Biological fieldwork provision in higher education

Fieldwork is regarded as an important component of many bioscience degree programmes. QAA benchmarks statements refer explicitly to the importance of fieldwork, although give no indication of amounts of field provision expected. Previous research has highlighted the importance of fieldwork to the learning of both subject-specific and transferable skills. However, it is unclear how the amount and type of fieldwork currently offered is being affected by the recent expansion in student numbers and current funding constraints. Here we review contemporary literature and report on the results of a questionnaire completed by bioscience tutors across 33 UK institutions. The results suggest, perhaps contrary to anecdotal evidence, that the amount of fieldwork being undertaken by students is not in decline and that on the whole, programmes contain reasonable amounts of fieldwork. The majority of programmes involved UK-based fieldwork, but a number of programmes also offered ‘exotic’ overseas fieldwork which was considered important in terms of student recruitment as well as exposing students to a diversity of field learning environments. Tutors were very clear about the benefits of fieldwork and the need to be proactive to maintain its provision

A digital ecosystems model of assessment feedback on student learning

The term ecosystem has been used to describe complex interactions between living organisms and the physical world. The principles underlying ecosystems can also be applied to complex human interactions in the digital world. As internet technologies make an increasing contribution to teaching and learning practice in higher education, the principles of digital ecosystems may help us understand how to maximise technology to benefit active, self-regulated learning especially among groups of learners. Here, feedback on student learning is presented within a conceptual digital ecosystems model of learning. Additionally, we have developed a Web 2.0-based system, called ASSET, which incorporates multimedia and social networking features to deliver assessment feedback within the functionality of the digital ecosystems model. Both the digital ecosystems model and the ASSET system are described and their implications for enhancing feedback on student learning are discussed

Using Carbon Isotope Discrimination to Assess Genotypic Differences in Drought Resistance of Parental Lines of Common Bean

Accurate assessment of crop water uptake (WU) and water use efficiency (WUE) is not easy under field conditions. Carbon isotope discrimination (Δ13C) has been used as a surrogate of WUE to examine crop yield responses to drought and its relationship with WU and WUE. A 2-yr study was conducted (i) to characterize genotypic variation in Δ13C, grain yield, and other physiological parameters in common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) parental lines, and (ii) to examine the relationships between grain Δ13C, shoot Δ13C, and grain yield under well-watered and terminal drought stress conditions. All measured plant traits were strongly influenced by water availability, and genotypic differences in grain yield, shoot Δ13C, and grain Δ13C were found in both watered and terminal drought stress environments. The parental lines were classified into two drought adaptation groups, drought resistant and drought sensitive, based on a yield drought index. High yields under drought conditions were related to (i) greater water uptake, as indicated by high Δ13C in genotypes previously shown to have deeper roots (e.g., SEA 5 and BAT 477), and (ii) increased WUE, denoted by lower Δ13C and greater pod harvest index (PHI) (e.g., SER 16). Coupling of Δ13C measurements with measured yield and yield components analyses, such as PHI, provided an avenue to distinguish different physiological traits among drought resistant genotypes underlying adaptation to water deficit stres

Variation in renal responses to exercise in the heat with progressive acclimatisation

Objectives To investigate changes in renal status from exercise in the heat with acclimatisation and to evaluate surrogates markers of Acute Kidney Injury. Design Prospective observational cohort study. Methods 20 male volunteers performed 60 min standardised exercise in the heat, at baseline and on four subsequent occasions during a 23-day acclimatisation regimen. Blood was sampled before and after exercise for serum creatinine, copeptin, interleukin-6, normetanephrine and cortisol. Fractional excretion of sodium was calculated for corresponding urine samples. Ratings of Perceived Exertion were reported every 5 min during exercise. Acute Kidney Injury was defined as serum creatinine rise ≥26.5 μmol L−1 or fall in estimated glomerular filtration rate >25%. Predictive values of each candidate marker for developing Acute Kidney Injury were determined by ROC analysis. Results From baseline to Day 23, serum creatinine did not vary at rest, but showed a significant (P < 0.05) reduction post-exercise (120 [102, 139] versus 102 [91, 112] μmol L−1). Acute Kidney Injury was common (26/100 exposures) and occurred most frequently in the unacclimatised state. Log-normalised fractional excretion of sodium showed a significant interaction (exercise by acclimatization day), with post-exercise values tending to rise with acclimatisation. Ratings of Perceived Exertion predicted AKI (AUC 0.76, 95% confidence interval 0.65–0.88), performing at least as well as biochemical markers. Conclusions Heat acclimatization is associated with reduced markers of renal stress and AKI incidence, perhaps due to improved regional perfusion. Acclimatisation and monitoring Ratings of Perceived Exertion are practical, non-invasive measures that could help to reduce renal injury from exercise in the heat

Molecular Targets of Aptamers in Gastrointestinal Cancers: Cancer Detection, Therapeutic Applications, and Associated Mechanisms

Gastrointestinal (GI) cancers are among the most common cancers that impact the global population, with high mortality and low survival rates after breast and lung cancers. Identifying useful molecular targets in GI cancers are crucial for improving diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment outcomes, however, limited by poor targeting and drug delivery system. Aptamers are often utilized in the field of biomarkers identification, targeting, and as a drug/inhibitor delivery cargo. Their natural and chemically modifiable binding capability, high affinity, and specificity are favored over antibodies and potential early diagnostic imaging and drug delivery applications. Studies have demonstrated the use of different aptamers as drug delivery agents and early molecular diagnostic and detection probes for treating cancers. This review aims to first describe aptamers’ generation, characteristics, and classifications, also providing insights into their recent applications in the diagnosis and medical imaging, prognosis, and anticancer drug delivery system of GI cancers. Besides, it mainly discussed the relevant molecular targets and associated molecular mechanisms involved, as well as their applications for potential treatments for GI cancers. In addition, the current applications of aptamers in a clinical setting to treat GI cancers are deciphered. In conclusion, aptamers are multifunctional molecules that could be effectively used as an anticancer agent or drug delivery system for treating GI cancers and deserve further investigations for clinical applications

The emergence and diversification of a zoonotic pathogen from within the microbiota of intensively farmed pigs

The expansion and intensification of livestock production is predicted to promote the emergence of pathogens. As pathogens sometimes jump between species, this can affect the health of humans as well as livestock. Here, we investigate how livestock microbiota can act as a source of these emerging pathogens through analysis of Streptococcus suis, a ubiquitous component of the respiratory microbiota of pigs that is also a major cause of disease on pig farms and an important zoonotic pathogen. Combining molecular dating, phylogeography, and comparative genomic analyses of a large collection of isolates, we find that several pathogenic lineages of S. suis emerged in the 19th and 20th centuries, during an early period of growth in pig farming. These lineages have since spread between countries and continents, mirroring trade in live pigs. They are distinguished by the presence of three genomic islands with putative roles in metabolism and cell adhesion, and an ongoing reduction in genome size, which may reflect their recent shift to a more pathogenic ecology. Reconstructions of the evolutionary histories of these islands reveal constraints on pathogen emergence that could inform control strategies, with pathogenic lineages consistently emerging from one subpopulation of S. suis and acquiring genes through horizontal transfer from other pathogenic lineages. These results shed light on the capacity of the microbiota to rapidly evolve to exploit changes in their host population and suggest that the impact of changes in farming on the pathogenicity and zoonotic potential of S. suis is yet to be fully realized

The emergence and diversification of a zoonotic pathogen from within the microbiota of intensively farmed pigs

The expansion and intensification of livestock production is predicted to promote the emergence of pathogens. As pathogens sometimes jump between species, this can affect the health of humans as well as livestock. Here, we investigate how livestock microbiota can act as a source of these emerging pathogens through analysis of Streptococcus suis, a ubiquitous component of the respiratory microbiota of pigs that is also a major cause of disease on pig farms and an important zoonotic pathogen. Combining molecular dating, phylogeography, and comparative genomic analyses of a large collection of isolates, we find that several pathogenic lineages of S. suis emerged in the 19th and 20th centuries, during an early period of growth in pig farming. These lineages have since spread between countries and continents, mirroring trade in live pigs. They are distinguished by the presence of three genomic islands with putative roles in metabolism and cell adhesion, and an ongoing reduction in genome size, which may reflect their recent shift to a more pathogenic ecology. Reconstructions of the evolutionary histories of these islands reveal constraints on pathogen emergence that could inform control strategies, with pathogenic lineages consistently emerging from one subpopulation of S. suis and acquiring genes through horizontal transfer from other pathogenic lineages. These results shed light on the capacity of the microbiota to rapidly evolve to exploit changes in their host population and suggest that the impact of changes in farming on the pathogenicity and zoonotic potential of S. suis is yet to be fully realized.This work was primarily funded by an EU Horizon 2020 grant “PIGSs” (727966) and a ZELS BBSRC award “Myanmar Pigs Partnership (MPP)” (BB/L018934/1). G.G.R.M., E.L.M., and L.A.W. were supported by a Sir Henry Dale Fellowship to L.A.W. jointly funded by the Wellcome Trust and the Royal Society (109385/Z/15/Z). N.H. was supported by a Challenge grant from the Royal Society (CH16011) and an Isaac Newton Trust Research Grant [17.24(u)]. G.G.R.M. was also supported by a Research Fellowship at Newnham College. S.B. is supported by the Medical Research Council (MR/V032836/1). PIC North America provided part of the funds for the sequencing of the isolates from the USA. A.J.B. and M.M. were funded by Medical Research Council and Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council studentships respectively, and M.M. was co-funded by the Raymond and Beverly Sackler Fund. We would like to acknowledge Susanna Williamson at the APHA for providing samples, Oscar Cabezón for sampling of the wild boar population in Spain, Mark O’Dea for access to sequence data from Australian isolates, the PIGSs and MPP consortiums for providing samples and helpful discussions, Julian Parkhill and John Welch for helpful discussions, and two anonymous reviewers for their valuable suggestions for improving the manuscript. This research was funded in whole or in part by the Wellcome Trust. For the purpose of Open Access, the author has applied a CC BY public copyright license to any Author Accepted Manuscript (AAM) version arising from this submission.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Phenotypic Characterization of EIF2AK4 Mutation Carriers in a Large Cohort of Patients Diagnosed Clinically With Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension.

BACKGROUND: Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a rare disease with an emerging genetic basis. Heterozygous mutations in the gene encoding the bone morphogenetic protein receptor type 2 (BMPR2) are the commonest genetic cause of PAH, whereas biallelic mutations in the eukaryotic translation initiation factor 2 alpha kinase 4 gene (EIF2AK4) are described in pulmonary veno-occlusive disease/pulmonary capillary hemangiomatosis. Here, we determine the frequency of these mutations and define the genotype-phenotype characteristics in a large cohort of patients diagnosed clinically with PAH. METHODS: Whole-genome sequencing was performed on DNA from patients with idiopathic and heritable PAH and with pulmonary veno-occlusive disease/pulmonary capillary hemangiomatosis recruited to the National Institute of Health Research BioResource-Rare Diseases study. Heterozygous variants in BMPR2 and biallelic EIF2AK4 variants with a minor allele frequency of <1:10 000 in control data sets and predicted to be deleterious (by combined annotation-dependent depletion, PolyPhen-2, and sorting intolerant from tolerant predictions) were identified as potentially causal. Phenotype data from the time of diagnosis were also captured. RESULTS: Eight hundred sixty-four patients with idiopathic or heritable PAH and 16 with pulmonary veno-occlusive disease/pulmonary capillary hemangiomatosis were recruited. Mutations in BMPR2 were identified in 130 patients (14.8%). Biallelic mutations in EIF2AK4 were identified in 5 patients with a clinical diagnosis of pulmonary veno-occlusive disease/pulmonary capillary hemangiomatosis. Furthermore, 9 patients with a clinical diagnosis of PAH carried biallelic EIF2AK4 mutations. These patients had a reduced transfer coefficient for carbon monoxide (Kco; 33% [interquartile range, 30%-35%] predicted) and younger age at diagnosis (29 years; interquartile range, 23-38 years) and more interlobular septal thickening and mediastinal lymphadenopathy on computed tomography of the chest compared with patients with PAH without EIF2AK4 mutations. However, radiological assessment alone could not accurately identify biallelic EIF2AK4 mutation carriers. Patients with PAH with biallelic EIF2AK4 mutations had a shorter survival. CONCLUSIONS: Biallelic EIF2AK4 mutations are found in patients classified clinically as having idiopathic and heritable PAH. These patients cannot be identified reliably by computed tomography, but a low Kco and a young age at diagnosis suggests the underlying molecular diagnosis. Genetic testing can identify these misclassified patients, allowing appropriate management and early referral for lung transplantation

Phenotypic Characterization of <i>EIF2AK4</i> Mutation Carriers in a Large Cohort of Patients Diagnosed Clinically With Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension

Background: Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a rare disease with an emerging genetic basis. Heterozygous mutations in the gene encoding the bone morphogenetic protein receptor type 2 ( BMPR2 ) are the commonest genetic cause of PAH, whereas biallelic mutations in the eukaryotic translation initiation factor 2 alpha kinase 4 gene ( EIF2AK4 ) are described in pulmonary veno-occlusive disease/pulmonary capillary hemangiomatosis. Here, we determine the frequency of these mutations and define the genotype-phenotype characteristics in a large cohort of patients diagnosed clinically with PAH. Methods: Whole-genome sequencing was performed on DNA from patients with idiopathic and heritable PAH and with pulmonary veno-occlusive disease/pulmonary capillary hemangiomatosis recruited to the National Institute of Health Research BioResource–Rare Diseases study. Heterozygous variants in BMPR2 and biallelic EIF2AK4 variants with a minor allele frequency of &lt;1:10 000 in control data sets and predicted to be deleterious (by combined annotation-dependent depletion, PolyPhen-2, and sorting intolerant from tolerant predictions) were identified as potentially causal. Phenotype data from the time of diagnosis were also captured. Results: Eight hundred sixty-four patients with idiopathic or heritable PAH and 16 with pulmonary veno-occlusive disease/pulmonary capillary hemangiomatosis were recruited. Mutations in BMPR2 were identified in 130 patients (14.8%). Biallelic mutations in EIF2AK4 were identified in 5 patients with a clinical diagnosis of pulmonary veno-occlusive disease/pulmonary capillary hemangiomatosis. Furthermore, 9 patients with a clinical diagnosis of PAH carried biallelic EIF2AK4 mutations. These patients had a reduced transfer coefficient for carbon monoxide (K co ; 33% [interquartile range, 30%–35%] predicted) and younger age at diagnosis (29 years; interquartile range, 23–38 years) and more interlobular septal thickening and mediastinal lymphadenopathy on computed tomography of the chest compared with patients with PAH without EIF2AK4 mutations. However, radiological assessment alone could not accurately identify biallelic EIF2AK4 mutation carriers. Patients with PAH with biallelic EIF2AK4 mutations had a shorter survival. Conclusions: Biallelic EIF2AK4 mutations are found in patients classified clinically as having idiopathic and heritable PAH. These patients cannot be identified reliably by computed tomography, but a low K co and a young age at diagnosis suggests the underlying molecular diagnosis. Genetic testing can identify these misclassified patients, allowing appropriate management and early referral for lung transplantation. </jats:sec