Assessment of the allergic potential of food protein extracts and proteins on oral application using the brown Norway rat model.

The need for widely accepted and validated animal models to test the potential allergenicity and potency of novel (biotechnology-derived) proteins has become an important issue for their safety evaluation. In this article, we summarize the results of the development of an oral sensitization protocol for food proteins in the rat. Young Brown Norway rats were exposed to either various purified allergenic proteins (e.g., ovalbumin, partly purified), a whole food (cow's milk), or total protein extracts (hen's egg white, peanut) by daily gavage dosing during 42 days without the use of an adjuvant. The results showed that Brown Norway rats can be sensitized orally to the various allergenic food proteins tested, resulting in antigen-specific immunoglobulin (Ig) G and IgE responses, without the use of adjuvants. Animals orally exposed to cow's milk or total protein extracts of egg white also developed specific IgE and IgG antibodies that recognized the same proteins compared with antibodies from patients allergic to egg white or cow's milk. We also studied local and systemic immune-mediated effects. In ovalbumin-sensitized rats, some clinical symptoms of food allergy were studied upon an oral challenge with ovalbumin. The results demonstrated that gut permeability was increased and that in some animals breathing frequency and systolic blood pressure were temporarily decreased. The results obtained show that the Brown Norway rat provides a suitable animal model for food allergy research and for the study of relative allergenicity of existing and novel food proteins

Education through fiction: acquiring opinion-forming skills in the context of genomics

This study examined the outcomes of a newly designed four-lesson science module on opinion-forming in the context of genomics in upper secondary education. The lesson plan aims to foster sixteen-year-old students’ opinion-forming skills in the context of genomics and to test the effect of the use of fiction in the module. The basic hypothesis tested in this study is whether fiction stimulates students to develop opinions with regard to socio-scientific issues. A quasi-experimental pre- and post-test design was used, involving two treatment groups and one control group. One of the experimental groups received a science module incorporating movie clips (i.e. the movie group). The other experimental group received the same science module, however, only news report clips were used (i.e. the news report group). Prior to and after the module, 266 secondary school students completed a questionnaire to test their opinion-forming skills. The results demonstrate that the science module had a significant positive effect on students’ opinion-forming skills and that the movie group improved their skills more compared to the news report group. It may be concluded that the use of fiction, to be more specific movie clips about genomics extracted from feature films, to introduce a socio-scientific issue in the classroom stimulates students to develop their opinion-forming skills

Принятие решений в условиях многокритериальности с комбинаторными свойствами альтернатив

В статье рассматривается задача принятия решений при многих критериях на комбинаторных конфигурациях. Такие задачи являются моделями многих практических задач. Обосновываются свойства области допустимых решений задачи, базирующиеся на свойствах многогранника размещений, вершины которого определяют заданное комбинаторное множество точек. Представлено множество альтернатив в виде ориентированного графа многогранника размещений. Описываются свойства графа многогранника размещений, которые используются для разработки нового метода решений предлагаемой задачи на графе.У статті розглядується задача прийняття рішень при багатьох критеріях на комбінаторних конфігураціях. Такі задачі є моделями багатьох практичних задач. Обґрунтовуються властивості області допустимих рішень задачі, що базуються на властивостях многогранника розміщень, вершини якого визначають задану комбінаторну множину точок. Представлено множину альтернатив у вигляді орієнтованого графа многогранника розміщень. Описуються властивості графа многогранника розміщень, які використовуються для розробки нового методу розв’язання пропонованої задачі на графі.In article the decision-making task is considered at many criteria on combinatorial configurations which is models of many practical tasks. Properties of area of admissible solutions the tasks which are based on properties of a polyhedron of allocations which tops define the set combinatorial point set are proved. It is presented sets of alternatives in the form of a graph of a polyhedron of allocations. Properties of a polyhedron graph of allocations which are used for development of a new method of solutions of the offered task on the graph are described

Infrared Resonance Enhanced Multiphoton Ionization of Fullerenes

Gas-phase fullerenes are resonantly heated by a train of high power subpicosecond pulses from a free electron laser (FEL) to internal energies at which they efficiently undergo delayed ionization. When the laser is tuned from 6–20μm while the amount of laser produced parent ions is recorded, resonant absorption of 200–600 IR photons, resulting in almost fragmentation-free ion spectra, is observed. Infrared resonance enhanced multiphoton ionization with a FEL is shown to enable extremely sensitive IR spectroscopy with mass selective detection of gas-phase fullerenes

Effects of a science education module on attitudes towards modern biotechnology of secondary school students

This article evaluated the impact of a four-lesson science module on the attitudes of secondary school students. This science module (on cancer and modern biotechnology) utilises several design principles, related to a social constructivist perspective on learning. The expectation was that the module would help students become more articulate in this particular field. In a quasi-experimental design (experimental-, control groups and pre- and post-tests) secondary school students’ attitudes (N=365) towards modern biotechnology were measured by a questionnaire. Data were analyzed using chi-square tests. Significant differences were obtained between the control and experimental conditions. Results showed that the science module had a significant effect on attitudes, although predominantly towards a more supportive and not towards a more critical stance. It is discussed that offering a science module of this kind can indeed encourage students to become more aware of modern biotechnology, although promoting a more critical attitude towards modern biotechnology should receive more attention

Socio‐scientific inquiry‐based learning as a means toward environmental citizenship

This paper draws on the meta‐theory of Critical Realism providing a theoretical basis for the pedagogical approach of Socio‐Scientific Inquiry‐Based Learning (SSIBL) in supporting Education for Environmental Citizenship (EEC). We argue that while there are different configurations of EEC, inducting citizens in decision‐making needs satisfies the following criteria: (a) relevant transdisciplinary knowledge, (b) a values orientation toward both the complexity of, and the necessity for, a sustainable world and (c) a confidence for, and commitment to, socio-political action at individual and collective levels. In order to provide a rich perspective about how SSIBL has been operationalized in various national contexts through specific teacher professional development, we present four cases purposefully selected as exemplars from different European countries (the Netherlands, Spain, the UK and Cyprus). The four cases provide powerful scenarios to discuss different ways in which the SSIBL approach can be implemented in teacher education to meet the criteria identified and, thus, promote informed and responsible action in relation to socio-environmental issues. The whole picture shows a consistent theoretical foundation and interesting opportunities for teacher education, as a relevant strategy to prepare teachers in taking risks and integrating SSIBL within school curricula to foster environmental citizenship

Experimental validation of model for pulsed laser-induced subsurface modifications in Si

Wafers are traditionally diced with diamond saw blades. Saw dicing technology has a number of limitations, especially concerning the dicing of thin wafers. Moreover, the use of fluids and the gen-eration of debris can damage fragile components such as micro electro-mechanical systems. Laser ablation dicing is better suited for thin wafers, but is also not a clean process. An alternative dicing method is subsurface laser dicing. This technology is based on the production of laser-induced sub-surface modifications inside the wafer. These modifications weaken the material, such that the wafer separates along the planes with laser modifications when applying an external force. To find the right laser conditions to produce subsurface modifications in silicon, and to enhance the understand-ing of the underlying physics, a numerical model has previously been developed. To validate this model, the current work compares simulation results with experimental data obtained by focusing nano- and picosecond pulses inside silicon wafers. A fairly good agreement between experimental and numerical results was obtaine

Bringing systems thinking into the classroom.

Systems thinking is the ability to reason about biological systems in terms of their characteristics and can assist students in developing a coherent understanding of biology. Literature reports about several recommendations regarding teaching systems thinking, while it seems that systems thinking has not reached classroom practice. The main aim of this study was to identify design guidelines to implement systems thinking in upper-secondary biologyeducation. Based on the recommendations of literature and experience a teacher team developed, tested and evaluated two lessons in two upper-secondary biology classes (15–16 years old students, n = 26, n = 19) using Lesson Study. Lesson one focused on the application of seven system characteristics: boundary, components, interactions, input & output, feedback, dynamics, and hierarchy. Lesson two focused on the improvement of students’ understanding of the characteristics feedback and dynamics by using a qualitative modelling approach. Based on classroom observations, student products and interviews, the results suggest that a first step is made: most students are able to name and apply the seven characteristics. It seems important to pay attention to the: (1) introduction of the seven characteristics; (2) application of the characteristics in a wide variety of contexts; (3) individual characteristics; (4) explicit use of system language