying and coordinating role for Ca2+ signalling in combating salinity stress at the cellular and organismal level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Teacher education takes place in two distinct cultures: schools and higher education institutions. The differences between these cultures make interaction between them challenging and often described as disconnected. There is a call for coherence. This interview study explores how meeting spaces during practicum can enhance coherence between university coursework and fieldwork in teacher education seen from the perspectives of student teachers, school-based and university-based teacher educators in Norwegian secondary school teacher education. The findings suggest that creating coherence requires meeting spaces that encourage student teachers’ reflection and are characterised by mutual respect where various perspectives can complement and challenge each other.

Praksis er en sentral og verdsatt del av lærerutdanningen, men læringsutbyttet blir ofte tatt for gitt og sjelden utfordret. Denne intervjustudien undersøker hvordan praksisopplæringens formål er oppfattet og erfart sett fra perspektivene til studenter, veiledere og ansatte i høyere utdanning (lærerutdannere). Målet med studien av de ulike perspektivene er å få ny forståelse for hvordan praksisopplæringen kan bidra til å innfri lærerutdanningens målsetning om en profesjonsrettet, helhetlig og sammenhengende utdanning. Funnene viser at selv om det hersker tilsynelatende enighet om formålet med praksis, finnes det spenninger og nyanser i aktørenes oppfatninger, og deres erfaringer tyder på utfordringer knyttet til å innfri det oppfattede formålet. Spenninger mellom aktørene er særlig knyttet til hva en helhetlig lærerrolle innebærer, og til hvilken rolle teori skal spille i praksisopplæringen. Ulike perspektiv kan utfordre hverandre og fremme en ny eller utvidet forståelse for lærerarbeid. Dette stiller imidlertid krav til samhandlingen mellom partene. Funnene viser at det er få møteplasser, uklare roller og uklare forventninger mellom de involverte. Avslutningsvis foreslås implikasjoner av studien.

Cell death related (CDR) proteins are a diverse group of proteins whose original function was ascribed to apoptotic cell death signaling. Recently, descriptions of non-apoptotic functions for CDR proteins have increased. In this minireview, we comment on recent studies of CDR proteins outside the field of apoptosis in the CNS, encompassing areas such as the inflammasome and non-apoptotic cell death, cytoskeleton reorganization, synaptic plasticity, mitophagy, neurodegeneration and calcium signaling among others. Furthermore, we discuss the evolution of proteomic techniques used to predict caspase substrates that could potentially explain their non-apoptotic roles. Finally, we address new concepts in the field of non-apoptotic functions of CDR proteins that require further research such the effect of sexual dimorphism on non-apoptotic CDR protein function and the emergence of zymogen-specific caspase functions.

Teacher education has been criticised for a lack of coherence and for not preparing student teachers for teaching. To prepare student teachers for practicum and create connections between theory and practice and between schools and university, this study explores how the practice field can be brought onto the university campus through digital resources. Four teacher educators in secondary school teacher education in Norway collaborated with a schoolteacher and tested Live Remote Classroom. The tool provides student teachers with real-life classroom experiences while they are on campus by providing access to a streamed lesson. Using an action research design, the teacher educators evaluated their facilitation of the arrangement through an interview with the involved schoolteacher, a focus group interview with student teachers and the teacher educators’ own logs. The results show that by presenting authentic practice situations, Live Remote Classroom created opportunities to prepare for teaching. However, certain conditions need to be in place for that to happen. We see it as important to support student teachers in their analysis of the observed lesson and to collaborate with a schoolteacher who is able to make her professional choices explicit.

I denne artikkelen argumenterer jeg for at praksisveiledning kan bidra til lærerstudenters profesjonelle utvikling, men også at dette bare er en mulighet som må gripes for å realiseres. Norsk og internasjonal lærerutdanningsforskning viser et mangfold av veiledningspraksiser i studentenes praksisperioder. Likevel er det noen felles kjennetegn ved veiledningen studentene tilbys. Forskning viser at praksisveiledning er knyttet til utførelse av spesifikke handlinger, og at veiledere i mindre grad inviterer til drøfting av studentenes intensjoner og mål for den pedagogiske virksomheten. Veiledere gir råd og fremstår som eksperter på undervisningssituasjoner, fremfor å søke dypere refleksjon. På grunnlag av veilednings- og profesjonsteori, sett i relasjon til tidligere lærerutdanningsforskning, argumenterer jeg for at praksisveiledning kan tjene på økt bevissthet om samtalekvaliteter. Artikkelen viser hvordan fenomener som å be om begrunnelser for handling, yte motstand på begrunnelser og å etablere reelt samarbeid mellom studenter og veiledere om hvordan praksis kan forstås, er forutsetninger for at profesjonsutviklende kunnskapsprosesser kan finne sted. Nøkkelord: lærerutdanning, praksisveiledning, profesjonell utvikling, kunnskapsprosesser Placement mentoring and student teacher’ professional development Abstract In this article I argue that mentoring can contribute to teaching students’ professional development, but also that this is just an opportunity that must be grasped in order to be realised. Norwegian and international teacher education research shows a diversity of placement mentoring practices during students’ placement periods. Nevertheless, there are some characteristics common across all mentoring offered to students. Research shows that mentoring is being connected to the completion of specific actions, and that mentors to a lesser extent invite to discuss the students’ intentions and aims for the educational activity. Mentors generally offers advice and acts as experts in teaching situations rather than promoting deeper reflection. Based on theories of mentoring and professions, in relations to previous teacher education research, I argue that placement mentoring may benefit from increased awareness of conversation qualities. The article demonstrates how phenomena such as asking for justifications for actions, providing opposition to justifications and establishing real cooperation between students and mentors on how teaching practice can be understood are all prerequisites for professional development knowledge processes being able to take place. Keywords: Teacher education, placement mentoring, professional development, knowledge processes

The pro-inflammatory immune response driven by microglia is a key contributor to the pathogenesis of several neurodegenerative diseases. Though the research of microglia spans over a century, the last two decades have increased our understanding exponentially. Here, we discuss the phenotypic transformation from homeostatic microglia towards reactive microglia, initiated by specific ligand binding to pattern recognition receptors including toll-like receptor-4 (TLR4) or triggering receptors expressed on myeloid cells-2 (TREM2), as well as pro-inflammatory signaling pathways triggered such as the caspase-mediated immune response. Additionally, new research disciplines such as epigenetics and immunometabolism have provided us with a more holistic view of how changes in DNA methylation, microRNAs, and the metabolome may influence the pro-inflammatory response. This review aimed to discuss our current knowledge of pro-inflammatory microglia from different angles, including recent research highlights such as the role of exosomes in spreading neuroinflammation and emerging techniques in microglia research including positron emission tomography (PET) scanning and the use of human microglia generated from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). Finally, we also discuss current thoughts on the impact of pro-inflammatory microglia in neurodegenerative diseases.

Analysis by fracture mechanics approaches of stresses on the level corresponding to the threshold range of the SIF ΔK showed that the structural elements weakened by crack can operate for long periods of time under specific conditions. The methods of statistical fracture mechanics can be used to determine the permissible crack dimensions not leading to failure. The solid railroad wheels damaged by braking cannot be regarded as long-term structures. The presence of radial cracks and the possibility of their continuous formation during service must be taken into account. Therefore, the service rules of solid wheels specified by the German National Railway Board are completely justified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Examines clinical cases of telangiectases on the skin of the lower part of the legs. Description of pain felt by the patients in the depth of the tibia; Potential factor influencing the dilatation of the capillaries and venules in the superficial layers of the skin; Difference of rosacea telangiectatica of the nose and cheeks from telangiectases on the legs.

Inflammatory response induced by microglia plays a critical role in the demise of neuronal populations in neuroinflammatory diseases. Although the role of toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) in microglia’s inflammatory response is fully acknowledged, little is known about endogenous ligands that trigger TLR4 activation. Here, we report that galectin-3 (Gal3) released by microglia acts as an endogenous paracrine TLR4 ligand. Gal3-TLR4 interaction was further confirmed in a murine neuroinflammatory model (intranigral lipopolysaccharide [LPS] injection) and in human stroke subjects. Depletion of Gal3 exerted neuroprotective and anti-inflammatory effects following global brain ischemia and in the neuroinflammatory LPS model. These results suggest that Gal3-dependent-TLR4 activation could contribute to sustained microglia activation, prolonging the inflammatory response in the brain.

The main objective of cardiovascular disease (CVD) prevention is to reduce morbidity and mortality. Despite recommendations on evidence-based pharmacological treatment and lifestyle changes, the control of CV risk factors such as hypertension or dyslipidaemia is not optimal. The use of a CV polypill, including guideline-recommended drugs, as a baseline therapy, may contribute to improving risk factors control either by improving the treatment adherence or by the synergistic effect of its components. The CNIC-Polypill is the first CV polypill approved in Europe as an effective strategy for secondary prevention, which contains acetylsalicylic acid, atorvastatin (in two optional doses), and ramipril (in three optional doses) in a single pill. The present practical clinical document aims to provide a guide for patient management after an acute coronary syndrome (ACS) or with chronic CVD (CCVD) with a strategy based on the CNIC-Polypill, also considering the need to add other therapies for a personalized treatment. The most suitable clinical scenarios for the CNIC-Polypill use are discussed: (a) in patients after an ACS at discharge, (b) in patients with CCVD (chronic coronary syndrome, stroke, or peripheral artery disease) with uncontrolled low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-c) and/or blood pressure levels and (c) in patients with CCVD with well-controlled risk factors to simplify treatment and reduce polypharmacy in the context of CCVD prevention., Competing Interests: LG-S and CB received a grant from Ferrer Internacional, S.A. for coordination. The remaining authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2021 Grigorian-Shamagian, Edel, Esteve-Pastor, Aceña, Silva, Delgado-Silva, Ntaios, Demerouti and Brotons.)

Background: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends aggressive contact tracing to control the COVID-19 pandemic. In this work, we (1) describe the development of a COVID-19 contact tracing initiative that includes medical, nursing, and public health students, and is led by clinicians and infectious disease epidemiologists within our health system, and, (2) articulate process steps for contact tracing including workflows and telephone scripts, and, (3) highlight the key challenges and strategies to overcome these challenges., Methods: A single academic institution-based contact tracing initiative was rapidly scaled to 110 health professional students, four physicians, two epidemiologists, and a research team. Following training, students called patients who were COVID-19 positive and the individuals they were in contact with to ensure proper isolation and quarantine measures. Students also assisted those who faced barriers to quarantine., Implications: In total, between March 24 and May 28 - this initiative completed contact tracing for 536 confirmed cases, which resulted in the identification of 953 contacts. We aim to disseminate this process, including telephone scripts and workflow, to other health systems for use in their initiatives to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic and future public health emergencies., (Copyright © 2020 Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The BN analogue of ortho-benzyne, 1,2-azaborine, is shown to bind carbon monoxide and a xenon atom under matrix isolation conditions, demonstrating its strongly Lewis acidic superelectrophilic nature. The Lewis acid-base complexes involving CO and Xe can be cleaved photochemically and reformed by mildly annealing the matrices. The interaction energy of 1,2-azaborine with Xe is 3 kcal mol -1 according to quantum chemical computations, and is similar to that of the superelectrophilic carbene difluorovinylidene., (© 2019 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

Soil salinity adversely affects plant growth, crop yield and the composition of ecosystems. Salinity stress impacts plants by combined effects of Na + toxicity and osmotic perturbation. Plants have evolved elaborate mechanisms to counteract the detrimental consequences of salinity. Here we reflect on recent advances in our understanding of plant salt tolerance mechanisms. We discuss the embedding of the salt tolerance-mediating SOS pathway in plant hormonal and developmental adaptation. Moreover, we review newly accumulating evidence indicating a crucial role of a transpiration-dependent salinity tolerance pathway, that is centred around the function of the NADPH oxidase RBOHF and its role in endodermal and Casparian strip differentiation. Together, these data suggest a unifying and coordinating role for Ca 2+ signalling in combating salinity stress at the cellular and organismal level., (© 2018 German Society for Plant Sciences and The Royal Botanical Society of the Netherlands.)

The photochemistry of 1,2-dihydro-1,2-azaborinine derivatives was studied under matrix isolation conditions and in solution. Photoisomerization occurs exclusively to the Dewar valence isomers upon irradiation with UV light (>280 nm) with high quantum yield (46 %). Further photolysis with UV light (254 nm) results in the formation of cyclobutadiene and an iminoborane derivative. The thermal electrocyclic ring-opening reaction of the Dewar valence isomer back to the 1,2-dihydro-1-tert-butyldimethylsilyl-2-mesityl-1,2-azaborinine has an activation barrier of (27.0±1.2) kcal mol -1 . In the presence of the Wilkinson catalyst, the ring opening occurs rapidly and exothermically (ΔH=(-48±1) kcal mol -1 ) at room temperature., (© 2018 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

Formal removal of two bonding partners from boranes, BR 3 , yields borylenes, RB, which have been inferred as reactive intermediates in a number of reactions. Phenylborylene (R = C 6 H 5 ; 1) is accessible from phenyldiazidoborane by photochemical extrusion of dinitrogen under matrix isolation conditions. Concomitantly, the nitrene PhNBN is formed via phenyl rearrangement. Here we used a combination of UV/vis, IR, and ESR spectroscopy under cryogenic matrix isolation conditions to investigate the properties and reactivity of phenylborylene. We detected an absorption band of phenylborylene at 375 nm (S 0 → S 2 ) and tentatively assigned the S 0 → S 1 transition to a very weak band at 518 nm. We also show for the first time that an electrophilic borylene such as 1 can react with N 2 reversibly and with CO irreversibly under photochemical conditions. The corresponding photoproducts PhBNN and PhBCO have triplet electronic ground states. Their small E values are in agreement with the linear arrangements Ph-B-N-N and Ph-B-C-O obtained by density functional theory computations. The D values decrease in the series PhNBN > PhBNN > PhBCO and approach the value for phenylcarbene (PhCH). Indeed, the boron center in PhBCO is isoelectronic with the carbene center in PhCH. The compounds are the first examples of boron analogues of diazoalkanes (R 2 CNN) and ketenes (R 2 CCO), and their formation may serve as a demonstration of the high reactivity of phenylborylene.