Pre-service teachers' subject knowledge of and attitudes about radioactivity and ionising radiation

This study focussed on secondary school (11-18 years) pre-service teachers’ (n=73) knowledge of and attitudes towards risks associated with alpha, beta and gamma radiations. A multi-method approach was used with physics, chemistry, biology and history graduates undertaking the one year initial teacher training, Post Graduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) course at a university in central England. A novel research tool, involving interviews about real concrete contexts and first hand data collection with radioactive sources, was employed to gain insights into a sub-set of the sample (n=12) of pre-service teachers’ subject knowledge of and attitudes towards risk. The subject knowledge of all the pre-service teachers was also measured using a Certainty of Response Instrument (CRI); multiple choice questions with associated confidence indicators. Although the physicists displayed the higher levels of knowledge, they also demonstrated limitations in their knowledge and held misconceptions such as irradiation being confused with contamination. Physics graduates hold more rational attitudes and a greater willingness to accept risk while the attitudes of graduates in the other subject disciplines are more disparate. These findings raise questions about the extent to which pre-service science and history teachers have the knowledge necessary to teach this topic. The article concludes with discussion of the implications these findings have for initial teacher training, continuing professional development (CPD) needs for teachers already in the profession and curriculum developers

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons modulate the activity of Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) vitamin D receptor paralogs in vitro

© The Author(s), 2021. This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License. The definitive version was published in Goksoyr, S. O., Goldstone, J., Lille-Langoy, R., Lock, E.-J., Olsvik, P. A., Goksoyr, A., & Karlsen, O. A. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons modulate the activity of Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) vitamin D receptor paralogs in vitro. Aquatic Toxicology, 238, (2021): 105914, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aquatox.2021.105914.Vitamin D receptor (VDR) mediates the biological function of the steroid hormone calcitriol, which is the metabolically active version of vitamin D. Calcitriol is important for a wide array of physiological functions, including calcium and phosphate homeostasis. In contrast to mammals, which harbor one VDR encoding gene, teleosts possess two orthologous vdr genes encoding Vdr alpha (Vdra) and Vdr beta (Vdrb). Genome mining identified the vdra and vdrb paralogs in the Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) genome, which were further characterized regarding their phylogeny, tissue-specific expression, and transactivational properties induced by calcitriol. In addition, a selected set of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), including naphthalene, phenanthrene, fluorene, pyrene, chrysene, benzo[a]pyrene (BaP), and 7-methylbenzo[a]pyrene, were assessed for their ability to modulate the transcriptional activity of gmVdra and gmVdrb in vitro. Both gmVdra and gmVdrb were activated by calcitriol with similar potencies, but gmVdra produced significantly higher maximal fold activation. Notably, none of the tested PAHs showed agonistic properties towards the Atlantic cod Vdrs. However, binary exposures of calcitriol together with phenanthrene, fluorene, or pyrene, antagonized the activation of gmVdra, while chrysene and BaP significantly potentiated the calcitriol-mediated activity of both receptors. Homology modeling, solvent mapping, and docking analyses complemented the experimental data, and revealed a putative secondary binding site in addition to the canonical ligand-binding pocket (LBP). Calcitriol was predicted to interact with both binding sites, whereas PAHs docked primarily to the LBP. Importantly, our in vitro data suggest that PAHs can interact with the paralogous gmVdrs and interfere with their transcriptional activities, and thus potentially modulate the vitamin D signaling pathway and contribute to adverse effects of crude oil and PAH exposures on cardiac development and bone deformities in fish.This study was funded by the Research Council of Norway through the ”iCod 2.0: Integrative environmental genomics of Atlantic cod” project (project no. 244564) and the ”dCod 1.0: decoding systems toxicology of Atlantic cod” project (Center for Digital Life Norway project no. 248840)

Core-Shell Hydrogel Microcapsules for Improved Islets Encapsulation

Islets microencapsulation holds great promise to treat type 1 diabetes. Currently used alginate microcapsules often have islets protruding outside capsules, leading to inadequate immuno-protection. A novel design of microcapsules with core–shell structures using a two-fluid co-axial electro-jetting is reported. Improved encapsulation and diabetes correction is achieved in a single step by simply confining the islets in the core region of the capsules.Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation International (grant 17-2007-1063)National Institutes of Health (U.S.) (Postdoctoral Fellowship F32 EB011580- 01)Tayebati Family Foundatio

Impacts of AKST on development and sustainability goals.

Assessment and analysis of AKST impacts; Agriculture productivity, production factors and consumption; impacts of akst on sustainability, through integrated technologies and the delivery of ecosystem services and public goods; Impacts of akst on livehoods, capacoty strenthening and empowerment; relationshipsbetween akst, coordination and regulatory processes among multipl3e stakeholders

PRONTO ATENDIMENTO INFANTIL: QUEM UTILIZA E POR QUE MOTIVO

http://dx.doi.org/10.5902/223658348916O objetivo deste estudo foi verificar o perfil da população pediátrica que recorre ao Pronto Atendimento Municipal Infantil (PAI), de seus acompanhantes, identificando  sintomas, diagnóstico, motivo da utilização e as unidades básicas referência dos usuários. Estudo transversal descritivo realizado de julho a dezembro de 2011. Os dados foram coletados da ficha de atendimento médico e questionário aplicado aos acompanhantes. A maioria das crianças era do sexo feminino (53,4%), com menos de 5 anos (62,3%) e de cor branca (78,5%). As queixas principais foram tosse (32%) e febre (30%) com diagnóstico de IVAS (42,9%) e asma (10,1%). Os motivos que determinaram a não procura pelas UBS foram falta de fichas (44,5%), de pediatra (20,7%) e preferência pelo PAI (18,2%). Conclui-se que os atendimentos no PAI se deram por dificuldade de acesso nas UBS, em crianças de até 5 anos, levados pelas mães, apresentando principalmente tosse, febre e  doenças respiratórias aguda

Fungal Planet description sheets: 1042-1111

Novel species of fungi described in this study include those from various countries as follows: Antarctica, Cladosporium arenosum from marine sediment sand. Argentina, Kosmimatamyces alatophylus (incl. Kosmimatamyces gen. nov.) from soil. Australia, Aspergillus banksianus, Aspergillus kumbius, Aspergillus luteorubrus, Aspergillus malvicolor and Aspergillus nanangensis from soil, Erysiphe medicaginis from leaves of Medicago polymorpha, Hymenotorrendiella communis on leaf litter of Eucalyptus bicostata, Lactifluus albopicri and Lactifluus austropiperatus on soil, Macalpinomyces collinsiae on Eriachne benthamii, Marasmius vagus on soil, Microdochium dawsoniorum from leaves of Sporobolus natalensis, Neopestalotiopsis nebuloides from leaves of Sporobolus elongatus, Pestalotiopsis etonensis from leaves of Sporobolus jacquemontii, Phytophthora personensis from soil associated with dying Grevillea mccutcheonii. Brazil, Aspergillus oxumiae from soil, Calvatia baixaverdensis on soil, Geastrum calycicoriaceum on leaf litter, Greeneria kielmeyerae on leaf spots of Kielmeyera coriacea. Chile, Phytophthora aysenensis on collar rot and stem of Aristotelia chilensis. Croatia, Mollisia gibbospora on fallen branch of Fagus sylvatica. Czech Republic, Neosetophoma hnaniceana from Buxus sempervirens. Ecuador, Exophiala frigidotolerans from soil. Estonia, Elaphomyces bucholtzii in soil. France, Venturia paralias from leaves of Euphorbia paralias. India, Cortinarius balteatoindicus and Cortinarius ulkhagarhiensis on leaf litter. Indonesia, Hymenotorrendiella indonesiana on Eucalyptus urophylla leaf litter. Italy, Penicillium taurinense from indoor chestnut mill. Malaysia, Hemileucoglossum kelabitense on soil, Satchmopsis pini on dead needles of Pinus tecunumanii. Poland, Lecanicillium praecognitum on insects' frass. Portugal, Neodevriesia aestuarina from saline water. Republic of Korea, Gongronella namwonensis from freshwater. Russia, Candida pellucida from Exomias pellucidus, Heterocephalacria septentrionalis as endophyte from Cladonia rangiferina, Vishniacozyma phoenicis from dates fruit, Volvariella paludosa from swamp. Slovenia, Mallocybe crassivelata on soil. South Africa, Beltraniella podocarpi, Hamatocanthoscypha podocarpi, Coleophoma podocarpi and Nothoseiridium podocarpi (incl. Nothoseiridium gen. nov.)from leaves of Podocarpus latifolius, Gyrothrix encephalarti from leaves of Encephalartos sp., Paraphyton cutaneum from skin of human patient, Phacidiella alsophilae from leaves of Alsophila capensis, and Satchmopsis metrosideri on leaf litter of Metrosideros excelsa. Spain, Cladophialophora cabanerensis from soil, Cortinarius paezii on soil, Cylindrium magnoliae from leaves of Magnolia grandiflora, Trichophoma cylindrospora (incl. Trichophoma gen. nov.) from plant debris, Tuber alcaracense in calcareus soil, Tuber buendiae in calcareus soil. Thailand, Annulohypoxylon spougei on corticated wood, Poaceascoma filiforme from leaves of unknown Poaceae. UK, Dendrostoma luteum on branch lesions of Castanea sativa, Ypsilina buttingtonensis from heartwood of Quercus sp. Ukraine, Myrmecridium phragmiticola from leaves of Phragmites australis. USA, Absidia pararepens from air, Juncomyces californiensis (incl. Juncomyces gen. nov.) from leaves of Juncus effusus, Montagnula cylindrospora from a human skin sample, Muriphila oklahomaensis (incl. Muriphila gen. nov.)on outside wall of alcohol distillery, Neofabraea eucalyptorum from leaves of Eucalyptus macrandra, Diabolocovidia claustri (incl. Diabolocovidia gen. nov.)from leaves of Serenoa repens, Paecilomyces penicilliformis from air, Pseudopezicula betulae from leaves of leaf spots of Populus tremuloides. Vietnam, Diaporthe durionigena on branches of Durio zibethinus and Roridomyces pseudoirritans on rotten wood. Morphological and culture characteristics are supported by DNA barcodes

Inflammatory Manifestations of Experimental Lymphatic Insufficiency

BACKGROUND: Sustained lymph stagnation engenders a pathological response that is complex and not well characterized. Tissue inflammation in lymphedema may reflect either an active or passive consequence of impaired immune traffic. METHODS AND FINDINGS: We studied an experimental model of acute post-surgical lymphedema in the tails of female hairless, immunocompetent SKH-1 mice. We performed in vivo imaging of impaired immune traffic in experimental, murine acquired lymphatic insufficiency. We demonstrated impaired mobilization of immunocompetent cells from the lymphedematous region. These findings correlated with histopathological alterations and large-scale transcriptional profiling results. We found intense inflammatory changes in the dermis and the subdermis. The molecular pattern in the RNA extracted from the whole tissue was dominated by the upregulation of genes related to acute inflammation, immune response, complement activation, wound healing, fibrosis, and oxidative stress response. CONCLUSIONS: We have characterized a mouse model of acute, acquired lymphedema using in vivo functional imaging and histopathological correlation. The model closely simulates the volume response, histopathology, and lymphoscintigraphic characteristics of human acquired lymphedema, and the response is accompanied by an increase in the number and size of microlymphatic structures in the lymphedematous cutaneous tissues. Molecular characterization through clustering of genes with known functions provides insights into processes and signaling pathways that compose the acute tissue response to lymph stagnation. Further study of genes identified through this effort will continue to elucidate the molecular mechanisms and lead to potential therapeutic strategies for lymphatic vascular insufficiency

An overlooked connection: serotonergic mediation of estrogen-related physiology and pathology

BACKGROUND: In humans, serotonin has typically been investigated as a neurotransmitter. However, serotonin also functions as a hormone across animal phyla, including those lacking an organized central nervous system. This hormonal action allows serotonin to have physiological consequences in systems outside the central nervous system. Fluctuations in estrogen levels over the lifespan and during ovarian cycles cause predictable changes in serotonin systems in female mammals. DISCUSSION: We hypothesize that some of the physiological effects attributed to estrogen may be a consequence of estrogen-related changes in serotonin efficacy and receptor distribution. Here, we integrate data from endocrinology, molecular biology, neuroscience, and epidemiology to propose that serotonin may mediate the effects of estrogen. In the central nervous system, estrogen influences pain transmission, headache, dizziness, nausea, and depression, all of which are known to be a consequence of serotonergic signaling. Outside of the central nervous system, estrogen produces changes in bone density, vascular function, and immune cell self-recognition and activation that are consistent with serotonin's effects. For breast cancer risk, our hypothesis predicts heretofore unexplained observations of the opposing effects of obesity pre- and post-menopause and the increase following treatment with hormone replacement therapy using medroxyprogesterone. SUMMARY: Serotonergic mediation of estrogen has important clinical implications and warrants further evaluation