Using 3D Printing to Illustrate Protein Modularity and Dynamics

Many important enzymes are part of multi-subunit complexes that involve complex movements and interactions that are difficult to visualize via traditional 2-dimensional diagrams or in visualization software. Physical, 3-dimensional models are an especially effective way to illustrate abstract concepts within the curriculum, including about protein dynamics, subunit functions, pathway architectures, and the nature of protein-protein interactions. The usage of physical models in the classroom has been successful when teaching concepts such as enzyme catalysis and protein refolding, quantized by increased exam scores and positive student feedback. Here, we present work done to 3D print publicly available protein structures of the Krebs Cycle enzymes in both rigid and flexible polymers to convey concepts of dynamics in protein structure, as well as aid in teaching the roles of different monomers within the cycle. Structures 3D printed with thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) are lightweight and flexible, which allows the models to be safe for classroom use while simultaneously teaching dynamics of enzyme motion among subunits and individual chains. Highly regulated enzymes have been coated with a glaze to easily differentiate from the other five enzymes of the pathway. Upon integration with traditional lecture methods, student gains in key learning outcomes will be quantified by polling, comparison of results of a pre- and post-assessment, and performance on standardized test items

The effectiveness and variation of acute medical units: a systematic review

Purpose: To evaluate the evidence for the effectiveness of acute medical units (AMUs) compared with other models of care and compare the components of AMU models. Data sources: Six electronic databases and grey literature sources searched between 1990 and 2014. Study selection: Studies reporting on AMUs as an intervention for unplanned medical presentations to hospital with the inclusion of all outcome measures/study designs/comparators. Data extraction: Data on study characteristics/outcomes/AMU components were extracted by one author and confirmed by a second. Data synthesis: Seventeen studies of 12 AMUs across five countries were included. The AMU model was associated with a reduction in-hospital length of stay (LOS) in all analyses ranging from 0.3 to 2.6 days; and a reduction in mortality in 12 of the 14 analyses with the change ranging from a 0.1% increase to a 8.8% reduction. Evidence relating to readmissions and patient/staff satisfaction was less conclusive. There was variation in the following components of AMUs: admission criteria, entry sources, functions and consultant work patterns. Conclusion: This review provides evidence that AMUs are associated with reductions in-hospital LOS and, less convincingly, mortality compared with other models of care when implemented in European and Australasian settings. Reported estimates may be affected by residual confounding. This review reports heterogeneity in components of the AMU model. Further work to identify what constitutes the key components of an AMU is needed to improve the quality and effectiveness of acute medical care. This is of particular importance given the escalating demand on acute services

Complex nature of SNP genotype effects on gene expression in primary human leucocytes.

This is a freely-available open access publication. Please cite the published version which is available via the DOI link in this record.BACKGROUND: Genome wide association studies have been hugely successful in identifying disease risk variants, yet most variants do not lead to coding changes and how variants influence biological function is usually unknown. METHODS: We correlated gene expression and genetic variation in untouched primary leucocytes (n = 110) from individuals with celiac disease - a common condition with multiple risk variants identified. We compared our observations with an EBV-transformed HapMap B cell line dataset (n = 90), and performed a meta-analysis to increase power to detect non-tissue specific effects. RESULTS: In celiac peripheral blood, 2,315 SNP variants influenced gene expression at 765 different transcripts (< 250 kb from SNP, at FDR = 0.05, cis expression quantitative trait loci, eQTLs). 135 of the detected SNP-probe effects (reflecting 51 unique probes) were also detected in a HapMap B cell line published dataset, all with effects in the same allelic direction. Overall gene expression differences within the two datasets predominantly explain the limited overlap in observed cis-eQTLs. Celiac associated risk variants from two regions, containing genes IL18RAP and CCR3, showed significant cis genotype-expression correlations in the peripheral blood but not in the B cell line datasets. We identified 14 genes where a SNP affected the expression of different probes within the same gene, but in opposite allelic directions. By incorporating genetic variation in co-expression analyses, functional relationships between genes can be more significantly detected. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, the complex nature of genotypic effects in human populations makes the use of a relevant tissue, large datasets, and analysis of different exons essential to enable the identification of the function for many genetic risk variants in common diseases.Coeliac UKNetherlands Organization for Scientific ResearchCeliac Disease Consortium (an innovative cluster approved by the Netherlands Genomics Initiative and partly funded by the Dutch government)Netherlands Genomics InitiativeWellcome Trus

“Your Body Feels Better When You Drink Water”: Parent and School-Age Children’s Sugar- Sweetened Beverage Cognitions

Sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) are a leading source of added sugar in the American diet. Further, ingestion of added sugars from SSBs exceeds recommendations. Thus, interventions that effectively reduce SSB consumption are needed. Focus group discussions with parents (n = 37) and school-aged children between the ages of 6 and 11 years (n = 41) from Florida, New Jersey, and West Virginia were led by trained moderators using Social Cognitive Theory as a guide. Trends and themes that emerged from the content analysis of the focus group data indicated that both parents and children felt that limiting SSBs was important to health and weight control. However, parents and children reported consuming an average of 1.85 ± 2.38 SD and 2.13 ± 2.52 SD SSB servings/week, respectively. Parents and children were aware that parent behaviors influenced kids, but parents reported modeling healthy SSB behaviors was difficult. Busy schedules, including more frequent parties and events as children get older, were another barrier to limiting SSBs. Parents were most successful at limiting SSBs when they were not in the house. This qualitative research provides novel insights into parents’ and children’s cognitions (e.g., beliefs, attitudes), barriers, and facilitators related to SSB ingestion. Consideration of these insights during nutrition intervention development has the potential to improve intervention effectiveness in reducing SSB intake

A field expansions method for scattering by periodic multilayered media

The interaction of acoustic and electromagnetic waves with periodic structures plays an important role in a wide range of problems of scientific and technological interest. This contribution focuses upon the robust and high-order numerical simulation of a model for the interaction of pressure waves generated within the earth incident upon layers of sediment near the surface. Herein described is a boundary perturbation method for the numerical simulation of scattering returns from irregularly shaped periodic layered media. The method requires only the discretization of the layer interfaces (so that the number of unknowns is an order of magnitude smaller than finite difference and finite element simulations), while it avoids not only the need for specialized quadrature rules but also the dense linear systems characteristic of boundary integral/element methods. The approach is a generalization to multiple layers of Bruno and Reitich’s “Method of Field Expansions” for dielectric structures with two layers. By simply considering the entire structure simultaneously, rather than solving in individual layers separately, the full field can be recovered in time proportional to the number of interfaces. As with the original field expansions method, this approach is extremely efficient and spectrally accurate

Screening history of women with cervical cancer: a 6-year study in Aarhus, Denmark

To identify possible weaknesses in cervical screening in Aarhus County, 10 years after the programme was introduced, screening histories were examined. A major problem for the screening programme was that 31% of women were never screened and 61% under-screened, the latter group being significantly dominated by older women and high-stage tumours

A New Species of Giant Sengi or Elephant-Shrew (Genus \u3cem\u3eRhynchocyon\u3c/em\u3e) Highlights the Exceptional Biodiversity of the Udzungwa Mountains of Tanzania

A new species of sengi, or elephant-shrew, is described. It was discovered in the northern Udzungwa Mountains of Tanzania in 2005. Sengis (Order Macroscelidea, super-cohort Afrotheria) include four genera and 15 species of mammals that are endemic to Africa. This discovery is a significant contribution to the systematics of this small order. Based on 49 camera trap images, 40 sightings and five voucher specimens, the new sengi is diurnal and distinguished from the other three species of Rhynchocyon by a grizzled grey face, pale yellow to cream chest and chin, orange-rufous sides, maroon back and jet-black lower rump and thighs. The body weight of the new species is about 700 g, which is 25–50% greater than any other giant sengi. The new Rhynchocyon is only known from two populations that cover about 300 km2 of montane forest. It has an estimated density of 50–80 individuals km−2. This discovery has important implications for the conservation of the high biodiversity that is found in the forests of the Eastern Arc Mountains