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1. Factors correlated with intracranial interictal epileptiform discharges in refractory epilepsy

   https://doi.org/10.1111/epi.16792  

   Quon, Robert_J; Meisenhelter, Stephen; Adamovich‐Zeitlin, Richard_H; Song, Yinchen; Steimel, Sarah_A; Camp, Edward_J; Testorf, Markus_E; MacKenzie, Todd_A; Gross, Robert_E; Lega, Bradley_C; et al (December 2020, Epilepsia)

   Abstract ObjectiveThis study was undertaken to evaluate the influence that subject‐specific factors have on intracranial interictal epileptiform discharge (IED) rates in persons with refractory epilepsy. MethodsOne hundred fifty subjects with intracranial electrodes performed multiple sessions of a free recall memory task; this standardized task controlled for subject attention levels. We utilized a dominance analysis to rank the importance of subject‐specific factors based on their relative influence on IED rates. Linear mixed‐effects models were employed to comprehensively examine factors with highly ranked importance. ResultsAntiseizure medication (ASM) status, time of testing, and seizure onset zone (SOZ) location were the highest‐ranking factors in terms of their impact on IED rates. The average IED rate of electrodes in SOZs was 34% higher than the average IED rate of electrodes outside of SOZs (non‐SOZ;p < .001). However, non‐SOZ electrodes had similar IED rates regardless of the subject's SOZ location (p = .99). Subjects on older generation (p < .001) and combined generation (p < .001) ASM regimens had significantly lower IED rates relative to the group taking no ASMs; newer generation ASM regimens demonstrated a nonsignificant association with IED rates (p = .13). Of the ASMs included in this study, the following ASMs were associated with significant reductions in IED rates: levetiracetam (p < .001), carbamazepine (p < .001), lacosamide (p = .03), zonisamide (p = .01), lamotrigine (p = .03), phenytoin (p = .03), and topiramate (p = .01). We observed a nonsignificant association between time of testing and IED rates (morning–afternoonp = .15, morning–eveningp = .85, afternoon–eveningp = .26). SignificanceThe current study ranks the relative influence that subject‐specific factors have on IED rates and highlights the importance of considering certain factors, such as SOZ location and ASM status, when analyzing IEDs for clinical or research purposes. 

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2. The sensitivity of reconstructed carbon dioxide concentrations to stomatal preparation methods using a leaf gas exchange model

   https://doi.org/10.1002/aps3.11629  

   Machesky, Michael D; Sheldon, Nathan D; Hren, Michael T; Smith, Selena Y (January 2025, Applications in Plant Sciences)

   Abstract PremiseMechanistic models using stomatal traits and leaf carbon isotope ratios to reconstruct atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO₂) concentrations (c_a) are important to understand the Phanerozoic paleoclimate. However, methods for preparing leaf cuticles to measure stomatal traits have not been standardized. MethodsThree people measured the stomatal density and index, guard cell length, guard cell pair width, and pore length of leaves from the sameGinkgo biloba,Quercus alba, andZingiber miogaleaves growing at known CO₂levels using four preparation methods: fluorescence on cleared leaves, nail polish, dental putty on fresh leaves, and dental putty on dried leaves. ResultsThere are significant differences between trait measurements from each method. Modeledc_acalculations are less sensitive to method than individual traits; however, the choice of assumed carbon isotope fractionation also impacted the accuracy of the results. DiscussionWe show that there is not a significant difference betweenc_aestimates made using any of the four methods. Further study is needed on the fractionation due to carboxylation of ribulose bisphosphate (RuBP) in individual plant species before use as a paleo‐CO₂barometer and to refine estimates based upon widely applied taxa (e.g.,Ginkgo). Finally, we recommend that morphological measurements be made by multiple observers to reduce the effect of individual observational biases. 

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3. Expression‐based machine learning models for predicting plant tissue identity

   https://doi.org/10.1002/aps3.11621  

   Palande, Sourabh; Arsenault, Jeremy; Basurto‐Lozada, Patricia; Bleich, Andrew; Brown, Brianna_N I; Buysse, Sophia F; Connors, Noelle A; Das_Adhikari, Sikta; Dobson, Kara C; Guerra‐Castillo, Francisco Xavier; et al (January 2025, Applications in Plant Sciences)

   Abstract PremiseThe selection ofArabidopsisas a model organism played a pivotal role in advancing genomic science. The competing frameworks to select an agricultural‐ or ecological‐based model species were rejected, in favor of building knowledge in a species that would facilitate genome‐enabled research. MethodsHere, we examine the ability of models based onArabidopsisgene expression data to predict tissue identity in other flowering plants. Comparing different machine learning algorithms, models trained and tested onArabidopsisdata achieved near perfect precision and recall values, whereas when tissue identity is predicted across the flowering plants using models trained onArabidopsisdata, precision values range from 0.69 to 0.74 and recall from 0.54 to 0.64. ResultsThe identity of belowground tissue can be predicted more accurately than other tissue types, and the ability to predict tissue identity is not correlated with phylogenetic distance fromArabidopsis.k‐nearest neighbors is the most successful algorithm, suggesting that gene expression signatures, rather than marker genes, are more valuable to create models for tissue and cell type prediction in plants. DiscussionOur data‐driven results highlight that the assertion that knowledge fromArabidopsisis translatable to other plants is not always true. Considering the current landscape of abundant sequencing data, we should reevaluate the scientific emphasis onArabidopsisand prioritize plant diversity. 

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4. Germination and early establishment of dryland grasses and shrubs on intact and wind-eroded soils under greenhouse conditions

   https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-021-05005-9  

   Niu, Furong; Pierce, Nathan A.; Archer, Steven R.; Okin, Gregory S. (May 2021, Plant and Soil)

   Abstract AimsGrassland-to-shrubland transition is a common form of land degradation in drylands worldwide. It is often attributed to changes in disturbance regimes, particularly overgrazing. A myriad of direct and indirect effects (e.g., accelerated soil erosion) of grazing may favor shrubs over grasses, but their relative importance is unclear. We tested the hypothesis that topsoil “winnowing” by wind erosion would differentially affect grass and shrub seedling establishment to promote shrub recruitment over that of grass. MethodsWe monitored germination and seedling growth of contrasting perennial grass (Bouteloua eriopoda,Sporobolus airoides, andAristida purpurea) and shrub (Prosopis glandulosa,Atriplex canescens, andLarrea tridentata) functional groups on field-collected non-winnowed and winnowed soils under well-watered greenhouse conditions. ResultsNon-winnowed soils were finer-textured and had higher nutrient contents than winnowed soils, but based on desorption curves, winnowed soils had more plant-available moisture. Contrary to expectations, seed germination and seedling growth on winnowed and non-winnowed soils were comparable within a given species. The N₂-fixing deciduous shrubP. glandulosawas first to emerge and complete germination, and had the greatest biomass accumulation of all species. ConclusionsGermination and early seedling growth of grasses and shrubs on winnowed soils were not adversely nor differentially affected comparing with that observed on non-winnowed soils under well-watered greenhouse conditions. Early germination and rapid growth may giveP. glandulosaa competitive advantage over grasses and other shrub species at the establishment stage in grazed grasslands. Field establishment experiments are needed to confirm our findings in these controlled environment trials. 

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5. A meta-analysis of community engaged learning and thriving in higher education

   https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2025.1525176  

   Guanlao, Rachel; Pax, Jennifer; Wei, Yufeng; Zhang, Wei (June 2025, Frontiers in Education)

   IntroductionCommunity Engaged Learning (CEL) is recognized for its positive impact on student development in higher education. This meta-analysis examined the effects of CEL on academic, personal, social, and citizenship outcomes among college students. MethodsStudies were identified through PsycINFO, PsycArticles, and ERIC, and were included if they met the following criteria: peer-reviewed English-language publications from 2017 to 2024, alignment with widely accepted definitions of CEL, inclusion of a control group, and sufficient data to calculate effect sizes. Random-effects models were used to estimate Hedges's g, a standardized measure of effect size, for each outcome domain. ResultsOur results showed that CEL had a statistically significant, small to medium effect on academic outcomes (Hedges'sg= 0.344, 95% CI [0.190, 0.497],p< 0.001) and social outcomes (Hedges'sg= 0.371, 95% CI [0.167, 0.575],p< 0.001). The effect on citizenship outcomes was small but significant (Hedges'sg= 0.220, 95% CI [0.096, 0.344],p= 0.001). For personal outcomes, the effect was moderate (Hedges'sg= 0.694, 95% CI [−0.089, 1.477]) but not statistically significant (p= 0.082). The substantial variability observed across studies suggests that differences in CEL implementation, program focus, and student populations may influence outcomes. ConclusionOverall, our findings highlight CEL as an impactful pedagogy that contributes to academic success, personal growth, and civic engagement. Further research may explore the long-term impacts of CEL and identify specific program components that enhance its effectiveness. 

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