Yosemite Community College District

Background: This study evaluates the fossil remains of South African hominins curated at the University of Witwatersrand Johannesburg (Wits University), the largest repository of human evolution assemblages in southern Africa. Aim: The aim of the study was to identify immature specimens within the assemblage as a resource for paleoanthropologists in understanding developmental adaptations in Plio-Pleistocene hominins. Subjects and methods: Data were compiled from curatorial catalogues, visual inspections, unpublished notes, and published site-specific inventories. The assessment classified specimens as "Pre-Adult" based on dental, cranial, and postcranial maturity indicators, following established methodologies. Results: Of the 3,277 catalogued specimens in the Wits hominin collections, 650 entries (19.8%) were identified as immature, representing three genera: Australopithecus, Paranthropus, and Homo. These findings were analysed by site, element type, and specimen associations. Notable insights include pre-adult remains of Australopithecus from Malapa, Sterkfontein and Makapansgat, Paranthropus from Drimolen and Kromdraai, and Homo from Rising Star. The variability in accessioning practices, fragmentary preservation, and ongoing research influenced the completeness of the inventory, highlighting challenges in catalogue standardisation and fossil classification. Conclusions: This comprehensive catalogue of immature fossils provides a critical resource for investigating morphological variation, life history traits, and evolutionary adaptations across hominin genera. It underscores the significance of South African fossil collections in exploring developmental patterns and evolutionary pathways leading to the extended life cycle characteristic of Homo sapiens.

Societal Impact Statement The North American wild grapevine species Vitis labrusca is an important source of disease resistance and climate resilience traits for breeding new grapevine cultivars. To ensure its continued use in breeding, V. labrusca must be accurately identified, and genetically diverse material must be conserved. We used genomics to examine both currently conserved and additional wild‐collected V. labrusca individuals. We found that many individuals labeled as V. labrusca are likely hybrids and that genetically distinct populations from Virginia and North Carolina are not conserved. By identifying genomic conservation gaps, our findings support more effective conservation strategies which will safeguard V. labrusca for future use in breeding. Summary Crop wild relatives, such as the North American grapevine Vitis labrusca , are valuable sources of disease resistance and climate resilience for breeding improved plant cultivars. To support their continued use in breeding both in situ (in natural habitat) and ex situ (off‐site) conservation is required. We assessed how well the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) ex situ collection represents the genomic diversity of V. labrusca . We examined 314 accessions of V. labrusca , including accessions conserved in the USDA germplasm collection and wild‐collected accessions. Using genotyping‐by‐sequencing, we identified over 44,000 genetic markers which we used to determine population structure, potential mislabeling or hybridization, and the extent to which ex situ conserved accessions adequately capture this species. Approximately one third of the accessions examined in this study were identified as putative hybrids, highlighting the need for living germplasm collections given the high likelihood of hybrid seed. We also identified both geographic and genomic conservation gaps in conserved V. labrusca . Our results demonstrate the need for improved genetic validation of conserved grapevine germplasm as well as additional sampling to improve representation of wild V. labrusca conserved ex situ. We highlight geographic areas, particularly in Virginia and North Carolina, for additional collection efforts to help safeguard this important species for biodiversity conservation as well as future breeding and research efforts.

Approximately 25% of accidents in the United States are caused by texting while driving, prompting the creation of several media campaigns to reduce such risky behavior. The current research examined whether death-related advertisements increase cell phone use while driving. Studies 1-3 found that individuals engaged in greater distracted driving in the presence of a mortality-themed texting advertisement. Study 2 demonstrated that participants were more likely to text on their cell phone using a driving simulator, leading to more swerving and collisions after viewing a death-related (vs. neutral) poster. Finally, using eye-tracking, Study 3 showed that participants who viewed a death advertisement looked away from the road and texted more as compared to persons in the control condition. Implications and future directions are discussed.

The vertebrate PPP1R15 family consists of the proteins GADD34 (growth arrest and DNA damage-inducible protein 34, the product of the PPP1R15A gene) and CReP (constitutive repressor of eIF2α phosphorylation, the product of the PPP1R15B gene), both of which function as targeting/regulatory subunits for protein phosphatase 1 (PP1) by regulating subcellular localization, modulating substrate specificity and assembling complexes with target proteins. The primary cellular function of these proteins is to facilitate the dephosphorylation of eukaryotic initiation factor 2-alpha (eIF2α) by PP1 during cell stress. In this review, we will provide a comprehensive overview of the cellular function, biochemistry and pharmacology of GADD34 and CReP, starting with a brief introduction of eIF2α phosphorylation via the integrated protein response (ISR). We discuss the roles GADD34 and CReP play as feedback inhibitors of the unfolded protein response (UPR) and highlight the critical function they serve as inhibitors of the PERK-dependent branch, which is particularly important since it can mediate cell survival or cell death, depending on how long the stressful stimuli lasts, and GADD34 and CReP play key roles in fine-tuning this cellular decision. We briefly discuss the roles of GADD34 and CReP homologs in model systems and then focus on what we have learned about their function from knockout mice and human patients, followed by a brief review of several diseases in which GADD34 and CReP have been implicated, including cancer, diabetes and especially neurodegenerative disease. Because of the potential importance of GADD34 and CReP in aspects of human health and disease, we will discuss several pharmacological inhibitors of GADD34 and/or CReP that show promise as treatments and the controversies as to their mechanism of action. This review will finish with a discussion of the biochemical properties of GADD34 and CReP, their regulation and the additional interacting partners that may provide insight into the roles these proteins may play in other cellular pathways. We will conclude with a brief outline of critical areas for future study.

Abstract Online classes hold the potential to expand college access to Black, Latino/a/x, Indigenous, and other students of color who must be supported to diversify the STEM workforce. Research shows that fostering belonging is key to the academic success of students from minoritized groups. However, online classes often lack interpersonal interactions and are often left out of research about the positive impacts of belonging. This paper summarizes an equity-focused STEM grant project that produced an openly-shared online professional development program, the Humanizing Online STEM Academy. Through the Academy, STEM faculty are introduced to a model of humanized online teaching that centers belonging as a way to address equity gaps. Participant survey responses present opportunities for future research about belonging in online courses.