Hypoxia signalling and regulation in chemosensory behaviour of<i> Caenorhabditis elegans</i>

Adaptation to hypoxia is essential to survival in most organisms; disruption of oxygen homeostasis is linked to the pathology of multiple diseases including neurodegeneration, ischaemic stroke and cancer. Hypoxia-inducible factor 1 (HIF-1) is a key transcription factor in the detection of oxygen depletion and in mediating the response to hypoxia to maintain cellular oxygen homeostasis. This study investigated hypoxia signalling in vivo using a Caenorhabditis elegans HIF-1 mutant model. The chemosensory behaviour of C. elegans was analysed through the use of chemosensory assays with a chemoattractant and a chemorepellent; the response was quantified by calculating the chemotaxis index of species. Chemosensory assays were used to analyse behavioural changes of C. elegans under oxic and hypoxic conditions and to analyse the effects of mood stabilizing drugs lithium chloride (LiCl) and valproic acid (VA). HIF-1 mutant C. elegans showed an impaired chemosensory response to a 48 h hypoxia exposure. Treatment with LiCl significantly rescued the chemosensory response of HIF-1 mutants under hypoxia, suggesting a protective effect. Treatment with VA decreased the chemosensory response of HIF-1 mutants with hypoxia exposure. Interestingly, VA also decreased the chemosensory response of wild-type species under oxic conditions, suggesting a mechanism of action independent of hypoxia.</p

Deformasi Bentuk Hanoman dalam Karya Keramik

Berawal dari pengalaman pada masa kecil yang sering mendengarkan cerita pewayangan Jawa terutama pewayangan Ramayana dan Mahabarata, penulis tertarik untuk menjadikan tokoh Hanoman sebagai sumber ide dalam penciptaan karya keramik. Hal tersebut dikarenakan Hanoman memiliki bentuk yang cukup unik. Selain itu, penulis ingin mengingatkan kembali kepada masyarakat terutama kalangan muda untuk terus melestarikan kebudayaan Jawa seperti halnya seni pewayangan. Selain beberapa alasan di atas penulis juga mempunyai keinginan untuk menciptakan kembali tokoh Hanoman ke dalam media keramik sesuai dengan versi penulis. Proses penciptaan karya-karya ini dilakukan dengan hati-hati dan berurutan. Dari pencarian sumber ide, sketsa, pemilihan bahan, sampai pada tahap pengerjaan karya mentah yang menggunakan beberapa macam teknik yaitu: teknik pijit, teknik pilin, teknik gores, dan teknik slab, pengeringan, pembakaran, pengglasiran, hingga yang terakhir pemajangan karya. Pemilihan materi yang dijadikan sumber ide pada penciptaan karya ini menggunakan beberapa teori pendukung, seperti: teori estetika, semiotika, teori “metode penciptaan 3 Tahap 6 langkah”, teori keramik, dan teori deformasi. Setelah melalui proses penciptaan yang panjang, terlahirlah sembilan karya seni dengan tema Hanoman. Secara keseluruhan terlihat bahwa pada karya-karya ini terdapat perubahan bentuk(deformasi) pada bentuk tubuh Hanoman yang menjadikannya terlihat imut dan lucu, berbeda dari Hanoman pada umumnya. Selain itu terdapat juga menambahkan sayap pada bagian punggungnya. Sayap ini diberikan sebagai simbol kebebasan yang dimiliki sang Hanoman. Terciptanya karya-karya ini diharapkan dapat melestarikan budaya Jawa sekaligus juga diharapkan dapat dijadikan referensi dalam dunia keramik, khususnya kepada seniman keramik. Kata Kunci: Deformasi, Hanoman, Kerami

Scientific aptitude better explains poor responses to teaching of evolution than psychological conflicts

It is considered a myth that non-acceptance of scientific consensus on emotive topics is owing to difficulties processing scientific information and is, instead, owing to belief-associated psychological conflicts, the strongest non-acceptors being highly educated. It has been unclear whether these results from adults explain variation in response to school-level teaching. We studied a cohort of UK secondary school students (aged 14-16) and assessed their acceptance and understanding of evolution. In addition, to address their aptitude for science we assessed their understanding of genetics and their teacher-derived assessment of science aptitude. As both models predict, students with low initial evolution acceptance scores showed lower increases in the understanding of evolution. Contrary to conventional wisdom, this effect is better explained by lack of aptitude: Before teaching, students with low acceptance had lower understanding of both evolution and of genetics; the low-acceptance students sat disproportionately in the foundation (rather than higher) science classes; low-acceptance students showed lower increments in the understanding of genetics; and student gain in the understanding of evolution correlated positively with gain in the understanding of genetics. We find no evidence either for a role for psychological conflict in determining response to teaching or that strong rejectors are more commonly of a higher ability. From qualitative data we hypothesize that religious students can avoid psychological conflict by adopting a compatibilist attitude. We conclude that there are students recalcitrant to the teaching of science (as currently taught) and that these students are more likely to not accept the scientific consensus. Optimizing methods to teach recalcitrant students is an important avenue for research.</p

Environmental education in the classroom:pilot study in Cabo Verde suggests differing impacts on local knowledge and environmental attitudes.

To execute environmental education effectively, the success and impacts of educational activities must be assessed. In areas of high biodiversity there is generally a lack of evaluation of the impact of environmental education. In this study we investigate the effect of a one-time classroom activity on student knowledge of local environmental issues, environmental attitudes and aspirations. The project was conducted on the island of Maio, Cabo Verde, a small, highly biodiverse island, as part of a classroom visit programme with the local environmental organization, Maio Biodiversity Foundation. We visited every fourth-grade class (i.e. students with an age range of 9-10 years) on the island (a total of 142 students) and delivered a half-day classroom activity. The results show that this activity did not influence environmental attitudes; however, it did significantly improve student knowledge and awareness of local environmental issues. This study shows that environmental education should not be assumed to improve attitudes and knowledge but requires individual evaluation for each type of activity. For environmental education to reach its full potential, activities should be planned in response to evaluation results.</p

Higher Education Outreach : Examining Key Challenges for Academics

How should academic staff engage in outreach with communities outside of the university? The need of academics to answer this question has intensified in the UK given the changing priorities of academic job roles, shaped by increasing institutional concern for widening participation, graduate employability and research impact in an era of austerity and high tuition fees. While university outreach professionals, such as those in widening participation, have access to a range of networks, resources and support mechanisms for outreach activity, academics often face a series of profession-specific pressures that make engagement in outreach complex and contingent. This article draws upon the experience of 25 academics from 18 different subject areas and 18 institutions to examine and provide responses to key challenges faced by academics involved in outreach in the UK. We examine such issues as: the conceptualisation of outreach; funding; recognition and management of workload; nurturing relationships with internal and external partners; capacity-building; commercial interests, payment and responsibility; pedagogical style and content; integration of outreach into curricula, and evaluation of programmes. The examination offered is not all encompassing, but acts as a series of reference points to consider the challenges faced by UK academics in an evolving outreach sector

Improving the Effectiveness and Efficiency of Teaching Large Classes: Development and Evaluation of a Novel e-Resource in Cancer Biology

Date Received:10/08/06 Date Accepted:15/01/07 This paper describes the development and evaluation of a blended learning resource in the biosciences, created by combining online learning with formal face-face lectures and supported by formative assessments. In order to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of teaching large classes with mixed student cohorts, teaching was delivered through a variety of media which included three main components; (1) an interactive online tutorial, based on the cellular processes of DNA replication, damage and repair in relation to oncogenesis (2) formative assessment in the form of multiple choice questions to allow self evaluation and (3) small group follow-up workshops, to encourage deeper learning. The online tutorial was designed using Flash © software to help conceptualise complex cellular processes in time and space. It was supported by formative quizzes, references and printer-ready notes. Introduction of these resources in 2005 led to significant improvements in summative assessments across all student cohorts compared t

DNA repair practical

This is an online tutorial which supports a lab practical on DNA damage and repair. It includes a website outlining the concept (theory), creating a hypothetical scenario (Observation), experimental strategy (Challenge) and a Flash animation of the practical itself. The animation is interactive (step-through) and also included calculations for the student to do in their own time. A simple quiz on the practical is also included. The resource is used as a pre-practical preparation for laboratory session lasting ~7 hr. Details on how it can be used in teaching is available as a case study at http://www.bioscience.heacademy.ac.uk/ftp/teachaward/hejmadi.pdf.

Oncogenic Viruses

The resource is a series of Powerpoint slides on how cancer can be triggered by viruses capable of transforming normal cells into oncogenic cells capable of excessive proliferation. It gives an overview of viral replication in host cells and uses examples of the Human Pappilloma Virus (HPV) and Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV) and their role in the development of carcinomas. The presentation is created by Dr. Momna Hejmadi as part of her cancer biology course to first and second year undergraduates in the biosciences.This source file can be adapted for educational and non-commercial purposes only as licensed under the Creative Commons licence.

Angiogenesis and Metastasis in Cancer

The resource below is a series of Powerpoint slides (and a list of further reading) on the cellular and molecular basis of angiogenesis and metastasis in cancer. It gives a short overview of the basic organisation of blood vessels and how tuours agrow and spread by stimulating new blood vessel growth and metastic transformation, highlighting the signalling pathways involved in these processes. These slides were created by Dr. Momna Hejmadi as part of her course to first and second year undergraduates in the biosciences. This source file can be adapted for educational and non-commercial purposes only as licensed under the Creative Commons licence.