On herbicidal actions

A theoretical interpretation of the herbicidal action of the 2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid is suggested.     

Über das Lernvermögen bei Asseln

Zusammenfassung Sowohl bei Asellus aquaticus wie bei Porcellio scaber konnte die Bildung von Assoziationen nachgewiesen werden. Bei der letztgenannten Art kamen die Assoziationen rascher zustande als bei der ersteren. Bei beiden Tierarten waren die Ergebnisse der Versuche abhängig von dem Vorhandensein oder Fehlen primär gegebener Tendenzen; diese konnten je nach ihrer Stärke das Dressurergebnis mehr oder weniger beeinträchtigen oder vereiteln. Asellus ließ sich im horizontal gelagerten T-förmigen Wahlapparat auf die Wahl des rechten oder linken Seitenschenkels dressieren. Untergrunddressuren ließen sich mit Asellus ebenfalls erfolgreich durchführen. Hier standen jeweils zwei verschiedene Untergründe zur Wahl, von denen der eine durch das Tier zu vermeiden war. Nur jeneUntergrunddressuren mißlangen stets, bei denen eine zu starke Tendenz für Rauh vorlag (1. Kombination) oder bei denen der Unterschied der betreffenden beiden Untergrundformen zu gering war (6. und 7. Kombination).Auch Porcellio vermochte Unterscheidungen zwischen zwei zur Wahl gebotenen Laufwegen vorzunehmen. Hier handelte es sich bei den einen Versuchen um einen rechten und linken Laufschenkel, bei den anderen Versuchen um einen oberen und unteren Laufkanal.D 4.     

SERS‐based biosensor for Alzheimer disease evaluation through the fast analysis of human serum

Alzheimer disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia in the elderly, progressively affecting the cognitive functions with a complex diagnostic procedure that limits the time for a prompt intervention. In this study we optimized a reliable protocol for the analysis of AD patients and healthy subjects' serum using the Surface Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy (SERS), taking into consideration the effect of different variables on the final spectra, analyzed and compared through multivariate analysis and correlated with hippocampus volume. As results, we demonstrated a statistical difference between the spectra collected from the two investigated groups, with an accuracy, precision and specificity of respectively 83%, 86%, and 86%. The correlation of these data with those obtained from MRI, demonstrated a direct correlation between Raman spectra and hippocampus degeneration showing the Raman Spectroscopy (RS) as a potential tool for the monitoring of AD progression and rehabilitation treatments.     

Education Is Life Itself: Biological Evolution as a Model for Human Learning

Schooling often rests uneasily on presumed dichotomies between coverage and inquiry, skill development, and creativity. By drawing on the often under-recognized parallels between biological evolution and human learning, this essay argues that formal education needs and ought not to forego the unconscious exploratory processes of informal learning. Rather than posit as natural the cultural story that formal schooling must prepare students to integrate with given cultures and foreknowable futures, the evolutionary perspective shows that education is better thought of as preparing students to create cultures and to change, and foster change, in relation to unknown futures. The properties that distinguish formal from informal learning—conscious reflection and a degree of collective consensus about what constitutes knowledge at any given time—are, we argue, useful not as ends in themselves, but as tools for maximizing, sharing, and extending unconscious, evolutionary learning. Working with them as such offers a way out of some of education’s persistent problems. Two autobiographical case studies provide examples of these evolutionary changes and indicate pathways of inquiry by which to pursue them.     

Dormancy and germination: making every seed count in restoration

From 50 to 90% of wild plant species worldwide produce seeds that are dormant upon maturity, with specific dormancy traits driven by species' occurrence geography, growth form, and genetic factors. While dormancy is a beneficial adaptation for intact natural systems, it can limit plant recruitment in restoration scenarios because seeds may take several seasons to lose dormancy and consequently show low or erratic germination. During this time, seed predation, weed competition, soil erosion, and seed viability loss can lead to plant re‐establishment failure. Understanding and considering seed dormancy and germination traits in restoration planning are thus critical to ensuring effective seed management and seed use efficiency. There are five known dormancy classes (physiological, physical, combinational, morphological, and morphophysiological), each requiring specific cues to alleviate dormancy and enable germination. The dormancy status of a seed can be determined through a series of simple steps that account for initial seed quality and assess germination across a range of environmental conditions. In this article, we outline the steps of the dormancy classification process and the various corresponding methodologies for ex situ dormancy alleviation. We also highlight the importance of record‐keeping and reporting of seed accession information (e.g. geographic coordinates of the seed collection location, cleaning and quality information, storage conditions, and dormancy testing data) to ensure that these factors are adequately considered in restoration planning.