How effective are online MATHBENCH modules for improving quantitative skills in the biosciences?

BACKGROUND AND AIMS Quantitative skills (QS) have been identified as essential skills for science graduates in preparation for their career (Tariq 2013). However, undergraduate STEM students, particularly those in the Biosciences have a general lack of competency/proficiency in quantitative skills, together with a lack of confidence. This problem has been identified and reported over many years and continues to cause concern (Matthews et al, 2012). The development of educational resources that integrate mathematics and biology has been one of the strategies implemented to address these issues. MathBench interactive online modules were developed at the University of Maryland to increase students’ beliefs about the importance of QS in science and to enhance quantitative proficiency in biology (Thompson et al, 2010). The aims of the present study were to determine the effectiveness and impact of the MathBench modules on our students’ competency in mathematical skills as well as their perception of the importance and relevance of mathematics to biology. DESIGN AND METHODS The Mathbench (Australia) project, revised the original online modules for implementation into biosciences courses in Australian universities*. In this presentation we report on the use of some of the revised MathBench (MB) modules in a first year, second semester, Biochemistry course and a second year, first semester, laboratory course at Griffith University. The MB online modules were used by the students in conjunction with other learning activities specific to each course. Pre- and post-quizzes were used to assess the improvement in quantitative skills, and pre- and post-surveys and focus group sessions were used to evaluate students’ experience in the use of these online resources. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS The majority of students perceived a moderate improvement in their quantitative skills and this was reflected in their performance in the post-quiz compared to the pre-quiz. There was a moderate increase in the number of students who liked mathematics but no change in their perception of the importance or relevance of mathematics to biology. Overall the data collected in this pilot study suggests that the MB modules are valuable resources for providing opportunities to practice and improve students’ quantitative skills and for consolidating their understanding of course content. REFERENCES Matthews, K.E., Belward, S., Coady, C., Rylands, L., & Simbag, V. (2012). The state of quantitative skills in undergraduate science education: Findings from an Australian study. Retrieved June 1, 2016, from http://www.qsinscience.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/QS_report_July2012.pdf Tariq Vicki N. (2013). Quantitative skills in Science. International Journal of Mathematical Education in Science and Technology, 44 (6), 779–781. Thompson, K.V., Nelson, K.C., Marbach-Ad, G., Keller, M., & Fagan, W.F. (2010). Online Interactive Teaching Modules Enhance Quantitative Proficiency of Introductory Biology Students. CBE—Life Sciences Education, 9, 277–283. * Development and implementation of MathBench for Australian Universities to improve quantitative skills of science and mathematics students. (2014). Office for Learning and Teaching (OLT) Innovation and Development (ID) Priority Project Grant. Project Team: Suphioglu, C., Belward, S., Chuck, J-A., Chunduri, P., Coady, C., Di Trapani, G., Hodgson, Y., Lluka, L., Markham, J., Poladian, L., Rylands, L., Thompson, K., and Watters, D

A Blended Learning Approach to Laboratory Preparation

Students who are well prepared for laboratory classes are more likely to successfully acquire laboratory skills and gain the maximum possible benefit from the laboratory learning environment. To facilitate effective student preparation and improve their learning outcomes, we have designed and developed an online resource centre. These resources are used by students in conjunction with traditional resources including the laboratory manual prior to attendance in laboratories. Resources comprise a series of web based activities including visual and audio presentations, pre-laboratory questions and quizzes related to the laboratory activities that the students will complete. To determine how effective these resources were in facilitating laboratory preparation, students were surveyed both before and after the introduction of the resources. Surveys were designed to establish student perceptions regarding their preparatory practices. In addition, the effect on some measurable learning outcomes was established. This paper reports on how the implementation of this blended learning approach has improved the nature of student preparation practices. Presenting information in a flexible learning format, prior to participation, enhanced student familiarisation with theoretical and experimental procedures. Thus facilitated preparation reduced the potential risk of cognitive dissonance by improving student organisational abilities which in turn lead to better experimental learning outcomes and value-added student perception of the laboratory experience as a whole

The Interaction Between Redox and Hypoxic Signalling Pathways in the Dynamic Oxygen Environment of Cancer Cells

Oxygen is essential for the survival of all living beings. A balanced oxygen environment is required since both lower and higher than the required oxygen levels can be detrimental to the cells (Figure 1). The oxygen state of a tissue results fr om the relative contributions of oxygen consumption and delivery. Different organs in the body exist under different oxygen environments, depending on the location and function of the cells in an organ. Most healthy organs reside in 3-6% oxygen [1] while conditions lower than 3% oxygen are described as hypoxia. Cells also survive in hypoxic environments during normal development [2]. However, hypoxia is mostly detrimental to the cells by disrupting the oxygen homeostasis

Laboratory practical experience: an innovative and distinctive approach to student learning

One major problem identified a few years ago among our biological science students was a general lack of good practical laboratory skills. Although teaching laboratories were offered during their undergraduate programs, not all students were fully achieving the practical competency required later on in their studies and/or in their career as scientists. An analysis of the way they were trained in undergraduate laboratories identified a few issues, such as the pair/group organisation or the lack of a sustained and repeated exposure to practical exercises that could be related to this lack of competency. To solve these issues and provide undergraduate science students with good practical and theoretical laboratory skills, the authors have developed and implemented at Griffith University an innovative "competency-based" laboratory course which is offered to 2nd year students enrolled in different programs including Bachelors of Science, Biomedical Science, Biomolecular Science and Forensic Science. This course is based on the full "hands on" approach where students are exposed individually and more intensely to a variety of practical exercises in selected disciplines within the biological science arena, including biochemistry, molecular biology, cell biology and microbiology. Students attend a set of scheduled laboratory sessions per week and their progress, from one exercise to the next, is dependent on students being judged to be competent at performing the exercise. Students have time to repeat laboratory exercises until the required competency is achieved, although, this has to be achieved within set notified time frames. To enhance students' ability to successfully complete each lab session we advise the students to prepare for classes by reading the background material in the lab manual and the relevant sections of the recommended text and any other recommended resource material. However, despite these recommendations, only a small percentage of students arrive at the labs prepared, while the majority are completely unprepared. The students, who prepare before coming to the lab, display better comprehension of the exercises but still lack familiarity with procedural expectations. Once they are in the lab, students are faced by many challenges, including the so called "cognitive dissonance", simply too much information and focus on too many tasks, from correctly performing the required tasks to the understanding of the principles behind the procedures they are using. To ensure students are appropriately prepared for classes, we are developing an interactive pre-laboratory resources tool. This tool is primarily a collection of visual and audio presentations directly related to the laboratory experiments and covers both practical and safety related concepts. Theoretical principles of the experiments are also presented along with a short selection of questions to test comprehension prior to attendance. These tests are linked to Gradebook and participation in laboratories is permitted only on completion of the appropriate prelab. By presenting information relevant to laboratory sessions in a flexible learning format prior to participation, it is expected that student learning outcomes will improve and that they will engage in more active, deeper learning which will allow them to transfer knowledge gained in class to professional life skills

Saggi sull’attività antimicrobica di molecole bioattive in interventi di foderatura di dipinti

In questo studio è stato valutato l’utilizzo di molecole antimicrobiche estratte da organismi marini invertebrati (Anthozoa), al fine di limitare o inibire la crescita microbica su materiali impiegati per il restauro di manufatti storico-artistici. I ceppi batterici e fungini utilizzati nei saggi antimicrobici, sono stati isolati da porzioni di tele, stratificate con colla, impiegate nella foderatura di dipinti. Mediante un approccio integrato che comprende tecniche di microscopia e tecniche molecolari, sono state identificate colonie batteriche appartenenti ai generi Enterobacter e Micrococcus e fungine appartenenti ai generi Aspergillus e Penicillium. L’attività antimicrobica delle molecole (BMA1, BMA2, BMA3) è stata testata sui ceppi microbici identificati, definendo le corrispondenti Concentrazioni Minime Inibenti (MIC) e le Concentrazioni Minime Battericide/Fungicide (MBC/MFC). Inoltre, l’attività antimicrobica è stata testata su provini assemblati ad hoc in laboratorio, realizzati con colla pasta stratificata su due tipi di tela (lino, sintetica), simulando un intervento di foderatura. La presenza delle molecole BMA nella colla pasta ha contrastato la crescita microbica, inibendola completamente per il campione BMA1 e parzialmente in presenza di BMA2 e BMA3. L’utilizzo di queste molecole nel campo della conservazione dei beni culturali, costituisce un importante contributo allo sviluppo di tecnologie innovative, nel rispetto delle procedure del restauro conservativo

Oestradiol enhances in vitro the histamine release induced by embryonic histamine-releasing factor (EHRF) from uterine mast cells

The relationship between maternal hormones and factors secreted by the implanting embryo is still controversial. We have analysed the in-vitro effect of oestradiol and human embryo-derived histamine-releasing factor (EHRF) on histamine release from rat uterine mast cells. Rat uterine mast cells which were preincubated with oestradiol and then challenged with human EHRF gave histamine release values two- to threefold higher than those without preincubation. The enhancement observed was time- and temperature-dependent. A similar enhancement was obtained with human sensitized basophils but not with rat peritoneal mast cells. Oestradiol, used as a direct challenge, did not induce any histamine release from either rat uterine or peritoneal mast cells, or from human sensitized basophils. Oestradiol preincubation also enhanced the histamine release induced by anti-IgE but did not enhance the histamine release induced by substance P or compound 48/80, two secretagogues that are not mediated by IgE. Moreover, uterine fragments derived from rats at various oestrus phases, with different amounts of endogenous oestrogen, were challenged in vitro with EHRF. The release of histamine by mast cells was higher at the proestrus and preimplantation phases than at dioestrus. All these findings suggest that the interaction of oestradiol with rat uterine mast cells was capable of enhancing in vitro the histamine releasing effect of EHR

Effect of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor and angiotensin receptor blocker initiation on organ support-free days in patients hospitalized with COVID-19

IMPORTANCE Overactivation of the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) may contribute to poor clinical outcomes in patients with COVID-19. Objective To determine whether angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor or angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB) initiation improves outcomes in patients hospitalized for COVID-19. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS In an ongoing, adaptive platform randomized clinical trial, 721 critically ill and 58 non–critically ill hospitalized adults were randomized to receive an RAS inhibitor or control between March 16, 2021, and February 25, 2022, at 69 sites in 7 countries (final follow-up on June 1, 2022). INTERVENTIONS Patients were randomized to receive open-label initiation of an ACE inhibitor (n = 257), ARB (n = 248), ARB in combination with DMX-200 (a chemokine receptor-2 inhibitor; n = 10), or no RAS inhibitor (control; n = 264) for up to 10 days. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES The primary outcome was organ support–free days, a composite of hospital survival and days alive without cardiovascular or respiratory organ support through 21 days. The primary analysis was a bayesian cumulative logistic model. Odds ratios (ORs) greater than 1 represent improved outcomes. RESULTS On February 25, 2022, enrollment was discontinued due to safety concerns. Among 679 critically ill patients with available primary outcome data, the median age was 56 years and 239 participants (35.2%) were women. Median (IQR) organ support–free days among critically ill patients was 10 (–1 to 16) in the ACE inhibitor group (n = 231), 8 (–1 to 17) in the ARB group (n = 217), and 12 (0 to 17) in the control group (n = 231) (median adjusted odds ratios of 0.77 [95% bayesian credible interval, 0.58-1.06] for improvement for ACE inhibitor and 0.76 [95% credible interval, 0.56-1.05] for ARB compared with control). The posterior probabilities that ACE inhibitors and ARBs worsened organ support–free days compared with control were 94.9% and 95.4%, respectively. Hospital survival occurred in 166 of 231 critically ill participants (71.9%) in the ACE inhibitor group, 152 of 217 (70.0%) in the ARB group, and 182 of 231 (78.8%) in the control group (posterior probabilities that ACE inhibitor and ARB worsened hospital survival compared with control were 95.3% and 98.1%, respectively). CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE In this trial, among critically ill adults with COVID-19, initiation of an ACE inhibitor or ARB did not improve, and likely worsened, clinical outcomes. TRIAL REGISTRATION ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT0273570

Co-Targeting of BTK and TrxR as a Therapeutic Approach to the Treatment of Lymphoma

Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is a haematological malignancy representing the most diagnosed non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL) subtype. Despite the approved chemotherapies available in clinics, some patients still suffer from side effects and relapsed disease. Recently, studies have reported the role of the Trx system and the BCR signalling pathway in cancer development and drug resistance. In this regard, we assessed a potential link between the two systems and evaluated the effects of [Au(d2pype)2]Cl (TrxR inhibitor) and ibrutinib (BTK inhibitor) alone and in combination on the cell growth of two DLBCL lymphoma cell lines, SUDHL2 and SUDHL4. In this study, we show higher expression levels of the Trx system and BCR signalling pathway in the DLBCL patient samples compared to the healthy samples. The knockdown of TrxR using siRNA reduced BTK mRNA and protein expression. A combination treatment with [Au(d2pype)2]Cl and ibrutinib had a synergistic effect on the inhibition of lymphoma cell proliferation, the activation of apoptosis, and, depending on lymphoma cell subtype, ferroptosis. Decreased BTK expression and the cytoplasmic accumulation of p65 were observed after the combination treatment in the DLBCL cells, indicating the inhibition of the NF-κB pathway. Thus, the co-targeting of BTK and TrxR may be an effective therapeutic strategy to consider for DLBCL treatment

Targeted knockdown of DJ-1 induces multiple myeloma cell death via KLF6 upregulation

Multiple myeloma (MM) is an incurable plasma B cell malignancy. Despite recent advancements in anti-MM therapies, development of drug resistance remains a major clinical hurdle. DJ-1, a Parkinson’s disease-associated protein, is upregulated in many cancers and its knockdown suppresses tumor growth and overcomes chemoresistance. However, the role of DJ-1 in MM remains unknown. Using gene expression databases we found increased DJ-1 expression in MM patient cells, which correlated with shorter overall survival and poor prognosis in MM patients. Targeted DJ-1 knockdown using siRNAs induced necroptosis in myeloma cells. We found that Krüppel-like factor 6 (KLF6) is expressed at lower levels in myeloma cells compared to PBMCs, and DJ-1 knockdown increased KLF6 expression in myeloma cells. Targeted knockdown of KLF6 expression in DJ-1 knockdown myeloma cells rescued these cells from undergoing cell death. Higher DJ-1 levels were observed in bortezomib-resistant myeloma cells compared to parent cells, and siRNA-mediated DJ-1 knockdown reversed bortezomib resistance. DJ-1 knockdown increased KLF6 expression in bortezomib-resistant myeloma cells, and subsequent siRNA-mediated KLF6 knockdown rescued bortezomib-resistant myeloma cells from undergoing cell death. We also demonstrated that specific siRNA-mediated DJ-1 knockdown reduced myeloma cell growth under a hypoxic microenvironment. DJ-1 knockdown reduced the expression of HIF-1α and its target genes in hypoxic-myeloma cells, and overcame hypoxia-induced bortezomib resistance. Our findings demonstrate that elevated DJ-1 levels correlate with myeloma cell survival and acquisition of bortezomib resistance. Thus, we propose that inhibiting DJ-1 may be an effective therapeutic strategy to treat newly diagnosed as well as relapsed/refractory MM patients