A Course-Based Research Experience: How Benefits Change with Increased Investment in Instructional Time

While course-based research in genomics can generate both knowledge gains and a greater appreciation for how science is done, a significant investment of course time is required to enable students to show gains commensurate to a summer research experience. Nonetheless, this is a very cost-effective way to reach larger numbers of students

A Central Support System Can Facilitate Implementation and Sustainability of a Classroom-Based Undergraduate Research Experience (CURE) in Genomics

There have been numerous calls to engage students in science as science is done. A survey of 90-plus faculty members explores barriers and incentives when developing a research-based genomics course. The results indicate that a central core supporting a national experiment can help overcome local obstacles

A central support system can facilitate implementation and sustainability of a Classroom-based Undergraduate Research Experience (CURE) in Genomics

In their 2012 report, the President\u27s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology advocated replacing standard science laboratory courses with discovery-based research courses -a challenging proposition that presents practical and pedagogical difficulties. In this paper, we describe our collective experiences working with the Genomics Education Partnership, a nationwide faculty consortium that aims to provide undergraduates with a research experience in genomics through a scheduled course (a classroom-based undergraduate research experience, or CURE). We examine the common barriers encountered in implementing a CURE, program elements of most value to faculty, ways in which a shared core support system can help, and the incentives for and rewards of establishing a CURE on our diverse campuses. While some of the barriers and rewards are specific to a research project utilizing a genomics approach, other lessons learned should be broadly applicable. We find that a central system that supports a shared investigation can mitigate some shortfalls in campus infrastructure (such as time for new curriculum development, availability of IT services) and provides collegial support for change. Our findings should be useful for designing similar supportive programs to facilitate change in the way we teach science for undergraduates

Fructose-driven glycolysis supports anoxia resistance in the naked mole-rat

The African naked mole-rat’s ($\textit{Heterocephalus glaber}$) social and subterranean lifestyle generates a hypoxic niche. Under experimental conditions, naked mole-rats tolerate hours of extreme hypoxia and survive 18 minutes of total oxygen deprivation (anoxia) without apparent injury. During anoxia, the naked mole-rat switches to anaerobic metabolism fueled by fructose, which is actively accumulated and metabolized to lactate in the brain. Global expression of the GLUT5 fructose transporter and high levels of ketohexokinase were identified as molecular signatures of fructose metabolism. Fructose-driven glycolytic respiration in naked mole-rat tissues avoids feedback inhibition of glycolysis via phosphofructokinase, supporting viability. The metabolic rewiring of glycolysis can circumvent the normally lethal effects of oxygen deprivation, a mechanism that could be harnessed to minimize hypoxic damage in human disease.Work was supported aEuropean Research Council (294678), the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft SFB 665 and Go865/9-1, NSF (grant #0744979 ), NIH (grants HL71626 and HL606

A course-based research experience: how benefits change with increased investment in instructional time

There is widespread agreement that science, technology, engineering, and mathematics programs should provide undergraduates with research experience. Practical issues and limited resources, however, make this a challenge. We have developed a bioinformatics project that provides a course-based research experience for students at a diverse group of schools and offers the opportunity to tailor this experience to local curriculum and institution-specific student needs. We assessed both attitude and knowledge gains, looking for insights into how students respond given this wide range of curricular and institutional variables. While different approaches all appear to result in learning gains, we find that a significant investment of course time is required to enable students to show gains commensurate to a summer research experience. An alumni survey revealed that time spent on a research project is also a significant factor in the value former students assign to the experience one or more years later. We conclude: 1) implementation of a bioinformatics project within the biology curriculum provides a mechanism for successfully engaging large numbers of students in undergraduate research; 2) benefits to students are achievable at a wide variety of academic institutions; and 3) successful implementation of course-based research experiences requires significant investment of instructional time for students to gain full benefit

Mortality and pulmonary complications in patients undergoing surgery with perioperative SARS-CoV-2 infection: an international cohort study

Background: The impact of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) on postoperative recovery needs to be understood to inform clinical decision making during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. This study reports 30-day mortality and pulmonary complication rates in patients with perioperative SARS-CoV-2 infection. Methods: This international, multicentre, cohort study at 235 hospitals in 24 countries included all patients undergoing surgery who had SARS-CoV-2 infection confirmed within 7 days before or 30 days after surgery. The primary outcome measure was 30-day postoperative mortality and was assessed in all enrolled patients. The main secondary outcome measure was pulmonary complications, defined as pneumonia, acute respiratory distress syndrome, or unexpected postoperative ventilation. Findings: This analysis includes 1128 patients who had surgery between Jan 1 and March 31, 2020, of whom 835 (74·0%) had emergency surgery and 280 (24·8%) had elective surgery. SARS-CoV-2 infection was confirmed preoperatively in 294 (26·1%) patients. 30-day mortality was 23·8% (268 of 1128). Pulmonary complications occurred in 577 (51·2%) of 1128 patients; 30-day mortality in these patients was 38·0% (219 of 577), accounting for 81·7% (219 of 268) of all deaths. In adjusted analyses, 30-day mortality was associated with male sex (odds ratio 1·75 [95% CI 1·28–2·40], p\textless0·0001), age 70 years or older versus younger than 70 years (2·30 [1·65–3·22], p\textless0·0001), American Society of Anesthesiologists grades 3–5 versus grades 1–2 (2·35 [1·57–3·53], p\textless0·0001), malignant versus benign or obstetric diagnosis (1·55 [1·01–2·39], p=0·046), emergency versus elective surgery (1·67 [1·06–2·63], p=0·026), and major versus minor surgery (1·52 [1·01–2·31], p=0·047). Interpretation: Postoperative pulmonary complications occur in half of patients with perioperative SARS-CoV-2 infection and are associated with high mortality. Thresholds for surgery during the COVID-19 pandemic should be higher than during normal practice, particularly in men aged 70 years and older. Consideration should be given for postponing non-urgent procedures and promoting non-operative treatment to delay or avoid the need for surgery. Funding: National Institute for Health Research (NIHR), Association of Coloproctology of Great Britain and Ireland, Bowel and Cancer Research, Bowel Disease Research Foundation, Association of Upper Gastrointestinal Surgeons, British Association of Surgical Oncology, British Gynaecological Cancer Society, European Society of Coloproctology, NIHR Academy, Sarcoma UK, Vascular Society for Great Britain and Ireland, and Yorkshire Cancer Research

Reducing the environmental impact of surgery on a global scale: systematic review and co-prioritization with healthcare workers in 132 countries

Abstract Background Healthcare cannot achieve net-zero carbon without addressing operating theatres. The aim of this study was to prioritize feasible interventions to reduce the environmental impact of operating theatres. Methods This study adopted a four-phase Delphi consensus co-prioritization methodology. In phase 1, a systematic review of published interventions and global consultation of perioperative healthcare professionals were used to longlist interventions. In phase 2, iterative thematic analysis consolidated comparable interventions into a shortlist. In phase 3, the shortlist was co-prioritized based on patient and clinician views on acceptability, feasibility, and safety. In phase 4, ranked lists of interventions were presented by their relevance to high-income countries and low–middle-income countries. Results In phase 1, 43 interventions were identified, which had low uptake in practice according to 3042 professionals globally. In phase 2, a shortlist of 15 intervention domains was generated. In phase 3, interventions were deemed acceptable for more than 90 per cent of patients except for reducing general anaesthesia (84 per cent) and re-sterilization of ‘single-use’ consumables (86 per cent). In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for high-income countries were: introducing recycling; reducing use of anaesthetic gases; and appropriate clinical waste processing. In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for low–middle-income countries were: introducing reusable surgical devices; reducing use of consumables; and reducing the use of general anaesthesia. Conclusion This is a step toward environmentally sustainable operating environments with actionable interventions applicable to both high– and low–middle–income countries

Facile synthesis of new substituted aryl and heteroarylflavones by thermal and microwave assisted Suzuki-Miyaura coupling reaction

1002-1010Microwave assisted Suzuki-Miyaura coupling of 4'-bromoflavone 5 with substituted aryl and heteroarylboronic acids <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal">6a-m gives high yields of aryl and heteroarylflavones 7a-m. Couplings have been carried out by three methods i) conventional heating with Pd(OCOCH3)2 catalyst, in solvent DMF(N,N-dimethylformamide) and base, aqueous Na2CO3 (2N) for 6-12 hr, at 110°C, yield 30-70%, ii) conventional heating with Pd[(C6H5)3P]4 catalyst, in DMF and base, aq. Na2CO3 (2N) for 6-12 hr, at 110°C, yield 40-72% and iii) Microwave heating with Pd[(C6H5)3P]4 catalyst, in solvent (DMF+H2O, 5:2) and base, aq. Na2CO3 (2N) for 2-9 min, yield 50-87%. The substrate 4′-bromoflavone 5 has been synthesized from o-hydroxyacetophenone 1 in 3 steps. Esterification of 1 with 4-bromobenzoyl chloride 2 with montmorillonite-KSF catalyst, DCE (1,2-dichloroethane) and Et3N (triethylamine) which gives 2-(4-bromobenzoyloxy)acetophenone 3. Baker-Venkataraman rearrangement of 3 with pyridine and KOH further gives 1-(4-bromophenyl)-3-(2-hydroxyphenyl)propane-1,3-dione <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal">4, followed by cyclization of 4 with methanolic sulfuric acid (2.5%) which yields 4'-bromoflavone 5, yield 82%

Potential Plant Growth Regulators: Synthesis and Activity of New Substituted N-(2-benzoyl-4-chlorophenyl)benzamides and N-[4-Chloro-2-(?,?-hydroxyphenylmethyl)phenyl]benzamides.

2689-26952-Amino-5-chlorobenzophenone 3 prepared in 2 steps from isatoic anhydride 1 on condensation with substituted benzoyl chlorides 6a-i in presence of Et3N in 1,2-dichloroethane (DCE) affords substituted N-(2-benzoyl-4-chlorophenyl)benzamides 7a-i which on reduction with NaBH4 gives corresponding alcohols, N-[4-chloro-2-(α,α-hydroxyphenylmethyl) phenyl]benzamides 8a-i. The structures of all the compounds are confirmed by 1H NMR spectra, and their cytokinin (plant growth promoting) activity is determined on seeds of Raphanus sativus, family Brassicaceae (common name white radish, variety Pusa Chetki), for concentrations varying between 0.1 to 10 mg/litre. Compounds 7c, 7d, 7g and 7h at all concentrations and 7i at 4 concentrations have been found to show higher plant growth promoting (POP) activity than benzyladenine (standard). Compounds 8d and 8g also show moderate plant growth promoting (cytokinin) activity, while compounds 7a, 7b, 7e, 7f and 8a, 8b, 8e, 8e, 8f and 8i are found to have plant growth inhibiting (PGI) activity

Potential plant growth regulators: Synthesis and activity of new substituted <i>N-</i>(2- benzoyl-4-chlorophenyl)benzamides and <i>N</i>-[4-chloro-2-(α,α-hydroxypheny lmethyl)phenyl]benzamides

2689-26952-Amino-5-chlorobenzophenone 3 prepared in 2 steps from isatoic anhydride 1 on condensation with substituted benzoyl chlorides 6a-i in presence of Et3N in 1,2-dichloroethane (DCE) affords substituted N-(2-benzoyl-4-chlorophenyl)benzamides 7a-i which on reduction with NaBH4 gives corresponding alcohols, N-[4-chloro-2-(α,α-hydroxyphenylmethyl) phenyl]benzamides 8a-i. The structures of all the compounds are confirmed by 1H NMR spectra, and their cytokinin (plant growth promoting) activity is determined on seeds of Raphanus sativus, family Brassicaceae (common name white radish, variety Pusa Chetki), for concentrations varying between 0.1 to 10 mg/litre. Compounds 7c, 7d, 7g and 7h at all concentrations and 7i at 4 concentrations have been found to show higher plant growth promoting (POP) activity than benzyladenine (standard). Compounds 8d and 8g also show moderate plant growth promoting (cytokinin) activity, while compounds 7a, 7b, 7e, 7f and 8a, 8b, 8e, 8e, 8f and 8i are found to have plant growth inhibiting (PGI) activity