Conjunctional Concepts: The Conceptual Teaching Technique in Biology Classes

Conceptual teaching relies on concepts in conjunction with a bigger conceptual category (or categories). Revealing and using conceptual conjunctions in the science classroom means teaching conceptually. To make conceptual teaching more accessible to biology instructors, a three-concept model was described to be used during a lecture. This model has allowed the author to develop a relatively simple method that starts with an active concept or concepts, then introduces conjunctional and supporting concepts to relate the content to other concepts and relevant real-world applications. This method is intended to help instructors in preparing to teach biological concepts conceptually, in order to foster an enduring understanding of biological principles in their students

Interplay between exchange-split Dirac and Rashba-type surface states at the MnBi2Te4/BiTeI interface

Based on ab initio calculations, we study the electronic structure of the BiTeI/MnBi2Te4 heterostructure interface composed of the antiferromagnetic topological insulator MnBi2Te4 and the polar semiconductor trilayer BiTeI. We found a significant difference in the electronic properties of the different contacts between the substrate and overlayer. While the case of a Te-Te interface forms a natural expansion of the substrate, when the Dirac cone state locates mostly in the polar overlayer region and undergoes a slight exchange splitting, the Te-I contact is the source of a four-band state contributed by the substrate Dirac cone and Rashba-type state of the polar trilayer. Owing to magnetic proximity, the pair of Kramers degeneracies for this state is lifted, which produces a Hall response in the transport regime. We believe our findings provide new opportunities to construct novel spintronic devices

Special section guest editorial: advances in terahertz biomedical science and applications

The Journal of Biomedical Optics (JBO) has published this special section of papers to capture the most recent advances in THz technology and innovative THz instruments and methods in biology and medicine. A few of the papers in this special section are dedicated to similar biomedical applications of novel optical tools from the neighboring infrared (IR) range. Two papers of the special section consider modern problems of oncodiagnosis. In the research article ‘Development of oral cancer tissue-mimicking phantom based on polyvinyl chloride plastisol and graphite for terahertz frequencies’, authors have introduced a new type of a water-free tissue-mimicking phantom for THz biophotonics. This phantom is based on graphite powders embedded into a polyvinyl chloride plastisol matrix. The effective THz optical properties of such a phantom can be managed in a wide range by changing its composition, thus allowing to mimic the THz optical properties of various biological tissues

The prion dilemma confounding science educators

In this paper, the issue of the prion hypothesis, a simmering controversy within the scientific community, is addressed. We inquire into the appropriateness of the use of certain augmentations and rhetoric approaches used during scientific debates, as well as the aptness of unequivocal statements in textbooks that indicate “abnormal prions” as a primary cause of Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies

Molecular alliance of Lymantria dispar multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus and a short unmodified antisense oligonucleotide of its anti-apoptotic IAP-3 gene: A novel approach for gypsy moth control

Baculovirus IAP (inhibitor-of-apoptosis) genes originated by capture of host genes. Unmodified short antisense DNA oligonucleotides (oligoDNAs) from baculovirus IAP genes can down-regulate specific gene expression profiles in both baculovirus-free and baculovirus-infected insects. In this study, gypsy moth (Lymantria dispar) larvae infected with multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus (LdMNPV), and LdMNPV-free larvae, were treated with oligoDNA antisense to the RING (really interesting new gene) domain of the LdMNPV IAP-3 gene. The results with respect to insect mortality, biomass accumulation, histological studies, RT-PCR, and analysis of DNA apoptotic fragmentation suggest that oligoRING induced increased apoptotic processes in both LdMNPV-free and LdMNPV-infected insect cells, but were more pronounced in the latter. These data open up possibilities for promising new routes of insect pest control using antisense phosphodiester DNA oligonucleotides

Molecular Alliance of Lymantria dispar Multiple Nucleopolyhedrovirus and a Short Unmodified Antisense Oligonucleotide of Its Anti-Apoptotic IAP-3 Gene: A Novel Approach for Gypsy Moth Control

Baculovirus IAP (inhibitor-of-apoptosis) genes originated by capture of host genes. Unmodified short antisense DNA oligonucleotides (oligoDNAs) from baculovirus IAP genes can down-regulate specific gene expression profiles in both baculovirus-free and baculovirus-infected insects. In this study, gypsy moth (Lymantria dispar) larvae infected with multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus (LdMNPV), and LdMNPV-free larvae, were treated with oligoDNA antisense to the RING (really interesting new gene) domain of the LdMNPV IAP-3 gene. The results with respect to insect mortality, biomass accumulation, histological studies, RT-PCR, and analysis of DNA apoptotic fragmentation suggest that oligoRING induced increased apoptotic processes in both LdMNPV-free and LdMNPV-infected insect cells, but were more pronounced in the latter. These data open up possibilities for promising new routes of insect pest control using antisense phosphodiester DNA oligonucleotides

Heat capacity and T-p phase diagram of Cs2NH4GaF6 elpasolite

Cs2NH4GaF6 prepared by solid-state reaction exhibits at room temperature a cubic FmView the MathML sourcem elpasolite structure with a0=9.167 Å. Calorimetric measurements have shown the presence of a first order phase transition at T0=161 K. Pressure dependence of the phase transition temperature has been studied by DTA under pressure. The data are analyzed in the framework of orientational disordering of [NH4]+ and [GaF6]3− ions

A study of the phase diagrams of (NH4)3Ga1-xScxF6 ammonium cryolites

This paper reports on the results of analyzing p-T and x-T phase diagrams and calorimetric properties of solid solutions in (NH4)3Ga1 - xScxF6 cryolites with scandium concentrations x = 0.0, 0.1, 0.35, 0.4, 0.6, 0.8, and 1.0. The thermodynamic parameters of the phase transitions observed in the studied compounds are determined. The generalized phase diagram and successive structural transformations in a series of (NH4)3Me3+F6 ammonium cryolites are discussed