Sample records for teaching radiation biology

  1. American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) Survey of Radiation Biology Educators in U.S. and Canadian Radiation Oncology Residency Programs

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Rosenstein, Barry S., E-mail: barry.rosenstein@mssm.ed; Department of Radiation Oncology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY; Held, Kathryn D.

    2009-11-01

    Purpose: To obtain, in a survey-based study, detailed information on the faculty currently responsible for teaching radiation biology courses to radiation oncology residents in the United States and Canada. Methods and Materials: In March-December 2007 a survey questionnaire was sent to faculty having primary responsibility for teaching radiation biology to residents in 93 radiation oncology residency programs in the United States and Canada. Results: The responses to this survey document the aging of the faculty who have primary responsibility for teaching radiation biology to radiation oncology residents. The survey found a dramatic decline with time in the percentage of educatorsmore » whose graduate training was in radiation biology. A significant number of the educators responsible for teaching radiation biology were not fully acquainted with the radiation sciences, either through training or practical application. In addition, many were unfamiliar with some of the organizations setting policies and requirements for resident education. Freely available tools, such as the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) Radiation and Cancer Biology Practice Examination and Study Guides, were widely used by residents and educators. Consolidation of resident courses or use of a national radiation biology review course was viewed as unlikely by most programs. Conclusions: A high priority should be given to the development of comprehensive teaching tools to assist those individuals who have responsibility for teaching radiation biology courses but who do not have an extensive background in critical areas of radiobiology related to radiation oncology. These findings also suggest a need for new graduate programs in radiobiology.« less

  2. IBPRO - A Novel Short-Duration Teaching Course in Advanced Physics and Biology Underlying Cancer Radiotherapy.

    PubMed

    Joiner, Michael C; Tracey, Monica W; Kacin, Sara E; Burmeister, Jay W

    2017-06-01

    This article provides a summary and status report of the ongoing advanced education program IBPRO - Integrated course in Biology and Physics of Radiation Oncology. IBPRO is a five-year program funded by NCI. It addresses the recognized deficiency in the number of mentors available who have the required knowledge and skill to provide the teaching and training that is required for future radiation oncologists and researchers in radiation sciences. Each year, IBPRO brings together 50 attendees typically at assistant professor level and upwards, who are already qualified/certified radiation oncologists, medical physicists or biologists. These attendees receive keynote lectures and activities based on active learning strategies, merging together the clinical, biological and physics underpinnings of radiation oncology, at the forefront of the field. This experience is aimed at increasing collaborations, raising the level and amount of basic and applied research undertaken in radiation oncology, and enabling attendees to confidently become involved in the future teaching and training of researchers and radiation oncologists.

  3. IBPRO – a novel short-duration teaching course in advanced physics and biology underlying cancer radiotherapy

    PubMed Central

    Joiner, Michael C.; Tracey, Monica W.; Kacin, Sara E.; Burmeister, Jay W.

    2017-01-01

    This article provides a summary and status report of the ongoing advanced education program IBPRO – Integrated course in Biology and Physics of Radiation Oncology. IBPRO is a five-year program funded by NCI. It addresses the recognized deficiency in the number of mentors available who have the required knowledge and skill to provide the teaching and training that is required for future radiation oncologists and researchers in radiation sciences. Each year, IBPRO brings together 50 attendees typically at assistant professor level and upwards, who are already qualified/certified radiation oncologists, medical physicists or biologists. These attendees receive keynote lectures and activities based on active learning strategies, merging together the clinical, biological and physics underpinnings of radiation oncology, at the forefront of the field. This experience is aimed at increasing collaborations, raising the level and amount of basic and applied research undertaken in radiation oncology, and enabling attendees to confidently become involved in the future teaching and training of researchers and radiation oncologists. PMID:28328309

  4. Virtual Environments in Biology Teaching

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mikropoulos, Tassos A.; Katsikis, Apostolos; Nikolou, Eugenia; Tsakalis, Panayiotis

    2003-01-01

    This article reports on the design, development and evaluation of an educational virtual environment for biology teaching. In particular it proposes a highly interactive three-dimensional synthetic environment involving certain learning tasks for the support of teaching plant cell biology and the process of photosynthesis. The environment has been…

  5. Biological Effects of Ionizing Radiation

    DOE R&D Accomplishments Database

    Ingram, M.; Mason, W. B.; Whipple, G. H.; Howland, J. W.

    1952-04-07

    This report presents a review of present knowledge and concepts of the biological effects of ionizing radiations. Among the topics discussed are the physical and chemical effects of ionizing radiation on biological systems, morphological and physiological changes observed in biological systems subjected to ionizing radiations, physiological changes in the intact animal, latent changes following exposure of biological systems to ionizing radiations, factors influencing the biological response to ionizing radiation, relative effects of various ionizing radiations, and biological dosimetry.

  6. Current Status and Recommendations for the Future of Research, Teaching, and Testing in the Biological Sciences of Radiation Oncology: Report of the American Society for Radiation Oncology Cancer Biology/Radiation Biology Task Force, Executive Summary

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Wallner, Paul E., E-mail: pwallner@theabr.org; Anscher, Mitchell S.; Barker, Christopher A.

    In early 2011, a dialogue was initiated within the Board of Directors (BOD) of the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) regarding the future of the basic sciences of the specialty, primarily focused on the current state and potential future direction of basic research within radiation oncology. After consideration of the complexity of the issues involved and the precise nature of the undertaking, in August 2011, the BOD empanelled a Cancer Biology/Radiation Biology Task Force (TF). The TF was charged with developing an accurate snapshot of the current state of basic (preclinical) research in radiation oncology from the perspective ofmore » relevance to the modern clinical practice of radiation oncology as well as the education of our trainees and attending physicians in the biological sciences. The TF was further charged with making suggestions as to critical areas of biological basic research investigation that might be most likely to maintain and build further the scientific foundation and vitality of radiation oncology as an independent and vibrant medical specialty. It was not within the scope of service of the TF to consider the quality of ongoing research efforts within the broader radiation oncology space, to presume to consider their future potential, or to discourage in any way the investigators committed to areas of interest other than those targeted. The TF charge specifically precluded consideration of research issues related to technology, physics, or clinical investigations. This document represents an Executive Summary of the Task Force report.« less

  7. Current status and recommendations for the future of research, teaching, and testing in the biological sciences of radiation oncology: report of the American Society for Radiation Oncology Cancer Biology/Radiation Biology Task Force, executive summary.

    PubMed

    Wallner, Paul E; Anscher, Mitchell S; Barker, Christopher A; Bassetti, Michael; Bristow, Robert G; Cha, Yong I; Dicker, Adam P; Formenti, Silvia C; Graves, Edward E; Hahn, Stephen M; Hei, Tom K; Kimmelman, Alec C; Kirsch, David G; Kozak, Kevin R; Lawrence, Theodore S; Marples, Brian; McBride, William H; Mikkelsen, Ross B; Park, Catherine C; Weidhaas, Joanne B; Zietman, Anthony L; Steinberg, Michael

    2014-01-01

    In early 2011, a dialogue was initiated within the Board of Directors (BOD) of the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) regarding the future of the basic sciences of the specialty, primarily focused on the current state and potential future direction of basic research within radiation oncology. After consideration of the complexity of the issues involved and the precise nature of the undertaking, in August 2011, the BOD empanelled a Cancer Biology/Radiation Biology Task Force (TF). The TF was charged with developing an accurate snapshot of the current state of basic (preclinical) research in radiation oncology from the perspective of relevance to the modern clinical practice of radiation oncology as well as the education of our trainees and attending physicians in the biological sciences. The TF was further charged with making suggestions as to critical areas of biological basic research investigation that might be most likely to maintain and build further the scientific foundation and vitality of radiation oncology as an independent and vibrant medical specialty. It was not within the scope of service of the TF to consider the quality of ongoing research efforts within the broader radiation oncology space, to presume to consider their future potential, or to discourage in any way the investigators committed to areas of interest other than those targeted. The TF charge specifically precluded consideration of research issues related to technology, physics, or clinical investigations. This document represents an Executive Summary of the Task Force report. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  8. Collectively Improving Our Teaching: Attempting Biology Department-wide Professional Development in Scientific Teaching.

    PubMed

    Owens, Melinda T; Trujillo, Gloriana; Seidel, Shannon B; Harrison, Colin D; Farrar, Katherine M; Benton, Hilary P; Blair, J R; Boyer, Katharyn E; Breckler, Jennifer L; Burrus, Laura W; Byrd, Dana T; Caporale, Natalia; Carpenter, Edward J; Chan, Yee-Hung M; Chen, Joseph C; Chen, Lily; Chen, Linda H; Chu, Diana S; Cochlan, William P; Crook, Robyn J; Crow, Karen D; de la Torre, José R; Denetclaw, Wilfred F; Dowdy, Lynne M; Franklin, Darleen; Fuse, Megumi; Goldman, Michael A; Govindan, Brinda; Green, Michael; Harris, Holly E; He, Zheng-Hui; Ingalls, Stephen B; Ingmire, Peter; Johnson, Amber R B; Knight, Jonathan D; LeBuhn, Gretchen; Light, Terrye L; Low, Candace; Lund, Lance; Márquez-Magaña, Leticia M; Miller-Sims, Vanessa C; Moffatt, Christopher A; Murdock, Heather; Nusse, Gloria L; Parker, V Thomas; Pasion, Sally G; Patterson, Robert; Pennings, Pleuni S; Ramirez, Julio C; Ramirez, Robert M; Riggs, Blake; Rohlfs, Rori V; Romeo, Joseph M; Rothman, Barry S; Roy, Scott W; Russo-Tait, Tatiane; Sehgal, Ravinder N M; Simonin, Kevin A; Spicer, Greg S; Stillman, Jonathon H; Swei, Andrea; Tempe, Leslie C; Vredenburg, Vance T; Weinstein, Steven L; Zink, Andrew G; Kelley, Loretta A; Domingo, Carmen R; Tanner, Kimberly D

    2018-01-01

    Many efforts to improve science teaching in higher education focus on a few faculty members at an institution at a time, with limited published evidence on attempts to engage faculty across entire departments. We created a long-term, department-wide collaborative professional development program, Biology Faculty Explorations in Scientific Teaching (Biology FEST). Across 3 years of Biology FEST, 89% of the department's faculty completed a weeklong scientific teaching institute, and 83% of eligible instructors participated in additional semester-long follow-up programs. A semester after institute completion, the majority of Biology FEST alumni reported adding active learning to their courses. These instructor self-reports were corroborated by audio analysis of classroom noise and surveys of students in biology courses on the frequency of active-learning techniques used in classes taught by Biology FEST alumni and nonalumni. Three years after Biology FEST launched, faculty participants overwhelmingly reported that their teaching was positively affected. Unexpectedly, most respondents also believed that they had improved relationships with departmental colleagues and felt a greater sense of belonging to the department. Overall, our results indicate that biology department-wide collaborative efforts to develop scientific teaching skills can indeed attract large numbers of faculty, spark widespread change in teaching practices, and improve departmental relations. © 2018 M. T. Owens et al. CBE—Life Sciences Education © 2018 The American Society for Cell Biology. This article is distributed by The American Society for Cell Biology under license from the author(s). It is available to the public under an Attribution–Noncommercial–Share Alike 3.0 Unported Creative Commons License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0).

  9. Use of Animation in Teaching Cell Biology

    PubMed Central

    2004-01-01

    To address the different learning styles of students, and because students can access animation from off-campus computers, the use of digital animation in teaching cell biology has become increasingly popular. Sample processes from cell biology that are more clearly presented in animation than in static illustrations are identified. The value of animation is evaluated on whether the process being taught involves motion, cellular location, or sequential order of numerous events. Computer programs for developing animation and animations associated with cell biology textbooks are reviewed, and links to specific examples of animation are given. Finally, future teaching tools for all fields of biology will increasingly benefit from an expansion of animation to the use of simulation. One purpose of this review is to encourage the widespread use of animations in biology teaching by discussing the nature of digital animation. PMID:15526065

  10. Controversial Issues within Biology: Enriching Biology Teaching.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Van Rooy, Wilhelmina

    2000-01-01

    Describes the development and implementation of a senior high school biology lesson concerned with organ transplantation. Discusses the teacher's rationale and techniques for using controversial issues in science teaching. (Contains 18 references.) (Author/WRM)

  11. New Trends in Biology Teaching, Volume III.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Heller, R.

    In this third volume of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organizations's (UNESCO) series on "New Trends in Biology Teaching," a total of 32 papers (mostly published during the period from 1967 to 1970 in leading biology-teaching periodicals of the world) is compiled for the purpose of promoting information exchange. The…

  12. The Effects of Restructuring Biology Teaching by a Constructivist Teaching Approach: An Action Research.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lin, Wan-Ju

    This study reports on the improvement of a teacher researcher's teaching practice by adopting a constructivist teaching approach. Four biology units on the nervous system, human circulatory system, evolution, and vertebrate classification were selected to illustrate a model of biology teaching. Data were drawn from student responses to…

  13. New Trends in Biology Teaching. Volume II.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Heller, R.

    The papers presented in this second volume were either written specially for it, or were published in leading biology teaching periodicals of the world in 1966 and 1967. The first section deals with the principles of biology teaching, its purpose, its implication in everyday life, and the social responsibilities of its teachers. The second section…

  14. Teaching quantitative biology: goals, assessments, and resources

    PubMed Central

    Aikens, Melissa L.; Dolan, Erin L.

    2014-01-01

    More than a decade has passed since the publication of BIO2010, calling for an increased emphasis on quantitative skills in the undergraduate biology curriculum. In that time, relatively few papers have been published that describe educational innovations in quantitative biology or provide evidence of their effects on students. Using a “backward design” framework, we lay out quantitative skill and attitude goals, assessment strategies, and teaching resources to help biologists teach more quantitatively. Collaborations between quantitative biologists and education researchers are necessary to develop a broader and more appropriate suite of assessment tools, and to provide much-needed evidence on how particular teaching strategies affect biology students' quantitative skill development and attitudes toward quantitative work. PMID:25368425

  15. Biological Systems, Energy Sources, and Biology Teaching. Biology and Human Welfare.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tribe, Michael; Pritchard, Alan J.

    This five-chapter document (part of a series on biology and human welfare) focuses on biological systems as energy sources and on the teaching of this subject area. Chapter 1 discusses various topics related to energy and ecology, including biomass, photosynthesis and world energy balances, energy flow through ecosystems, and others. Chapter 2…

  16. Student Teachers' Conceptions of Teaching Biology

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Subramaniam, Karthigeyan

    2014-01-01

    The purpose of this qualitative study was to investigate prospective biology teachers' conceptions of teaching biology and identify how these conceptions revealed their strategies for helping their future students' learning of biology. The study utilized drawings, narratives and interviews to investigate the nature of the prospective biology…

  17. Teaching Biology at a Distance: Pleasures, Pitfalls, and Possibilities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    MacQueen, Hilary; Thomas, Jeff

    2009-01-01

    The Open University (OU) has a long and distinguished history of teaching biology at a distance by a supported open learning model. This article examines some of the challenges in delivering biology via distance teaching, explores some of the lessons learned, and discusses the opportunities and hazards of new teaching technologies that the OU has…

  18. TH-A-BRD-01: Radiation Biology for Radiation Therapy Physicists

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Orton, C; Borras, C; Carlson, D

    Mechanisms by which radiation kills cells and ways cell damage can be repaired will be reviewed. The radiobiological parameters of dose, fractionation, delivery time, dose rate, and LET will be discussed. The linear-quadratic model for cell survival for high and low dose rate treatments and the effect of repopulation will be presented and discussed. The rationale for various radiotherapy techniques such as conventional fractionation, hyperfractionation, hypofractionation, and low and high dose rate brachytherapy, including permanent implants, will be presented. The radiobiological principles underlying radiation protection guidelines and the different radiation dosimetry terms used in radiation biology and in radiation protectionmore » will be reviewed. Human data on radiation induced cancer, including increases in the risk of second cancers following radiation therapy, as well as data on radiation induced tissue reactions, such as cardiovascular effects, for follow up times up to 20–40 years, published by ICRP, NCRP and BEIR Committees, will be examined. The latest risk estimates per unit dose will be presented. Their adoption in recent radiation protection standards and guidelines and their impact on patient and workers safety in radiotherapy will be discussed. Biologically-guided radiotherapy (BGRT) provides a systematic method to derive prescription doses that integrate patient-specific information about tumor and normal tissue biology. Treatment individualization based on patient-specific biology requires the identification of biological objective functions to facilitate the design and comparison of competing treatment modalities. Biological objectives provide a more direct approach to plan optimization instead of relying solely on dose-based surrogates and can incorporate factors that alter radiation response, such as DNA repair, tumor hypoxia, and relative biological effectiveness. We review concepts motivating biological objectives and provide examples

  19. Ecology, Ecosystem Management and Biology Teaching. Biology and Human Welfare.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Spellerberg, Ian F.; Pritchard, Alan J.

    This six-chapter document (part of a series on biology and human welfare) focuses on ecology, ecosystem management, and biology teaching. Chapter 1 discusses the basic elements of ecology (considering organisms and their environment, populations, and communities and ecosystems). Chapter 2 describes several aspects of human ecology and resources…

  20. Inquiry-based training improves teaching effectiveness of biology teaching assistants

    PubMed Central

    Hughes, P. William; Ellefson, Michelle R.

    2013-01-01

    Graduate teaching assistants (GTAs) are used extensively as undergraduate science lab instructors at universities, yet they often have having minimal instructional training and little is known about effective training methods. This blind randomized control trial study assessed the impact of two training regimens on GTA teaching effectiveness. GTAs teaching undergraduate biology labs (n = 52) completed five hours of training in either inquiry-based learning pedagogy or general instructional “best practices”. GTA teaching effectiveness was evaluated using: (1) a nine-factor student evaluation of educational quality; (2) a six-factor questionnaire for student learning; and (3) course grades. Ratings from both GTAs and undergraduates indicated that indicated that the inquiry-based learning pedagogy training has a positive effect on GTA teaching effectiveness. PMID:24147138

  1. Criteria for High Quality Biology Teaching: An Analysis

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tasci, Guntay

    2015-01-01

    This study aims to analyze the process under which biology lessons are taught in terms of teaching quality criteria (TQC). Teaching quality is defined as the properties of efficient teaching and is considered to be the criteria used to measure teaching quality both in general and specific to a field. The data were collected through classroom…

  2. Undergraduate teaching on biological weapons and bioterrorism at medical schools in the UK and the Republic of Ireland: results of a cross-sectional study.

    PubMed

    Green, Stephen T; Cladi, Lorenzo; Morris, Paul; Forde, Donall

    2013-06-20

    To determine if individual undergraduate schools of medicine in the UK and the Republic of Ireland provide any teaching to medical students about biological weapons, bioterrorism, chemical weapons and weaponised radiation, if they perceive them to be relevant issues and if they figure them in their future plans. A cross-sectional study utilising an internet-based questionnaire sent to key figures responsible for leading on the planning and delivery of undergraduate medical teaching at all schools of medicine in the UK and Ireland. All identified undergraduate schools of medicine in the UK and Ireland between August 2012 and December 2012. Numerical data and free text feedback about relevant aspects of undergraduate teaching. Of the 38 medical schools approached, 34 (28 in UK, 6 in Ireland) completed the questionnaire (89.47%). 4 (all in UK) chose not to complete it. 6/34 (17.65%) included some specific teaching on biological weapons and bioterrorism. 7/34 (20.59%) had staff with bioterrorism expertise (mainly in microbiological and syndromic aspects). 4/34 (11.76%) had plans to introduce some specific teaching on bioterrorism. Free text responses revealed that some felt that because key bodies (eg, UK's General Medical Council) did not request teaching on bioterrorism, then it should not be included, while others regarded this field of study as a postgraduate subject and not appropriate for undergraduates, or argued that the curriculum was too congested already. 4/34 (11.76%) included some specific teaching on chemical weapons, and 3/34 (8.82%) on weaponised radiation. This study provides evidence that at the present time there is little teaching at the undergraduate level in the UK and Ireland on the subjects of biological weapons and bioterrorism, chemical weapons and weaponised radiation and signals that this situation is unlikely to change unless there were to be high-level policy guidance.

  3. From Biology to Mathematical Models and Back: Teaching Modeling to Biology Students, and Biology to Math and Engineering Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Chiel, Hillel J.; McManus, Jeffrey M.; Shaw, Kendrick M.

    2010-01-01

    We describe the development of a course to teach modeling and mathematical analysis skills to students of biology and to teach biology to students with strong backgrounds in mathematics, physics, or engineering. The two groups of students have different ways of learning material and often have strong negative feelings toward the area of knowledge…

  4. Making Biology Learning Relevant to Students: Integrating People, History, and Context into College Biology Teaching

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Chamany, Katayoun; Allen, Deborah; Tanner, Kimberly

    2008-01-01

    Teaching students to make connections between what they learn in the classroom and what they see in everyday life is imperative. As biology instructors, they may choose to teach biology devoid of social context, believing that students can make these connections on their own. However, students model their instructors' behaviors, and follow their…

  5. Agriculture and Biology Teaching. Biology and Human Welfare.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rao, A. N.; Pritchard, Alan J.

    This six-chapter document (part of a series on biology and human welfare) focuses on agriculture and the teaching of this subject area. Major topic areas considered in the first five chapters are: (1) the development of agriculture; (2) agricosystems (considering agriculture as an ecosystem, land utilization and soils, soils and food production,…

  6. Team-teaching a current events-based biology course for nonmajors.

    PubMed

    Bondos, Sarah E; Phillips, Dereth

    2008-01-01

    Rice University has created a team-taught interactive biology course for nonmajors with a focus on cutting edge biology in the news-advances in biotechnology, medicine, and science policy, along with the biological principles and methodology upon which these advances are based. The challenges inherent to teaching current topics were minimized by team-teaching the course, providing knowledgeable and enthusiastic lecturers for every topic while distributing the effort required to update material. Postdoctoral associates and advanced graduate students served as lecturers, providing an opportunity for them to develop their teaching skills and learn to communicate effectively with nonscientists on newsworthy topics related to their research. Laboratory tours, in-class demonstrations, and mock-ups helped lecturers convey surprisingly advanced ideas with students who lacked a strong theoretical or practical science background. A faculty member and co-coordinator administer the class, organize class activities, and mentor the speakers on teaching techniques and lecture design. Course design, lecture topics, hands-on activities, and approaches to successfully solve the difficulties inherent to team teaching are discussed. Course evaluations reflect student involvement in, and enjoyment of, the class. Copyright © 2008 International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

  7. Undergraduate teaching on biological weapons and bioterrorism at medical schools in the UK and the Republic of Ireland: results of a cross-sectional study

    PubMed Central

    Green, Stephen T; Cladi, Lorenzo; Morris, Paul; Forde, Donall

    2013-01-01

    Objective To determine if individual undergraduate schools of medicine in the UK and the Republic of Ireland provide any teaching to medical students about biological weapons, bioterrorism, chemical weapons and weaponised radiation, if they perceive them to be relevant issues and if they figure them in their future plans. Design A cross-sectional study utilising an internet-based questionnaire sent to key figures responsible for leading on the planning and delivery of undergraduate medical teaching at all schools of medicine in the UK and Ireland. Setting All identified undergraduate schools of medicine in the UK and Ireland between August 2012 and December 2012. Outcome measures Numerical data and free text feedback about relevant aspects of undergraduate teaching. Results Of the 38 medical schools approached, 34 (28 in UK, 6 in Ireland) completed the questionnaire (89.47%). 4 (all in UK) chose not to complete it. 6/34 (17.65%) included some specific teaching on biological weapons and bioterrorism. 7/34 (20.59%) had staff with bioterrorism expertise (mainly in microbiological and syndromic aspects). 4/34 (11.76%) had plans to introduce some specific teaching on bioterrorism. Free text responses revealed that some felt that because key bodies (eg, UK's General Medical Council) did not request teaching on bioterrorism, then it should not be included, while others regarded this field of study as a postgraduate subject and not appropriate for undergraduates, or argued that the curriculum was too congested already. 4/34 (11.76%) included some specific teaching on chemical weapons, and 3/34 (8.82%) on weaponised radiation. Conclusions This study provides evidence that at the present time there is little teaching at the undergraduate level in the UK and Ireland on the subjects of biological weapons and bioterrorism, chemical weapons and weaponised radiation and signals that this situation is unlikely to change unless there were to be high-level policy guidance. PMID

  8. Teaching Field Biology with Photography

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jenkins, Ronald L.; Howell, W. Mike; Davenport, L. J.; Wood, Linda F.

    2003-01-01

    Photography makes an easy and excellent tool for teaching field biology courses, allowing students to study nature without harming it. This photographic technique is used in capturing images of vertebrates, invertebrates, and plants during class field trips, then making these images available for students to identify and study from a departmental…

  9. Teaching Triple Science: GCSE Biology

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Learning and Skills Network (NJ3), 2007

    2007-01-01

    The Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) has contracted with the Learning and Skills Network to support awareness and take-up of Triple Science GCSEs through the Triple Science Support Programme. This publication provides an introduction to teaching and learning approaches for the extension topics within GCSE Biology. It highlights…

  10. Using "Energy Ideas" in the Teaching of Biology

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Needham, Richard

    2014-01-01

    "Energy ideas" run through much of secondary school biology teaching. These ideas are not always consistent with each other or with the ideas used by other science disciplines. Would a change in terminology help avoid confusion or do we need to review the use of "energy" in science teaching?

  11. Results of Two Tenth-Grade Biology Teaching Procedures.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Purser, Roger K.; Renner, John W.

    1983-01-01

    Examined influence of teaching methods on content achievement of concrete and formal concepts by students differing in level of operational thought and influence of concrete/formal teaching on the intellectural development of students (N=86 grade 9-10 biology students). Methodology, results, conclusions, and implications are discussed. (Author/JN)

  12. Integrative Radiation Biology

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Barcellos-Hoff, Mary Helen

    We plan to study tissue-level mechanisms important to human breast radiation carcinogenesis. We propose that the cell biology of irradiated tissues reveals a coordinated multicellular damage response program in which individual cell contributions are primarily directed towards suppression of carcinogenesis and reestablishment of homeostasis. We identified transforming growth factor β1 (TGFβ) as a pivotal signal. Notably, we have discovered that TGFβ suppresses genomic instability by controlling the intrinsic DNA damage response and centrosome integrity. However, TGFβ also mediates disruption of microenvironment interactions, which drive epithelial to mesenchymal transition in irradiated human mammary epithelial cells. This apparent paradox of positive andmore » negative controls by TGFβ is the topic of the present proposal. First, we postulate that these phenotypes manifest differentially following fractionated or chronic exposures; second, that the interactions of multiple cell types in tissues modify the responses evident in this single cell type culture models. The goals are to: 1) study the effect of low dose rate and fractionated radiation exposure in combination with TGFβ on the irradiated phenotype and genomic instability of non-malignant human epithelial cells; and 2) determine whether stromal-epithelial interactions suppress the irradiated phenotype in cell culture and the humanized mammary mouse model. These data will be used to 3) develop a systems biology model that integrates radiation effects across multiple levels of tissue organization and time. Modeling multicellular radiation responses coordinated via extracellular signaling could have a significant impact on the extrapolation of human health risks from high dose to low dose/rate radiation exposure.« less

  13. Teaching evolutionary biology: Pressures, stress, and coping

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Griffith, Joyce A.; Brem, Sarah K.

    2004-10-01

    Understanding what teachers need to be more comfortable and confident in their profession is crucial to the future of effective teachers and scientific literacy in public schools. This study focuses on the experiences of Arizona biology teachers in teaching evolution, using a clinical model of stress to identify sources of pressure, the resulting stresses, and coping strategies they employ to alleviate these stresses. We conducted focus groups, one-on-one interviews, and written surveys with 15 biology teachers from the Phoenix area. On the basis of their responses, teachers were clustered into three categories: Conflicted, who struggle with their own beliefs and the possible impact of their teaching, Selective, who carefully avoid difficult topics and situations, and Scientists, who see no place for controversial social issues in their science classroom. Teachers from each group felt that they could be more effective in teaching evolution if they possessed the most up-to-date information about evolution and genomics, a safe space in which to reflect on the possible social and personal implications with their peers, and access to richer lesson plans for teaching evolution that include not only science but personal stories regarding how the lessons arose, and what problems and opportunities they created.

  14. Classifying Life, Reconstructing History and Teaching Diversity: Philosophical Issues in the Teaching of Biological Systematics and Biodiversity

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Reydon, Thomas A. C.

    2013-02-01

    Classification is a central endeavor in every scientific field of work. Classification in biology, however, is distinct from classification in other fields of science in a number of ways. Thus, understanding how biological classification works is an important element in understanding the nature of biological science. In the present paper, I discuss a number of philosophical issues that are characteristic for classification in biological science, paying special attention to questions related to science education. My aims are (1) to provide science educators and others concerned with the teaching of biology with an accessible overview of the philosophy of biological classification and (2) to show how knowledge of the philosophy of classification can play an important role in science teaching.

  15. Monitoring of environmental UV radiation by biological dosimeters

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rontó, Gy.; Bérces, A.; Gróf, P.; Fekete, A.; Kerékgyártó, T.; Gáspár, S.; Stick, C.

    As a consequence of the stratospheric ozone layer depletion biological systems can be damaged due to increased UV-B radiation. The aim of biological dosimetry is to establish a quantitative basis for the risk assessment of the biosphere. DNA is the most important target molecule of biological systems having special sensitivity against short wavelength components of the environmental radiation. Biological dosimeters are usually simple organisms, or components of them, modeling the cellular DNA. Phage T7 and polycrystalline uracil biological dosimeters have been developed and used in our laboratory for monitoring the environmental radiation in different radiation conditions (from the polar to equatorial regions). Comparisons with Robertson-Berger (RB) meter data, as well as with model calculation data weighted by the corresponding spectral sensitivities of the dosimeters are presented. Suggestion is given how to determine the trend of the increase in the biological risk due to ozone depletion.

  16. Expertise for Teaching Biology Situated in the Context of Genetic Testing

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    van der Zande, Paul; Akkerman, Sanne F.; Brekelmans, Mieke; Waarlo, Arend Jan; Vermunt, Jan D.

    2012-01-01

    Contemporary genomics research will impact the daily practice of biology teachers who want to teach up-to-date genetics in secondary education. This article reports on a research project aimed at enhancing biology teachers' expertise for teaching genetics situated in the context of genetic testing. The increasing body of scientific knowledge…

  17. Biology Teachers' Professional Development Needs for Teaching Evolution

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Friedrichsen, Patricia J.; Linke, Nicholas; Barnett, Ellen

    2016-01-01

    The social controversy surrounding the teaching of evolution puts pressure on secondary biology teachers to deemphasize or omit evolution from their curriculum. In this growing pressure, professional development can offer support to biology teachers. In this study, we surveyed secondary biology teachers in Missouri and report the data from…

  18. Seeing Cells: Teaching the Visual/Verbal Rhetoric of Biology

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dinolfo, John; Heifferon, Barbara; Temesvari, Lesly A.

    2007-01-01

    This pilot study obtained baseline information on verbal and visual rhetorics to teach microscopy techniques to college biology majors. We presented cell images to students in cell biology and biology writing classes and then asked them to identify textual, verbal, and visual cues that support microscopy learning. Survey responses suggest that…

  19. Expertise for Teaching Biology Situated in the Context of Genetic Testing

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Van der Zande, Paul; Akkerman, Sanne F.; Brekelmans, Mieke; Waarlo, Arend Jan; Vermunt, Jan D.

    2012-07-01

    Contemporary genomics research will impact the daily practice of biology teachers who want to teach up-to-date genetics in secondary education. This article reports on a research project aimed at enhancing biology teachers' expertise for teaching genetics situated in the context of genetic testing. The increasing body of scientific knowledge concerning genetic testing and the related consequences for decision-making indicate the societal relevance of an educational approach based on situated learning. What expertise do biology teachers need for teaching genetics in the personal health context of genetic testing? This article describes the required expertise by exploring the educational practice. Nine experienced teachers were interviewed about the pedagogical content, moral and interpersonal expertise areas concerning how to teach genetics in the personal health context of genetic testing, and the lessons of five of them were observed. The findings showed that the required teacher expertise encompasses specific pedagogical content expertise, interpersonal expertise and a preference for teacher roles and teaching approaches for the moral aspects of teaching in this context. A need for further development of teaching and learning activities for (reflection on) moral reasoning came to the fore. Suggestions regarding how to apply this expertise into context-based genetics education are discussed.

  20. Authentic teaching and learning through synthetic biology

    PubMed Central

    Kuldell, Natalie

    2007-01-01

    Synthetic biology is an emerging engineering discipline that, if successful, will allow well-characterized biological components to be predictably and reliably built into robust organisms that achieve specific functions. Fledgling efforts to design and implement a synthetic biology curriculum for undergraduate students have shown that the co-development of this emerging discipline and its future practitioners does not undermine learning. Rather it can serve as the lynchpin of a synthetic biology curriculum. Here I describe educational goals uniquely served by synthetic biology teaching, detail ongoing curricula development efforts at MIT, and specify particular aspects of the emerging field that must develop rapidly in order to best train the next generation of synthetic biologists. PMID:18271945

  1. An evaluation of a paediatric radiation oncology teaching programme incorporating a SCORPIO teaching model.

    PubMed

    Ahern, Verity; Klein, Linda; Bentvelzen, Adam; Garlan, Karen; Jeffery, Heather

    2011-04-01

    Many radiation oncology registrars have no exposure to paediatrics during their training. To address this, the Paediatric Special Interest Group of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Radiologists has convened a biennial teaching course since 1997. The 2009 course incorporated the use of a Structured, Clinical, Objective-Referenced, Problem-orientated, Integrated and Organized (SCORPIO) teaching model for small group tutorials. This study evaluates whether the paediatric radiation oncology curriculum can be adapted to the SCORPIO teaching model and to evaluate the revised course from the registrars' perspective. Teaching and learning resources included a pre-course reading list, a lecture series programme and a SCORPIO workshop. Three evaluation instruments were developed: an overall Course Evaluation Survey for all participants, a SCORPIO Workshop Survey for registrars and a Teacher's SCORPIO Workshop Survey. Forty-five radiation oncology registrars, 14 radiation therapists and five paediatric oncology registrars attended. Seventy-three per cent (47/64) of all participants completed the Course Evaluation Survey and 95% (38/40) of registrars completed the SCORPIO Workshop Survey. All teachers completed the Teacher's SCORPIO Survey (10/10). The overall educational experience was rated as good or excellent by 93% (43/47) of respondents. Ratings of satisfaction with lecture sessions were predominantly good or excellent. Registrars gave the SCORPIO workshop high ratings on each of 10 aspects of quality, with 82% allocating an excellent rating overall for the SCORPIO activity. Both registrars and teachers recommended more time for the SCORPIO stations. The 2009 course met the educational needs of the radiation oncology registrars and the SCORPIO workshop was a highly valued educational component. © 2011 The Authors. Journal of Medical Imaging and Radiation Oncology © 2011 The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Radiologists.

  2. Creating Successful Campus Partnerships for Teaching Communication in Biology Courses and Labs.

    PubMed

    Hall, Susanne E; Birch, Christina

    2018-01-01

    Creating and teaching successful writing and communication assignments for biology undergraduate students can be challenging for faculty trying to balance the teaching of technical content. The growing body of published research and scholarship on effective teaching of writing and communication in biology can help inform such work, but there are also local resources available to support writing within biology courses that may be unfamiliar to science faculty and instructors. In this article, we discuss common on-campus resources biology faculty can make use of when incorporating writing and communication into their teaching. We present the missions, histories, and potential collaboration outcomes of three major on-campus writing resources: writing across the curriculum and writing in the disciplines initiatives (WAC/WID), writing programs, and writing centers. We explain some of the common misconceptions about these resources in order to help biology faculty understand their uses and limits, and we offer guiding questions faculty might ask the directors of these resources to start productive conversations. Collaboration with these resources will likely save faculty time and effort on curriculum development and, more importantly, will help biology students develop and improve their critical reading, writing, and communication skills.

  3. Creating Successful Campus Partnerships for Teaching Communication in Biology Courses and Labs

    PubMed Central

    Hall, Susanne E.; Birch, Christina

    2018-01-01

    Creating and teaching successful writing and communication assignments for biology undergraduate students can be challenging for faculty trying to balance the teaching of technical content. The growing body of published research and scholarship on effective teaching of writing and communication in biology can help inform such work, but there are also local resources available to support writing within biology courses that may be unfamiliar to science faculty and instructors. In this article, we discuss common on-campus resources biology faculty can make use of when incorporating writing and communication into their teaching. We present the missions, histories, and potential collaboration outcomes of three major on-campus writing resources: writing across the curriculum and writing in the disciplines initiatives (WAC/WID), writing programs, and writing centers. We explain some of the common misconceptions about these resources in order to help biology faculty understand their uses and limits, and we offer guiding questions faculty might ask the directors of these resources to start productive conversations. Collaboration with these resources will likely save faculty time and effort on curriculum development and, more importantly, will help biology students develop and improve their critical reading, writing, and communication skills. PMID:29904537

  4. RADIATION BIOLOGY: CONCEPTS FOR RADIATION PROTECTION

    EPA Science Inventory

    ABSTRACT

    The opportunity to write a historical review of the field of radiation biology allows for the viewing of the development and maturity of a field of study, thereby being able to provide the appropriate context for the earlier years of research and its findings. The...

  5. Biological countermeasures in space radiation health.

    PubMed

    Kennedy, Ann R; Todd, Paul

    2003-06-01

    Exposure to the types of ionizing radiation encountered during space travel may cause a number of health-related problems, but the primary concern is related to the increased risk of cancer induction in astronauts. The major types of radiation considered to be of importance during space travel are protons and particles of high atomic number and high energy (HZE particles). It is now clear that biological countermeasures can be used to prevent or reduce the levels of biological consequences resulting from exposure to protons or HZE particles, including the induction of cancer, immunosuppression and neurological defects caused by these types of ionizing radiation. Research related to the dietary additions of agents to minimize the risks of developing health-related problems which can result from exposure to space radiations is reviewed.

  6. Biological countermeasures in space radiation health

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Kennedy, Ann R.; Todd, Paul

    2003-01-01

    Exposure to the types of ionizing radiation encountered during space travel may cause a number of health-related problems, but the primary concern is related to the increased risk of cancer induction in astronauts. The major types of radiation considered to be of importance during space travel are protons and particles of high atomic number and high energy (HZE particles). It is now clear that biological countermeasures can be used to prevent or reduce the levels of biological consequences resulting from exposure to protons or HZE particles, including the induction of cancer, immunosuppression and neurological defects caused by these types of ionizing radiation. Research related to the dietary additions of agents to minimize the risks of developing health-related problems which can result from exposure to space radiations is reviewed.

  7. Student Teachers' Approaches to Teaching Biological Evolution

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Borgerding, Lisa A.; Klein, Vanessa A.; Ghosh, Rajlakshmi; Eibel, Albert

    2015-01-01

    Evolution is fundamental to biology and scientific literacy, but teaching high school evolution is often difficult. Evolution teachers face several challenges including limited content knowledge, personal conflicts with evolution, expectations of resistance, concerns about students' conflicts with religion, and curricular constraints. Evolution…

  8. Controversial Issues and the Teaching of A-Level Biology: Possibilities and Problems.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Van Rooy, Wilhelmina

    This thesis focuses on the espoused beliefs, values, and attitudes of experienced A-Level Biology teachers in relation to the teaching of controversial biological issues. Of major interest is the thinking behind what the teachers in this study regard as the possibilities and problems for the teaching of controversial issues given the teaching…

  9. Student Teachers' Approaches to Teaching Biological Evolution

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Borgerding, Lisa A.; Klein, Vanessa A.; Ghosh, Rajlakshmi; Eibel, Albert

    2015-06-01

    Evolution is fundamental to biology and scientific literacy, but teaching high school evolution is often difficult. Evolution teachers face several challenges including limited content knowledge, personal conflicts with evolution, expectations of resistance, concerns about students' conflicts with religion, and curricular constraints. Evolution teaching can be particularly challenging for student teachers who are just beginning to gain pedagogical knowledge and pedagogical content knowledge related to evolution teaching and who seek approval from university supervisors and cooperating teachers. Science teacher educators need to know how to best support student teachers as they broach the sometimes daunting task of teaching evolution within student teaching placements. This multiple case study report documents how three student teachers approached evolution instruction and what influenced their approaches. Data sources included student teacher interviews, field note observations for 4-5 days of evolution instruction, and evolution instructional artifacts. Data were analyzed using grounded theory approaches to develop individual cases and a cross-case analysis. Seven influences (state exams and standards, cooperating teacher, ideas about teaching and learning, concerns about evolution controversy, personal commitment to evolution, knowledge and preparation for teaching evolution, and own evolution learning experiences) were identified and compared across cases. Implications for science teacher preparation and future research are provided.

  10. From Biology to Mathematical Models and Back: Teaching Modeling to Biology Students, and Biology to Math and Engineering Students

    PubMed Central

    McManus, Jeffrey M.; Shaw, Kendrick M.

    2010-01-01

    We describe the development of a course to teach modeling and mathematical analysis skills to students of biology and to teach biology to students with strong backgrounds in mathematics, physics, or engineering. The two groups of students have different ways of learning material and often have strong negative feelings toward the area of knowledge that they find difficult. To give students a sense of mastery in each area, several complementary approaches are used in the course: 1) a “live” textbook that allows students to explore models and mathematical processes interactively; 2) benchmark problems providing key skills on which students make continuous progress; 3) assignment of students to teams of two throughout the semester; 4) regular one-on-one interactions with instructors throughout the semester; and 5) a term project in which students reconstruct, analyze, extend, and then write in detail about a recently published biological model. Based on student evaluations and comments, an attitude survey, and the quality of the students' term papers, the course has significantly increased the ability and willingness of biology students to use mathematical concepts and modeling tools to understand biological systems, and it has significantly enhanced engineering students' appreciation of biology. PMID:20810957

  11. From biology to mathematical models and back: teaching modeling to biology students, and biology to math and engineering students.

    PubMed

    Chiel, Hillel J; McManus, Jeffrey M; Shaw, Kendrick M

    2010-01-01

    We describe the development of a course to teach modeling and mathematical analysis skills to students of biology and to teach biology to students with strong backgrounds in mathematics, physics, or engineering. The two groups of students have different ways of learning material and often have strong negative feelings toward the area of knowledge that they find difficult. To give students a sense of mastery in each area, several complementary approaches are used in the course: 1) a "live" textbook that allows students to explore models and mathematical processes interactively; 2) benchmark problems providing key skills on which students make continuous progress; 3) assignment of students to teams of two throughout the semester; 4) regular one-on-one interactions with instructors throughout the semester; and 5) a term project in which students reconstruct, analyze, extend, and then write in detail about a recently published biological model. Based on student evaluations and comments, an attitude survey, and the quality of the students' term papers, the course has significantly increased the ability and willingness of biology students to use mathematical concepts and modeling tools to understand biological systems, and it has significantly enhanced engineering students' appreciation of biology.

  12. Integrated Modular Teaching of Human Biology for Primary Care Practitioners

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Glasgow, Michael S.

    1977-01-01

    Describes the use of integrated modular teaching of the human biology component of the Health Associate Program at Johns Hopkins University, where the goal is to develop an understanding of the sciences as applied to primary care. Discussion covers the module sequence, the human biology faculty, goals of the human biology faculty, laboratory…

  13. Team-Teaching a Current Events-Based Biology Course for Nonmajors

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bondos, Sarah E.; Phillips, Dereth

    2008-01-01

    Rice University has created a team-taught interactive biology course for nonmajors with a focus on cutting edge biology in the news--advances in biotechnology, medicine, and science policy, along with the biological principles and methodology upon which these advances are based. The challenges inherent to teaching current topics were minimized by…

  14. Radiation biology of HZE particles

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Nelson, Gregory A.

    1990-01-01

    The biological effects of heavy charged particle (HZE) radiation are of particular interest to travellers and planners for long duration space flights where exposure levels represent a potential health hazard. The unique feature of HZE radiation is the structured pattern of its energy deposition in targets which may be related to charge, velocity, or rate of energy loss. There are many consequences of this feature to biological endpoints when compared to effects of ionizing photons. Dose vs response and dose rate kinetics are modified, DNA and cellular repair systems are altered in their abilities to cope with damage and, the qualitative features of damage are unique for different ions. These features must be incorporated into any risk assessment system for radiation health management. HZE induced mutation, cell inactivation and altered organogenesis will be discussed emphasizing studies with the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans and cultured cells. Observations from radiobiology experiments in space will also be reviewed along with plans for future space-based studies.

  15. What Sorts of Worlds Do We Live in Nowadays? Teaching Biology in a Post-Modern Age.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Reiss, Michael J.; Tunnicliffe, Sue Dale

    2001-01-01

    Explores implications of the view that there is no such thing as the scientific method for biology education. Suggests fresh approaches to the teaching of drawing in biology, the teaching of classification, and the teaching of human biology by illustrating opportunities for investigating and describing the world scientifically. (Contains 32…

  16. Reinvigorating Introductory Biology: A Theme-based, Investigative Approach To Teaching Biology Majors.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Norton, Cynthia G.; Gildensoph, Lynne H.; Phillips, Martha M.; Wygal, Deborah D.; Olson, Kurt H.; Pellegrini, John J.; Tweeten, Kathleen A.

    1997-01-01

    Describes the reform of an introductory biology curriculum to reverse high attrition rates. Objectives include fostering self-directed learning, emphasizing process over content, and offering laboratory experiences that model the way to acquire scientific knowledge. Teaching methods include discussion, group mentoring, laboratory sections, and…

  17. Radiation interactions with biological systems.

    PubMed

    Islam, Muhammad Torequl

    2017-05-01

    The use of radiation, especially ionizing radiation (IR), is currently attracting great attention in the field of medical sciences. However, it should be mentioned that IR has both beneficial and harmful effects in biological systems. This review aims to focus on IR-mediated physiological events in a mechanistic way. Evidence from the databases, mainly from PUBMED and SCIENCE DIRECT were considered. IR directly and/or with their lyses products (indirect) causes oxidative stresses to biological systems. These activities may be localized and systematic. Otherwise, IR-induced non-/multi-targeted effects are also evident. IR in diagnosis and cancer radiotherapy is well-known. Reactive species produced by IR are not only beneficial, but also can exert harmful effects in a biological system such as aging, genetic instability and mutagenicity, membrane lysis and cell death, alteration of enzymatic activity and metabolic events, mitochondrial dysfunction, and even cancer. Additionally, DNA adducts formation, after IR-induced DNA breakage, is a cause of blockage of DNA repair capability with an increase in cellular radiosensitivity. These may allow cellular ruin even at low IR levels. Dependent on the dose, duration of action and quality, IR plays diverse roles in biological systems.

  18. The radiation biology of the thyroid.

    PubMed

    Malone, J F

    1975-10-01

    The structure and function of the thyroid gland are described. A detailed analysis of population kinetics in the gland suggests a method of measuring cell survival after irradiation that has many features in common with methods used in other mammalian cell systems. This method is used to obtain survival curves for thyroid cells afer irradiation. The effects on survival of splitting the radiation dose into two or multiple fractions, radiation type, and radioprotective agents are also examined. In the light of these data the tolerance of thyroid tissue to radiation exposure under various conditions is discussed. The dosimetry and biological effects of 125I and 131I are described in detail, and compared with X-rays. Radioiodine treatment of thyrotoxicosis is presented in relation to the known biological effects of the isotopes on the gland. Carcinogenic action of ionizing radiations in the thyroid are reviewed with particular reference to the clinical consequences of observations in this field.

  19. The Teaching and Learning of Biological Evolution.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kyle, William C., Jr., Ed.

    1994-01-01

    Evolution education is of increasing interest to the science education community. This special issue of the "Journal of Research in Science Teaching" has been devoted to the subject of evolution. The following articles are included: (1) "Evolution: Biological Education's Under-Researched Unifying Theme" by Catherine L. Cummins, Sherry S. Demastes,…

  20. Six Classroom Exercises to Teach Natural Selection to Undergraduate Biology Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kalinowski, Steven T.; Leonard, Mary J.; Andrews, Tessa M.; Litt, Andrea R.

    2013-01-01

    Students in introductory biology courses frequently have misconceptions regarding natural selection. In this paper, we describe six activities that biology instructors can use to teach undergraduate students in introductory biology courses how natural selection causes evolution. These activities begin with a lesson introducing students to natural…

  1. A Knowledge Base for Teaching Biology Situated in the Context of Genetic Testing

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    van der Zande, Paul; Waarlo, Arend Jan; Brekelmans, Mieke; Akkerman, Sanne F.; Vermunt, Jan D.

    2011-01-01

    Recent developments in the field of genomics will impact the daily practice of biology teachers who teach genetics in secondary education. This study reports on the first results of a research project aimed at enhancing biology teacher knowledge for teaching genetics in the context of genetic testing. The increasing body of scientific knowledge…

  2. INNOVATIONS IN EQUIPMENT AND TECHNIQUES FOR THE BIOLOGY TEACHING LABORATORY.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    BARTHELEMY, RICHARD E.; AND OTHERS

    LABORATORY TECHNIQUES AND EQUIPMENT APPROPRIATE FOR TEACHING BIOLOGICAL SCIENCE CURRICULUM STUDY BIOLOGY ARE EMPHASIZED. MAJOR CATEGORIES INCLUDE (1) LABORATORY FACILITIES, (2) EQUIPMENT AND TECHNIQUES FOR CULTURE OF MICRO-ORGANISMS, (3) LABORATORY ANIMALS AND THEIR HOUSING, (4) TECHNIQUES FOR STUDYING PLANT GROWTH, (5) TECHNIQUES FOR STUDYING…

  3. Prototype Biology-Based Radiation Risk Module Project

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Terrier, Douglas; Clayton, Ronald G.; Patel, Zarana; Hu, Shaowen; Huff, Janice

    2015-01-01

    Biological effects of space radiation and risk mitigation are strategic knowledge gaps for the Evolvable Mars Campaign. The current epidemiology-based NASA Space Cancer Risk (NSCR) model contains large uncertainties (HAT #6.5a) due to lack of information on the radiobiology of galactic cosmic rays (GCR) and lack of human data. The use of experimental models that most accurately replicate the response of human tissues is critical for precision in risk projections. Our proposed study will compare DNA damage, histological, and cell kinetic parameters after irradiation in normal 2D human cells versus 3D tissue models, and it will use a multi-scale computational model (CHASTE) to investigate various biological processes that may contribute to carcinogenesis, including radiation-induced cellular signaling pathways. This cross-disciplinary work, with biological validation of an evolvable mathematical computational model, will help reduce uncertainties within NSCR and aid risk mitigation for radiation-induced carcinogenesis.

  4. Exploring attitudes of Canadian radiation oncologists, radiation therapists, physicists, and oncology nurses regarding interprofessional teaching and learning.

    PubMed

    Koo, Kaitlin; Di Prospero, Lisa; Barker, Ruth; Sinclair, Lynne; McGuffin, Merrylee; Ng, Alita; Szumacher, Ewa

    2014-06-01

    The purposes of this exploratory study were to investigate the attitudes of radiation oncology professionals regarding interprofessional (IP) teaching and interprofessional education (IPE), to identify the challenges faced by radiation oncologists who teach within an IP context, and to discover new strategies to aid professionals teaching IP students. A questionnaire was developed through the review of existing literature on IPE using Medline. The proposed group of questions was selected by educators from different professions actively involved in IPE. The final revised questionnaire consisted of three main domains assessing the understanding of IP concepts, attitudes toward IP teaching and learning environments, and attitudes toward health-care teams. An open-ended comment section was included. The questionnaire was administered to health-care professionals (physicists, radiation oncologists, and radiation therapists) nationally through SurveyMonkey® (electronic survey). A total of 220 respondents provided demographic information. Half of these respondents indicated that they previously received education relating to IPE. A high level of agreement was received for nearly all the questions. There were no significant statistical differences among the three different professional respondent groups for any question. Overall, most of the respondents demonstrated a good knowledge and understanding of IP concepts and advocated IP training and collaboration.

  5. Impact of Radiation Biology on Fundamental Insights in Biology

    DOE R&D Accomplishments Database

    Setlow, Richard B.

    1982-07-27

    Research supported by OHER [Office of Health and Environmental Research] and its predecessors has as one of its major goals an understanding of the effects of radiation at low doses and dose rates on biological systems, so as to predict their effects on humans. It is not possible to measure such effects directly. They must be predicted from basic knowledge on how radiation affects cellular components such as DNA and membranes and how cells react to such changes. What is the probability of radiation producing human mutations and what are the probabilities of radiation producing cancer? The end results of such studies are radiation exposure standards for workers and for the general population. An extension of these goals is setting standards for exposure to chemicals involved in various energy technologies. This latter problem is much more difficult because chemical dosimetry is a primitive state compared to radiation dosimetry.

  6. THE BIOLOGICAL REACTION TO IONIZING RADIATIONS. ATOMIC STRUCTURE

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Sears, T.P.

    1963-03-01

    Basic principles of nuclear physics are surveyed in relation to biological and medical aspects of ionizing radiation. A discussion is presented of the following theories of biological injury: the theory of point heat, the radiochemical theory, colloid, chemical theory, physiochemical theory, disruption of tissue molecules by breakage of valence bonds, and theory of chromosomal injury. The irradiation syndromes are discussed, including: radiation sickness, the neurological syndrome, the gastroenteric syndrome, and the bone marrow syndrome. It is concluded that definitive data on biological injury, genetic mutations, maximum permissible exposure, and the chronic effects of radioactive fallout are not sufficiently established atmore » this time to justify the apprehensive state now prevalent in America regarding radiation hazards. (BBB)« less

  7. New measurements for hadrontherapy and space radiation: biology

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Blakely, E. A.

    2001-01-01

    The dual goals of optimizing clinical efficacy of hadrontherapy and determining radiation risk estimates for space research have intersected to a common focus for investigation of the biological effects of charged particles. This paper briefly highlights recent international progress at accelerator facilities engaged in both biological and clinical studies of the effects of particle beams, primarily protons, carbon and iron ions. Basic mechanisms of molecular, cellular and tissue responses continue under investigation for radiations with a range of ionization densities. Late normal tissue effects, including the risk of cancer in particular, are of importance for both research fields. International cooperation has enhanced the rate of progress as evidenced by recent publications. Specific areas of biomedical research related to the biological radiotoxicity of critical organs (especially the central nervous system), individual radiosensitivities to radiation carcinogenesis, and the analysis of effects in mixed radiation fields still require more research. Recommendations for addressing these issues are made.

  8. Just Working with the Cellular Machine: A High School Game for Teaching Molecular Biology

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cardoso, Fernanda Serpa; Dumpel, Renata; Gomes da Silva, Luisa B.; Rodrigues, Carlos R.; Santos, Dilvani O.; Cabral, Lucio Mendes; Castro, Helena C.

    2008-01-01

    Molecular biology is a difficult comprehension subject due to its high complexity, thus requiring new teaching approaches. Herein, we developed an interdisciplinary board game involving the human immune system response against a bacterial infection for teaching molecular biology at high school. Initially, we created a database with several…

  9. Request for Travel Funds for Systems Radiation Biology Workshop

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Barcellos-Hoff, Mary Helen

    The 3rd International Systems Radiation Biology Workshop brought together the major European, US and Japanese research programs on radiation risk as well as selected experts representing systems biological approaches to discuss how the new methodologies could be best exploited for low dose research. A significant part of the workshop was devoted to discussions organised as breakout group sessions. To facilitate discussions number of participants was limited to 60 persons. To achieve the goals of this symposium in this international conference, support from DOE is vital. Hence, this proposal requested support in the amount of $15,000 to cover the travel expensesmore » of international experts and radiation biology scientists from the United States. This supporting mechanism was clearly identified to the selected US participants as a conference support award from the DOE (See attached PDF). The workshop was an outstanding opportunity to strengthen interactions between leading experts in the emerging areas of radiation sciences, and will also provide opportunities for younger scientists to meet with experts and discuss their results. This workshop was designed to endorse active engagement in international collaboration. A major objective of this conference was to effectively communicate research results, in order to ensure that current thinking reflects sound science of radiation biology. Further, this international event addressed the use and success of scientific initiatives in radiation biology for policymakers, standard-setters, and the general public.« less

  10. Preparing Biology Teachers to Teach Evolution in a Project-Based Approach

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cook, Kristin; Buck, Gayle; Park Rogers, Meredith

    2012-01-01

    This study investigates a project-based learning (PBL) approach to teaching evolution to inform efforts in teacher preparation. Data analysis of a secondary biology educator teaching evolution through a PBL approach illuminated: (1) active student voice, which allowed students to reflect on their positioning on evolution and consider multiple…

  11. Evident Biological Effects of Space Radiation in Astronauts

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Wu, Honglu

    2004-01-01

    Though cancer risks are the primary concern for astronauts exposed to space radiation and a number of astronauts have developed cancer, identifying a direct association or cause of disease has been somewhat problematic due to a lack of statistics and a lack of an appropriate control group. However, several bio,logical effects observed in astronauts are believed to be primarily due to exposure to space radiation. Among those are, light flashes experienced by astronauts from early missions, cataract development in the crewmembers and excess chromosome aberrations detected in astronauts' lymphocytes postmission. The space radiation environment and evident biological effects will be discussed.

  12. Collectively Improving Our Teaching: Attempting Biology Department-Wide Professional Development in Scientific Teaching

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Owens, Melinda T.; Trujillo, Gloriana; Seidel, Shannon B.; Harrison, Colin D.; Farrar, Katherine M.; Benton, Hilary P.; Blair, J. R.; Boyer, Katharyn E.; Breckler, Jennifer L.; Burrus, Laura W.; Byrd, Dana T.; Caporale, Natalia; Carpenter, Edward J.; Chan, Yee-Hung M.; Chen, Joseph C.; Chen, Lily; Chen, Linda H.; Chu, Diana S.; Cochlan, William P.; Crook, Robyn J.; Crow, Karen D.; de la Torre, José R.; Denetclaw, Wilfred F.; Dowdy, Lynne M.; Franklin, Darleen; Fuse, Megumi; Goldman, Michael A.; Govindan, Brinda; Green, Michael; Harris, Holly E.; He, Zheng-Hui; Ingalls, Stephen B.; Ingmire, Peter; Johnson, Amber R. B.; Knight, Jonathan D.; LeBuhn, Gretchen; Light, Terrye L.; Low, Candace; Lund, Lance; Márquez-Magaña, Leticia M.; Miller-Sims, Vanessa C.; Moffatt, Christopher A.; Murdock, Heather; Nusse, Gloria L.; Parker, V. Thomas; Pasion, Sally G.; Patterson, Robert; Pennings, Pleuni S.; Ramirez, Julio C.; Ramirez, Robert M.; Riggs, Blake; Rohlfs, Rori V.; Romeo, Joseph M.; Rothman, Barry S.; Roy, Scott W.; Russo-Tait, Tatiane; Sehgal, Ravinder N. M.; Simonin, Kevin A.; Spicer, Greg S.; Stillman, Jonathon H.; Swei, Andrea; Timpe, Leslie C.; Vredenburg, Vance T.; Weinstein, Steven L.; Zink, Andrew G.; Kelley, Loretta A.; Domingo, Carmen R.; Tanner, Kimberly D.

    2018-01-01

    Many efforts to improve science teaching in higher education focus on a few faculty members at an institution at a time, with limited published evidence on attempts to engage faculty across entire departments. We created a long-term, department-wide collaborative professional development program, Biology Faculty Explorations in Scientific Teaching…

  13. A Functional Model for Teaching Osmosis-Diffusion to Biology Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Olsen, Richard W.; Petry, Douglas E.

    1976-01-01

    Described is a maternal-fetal model, operated by the student, to teach osmosis-diffusion to biology students. Included are materials needed, assembly instructions, and student operating procedures. (SL)

  14. Just working with the cellular machine: A high school game for teaching molecular biology.

    PubMed

    Cardoso, Fernanda Serpa; Dumpel, Renata; da Silva, Luisa B Gomes; Rodrigues, Carlos R; Santos, Dilvani O; Cabral, Lucio Mendes; Castro, Helena C

    2008-03-01

    Molecular biology is a difficult comprehension subject due to its high complexity, thus requiring new teaching approaches. Herein, we developed an interdisciplinary board game involving the human immune system response against a bacterial infection for teaching molecular biology at high school. Initially, we created a database with several questions and a game story that invites the students for helping the human immunological system to produce antibodies (IgG) and fight back a pathogenic bacterium second-time invasion. The game involves answering questions completing the game board in which the antibodies "are synthesized" through the molecular biology process. At the end, a problem-based learning approach is used, and a last question is raised about proteins. Biology teachers and high school students evaluated the game and considered it an easy and interesting tool for teaching the theme. An increase of about 5-30% in answering molecular biology questions revealed that the game improves learning and induced a more engaged and proactive learning profile in the high school students. Copyright © 2008 International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

  15. Two years comparative studies on biological effects of environmental UV radiation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Grof, P.; Ronto, Gyorgyi; Gaspar, S.; Berces, A.; Szabo, Laszlo D.

    1994-07-01

    A method has been developed for determination of the biologically effective UV dose based on T7 phage as biosensor. In field experiments clockwork driven telescope has been used for determining doses from direct and global (direct plus diffuse) solar radiation. On fine summer days at mid-latitude this arrangement allowed the following comparisons: measured doses from direct and global radiation obtained at the same time and measuring site reflecting the biological importance of diffuse radiation; direct and global radiation obtained at the same time and measuring site reflecting the biological importance of diffuse radiation; direct and global doses obtained at the same time on different measuring sites (downtown, suburb, outside the town) reflecting the differences caused by air quality; direct and global doses obtained on the same measuring place, in summertime of two different years reflecting the importance of the long-term measurements for estimating the biological risk caused by increased UV-B radiation; measured data and model calculations.

  16. Exploring Pedagogical Content Knowledge of Biology Graduate Teaching Assistants through Their Participation in Lesson Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lampley, Sandra A.; Gardner, Grant E.; Barlow, Angela T.

    2018-01-01

    Graduate teaching assistants (GTAs) are responsible for teaching the majority of biology undergraduate laboratory sections, although many feel underprepared to do so. This study explored the impact of biology GTA participation in a professional development model known as lesson study. Using a case study methodology with multiple qualitative data…

  17. Teaching Tree-Thinking to Undergraduate Biology Students.

    PubMed

    Meisel, Richard P

    2010-07-27

    Evolution is the unifying principle of all biology, and understanding how evolutionary relationships are represented is critical for a complete understanding of evolution. Phylogenetic trees are the most conventional tool for displaying evolutionary relationships, and "tree-thinking" has been coined as a term to describe the ability to conceptualize evolutionary relationships. Students often lack tree-thinking skills, and developing those skills should be a priority of biology curricula. Many common student misconceptions have been described, and a successful instructor needs a suite of tools for correcting those misconceptions. I review the literature on teaching tree-thinking to undergraduate students and suggest how this material can be presented within an inquiry-based framework.

  18. Teaching Tree-Thinking to Undergraduate Biology Students

    PubMed Central

    2011-01-01

    Evolution is the unifying principle of all biology, and understanding how evolutionary relationships are represented is critical for a complete understanding of evolution. Phylogenetic trees are the most conventional tool for displaying evolutionary relationships, and “tree-thinking” has been coined as a term to describe the ability to conceptualize evolutionary relationships. Students often lack tree-thinking skills, and developing those skills should be a priority of biology curricula. Many common student misconceptions have been described, and a successful instructor needs a suite of tools for correcting those misconceptions. I review the literature on teaching tree-thinking to undergraduate students and suggest how this material can be presented within an inquiry-based framework. PMID:21572571

  19. Countermeasures for space radiation induced adverse biologic effects

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kennedy, A. R.; Wan, X. S.

    2011-11-01

    Radiation exposure in space is expected to increase the risk of cancer and other adverse biological effects in astronauts. The types of space radiation of particular concern for astronaut health are protons and heavy ions known as high atomic number and high energy (HZE) particles. Recent studies have indicated that carcinogenesis induced by protons and HZE particles may be modifiable. We have been evaluating the effects of proton and HZE particle radiation in cultured human cells and animals for nearly a decade. Our results indicate that exposure to proton and HZE particle radiation increases oxidative stress, cytotoxicity, cataract development and malignant transformation in in vivo and/or in vitro experimental systems. We have also shown that these adverse biological effects can be prevented, at least partially, by treatment with antioxidants and some dietary supplements that are readily available and have favorable safety profiles. Some of the antioxidants and dietary supplements are effective in preventing radiation induced malignant transformation in vitro even when applied several days after the radiation exposure. Our recent progress is reviewed and discussed in the context of the relevant literature.

  20. Secondary school biology teaching, 1983--2004: Objectives as stated in periodical literature

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Russell, James W., Sr.

    Purpose of the study. The major purpose of this study was to identify and to classify objectives for teaching biology in secondary school in the United States during the period 1983-2004. These objectives were identified by objective statements in articles from selected professional periodicals. Procedure. The 1983-2004 period was divided into four subperiods on the basis of major historical events. Selected professional periodicals were searched for statements of objectives of secondary school biology teaching. These statements were catalogued into Knowledge, Process, Product, Attitude and Interest, or Cultural Awareness categories. The resulting data were classified within and across the four subperiods according to frequency of occurrence, category, authorship, and year. Findings. The major findings of this investigation included the following: (1) Authorships in Higher Education produced the most articles and the most statements in each subperiod. Miscellaneous authors produced the least articles and statements. (2) Statements in the Attitude and Interest category were the most frequent in the four subperiods. (3) The "most important" objectives for secondary school biology teaching were Presents major facts, principles, or fundamentals (from the Knowledge category), Expresses scientific attitudes and appreciation, Identifies the nature of science and scientists, and Identifies scientific interest and career development (from the Attitude and Interest category), and Develops scientific method of thinking (from the Process category). Conclusions. Based on the findings of this investigation, the following conclusions were made: (1) The objectives for teaching secondary school biology were influenced by historical events, especially the publication of A Nation at Risk: The Imperative for Educational Reform in 1983, America 2000 in 1988, Goals 2000 in 1994, No Child Left Behind in 2000. The rapid growth and expansion of technology and the World Wide Web during the

  1. Biological effects of space radiation and development of effective countermeasures

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kennedy, Ann R.

    2014-04-01

    As part of a program to assess the adverse biological effects expected from astronauts' exposure to space radiation, numerous different biological effects relating to astronauts' health have been evaluated. There has been major focus recently on the assessment of risks related to exposure to solar particle event (SPE) radiation. The effects related to various types of space radiation exposure that have been evaluated are: gene expression changes (primarily associated with programmed cell death and extracellular matrix (ECM) remodeling), oxidative stress, gastrointestinal tract bacterial translocation and immune system activation, peripheral hematopoietic cell counts, emesis, blood coagulation, skin, behavior/fatigue (including social exploration, submaximal exercise treadmill and spontaneous locomotor activity), heart functions, alterations in biological endpoints related to astronauts' vision problems (lumbar puncture/intracranial pressure, ocular ultrasound and histopathology studies), and survival, as well as long-term effects such as cancer and cataract development. A number of different countermeasures have been identified that can potentially mitigate or prevent the adverse biological effects resulting from exposure to space radiation.

  2. Information Literacy in the Lab: Graduate Teaching Experiences in First-Year Biology

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lantz, Catherine

    2016-01-01

    The author interviewed 10 graduate teaching assistants leading lab sessions for first-year biology about how they introduce students to scientific literature. Qualitative data analysis of the interview transcripts revealed that both first-year students and graduate teaching assistants (many of whom are first-year teachers) struggle with…

  3. Peculiarities of biological action of hadrons of space radiation.

    PubMed

    Akoev, I G; Yurov, S S

    1975-01-01

    Biological investigations in space enable one to make a significant contribution on high-energy hadrons to biological effects under the influence of factors of space flights. Physical and molecular principles of the action of high-energy hadrons are analysed. Genetic and somatic hadron effects produced by the secondary radiation from 70 GeV protons have been studied experimentally. The high biological effectiveness of hadrons, great variability in biological effects, and specifically of their action, are associated with strong interactions of high-energy hadrons. These are the probability of nuclear interaction with any atom nucleus, generation of a great number of secondary particles (among them, probably, highly effective multicharged and heavy nuclei, antiprotons, pi(-)-mesons), and the spatial distribution of secondary particles as a narrow cone with extremely high density of particles in its first part. The secondary radiation generated by high- and superhigh-energy hadrons upon their interaction with the spaceship is likely to be the greatest hazard of radiation to the crew during space flights.

  4. Rethinking biology instruction: The application of DNR-based instruction to the learning and teaching of biology

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Maskiewicz, April Lee

    Educational studies report that secondary and college level students have developed only limited understandings of the most basic biological processes and their interrelationships from typical classroom experiences. Furthermore, students have developed undesirable reasoning schemes and beliefs that directly affect how they make sense of and account for biological phenomena. For these reasons, there exists a need to rethink instructional practices in biology. This dissertation discusses how the principles of Harel's (1998, 2001) DNR-based instruction in mathematics could be applied to the teaching and learning of biology. DNR is an acronym for the three foundational principles of the system: Duality, Necessity, and Repeated-reasoning. This study examines the application of these three principles to ecology instruction. Through clinical and teaching interviews, I developed models of students' existing ways of understanding in ecology and inferred their ways of thinking. From these models a hypothetical learning trajectory was developed for 16 college level freshmen enrolled in a 10-week ecology teaching experiment. Through cyclical, interpretive analysis I documented and analyzed the evolution of the participants' progress. The results provide empirical evidence to support the claim that the DNR principles are applicable to ecology instruction. With respect to the Duality Principle, helping students develop specific ways of understanding led to the development of model-based reasoning---a way of thinking and the cognitive objective guiding instruction. Through carefully structured problem solving tasks, the students developed a biological understanding of the relationship between matter cycling, energy flow, and cellular processes such as photosynthesis and respiration, and used this understanding to account for observable phenomena in nature. In the case of intellectual necessity, the results illuminate how problem situations can be developed for biology learners

  5. Physical-mathematical model of optical radiation interaction with biological tissues

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kozlovska, Tetyana I.; Kolisnik, Peter F.; Zlepko, Sergey M.; Titova, Natalia V.; Pavlov, Volodymyr S.; Wójcik, Waldemar; Omiotek, Zbigniew; Kozhambardiyeva, Miergul; Zhanpeisova, Aizhan

    2017-08-01

    Remote photoplethysmography (PPG) imaging is an optical technique to remotely assess the local coetaneous microcirculation. In this paper, we present a model and supporting experiments confirming the contribution of skin inhomogeneity to the morphology of PPG waveforms. The physical-mathematical model of distribution of optical radiation in biological tissues was developed. It allows determining the change of intensity of optical radiation depending on such parameters as installation angle of the sensor, biological tissue thickness and the wavelength. We obtained graphics which represent changes of the optical radiation intensity that is registered by photodetector depending on installation angle of the sensor, biological tissue thickness and the extinction coefficient.

  6. Proposal for Teaching Evolutionary Biology: A Bridge between Research and Educational Practice

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Alvarez Pérez, Eréndira; Ruiz Gutiérrez, Rosaura

    2016-01-01

    We present quantitative results for the doctoral thesis of the first-named author of this article. The objective was to recommend and test a teaching proposal for core knowledge of evolutionary biology in secondary education. The focus of the study is "Problem cores in teaching". The "Weaving evolutionary thinking" teaching…

  7. Preparing Biology Graduate Teaching Assistants for Their Roles as Instructors: An Assessment of Institutional Approaches.

    PubMed

    Schussler, Elisabeth E; Read, Quentin; Marbach-Ad, Gili; Miller, Kristen; Ferzli, Miriam

    2015-01-01

    The inconsistency of professional development (PD) in teaching for graduate teaching assistants (GTAs) is a widespread problem in higher education. Although GTAs serve an important role in retention of undergraduate science majors and in promotion of scientific literacy in nonmajors, they often lack preparation and ongoing support for teaching. Given the recent national focus on instructional quality in introductory courses, our goal was to use an online survey to identify current practices of teaching PD for biology GTAs and compare these results with the last national survey on this topic. In responses from 71 participant institutions, 96% reported some mandatory teaching preparation for biology GTAs; however, 52% of these programs required 10 or fewer hours per year. Respondents wanted to change their programs to include more pedagogical information and teaching observations with feedback to their GTAs. Programmatic self-ratings of satisfaction with GTA PD were positively correlated with the number of topics discussed during PD. Although more schools are requiring GTA PD for teaching compared with the last national survey, the lack of program breadth at many schools warrants a national conversation with regard to recent calls for improving undergraduate instruction. © 2015 E. E. Schussler et al. CBE—Life Sciences Education © 2015 The American Society for Cell Biology. This article is distributed by The American Society for Cell Biology under license from the author(s). It is available to the public under an Attribution–Noncommercial–Share Alike 3.0 Unported Creative Commons License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0).

  8. Biological effects and mechanisms of shortwave radiation: a review.

    PubMed

    Yu, Chao; Peng, Rui-Yun

    2017-01-01

    With the increasing knowledge of shortwave radiation, it is widely used in wireless communications, radar observations, industrial manufacturing, and medical treatments. Despite of the benefits from shortwave, these wide applications expose humans to the risk of shortwave electromagnetic radiation, which is alleged to cause potential damage to biological systems. This review focused on the exposure to shortwave electromagnetic radiation, considering in vitro, in vivo and epidemiological results that have provided insight into the biological effects and mechanisms of shortwave. Additionally, some protective measures and suggestions are discussed here in the hope of obtaining more benefits from shortwave with fewer health risks.

  9. [Biological effects of non-ionizing electromagnetic radiation].

    PubMed

    Fedorowski, A; Steciwko, A

    1998-01-01

    Since the mid 1970's, when Adey discovered that extremely-low-frequency electromagnetic field (ELF EMF) may affect the calcium ions efflux from various cells, bioeffects of non-ionizing radiation (NIR) have become the subject of growing interest and numerous research projects. At present, the fact that NIR exerts both stimulatory and inhibitory effects on different physiological cellular parameters is rather unquestionable. At the same time, some epidemiological studies suggest that exposure to EMF is potentially harmful even if its intensity is very low. It has been proved that thermal factors are not responsible for these effects, therefore nowadays, they are called 'non-thermal effects'. Our paper deals with three different aspects of biological effects of non-ionizing radiation, bioelectromagnetism, electromagnetobiology and electromagnetic bioinformation. Firstly, we describe how EMF and photons can be produced within a living cell, how biological cycles are controlled, and what are the features of endogenous electromagnetic radiation. Secondly, we discuss various facets of external EMF interactions with living matter, focusing on extremely-low-frequencies, radio- and microwaves. Possible mechanisms of these interactions are also mentioned. Finally, we present a short overview of current theories which explain how electromagnetic couplings may control an open and dissipative structure, namely the living organism. The theory of electromagnetic bioinformation seems to explain how different physiological processes are triggered and controlled, as well as how long-range interactions may possibly occur within the complex biological system. The review points out that the presented research data must be assessed very carefully since its evaluation is crucial to set the proper limits of EMF exposure, both occupational and environmental. The study of biological effects of non-ioinizing radiation may also contribute to the development of new diagnostic and therapeutic

  10. Using Dinosaur Models To Teach Deductive Reasoning Skills in Vertebrate Biology Lab.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Chang, Nada

    2000-01-01

    Points out the importance of the ability to apply knowledge in a problem-solving manner to real-life situations for biology students rather than possessing an exhaustive accumulation of facts. Describes a teaching approach that employs three-dimensional animal models to teach the student how to use deductive reasoning and critical analysis to…

  11. Thai in-service teacher understanding of nature of science in biology teaching: Case of Mali

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Aiemsum-ang, Napapan; Yuenyong, Chokchai

    2018-01-01

    This paper aimed to investigate the existing ideas of nature of science (NOS) teaching in Thailand biology classroom. The study reported the existing ideas of nature of science (NOS) teaching of one biology teacher Mrs. Mali who had been teaching for 6 years at in a school in Khon Kaen city. Methodology regarded interpretive paradigm. Tools of interpretation included 2 months of classroom observation, interviewing, and questionnaire of NOS. The findings revealed Mali held good understanding of the nature of science in the aspect of the use of evidence, the aspect of knowledge inquiry through different observation and deduction, the aspect of creativity and imagination influencing science knowledge inquiry, and the aspect of changeable scientific knowledge. Her biology teaching indicated that she used both the deficient nature of science approach and the implicit nature of science approach. The implicit nature of science approach was applied mostly in 7 periods and only 2 periods were arranged using the deficient nature of science approach. The paper has implication for professional development and pre-service program on NOS teaching in Thailand.

  12. Teaching about Radioactivity and Ionising Radiation: An Alternative Approach.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Millar, Robin; And Others

    1990-01-01

    Children's ideas about radiation and radioactivity are reviewed and several common areas of misunderstanding are identified. An approach to teaching the topic at the secondary school level which seeks to specifically address known difficulties is outlined. (CW)

  13. Advances in the biological effects of terahertz wave radiation.

    PubMed

    Zhao, Li; Hao, Yan-Hui; Peng, Rui-Yun

    2014-01-01

    The terahertz (THz) band lies between microwave and infrared rays in wavelength and consists of non-ionizing radiation. Both domestic and foreign research institutions, including the army, have attached considerable importance to the research and development of THz technology because this radiation exhibits both photon-like and electron-like properties, which grant it considerable application value and potential. With the rapid development of THz technology and related applications, studies of the biological effects of THz radiation have become a major focus in the field of life sciences. Research in this field has only just begun, both at home and abroad. In this paper, research progress with respect to THz radiation, including its biological effects, mechanisms and methods of protection, will be reviewed.

  14. Biological Effects of Space Radiation and Development of Effective Countermeasures

    PubMed Central

    Kennedy, Ann R.

    2014-01-01

    As part of a program to assess the adverse biological effects expected from astronaut exposure to space radiation, numerous different biological effects relating to astronaut health have been evaluated. There has been major focus recently on the assessment of risks related to exposure to solar particle event (SPE) radiation. The effects related to various types of space radiation exposure that have been evaluated are: gene expression changes (primarily associated with programmed cell death and extracellular matrix (ECM) remodeling), oxidative stress, gastrointestinal tract bacterial translocation and immune system activation, peripheral hematopoietic cell counts, emesis, blood coagulation, skin, behavior/fatigue (including social exploration, submaximal exercise treadmill and spontaneous locomotor activity), heart functions, alterations in biological endpoints related to astronaut vision problems (lumbar puncture/intracranial pressure, ocular ultrasound and histopathology studies), and survival, as well as long-term effects such as cancer and cataract development. A number of different countermeasures have been identified that can potentially mitigate or prevent the adverse biological effects resulting from exposure to space radiation. PMID:25258703

  15. Biological particle identification apparatus

    DOEpatents

    Salzman, Gary C.; Gregg, Charles T.; Grace, W. Kevin; Hiebert, Richard D.

    1989-01-01

    An apparatus and method for making multiparameter light scattering measurements from suspensions of biological particles is described. Fourteen of the sixteen Mueller matrix elements describing the particles under investigation can be substantially individually determined as a function of scattering angle and probing radiations wavelength, eight elements simultaneously for each of two apparatus configurations using an apparatus which incluees, in its simplest form, two polarization modulators each operating at a chosen frequency, one polarizer, a source of monochromatic electromagnetic radiation, a detector sensitive to the wavelength of radiation employed, eight phase-sensitive detectors, and appropriate electronics. A database of known biological particle suspensions can be assembled, and unknown samples can be quickly identified once measurements are performed on it according to the teachings of the subject invention, and a comparison is made with the database.

  16. High School Biology Teachers' Views on Teaching Evolution: Implications for Science Teacher Educators

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hermann, Ronald S.

    2013-06-01

    In the US, there may be few scientific concepts that students maintain preconceived ideas about as strongly and passionately as they do with regard to evolution. At the confluence of a multitude of social, religious, political, and scientific factors lies the biology teacher. This phenomenological study provides insight into the salient aspects of teaching evolution as viewed by public high school biology teachers. Transcribed interviews were coded, and data were sorted resulting in key themes regarding teachers' views of evolution education. These themes are presented against the backdrop of extant literature on the teaching and learning of evolution. Suggestions for science teacher educators are presented such that we can modify teacher preparation programs to better prepare science teachers to meet the challenges of teaching evolution.

  17. Low-level radiation: biological interactions, risks, and benefits. A bibliography

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    None

    1978-09-01

    The bibliography contains 3294 references that were selected from the Department of Energy's data base (EDB). The subjects covered are lower-level radiation effects on man, environmental radiation, and other biological interactions of radiation that appear to be applicable to the low-level radiation problem.

  18. Biology relevant to space radiation

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Fry, R J.M.

    There are only very limited data on the health effects to humans from the two major components of the radiations in space, namely protons and heavy ions. As a result, predictions of the accompanying effects must be based either on (1) data generated through studies of experimental systems exposed on earth at rates and fluences higher than those in space, or (2) extrapolations from studies of gamma and x rays. Better information is needed about the doses, dose rates, and the energy and LET spectra of the radiations at the organ level that are anticipated to be encountered during extendedmore » space missions. In particular, there is a need for better estimates of the relationship between radiation quality and biological effects. In the case of deterministic effects, it is the threshold that is important. The possibility of the occurrence of a large solar particle event (SPE) requires that such effects be considered during extended space missions. Analyses suggest, however, that it is feasible to provide sufficient shielding so as to reduce such effects to acceptable levels, particularly if the dose rates can be limited. If these analyses prove correct, the primary biological risks will be the stochastic effects (latent cancer induction). The contribution of one large SPE to the risk of stochastic effects while undesirable will not be large in comparison to the potential total dose on a mission of long duration.« less

  19. A Thai pre-service teacher's understanding of nature of science in biology teaching

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Srisawat, Akkarawat; Aiemsum-ang, Napapan; Yuenyong, Chokchai

    2018-01-01

    This study was conducted on the effect of understanding and instruction of the nature of science of Ms. Wanida, a pre-service student under science education program in biology, Faculty of Education, Khon Kaen University. Wanida was a teaching practicum student majoring in biology at Khon Kaen University Demonstration School (Modindaeng). She was teaching biology for 38 Grade 10 students. Methodology regarded interpretive paradigm. The study aimed to examine 1) Wanida's understanding of the nature of science, 2) Wanida's instruction of the nature of science, 3 students' understanding of the nature of science from Wanida's instruction, and 4) the effects of Wanida's understanding and instruction of the nature of science on students' understanding of the nature of science from Wanida's instruction. Tools of interpretation included teaching observation, a semi-structured interview, open-ended questionnaire, and an observation record form for the instruction of the nature of science. The data obtained was interpreted, encoded, and classified, using the descriptive statistics. The findings indicated that Wanida held good understanding of the nature of science. She could apply the deficient nature of science approach mostly, followed by the implicit nature of science approach. Unfortunately, she could not show her teaching as explicit nature of science. However, her students' the understanding of the nature of science was good.

  20. Just-in-Time Teaching in Biology: Creating an Active Learner Classroom Using the Internet

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Marrs, Kathleen A.; Novak, Gregor

    2004-01-01

    Just-in-Time Teaching (ITT) is a teaching and learning approach that combines the best features of traditional in-class instruction with the communication and resource potential available via the Web. We describe here how ITT can be used to teach biology to undergraduate and graduate level students, both science majors as well as non science…

  1. IAEA activities related to radiation biology and health effects of radiation.

    PubMed

    Wondergem, Jan; Rosenblatt, Eduardo

    2012-03-01

    The IAEA is involved in capacity building with regard to the radiobiological sciences in its member states through its technical cooperation programme. Research projects/programmes are normally carried out within the framework of coordinated research projects (CRPs). Under this programme, two CRPs have been approved which are relevant to nuclear/radiation accidents: (1) stem cell therapeutics to modify radiation-induced damage to normal tissue, and (2) strengthening biological dosimetry in IAEA member states.

  2. Awareness of Societal Issues Among High School Biology Teachers Teaching Genetics

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lazarowitz, Reuven; Bloch, Ilit

    2005-12-01

    The purpose of this study was to investigate how aware high school biology teachers are of societal issues (values, moral, ethic, and legal issues) while teaching genetics, genetics engineering, molecular genetics, human heredity, and evolution. The study includes a short historical review of World War II atrocities during the Holocaust when scientists from all the above-mentioned disciplines had been involved in trying to support and develop the eugenics theories. It investigates pre- and postwar theories of the eugenics movement in the United States which were implemented successfully in Germany and a literature survey of the studies of societal issues related to these subjects. The sample consisted of 30 male and female biology teachers. Enclosed are teachers' answers in favor or against including debates about societal issues in their classrooms while teaching the disciplines mentioned above. Teachers' answers were analyzed in relation to three variables: years of teaching experience, gender, and religion faith. Data were collected from questionnaires and personal interviews and analyzed according to qualitative and quantitative methods. The results show that amongst the teachers there is a medium to low level of awareness of societal issues, while mainly emphasizing scientific subjects in preparation of matriculation examinations. The majority of the teachers do not include societal issues in their teaching, but if students raise these issues, teachers claimed to address them. No differences in teachers' opinions to societal issues were found in relation to gender or religious faith. Teachers with more years of teaching experience tend to teach with a more Science, Technology, and Society (STS) approach than novice teachers. The results are discussed in relation to teachers' professional development and teaching strategies are suggested to be used in their classrooms based on a STS approach, which includes the societal issues as a main goal.

  3. Biological Sensors for Solar Ultraviolet Radiation

    PubMed Central

    Yagura, Teiti; Makita, Kazuo; Yamamoto, Hiromasa; Menck, Carlos F.M.; Schuch, André P.

    2011-01-01

    Solar ultraviolet (UV) radiation is widely known as a genotoxic environmental agent that affects Earth ecosystems and the human population. As a primary consequence of the stratospheric ozone layer depletion observed over the last decades, the increasing UV incidence levels have heightened the concern regarding deleterious consequences affecting both the biosphere and humans, thereby leading to an increase in scientific efforts to understand the role of sunlight in the induction of DNA damage, mutagenesis, and cell death. In fact, the various UV-wavelengths evoke characteristic biological impacts that greatly depend on light absorption of biomolecules, especially DNA, in living organisms, thereby justifying the increasing importance of developing biological sensors for monitoring the harmful impact of solar UV radiation under various environmental conditions. In this review, several types of biosensors proposed for laboratory and field application, that measure the biological effects of the UV component of sunlight, are described. Basically, the applicability of sensors based on DNA, bacteria or even mammalian cells are presented and compared. Data are also presented showing that on using DNA-based sensors, the various types of damage produced differ when this molecule is exposed in either an aqueous buffer or a dry solution. Apart from the data thus generated, the development of novel biosensors could help in evaluating the biological effects of sunlight on the environment. They also emerge as alternative tools for using live animals in the search for protective sunscreen products. PMID:22163847

  4. Study on the biological effect of cosmic radiation and the development of radiation protection technology (L-11)

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Nagaoka, Shunji

    1993-01-01

    NASDA is now participating in a series of flight experiments on Spacelab missions. The first experiment was carried out on the first International Microgravity Laboratory Mission (IML-1) January 1992, and the second experiment will be conducted on the Spacelab-J Mission, First Materials Processing Test (FMPT). The equipment or Radiation Monitoring Container Devices (RMCD) includes passive dosimeter systems and biological specimens. The experiments using this hardware are designed by NASDA to measure and investigate the radiation levels inside spacecraft like space shuttle and to look at the basic effects of the space environment from the aspect of radiation biology. The data gathered will be analyzed to understand the details of biological effects as well as the physical nature of space radiation registered in the sensitive Solid-State Track Detectors (SSTD).

  5. Teaching Strategies: Supporting EAL Students in Learning Biology Terminology

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fernando, Primani; Cooper, Rebecca

    2017-01-01

    This paper provides a brief introduction to teaching strategies that can be used to support English as Additional Language (EAL) students in learning biology terminology. The paper begins with an overview of EAL students and considers the difficulties that they may face in the classroom along with the challenges that mainstream teachers may have…

  6. Effects of Subject-Matter Knowledge in the Teaching of Biology and Physics.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hashweh, Maher Z.

    An analysis of science teacher's knowledge of specific biology and physics topics and the effects of this knowledge on their planning for instruction and on simulated teaching are discussed in this report. Six experienced secondary school teachers participated in the study. Each teacher's knowledge of a biology topic and a physics topic was…

  7. Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) in Biology Teaching in Slovenian Secondary Schools

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sorgo, Andrej; Verckovnik, Tatjana; Kocijancic, Slavko

    2010-01-01

    About two-thirds of Slovene secondary schools received computers equipped with data-loggers and sensors to be used in teaching Physics, Chemistry and Biology. Later it was recognized that only a couple of Biology teachers were using the donated equipment in their classrooms or laboratories. The questionnaire, intended to investigate the situation,…

  8. Biological Complexities in Radiation Carcinogenesis and Cancer Radiotherapy: Impact of New Biological Paradigms

    PubMed Central

    Mozdarani, Hossein

    2012-01-01

    Although radiation carcinogenesis has been shown both experimentally and epidemiologically, the use of ionizing radiation is also one of the major modalities in cancer treatment. Various known cellular and molecular events are involved in carcinogenesis. Apart from the known phenomena, there could be implications for carcinogenesis and cancer prevention due to other biological processes such as the bystander effect, the abscopal effect, intrinsic radiosensitivity and radioadaptation. Bystander effects have consequences for mutation initiated cancer paradigms of radiation carcinogenesis, which provide the mechanistic justification for low-dose risk estimates. The abscopal effect is potentially important for tumor control and is mediated through cytokines and/or the immune system (mainly cell-mediated immunity). It results from loss of growth and stimulatory and/or immunosuppressive factors from the tumor. Intrinsic radiosensitivity is a feature of some cancer prone chromosomal breakage syndromes such as ataxia telangectiasia. Radiosensitivity is manifested as higher chromosomal aberrations and DNA repair impairment is now known as a good biomarker for breast cancer screening and prediction of prognosis. However, it is not yet known whether this effect is good or bad for those receiving radiation or radiomimetic agents for treatment. Radiation hormesis is another major concern for carcinogenesis. This process which protects cells from higher doses of radiation or radio mimic chemicals, may lead to the escape of cells from mitotic death or apoptosis and put cells with a lower amount of damage into the process of cancer induction. Therefore, any of these biological phenomena could have impact on another process giving rise to genome instability of cells which are not in the field of radiation but still receiving a lower amount of radiation. For prevention of radiation induced carcinogenesis or risk assessment as well as for successful radiation therapy, all these

  9. Interconversion of biologically important carboxylic acids by radiation

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Negron-Mendoza, A.; Ponnamperuma, C.

    1978-01-01

    The interconversion of a group of biologically important polycarboxylic acids (acetic, fumaric, malic, malonic, succinic, citric, isocitric, tricarballylic) under gamma-ray or ultraviolet radiation was investigated. The formation of high molecular weight compounds was observed in all cases. Succinic acid was formed in almost all radiolysis experiments. Citric, malonic, and succinic acids appeared to be relatively insensitive to radiation. Interconversion of the polycarboxylic acids studied may have occurred under the effect of radiation in the prebiotic earth.

  10. Bragg Curve, Biological Bragg Curve and Biological Issues in Space Radiation Protection with Shielding

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Honglu, Wu; Cucinotta, F.A.; Durante, M.; Lin, Z.; Rusek, A.

    2006-01-01

    The space environment consists of a varying field of radiation particles including high-energy ions, with spacecraft shielding material providing the major protection to astronauts from harmful exposure. Unlike low-LET gamma or X-rays, the presence of shielding does not always reduce the radiation risks for energetic charged particle exposure. Since the dose delivered by the charged particle increases sharply as the particle approaches the end of its range, a position known as the Bragg peak, the Bragg curve does not necessarily represent the biological damage along the particle traversal since biological effects are influenced by the track structure of both primary and secondary particles. Therefore, the biological Bragg curve is dependent on the energy and the type of the primary particle, and may vary for different biological endpoints. To achieve a Bragg curve distribution, we exposed cells to energetic heavy ions with the beam geometry parallel to a monolayer of fibroblasts. Qualitative analyses of gamma-H2AX fluorescence, a known marker of DSBs, indicated increased clustering of DNA damage before the Bragg peak, enhanced homogenous distribution at the peak, and provided visual evidence of high linear energy transfer (LET) particle traversal of cells beyond the Bragg peak. A quantitative biological response curve generated for micronuclei (MN) induction across the Bragg curve did not reveal an increased yield of MN at the location of the Bragg peak. However, the ratio of mono-to bi-nucleated cells, which indicates inhibition in cell progression, increased at the Bragg peak location. These results, along with other biological concerns, show that space radiation protection with shielding can be a complicated issue.

  11. The effects of co-teaching on student test performance and attitudes towards science in high school biology

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Cole, Virginia Scott

    Reform efforts in response to the inclusion of students with disabilities into general education classrooms have become necessary to shift students' placements into the science classroom. An investigation into the effects of co-teaching in high school biology classrooms was conducted to explore the impact of two models of co-teaching on biology students' achievement and their attitudes towards science. Quantitative data were collected using a diagnostic exam, student chapter test scores, and the Scientific Attitude Inventory II (SAI II) (Moore & Foy, 1997). Additionally, qualitative data were collected from student and teacher interviews, as well as reflections recorded by the general education participating teacher. The study occurred at a predominantly African-American high school in an Alabama city school with approximately 700 students. The population for the study was composed of 62 high school biology students, with 18 of those students placed inclusively in the biology classroom as a result of No Child Left Behind legislation. The participating teachers consisted of one general education biology teacher and one highly qualified, science special education teacher. Twelve students, along with the special education participating teacher, were interviewed and provided qualitative data after completion of the study. The general education teacher provided teacher reflection responses to contribute qualitatively on the impact of co-teaching in high school biology. Quantitative data analysis was performed using descriptive statistics, ANOVA, and paired samples t tests analyses. ANOVA results revealed that there were no changes in student test scores of achievement due to the models of instruction implemented. The implementation of no co-teaching, station teaching, and the one-teaching, one-drifting co-teaching models of instruction did not result in significant changes in students' achievement. Furthermore, paired samples t tests revealed no change in students

  12. DIRECT AND INDIRECT BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS OF RADIATION

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Hobitz, H.

    1961-01-01

    The primary physical processes, ionization and excitation, induced by radiation in biological materials are discussed. Their effects in causing reduction, decarboxylation, and depolymerization in proteins and deoxyribonucleic acid of the cell nucleus are examined. The action of radiation doses of 100,000- 600,000 r on pollen of Digitalis purpurea maintained at room temperature and at approximates 190 deg C showed that biological activity was destroyed by doses >200,000 r at room temperature, but at approximates 190 deg the pollen retained some activity even after the highest dose. A similar effect was seen with Bacterium cadaveris cells, about 0.5% of which survivedmore » 50000 r given at l8O deg whereas no cells survived 20000 r given at 4 deg . The presence of 1% cysteamine at the higher temperature increased survival 20-fold. Cytochrome c showed markedly different responses to radiation in dry form as compared with aqueous solution. The anhydrous enzyme showed a linear decline in log activity with radiation dose but in aqueous solution the activity declined more slowly at higher doses. The radiation dose to-produce 50% inactivation was 4 x 10/sup 7/ r in dry form and 6 x 10/sup 5/ r in solution, a 67-fold difference. The results suggest that diffusion of the free radicals (H: or OH:) produced in the primary process is considerably hindered at low temperature and by the absence of water. (H.H.D.)« less

  13. Use of the "Tree" Analogy in Evolution Teaching by Biology Teachers

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Marcelos, Maria Fátima; Nagem, Ronaldo Luiz

    2012-04-01

    This work discusses the use of Darwin's `Tree of Life' as a didactic analogy and metaphor in teaching evolution. It investigates whether biology teachers of pupils from 17 to 18 years old know Darwin's text `Tree of Life'. In addition, it examines whether those teachers systematically employ either the analogies present in that text or other analogies between the tree and evolution, and whether they adopt a specific methodology for teaching with analogies and metaphors (A&M). The academic training of teachers regarding use of A&M is review briefly. A diagnostic study was carried out with biology teachers in a public school in the town of Contagem in the state of Minas Gerais in Brazil. The data were obtained through direct observation, questionnaires and a focus group. The teachers pointed out in the questionnaires that some details of Darwin's analogy are utilized as a resource. However, analysis of the data indicates that the `Tree of Life' text is not known or utilized in class. At the same time, the teachers state that they use aspects of the tree as a didactic resource to teach evolution and that its use facilitates the learning of content. The teachers have little knowledge of specific methodologies of teaching with analogies and metaphors, revealing that their training is incomplete in this area.

  14. Preparing Biology Graduate Teaching Assistants for Their Roles as Instructors: An Assessment of Institutional Approaches

    PubMed Central

    Schussler, Elisabeth E.; Read, Quentin; Marbach-Ad, Gili; Miller, Kristen; Ferzli, Miriam

    2015-01-01

    The inconsistency of professional development (PD) in teaching for graduate teaching assistants (GTAs) is a widespread problem in higher education. Although GTAs serve an important role in retention of undergraduate science majors and in promotion of scientific literacy in nonmajors, they often lack preparation and ongoing support for teaching. Given the recent national focus on instructional quality in introductory courses, our goal was to use an online survey to identify current practices of teaching PD for biology GTAs and compare these results with the last national survey on this topic. In responses from 71 participant institutions, 96% reported some mandatory teaching preparation for biology GTAs; however, 52% of these programs required 10 or fewer hours per year. Respondents wanted to change their programs to include more pedagogical information and teaching observations with feedback to their GTAs. Programmatic self-ratings of satisfaction with GTA PD were positively correlated with the number of topics discussed during PD. Although more schools are requiring GTA PD for teaching compared with the last national survey, the lack of program breadth at many schools warrants a national conversation with regard to recent calls for improving undergraduate instruction. PMID:26231562

  15. Making Research Fly in Schools: "Drosophila" as a Powerful Modern Tool for Teaching Biology

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Harbottle, Jennifer; Strangward, Patrick; Alnuamaani, Catherine; Lawes, Surita; Patel, Sanjai; Prokop, Andreas

    2016-01-01

    The "droso4schools" project aims to introduce the fruit fly "Drosophila" as a powerful modern teaching tool to convey curriculum-relevant specifications in biology lessons. Flies are easy and cheap to breed and have been at the forefront of biology research for a century, providing unique conceptual understanding of biology and…

  16. How well are you teaching one of the most important biological concepts for humankind? A call to action

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Bonar, Scott A.; Fife, Deanna A.; Bonar, John S.

    2016-01-01

    We represent several generations of biology educators – with teaching experiences beginning in the 1940s and continuing to the present, from elementary school to graduate-level programs. We find the vast array of subjects that biology teachers can now cover both thrilling and mind-boggling. Depending on the grade level, units exist that focus on neurobiology, forensics, DNA analysis, biotechnology, marine biology, and a host of other topics.Although science teachers cover a potpourri of advanced topics, we must ask ourselves – no matter our biology-teaching responsibilities – how well we are teaching carrying capacity, one of the most fundamental biological concepts for our society, knowledge of which becomes more important every day. As biology teachers, most of you know that carrying capacity is defined as the maximum population an environment can sustain, given the amounts of food, habitat, and other resources available. Every environment – from your goldfish bowl to the local forest to planet Earth – can only sustain a set number (weight) of a particular species, based on available resources and space. Currently, most science classes teach

  17. A Hypothesis on Biological Protection from Space Radiation Through the Use of Therapeutic Gases

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Schoenfeld, Michael

    2011-01-01

    This slide presentation proposes a hypothesis to use therapeutic gases in space to enhance the biological protection for astronauts from space radiation. The fundamental role in how radiation causes biological damage appears to be radiolysis, the dissociation of water by radiation. A chain of events appears to cause molecular and biological transformations that ultimately manifest into medical diseases. The hypothesis of this work is that applying medical gases may increase resistance to radiation, by possessing the chemical properties that effectively improve the radical scavenging and enhance bond repair and to induce biological processes which enhance and support natural resistance and repair mechanisms.

  18. Assessing an effective undergraduate module teaching applied bioinformatics to biology students

    PubMed Central

    2018-01-01

    Applied bioinformatics skills are becoming ever more indispensable for biologists, yet incorporation of these skills into the undergraduate biology curriculum is lagging behind, in part due to a lack of instructors willing and able to teach basic bioinformatics in classes that don’t specifically focus on quantitative skill development, such as statistics or computer sciences. To help undergraduate course instructors who themselves did not learn bioinformatics as part of their own education and are hesitant to plunge into teaching big data analysis, a module was developed that is written in plain-enough language, using publicly available computing tools and data, to allow novice instructors to teach next-generation sequence analysis to upper-level undergraduate students. To determine if the module allowed students to develop a better understanding of and appreciation for applied bioinformatics, various tools were developed and employed to assess the impact of the module. This article describes both the module and its assessment. Students found the activity valuable for their education and, in focus group discussions, emphasized that they saw a need for more and earlier instruction of big data analysis as part of the undergraduate biology curriculum. PMID:29324777

  19. Space Radiation and Manned Mission: Interface Between Physics and Biology

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hei, Tom

    2012-07-01

    The natural radiation environment in space consists of a mixed field of high energy protons, heavy ions, electrons and alpha particles. Interplanetary travel to the International Space Station and any planned establishment of satellite colonies on other solar system implies radiation exposure to the crew and is a major concern to space agencies. With shielding, the radiation exposure level in manned space missions is likely to be chronic, low dose irradiation. Traditionally, our knowledge of biological effects of cosmic radiation in deep space is almost exclusively derived from ground-based accelerator experiments with heavy ions in animal or in vitro models. Radiobiological effects of low doses of ionizing radiation are subjected to modulations by various parameters including bystander effects, adaptive response, genomic instability and genetic susceptibility of the exposed individuals. Radiation dosimetry and modeling will provide conformational input in areas where data are difficult to acquire experimentally. However, modeling is only as good as the quality of input data. This lecture will discuss the interdependent nature of physics and biology in assessing the radiobiological response to space radiation.

  20. High school teachers' perspectives on effective approaches for teaching biology to students with special needs

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kos, Agnieszka

    The demands of national educational reforms require high school biology teachers to provide high quality instruction to students with and without special needs. The reforms, however, do not provide teachers with adequate teaching strategies to meet the needs of all students in the same context. The purpose of this grounded theory study was to understand high school biology teachers' perspectives, practices, and challenges in relation to teaching students with special needs. This approach was used to develop a substantive model for high school biology teachers who are challenged with teaching students with and without special needs. Data were collected via in-depth interviews with 15 high school teachers in a Midwestern school district. The data were analyzed using open coding, axial coding, and selective coding procedures in accordance with the grounded theory approach. Essential model components included skills and training for teachers, classroom management strategies, teaching strategies, and student skills. The emergent substantive theory indicated that that teacher preparation and acquired skills greatly influence the effectiveness of inclusion implementation. Key findings also indicated the importance of using of a variety of instructional strategies and classroom management strategies that address students' special needs and their learning styles. This study contributes to social change by providing a model for teaching students and effectively implementing inclusion in regular science classrooms. Following further study, this model may be used to support teacher professional development and improve teaching practices that in turn may improve science literacy supported by the national educational reforms.

  1. Interdisciplinary Lessons for the Teaching of Biology from the Practice of Evo-Devo

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Love, Alan C.

    2013-01-01

    Evolutionary developmental biology (Evo-devo) is a vibrant area of contemporary life science that should be (and is) increasingly incorporated into teaching curricula. Although the inclusion of this content is important for biological pedagogy at multiple levels of instruction, there are also philosophical lessons that can be drawn from the…

  2. Biological effects of high ultraviolet radiation on early earth--a theoretical evaluation.

    PubMed

    Cockell, C S

    1998-08-21

    The surface of early Earth was exposed to both UVC radiation (< 280 nm) and higher doses of UVB (280-315 nm) compared with the surface of present day Earth. The degree to which this radiation environment acted as a selection pressure on organisms and biological systems has rarely been theoretically examined with respect to the biologically effective irradiances that ancient organisms would receive. Here action spectra for DNA inactivation and isolated chloroplast inhibition are used to estimate biologically effective irradiances on archean Earth. Comparisons are made with present day Earth. The theoretical estimations on the UV radiation screening required to protect DNA on archean Earth compare well with field and laboratory observations on protection strategies found in present day microbial communities. They suggest that many physical and biological methods may have been effective and would have allowed for the radiation of life even under the high UV radiation regimes of archean Earth. Such strategies would also have provided effective reduction of photoinhibition by UV radiation. The data also suggest that the UV regime on the surface of Mars is not a life limiting factor per se, although other environmental factors such as desiccation and low temperatures may contribute towards the apparent lack of a surface biota.

  3. Impacts of Insufficient Instructional Materials on Teaching Biology: Higher Education Systems in Focus

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Edessa, Sutuma

    2017-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to assess and determine impacts of insufficient instructional materials and ineffective lesson delivery methods on teaching in biology higher education. The participants of this study were 60 trainees who graduated in Bachelor of Sciences from eight public universities in majoring biology. Data for the study was…

  4. Cell phone radiation exposure on brain and associated biological systems.

    PubMed

    Kesari, Kavindra Kumar; Siddiqui, Mohd Haris; Meena, Ramovatar; Verma, H N; Kumar, Shivendra

    2013-03-01

    Wireless technologies are ubiquitous today and the mobile phones are one of the prodigious output of this technology. Although the familiarization and dependency of mobile phones is growing at an alarming pace, the biological effects due to the exposure of radiations have become a subject of intense debate. The present evidence on mobile phone radiation exposure is based on scientific research and public policy initiative to give an overview of what is known of biological effects that occur at radiofrequency (RF)/ electromagnetic fields (EMFs) exposure. The conflict in conclusions is mainly because of difficulty in controlling the affecting parameters. Biological effects are dependent not only on the distance and size of the object (with respect to the object) but also on the environmental parameters. Health endpoints reported to be associated with RF include childhood leukemia, brain tumors, genotoxic effects, neurological effects and neurodegenerative diseases, immune system deregulation, allergic and inflammatory responses, infertility and some cardiovascular effects. Most of the reports conclude a reasonable suspicion of mobile phone risk that exists based on clear evidence of bio-effects which with prolonged exposures may reasonably be presumed to result in health impacts. The present study summarizes the public issue based on mobile phone radiation exposure and their biological effects. This review concludes that the regular and long term use of microwave devices (mobile phone, microwave oven) at domestic level can have negative impact upon biological system especially on brain. It also suggests that increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) play an important role by enhancing the effect of microwave radiations which may cause neurodegenerative diseases.

  5. Radiation-resistant composite for biological shield of personnel

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Barabash, D. E.; Barabash, A. D.; Potapov, Yu B.; Panfilov, D. V.; Perekalskiy, O. E.

    2017-10-01

    This article presents the results of theoretical and practical justification for the use of polymer concrete based on nonisocyanate polyurethanes in biological shield structures. We have identified the impact of ratio: polymer - radiation-resistant filling compound on the durability and protection properties of polymer concrete. The article expounds regression dependence of the change of basic properties of the aforementioned polymer concrete on the absorbed radiation dose rate. Synergy effect in attenuation of radioactivity release in case of conjoint use of hydrogenous polymer base and radiation-resistant powder is also addressed herein.

  6. Construction of the radiation oncology teaching files system for charged particle radiotherapy.

    PubMed

    Masami, Mukai; Yutaka, Ando; Yasuo, Okuda; Naoto, Takahashi; Yoshihisa, Yoda; Hiroshi, Tsuji; Tadashi, Kamada

    2013-01-01

    Our hospital started the charged particle therapy since 1996. New institutions for charged particle therapy are planned in the world. Our hospital are accepting many visitors from those newly planned medical institutions and having many opportunities to provide with the training to them. Based upon our experiences, we have developed the radiation oncology teaching files system for charged particle therapy. We adopted the PowerPoint of Microsoft as a basic framework of our teaching files system. By using our export function of the viewer any physician can create teaching files easily and effectively. Now our teaching file system has 33 cases for clinical and physics contents. We expect that we can improve the safety and accuracy of charged particle therapy by using our teaching files system substantially.

  7. Teaching practices and professional development of biology professors at small, private, liberal arts colleges in the Southeast

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mallory, Sarah Elizabeth Bradford

    Science teaching in pre-college institutions has been undergoing reform in recent years, particularly since 1996, when the National Science Education Standards were published. This reform includes inquiry-based teaching, student-centered classrooms, authentic assessment, and collaborative learning. Professional development is also recommended in the Standards document as the means for preparing teachers for reform-based teaching in pre-college classrooms. In post-secondary institutions, there is no curriculum-governing body to institute reform, and college faculty have devised their own standards and methods for teaching science, most often in the form of lecture and traditional procedure-driven laboratory exercises. This study was conducted to find examples of reform-based biology teaching in small, private, liberal arts colleges in the Southeast, where teaching innovations may be more likely to occur due to the size and independence of the schools. Professional development opportunities were also examined, since these would be important in the development of new curricula and methods of teaching. Data were collected from 151 participants, representing 78.3% of these colleges in eight southeastern states, by survey and from three volunteers by on-site interviews. Teaching was the main responsibility reported by all respondents, with both lower and upper level biology courses taught by all participants. Significant differences were found in the use of reform-based teaching in lower level biology courses versus upper level biology courses. Overall average use of inquiry-based teaching was 70.5%, while student-centered learning was reported on average by 57% of respondents, authentic assessment was reported on average by 56.6% of respondents, and collaborative learning was reported on average by 56% of respondents. Professional development opportunities most frequently used were reported to be journal, books, and videotapes. Multivariate regression analyses revealed

  8. Functional proteomic analysis revealed ground-base ion radiations cannot reflect biological effects of space radiations of rice

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wang, Wei; Sun, Yeqing; Zhao, Qian; Han, Lu

    2016-07-01

    Highly ionizing radiation (HZE) in space is considered as main factor causing biological effects. Radiobiological studies during space flights are unrepeatable due to the variable space radiation environment, ground-base ion radiations are usually performed to simulate of the space biological effect. Spaceflights present a low-dose rate (0.1˜~0.3mGy/day) radiation environment inside aerocrafts while ground-base ion radiations present a much higher dose rate (100˜~500mGy/min). Whether ground-base ion radiation can reflect effects of space radiation is worth of evaluation. In this research, we compared the functional proteomic profiles of rice plants between on-ground simulated HZE particle radiation and spaceflight treatments. Three independent ground-base seed ionizing radiation experiments with different cumulative doses (dose range: 2˜~20000mGy) and different liner energy transfer (LET) values (13.3˜~500keV/μμm) and two independent seed spaceflight experiments onboard Chinese 20th satellite and SZ-6 spacecraft were carried out. Alterations in the proteome were analyzed by two-dimensional difference gel electrophoresis (2-D DIGE) with MALDI-TOF/TOF mass spectrometry identifications. 45 and 59 proteins showed significant (p<0.05) and reproducible quantitative differences in ground-base ion radiation and spaceflight experiments respectively. The functions of ground-base radiation and spaceflight proteins were both involved in a wide range of biological processes. Gene Ontology enrichment analysis further revealed that ground-base radiation responsive proteins were mainly involved in removal of superoxide radicals, defense response to stimulus and photosynthesis, while spaceflight responsive proteins mainly participate in nucleoside metabolic process, protein folding and phosphorylation. The results implied that ground-base radiations cannot truly reflect effects of spaceflight radiations, ground-base radiation was a kind of indirect effect to rice causing

  9. Biological Bases of Space Radiation Risk

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1997-01-01

    In this session, Session JP4, the discussion focuses on the following topics: Hematopoiesis Dynamics in Irradiated Mammals, Mathematical Modeling; Estimating Health Risks in Space from Galactic Cosmic Rays; Failure of Heavy Ions to Affect Physiological Integrity of the Corneal Endothelial Monolayer; Application of an Unbiased Two-Gel CDNA Library Screening Method to Expression Monitoring of Genes in Irradiated Versus Control Cells; Detection of Radiation-Induced DNA Strand Breaks in Mammalian Cells By Enzymatic Post-Labeling; Evaluation of Bleomycin-Induced Chromosome Aberrations Under Microgravity Conditions in Human Lymphocytes, Using "Fish" Techniques; Technical Description of the Space Exposure Biology Assembly Seba on ISS; and Cytogenetic Research in Biological Dosimetry.

  10. Enhancements in biologically effective ultraviolet radiation following volcanic eruptions

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Vogelmann, A. M.; Ackerman, T. P.; Turco, R. P.

    1992-01-01

    A radiative transfer model is used to estimate the changes in biologically effective radiation (UV-BE) at the earth's surface produced by the El Chichon (1982) and Mount Pinatubo (1991) eruptions. It is found that in both cases surface intensity can increase because the effect of ozone depletion outweighs the increased scattering.

  11. Radiation Oncology in Undergraduate Medical Education: A Literature Review

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Dennis, Kristopher E.B., E-mail: kdennis@bccancer.bc.c; Duncan, Graeme

    2010-03-01

    Purpose: To review the published literature pertaining to radiation oncology in undergraduate medical education. Methods and Materials: Ovid MEDLINE, Ovid MEDLINE Daily Update and EMBASE databases were searched for the 11-year period of January 1, 1998, through the last week of March 2009. A medical librarian used an extensive list of indexed subject headings and text words. Results: The search returned 640 article references, but only seven contained significant information pertaining to teaching radiation oncology to medical undergraduates. One article described a comprehensive oncology curriculum including recommended radiation oncology teaching objectives and sample student evaluations, two described integrating radiation oncologymore » teaching into a radiology rotation, two described multidisciplinary anatomy-based courses intended to reinforce principles of tumor biology and radiotherapy planning, one described an exercise designed to test clinical reasoning skills within radiation oncology cases, and one described a Web-based curriculum involving oncologic physics. Conclusions: To the authors' knowledge, this is the first review of the literature pertaining to teaching radiation oncology to medical undergraduates, and it demonstrates the paucity of published work in this area of medical education. Teaching radiation oncology should begin early in the undergraduate process, should be mandatory for all students, and should impart knowledge relevant to future general practitioners rather than detailed information relevant only to oncologists. Educators should make use of available model curricula and should integrate radiation oncology teaching into existing curricula or construct stand-alone oncology rotations where the principles of radiation oncology can be conveyed. Assessments of student knowledge and curriculum effectiveness are critical.« less

  12. [Pneumocystis pneumonia biological diagnosis at Fann Teaching Hospital in Dakar, Senegal].

    PubMed

    Dieng, Y; Dieng, T; Sow, D; Wlouhou, S; Sylla, K; Tine, R; Ndiaye, M; Ndiaye, J L; Faye, B; Faye, O; Gaye, O

    2016-03-01

    Data relative to Pneumocystis pneumonia in sub-Saharan Africa are not well known. Weakness of the technical material and use of little sensitive biological tools of diagnosis are among the evoked reasons. The objective of this study is to update the data of the disease at the Fann Teaching Hospital in Dakar and to estimate biological methods used in diagnosis. A descriptive longitudinal study was carried out from January 5th, 2009 to October 31st, 2011 in the parasitology and mycology laboratory of the Fann Teaching Hospital in Dakar. The bronchoalveolar lavages received in the laboratory were examined microscopically for Pneumocystis jirovecii by indirect fluorescent assay or after Giemsa or toluidine blue O staining. One hundred and eighty-three bronchoalveolar lavages withdrawn from 183 patients were received in the laboratory. Sixteen were positive for P. jirovecii at 9% frequency. Four among these patients were HIV positive. Indirect fluorescent assay allowed finding of P. jirovecii among 16 patients while Giemsa staining discovered P. jirovecii only in a single patient. No case was diagnosed by toluidine blue O staining. Pneumocystis pneumonia in Parasitology and Mycology Laboratory of Fann Teaching Hospital at Dakar was mainly diagnosed among HIV patients. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  13. Tagging and purifying proteins to teach molecular biology and advanced biochemistry.

    PubMed

    Roecklein-Canfield, Jennifer A; Lopilato, Jane

    2004-11-01

    Two distinct courses, "Molecular Biology" taught by the Biology Department and "Advanced Biochemistry" taught by the Chemistry Department, complement each other and, when taught in a coordinated and integrated way, can enhance student learning and understanding of complex material. "Molecular Biology" is a comprehensive lecture-based course with a 3-h laboratory once a week, while "Advanced Biochemistry" is a completely laboratory-based course with lecture fully integrated around independent student projects. Both courses emphasize and utilize cutting-edge technology. Teaching across departmental boundaries allows students access to faculty expertise and techniques rarely used at the undergraduate level, namely the tagging of proteins and their use in protein purification. Copyright © 2004 International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

  14. The enhancement of biological ocular UV radiation on beaches compared to the radiation on grass.

    PubMed

    Liu, Guang-Cong; Wang, Fang; Gao, Yan-Yan; Yang, Zheng; Hu, Li-Wen; Gao, Qian; Ri, Jun-Chol; Liu, Yang

    2014-12-01

    The influence of albedo on ocular UV exposure has seldom been reported. This paper aimed to explore the enhancement effect on measured ocular UV radiation due to a sand surface compared to measured ocular UV radiation due to a grass surface. We measured ambient and ocular UV radiation over the beach and grass surface in Sanya City of China (18.4°N, 109.7°E). The experimental apparatus was composed of a manikin and a dual-detector spectrometer. Integration of both UVA and UVB radiation was used to denote UV radiation. Then biologically effective ocular UVB radiation (UVBE) and the ratios of UVBE of two surfaces were calculated. Maximum of ocular UV radiation versus time over the two surfaces is bimodal. UVBE on the beach is significantly larger than UVBE on the sand, and UVBE peaked at different solar elevation angle (SEA) over the two surfaces (about 53° and 40° on the beach and grass, respectively, according to Bayesian regression). The maximum of ocular UVBE ratios is greater than two, which peaked SEA was about 50°. One hour's cumulative radiation under sunny weather exceeds thresholds for photokeratitis, conjunctivitis and lens damage. Higher albedo significantly increased biological ocular UV radiation. Tourists on tropical beaches should take protective measures and avoid facing the sun directly, especially when SEA is around 50°. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  15. Microfluidics as a new tool in radiation biology

    PubMed Central

    Lacombe, Jerome; Phillips, Shanna Leslie; Zenhausern, Frederic

    2016-01-01

    Ionizing radiations interact with molecules at the cellular and molecular levels leading to several biochemical modifications that may be responsible for biological effects on tissue or whole organisms. The study of these changes is difficult because of the complexity of the biological response(s) to radiations and the lack of reliable models able to mimic the whole molecular phenomenon and different communications between the various cell networks, from the cell activation to the macroscopic effect at the tissue or organismal level. Microfluidics, the science and technology of systems that can handle small amounts of fluids in confined and controlled environment, has been an emerging field for several years. Some microfluidic devices, even at early stages of development, may already help radiobiological research by proposing new approaches to study cellular, tissue and total-body behavior upon irradiation. These devices may also be used in clinical biodosimetry since microfluidic technology is frequently developed for integrating complex bioassay chemistries into automated user-friendly, reproducible and sensitive analyses. In this review, we discuss the use, numerous advantages, and possible future of microfluidic technology in the field of radiobiology. We will also examine the disadvantages and required improvements for microfluidics to be fully practical in radiation research and to become an enabling tool for radiobiologists and radiation oncologists. PMID:26704304

  16. Biological Bases for Radiation Adaptive Responses in the Lung

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Scott, Bobby R.; Lin, Yong; Wilder, Julie

    2015-03-01

    Our main research objective was to determine the biological bases for low-dose, radiation-induced adaptive responses in the lung, and use the knowledge gained to produce an improved risk model for radiation-induced lung cancer that accounts for activated natural protection, genetic influences, and the role of epigenetic regulation (epiregulation). Currently, low-dose radiation risk assessment is based on the linear-no-threshold hypothesis, which now is known to be unsupported by a large volume of data.

  17. A Case Study Documenting the Process by Which Biology Instructors Transition from Teacher-Centered to Learner-Centered Teaching

    PubMed Central

    Marbach-Ad, Gili; Hunt Rietschel, Carly

    2016-01-01

    In this study, we used a case study approach to obtain an in-depth understanding of the change process of two university instructors who were involved with redesigning a biology course. Given the hesitancy of many biology instructors to adopt evidence-based, learner-centered teaching methods, there is a critical need to understand how biology instructors transition from teacher-centered (i.e., lecture-based) instruction to teaching that focuses on the students. Using the innovation-decision model for change, we explored the motivation, decision-making, and reflective processes of the two instructors through two consecutive, large-enrollment biology course offerings. Our data reveal that the change process is somewhat unpredictable, requiring patience and persistence during inevitable challenges that arise for instructors and students. For example, the change process requires instructors to adopt a teacher-facilitator role as opposed to an expert role, to cover fewer course topics in greater depth, and to give students a degree of control over their own learning. Students must adjust to taking responsibility for their own learning, working collaboratively, and relinquishing the anonymity afforded by lecture-based teaching. We suggest implications for instructors wishing to change their teaching and administrators wishing to encourage adoption of learner-centered teaching at their institutions. PMID:27856550

  18. WWW.Cell Biology Education: Using the World Wide Web to Develop a New Teaching Topic

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Blystone, Robert V.; MacAlpine, Barbara

    2005-01-01

    "Cell Biology Education" calls attention each quarter to several Web sites of educational interest to the biology community. The Internet provides access to an enormous array of potential teaching materials. In this article, the authors describe one approach for using the World Wide Web to develop a new college biology laboratory exercise. As a…

  19. Student Perceptions of Their Biology Teacher's Interpersonal Teaching Behaviors and Student Achievement

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Madike, Victor N.

    Inadequate student-teacher interactions in undergraduate courses have been linked to poor student performance. Researchers have noted that students' perceptions of student-teacher relationships may be an important factor related to student performance. The administration of a Mid-Atlantic community college prioritized increasing undergraduate biology student performance. The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine the relationship between students' biology achievement and their perceptions of interpersonal teaching behaviors and student-teacher interactions in introductory biology courses. Leary's theory on interpersonal communication and the systems communication theory of Watzlawick, Beavin, and Jackson served as the theoretical foundation. The Wubbel's Likert-scale questionnaire on student-teacher interactions was administered to 318 undergraduate biology students. Non-parametric Spearman's rank correlations revealed a significant direct correlation between students' grades and their perceptions of teachers' interpersonal teaching behaviors. The relationship between student achievement and students' perceptions of student-teacher interactions prompted the recommendation for additional study on the importance of student-teacher interactions in undergraduate programs. A recommendation for local practice included faculty development on strategies for improving student-teacher interactions. The study's implications for positive social change include increased understanding for administrators and instructors on the importance of teacher-student interactions at the community college level.

  20. It’s Personal: Biology Instructors Prioritize Personal Evidence over Empirical Evidence in Teaching Decisions

    PubMed Central

    Andrews, Tessa C.; Lemons, Paula P.

    2015-01-01

    Despite many calls for undergraduate biology instructors to incorporate active learning into lecture courses, few studies have focused on what it takes for instructors to make this change. We sought to investigate the process of adopting and sustaining active-learning instruction. As a framework for our research, we used the innovation-decision model, a generalized model of how individuals adopt innovations. We interviewed 17 biology instructors who were attempting to implement case study teaching and conducted qualitative text analysis on interview data. The overarching theme that emerged from our analysis was that instructors prioritized personal experience—rather than empirical evidence—in decisions regarding case study teaching. We identified personal experiences that promote case study teaching, such as anecdotal observations of student outcomes, and those that hinder case study teaching, such as insufficient teaching skills. By analyzing the differences between experienced and new case study instructors, we discovered that new case study instructors need support to deal with unsupportive colleagues and to develop the skill set needed for an active-learning classroom. We generated hypotheses that are grounded in our data about effectively supporting instructors in adopting and sustaining active-learning strategies. We also synthesized our findings with existing literature to tailor the innovation-decision model. PMID:25713092

  1. We Don't Get Any Training: The Impact of a Professional Development Model on Teaching Practices of Chemistry and Biology Graduate Teaching Assistants

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mutambuki, Jacinta M.; Schwartz, Renee

    2018-01-01

    This study investigated the implementation of best teaching practices by science graduate teaching assistants [GTAs] (3 chemists and 2 biologists) in five inquiry-based, interdisciplinary chemistry-biology experiments during a six-week professional development (PD) program, Engage PD. Additionally, we examined GTAs' experiences in implementing…

  2. Biological Effects of Atomic Radiations; ACCIONES BIOLOGICAS DE LAS RADIACIONES ATOMICAS

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Patetta-Queirolo, M.A.

    1959-02-01

    A resume is presented of each class in a course on the biological effects of nuclear radiations. The topics discussed include the physical and chemical bases of radiation effects, primary and secondary processes, accumulated effects, biochemical and cellular effects, radiation effects on living organisms and tissues, radioecology, genetic effects, cytogenetic effects, genetics of radiation in mammals, response of mammals to irradiation, dosimetry, and protection against radiations. (J.S.R.)

  3. Teaching cell and molecular biology for gender equity.

    PubMed

    Sible, Jill C; Wilhelm, Dayna E; Lederman, Muriel

    2006-01-01

    Science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields, including cell biology, are characterized by the "leaky pipeline" syndrome in which, over time, women leave the discipline. The pipeline itself and the pond into which it empties may not be neutral. Explicating invisible norms, attitudes, and practices by integrating social studies of science into science education may be the necessary first step in helping female students persist in STEM disciplines. In 2003 and 2004, a sophomore Cell and Molecular Biology course at Virginia Tech (Blacksburg, VA) was taught integrating social studies of science with standard material. The course was successfully implemented, teaching students factual content while increasing awareness of the cultures of science and their self-confidence in engaging with the subject. Course evaluation data indicated that females in particular perceived greater gains in logical thinking and problem-solving abilities than females in a traditional cell biology course. Consistent with K-12 studies, males in this class were likely to view scientists as male only, whereas females viewed scientists as male and female. This pilot project demonstrates that social studies can be integrated successfully in a cell biology course. Longitudinal studies of this cohort of students will indicate whether this approach contributes to the retention of women in the field.

  4. WE-DE-202-00: Connecting Radiation Physics with Computational Biology

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    NONE

    Radiation therapy for the treatment of cancer has been established as a highly precise and effective way to eradicate a localized region of diseased tissue. To achieve further significant gains in the therapeutic ratio, we need to move towards biologically optimized treatment planning. To achieve this goal, we need to understand how the radiation-type dependent patterns of induced energy depositions within the cell (physics) connect via molecular, cellular and tissue reactions to treatment outcome such as tumor control and undesirable effects on normal tissue. Several computational biology approaches have been developed connecting physics to biology. Monte Carlo simulations are themore » most accurate method to calculate physical dose distributions at the nanometer scale, however simulations at the DNA scale are slow and repair processes are generally not simulated. Alternative models that rely on the random formation of individual DNA lesions within one or two turns of the DNA have been shown to reproduce the clusters of DNA lesions, including single strand breaks (SSBs), double strand breaks (DSBs) without the need for detailed track structure simulations. Efficient computational simulations of initial DNA damage induction facilitate computational modeling of DNA repair and other molecular and cellular processes. Mechanistic, multiscale models provide a useful conceptual framework to test biological hypotheses and help connect fundamental information about track structure and dosimetry at the sub-cellular level to dose-response effects on larger scales. In this symposium we will learn about the current state of the art of computational approaches estimating radiation damage at the cellular and sub-cellular scale. How can understanding the physics interactions at the DNA level be used to predict biological outcome? We will discuss if and how such calculations are relevant to advance our understanding of radiation damage and its repair, or, if the underlying

  5. Using Mini-Reports to Teach Scientific Writing to Biology Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Simmons, Alexandria D.; Larios-Sanz, Maia; Amin, Shivas; Rosell, Rosemarie C.

    2014-01-01

    Anyone who has taught an introductory biology lab has sat at their desk in front of a towering stack of lengthy lab reports and wondered if there was a better way to teach scientific writing. We propose the use of a one-page format that we have called a "mini-report," which we believe better allows students to understand the structure…

  6. A Knowledge Base for Teaching Biology Situated in the Context of Genetic Testing

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    van der Zande, Paul; Waarlo, Arend Jan; Brekelmans, Mieke; Akkerman, Sanne F.; Vermunt, Jan D.

    2011-10-01

    Recent developments in the field of genomics will impact the daily practice of biology teachers who teach genetics in secondary education. This study reports on the first results of a research project aimed at enhancing biology teacher knowledge for teaching genetics in the context of genetic testing. The increasing body of scientific knowledge concerning genetic testing and the related consequences for decision-making indicate the societal relevance of such a situated learning approach. What content knowledge do biology teachers need for teaching genetics in the personal health context of genetic testing? This study describes the required content knowledge by exploring the educational practice and clinical genetic practices. Nine experienced teachers and 12 respondents representing the clinical genetic practices (clients, medical professionals, and medical ethicists) were interviewed about the biological concepts and ethical, legal, and social aspects (ELSA) of testing they considered relevant to empowering students as future health care clients. The ELSA suggested by the respondents were complemented by suggestions found in the literature on genetic counselling. The findings revealed that the required teacher knowledge consists of multiple layers that are embedded in specific genetic test situations: on the one hand, the knowledge of concepts represented by the curricular framework and some additional concepts (e.g. multifactorial and polygenic disorder) and, on the other hand, more knowledge of ELSA and generic characteristics of genetic test practice (uncertainty, complexity, probability, and morality). Suggestions regarding how to translate these characteristics, concepts, and ELSA into context-based genetics education are discussed.

  7. Long-term biological effects induced by ionizing radiation--implications for dose mediated risk.

    PubMed

    Miron, S D; Astărăstoae, V

    2014-01-01

    Ionizing radiations are considered to be risk agents that are responsible for the effects on interaction with living matter. The occurring biological effects are due to various factors such as: dose, type of radiation, exposure time, type of biological tissue, health condition and the age of the person exposed. The mechanisms involved in the direct modifications of nuclear DNA and mitochondrial DNA are reviewed. Classical target theory of energy deposition in the nucleus that causes DNA damages, in particular DNA double-strand breaks and that explanation of the biological consequences of ionizing radiation exposure is a paradigm in radiobiology. Recent experimental evidences have demonstrated the existence of a molecular mechanism that explains the non-targeted effects of ionizing radiation exposure. Among these novel data, genomic instability and a variety of bystander effects are discussed here. Those bystander effects of ionizing radiation are fulfilled by cellular communication systems that give rise to non-targeted effects in the neighboring non irradiated cells. This paper provides also a commentary on the synergistic effects induced by the co-exposures to ionizing radiation and various physical agents such as electromagnetic fields and the co-exposures to ionizing radiation and chemical environmental contaminants such as metals. The biological effects of multiple stressors on genomic instability and bystander effects are also discussed. Moreover, a brief presentation of the methods used to characterize cyto- and genotoxic damages is offered.

  8. A Case Study Documenting the Process by Which Biology Instructors Transition from Teacher-Centered to Learner-Centered Teaching.

    PubMed

    Marbach-Ad, Gili; Hunt Rietschel, Carly

    2016-01-01

    In this study, we used a case study approach to obtain an in-depth understanding of the change process of two university instructors who were involved with redesigning a biology course. Given the hesitancy of many biology instructors to adopt evidence-based, learner-centered teaching methods, there is a critical need to understand how biology instructors transition from teacher-centered (i.e., lecture-based) instruction to teaching that focuses on the students. Using the innovation-decision model for change, we explored the motivation, decision-making, and reflective processes of the two instructors through two consecutive, large-enrollment biology course offerings. Our data reveal that the change process is somewhat unpredictable, requiring patience and persistence during inevitable challenges that arise for instructors and students. For example, the change process requires instructors to adopt a teacher-facilitator role as opposed to an expert role, to cover fewer course topics in greater depth, and to give students a degree of control over their own learning. Students must adjust to taking responsibility for their own learning, working collaboratively, and relinquishing the anonymity afforded by lecture-based teaching. We suggest implications for instructors wishing to change their teaching and administrators wishing to encourage adoption of learner-centered teaching at their institutions. © 2016 G. Marbach-Ad and C. H. Rietschel. CBE—Life Sciences Education © 2016 The American Society for Cell Biology. This article is distributed by The American Society for Cell Biology under license from the author(s). It is available to the public under an Attribution–Noncommercial–Share Alike 3.0 Unported Creative Commons License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0).

  9. Teaching Nature in Cities and Towns. Urban Outdoor Biology and Ecology.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Vogl, Sonia Wolff; Vogl, Robert L.

    Developed to assist teachers in the teaching of outdoor biology and ecology, this guide contains lessons that can be conducted in an urban environment for elementary level students. Each lesson begins with thought-provoking introductory questions which lead into the actual activity, and concludes with discussion questions and suggestions for…

  10. Awareness of Societal Issues among High School Biology Teachers Teaching Genetics

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lazarowitz, Reuven; Bloch, Ilit

    2005-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to investigate how aware high school biology teachers are of societal issues (values, moral, ethic, and legal issues) while teaching genetics, genetics engineering, molecular genetics, human heredity, and evolution. The study includes a short historical review of World War II atrocities during the Holocaust when…

  11. Microfluidics as a new tool in radiation biology.

    PubMed

    Lacombe, Jerome; Phillips, Shanna Leslie; Zenhausern, Frederic

    2016-02-28

    Ionizing radiations interact with molecules at the cellular and molecular levels leading to several biochemical modifications that may be responsible for biological effects on tissue or whole organisms. The study of these changes is difficult because of the complexity of the biological response(s) to radiations and the lack of reliable models able to mimic the whole molecular phenomenon and different communications between the various cell networks, from the cell activation to the macroscopic effect at the tissue or organismal level. Microfluidics, the science and technology of systems that can handle small amounts of fluids in confined and controlled environment, has been an emerging field for several years. Some microfluidic devices, even at early stages of development, may already help radiobiological research by proposing new approaches to study cellular, tissue and total-body behavior upon irradiation. These devices may also be used in clinical biodosimetry since microfluidic technology is frequently developed for integrating complex bioassay chemistries into automated user-friendly, reproducible and sensitive analyses. In this review, we discuss the use, numerous advantages, and possible future of microfluidic technology in the field of radiobiology. We will also examine the disadvantages and required improvements for microfluidics to be fully practical in radiation research and to become an enabling tool for radiobiologists and radiation oncologists. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  12. Permanent foresty plots: a potentially valuable teaching resource in undergraduate biology porgrams for the Caribbean

    Treesearch

    H. Valles; C.M.S. Carrington

    2016-01-01

    There has been a recent proposal to change the way that biology is taught and learned in undergraduate biology programs in the USA so that students develop a better understanding of science and the natural world. Here, we use this new, recommended teaching– learning framework to assert that permanent forestry plots could be a valuable tool to help develop biology...

  13. Use of the "Tree" Analogy in Evolution Teaching by Biology Teachers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Marcelos, Maria Fatima; Nagem, Ronaldo Luiz

    2012-01-01

    This work discusses the use of Darwin's "Tree of Life" as a didactic analogy and metaphor in teaching evolution. It investigates whether biology teachers of pupils from 17 to 18 years old know Darwin's text "Tree of Life". In addition, it examines whether those teachers systematically employ either the analogies present in that…

  14. Using Active Learning in a Studio Classroom to Teach Molecular Biology

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Nogaj, Luiza A.

    2013-01-01

    This article describes the conversion of a lecture-based molecular biology course into an active learning environment in a studio classroom. Specific assignments and activities are provided as examples. The goal of these activities is to involve students in collaborative learning, teach them how to participate in the learning process, and give…

  15. The biological effects of space radiation during long stays in space.

    PubMed

    Ohnishi, Ken; Ohnishi, Takeo

    2004-12-01

    Many space experiments are scheduled for the International Space Station (ISS). Completion of the ISS will soon become a reality. Astronauts will be exposed to low-level background components from space radiation including heavy ions and other high-linear energy transfer (LET) radiation. For long-term stay in space, we have to protect human health from space radiation. At the same time, we should recognize the maximum permissible doses of space radiation. In recent years, physical monitoring of space radiation has detected about 1 mSv per day. This value is almost 150 times higher than that on the surface of the Earth. However, the direct effects of space radiation on human health are currently unknown. Therefore, it is important to measure biological dosimetry to calculate relative biological effectiveness (RBE) for human health during long-term flight. The RBE is possibly modified by microgravity. In order to understand the exact RBE and any interaction with microgravity, the ISS centrifugation system will be a critical tool, and it is hoped that this system will be in operation as soon as possible.

  16. How-to-Do-It: Teaching Recombinant DNA Technology in High School Biology Courses.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dixon, Linda

    1988-01-01

    Reports on the teaching of recombinant DNA technology in high school biology courses. Explains reactions of the public, students, and colleagues to the molecular genetics unit. Indicates equipment, curricular materials, training, workshops, and availability. (RT)

  17. Biological effects of radiation, metabolic and replication kinetics alterations

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Post, J.

    1972-01-01

    The biological effects of radiation upon normal and cancerous tissues were studied. A macromolecular precursor of DNA, 3ETdR, was incorporated into the cell nucleus during synthesis and provided intranuclear beta radiation. Tritium labeled cells were studied with autoradiographic methods; cell cycle kinetics were determined and cell functions modified by radiation dosage or by drugs were also evaluated. The long term program has included; (1) effects of radiation on cell replication and the correlation with incorporated dose levels, (2) radiation induced changes in cell function, viz., the response of beta irradiated spleen lymphocytes to antigenic stimulation by sheep red blood cells (SRBC), (3) kinetics of tumor and normal cell replication; and (4) megakaryocyte formation and modification by radiomimetic drugs.

  18. An Empirical Study Investigating Interdisciplinary Teaching of Biology and Physical Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Spintzyk, Katharina; Strehlke, Friederike; Ohlberger, Stephanie; Gröben, Bernd; Wegner, Claas

    2016-01-01

    This paper deals with an empirical study examining the effectiveness of interdisciplinary teaching in biology and physical education (PE) regarding the students' growth in knowledge. The study was conducted with 141 German sixth form students. In groups, they were taught three hours a week for a period of six weeks. In order to compare the…

  19. An exploration for research-oriented teaching model in biology teaching.

    PubMed

    Xing, Wanjin; Mo, Morigen; Su, Huimin

    2014-07-01

    Training innovative talents, as one of the major aims for Chinese universities, needs to reform the traditional teaching methods. The research-oriented teaching method has been introduced and its connotation and significance for Chinese university teaching have been discussed for years. However, few practical teaching methods for routine class teaching were proposed. In this paper, a comprehensive and concrete research-oriented teaching model with contents of reference value and evaluation method for class teaching was proposed based on the current teacher-guiding teaching model in China. We proposed that the research-oriented teaching model should include at least seven aspects on: (1) telling the scientific history for the skills to find out scientific questions; (2) replaying the experiments for the skills to solve scientific problems; (3) analyzing experimental data for learning how to draw a conclusion; (4) designing virtual experiments for learning how to construct a proposal; (5) teaching the lesson as the detectives solve the crime for learning the logic in scientific exploration; (6) guiding students how to read and consult the relative references; (7) teaching students differently according to their aptitude and learning ability. In addition, we also discussed how to evaluate the effects of the research-oriented teaching model in examination.

  20. The design of a monopole radiator to investigate the effect of microwave radiation in biological systems.

    PubMed

    Bigu-del-Blanco, J; Romero-Sierra, C

    1977-08-01

    The design of a microwave monopole radiator, using a hollow hypodermic needle, is described. This radiator has two unique features. It allows both i) irradiation of deep biological structures by simple needle injection and ii) simultaneous chemotherapic treatment of tissue. The matching characteristics of the monopole in saline solutions are given.

  1. New paradigms and future challenges in Radiation Oncology: An Update of Biological Targets and Technology*

    PubMed Central

    Liauw, Stanley L.; Connell, Philip P.; Weichselbaum, Ralph R.

    2013-01-01

    The primary objective of radiation oncology is to exploit the biological interaction of radiation within tissue to promote tumor death while minimizing damage to surrounding normal tissue. The clinical delivery of radiation relies on principles of radiation physics that define how radiation energy is deposited in the body, as well as technology that facilitates accurate tumor targeting. This review will summarize the current landscape of recent biological and technological advances in radiation oncology, describe the challenges that exist, and offer potential avenues for improvement. PMID:23427246

  2. Six Classroom Exercises to Teach Natural Selection to Undergraduate Biology Students

    PubMed Central

    Kalinowski, Steven T.; Leonard, Mary J.; Andrews, Tessa M.; Litt, Andrea R.

    2013-01-01

    Students in introductory biology courses frequently have misconceptions regarding natural selection. In this paper, we describe six activities that biology instructors can use to teach undergraduate students in introductory biology courses how natural selection causes evolution. These activities begin with a lesson introducing students to natural selection and also include discussions on sexual selection, molecular evolution, evolution of complex traits, and the evolution of behavior. The set of six topics gives students the opportunity to see how natural selection operates in a variety of contexts. Pre- and postinstruction testing showed students’ understanding of natural selection increased substantially after completing this series of learning activities. Testing throughout this unit showed steadily increasing student understanding, and surveys indicated students enjoyed the activities. PMID:24006396

  3. Using Active Learning to Teach Concepts and Methods in Quantitative Biology.

    PubMed

    Waldrop, Lindsay D; Adolph, Stephen C; Diniz Behn, Cecilia G; Braley, Emily; Drew, Joshua A; Full, Robert J; Gross, Louis J; Jungck, John A; Kohler, Brynja; Prairie, Jennifer C; Shtylla, Blerta; Miller, Laura A

    2015-11-01

    This article provides a summary of the ideas discussed at the 2015 Annual Meeting of the Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology society-wide symposium on Leading Students and Faculty to Quantitative Biology through Active Learning. It also includes a brief review of the recent advancements in incorporating active learning approaches into quantitative biology classrooms. We begin with an overview of recent literature that shows that active learning can improve students' outcomes in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math Education disciplines. We then discuss how this approach can be particularly useful when teaching topics in quantitative biology. Next, we describe some of the recent initiatives to develop hands-on activities in quantitative biology at both the graduate and the undergraduate levels. Throughout the article we provide resources for educators who wish to integrate active learning and technology into their classrooms. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology. All rights reserved. For permissions please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  4. Three Southern high school biology teachers' perspectives on teaching evolution: Sociocultural influences

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kyzer, Peggy Mckewen

    Organizations in science and science education call for students to have a thorough understanding of the theory of evolution. Yet many high school biology teachers do not teach evolution and/or include creationism in their instruction (National Academy of Science, 1998). Historically, the controversy surrounding evolution has created tension for teachers. This case study explored the sociocultural influences related to teaching evolution in three Southern 10th-grade public high school biology classrooms. It also explored the socially and culturally embedded influences on teachers' instructional goals and personal perspectives toward evolution as well as modification of instruction when evolution is taught. Theoretically framed using symbolic interactionism and sociocultural theory, data were collected between October 2003 and April 2004 and included classroom observations two to three times per week, artifacts, and in-depth interviews of the participating teachers, their science department chairpersons, their students, and a Protestant minister. The classroom teachers were unaware of the focus of the study until after evolution was taught. The analysis used in this study was an inductive, interpretative approach that allowed exploration of the sociocultural influences that affect how teachers teach evolution. The sociocultural influences and the lived experiences of each teacher created a continuum for teaching evolution. One of the participating teachers who was heavily involved in the community and one of its fundamentalist churches elected to avoid teaching evolution. Another participating teacher at the same school integrated the theory of evolution in every unit. The third teacher who taught in another school elected to teach evolution in a superficial manner to avoid conflict. The data revealed that the participating teachers' sociocultural situatedness influenced their decisions and instruction on evolution. The influence of strong religious beliefs within

  5. Protection against radiation (biological, pharmacological, chemical, physical)

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Saksonov, P. P.

    1975-01-01

    Physical, chemical, and biological protection for astronauts from penetrating radiation on long-term space flights is discussed. The status of pharmacochemical protection, development of protective substances, medical use of protective substances, protection for spacecraft ecologic systems, adaptogens and physical conditioning, bone marrow transplants and local protection are discussed. Combined use of local protection and pharmacochemical substances is also briefly considered.

  6. Fluorescence dynamics of biological systems using synchrotron radiation

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Gratton, E.; Mantulin, W.W.; Weber, G.

    1996-09-01

    A beamline for time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy of biological systems is under construction at the Synchrotron Radiation Center. The fluorometer, operating in the frequency domain, will take advantage of the time structure of the synchrotron radiation light pulses to determine fluorescence lifetimes. Using frequency-domain techniques, the instrument can achieve an ultimate time resolution on the order of picoseconds. Preliminary experiments have shown that reducing the intensity of one of the fifteen electron bunches in the storage ring allows measurement of harmonic frequencies equivalent to the single-bunch mode. This mode of operation of the synchrotron significantly extends the range of lifetimes thatmore » can be measured. The wavelength range (encompassing the visible and ultraviolet), the range of measurable lifetimes, and the stability and reproducibility of the storage ring pulses should make this beamline a versatile tool for the investigation of the complex fluorescence decay of biological systems. {copyright} {ital 1996 American Institute of Physics.}« less

  7. A Hypothesis on Biological Protection from Space Radiation Through the Use of New Therapeutic Gases

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Schoenfeld, Michael P.; Ansari,Rafat R.; Nakao, Atsunori; Wink, David

    2011-01-01

    Radiation exposure to astronauts could be a significant obstacle for long duration manned space exploration because of current uncertainties regarding the extent of biological effects. Furthermore, concepts for protective shielding also pose a technically challenging issue due to the nature of cosmic radiation and current mass and power constraints with modern exploration technology. The concern regarding exposure to cosmic radiation is the biological damage it induces. As damage is associated with increased oxidative stress, it is important and would be enabling to mitigate and/or prevent oxidative stress prior to the development of clinical symptoms and disease. This paper hypothesizes a "systems biology" approach in which a combination of chemical and biological mitigation techniques are used conjunctively. It proposes using new, therapeutic, medical gases as both chemical radioprotectors for radical scavenging and biological signaling molecules for management of the body s response to exposure. From reviewing radiochemistry of water, biological effects of CO, H2, NO, and H2S gas, and mechanisms of radiation biology, it is concluded that this approach may have great therapeutic potential for radiation exposure. Furthermore, it also appears to have similar potential for curtailing the pathogenesis of other diseases in which oxidative stress has been implicated including, cardiovascular disease, cancer, chronic inflammatory disease, hypertension, ischemia/reperfusion injury, acute respiratory distress syndrome, parkinson s and alzheimer s disease, cataracts, and aging

  8. A Hypothesis on Biological Protection from Space Radiation Through the Use of New Therapeutic Gases

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Schoenfeld, Michael P.; Ansari, Rafat R.; Nakao, Atsunori; Wink, David

    2011-01-01

    Radiation exposure to astronauts could be a significant obstacle for long duration manned space exploration because of current uncertainties regarding the extent of biological effects. Furthermore, concepts for protective shielding also pose a technically challenging issue due to the nature of cosmic radiation and current mass and power constraints with modern exploration technology. The concern regarding exposure to cosmic radiation is the biological damage it induces. As damage is associated with increased oxidative stress, it is important and would be enabling to mitigate and/or prevent oxidative stress prior to the development of clinical symptoms and disease. This paper hypothesizes a "systems biology" approach in which a combination of chemical and biological mitigation techniques are used conjunctively. It proposes using new, therapeutic, medical gases as both chemical radioprotectors for radical scavenging and biological signaling molecules for management of the body s response to exposure. From reviewing radiochemistry of water, biological effects of CO, H2, NO, and H2S gas, and mechanisms of radiation biology, it is concluded that this approach may have great therapeutic potential for radiation exposure. Furthermore, it also appears to have similar potential for curtailing the pathogenesis of other diseases in which oxidative stress has been implicated including cardiovascular disease, cancer, chronic inflammatory disease, hypertension, ischemia/reperfusion injury, acute respiratory distress syndrome, Parkinson s and Alzheimer s disease, cataracts, and aging.

  9. Perceived Use of Inquiry Teaching by a Sample of Malaysian Biology Teachers.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ismail, Nor Asma; Rubba, Peter A.

    1981-01-01

    Determined degree to which Malaysian biology teachers (N=26) perceived they understood and used inquiry teaching. Data indicated that these teachers perceived they had a moderate amount of knowledge about inquiry and occasionally used the 21 inquiry-related behaviors assessed by "A Generic Problem Solving (Inquiry) Model" (Hungerford,…

  10. Student perceptions of their biology teacher's interpersonal teaching behaviors and student achievement and affective learning outcomes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Smith, Wade Clay, Jr.

    The primary goals of this dissertation were to determine the relationships between interpersonal teaching behaviors and student achievement and affective learning outcomes. The instrument used to collect student perceptions of teacher interpersonal teaching behaviors was the Questionnaire on Teacher Interactions (QTI). The instrument used to assess student affective learning outcomes was the Biology Student Affective Instrument (BSAI). The interpersonal teaching behavior data were collected using students as the observers. 111 students in an urban influenced, rural high school answered the QTI and BSAI in September 1997 and again in April 1998. At the same time students were pre and post tested using the Biology End of Course Examination (BECE). The QTI has been used primarily in European and Oceanic areas. The instrument was also primarily used in educational stratified environment. This was the first time the BSAI was used to assess student affective learning outcomes. The BECE is a Texas normed cognitive assessment test and it is used by Texas schools districts as the end of course examination in biology. The interpersonal teaching behaviors model was tested to ascertain if predictive power in the USA and in a non-stratified educational environment. Findings indicate that the QTI is an adequate predictor of student achievement in biology. The results were not congruent with the non-USA data and results, this indicates that the QTI is a society/culturally sensitive instrument and the instrument needs to be normed to a particular society/culture before it is used to affect teachers' and students' educational environments.

  11. What Motivates Biology Instructors to Engage and Persist in Teaching Professional Development?

    PubMed

    McCourt, Jill S; Andrews, Tessa C; Knight, Jennifer K; Merrill, John E; Nehm, Ross H; Pelletreau, Karen N; Prevost, Luanna B; Smith, Michelle K; Urban-Lurain, Mark; Lemons, Paula P

    2017-01-01

    We conducted a study of 19 biology instructors participating in small, local groups at six research-intensive universities connected to the Automated Analysis of Constructed Response (AACR) project (www.msu.edu/∼aacr). Our aim was to uncover participants' motivation to persist in a long-term teaching professional development effort, a topic that is understudied in discipline-based educational research. We interviewed each participant twice over a 2-year period and conducted qualitative analyses on the data, using expectancy-value theory as a framework for considering motivation. Our analyses revealed that motivation among instructors was high due to their enjoyment of the AACR groups. The high level of motivation is further explained by the fact that AACR groups facilitated instructor involvement with the larger AACR project. We also found that group dynamics encouraged persistence; instructors thought they might never talk with colleagues about teaching in the absence of AACR groups; and groups were perceived to have a low-enough time requirement to warrant sustained involvement . We conclude that instructors have persisted in AACR groups because the groups provided great value with limited cost. The characterization of instructor experiences described here can contribute to a better understanding of faculty needs in teaching professional development. © 2017 J. S. McCourt et al. CBE—Life Sciences Education © 2017 The American Society for Cell Biology. This article is distributed by The American Society for Cell Biology under license from the author(s). It is available to the public under an Attribution–Noncommercial–Share Alike 3.0 Unported Creative Commons License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0).

  12. In silico nanodosimetry: new insights into nontargeted biological responses to radiation.

    PubMed

    Kuncic, Zdenka; Byrne, Hilary L; McNamara, Aimee L; Guatelli, Susanna; Domanova, Westa; Incerti, Sébastien

    2012-01-01

    The long-held view that radiation-induced biological damage must be initiated in the cell nucleus, either on or near DNA itself, is being confronted by mounting evidence to suggest otherwise. While the efficacy of cell death may be determined by radiation damage to nuclear DNA, a plethora of less deterministic biological responses has been observed when DNA is not targeted. These so-called nontargeted responses cannot be understood in the framework of DNA-centric radiobiological models; what is needed are new physically motivated models that address the damage-sensing signalling pathways triggered by the production of reactive free radicals. To this end, we have conducted a series of in silico experiments aimed at elucidating the underlying physical processes responsible for nontargeted biological responses to radiation. Our simulation studies implement new results on very low-energy electromagnetic interactions in liquid water (applicable down to nanoscales) and we also consider a realistic simulation of extranuclear microbeam irradiation of a cell. Our results support the idea that organelles with important functional roles, such as mitochondria and lysosomes, as well as membranes, are viable targets for ionizations and excitations, and their chemical composition and density are critical to determining the free radical yield and ensuing biological responses.

  13. Effects of radio frequency identification-related radiation on in vitro biologics.

    PubMed

    Uysal, Ismail; Hohberger, Clive; Rasmussen, R Scott; Ulrich, David A; Emond, Jean-Pierre; Gutierrez, Alfonso

    2012-01-01

    The recent developments on the use of e-pedigree to identify the chain of custody of drugs suggests the use of advanced track and trace technologies such as two-dimensional barcodes and radio frequency identification (RFID) tags. RFID technology is used mainly for valuable commodities such as pharmaceutical products while incorporating additional functionalities like monitoring environmental variables to ensure product safety and quality. In its guidance for the use of RFID technologies for drugs (Compliance Policy Guide Section 400.210), the Food and Drug Administration outlined multiple parameters that would apply to any study or application using RFID. However, drugs approved under a Biologics License Application or protein drugs covered by a New Drug Application were excluded mainly due to concerns about the effects of radio frequency radiation (thermal and/or non-thermal) on biologics. Even though the thermal effects of radio frequency on biologics are relatively well understood, there are few studies in the literature about the non-thermal effects of radio frequency with regards to the protein structure integrity. In this paper, we analyze the non-thermal effects of radio frequency radiation by exposing a wide variety of biologics including biopharmaceuticals with vaccines, hormones, and immunoglobulins, as well as cellular blood products such as red blood cells and whole blood-derived platelets as well as fresh frozen plasma. In order to represent the majority of the frequency spectrum used in RFID applications, five different frequencies (13.56 MHz, 433 MHz, 868 MHz, 915 MHz, and 2.4 GHz) are used to account for the most commonly used international frequency bands for RFID. With the help of specialized radio frequency signal-generating hardware, magnetic and electromagnetic fields are created around the exposed products with power levels greater than Federal Communications Commission-regulated limits. The in vitro test results on more than 100

  14. NASA Radiation Track Image GUI for Assessing Space Radiation Biological Effects

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Ponomarev, Artem L.; Cucinotta, Francis A.

    2006-01-01

    The high-charge high-energy (HZE) ion components of the galactic cosmic rays when compared to terrestrial forms of radiations present unique challenges to biological systems. In this paper we present a deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) breakage model to visualize and analyze the impact of chromatin domains and DNA loops on clustering of DNA damage from X rays, protons, and HZE ions. Our model of DNA breakage is based on a stochastic process of DNA double-strand break (DSB) formulation that includes the amorphous model of the radiation track and a polymer model of DNA packed in the cell nucleus. Our model is a Monte-Carlo simulation based on a randomly located DSB cluster formulation that accomodates both high- and low-linear energy transfer radiations. We demonstrate that HZE ions have a strong impact on DSB clustering, both along the chromosome length and in the nucleus volume. The effects of chromosomal domains and DNA loops on the DSB fragment-size distribution and the spatial distribution of DSB in the nucleus were studied. We compare our model predictions with the spatial distribution of DSB obtained from experiments. The implications of our model predictions for radiation protection are discussed.

  15. Study the Effectiveness of Technology-Enhanced Interactive Teaching Environment on Student Learning of Junior High School Biology

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Yang, Kai-Ti; Wang, Tzu-Hua; Chiu, Mei-Hung

    2015-01-01

    This research investigates the effectiveness of integrating Interactive Whiteboard (IWB) into the junior high school biology teaching. This research adopts a quasi-experimental design and divides the participating students into the conventional ICT-integrated learning environment and IWB-integrated learning environment. Before teaching, students…

  16. Using Biology to Teach Adolescents about STD Transmission and Self-Protective Behaviors

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Zamora, Angela; Romo, Laura F.; Kit-fong Au, Terry

    2006-01-01

    The effects of a prevention program designed to teach 7th grade students about the different risk behaviors associated with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), chlamydia, and gonorrhea transmission were examined. Over 3 days, the students were taught how to reason about self-protective behaviors using information about the biological causal…

  17. The Evolution of Student Engagement: Writing Improves Teaching in Introductory Biology Courses

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Camfield, Eileen Kogl; Land, Kirkwood M.

    2017-01-01

    In response to calls for pedagogical reforms in undergraduate biology courses to decrease student attrition rates and increase active learning, this article describes one faculty member's conversion from traditional teaching methods to more engaging forms of practice. Partially told as a narrative, this article illustrates a.) the way many faculty…

  18. Influence of Web-Aided Cooperative Learning Environment on Motivation and on Self-Efficacy Belief in Biology Teaching

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hevedanli, Murat

    2015-01-01

    The purpose of this study is to investigate the influence of the web-aided cooperative learning environment on biology preservice teachers' motivation and on their self-efficacy beliefs in biology teaching. The study was carried out with 30 biology preservice teachers attending a state university in Turkey. In the study, the pretest-posttest…

  19. What Motivates Biology Instructors to Engage and Persist in Teaching Professional Development?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    McCourt, Jill S.; Andrews, Tessa C.; Knight, Jennifer K.; Merrill, John E.; Nehm, Ross H.; Pelletreau, Karen N.; Prevost, Luanna B.; Smith, Michelle K.; Urban-Lurain, Mark; Lemons, Paula P.

    2017-01-01

    We conducted a study of 19 biology instructors participating in small, local groups at six research-intensive universities connected to the Automated Analysis of Constructed Response (AACR) project (www.msu.edu/~aacr). Our aim was to uncover participants' motivation to persist in a long-term teaching professional development effort, a topic that…

  20. A sociocultural reading of reform in science teaching in a secondary biology class

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Barma, Sylvie

    2011-09-01

    Adopting activity theory as a theoretical and methodological framework, this case study illustrates how a teaching and learning situation is planned and implemented over a series of nine 75-min biology classes by a high school science teacher in the context of pedagogical reform. The object of this study emerges within a favourable context of science education curricular reform in Quebec, Canada. By examining the interaction between the poles of an activity system sharing the same object, this case study illustrates how one teacher's teaching practice is redefined and how some aspects of her teaching personality orient the ways in which she contextually mobilizes new tools and members of her school community in order to implement an awareness campaign on the risks of tanning salons.

  1. A Review: Some biological effects of high LET radiations

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Wiley, A., Jr.

    1972-01-01

    There are qualitative and quantitative differences in the biological damage observed after exposure to high LET radiation as compared to that caused by low LET radiations. This review is concerned with these differences, which are ultimately reflected at the biochemical, cellular and even whole animal levels. In general, high LET radiations seem to produce biochemical damage which is more severe and possibly less repairable. Experimental data for those effects are presented in terms of biochemical RBE's with consideration of both early and late manifestations. An LET independent process by which significant biochemical damage may result from protons, neutrons and negative pion mesons is discussed.

  2. Construction, implementation, and evaluation of an undergraduate biology laboratory teaching model

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tarrant, Todd M.

    This dissertation documents a time series study in which an undergraduate non-majors biology laboratory was revised, leading to the development of a new teaching model. The course model was developed at a large Midwestern university enrolling about 827 students in 32 sections per semester and using graduate teaching assistants as primary instructors. The majority of the students consisted of freshman and sophomores, with the remainder being juniors and seniors. This dissertation explains the rationale leading to the development and implementation of this educational model using graduate teaching assistants as the primary course instructors and embedded course assessment as evidence of its success. The major components of this model include six major items including: learning community, course design, GTA professional development, course delivery, assessment, and the filter. The major aspects of this model include clear links between instruction, GTA professional development, embedded assessment (student and GTA), course revision, student perceptions, and performance. The model includes the following components: Formal and informal discourse in the learning community, teaching assistant professional development, the use of multiple assessment tools, a filter to guide course evaluation, and redirection and delivery of course content based on embedded formal course assessment. Teaching assistants receive both initial and ongoing professional development throughout the semester in effective instructional pedagogy from an instructor of record. Results for three years of operation show a significant increase in student biology content knowledge and the use of scientific process/critical thinking skills with mean improvement in student performance of 25.5% and 18.9% respectively. Mean attendance for ISB 208L is 95% for the six semesters of this study showing students regularly attend the laboratory classes and remain in the course with a completion rate of 93

  3. Genomic instability and bystander effects: a paradigm shift in radiation biology?

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Morgan, William F.

    2002-01-01

    A basic paradigm in radiobiology is that, following exposure to ionizing radiation, the deposition of energy in the cell nucleus and the resulting damage to DNA, the principal target, are responsible for the radiation's deleterious biological effects. Findings in two rapidly expanding fields of research--radiation-induced genomic instability and bystander effects--have caused us to reevaluate these central tenets. In this article, the potential influence of induced genomic instability and bystander effects on cellular injury after exposure to low-level radiation will be reviewed.

  4. A review of the biological and clinical aspects of radiation caries.

    PubMed

    Aguiar, Gabrielle P; Jham, Bruno C; Magalhães, Cláudia S; Sensi, Luis Guilherme; Freire, Addah R

    2009-07-01

    The aim of this article is to review the clinical and biological features underlying the development and progression of radiation caries. Although radiotherapy (RT) plays an important role in the management of patients with head and neck cancer (HNC), it is also associated with several undesired side effects such as radiation caries which is a common, yet serious, complication. To review the condition, the Pubmed database was searched using the keywords "radiotherapy," "radiation," "caries," "hyposalivation," "prevention" and "management". Only studies published in the English language were selected. Cross-referencing identified additionally relevant studies. RT leads to alterations in the dentition, saliva, oral microflora, and diet of patients. Consequently, irradiated patients are at increased risk for the development of a rapid, rampant carious process known as radiation caries. Motivation of patients, adequate plaque control, stimulation of salivary flow, fluoride use, and nutritional orientation are essential to reduce the incidence of radiation caries and ultimately improve the quality of life for HNC patients. Radiation caries is an aggressive side effect of RT. Dentists play an important role in the prevention of the condition via comprehensive oral healthcare before, during, and after the active cancer therapy. Dentists should understand the clinical and biological aspects underlying radiation caries to prevent the development of lesions and provide optimal treatment when needed.

  5. The implementation of equitable teaching strategies by high school biology student teachers

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Scantlebury, Kate; Butler Kahle, Jane

    Teachers can perpetuate stereotypic cultural beliefs regarding girls' ability in, aptitude for, and suitability for science by their teaching practices and behaviors. As teachers have a major influence on girls' career choices their equitable teaching practices in the classroom are important to encourage all students, but especially girls, to continue with science. Researchers have studied science classrooms and have defined common strategies and practices that can help create an equitable classroom environment. The purpose of this study was to determine if high school biology student teachers could transfer learned equitable teaching strategies to actual teaching and the support conditions necessary for that transfer. Two support conditions were assessed: cooperating teacher and peer group support. Seven preservice teachers were placed into three groups. One group had both support conditions, the second group had only one condition (peer support), and the third group did not have either support condition. Both qualitative and quantitative data sources were collected. Results showed that preservice teachers could transfer learned equitable teaching into actual teaching practice. However, they were more successful in achieving the transfer if they were supervised by cooperating teachers who are sensitized to the issue of gender equity in education. Being involved in a peer support group was not as crucial to using the strategies as having a supportive cooperative teacher.

  6. Teaching Biology Using Agriculture as the Context: Perceptions of High School Students.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Balschweid, Mark A.

    2002-01-01

    Of 531 students in a course using animal agriculture to teach biology, 90% felt it helped them understand the relationship between science and agriculture and the importance of agriculture. Nearly 90% disagreed with statements that animals should not be used for food and that farmers are not concerned about the environment. (Contains 18…

  7. Biological effects and medical applications of infrared radiation

    PubMed Central

    Tsai, Shang-Ru; Hamblin, Michael R

    2017-01-01

    Infrared (IR) radiation is electromagnetic radiation with wavelengths between 760 nm and 100,000 nm. Low-level light therapy (LLLT) or photobiomodulation (PBM) therapy generally employs light at red and near-infrared wavelengths (600–100 nm) to modulate biological activity. Many factors, conditions, and parameters influence the therapeutic effects of IR, including fluence, irradiance, treatment timing and repetition, pulsing, and wavelength. Increasing evidence suggests that IR can carry out photostimulation and photobiomodulation effects particularly benefiting neural stimulation, wound healing, and cancer treatment. Nerve cells respond particularly well to IR, which has been proposed for a range of neurostimulation and neuromodulation applications, and recent progress in neural stimulation and regeneration are discussed in this review. The applications of IR therapy have moved on rapidly in recent years. For example, IR therapy has been developed that does not actually require an external power source, such as IR-emitting materials, and garments that can be powered by body heat alone. Another area of interest is the possible involvement of solar IR radiation in photoaging or photorejuvenation as opposites sides of the coin, and whether sunscreens should protect against solar IR? A better understanding of new developments and biological implications of IR could help us to improve therapeutic effectiveness or develop new methods of PBM using IR wavelengths. PMID:28441605

  8. Biological effects and medical applications of infrared radiation.

    PubMed

    Tsai, Shang-Ru; Hamblin, Michael R

    2017-05-01

    Infrared (IR) radiation is electromagnetic radiation with wavelengths between 760nm and 100,000nm. Low-level light therapy (LLLT) or photobiomodulation (PBM) therapy generally employs light at red and near-infrared wavelengths (600-100nm) to modulate biological activity. Many factors, conditions, and parameters influence the therapeutic effects of IR, including fluence, irradiance, treatment timing and repetition, pulsing, and wavelength. Increasing evidence suggests that IR can carry out photostimulation and photobiomodulation effects particularly benefiting neural stimulation, wound healing, and cancer treatment. Nerve cells respond particularly well to IR, which has been proposed for a range of neurostimulation and neuromodulation applications, and recent progress in neural stimulation and regeneration are discussed in this review. The applications of IR therapy have moved on rapidly in recent years. For example, IR therapy has been developed that does not actually require an external power source, such as IR-emitting materials, and garments that can be powered by body heat alone. Another area of interest is the possible involvement of solar IR radiation in photoaging or photorejuvenation as opposites sides of the coin, and whether sunscreens should protect against solar IR? A better understanding of new developments and biological implications of IR could help us to improve therapeutic effectiveness or develop new methods of PBM using IR wavelengths. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  9. Response of biological uv dosimeters to the simulated extraterrestrial uv radiation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bérces, A.; Rontó, G.; Kerékgyártó, T.; Kovács, G.; Lammer, H.

    In the Laboratory polycrystalline uracil thin layer and bacteriophage T7 detectors have been developed for UV dosimetry on the EarthSs surface. Exponential response of the uracil polycrystal has been detected both by absorption spectroscopy and measurements of the refractive index under the influence of terrestrial solar radiation or using UV-C sources. In UV biological dosimetry the UV dose scale is additive starting at a value of zero according to the definition of CIE (Technical Report TC-6-18). The biological dose can be defined by a measured end-effect. In our dosimeters (phage T7 and uracil dosimeter) exposed to natural (terrestrial) UV radiation the proportion of pyrimidin photoproducts among the total photoproducts is smaller than 0.1 and the linear correlation between the biological and physical dose is higher than 0.9. According to the experimental data this linear relationship is often not valid. We observed that UV radiation did not only induce dimerisation but shorter wavelengths caused monomerisation of pyrimidin dimers. Performing the irradiation in oxygen free environment and using a Deuterium lamp as UV source, we could increase monomerisation against dimerisation thus the DNA-based dosimetrySs additivity rule is not fulfilled in these conditions. In this study we will demonstrate those non-linear experiments which constitute the basis of our biological experiments on the International Space Station.

  10. Biostack: A study of the biological effects on HZE galactic cosmic radiation

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Buecker, H.

    1975-01-01

    The Biostack experiment designed to study the effect of individual heavy nucleii of the cosmic radiation environment upon biological systems during actual space flight is described. In each Biostack, several thousand biological objects were hit by an HZE particle. The response of the biological objects was studied. Results are discussed in terms of sensitivity to the hit.

  11. Using Information and Communication Technology (ICT) to the Maximum: Learning and Teaching Biology with Limited Digital Technologies

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Van Rooy, Wilhelmina S.

    2012-01-01

    Background: The ubiquity, availability and exponential growth of digital information and communication technology (ICT) creates unique opportunities for learning and teaching in the senior secondary school biology curriculum. Digital technologies make it possible for emerging disciplinary knowledge and understanding of biological processes…

  12. Perceptions and Practices: Biology Graduate Teaching Assistants' Framing of a Controversial Socioscientific Issue

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gardner, Grant; Jones, Gail

    2011-01-01

    Graduate teaching assistants (GTAs) are gaining increasing responsibility for the instruction of undergraduate science students, yet little is known about their beliefs about science pedagogy or subsequent classroom practices. This study looked at six GTAs who were primary instructors in an introductory biology laboratory course. Teaching…

  13. Biologics as countermeasures for acute radiation syndrome: where are we now?

    PubMed

    Singh, Vijay K; Romaine, Patricia L P; Newman, Victoria L

    2015-04-01

    Despite significant scientific advances toward the development of a safe, nontoxic and effective radiation countermeasure for acute radiation syndrome (ARS) over the past six decades, no drug has been approved by the US FDA. Several biologics are currently under development as radiation countermeasures for ARS, of which three have received FDA Investigational New Drug (IND) status for clinical investigation. Presently, two of these agents, entolimod (CBLB502) and HemaMax (recombinant human IL-12) are progressing with large animal studies and clinical trials. Neupogen (G-CSF, filgrastim) has recently been recommended for approval by an FDA Advisory Committee. Filgrastim, GM-CSF (Leukine, sargramostim), and PEGylated G-CSF (Neulasta) have high potential and well-documented therapeutic effects in countering myelosuppression and may receive full licensing approval by the FDA in the future. The former two biologics are available in the US Strategic National Stockpile (SNS) for use in the event of nuclear or radiological emergency. The Emergency Use Authorization (EAU) application for entolimod may be filed soon with the FDA. Biologics are attractive agents that are progressing along the path for FDA approval, to fill the unmet need for ARS countermeasures.

  14. Radiation Protection in Canada

    PubMed Central

    Brown, John R.; Jarvis, Anita A.

    1964-01-01

    A recent survey was carried out with respect to radiobiological and radiological health projects in Canada. Letters of inquiry, followed by two questionnaires, were sent out to every institution where radiation research was likely to have been undertaken. Approximately 75% of those contacted replied. Of the total of 200 studies, 84% were classified as biological and medical studies, the remaining 16% as environmental radiation studies. Responses to the inquiry stressed the inadequacy of the present governmental budget for radiation research, the need for higher salaries for research workers, and the necessity of a more intensive teaching program for technicians and professional personnel. The granting of longer-term grants, rather than annually renewable grants, is urged. PMID:14226104

  15. Exploring Biology Teachers' Pedagogical Content Knowledge in the Teaching of Genetics in Swaziland Science Classrooms

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Mthethwa-Kunene, Eunice; Oke Onwu, Gilbert; de Villiers, Rian

    2015-05-01

    This study explored the pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) and its development of four experienced biology teachers in the context of teaching school genetics. PCK was defined in terms of teacher content knowledge, pedagogical knowledge and knowledge of students' preconceptions and learning difficulties. Data sources of teacher knowledge base included teacher-constructed concept maps, pre- and post-lesson teacher interviews, video-recorded genetics lessons, post-lesson teacher questionnaire and document analysis of teacher's reflective journals and students' work samples. The results showed that the teachers' individual PCK profiles consisted predominantly of declarative and procedural content knowledge in teaching basic genetics concepts. Conditional knowledge, which is a type of meta-knowledge for blending together declarative and procedural knowledge, was also demonstrated by some teachers. Furthermore, the teachers used topic-specific instructional strategies such as context-based teaching, illustrations, peer teaching, and analogies in diverse forms but failed to use physical models and individual or group student experimental activities to assist students' internalization of the concepts. The finding that all four teachers lacked knowledge of students' genetics-related preconceptions was equally significant. Formal university education, school context, journal reflection and professional development programmes were considered as contributing to the teachers' continuing PCK development. Implications of the findings for biology teacher education are briefly discussed.

  16. [Bio-objects and biological methods of space radiation effects evaluation].

    PubMed

    Kaminskaia, E V; Nevzgodina, L V; Platova, N G

    2009-01-01

    The unique conditions of space experiments place austere requirements to bio-objects and biological methods of radiation effects evaluation. The paper discusses suitability of a number of bio-objects varying in stage of evolution and metabolism for space researches aimed to state common patterns of the radiation damage caused by heavy ions (HI), and character of HI-cell interaction. Physical detectors in space experiments of the BIOBLOCK series make it possible to identify bio-objects hit by space HI and to set correlation between HI track topography and biological effect. The paper provides an all-round description of the bio-objects chosen for two BIOBLOCK experiments (population of hydrophyte Wolffia arrhiza (fam. duckweed) and Lactuca sativa seeds) and the method of evaluating effects from single space radiation HI. Direct effects of heavy ions on cells can be determined by the criteria of chromosomal aberrations and delayed morphologic abnormalities. The evaluation results are compared with the data about human blood lymphocytes. Consideration is being given to the procedures of test-objects' treatment and investigation.

  17. Constitutive expression of tdTomato protein as a cytotoxicity and proliferation marker for space radiation biology

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chishti, Arif A.; Hellweg, Christine E.; Berger, Thomas; Baumstark-Khan, Christa; Feles, Sebastian; Kätzel, Thorben; Reitz, Günther

    2015-01-01

    The radiation risk assessment for long-term space missions requires knowledge on the biological effectiveness of different space radiation components, e.g. heavy ions, on the interaction of radiation and other space environmental factors such as microgravity, and on the physical and biological dose distribution in the human body. Space experiments and ground-based experiments at heavy ion accelerators require fast and reliable test systems with an easy readout for different endpoints. In order to determine the effect of different radiation qualities on cellular proliferation and the biological depth dose distribution after heavy ion exposure, a stable human cell line expressing a novel fluorescent protein was established and characterized. tdTomato, a red fluorescent protein of the new generation with fast maturation and high fluorescence intensity, was selected as reporter of cell proliferation. Human embryonic kidney (HEK/293) cells were stably transfected with a plasmid encoding tdTomato under the control of the constitutively active cytomegalovirus (CMV) promoter (ptdTomato-N1). The stably transfected cell line was named HEK-ptdTomato-N1 8. This cytotoxicity biosensor was tested by ionizing radiation (X-rays and accelerated heavy ions) exposure. As biological endpoints, the proliferation kinetics and the cell density reached 100 h after irradiation reflected by constitutive expression of the tdTomato were investigated. Both were reduced dose-dependently after radiation exposure. Finally, the cell line was used for biological weighting of heavy ions of different linear energy transfer (LET) as space-relevant radiation quality. The relative biological effectiveness of accelerated heavy ions in reducing cellular proliferation peaked at an LET of 91 keV/μm. The results of this study demonstrate that the HEK-ptdTomato-N1 reporter cell line can be used as a fast and reliable biosensor system for detection of cytotoxic damage caused by ionizing radiation.

  18. Shaping scientific attitude of biology education students through research-based teaching

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Firdaus, Darmadi

    2017-08-01

    Scientific attitude is need of today's society for peaceful and meaningful living of every person in a multicultural world. A case study was conducted at the Faculty of Teacher Training and Education, University of Riau, Pekanbaru in order to describe the scientific attitude that shaped by research-based teaching (RBT). Eighteen students of English for Biology bilingual program were selected from 88 regular students as a subject of the study. RBT designed consists of 9 steps: 1) field observations, 2) developing research proposals, 3) research proposal seminar, 4) field data collecting, 5) data analyzing & ilustrating, 6) writing research papers, 7) preparing power point slides, 8) creating a scientific poster, 9) seminar & poster session. Data were collected by using check list observation instuments during 14 weeks (course sessions), then analyzed by using descriptive-quantitative method. The results showed that RBT were able to shape critical-mindedness, suspended judgement, respect for evidence, honesty, objectivity, and questioning attitude as well as tolerance of uncertainty. These attitudes which shaped were varies according to every steps of learning activities. It's seems that the preparation of scientific posters and research seminar quite good in shaping the critical-mindedness, suspended judgment, respect for evidence, honesty, objectivity, and questioning attitude, as well as tolerance of uncertainty. In conclusion, the application of research-based teaching through the English for Biology courses could shape the students scientific attitudes. However, the consistency of the appearance of a scientific attitude in every stage of Biology-based RBT learning process need more intensive and critical assessment.

  19. Biological wound dressings sterilized with gamma radiation: Mexican clinical experience

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Martínez-Pardo, M. E.; Ley-Chávez, E.; Reyes-Frías, M. L.; Rodríguez-Ferreyra, P.; Vázquez-Maya, L.; Salazar, M. A.

    2007-11-01

    Biological wound dressings sterilized with gamma radiation, such as amnion and pig skin, are a reality in Mexico. These tissues are currently processed in the tissue bank and sterilized in the Gamma Industrial Irradiation Plant; both facilities belong to the Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones Nucleares (ININ) (National Institute of Nuclear Research). With the strong support of the International Atomic Energy Agency, the bank was established at the ININ and the Mexican Ministry of Health issued its sanitary license on July 7, 1999. The Quality Management System of the bank was certified by ISO 9001:2000 on August 1, 2003; the scope of the system is "Research, Development and Processing of Biological Tissues Sterilized with Gamma Radiation". At present, more than 150 patients from 16 hospitals have been successfully treated with these tissues. This paper presents a brief description of the tissue processing, as well as the present Mexican clinical experience with children and adult patients who underwent medical treatment with radiosterilized amnion and pig skin, used as biological wound dressings on burns and ocular surface disorders.

  20. RADIATION BIOLOGY AND ISOTOPE UTILIZATION IN APPLIED BOTANY (in German)

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Glubrecht, H.

    A short survey is given of the problems being studied in the Institute for Radiation Biology in the Technische Hochschule in Hannover. Extensive data are presented on a method of studying the effect of ionizing radiation on plant cells with the aid of UV microspectroscopy. From the change in UV absorption in ranges of a few mu , conclusions can be drawn as to the probability of primary ionizations in protein molecules and nucleic acids. (auth)

  1. An Experiment in the Use of Programmed Materials in Teaching High School Biology.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Young, Paul Alexander

    Investigated were the feasibility and effectiveness of using programed materials with concomitant laboratory exercises in teaching genetics on the secondary level. Students from two white and two Negro high schools in the Atlantic Public School System participated, with one control and one experimental biology class in each school taught by the…

  2. Action spectra affect variability of the climatology of biologically effective ultraviolet radiation on cloud-free days.

    PubMed

    Grifoni, D; Zipoli, G; Sabatini, F; Messeri, G; Bacci, L

    2013-12-01

    Action spectrum (AS) describes the relative effectiveness of ultraviolet (UV) radiation in producing biological effects and allows spectral UV irradiance to be weighted in order to compute biologically effective UV radiation (UVBE). The aim of this research was to study the seasonal and latitudinal distribution over Europe of daily UVBE doses responsible for various biological effects on humans and plants. Clear sky UV radiation spectra were computed at 30-min time intervals for the first day of each month of the year for Rome, Potsdam and Trondheim using a radiative transfer model fed with climatological data. Spectral data were weighted using AS for erythema, vitamin D synthesis, cataract and photokeratitis for humans, while the generalised plant damage and the plant damage AS were used for plants. The daily UVBE doses for the above-mentioned biological processes were computed and are analysed in this study. The patterns of variation due to season (for each location) and latitude (for each date) resulted as being specific for each adopted AS. The biological implications of these results are briefly discussed highlighting the importance of a specific UVBE climatology for each biological process.

  3. Teaching Methods in Biology Education and Sustainability Education Including Outdoor Education for Promoting Sustainability--A Literature Review

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Jeronen, Eila; Palmberg, Irmeli; Yli-Panula, Eija

    2017-01-01

    There are very few studies concerning the importance of teaching methods in biology education and environmental education including outdoor education for promoting sustainability at the levels of primary and secondary schools and pre-service teacher education. The material was selected using special keywords from biology and sustainable education…

  4. The Student Writing Toolkit: Enhancing Undergraduate Teaching of Scientific Writing in the Biological Sciences

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dirrigl, Frank J., Jr.; Noe, Mark

    2014-01-01

    Teaching scientific writing in biology classes is challenging for both students and instructors. This article offers and reviews several useful "toolkit" items that improve student writing. These include sentence and paper-length templates, funnelling and compartmentalisation, and preparing compendiums of corrections. In addition,…

  5. The laser radiation action on the crystal formation processes in the biological fluids

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Malov, Alexander N.; Vaichas, Andrey A.; Novikova, Evgeniya A.

    2016-11-01

    The results of an experimental study of the laser radiation effect on the crystal`s formation in the volume of biological fluids that are complex multi-component solutions have been discussing. Are investigated white and natural bile in vitro. The qualitative changes were observed. Thus, at the bottom of the cell in which bile is not exposed to the laser radiation, the crystals are formed. In the irradiated bile gallstone has a thin layer of a homogeneous viscous colloidal liquid with very small, visible in polarized light crystalline formations was got. Irradiated laser bile's gallstone was covered evenly white deposit without surface defect unlike gallstone in bile without radiation exposure. A possible mechanism to explain the laser radiation action on the mineral formation in biological fluids and also practical application of this effect have been suggesting too.

  6. “Shrink Wrapping” Lectures: Teaching Cell and Molecular Biology within the Context of Human Pathologies

    PubMed Central

    2005-01-01

    Students are most motivated and learn best when they are immersed in an environment that causes them to realize why they should learn. Perhaps nowhere is this truer than when teaching the biological sciences to engineers. Transitioning from a traditionally mathematics-based to a traditionally knowledge-based pedagogical style can challenge student learning and engagement. To address this, human pathologies were used as a problem-based context for teaching knowledge-based cell biological mechanisms. Lectures were divided into four modules. First, a disease was presented from clinical, economic, and etiological standpoints. Second, fundamental concepts of cell and molecular biology were taught that were directly relevant to that disease. Finally, we discussed the cellular and molecular basis of the disease based on these fundamental concepts, together with current clinical approaches to the disease. The basic science is thus presented within a “shrink wrap” of disease application. Evaluation of this contextual technique suggests that it is very useful in improving undergraduate student focus and motivation, and offers many advantages to the instructor as well. PMID:15917872

  7. The Effects of a Mathematical Approach to Teaching Two Topics in High School Biology on Student Achievement and Attitudes.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wixson, Eldwin Atwell, Jr.

    Mathematical approaches to teaching cell structure and physiology and the probability aspects of genetics were used in each of two types of biology courses: one using the Biological Sciences Curriculum Study (BSCS) Yellow version and the other using Otto and Towle's "Modern Biology." Tests of lateral and vertical mathematics transfer, biology…

  8. A Sociocultural Reading of Reform in Science Teaching in a Secondary Biology Class

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Barma, Sylvie

    2011-01-01

    Adopting activity theory as a theoretical and methodological framework, this case study illustrates how a teaching and learning situation is planned and implemented over a series of nine 75-min biology classes by a high school science teacher in the context of pedagogical reform. The object of this study emerges within a favourable context of…

  9. GUI to Facilitate Research on Biological Damage from Radiation

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Cucinotta, Frances A.; Ponomarev, Artem Lvovich

    2010-01-01

    A graphical-user-interface (GUI) computer program has been developed to facilitate research on the damage caused by highly energetic particles and photons impinging on living organisms. The program brings together, into one computational workspace, computer codes that have been developed over the years, plus codes that will be developed during the foreseeable future, to address diverse aspects of radiation damage. These include codes that implement radiation-track models, codes for biophysical models of breakage of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) by radiation, pattern-recognition programs for extracting quantitative information from biological assays, and image-processing programs that aid visualization of DNA breaks. The radiation-track models are based on transport models of interactions of radiation with matter and solution of the Boltzmann transport equation by use of both theoretical and numerical models. The biophysical models of breakage of DNA by radiation include biopolymer coarse-grained and atomistic models of DNA, stochastic- process models of deposition of energy, and Markov-based probabilistic models of placement of double-strand breaks in DNA. The program is designed for use in the NT, 95, 98, 2000, ME, and XP variants of the Windows operating system.

  10. Glycoprotein Biochemistry (Biosynthesis)--A Vehicle for Teaching Many Aspects of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Cole, Clair R.; Smith, Christopher A.

    1990-01-01

    Information about the biosynthesis of the carbohydrate portions or glycans of glycoproteins is presented. The teaching of glycosylation can be used to develop and emphasize many general aspects of biosynthesis, in addition to explaining specific biochemical and molecular biological features associated with producing the oligosaccharide portions of…

  11. Ionizing Radiation Measurements Using Low Cost Instruments for Teaching in College or High-School in Brazil

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Silva, M. C.; Vilela, D. C.; Migoto, V. G.; Gomes, M. P.; Martin, I. M.; Germano, J. S. E.

    2017-01-01

    Ionizing radiation one of modern physics experimental teaching in colleges and high school can be easily implemented today due to low coasts of detectors and also electronic circuits and data acquisition interfaces. First it is interesting to show to young's students what is ionizing radiation and from where they appears near ground level? How it…

  12. To Fly or Not to Fly: Teaching Advanced Secondary School Students about Principles of Flight in Biological Systems

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Pietsch, Renée B.; Bohland, Cynthia L.; Schmale, David G., III.

    2015-01-01

    Biological flight mechanics is typically taught in graduate level college classes rather than in secondary school classes. We developed an interdisciplinary unit for advanced upper-level secondary school students (ages 15-18) to teach the principles of flight and applications to biological systems. This unit capitalised on the tremendous…

  13. Perceptions and Practices: Biology graduate teaching assistants' framing of a controversial socioscientific issue

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gardner, Grant; Jones, Gail

    2011-05-01

    Graduate teaching assistants (GTAs) are gaining increasing responsibility for the instruction of undergraduate science students, yet little is known about their beliefs about science pedagogy or subsequent classroom practices. This study looked at six GTAs who were primary instructors in an introductory biology laboratory course. Teaching assistants taught a lesson about the potential social, health, and environmental impacts of genetically modified crops. Through classroom observations and in-depth interviews, the researchers examined how instructors chose to frame their lessons and what GTAs perceived as important for students to know about this particular socioscientific issue (SSI). Results showed a disconnect between the relatively mature conceptualizations of effective SSI instruction that emerged during interviews and classroom practice.

  14. Biological effects and physics of solar and galactic cosmic radiation, Part B; Proceedings of a NATO Advanced Study Institute on Biological Effects and Physics of Solar and Galactic Cosmic Radiation, Algarve, Portugal, Oct. 13-23, 1991

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Swenberg, Charles E. (Editor); Horneck, Gerda (Editor); Stassinopoulos, E. G. (Editor)

    1993-01-01

    Since there is an increasing interest in establishing lunar bases and exploring Mars by manned missions, it is important to develop appropriate risk estimates and radiation protection guidelines. The biological effects and physics of solar and galactic cosmic radiation are examined with respect to the following: the radiation environment of interplanetary space, the biological responses to radiation in space, and the risk estimates for deep space missions. There is a need for a long-term program where ground-based studies can be augmented by flight experiments and an international standardization with respect to data collection, protocol comparison, and formulation of guidelines for future missions.

  15. A comparison of Massachusetts and Texas high school biology teachers' attitudes towards the teaching of evolution

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Howarth, Richard T.

    Darwin's theory of evolution by natural selection is considered to be the unifying theory for all life sciences (American Association for the Advancement of Science, AAAS, 1990; National Academy of Sciences, 1998; National Research Council, NRC, 1996; National Science Teachers Association, NSTA, 2010a) and as such, the biology topic has been established as a central learning standard by the National Science Education Science Standards (NSES, 2005). The purpose of this study was to compare how Massachusetts and Texas high school biology teachers' attitudes toward the teaching of evolution differ as compared to other biology topics. Texas and Massachusetts are two states that exemplify standards based education yet differ dramatically in their histories surrounding the topic of evolution. A survey was conducted among 217 Massachusetts and 139 Texas in-service high school biology teachers to help provide a sense of the phenomena surrounding biology teachers in respect to how their attitudes towards the teaching of evolution are shaped. Additionally, an open-ended question was asked to help contextualize the results of the survey between teachers of these two states. The findings in this study suggest that community appears to be a powerful persuasive message and socialization experience that shapes the development of attitudes towards evolution for some educators, especially when it is highly intertwined with religion. For biology teachers in the state of Texas, the synergistic result of this relationship has resulted in statistically significant differences in regards to attitudes towards evolution as compared to teachers in Massachusetts. These findings yield implications regarding scientific literacy, student learning, assessment, the quality of science instruction, curriculum, undergraduate biology programs, and the needs of biology teachers in terms of professional development.

  16. "Shrink Wrapping" Lectures: Teaching Cell and Molecular Biology within the Context of Human Pathologies

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Guilford, William H.

    2005-01-01

    Students are most motivated and learn best when they are immersed in an environment that causes them to realize why they should learn. Perhaps nowhere is this truer than when teaching the biological sciences to engineers. Transitioning from a traditionally mathematics-based to a traditionally knowledge-based pedagogical style can challenge student…

  17. Carbon Heavy-ion Radiation Induced Biological effects on Oryza sativa L.

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhang, Meng; Sun, Yeqing; Li, Xishan; Gong, Ning; Meng, Qingmei; Liu, Jiawei; Wang, Ting

    2016-07-01

    Large number of researches on rice after spaceflights indicated that rice was a favorable model organism to study biological effects induced by space radiation. The stimulative effect could often be found on rice seedlings after irradiation by low-dose energetic heavy-ion radiation. Spaceflight also could induce stimulative effect on kinds of seeds. To further understand the mechanism of low-dose radiation biological effects and the dose range, the germinated rice seeds which were irradiated by different doses of carbon heavy-ion (0, 0.02, 0.1, 0.2, 1, 2, 5, 10, 15 and 20Gy, LET=27.3keV/µm) were used as materials to study. By investigating the variation of rice phenotype under different doses, we found that 2Gy radiation dose was a dividing point of the phenotypic variation. Transmission electron microscopy was used to observe the variation of mitochondria, chloroplast, endoplasmic reticulum, ribosome and nucleus in mesophyll cell of rice apical meristem at 24 hours after radiation with different doses. The cells were not apparently physiologically damaged when the dose of radiation was less than 2Gy. The number of chloroplast did not change significantly, but the number of mitochondria was significantly increased, and gathered around in the chloroplast and endoplasmic reticulum; the obvious lesion of chloroplast and mitochondria were found at the mesophyll cells when radiation dose was higher than 2Gy. The mitochondria were swelling and appearing blurred crest. The chloroplast and mitochondrial mutation rate increased significantly (p<0.01). These phenomena showed that cell biological changes may be the reasons of the stimulation and inhibition effects with the boundary of 2Gy. Since mitochondrial was an important organelle involved in the antioxidative systems, its dysfunction could result in the increase of reactive oxygen species and lipid peroxidation. We found that the growth stimulation induced by low-dose radiation mainly occurred at three-leaf stage along

  18. Biological activities caused by far-infrared radiation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Inoué, Shojiro; Kabaya, Morihiro

    1989-09-01

    Contrary to previous presumption, accumulated evidence indicates that far-infrared rays are biologically active. A small ceramic disk that emist far-infrared rays (4 16 μm) has commonly been applied to a local spot or a whole part of the body for exposure. Pioneering attempts to experimentally analyze an effect of acute and chronic radiation of far-infrared rays on living organisms have detected a growth-promoting effect in growing rats, a sleep-modulatory effect in freely behaving rats and an insomiac patient, and a blood circulation-enhancing effect in human skin. Question-paires to 542 users of far-infrared radiator disks embedded in bedelothes revealed that the majority of the users subjectively evaluated an improvement of their health. These effects on living organisms appear to be non-specifically triggered by an exposure to far-infrared rays, which eventually induce an increase in temperature of the body tissues or, more basically, an elevated motility of body fluids due to decrease in size of water clusters.

  19. Teaching Assistant Professional Development in Biology: Designed for and Driven by Multidimensional Data.

    PubMed

    Wyse, Sara A; Long, Tammy M; Ebert-May, Diane

    2014-01-01

    Graduate teaching assistants (TAs) are increasingly responsible for instruction in undergraduate science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) courses. Various professional development (PD) programs have been developed and implemented to prepare TAs for this role, but data about effectiveness are lacking and are derived almost exclusively from self-reported surveys. In this study, we describe the design of a reformed PD (RPD) model and apply Kirkpatrick's Evaluation Framework to evaluate multiple outcomes of TA PD before, during, and after implementing RPD. This framework allows evaluation that includes both direct measures and self-reported data. In RPD, TAs created and aligned learning objectives and assessments and incorporated more learner-centered instructional practices in their teaching. However, these data are inconsistent with TAs' self-reported perceptions about RPD and suggest that single measures are insufficient to evaluate TA PD programs. © 2014 Wyse et al. CBE—Life Sciences Education © 2014 The American Society for Cell Biology. This article is distributed by The American Society for Cell Biology under license from the author(s). It is available to the public under an Attribution–Noncommercial–Share Alike 3.0 Unported Creative Commons License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0).

  20. Teaching Science with Technology

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Gornostaeva, Svetlana

    2015-04-01

    This is a short introduction about me, description of different teaching methods, which is used in my teaching practice of Geography, biology and GIS systems education. The main part is tell about practical lesson with lab Vernier. My name is Svetlana Gornostaeva. I am a geography, biology and GIS systems teacher in Tallinn Mustjõe Gymnasium (www.mjg.ee) and private school Garant (http://www.erakoolgarant.ee/). In my teaching practice I do all to show that science courses are very important, interesting, and do not difficult. I use differentiated instruction methods also consider individual needs. At lessons is used different active teaching methods such as individual work of various levels of difficulty, team works, creative tasks, interactive exercises, excursions, role-playing games, meeting with experts. On my lessons I use visual aids (maps, a collection of rocks and minerals, herbarium, posters, Vernier data logger). My favorite teaching methods are excursions, meeting with experts and practical lesson with lab Vernier. A small part of my job demonstrate my poster. In the next abstract I want to bring a one practical work with Vernier which I do with my students, when we teach a theme "Atmosphere and climate". OUTDOOR LEARNING. SUBJECT "ATMOSPHERE AND CLIMATE". WEATHER OBSERVATIONS WITH VERNIER DATA LOGGER. The aim: students teach to use Vernier data logger and measure climatic parameters such as: temperature, humidity, atmospheric pressure, solar radiation, ultraviolet light radiation, wind speed. In working process pupils also teach work together, observe natural processes, analyze. Children are working by small groups, 4-5 in each group. Every one should personally measure all parameters and put numbers into the table. After it group observe cloudiness, analyze table and give conclusion "Is at this moment dominates cyclone or anticyclone ?". Children really like this kind of job. Vernier data logger it is really fantastic tool. It is mobile lab. This

  1. Mechanism of Action for Anti-Radiation Vaccine in Reducing the Biological Impact of High-Dose Irradiation

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Maliev, Vladislav; Popov, Dmitri; Jones, Jeffrey A.; Casey, Rachael C.

    2006-01-01

    Ionizing radiation is a major health risk of long-term space travel, the biological consequences of which include genetic and oxidative damage. In this study, we propose an original mechanism by which high doses of ionizing radiation induce acute toxicity. We identified biological components that appear in the lymphatic vessels shortly after gamma irradiation. These radiation-induced toxins, which we have named specific radiation determinants (SRD), were generated in the irradiated tissues and then collected and circulated throughout the body via the lymph circulation and bloodstream. Depending on the type of SRD elicited, different syndromes of acute radiation sickness (ARS) were expressed. The SRDs were developed into a vaccine used to confer active immunity against acute radiation toxicity in immunologically naive animals. Animals that were pretreated with SRDs exhibited resistance to lethal doses of gamma radiation, as measured by increased survival times and survival rates. In comparison, untreated animals that were exposed to similar large doses of gamma radiation developed acute radiation sickness and died within days. This phenomenon was observed in a number of mammalian species. We partially analyzed the biochemical characteristics of the SRDs. The SRDs were large molecular weight (200-250 kDa) molecules that were comprised of a mixture of protein, lipid, carbohydrate, and mineral. Further analysis is required to further identify the SRD molecules and the biological mechanism by which the mediate the toxicity associated with acute radiation sickness. By doing so, we may develop an effective specific immunoprophylaxis as a countermeasure against the acute effects of ionizing radiation.

  2. Far infrared radiation (FIR): its biological effects and medical applications

    PubMed Central

    Vatansever, Fatma; Hamblin, Michael R.

    2013-01-01

    Far infrared (FIR) radiation (λ = 3–100 μm) is a subdivision of the electromagnetic spectrum that has been investigated for biological effects. The goal of this review is to cover the use of a further sub-division (3– 12 μm) of this waveband, that has been observed in both in vitro and in vivo studies, to stimulate cells and tissue, and is considered a promising treatment modality for certain medical conditions. Technological advances have provided new techniques for delivering FIR radiation to the human body. Specialty lamps and saunas, delivering pure FIR radiation (eliminating completely the near and mid infrared bands), have became safe, effective, and widely used sources to generate therapeutic effects. Fibers impregnated with FIR emitting ceramic nanoparticles and woven into fabrics, are being used as garments and wraps to generate FIR radiation, and attain health benefits from its effects. PMID:23833705

  3. Teaching About "Brain and Learning" in High School Biology Classes: Effects on Teachers' Knowledge and Students' Theory of Intelligence.

    PubMed

    Dekker, Sanne; Jolles, Jelle

    2015-01-01

    This study evaluated a new teaching module about "Brain and Learning" using a controlled design. The module was implemented in high school biology classes and comprised three lessons: (1) brain processes underlying learning; (2) neuropsychological development during adolescence; and (3) lifestyle factors that influence learning performance. Participants were 32 biology teachers who were interested in "Brain and Learning" and 1241 students in grades 8-9. Teachers' knowledge and students' beliefs about learning potential were examined using online questionnaires. Results indicated that before intervention, biology teachers were significantly less familiar with how the brain functions and develops than with its structure and with basic neuroscientific concepts (46 vs. 75% correct answers). After intervention, teachers' knowledge of "Brain and Learning" had significantly increased (64%), and more students believed that intelligence is malleable (incremental theory). This emphasizes the potential value of a short teaching module, both for improving biology teachers' insights into "Brain and Learning," and for changing students' beliefs about intelligence.

  4. A Case Study Documenting the Process by Which Biology Instructors Transition from Teacher-Centered to Learner-Centered Teaching

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Marbach-Ad, Gili; Rietschel, Carly Hunt

    2016-01-01

    In this study, we used a case study approach to obtain an in-depth understanding of the change process of two university instructors who were involved with redesigning a biology course. Given the hesitancy of many biology instructors to adopt evidence-based, learner-centered teaching methods, there is a critical need to understand how biology…

  5. Cosmic Radiation Exposure of Biological Test Systems During the EXPOSE-E Mission

    PubMed Central

    Hajek, Michael; Bilski, Pawel; Körner, Christine; Vanhavere, Filip; Reitz, Günther

    2012-01-01

    Abstract In the frame of the EXPOSE-E mission on the Columbus external payload facility EuTEF on board the International Space Station, passive thermoluminescence dosimeters were applied to measure the radiation exposure of biological samples. The detectors were located either as stacks next to biological specimens to determine the depth dose distribution or beneath the sample carriers to determine the dose levels for maximum shielding. The maximum mission dose measured in the upper layer of the depth dose part of the experiment amounted to 238±10 mGy, which relates to an average dose rate of 408±16 μGy/d. In these stacks of about 8 mm height, the dose decreased by 5–12% with depth. The maximum dose measured beneath the sample carriers was 215±16 mGy, which amounts to an average dose rate of 368±27 μGy/d. These values are close to those assessed for the interior of the Columbus module and demonstrate the high shielding of the biological experiments within the EXPOSE-E facility. Besides the shielding by the EXPOSE-E hardware itself, additional shielding was experienced by the external structures adjacent to EXPOSE-E, such as EuTEF and Columbus. This led to a dose gradient over the entire exposure area, from 215±16 mGy for the lowest to 121±6 mGy for maximum shielding. Hence, the doses perceived by the biological samples inside EXPOSE-E varied by 70% (from lowest to highest dose). As a consequence of the high shielding, the biological samples were predominantly exposed to galactic cosmic heavy ions, while electrons and a significant fraction of protons of the radiation belts and solar wind did not reach the samples. Key Words: Space radiation—Dosimetry—Passive radiation detectors—Thermoluminescence—EXPOSE-E. Astrobiology 12, 387–392. PMID:22680685

  6. Exploring Biology Teachers' Pedagogical Content Knowledge in the Teaching of Genetics in Swaziland Science Classrooms

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mthethwa-Kunene, Eunice; Onwu, Gilbert Oke; de Villiers, Rian

    2015-01-01

    This study explored the pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) and its development of four experienced biology teachers in the context of teaching school genetics. PCK was defined in terms of teacher content knowledge, pedagogical knowledge and knowledge of students' preconceptions and learning difficulties. Data sources of teacher knowledge base…

  7. A research project-based and self-determined teaching system of molecular biology techniques for undergraduates.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Shuping

    2008-05-01

    Molecular biology techniques play a very important role in understanding the biological activity. Students who major in biology should know not only how to perform experiments, but also the reasons for performing them. Having the concept of conducting research by integrating various techniques is especially important. This paper introduces a research project-based and self-determined teaching system of molecular biology techniques for undergraduates. Its aim is to create an environment mimicking real research programs and to help students build up confidence in their research skills. The students are allowed to explore a set of commonly used molecular biology techniques to solve some fundamental problems about genes on their own. They find a gene of interest, write a mini-proposal, and give an oral presentation. This course provides students a foundation before entering the research laboratory and allows them to adapt easily to real research programs. Copyright © 2008 International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

  8. A Hypothesis on Biological Protection from Space Radiation Through the Use of New Therapeutic Gases as Medical Counter Measures

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Schoenfeld, Michael P.; Ansari, Rafat R.; Nakao, Atsunori; Wink, David

    2012-01-01

    Radiation exposure to astronauts could be a significant obstacle for long duration manned space exploration because of current uncertainties regarding the extent of biological effects. Furthermore, concepts for protective shielding also pose a technically challenging issue due to the nature of cosmic radiation and current mass and power constraints with modern exploration technology. The concern regarding exposure to cosmic radiation is the biological damage it induces. As damage is associated with increased oxidative stress, it is important and would be enabling to mitigate and/or prevent oxidative stress prior to the development of clinical symptoms and disease. This paper hypothesizes a "systems biology" approach in which a combination of chemical and biological mitigation techniques are used conjunctively. It proposes using new, therapeutic, medical gases as both chemical radioprotectors for radical scavenging and biological signaling molecules for management of the body s response to exposure. From reviewing radiochemistry of water, biological effects of CO, H2, NO, and H2S gas, and mechanisms of radiation biology, it is concluded that this approach may have great therapeutic potential for radiation exposure. Furthermore, it also appears to have similar potential for curtailing the pathogenesis of other diseases in which oxidative stress has been implicated including cardiovascular disease, cancer, chronic inflammatory disease, hypertension, ischemia/reperfusion injury, acute respiratory distress syndrome, Parkinson s and Alzheimer s disease, cataracts, and aging.

  9. The PUR Experiment on the EXPOSE-R facility: biological dosimetry of solar extraterrestrial UV radiation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bérces, A.; Egyeki, M.; Fekete, A.; Horneck, G.; Kovács, G.; Panitz, C.

    2015-01-01

    The aim of our experiment Phage and Uracil Response was to extend the use of bacteriophage T7 and uracil biological dosimeters for measuring the biologically effective ultraviolet (UV) dose in the harsh extraterrestrial radiation conditions. The biological detectors were exposed in vacuum-tightly cases in the European Space Agency (ESA) astrobiological exposure facility attached to the external platform of Zvezda (EXPOSE-R). EXPOSE-R took off to the International Space Station (ISS) in November 2008 and was installed on the External platform of the Russian module Zvezda of the ISS in March 2009. Our goal was to determine the dose-effect relation for the formation of photoproducts (i.e. damage to phage DNA and uracil, respectively). The extraterrestrial solar UV radiation ranges over the whole spectrum from vacuum-UV (λ<200 nm) to UVA (315 nm<λ<400 nm), which causes photolesions (photoproducts) in the nucleic acids/their components either by photoionization or excitation. However, these wavelengths cause not only photolesions but in a wavelength-dependent efficiency the reversion of some photolesions, too. Our biological detectors measured in situ conditions the resultant of both reactions induced by the extraterrestrial UV radiation. From this aspect the role of the photoreversion in the extension of the biological UV dosimetry are discussed.

  10. UNCERTAINTY ON RADIATION DOSES ESTIMATED BY BIOLOGICAL AND RETROSPECTIVE PHYSICAL METHODS.

    PubMed

    Ainsbury, Elizabeth A; Samaga, Daniel; Della Monaca, Sara; Marrale, Maurizio; Bassinet, Celine; Burbidge, Christopher I; Correcher, Virgilio; Discher, Michael; Eakins, Jon; Fattibene, Paola; Güçlü, Inci; Higueras, Manuel; Lund, Eva; Maltar-Strmecki, Nadica; McKeever, Stephen; Rääf, Christopher L; Sholom, Sergey; Veronese, Ivan; Wieser, Albrecht; Woda, Clemens; Trompier, Francois

    2018-03-01

    Biological and physical retrospective dosimetry are recognised as key techniques to provide individual estimates of dose following unplanned exposures to ionising radiation. Whilst there has been a relatively large amount of recent development in the biological and physical procedures, development of statistical analysis techniques has failed to keep pace. The aim of this paper is to review the current state of the art in uncertainty analysis techniques across the 'EURADOS Working Group 10-Retrospective dosimetry' members, to give concrete examples of implementation of the techniques recommended in the international standards, and to further promote the use of Monte Carlo techniques to support characterisation of uncertainties. It is concluded that sufficient techniques are available and in use by most laboratories for acute, whole body exposures to highly penetrating radiation, but further work will be required to ensure that statistical analysis is always wholly sufficient for the more complex exposure scenarios.

  11. Teaching and assessing systems-based practice: a pilot course in health care policy, finance, and law for radiation oncology residents.

    PubMed

    Mitchell, James D; Parhar, Preeti; Narayana, Ashwatha

    2010-09-01

    Under the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) Outcome Project, residency programs are required to provide data on educational outcomes and evidence for how this information is used to improve resident education. To teach and assess systems-based practice through a course in health care policy, finance, and law for radiation oncology residents, and to determine its efficacy. We designed a pilot course in health care policy, finance, and law related to radiation oncology. Invited experts gave lectures on policy issues important to radiation oncology and half of the participants attended the American Society for Therapeutic Radiation and Oncology (ASTRO) Advocacy Day. Participants completed pre- and postcourse tests to assess their knowledge of health policy. Six radiation oncology residents participated, with 5 (84%) completing all components. For the 5 residents completing all assessments, the mean precourse score was 64% and the mean postcourse score was 84% (P  =  .05). Improvement was noted in all 3 sections of health policy, finance, and medical law. At the end of the course, 5 of 6 residents were motivated to learn about health policy, and 4 of 6 agreed it was important for physicians to be involved in policy matters. Teaching radiation oncology residents systems-based practice through a course on health policy, finance, and law is feasible and was well received. Such a course can help teaching programs comply with the ACGME Outcome Project and would also be applicable to trainees in other specialties.

  12. Combining Radiation Epidemiology With Molecular Biology-Changing From Health Risk Estimates to Therapeutic Intervention.

    PubMed

    Abend, Michael; Port, Matthias

    2016-08-01

    The authors herein summarize six presentations dedicated to the key session "molecular radiation epidemiology" of the ConRad meeting 2015. These presentations were chosen in order to highlight the promise when combining conventional radiation epidemiology with molecular biology. Conventional radiation epidemiology uses dose estimates for risk predictions on health. However, combined with molecular biology, dose-dependent bioindicators of effect hold the promise to improve clinical diagnostics and to provide target molecules for potential therapeutic intervention. One out of the six presentations exemplified the use of radiation-induced molecular changes as biomarkers of exposure by measuring stabile chromosomal translocations. The remaining five presentations focused on molecular changes used as bioindicators of the effect. These bioindicators of the effect could be used for diagnostic purposes on colon cancers (genomic instability), thyroid cancer (CLIP2), or head and neck squamous cell cancers. Therapeutic implications of gene expression changes were examined in Chernobyl thyroid cancer victims and Mayak workers.

  13. Physical and biological characterization of a seawater ultraviolet radiation sterilizer

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Torrentera, Laura; Uribe, Roberto M.; Rodríguez, Romana R.; Carrillo, Ricardo E.

    1994-03-01

    The physical and biological characterization of a seawater ultraviolet (UV) sterilizer is described. The physical characterization was performed using radiochromic dye films by evaluating the uniformity of the radiant exposure along each lamp, the effect of the radiation from one lamp on the array of adjacent lamps, and by measuring the UV radiation absorption of seawater with respect to distilled water. The biological characterization was performed by measuring the amount of reduction of bacteria in stored seawater after different filtration and UV treatments. Among the filtration methods tested, differential filtration (5, 3 and 0.45 μm filters connected in series) caused the highest bacterial reduction factor of 60%. UV radiant exposures of 212, 424, 636 and 848 J m -2 yielded bacteria reduction factors of 99.86, 99.969, 99.997 and 100%, respectively, for populations of Vibrio and Pseudomonas bacteria present in stored seawater. It is concluded that the system is useful for water disinfection when 1, 2 or 3 lamps are on; when 4 lamps are used the treated water becomes sterile.

  14. Proactive strategy for long-term biological research aimed at low-dose radiation risk in Korea.

    PubMed

    Seong, Ki Moon; Kwon, TaeWoo; Park, Jina; Youn, BuHyun; Cha, Hyuk-Jin; Kim, Yonghwan; Moon, Changjong; Lee, Seung-Sook; Jin, Young Woo

    2018-06-19

    Since the 2011 Fukushima nuclear power plant accident, Korean radiation experts have agreed that reliable data on health risks of low-dose radiation (LDR) are needed to ease the anxiety of lay people. The intent of this study was to devise a sustainable biological program suited for the research environment in Korea and aimed at the health effects of radiation exposures <100 millisieverts (mSv). To address pressing public concerns over LDR risk, we investigated the current understanding of LDR effects by analyzing the previous reports of international authorities for radiation protection and research publications that appeared after the Chernobyl accident. A research program appropriate for societal and scientific inclinations of Korea was then devised based on input from Korean radiation scientists. After review by our advisory committee, program priorities were set, calling for an agenda that focused on dose-response relationships in carcinogenesis, health span responses to lifestyle variations, and systemic metabolic changes. Our long-term biological research program may contribute scientific evidence to reduce the uncertainties of LDR health risks and help stakeholders formulate policies for radiation protection.

  15. Linking the History of Radiation Biology to the Hallmarks of Cancer

    PubMed Central

    Boss, Mary-Keara; Bristow, Robert; Dewhirst, Mark W.

    2014-01-01

    Hanahan and Weinberg recently updated their conceptual framework of the “Hallmarks of Cancer”. The original article, published in 2000, is among the most highly cited reviews in the field of oncology. The goal of this review is to highlight important discoveries in radiation biology that pertain to the Hallmarks. We identified early studies that exemplified how ionizing radiation affects the hallmarks or how radiation was used experimentally to advance the understanding of key hallmarks. A literature search was performed to obtain relevant primary research, and topics were assigned to a particular hallmark to allow an organized, chronological account of the radiobiological advancements. The hallmarks are reviewed in an order that flows from cellular to microenvironmental effects. PMID:24811865

  16. Mechanism of action for anti-radiation vaccine in reducing the biological impact of high-dose gamma irradiation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Maliev, Vladislav; Popov, Dmitri; Jones, Jeffrey A.; Casey, Rachael C.

    Ionizing radiation is a major health risk of long-term space travel, the biological consequences of which include genetic and oxidative damage. In this study, we propose an original mechanism by which high doses of ionizing radiation induce acute toxicity. We identified biological components that appear in the lymphatic vessels shortly after high-dose gamma irradiation. These radiation-induced toxins, which we have named specific radiation determinants (SRD), were generated in the irradiated tissues and then circulated throughout the body via the lymph circulation and bloodstream. Depending on the type of SRD elicited, different syndromes of acute radiation sickness (ARS) were expressed. The SRDs were developed into a vaccine used to confer active immunity against acute radiation toxicity in immunologically naïve animals. Animals that were pretreated with SRDs exhibited resistance to lethal doses of gamma radiation, as measured by increased survival times and survival rates. In comparison, untreated animals that were exposed to similar large doses of gamma radiation developed acute radiation sickness and died within days. This phenomenon was observed in a number of mammalian species. Initial analysis of the biochemical characteristics indicated that the SRDs were large molecular weight (200-250 kDa) molecules that were comprised of a mixture of protein, lipid, carbohydrate, and mineral. Further analysis is required to further identify the SRD molecules and the biological mechanism by which they mediate the toxicity associated with acute radiation sickness. By doing so, we may develop an effective specific immunoprophylaxis as a countermeasure against the acute effects of ionizing radiation.

  17. Mechanism of Action for Anti-radiation Vaccine in Reducing the Biological Impact of High-dose Gamma Irradiation

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Maliev, Vladislav; Popov, Dmitri; Jones, Jeffrey A.; Casey, Rachael C.

    2007-01-01

    Ionizing radiation is a major health risk of long-term space travel, the biological consequences of which include genetic and oxidative damage. In this study, we propose an original mechanism by which high doses of ionizing radiation induce acute toxicity. We identified biological components that appear in the lymphatic vessels shortly after gamma irradiation. These radiation-induced toxins, which we have named specific radiation determinants (SRD), were generated in the irradiated tissues and then collected and circulated throughout the body via the lymph circulation and bloodstream. Depending on the type of SRD elicited, different syndromes of acute radiation sickness (ARS) were expressed. The SRDs were developed into a vaccine used to confer active immunity against acute radiation toxicity in immunologically naive animals. Animals that were pretreated with SRDs exhibited resistance to lethal doses of gamma radiation, as measured by increased survival times and survival rates. In comparison, untreated animals that were exposed to similar large doses of gamma radiation developed acute radiation sickness and died within days. This phenomenon was observed in a number of mammalian species. Initial analysis of the biochemical characteristics indicated that the SRDs were large molecular weight (200-250 kDa) molecules that were comprised of a mixture of protein, lipid, carbohydrate, and mineral. Further analysis is required to further identify the SRD molecules and the biological mechanism by which the mediate the toxicity associated with acute radiation sickness. By doing so, we may develop an effective specific immunoprophylaxis as a countermeasure against the acute effects of ionizing radiation.

  18. Teaching About “Brain and Learning” in High School Biology Classes: Effects on Teachers' Knowledge and Students' Theory of Intelligence

    PubMed Central

    Dekker, Sanne; Jolles, Jelle

    2015-01-01

    This study evaluated a new teaching module about “Brain and Learning” using a controlled design. The module was implemented in high school biology classes and comprised three lessons: (1) brain processes underlying learning; (2) neuropsychological development during adolescence; and (3) lifestyle factors that influence learning performance. Participants were 32 biology teachers who were interested in “Brain and Learning” and 1241 students in grades 8–9. Teachers' knowledge and students' beliefs about learning potential were examined using online questionnaires. Results indicated that before intervention, biology teachers were significantly less familiar with how the brain functions and develops than with its structure and with basic neuroscientific concepts (46 vs. 75% correct answers). After intervention, teachers' knowledge of “Brain and Learning” had significantly increased (64%), and more students believed that intelligence is malleable (incremental theory). This emphasizes the potential value of a short teaching module, both for improving biology teachers' insights into “Brain and Learning,” and for changing students' beliefs about intelligence. PMID:26648900

  19. Professional development strategies for teaching urban biology teachers to use concept maps effectively

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    McGregor Petgrave, Dahlia M.

    Many teachers are not adequately prepared to help urban students who have trouble understanding conceptual ideas in biology because these students have little connection to the natural world. This study explored potential professional development strategies to help urban biology teachers use concept maps effectively with various topics in the biology curriculum. A grounded theory approach was used to develop a substantive professional development model for urban biology teachers. Qualitative data were collected through 16 semi-structured interviews of professional developers experienced in working with concept maps in the urban context. An anonymous online survey was used to collect quantitative data from 56 professional developers and teachers to support the qualitative data. The participants were from New York City, recruited through the NY Biology-Chemistry Professional Development Mentor Network and the NY Biology Teachers' Association. According to the participants, map construction, classroom applications, lesson planning, action research, follow-up workshops, and the creation of learning communities are the most effective professional development strategies. The interviewees also proposed English language learning strategies such as picture maps, native word maps, and content reading materials with underlined words. This study contributes to social change by providing a professional development model to use in planning workshops for urban teachers. Urban teachers improve their own conceptual understanding of biology while learning how to implement concept mapping strategies in the classroom. Students whose teachers are better prepared to teach biology in a conceptual manner have the potential of growing into more scientifically literate citizens.

  20. A New Approach in Teaching the Features and Classifications of Invertebrate Animals in Biology Courses

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sezek, Fatih

    2013-01-01

    This study examined the effectiveness of a new learning approach in teaching classification of invertebrate animals in biology courses. In this approach, we used an impersonal style: the subject jigsaw, which differs from the other jigsaws in that both course topics and student groups are divided. Students in Jigsaw group were divided into five…

  1. A Self-Assisting Protein Folding Model for Teaching Structural Molecular Biology.

    PubMed

    Davenport, Jodi; Pique, Michael; Getzoff, Elizabeth; Huntoon, Jon; Gardner, Adam; Olson, Arthur

    2017-04-04

    Structural molecular biology is now becoming part of high school science curriculum thus posing a challenge for teachers who need to convey three-dimensional (3D) structures with conventional text and pictures. In many cases even interactive computer graphics does not go far enough to address these challenges. We have developed a flexible model of the polypeptide backbone using 3D printing technology. With this model we have produced a polypeptide assembly kit to create an idealized model of the Triosephosphate isomerase mutase enzyme (TIM), which forms a structure known as TIM barrel. This kit has been used in a laboratory practical where students perform a step-by-step investigation into the nature of protein folding, starting with the handedness of amino acids to the formation of secondary and tertiary structure. Based on the classroom evidence we collected, we conclude that these models are valuable and inexpensive resource for teaching structural molecular biology. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  2. What Motivates Biology Instructors to Engage and Persist in Teaching Professional Development?

    PubMed Central

    McCourt, Jill S.; Andrews, Tessa C.; Knight, Jennifer K.; Merrill, John E.; Nehm, Ross H.; Pelletreau, Karen N.; Prevost, Luanna B.; Smith, Michelle K.; Urban-Lurain, Mark; Lemons, Paula P.

    2017-01-01

    We conducted a study of 19 biology instructors participating in small, local groups at six research-intensive universities connected to the Automated Analysis of Constructed Response (AACR) project (www.msu.edu/∼aacr). Our aim was to uncover participants’ motivation to persist in a long-term teaching professional development effort, a topic that is understudied in discipline-based educational research. We interviewed each participant twice over a 2-year period and conducted qualitative analyses on the data, using expectancy-value theory as a framework for considering motivation. Our analyses revealed that motivation among instructors was high due to their enjoyment of the AACR groups. The high level of motivation is further explained by the fact that AACR groups facilitated instructor involvement with the larger AACR project. We also found that group dynamics encouraged persistence; instructors thought they might never talk with colleagues about teaching in the absence of AACR groups; and groups were perceived to have a low-enough time requirement to warrant sustained involvement. We conclude that instructors have persisted in AACR groups because the groups provided great value with limited cost. The characterization of instructor experiences described here can contribute to a better understanding of faculty needs in teaching professional development. PMID:28821539

  3. Without the Light of Evolution: A Case Study of Resistance and Avoidance in Learning to Teach High School Biology

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Larkin, Douglas B.; Perry-Ryder, Gail M.

    2015-01-01

    We present the case of Michael, a prospective high school biology teacher, to explore the implications of teacher resistance and avoidance to the topic of evolution. This case is drawn from a year-long qualitative research study that examined Michael's process of learning to teach high school biology and describes how his avoidance of evolution in…

  4. Teaching and Assessing Systems-Based Practice: A Pilot Course in Health Care Policy, Finance, and Law for Radiation Oncology Residents

    PubMed Central

    Mitchell, James D.; Parhar, Preeti; Narayana, Ashwatha

    2010-01-01

    Background Under the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) Outcome Project, residency programs are required to provide data on educational outcomes and evidence for how this information is used to improve resident education. Objective To teach and assess systems-based practice through a course in health care policy, finance, and law for radiation oncology residents, and to determine its efficacy. Methods and Materials We designed a pilot course in health care policy, finance, and law related to radiation oncology. Invited experts gave lectures on policy issues important to radiation oncology and half of the participants attended the American Society for Therapeutic Radiation and Oncology (ASTRO) Advocacy Day. Participants completed pre- and postcourse tests to assess their knowledge of health policy. Results Six radiation oncology residents participated, with 5 (84%) completing all components. For the 5 residents completing all assessments, the mean precourse score was 64% and the mean postcourse score was 84% (P  =  .05). Improvement was noted in all 3 sections of health policy, finance, and medical law. At the end of the course, 5 of 6 residents were motivated to learn about health policy, and 4 of 6 agreed it was important for physicians to be involved in policy matters. Conclusions Teaching radiation oncology residents systems-based practice through a course on health policy, finance, and law is feasible and was well received. Such a course can help teaching programs comply with the ACGME Outcome Project and would also be applicable to trainees in other specialties. PMID:21976087

  5. Traditional and Constructivist Teaching Techniques: Comparing Two Groups of Undergraduate Nonscience Majors in a Biology Lab

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Travis, Holly; Lord, Thomas

    2004-01-01

    Constructivist teaching techniques work well in various instructional settings, but many teachers remain skeptical because there is a lack of quantitative data supporting this model. This study compared an undergraduate nonmajors biology lab section taught in a traditional teacher-centered style to a similar section taught as a constructivist…

  6. Using information and communication technology (ICT) to the maximum: learning and teaching biology with limited digital technologies

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Van Rooy, Wilhelmina S.

    2012-04-01

    Background: The ubiquity, availability and exponential growth of digital information and communication technology (ICT) creates unique opportunities for learning and teaching in the senior secondary school biology curriculum. Digital technologies make it possible for emerging disciplinary knowledge and understanding of biological processes previously too small, large, slow or fast to be taught. Indeed, much of bioscience can now be effectively taught via digital technology, since its representational and symbolic forms are in digital formats. Purpose: This paper is part of a larger Australian study dealing with the technologies and modalities of learning biology in secondary schools. Sample: The classroom practices of three experienced biology teachers, working in a range of NSW secondary schools, are compared and contrasted to illustrate how the challenges of limited technologies are confronted to seamlessly integrate what is available into a number of molecular genetics lessons to enhance student learning. Design and method: The data are qualitative and the analysis is based on video classroom observations and semi-structured teacher interviews. Results: Findings indicate that if professional development opportunities are provided where the pedagogy of learning and teaching of both the relevant biology and its digital representations are available, then teachers see the immediate pedagogic benefit to student learning. In particular, teachers use ICT for challenging genetic concepts despite limited computer hardware and software availability. Conclusion: Experienced teachers incorporate ICT, however limited, in order to improve the quality of student learning.

  7. TH-AB-207A-01: Contrast-Enhanced CT: Correlation of Radiation Dose and Biological Effect

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Abadi, E; Sanders, J; Agasthya, G

    2016-06-15

    Purpose: The potential risk from CT is generally characterized in terms of radiation dose. The presence of iodinated-contrast medium increases radiation dose. However, it is unclear how much of this increase is biologically relevant. The purpose of this study was to establish the contribution of dose increase from iodine to biological effect. Methods: Radiation organ dose was estimated in 58 human (XCAT) phantoms “undergoing” chest CT examination (120 kVp, 9 mGy CTDI) on a simulated CT system (Definition Flash, Siemens) with and without iodinated-contrast agent (62.5 mL of iodine per subject). The dose without and with the presence of iodinemore » was compared to the increase in foci per cell (a surrogate of DNA damage) measured before and after similar CT exams without and with contrast agent (Piechowiak et al. 2015). The data were analyzed to ascertain how the enhancement in biological effect in contrast-enhanced CTs correlated with the increase in dose due to the presence of iodine. Results: The presence of iodinated-contrast in CT increased the organ doses by 2% to 50% on average. Typical values were heart (50%±7%), kidney (19%±7%), and liver (2%±3%). The corresponding increase in the average foci per cell was 107%±19%, indicating biological effect of iodine was greater than what would be anticipated from the iodine-initiated increase in radiation dose alone. Conclusion: Mean foci per cell and organ dose both increase in the presence of contrast agent. The former, however, is at least twice as large as the latter, indicating that iodine contributes to an increase in the probability of DNA damage not only as a consequence of increased x-ray energy deposition but also from other mechanisms. Hence iodine radiation dose, while relevant to be included in estimating the risk associated with contrast-enhanced CT, still can underestimate the biological effects.« less

  8. Physical and biological properties of U. S. standard endotoxin EC after exposure to ionizing radiation

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Csako, G.; Elin, R.J.; Hochstein, H.D.

    Techniques that reduce the toxicity of bacterial endotoxins are useful for studying the relationship between structure and biological activity. We used ionizing radiation to detoxify a highly refined endotoxin preparation. U.S. standard endotoxin EC. Dose-dependent changes occurred by exposure to /sup 60/Co-radiation in the physical properties and biological activities of the endotoxin. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide slab gel electrophoresis showed gradual loss of the polysaccharide components (O-side chain and R-core) from the endotoxin molecules. In contrast, although endotoxin revealed a complex absorption pattern in the UV range, radiation treatment failed to modify that pattern. Dose-related destruction of the primary toxic component,more » lipid A, was suggested by the results of activity tests: both the pyrogenicity and limulus reactivity of the endotoxin were destroyed by increasing doses of radiation. The results indicate that the detoxification is probably due to multiple effects of the ionizing radiation on bacterial lipopolysaccharides, and the action involves (i) the destruction of polysaccharide moieties and possibly (ii) the alteration of lipid A component of the endotoxin molecule.« less

  9. Radiation-induced DNA-protein cross-links: Mechanisms and biological significance.

    PubMed

    Nakano, Toshiaki; Xu, Xu; Salem, Amir M H; Shoulkamy, Mahmoud I; Ide, Hiroshi

    2017-06-01

    Ionizing radiation produces various DNA lesions such as base damage, DNA single-strand breaks (SSBs), DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs), and DNA-protein cross-links (DPCs). Of these, the biological significance of DPCs remains elusive. In this article, we focus on radiation-induced DPCs and review the current understanding of their induction, properties, repair, and biological consequences. When cells are irradiated, the formation of base damage, SSBs, and DSBs are promoted in the presence of oxygen. Conversely, that of DPCs is promoted in the absence of oxygen, suggesting their importance in hypoxic cells, such as those present in tumors. DNA and protein radicals generated by hydroxyl radicals (i.e., indirect effect) are responsible for DPC formation. In addition, DPCs can also be formed from guanine radical cations generated by the direct effect. Actin, histones, and other proteins have been identified as cross-linked proteins. Also, covalent linkages between DNA and protein constituents such as thymine-lysine and guanine-lysine have been identified and their structures are proposed. In irradiated cells and tissues, DPCs are repaired in a biphasic manner, consisting of fast and slow components. The half-time for the fast component is 20min-2h and that for the slow component is 2-70h. Notably, radiation-induced DPCs are repaired more slowly than DSBs. Homologous recombination plays a pivotal role in the repair of radiation-induced DPCs as well as DSBs. Recently, a novel mechanism of DPC repair mediated by a DPC protease was reported, wherein the resulting DNA-peptide cross-links were bypassed by translesion synthesis. The replication and transcription of DPC-bearing reporter plasmids are inhibited in cells, suggesting that DPCs are potentially lethal lesions. However, whether DPCs are mutagenic and induce gross chromosomal alterations remains to be determined. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  10. The impact of the new biology on radiation risks in space

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Dicello, John F.

    2003-01-01

    Radiation is considered to be one of three or four major hazards for personnel in space and has emerged as the most critical issue to be resolved for long-term missions, both orbital and interplanetary. Space habitats are stressful and dangerous environments. Health and medical consequences arising from microgravity, stress, and trauma include weakened immune systems, increased viral activity, and loss of bone mass. The greatest risks from radiation are generally assumed to be cancers and possibly damage to the central nervous system. Synergistic effects arising from the other environmental hazards along with abscopal and exogenic factors are likely. Space programs represent an exceptional opportunity for examining the biological consequences of low-dose exposures of humans to radiation at every level of progression. Although astronauts are a relatively small population, they are healthy, physically active volunteers who undergo extensive testing and medical examinations before, during, and after protracted exposures with periodic follow-up examinations. The radiation environments along with other hazards are likewise monitored and documented. Extensive international research programs are in progress. Seven years ago the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration established the National Space Biomedical Research Institute through a cooperative agreement with a consortium of research and academic institutions in order to address radiation issues through a concerted, programmatic effort. Advanced technologies are rapidly being incorporated into these programs to determine the significance of new biological data and to evaluate the interplay among the different medical hazards. Programmatic in vivo and in vitro studies of the processes leading to carcinogenesis are in progress. Drugs and dietary supplements are being examined at the cellular and in vivo levels to assess their potential as dose-modifying agents. The infrastructure of this new approach, recent

  11. A Study on Simulation Methods in Academic Success with Reference to Teaching Biology for Education Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sasikala, P.; Tanyong, Siriwan

    2016-01-01

    The main objective of this study is to determine the utility of simulation methods in biology teaching for nursing students and academic success. 100 students (50 control, 50 experimental) who studied at Srinivasa Teacher Training School, Kalikiri, Recognised by Sri Venkateswara University, Faculty of Education, Tirupati, AP, India, 2014-215…

  12. The impact of teachers' approaches to teaching and students' learning styles on students' approaches to learning in college online biology courses

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hong, Yuh-Fong

    With the rapid growth of online courses in higher education institutions, research on quality of learning for online courses is needed. However, there is a notable lack of research in the cited literature providing evidence that online distance education promotes the quality of independent learning to which it aspires. Previous studies focused on academic outcomes and technology applications which do not monitor students' learning processes, such as their approaches to learning. Understanding students' learning processes and factors influencing quality of learning will provide valuable information for instructors and institutions in providing quality online courses and programs. The purpose of this study was to identify and investigate college biology teachers' approaches to teaching and students' learning styles, and to examine the impact of approaches to teaching and learning styles on students' approaches to learning via online instruction. Data collection included eighty-seven participants from five online biology courses at a community college in the southern area of Texas. Data analysis showed the following results. First, there were significant differences in approaches to learning among students with different learning styles. Second, there was a significant difference in students' approaches to learning between classes using different approaches to teaching. Three, the impact of learning styles on students' approaches to learning was not influenced by instructors' approaches to teaching. Two conclusions were obtained from the results. First, individuals with the ability to perceive information abstractly might be more likely to adopt deep approaches to learning than those preferring to perceive information through concrete experience in online learning environments. Second, Teaching Approach Inventory might not be suitable to measure approaches to teaching for online biology courses due to online instructional design and technology limitations. Based on

  13. Biological Effects of Nonionizing Electromagnetic Radiation. Volume IV. Number 3.

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1980-03-01

    lines that produce EMR. perimental evidence on human health effects due to electromagnetic field exposures from high-voltage transmission lines is...1311, Mrch YOW that a permissible occupational exposure level to The biologic effects of electromagnetic fields on MW and RF radiation of 500 PW/cm 2...along with the principal physical param- eters of exposure . 6402 REGULATING POSSIBLE HEALTH EFFECTS FROM AC TRANSMISSION LINE ELECTROMAGNETIC FIELDS

  14. INDEX OF PUBLICATIONS ON BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS OF ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION (0-100 GHZ)

    EPA Science Inventory

    Considerable research effort has been made into the biological effects of electro-magnetic radiation over the frequency range of 0-100 GHz. This work intensified since 1966 when occupational exposure guidelines were made by American Standards Institute - C95.9. During this period...

  15. Bibliographical database of radiation biological dosimetry and risk assessment: Part 1, through June 1988

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Straume, T.; Ricker, Y.; Thut, M.

    1988-08-29

    This database was constructed to support research in radiation biological dosimetry and risk assessment. Relevant publications were identified through detailed searches of national and international electronic databases and through our personal knowledge of the subject. Publications were numbered and key worded, and referenced in an electronic data-retrieval system that permits quick access through computerized searches on publication number, authors, key words, title, year, and journal name. Photocopies of all publications contained in the database are maintained in a file that is numerically arranged by citation number. This report of the database is provided as a useful reference and overview. Itmore » should be emphasized that the database will grow as new citations are added to it. With that in mind, we arranged this report in order of ascending citation number so that follow-up reports will simply extend this document. The database cite 1212 publications. Publications are from 119 different scientific journals, 27 of these journals are cited at least 5 times. It also contains reference to 42 books and published symposia, and 129 reports. Information relevant to radiation biological dosimetry and risk assessment is widely distributed among the scientific literature, although a few journals clearly dominate. The four journals publishing the largest number of relevant papers are Health Physics, Mutation Research, Radiation Research, and International Journal of Radiation Biology. Publications in Health Physics make up almost 10% of the current database.« less

  16. Cooperative and Active Learning in Undergraduate Biological Laboratories at FIU--Implications to TA Teaching and Training

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Penwell, Rebecca A.; Elsawa, Sherine F.; Pitzer, Thomas

    2004-01-01

    There were several changes in the laboratory teaching program in the Biological Sciences at Florida International University (FIU) between 1993-1994. The underlying goal was the improvement of the amount of material learned and retained by the student, but these changes showed little positive improvement. It was deemed necessary for FIU to…

  17. Effectiveness of Blended Cooperative Learning Environment in Biology Teaching: Classroom Community Sense, Academic Achievement and Satisfaction

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Yapici, I. Ümit

    2016-01-01

    The aim of this study was to examine the effect of Blended Cooperative Learning Environment (BCLE) in biology teaching on students' classroom community sense, their academic achievement and on their levels of satisfaction. In the study, quantitative and qualitative research methods were used together. The study was carried out with 30 students in…

  18. Biological imaging in radiation therapy: role of positron emission tomography.

    PubMed

    Nestle, Ursula; Weber, Wolfgang; Hentschel, Michael; Grosu, Anca-Ligia

    2009-01-07

    In radiation therapy (RT), staging, treatment planning, monitoring and evaluation of response are traditionally based on computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). These radiological investigations have the significant advantage to show the anatomy with a high resolution, being also called anatomical imaging. In recent years, so called biological imaging methods which visualize metabolic pathways have been developed. These methods offer complementary imaging of various aspects of tumour biology. To date, the most prominent biological imaging system in use is positron emission tomography (PET), whose diagnostic properties have clinically been evaluated for years. The aim of this review is to discuss the valences and implications of PET in RT. We will focus our evaluation on the following topics: the role of biological imaging for tumour tissue detection/delineation of the gross tumour volume (GTV) and for the visualization of heterogeneous tumour biology. We will discuss the role of fluorodeoxyglucose-PET in lung and head and neck cancer and the impact of amino acids (AA)-PET in target volume delineation of brain gliomas. Furthermore, we summarize the data of the literature about tumour hypoxia and proliferation visualized by PET. We conclude that, regarding treatment planning in radiotherapy, PET offers advantages in terms of tumour delineation and the description of biological processes. However, to define the real impact of biological imaging on clinical outcome after radiotherapy, further experimental, clinical and cost/benefit analyses are required.

  19. Teaching Emergence and Collective Behavior in Physics and Biology to Non-majors

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Manhart, Michael

    2014-03-01

    Emergence and collective behavior form one of the most fertile intersections of physics and biology in current research. Unfortunately, modern and interdisciplinary concepts such as these are often neglected in physics courses for non-majors. A team of four graduate students and a faculty advisor recently redesigned our department's course for non-majors (Concepts of Physics for Humanities and Social Science Students) to focus on emergence and collective behavior along with three other major themes in modern physics. In the course we developed basic concepts of statistical physics and thermodynamics to understand a variety of emergent phenomena in physics and biology, including bird flocking, superconductivity, and protein folding. We discussed the notion of life itself as an inherently emergent phenomenon arising from the collective behavior of molecules. The students also wrote their own blog posts on emergent phenomena and interactively explored emergence through workshops on Foldit (the protein folding game) and Conway's Game of Life. We believe our course demonstrates some possibilities and challenges for teaching non-majors at the intersection of physics and biology. I gratefully acknowledge my collaboration with Aatish Bhatia, Deepak Iyer, Simon Knapen, and Saurabh Jha.

  20. Prognostic Cell Biological Markers in Cervical Cancer Patients Primarily Treated With (Chemo)radiation: A Systematic Review

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Noordhuis, Maartje G.; Eijsink, Jasper J.H.; Roossink, Frank

    2011-02-01

    The aim of this study was to systematically review the prognostic and predictive significance of cell biological markers in cervical cancer patients primarily treated with (chemo)radiation. A PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane literature search was performed. Studies describing a relation between a cell biological marker and survival in {>=}50 cervical cancer patients primarily treated with (chemo)radiation were selected. Study quality was assessed, and studies with a quality score of 4 or lower were excluded. Cell biological markers were clustered on biological function, and the prognostic and predictive significance of these markers was described. In total, 42 studies concerning 82 cell biologicalmore » markers were included in this systematic review. In addition to cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and serum squamous cell carcinoma antigen (SCC-ag) levels, markers associated with poor prognosis were involved in epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) signaling (EGFR and C-erbB-2) and in angiogenesis and hypoxia (carbonic anhydrase 9 and hypoxia-inducible factor-1{alpha}). Epidermal growth factor receptor and C-erbB-2 were also associated with poor response to (chemo)radiation. In conclusion, EGFR signaling is associated with poor prognosis and response to therapy in cervical cancer patients primarily treated with (chemo)radiation, whereas markers involved in angiogenesis and hypoxia, COX-2, and serum SCC-ag levels are associated with a poor prognosis. Therefore, targeting these pathways in combination with chemoradiation may improve survival in advanced-stage cervical cancer patients.« less

  1. A First Attempt to Bring Computational Biology into Advanced High School Biology Classrooms

    PubMed Central

    Gallagher, Suzanne Renick; Coon, William; Donley, Kristin; Scott, Abby; Goldberg, Debra S.

    2011-01-01

    Computer science has become ubiquitous in many areas of biological research, yet most high school and even college students are unaware of this. As a result, many college biology majors graduate without adequate computational skills for contemporary fields of biology. The absence of a computational element in secondary school biology classrooms is of growing concern to the computational biology community and biology teachers who would like to acquaint their students with updated approaches in the discipline. We present a first attempt to correct this absence by introducing a computational biology element to teach genetic evolution into advanced biology classes in two local high schools. Our primary goal was to show students how computation is used in biology and why a basic understanding of computation is necessary for research in many fields of biology. This curriculum is intended to be taught by a computational biologist who has worked with a high school advanced biology teacher to adapt the unit for his/her classroom, but a motivated high school teacher comfortable with mathematics and computing may be able to teach this alone. In this paper, we present our curriculum, which takes into consideration the constraints of the required curriculum, and discuss our experiences teaching it. We describe the successes and challenges we encountered while bringing this unit to high school students, discuss how we addressed these challenges, and make suggestions for future versions of this curriculum.We believe that our curriculum can be a valuable seed for further development of computational activities aimed at high school biology students. Further, our experiences may be of value to others teaching computational biology at this level. Our curriculum can be obtained at http://ecsite.cs.colorado.edu/?page_id=149#biology or by contacting the authors. PMID:22046118

  2. A first attempt to bring computational biology into advanced high school biology classrooms.

    PubMed

    Gallagher, Suzanne Renick; Coon, William; Donley, Kristin; Scott, Abby; Goldberg, Debra S

    2011-10-01

    Computer science has become ubiquitous in many areas of biological research, yet most high school and even college students are unaware of this. As a result, many college biology majors graduate without adequate computational skills for contemporary fields of biology. The absence of a computational element in secondary school biology classrooms is of growing concern to the computational biology community and biology teachers who would like to acquaint their students with updated approaches in the discipline. We present a first attempt to correct this absence by introducing a computational biology element to teach genetic evolution into advanced biology classes in two local high schools. Our primary goal was to show students how computation is used in biology and why a basic understanding of computation is necessary for research in many fields of biology. This curriculum is intended to be taught by a computational biologist who has worked with a high school advanced biology teacher to adapt the unit for his/her classroom, but a motivated high school teacher comfortable with mathematics and computing may be able to teach this alone. In this paper, we present our curriculum, which takes into consideration the constraints of the required curriculum, and discuss our experiences teaching it. We describe the successes and challenges we encountered while bringing this unit to high school students, discuss how we addressed these challenges, and make suggestions for future versions of this curriculum.We believe that our curriculum can be a valuable seed for further development of computational activities aimed at high school biology students. Further, our experiences may be of value to others teaching computational biology at this level. Our curriculum can be obtained at http://ecsite.cs.colorado.edu/?page_id=149#biology or by contacting the authors.

  3. A Comparative Study of a Team Vs. a Non-Team Teaching Approach in High School Biology.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Monaco, William J.; Szabo, Michael

    The purpose of this study was to obtain empirical data for the evaluation of a team approach for teaching biology. A sample of 147 sophomore students was divided into six sections; each section was randomly assigned as control or treatment. The team consisted of three instructors. Each member taught a control group for an entire year. After an…

  4. Characterization of Radiation Fields for Assessing Concrete Degradation in Biological Shields of NPPs

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Remec, Igor; Rosseel, Thomas M.; Field, Kevin G.; Pape, Yann Le

    2017-09-01

    Life extensions of nuclear power plants (NPPs) to 60 years of operation and the possibility of subsequent license renewal to 80 years have renewed interest in long-term material degradation in NPPs. Large irreplaceable sections of most nuclear generating stations are constructed from concrete, including safety-related structures such as biological shields and containment buildings; therefore, concrete degradation is being considered with particular focus on radiation-induced effects. Based on the projected neutron fluence values (E > 0.1 MeV) in the concrete biological shields of the US pressurized water reactor fleet and the currently available data on radiation effects on concrete, some decrease in mechanical properties of concrete cannot be ruled out during extended operation beyond 60 years. An expansion of the irradiated concrete database is desirable to ensure reliable risk assessment for extended operation of nuclear power plants.

  5. Use of Digital Storytelling in Biology Teaching

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Karakoyun, Ferit; Yapici, I. Ümit

    2016-01-01

    With the technological developments in the 21st century, it is now necessary to integrate technological renovations effectively into teaching-learning environments. There are several approaches that allow integration of technology into teaching-learning environments. One of these approaches is digital storytelling. The purpose of this study was to…

  6. Biology Notes.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    School Science Review, 1980

    1980-01-01

    Describes equipment, activities, and experiments useful in biology and environmental education instruction, including, among others, sampling in ecology using an overhead projector, the slide finder as an aid to microscopy, teaching kidney function, and teaching wildlife conservation-sand dune systems. (SK)

  7. MATERIALS USED IN TEACHING AND EVALUATING THE CONCEPTS RELATED TO THE BIOLOGICAL CELL IN GRADES 2-6, PRACTICAL PAPER NO. 2.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    STAUSS, NYLES G.

    INCLUDED ARE MATERIALS FOR USE IN TEACHING AND EVALUATING 11 SELECTED CONCEPTS RELATED TO THE BIOLOGICAL CELL IN GRADES 2 TO 6. THE CONCEPTS WERE SELECTED AND THEIR ORDER DETERMINED THROUGH AN ANALYSIS OF ELEMENTARY TEXTBOOK SERIES, HIGH SCHOOL AND COLLEGE BIOLOGY TEXTS, CYTOLOGY TEXTS, AND INFORMATION GATHERED THROUGH A PILOT STUDY. THE MATERIALS…

  8. Biological radiation dose from secondary particles in a Milky Way gamma-ray burst

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Atri, Dimitra; Melott, Adrian L.; Karam, Andrew

    2014-07-01

    Gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) are a class of highly energetic explosions emitting radiation in a very short timescale of a few seconds and with a very narrow opening angle. Although, all GRBs observed so far are extragalactic in origin, there is a high probability of a GRB of galactic origin beaming towards the Earth in the past ~0.5 Gyr. We define the level of catastrophic damage to the biosphere as approximation 100 kJ m-2, based on Thomas et al. (2005a, b). Using results in Melott & Thomas (2011), we estimate the probability of the Earth receiving this fluence from a GRB of any type, as 87% during the last 500 Myr. Such an intense burst of gamma rays would ionize the atmosphere and deplete the ozone (O3) layer. With depleted O3, there will be an increased flux of Solar UVB on the Earth's surface with potentially harmful biological effects. In addition to the atmospheric damage, secondary particles produced by gamma ray-induced showers will reach the surface. Among all secondary particles, muons dominate the ground-level secondary particle flux (99% of the total number of particles) and are potentially of biological significance. Using the Monte Carlo simulation code CORSIKA, we modelled the air showers produced by gamma-ray primaries up to 100 GeV. We found that the number of muons produced by the electromagnetic component of hypothetical galactic GRBs significantly increases the total muon flux. However, since the muon production efficiency is extremely low for photon energies below 100 GeV, and because GRBs radiate strongly for only a very short time, we find that the biological radiation dose from secondary muons is negligible. The main mechanism of biological damage from GRBs is through Solar UVB irradiation from the loss of O3 in the upper atmosphere.

  9. Use of radiation protraction to escalate biologically effective dose to the treatment target

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Kuperman, V. Y.; Spradlin, G. S.; Department of Mathematics, Embry-Riddle University, Daytona Beach, Florida 32114

    2011-12-15

    Purpose: The aim of this study is to evaluate how simultaneously increasing fraction time and dose per fraction affect biologically effective dose for the target (BED{sub tar}) while biologically effective dose for the normal tissue (BED{sub nt}) is fixed. Methods: In this investigation, BED{sub tar} and BED{sub nt} were studied by assuming mono-exponential repair of sublethal damage with tissue dependent repair half-time. Results: Our results demonstrate that under certain conditions simultaneously increasing fraction time and dose per fraction result in increased BED{sub tar} while BED{sub nt} is fixed. The dependence of biologically effective dose on fraction time is influenced bymore » the dose rate. In this investigation we analytically determined time-varying dose rate R-tilde which minimizes BED. Changes in BED with fraction time were compared for constant dose rate and for R-tilde. Conclusions: A number of recent experimental and theoretical studies have demonstrated that slow delivery of radiation (known as radiation protraction) leads to reduced therapeutic effect because of increased repair of sublethal damage. In contrast, our analysis shows that under certain conditions simultaneously increasing fraction time and dose per fraction are radiobiologically advantageous.« less

  10. Development and Application of an Instrument to Measure Greek Primary Education Teachers' Biology Teaching Self-Efficacy Beliefs

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mavrikaki, Evangelia; Athanasiou, Kyriacos

    2011-01-01

    The self-efficacy beliefs of in-service elementary school teachers in Greece were examined in an attempt to evaluate their biology teaching skills. For this purpose, we constructed a valid and reliable instrument consisting of a Likert-type questionnaire that was distributed to the target population and to which 202 teachers responded. Results…

  11. Self-Expression Assignment as a Teaching Approach to Enhance the Interest of Kuwaiti Women in Biological Sciences

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    El-Sabban, Farouk

    2008-01-01

    Stimulating the interest of students in biological sciences necessitates the use of new teaching methods and motivating approaches. The idea of the self-expression assignment (SEA) has evolved from the prevalent environment at the College for Women of Kuwait University (Safat, State of Kuwait), a newly established college where the number of…

  12. A Radiation Homeland Security Workshop Presented to the City of Berkeley Fire Department

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Matis, Howard

    2005-04-01

    A radiation incident in a community, ranging from a transportation accident to a dirty bomb, is expected to be rare, but still can occur. First responders to such an incident must be prepared. City of Berkeley officials met with members of the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory staff and agreed that the laboratory participants would create material and teach it to all of their fire fighting staff. To design such a course, nuclear physicists, biologists and health physicists merged some of their existing teaching material together with previous homeland security efforts to produce a course that lasted one full day. The material was designed to help alleviate the myths and fear of radiation experienced by many first responders. It included basic nuclear physics information, biological effects, and methods that health physicists use to detect and handle radiation. The curriculum included several hands on activities which involved working directly with the meters the Berkeley Fire Department possessed. In addition, I will discuss some observations from teaching this course material plus some unusual problems that we encountered, such as suddenly the whole class responding to a fire.

  13. Countermeasures for Space Radiation Induced Malignancies and Acute Biological Effects

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kennedy, Ann

    The hypothesis being evaluated in this research program is that control of radiation induced oxidative stress will reduce the risk of radiation induced adverse biological effects occurring as a result of exposure to the types of radiation encountered during space travel. As part of this grant work, we have evaluated the protective effects of several antioxidants and dietary supplements and observed that a mixture of antioxidants (AOX), containing L-selenomethionine, N-acetyl cysteine (NAC), ascorbic acid, vitamin E succinate, and alpha-lipoic acid, is highly effective at reducing space radiation induced oxidative stress in both in vivo and in vitro systems, space radiation induced cytotoxicity and malignant transformation in vitro [1-7]. In studies designed to determine whether the AOX formulation could affect radiation induced mortality [8], it was observed that the AOX dietary supplement increased the 30-day survival of ICR male mice following exposure to a potentially lethal dose (8 Gy) of X-rays when given prior to or after animal irradiation. Pretreatment of animals with antioxidants resulted in significantly higher total white blood cell and neutrophil counts in peripheral blood at 4 and 24 hours following exposure to doses of 1 Gy and 8 Gy. Antioxidant treatment also resulted in increased bone marrow cell counts following irradiation, and prevented peripheral lymphopenia following 1 Gy irradiation. Supplementation with antioxidants in irradiated animals resulted in several gene expression changes: the antioxidant treatment was associated with increased Bcl-2, and decreased Bax, caspase-9 and TGF-β1 mRNA expression in the bone marrow following irradiation. These results suggest that modulation of apoptosis may be mechanistically involved in hematopoietic system radioprotection by antioxidants. Maintenance of the antioxidant diet was associated with improved recovery of the bone marrow following sub-lethal or potentially lethal irradiation. Taken together

  14. Cosmic radiation exposure of biological test systems during the EXPOSE-E mission.

    PubMed

    Berger, Thomas; Hajek, Michael; Bilski, Pawel; Körner, Christine; Vanhavere, Filip; Reitz, Günther

    2012-05-01

    In the frame of the EXPOSE-E mission on the Columbus external payload facility EuTEF on board the International Space Station, passive thermoluminescence dosimeters were applied to measure the radiation exposure of biological samples. The detectors were located either as stacks next to biological specimens to determine the depth dose distribution or beneath the sample carriers to determine the dose levels for maximum shielding. The maximum mission dose measured in the upper layer of the depth dose part of the experiment amounted to 238±10 mGy, which relates to an average dose rate of 408±16 μGy/d. In these stacks of about 8 mm height, the dose decreased by 5-12% with depth. The maximum dose measured beneath the sample carriers was 215±16 mGy, which amounts to an average dose rate of 368±27 μGy/d. These values are close to those assessed for the interior of the Columbus module and demonstrate the high shielding of the biological experiments within the EXPOSE-E facility. Besides the shielding by the EXPOSE-E hardware itself, additional shielding was experienced by the external structures adjacent to EXPOSE-E, such as EuTEF and Columbus. This led to a dose gradient over the entire exposure area, from 215±16 mGy for the lowest to 121±6 mGy for maximum shielding. Hence, the doses perceived by the biological samples inside EXPOSE-E varied by 70% (from lowest to highest dose). As a consequence of the high shielding, the biological samples were predominantly exposed to galactic cosmic heavy ions, while electrons and a significant fraction of protons of the radiation belts and solar wind did not reach the samples.

  15. Animated Cell Biology: A Quick and Easy Method for Making Effective, High-Quality Teaching Animations

    PubMed Central

    2006-01-01

    There is accumulating evidence that animations aid learning of dynamic concepts in cell biology. However, existing animation packages are expensive and difficult to learn, and the subsequent production of even short animations can take weeks to months. Here I outline the principles and sequence of steps for producing high-quality PowerPoint animations in less than a day that are suitable for teaching in high school through college/university. After developing the animation it can be easily converted to any appropriate movie file format using Camtasia Studio for Internet or classroom presentations. Thus anyone who can use PowerPoint has the potential to make animations. Students who viewed the approximately 3-min PowerPoint/Camtasia Studio animation “Calcium and the Dual Signalling Pathway” over 15 min scored significantly higher marks on a subsequent quiz than those who had viewed still graphics with text for an equivalent time. In addition, results from student evaluations provided some data validating the use of such animations in cell biology teaching with some interesting caveats. Information is also provided on how such animations can be modified or updated easily or shared with others who can modify them to fit their own needs. PMID:17012217

  16. An Augmented γ-Spray System to Visualize Biological Effects for Human Body

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Manabe, Seiya; Tenzou, Hideki; Kasuga, Takaaki; Iwakura, Yukiko; Johnston, Robert

    2017-09-01

    The purpose of this study was to develop a new educational system with an easy-to-use interface in order to support comprehension of the biological effects of radiation on the human body within a short period of time. A paint spray-gun was used as a gamma rays source mock-up for the system. The application screen shows the figure of a human body for radiation deposition using the γ-Sprayer, a virtual radiation source, as well as equivalent dosage and a panel for setting the irradiation conditions. While the learner stands in front of the PC monitor, the virtual radiation source is used to deposit radiation on the graphic of the human body that is displayed. Tissue damage is calculated using an interpolation method from the data calculated by the PHITS simulation code in advance while the learner is pulling the trigger with respect to the irradiation time, incident position, and distance from the screen. It was confirmed that the damage was well represented by the interpolation method. The augmented ?-Spray system was assessed by questionnaire. Pre-post questionnaire was taken for our 41 students in National Institute of Technology, Kagawa College. It was also confirmed that the system has a capability of teaching the basic radiation protection concept, quantitative feeling of the radiation dose, and the biological effects

  17. Biologically Inspired Radiation Reflector

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Johnson, Sylvia M. (Inventor); Lawson, John W. (Inventor); Squire, Thomas H. (Inventor); Gusman, Michael (Inventor)

    2018-01-01

    A thermal protection system (TPS) comprising a mixture of silicon carbide and SiOx that has been converted from Si that is present in a collection of diatom frustules and at least one diatom has quasi-periodic pore-to-pore separation distance d(p-p) in a selected range. Where a heat shield comprising the converted SiC/SiOx frustules receives radiation, associated with atmospheric (re)entry, a portion of this radiation is reflected so that radiation loading of the heat shield is reduced.

  18. Biology Notes.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    School Science Review, 1984

    1984-01-01

    Presents information on the teaching of nutrition (including new information relating to many current O-level syllabi) and part 16 of a reading list for A- and S-level biology. Also includes a note on using earthworms as a source of material for teaching meiosis. (JN)

  19. A Radiation Laboratory Curriculum Development at Western Kentucky University

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Barzilov, Alexander P.; Novikov, Ivan S.; Womble, Phil C.

    2009-03-01

    We present the latest developments for the radiation laboratory curriculum at the Department of Physics and Astronomy of Western Kentucky University. During the last decade, the Applied Physics Institute (API) at WKU accumulated various equipment for radiation experimentation. This includes various neutron sources (computer controlled d-t and d-d neutron generators, and isotopic 252 Cf and PuBe sources), the set of gamma sources with various intensities, gamma detectors with various energy resolutions (NaI, BGO, GSO, LaBr and HPGe) and the 2.5-MeV Van de Graaff particle accelerator. XRF and XRD apparatuses are also available for students and members at the API. This equipment is currently used in numerous scientific and teaching activities. Members of the API also developed a set of laboratory activities for undergraduate students taking classes from the physics curriculum (Nuclear Physics, Atomic Physics, and Radiation Biophysics). Our goal is to develop a set of radiation laboratories, which will strengthen the curriculum of physics, chemistry, geology, biology, and environmental science at WKU. The teaching and research activities are integrated into real-world projects and hands-on activities to engage students. The proposed experiments and their relevance to the modern status of physical science are discussed.

  20. Effects of low power microwave radiation on biological activity of Collagenase enzyme and growth rate of S. Cerevisiae yeast

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Alsuhaim, Hamad S.; Vojisavljevic, Vuk; Pirogova, E.

    2013-12-01

    Recently, microwave radiation, a type/subset of non-ionizing electromagnetic radiation (EMR) has been widely used in industry, medicine, as well as food technology and mobile communication. Use of mobile phones is rapidly growing. Four years from now, 5.1 billion people will be mobile phone users around the globe - almost 1 billion more mobile users than the 4.3 billion people worldwide using them now. Consequently, exposure to weak radiofrequency/microwave radiation generated by these devices is markedly increasing. Accordingly, public concern about potential hazards on human health is mounting [1]. Thermal effects of radiofrequency/microwave radiation are very well-known and extensively studied. Of particular interest are non-thermal effects of microwave exposures on biological systems. Nonthermal effects are described as changes in cellular metabolism caused by both resonance absorption and induced EMR and are often accompanied by a specific biological response. Non-thermal biological effects are measurable changes in biological systems that may or may not be associated with adverse health effects. In this study we studied non-thermal effects of low power microwave exposures on kinetics of L-lactate dehydrogenase enzyme and growth rate of yeast Saccharomyces Cerevisiae strains type II. The selected model systems were continuously exposed to microwave radiation at the frequency of 968MHz and power of 10dBm using the designed and constructed (custom made) Transverse Electro-Magnetic (TEM) cell [2]. The findings reveal that microwave radiation at 968MHz and power of 10dBm inhibits L-lactate dehydrogenase enzyme activity by 26% and increases significantly (15%) the proliferation rate of yeast cells.

  1. Mechanisms and biological importance of photon-induced bystander responses: do they have an impact on low-dose radiation responses

    PubMed Central

    Tomita, Masanori; Maeda, Munetoshi

    2015-01-01

    Abstract Elucidating the biological effect of low linear energy transfer (LET), low-dose and/or low-dose-rate ionizing radiation is essential in ensuring radiation safety. Over the past two decades, non-targeted effects, which are not only a direct consequence of radiation-induced initial lesions produced in cellular DNA but also of intra- and inter-cellular communications involving both targeted and non-targeted cells, have been reported and are currently defining a new paradigm in radiation biology. These effects include radiation-induced adaptive response, low-dose hypersensitivity, genomic instability, and radiation-induced bystander response (RIBR). RIBR is generally defined as a cellular response that is induced in non-irradiated cells that receive bystander signals from directly irradiated cells. RIBR could thus play an important biological role in low-dose irradiation conditions. However, this suggestion was mainly based on findings obtained using high-LET charged-particle radiations. The human population (especially the Japanese, who are exposed to lower doses of radon than the world average) is more frequently exposed to low-LET photons (X-rays or γ-rays) than to high-LET charged-particle radiation on a daily basis. There are currently a growing number of reports describing a distinguishing feature between photon-induced bystander response and high-LET RIBR. In particular, photon-induced bystander response is strongly influenced by irradiation dose, the irradiated region of the targeted cells, and p53 status. The present review focuses on the photon-induced bystander response, and discusses its impact on the low-dose radiation effect. PMID:25361549

  2. Biologically based multistage modeling of radiation effects

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    William Hazelton; Suresh Moolgavkar; E. Georg Luebeck

    2005-08-30

    This past year we have made substantial progress in modeling the contribution of homeostatic regulation to low-dose radiation effects and carcinogenesis. We have worked to refine and apply our multistage carcinogenesis models to explicitly incorporate cell cycle states, simple and complex damage, checkpoint delay, slow and fast repair, differentiation, and apoptosis to study the effects of low-dose ionizing radiation in mouse intestinal crypts, as well as in other tissues. We have one paper accepted for publication in ''Advances in Space Research'', and another manuscript in preparation describing this work. I also wrote a chapter describing our combined cell-cycle and multistagemore » carcinogenesis model that will be published in a book on stochastic carcinogenesis models edited by Wei-Yuan Tan. In addition, we organized and held a workshop on ''Biologically Based Modeling of Human Health Effects of Low dose Ionizing Radiation'', July 28-29, 2005 at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle, Washington. We had over 20 participants, including Mary Helen Barcellos-Hoff as keynote speaker, talks by most of the low-dose modelers in the DOE low-dose program, experimentalists including Les Redpath (and Mary Helen), Noelle Metting from DOE, and Tony Brooks. It appears that homeostatic regulation may be central to understanding low-dose radiation phenomena. The primary effects of ionizing radiation (IR) are cell killing, delayed cell cycling, and induction of mutations. However, homeostatic regulation causes cells that are killed or damaged by IR to eventually be replaced. Cells with an initiating mutation may have a replacement advantage, leading to clonal expansion of these initiated cells. Thus we have focused particularly on modeling effects that disturb homeostatic regulation as early steps in the carcinogenic process. There are two primary considerations that support our focus on homeostatic regulation. First, a number of epidemiologic studies using

  3. Situation of young radiation oncologists, medical physicists and radiation biologists in German-speaking countries : Results from a web-based survey of the Young DEGRO working group.

    PubMed

    Krug, David; Baumann, Rene; Rieckmann, Thorsten; Fokas, Emmanouil; Gauer, Tobias; Niyazi, Maximilian

    2016-08-01

    The working group "Young DEGRO" (yDEGRO) was established in 2014 by the German Society of Radiation Oncology (DEGRO). We aimed to assess the current situation of young radiation oncologists, medical physicists and radiation biologists. An online survey that included 52 questions or statements was designed to evaluate topics related to training, clinical duties and research opportunities. Using the electronic mailing list of the DEGRO and contact persons at university hospitals in Germany as well as at four hospitals in Switzerland and Austria, young professionals employed in the field of radiation oncology were invited to participate in the survey. A total of 260 responses were eligible for analysis. Of the respondents 69 % had a professional background in medicine, 23 % in medical physics and 9 % in radiation biology. Median age was 33 years. There was a strong interest in research among the participants; however a clear separation between research, teaching and routine clinical duties was rarely present for radiation oncologists and medical physicists. Likewise, allocated time for research and teaching during regular working hours was often not available. For radiation biologists, a lack of training in clinical and translational research was stated. This survey details the current state of education and research opportunities in young radiation oncologists, medical physicists and radiation biologists. These results will form the basis for the future working program of the yDEGRO.

  4. Are Prompts Provided by Electronic Books as Effective for Teaching Preschoolers a Biological Concept as Those Provided by Adults?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Strouse, Gabrielle A.; Ganea, Patricia A.

    2016-01-01

    Research Findings: Prior research indicates that shared book reading is an effective method for teaching biological concepts to young children. Adult questioning during reading enhances children's comprehension. We investigated whether adult prompting during the reading of an electronic book enhanced children's understanding of a biological…

  5. Radiation effects in interventional radiology using biological and physical dosimetry methods: a case-control study.

    PubMed

    Ramos, Miguel; Montoro, Alegria; Almonacid, Miguel; Ferrer, Silvia; Barquinero, Joan Francesc; Tortosa, Ricardo; Verdú, Gumersindo; Rodríguez, Pilar; Barrios, Lleonard; Villaescusa, Juan Ignacio

    2008-01-01

    Interventional radiologists and staff members are frequently exposed to protracted and fractionated low doses of ionizing radiation, which extend during all their professional activities. These exposures can derive, due to the irradiation of skin tissues and peripheral blood, in deterministic effects (radiodermitis, aged skin, hands depilation) or stochastic ones (skin and non-solid cancers incidence). Epidemiological studies of population exposed to ionizing radiation provide information of radio-induced effects. The radiation risk or radiological detriment has been estimated from a group of six exposed interventionist radiologists of the Hospital La Fe (Valencia, Spain). Dosimetry has been periodically registered from TLDs and wrist dosimeters (physical methods) and estimated through translocations in lymphocytes of peripheral blood (biological methods), by extrapolating the yield of translocations to their respective dose-effect curves. The probability of non-melanoma skin cancer and leukaemia (acute myelogenous, acute lymphocytic and chronic myelogenous leukaemia) incidence has been estimated through the software RADRISK. This software is based on a transport model from epidemiological studies of population exposed to external low-LET ionizing radiation [1]. Other non-solid carcinomas have not been considered due to their low statistical power, such as myeloid and non-Hodgkin lymphomas. The discrepancies observed between the physically recorded doses and biological estimated doses could indicate that exposed workers did not always wear their dosimeters or these dosimeters were not always exposed to the radiation field.

  6. Stochastic Effects in Computational Biology of Space Radiation Cancer Risk

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Cucinotta, Francis A.; Pluth, Janis; Harper, Jane; O'Neill, Peter

    2007-01-01

    Estimating risk from space radiation poses important questions on the radiobiology of protons and heavy ions. We are considering systems biology models to study radiation induced repair foci (RIRF) at low doses, in which less than one-track on average transverses the cell, and the subsequent DNA damage processing and signal transduction events. Computational approaches for describing protein regulatory networks coupled to DNA and oxidative damage sites include systems of differential equations, stochastic equations, and Monte-Carlo simulations. We review recent developments in the mathematical description of protein regulatory networks and possible approaches to radiation effects simulation. These include robustness, which states that regulatory networks maintain their functions against external and internal perturbations due to compensating properties of redundancy and molecular feedback controls, and modularity, which leads to general theorems for considering molecules that interact through a regulatory mechanism without exchange of matter leading to a block diagonal reduction of the connecting pathways. Identifying rate-limiting steps, robustness, and modularity in pathways perturbed by radiation damage are shown to be valid techniques for reducing large molecular systems to realistic computer simulations. Other techniques studied are the use of steady-state analysis, and the introduction of composite molecules or rate-constants to represent small collections of reactants. Applications of these techniques to describe spatial and temporal distributions of RIRF and cell populations following low dose irradiation are described.

  7. Pathogenetic validation of the use of biological protective agents and early treatment in cases of radiation injury simulating radiation effects under space flight conditions

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Rogozkin, V. D.; Varteres, V.; Sabo, L.; Groza, N.; Nikolov, I.

    1974-01-01

    In considering a radiation safety system for space flights, the various measures to protect man against radiation include drug prophylaxis. At the present time a great deal of experimental material has been accumulated on the prevention and treatment of radiation injuries. Antiradiation effectiveness has been established for sulfur- and nitrogen-containing substances, auxins, cyanides, polynucleotides, mucopolysaccharides, lipopolysaccharides, aminosaccharides, synthetic polymers, vitamins, hormones, amino acids and other compounds which can be divided into two basic groups - biological and chemical protective agents.

  8. Biology Notes.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    School Science Review, 1982

    1982-01-01

    Describes laboratory procedures, demonstrations, and classroom activities/materials, including use of dwarf cichlids (fishes) in secondary school biology, teaching edge effects on stomatal diffusion, computer program on effects of selection on gene frequencies, biological oxidation/reduction reactions, short cuts with Drosophila, computer program…

  9. Effects of Cooperative Concept Mapping Teaching Approach on Secondary School Students' Motivation in Biology in Gucha District, Kenya

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Keraro, Fred Nyabuti; Wachanga, Samuel W.; Orora, William

    2007-01-01

    This study investigated the effects of using the cooperative concept mapping (CCM) teaching approach on secondary school students' motivation in biology. A non equivalent control group design under the quasi-experimental research was used in which a random sample of four co-educational secondary schools was used. The four schools were randomly…

  10. Teaching the Fundamentals of Biological Research with Primary Literature: Learning from the Discovery of the Gastric Proton Pump

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Zhu, Lixin

    2011-01-01

    For the purpose of teaching collegians the fundamentals of biological research, literature explaining the discovery of the gastric proton pump was presented in a 50-min lecture. The presentation included detailed information pertaining to the discovery process. This study was chosen because it demonstrates the importance of having a broad range of…

  11. A Case Study of Web-Based Instruction (WBI): The Effectiveness of Using Frontpage Feedback System (FFS) as Metacognition Strategy for Freshmen Biology Teaching

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wang, Tzu-Hua; Wang, Wei-Lung; Wang, Kuo-Hua; Huang, Hsih-Chieh

    2004-01-01

    This research aims to develop a Metacognition strategy for Web-Based Instruction (WBI) to stimulate reflective questions in biology learning to run Frontpage Feedback System (FFS) embedded in web pages, and thus to evaluate the influence of this internet-teaching style on biology learning among freshmen. According to the questionnaire survey, we…

  12. Ionizing radiation measurements using low cost instruments for teaching in college or high-school in Brazil

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Silva, M. C.; Vilela, D. C.; Migoto, V. G.; Gomes, M. P.; Martin, I. M.; Germano, J. S. E.

    2017-11-01

    Ionizing radiation one of modern physics experimental teaching in colleges and high school can be easily implemented today due to low coasts of detectors and also electronic circuits and data acquisition interfaces. First it is interesting to show to young’s students what is ionizing radiation and from where they appears near ground level? How it is possible to measure these radiations and how to check intensities variation during day, night, dry and wet periods in the same school? For increasing interest and stimulation in others students how to proceed in making the graphics of the ionizing radiation and presenting him in real time using Web internet facilities? Many others facilities like calibration of the detector using low intensities radioactive ionizing radiation sources, make comparison of the measurements and discussions of the results should be possible between many groups of students from several schools in the region of Brazil. This paper presents the experimental procedures including detectors and associated electronic including data acquisition, graphics elaboration and Web internet procedures to discuss and exchanging data measurements from several schools.

  13. Head-and-Neck Target Delineation Among Radiation Oncology Residents After a Teaching Intervention: A Prospective, Blinded Pilot Study

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Bekelman, Justin E.; Wolden, Suzanne; Lee, Nancy

    Purpose: We conducted this study to determine the feasibility of incorporating a teaching intervention on target delineation into the educational curriculum of a radiation oncology residency program and to assess the short-term effects on resident skills. Methods and Materials: The study schema consisted of a baseline evaluation, the teaching intervention, and a follow-up evaluation. At the baseline evaluation, the participants contoured three clinical tumor volumes (CTVs) (70 Gy, 59.4 Gy, and 54 Gy) on six contrast-enhanced axial computed tomography images of a de-identified patient with Stage T2N2bM0 squamous cell carcinoma of the right base of the tongue. The participants attendedmore » a series of head-and-neck oncology and anatomy seminars. The teaching intervention consisted of a didactic lecture and an interactive hands-on practical session designed to improve the knowledge and skills for target delineation in the head and neck. At the follow-up evaluation, the residents again contoured the CTVs. Results: Of the 14 eligible residents, 11 (79%) actually participated in the study. For all participants, but especially for those who had not had previous experience with head-and-neck target delineation, the teaching intervention was associated with improvement in the delineation of the node-negative neck (CTV 54 Gy contour). Regardless of clinical experience, participants had difficulty determining what should be included in the CTV 59.4 Gy contour to ensure adequate coverage of potential microscopic disease. Conclusion: Incorporating a teaching intervention into the education curriculum of a radiation oncology residency program is feasible and was associated with short-term improvements in target delineation skills. Subsequent interventions will require content refinement, additional validation, longer term follow-up, and multi-institutional collaboration.« less

  14. CHRONIC EXPOSURE OF RATS TO 100-MHZ (CW) RADIOFREQUENCY RADIATION: ASSESSMENT OF BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS

    EPA Science Inventory

    A multidisciplinary approach was employed to assess the possible biological effects of chronic exposure of rats to 100-MHz continuous wave (CW) radiofrequency (RF) radiation. A group of 20 time-bred rats were exposed in a transverse electronmagnetic mode (TEM) transmission line t...

  15. Slowly Shifting a Culture of Teaching in Higher Education: A Case Study of Biology Instructors' Micro-Processes of Collaborative Inquiry into Teaching and Learning

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Neuwald, Anuschka

    The Vision and Change reports (American Association for the Advancement of Science, 2011, 2013) have identified a need for change in undergraduate biology education, emphasizing student learning of content knowledge and competencies. Missing from this report and larger efforts to improve undergraduate education (Brainard, 2007; Henderson et al., 2011; Sunal et al., 2001) are guidelines for how to support instructors' professional learning to change teaching practices. I am exploring one possible support structure by studying a group of seven biology instructors that are engaged in a collaborative process over two semesters. This process is modeled after Lesson Study (Lewis et al., 2006), a form of cyclical inquiry-based professional learning activities. The purpose of this qualitative case study is to examine the micro-processes of this collaboration and how these micro-processes afford and limit the ability to change one's teaching practices. Wenger's (1998) concept of "community of practice" provides a theoretical framework for data analysis. I view an instructor's professional learning as social and situated, involving negotiation of new meanings, boundaries, and participation as part of an on-going collaboration. Data analysis shows that negotiation of meaning, characterized by friction and dissonance, is a normal part of the micro-processes of collaborative group work. There are three friction points that are intertwined and influence each other: 1) rhythmic ebb and flow of negotiation about a common professional goal for the instructors and a common learning goal for undergraduates in biology, 2) pressure of time to produce an outcome, and 3) grappling with collective agency, authority and capacity. I argue that these friction points are necessary and important for understanding the micro-processes of negotiation in a collaborative process. Furthermore, this study contributes to literature examining how the use of collaborative processes that are often

  16. Visible and near-infrared laser radiation in a biological tissue. A forward model for medical imaging by optical tomography.

    PubMed

    Trabelsi, H; Gantri, M; Sediki, E

    2010-01-01

    We present a numerical model for the study of a general, two-dimensional, time-dependent, laser radiation transfer problem in a biological tissue. The model is suitable for many situations, especially when the external laser source is pulsed or continuous. We used a control volume discrete-ordinate method associated with an implicit, three-level, second-order, time-differencing scheme. In medical imaging by laser techniques, this could be an optical tomography forward model. We considered a very thin rectangular biological tissue-like medium submitted to a visible or a near-infrared laser source. Different cases were treated numerically. The source was assumed to be monochromatic and collimated. We used either a continuous source or a short-pulsed source. The transmitted radiance was computed in detector points on the boundaries. Also, the distribution of the internal radiation intensity for different instants is presented. According to the source type, we examined either the steady-state response or the transient response of the medium. First, our model was validated by experimental results from the literature for a homogeneous biological tissue. The space and angular grid independency of our results is shown. Next, the proposed model was used to study changes in transmitted radiation for a homogeneous background medium in which were imbedded two heterogeneous objects. As a last investigation, we studied a multilayered biological tissue. We simulated near-infrared radiation in human skin, fat and muscle. Some results concerning the effects of fat thickness and positions of the detector source on the reflected radiation are presented.

  17. The role of socioscientific issues in biology teaching: from the perspective of teachers

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Tidemand, Sofie; Nielsen, Jan Alexis

    2017-01-01

    Previous research has documented that students who engage with socioscientific issues can acquire some of the complex competences and skills typically related to scientific literacy. But an emerging field of research on science teachers' understanding and use of socioscientific issues, has documented that a range of challenges hinders the uptake of socioscientific issues. In this study, we investigated the interpretation and implementation of socioscientific issues among Danish biology teachers. We conducted five in-depth group interviews and validated the emergent themes from the teachers' talk-in-interaction by distributing a questionnaire. Our findings suggest that the participating teachers generally harbour a content-centred interpretation of socioscientific issues which manifests itself in at least three separate ways. First, the teachers generally use socioscientific issues as a vehicle to teach factual biological content. Second, the teachers emphasised mastery of factual content in their assessment. Third, the teachers tended to reduce socioscientific issues to specific biological contents in a way may preclude students from engaging with the real socioscientific issue. Our findings are particularly significant for science educators, policy-makers and curriculum designers, as we argue that key aspects of this content-centred interpretation may be a coping strategy used to navigate a divided curriculum.

  18. The budget of biologically active ultraviolet radiation in the earth-atmosphere system

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Frederick, John E.; Lubin, Dan

    1988-01-01

    This study applies the concept of a budget to describe the interaction of solar ultraviolet (UV) radiation with the earth-atmosphere system. The wavelength ranges of interest are the biologically relevant UV-B between 280 and 320 nm and the UV-A from 32000 to 400 nm. The Nimbus 7 solar backscattered ultraviolet (SBUV) instrument provides measurements of total column ozone and information concerning cloud cover which, in combination with a simple model of radiation transfer, define the fractions of incident solar irradiance absorbed in the atmosphere, reflected to space, and absorbed at the ground. Results for the month of July quantify the contribution of fractional cloud cover and cloud optical thickness to the radiation budget's three components. Scattering within a thick cloud layer makes the downward radiation field at the cloud base more isotropic than is the case for clear skies. For small solar zenith angles, typical of summer midday conditions, the effective pathlength of this diffuse irradiance through tropospheric ozone is greater than that under clear-sky conditions. The result is an enhanced absorption of UV-B radiation in the troposphere during cloud-covered conditions. Major changes in global cloud cover or cloud optical thicknesses could alter the ultraviolet radiation received by the biosphere by an amount comparable to that predicted for long-term trends in ozone.

  19. Designing and testing a classroom curriculum to teach preschoolers about the biology of physical activity: The respiration system as an underlying biological causal mechanism

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ewing, Tracy S.

    The present study examined young children's understanding of respiration and oxygen as a source of vital energy underlying physical activity. Specifically, the purpose of the study was to explore whether a coherent biological theory, characterized by an understanding that bodily parts (heart and lungs) and processes (oxygen in respiration) as part of a biological system, can be taught as a foundational concept to reason about physical activity. The effects of a biology-based intervention curriculum designed to teach preschool children about bodily functions as a part of the respiratory system, the role of oxygen as a vital substance and how physical activity acts an energy source were examined. Participants were recruited from three private preschool classrooms (two treatment; 1 control) in Southern California and included a total of 48 four-year-old children (30 treatment; 18 control). Findings from this study suggested that young children could be taught relevant biological concepts about the role of oxygen in respiratory processes. Children who received biology-based intervention curriculum made significant gains in their understanding of the biology of respiration, identification of physical and sedentary activities. In addition these children demonstrated that coherence of conceptual knowledge was correlated with improved accuracy at activity identification and reasoning about the inner workings of the body contributing to endurance. Findings from this study provided evidence to support the benefits of providing age appropriate but complex coherent biological instruction to children in early childhood settings.

  20. Enriching the Teaching of Biology with Mathematical Concepts

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Andersen, Janet

    2007-01-01

    Secondary school educators are told to teach more mathematics and science to their students to help them become more proficient in the two subjects. Coordination of mathematics and science teaching is recognized as another means of improving proficiency. The National Science Foundation has funded the "Mathematics, Science and Technology…

  1. The biological effects of ionising radiation on Crustaceans: A review.

    PubMed

    Fuller, Neil; Lerebours, Adélaïde; Smith, Jim T; Ford, Alex T

    2015-10-01

    Historic approaches to radiation protection are founded on the conjecture that measures to safeguard humans are adequate to protect non-human organisms. This view is disparate with other toxicants wherein well-developed frameworks exist to minimise exposure of biota. Significant data gaps for many organisms, coupled with high profile nuclear incidents such as Chernobyl and Fukushima, have prompted the re-evaluation of our approach toward environmental radioprotection. Elucidating the impacts of radiation on biota has been identified as priority area for future research within both scientific and regulatory communities. The crustaceans are ubiquitous in aquatic ecosystems, comprising greater than 66,000 species of ecological and commercial importance. This paper aims to assess the available literature of radiation-induced effects within this subphylum and identify knowledge gaps. A literature search was conducted pertaining to radiation effects on four endpoints as stipulated by a number of regulatory bodies: mortality, morbidity, reproduction and mutation. A major finding of this review was the paucity of data regarding the effects of environmentally relevant radiation doses on crustacean biology. Extremely few studies utilising chronic exposure durations or wild populations were found across all four endpoints. The dose levels at which effects occur was found to vary by orders of magnitude thus presenting difficulties in developing phyla-specific benchmark values and reference levels for radioprotection. Based on the limited data, mutation was found to be the most sensitive endpoint of radiation exposure, with mortality the least sensitive. Current phyla-specific dose levels and limits proposed by major regulatory bodies were found to be inadequate to protect species across a range of endpoints including morbidity, mutation and reproduction and examples are discussed within. These findings serve to prioritise areas for future research that will significantly

  2. Examining the pedagogical content knowledge and practice of experienced secondary biology teachers for teaching diffusion and osmosis

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Lankford, Deanna

    Teachers are the most important factor in student learning (National Research Council, 1996); yet little is known about the specialized knowledge held by experienced teachers. The purpose of this study was twofold: first, to make explicit the pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) for teaching diffusion and osmosis held by experienced biology teachers and, second, to reveal how topic-specific PCK informs teacher practice. The Magnusson et al. (1999) PCK model served as the theoretical framework for the study. The overarching research question was: When teaching lessons on osmosis and diffusion, how do experienced biology teachers draw upon their topic-specific pedagogical content knowledge? Data sources included observations of two consecutive lessons, three semi-structured interviews, lesson plans, and student handouts. Data analysis indicated five of the six teachers held a constructivist orientation to science teaching and engaged students in explorations of diffusion and osmosis prior to introducing the concepts to students. Explanations for diffusion and osmosis were based upon students' observations and experiences during explorations. All six teachers used representations at the molecular, cellular, and plant organ levels to serve as foci for explorations of diffusion and osmosis. Three potential learning difficulties identified by the teachers included: (a) understanding vocabulary terms, (b) predicting the direction of osmosis, and (c) identifying random molecular motion as the driving force for diffusion and osmosis. Participants used student predictions as formative assessments to reveal misconceptions before instruction and evaluate conceptual understanding during instruction. This study includes implications for teacher preparation, research, and policy.

  3. Radiation Information for Designing and Interpreting Biological Experiments Onboard Missions Beyond Low Earth Orbit

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Straume, T.; Slaba, T.; Bhattacharya, S.; Braby, L. A.

    2017-01-01

    There is growing interest in flying biological experiments beyond low-Earth orbit (LEO) to measure biological responses potentially relevant to those expected during a human mission to Mars. Such experiments could be payloads onboard precursor missions, including unmanned private-public partnerships, as well as small low-cost spacecraft (satellites) designed specifically for biosentinel type missions. Designing such experiments requires knowledge of the radiation environment and its interactions with both the spacecraft and the experimental payload. Information is provided here that is useful for designing such experiments.

  4. Biological effects of in vitro THz radiation exposure in human foetal fibroblasts.

    PubMed

    De Amicis, Andrea; Sanctis, Stefania De; Cristofaro, Sara Di; Franchini, Valeria; Lista, Florigio; Regalbuto, Elisa; Giovenale, Emilio; Gallerano, Gian Piero; Nenzi, Paolo; Bei, Roberto; Fantini, Massimo; Benvenuto, Monica; Masuelli, Laura; Coluzzi, Elisa; Cicia, Cristina; Sgura, Antonella

    2015-11-01

    In recent years, terahertz (THz) radiation has been widely used in a variety of applications: medical, security, telecommunications and military areas. However, few data are available on the biological effects of this type of electromagnetic radiation and the reported results, using different genetic or cellular assays, are quite discordant. This multidisciplinary study focuses on potential genotoxic and cytotoxic effects, evaluated by several end-points, associated with THz radiation. For this purpose, in vitro exposure of human foetal fibroblasts to low frequency THz radiation (0.1-0.15THz) was performed using a Compact Free Electron Laser. We did not observe an induction of DNA damage evaluated by Comet assay, phosphorylation of H2AX histone or telomere length modulation. In addiction, no induction of apoptosis or changes in pro-survival signalling proteins were detected. Moreover, our results indicated an increase in the total number of micronuclei and centromere positive micronuclei induction evaluated by CREST analysis, indicating that THz radiation could induce aneugenic rather than clastogenic effects, probably leading to chromosome loss. Furthermore, an increase of actin polymerization observed by ultrastructural analysis after THz irradiation, supports the hypothesis that an abnormal assembly of spindle proteins could lead to the observed chromosomal malsegregation. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  5. Teaching evolution (and all of biology) more effectively: Strategies for engagement, critical reasoning, and confronting misconceptions.

    PubMed

    Nelson, Craig E

    2008-08-01

    The strength of the evidence supporting evolution has increased markedly since the discovery of DNA but, paradoxically, public resistance to accepting evolution seems to have become stronger. A key dilemma is that science faculty have often continued to teach evolution ineffectively, even as the evidence that traditional ways of teaching are inferior has become stronger and stronger. Three pedagogical strategies that together can make a large difference in students' understanding and acceptance of evolution are extensive use of interactive engagement, a focus on critical thinking in science (especially on comparisons and explicit criteria) and using both of these in helping the students actively compare their initial conceptions (and publicly popular misconceptions) with more fully scientific conceptions. The conclusion that students' misconceptions must be dealt with systematically can be difficult for faculty who are teaching evolution since much of the students' resistance is framed in religious terms and one might be reluctant to address religious ideas in class. Applications to teaching evolution are illustrated with examples that address criteria and critical thinking, standard geology versus flood geology, evolutionary developmental biology versus organs of extreme perfection, and the importance of using humans as a central example. It is also helpful to bridge the false dichotomy, seen by many students, between atheistic evolution versus religious creationism. These applications are developed in detail and are intended to be sufficient to allow others to use these approaches in their teaching. Students and other faculty were quite supportive of these approaches as implemented in my classes.

  6. TOPICAL REVIEW: Biological imaging in radiation therapy: role of positron emission tomography

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Nestle, Ursula; Weber, Wolfgang; Hentschel, Michael; Grosu, Anca-Ligia

    2009-01-01

    In radiation therapy (RT), staging, treatment planning, monitoring and evaluation of response are traditionally based on computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). These radiological investigations have the significant advantage to show the anatomy with a high resolution, being also called anatomical imaging. In recent years, so called biological imaging methods which visualize metabolic pathways have been developed. These methods offer complementary imaging of various aspects of tumour biology. To date, the most prominent biological imaging system in use is positron emission tomography (PET), whose diagnostic properties have clinically been evaluated for years. The aim of this review is to discuss the valences and implications of PET in RT. We will focus our evaluation on the following topics: the role of biological imaging for tumour tissue detection/delineation of the gross tumour volume (GTV) and for the visualization of heterogeneous tumour biology. We will discuss the role of fluorodeoxyglucose-PET in lung and head and neck cancer and the impact of amino acids (AA)-PET in target volume delineation of brain gliomas. Furthermore, we summarize the data of the literature about tumour hypoxia and proliferation visualized by PET. We conclude that, regarding treatment planning in radiotherapy, PET offers advantages in terms of tumour delineation and the description of biological processes. However, to define the real impact of biological imaging on clinical outcome after radiotherapy, further experimental, clinical and cost/benefit analyses are required.

  7. Radiation resistance of biological reagents for in situ life detection.

    PubMed

    Carr, Christopher E; Rowedder, Holli; Vafadari, Cyrus; Lui, Clarissa S; Cascio, Ethan; Zuber, Maria T; Ruvkun, Gary

    2013-01-01

    Life on Mars, if it exists, may share a common ancestry with life on Earth derived from meteoritic transfer of microbes between the planets. One means to test this hypothesis is to isolate, detect, and sequence nucleic acids in situ on Mars, then search for similarities to known common features of life on Earth. Such an instrument would require biological and chemical components, such as polymerase and fluorescent dye molecules. We show that reagents necessary for detection and sequencing of DNA survive several analogues of the radiation expected during a 2-year mission to Mars, including proton (H-1), heavy ion (Fe-56, O-18), and neutron bombardment. Some reagents have reduced performance or fail at higher doses. Overall, our findings suggest it is feasible to utilize space instruments with biological components, particularly for mission durations of up to several years in environments without large accumulations of charged particles, such as the surface of Mars, and have implications for the meteoritic transfer of microbes between planets.

  8. Proceedings of the First International Symposium on the Biological Interpretation of Dose from Accelerator-Produced Radiation, Held at the Lawrence Radiation Laboratory, Berkeley, California, March 13--16, 1967

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Wallace, R.

    1967-03-13

    The objective of the meeting was to provide a companion meeting to the ''First Symposium on Accelerator Radiation Dosimetry and Experience'' which was held November 3-5, 1965, at the Brookhaven National Laboratory. This first symposium was limited in scope to an intensified discussion of dosimetry techniques. The biology which is associated with high energy radiation was specifically excluded, since it was the original plan to hold a second symposium devoted entirely to biology. Thus the present Symposium was a sequel to the first and they were inseparable in their objectives. Since those attending the BNL Symposium were almost entirely healthmore » physicists with a background in physical science and actively engaged in the solution of radiation protection problems at high energy accelerators, it was felt that it would be necessary to begin the BID Symposium with a general review session on radiation biology, in order to provide a biological background for the proper understanding of the later sessions. This first session was arranged to give the health physicist a meaningful transition from fundamental radiobiological considerations to current new research activities in high energy biology. In our opinion, and also based on the comments of several of those attending these objectives were quite well attained. The talks by Bond, Robertson, Brustad, Wolff, and Patt were quite exhaustive as an introduction to the several areas of specialization in radiobiology. The overall purpose of the meeting was of course to inform the health physicists about the state of knowledge in advanced biological research as it might apply to their problems. It has often been said that it takes a long time for laboratory findings to be applied in practical situations, but this is certainly not true in radiobiology. Through this conference and others like it, the most recent understanding of high energy radiobiology is available to the practicing health physicist and is probably used

  9. The Implementation of Action Research for the Improvement of Biology Teaching and Learning in Senior Secondary Schools in Nigeria

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Udeani, U. N.; Atagana, H. I.; Esiobu, G. O.

    2016-01-01

    The main objective of the study was to implement an action research strategy to improve the teaching and learning of biology in senior secondary schools in Nigeria. Specifically the following research questions were raised: (1) What are the levels of intellectual challenge included in the activities used for classroom and laboratory instructions?…

  10. The Effect of Concept Mapping and Problem Solving Teaching Strategies on Achievement in Biology among Nigerian Secondary School Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Okoye, Nnamdi S.; Okechukwu, Rose N.

    2010-01-01

    The study examined the effect of concept-mapping and problem-solving teaching strategies on achievement in biology among Nigerian secondary school students. The method used for the study was a quasi-experimental pre-test treatment design. One hundred and thirteen senior secondary three (S.S. 111) students randomly selected from three mixed…

  11. The impacts of land use, radiative forcing, and biological changes on regional climate in Japan

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Dairaku, K.; Pielke, R. A., Sr.

    2013-12-01

    Because regional responses of surface hydrological and biogeochemical changes are particularly complex, it is necessary to develop assessment tools for regional scale adaptation to climate. We developed a dynamical downscaling method using the regional climate model (NIED-RAMS) over Japan. The NIED-RAMS model includes a plant model that considers biological processes, the General Energy and Mass Transfer Model (GEMTM) which adds spatial resolution to accurately assess critical interactions within the regional climate system for vulnerability assessments to climate change. We digitalized a potential vegetation map that formerly existed only on paper into Geographic Information System data. It quantified information on the reduction of green spaces and the expansion of urban and agricultural areas in Japan. We conducted regional climate sensitivity experiments of land use and land cover (LULC) change, radiative forcing, and biological effects by using the NIED-RAMS with horizontal grid spacing of 20 km. We investigated regional climate responses in Japan for three experimental scenarios: 1. land use and land cover is changed from current to potential vegetation; 2. radiative forcing is changed from 1 x CO2 to 2 x CO2; and 3. biological CO2 partial pressures in plants are doubled. The experiments show good accuracy in reproducing the surface air temperature and precipitation. The experiments indicate the distinct change of hydrological cycles in various aspects due to anthropogenic LULC change, radiative forcing, and biological effects. The relative impacts of those changes are discussed and compared. Acknowledgments This study was conducted as part of the research subject "Vulnerability and Adaptation to Climate Change in Water Hazard Assessed Using Regional Climate Scenarios in the Tokyo Region' (National Research Institute for Earth Science and Disaster Prevention; PI: Koji Dairaku) of Research Program on Climate Change Adaptation (RECCA), and was supported by the

  12. Teaching Cell Biology to Nonscience Majors Through Forensics, or How to Design a Killer Course

    PubMed Central

    Arwood, Laura

    2004-01-01

    Nonscience majors often do not respond to traditional lecture-only biology courses. However, these students still need exposure to basic biological concepts. To accomplish this goal, forensic science was paired with compatible cell biology subjects. Several topics such as human development and molecular biology were found to fulfill this purpose. Another goal was to maximize the hands-on experience of the nonscience major students. This objective was fulfilled by specific activities such as fingerprinting and DNA typing. One particularly effective teaching tool was a mock murder mystery complete with a Grand Jury trial. Another objective was to improve students' attitudes toward science. This was successful in that students felt more confident in their own scientific abilities after taking the course. In pre/post tests, students answered four questions about their ability to conduct science. All four statements showed a positive shift after the course (p values ranging from .001 to .036, df = 23; n = 24). The emphasis on experiential pedagogy was also shown to increase critical thinking skills. In pre/post testing, students in this course significantly increased their performance on critical thinking assessment tests from 33.3% correct to 45.3% (p = .008, df = 4; n = 24). PMID:15257341

  13. Using Multiple Lenses to Examine the Development of Beginning Biology Teachers' Pedagogical Content Knowledge for Teaching Natural Selection Simulations

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Sickel, Aaron J.; Friedrichsen, Patricia

    2018-01-01

    Pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) has become a useful construct to examine science teacher learning. Yet, researchers conceptualize PCK development in different ways. The purpose of this longitudinal study was to use three analytic lenses to understand the development of three beginning biology teachers' PCK for teaching natural selection…

  14. Radiation Oncology Physics and Medical Physics Education

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Bourland, Dan

    2011-10-01

    Medical physics, an applied field of physics, is the applications of physics in medicine. Medical physicists are essential professionals in contemporary healthcare, contributing primarily to the diagnosis and treatment of diseases through numerous inventions, advances, and improvements in medical imaging and cancer treatment. Clinical service, research, and teaching by medical physicists benefits thousands of patients and other individuals every day. This talk will cover three main topics. First, exciting current research and development areas in the medical physics sub-specialty of radiation oncology physics will be described, including advanced oncology imaging for treatment simulation, image-guided radiation therapy, and biologically-optimized radiation treatment. Challenges in patient safety in high-technology radiation treatments will be briefly reviewed. Second, the educational path to becoming a medical physicist will be reviewed, including undergraduate foundations, graduate training, residency, board certification, and career opportunities. Third, I will introduce the American Association of Physicists in Medicine (AAPM), which is the professional society that represents, advocates, and advances the field of medical physics (www.aapm.org).

  15. Relative biological effectiveness (RBE) of alpha radiation in cultured porcine aortic endothelial cells.

    PubMed

    Thomas, Patricia; Tracy, Bliss; Ping, Tilly; Baweja, Anar; Wickstrom, Mark; Sidhu, Narinder; Hiebert, Linda

    2007-03-01

    Northern peoples can receive elevated radiation doses (1- 10 mSv/y) from transfer of polonium-210 (210Po) through the lichen-caribou-human food chain. Ingested 210Po is primarily blood-borne and thus many of its short range alpha particles irradiate the endothelial cells lining the blood vessels. The relative biological effectiveness (RBE) of alpha particles vs. x-rays was examined in porcine aortic endothelial cells as a surrogate for understanding what might happen to human endothelial cells in northern populations consuming traditional foods. Cultured porcine aortic endothelial cells were exposed to x-ray and 210Po alpha particle radiation. Alpha irradiation was applied to the cell cultures internally via the culture medium and externally, using thin-bottomed culture dishes. The results given here are based on the external irradiation method, which was found to be more reliable. Dose-response curves were compared for four lethal endpoints (cell viability, live cell fraction, release of lactate dehydrogenase [LDH] and clonogenic survival) to determine the relative biological effectiveness (RBE) of alpha radiation. The alpha RBE for porcine cells varied from 1.6-21, depending on the endpoint: 21.2+/-4.5 for cell viability, 12.9+/-2.7 for decrease in live cell number, 5.3+/-0.4 for LDH release to the medium but only 1.6 +/-0.1 for clonogenic survival. The low RBE of 1.6 was due to x-ray hypersensitivity of endothelial cells at low doses.

  16. Academic Preparation in Biology and Advocacy for Teaching Evolution: Biology versus Non-Biology Teachers

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Nehm, Ross H.; Kim, Sun Young; Sheppard, Keith

    2009-01-01

    Despite considerable focus on evolution knowledge-belief relationships, little research has targeted populations with strong content backgrounds, such as undergraduate degrees in biology. This study (1) measured precertified biology and non-biology teachers' (n = 167) knowledge of evolution and the nature of science; (2) quantified teacher…

  17. Visualization in simulation tools: requirements and a tool specification to support the teaching of dynamic biological processes.

    PubMed

    Jørgensen, Katarina M; Haddow, Pauline C

    2011-08-01

    Simulation tools are playing an increasingly important role behind advances in the field of systems biology. However, the current generation of biological science students has either little or no experience with such tools. As such, this educational glitch is limiting both the potential use of such tools as well as the potential for tighter cooperation between the designers and users. Although some simulation tool producers encourage their use in teaching, little attempt has hitherto been made to analyze and discuss their suitability as an educational tool for noncomputing science students. In general, today's simulation tools assume that the user has a stronger mathematical and computing background than that which is found in most biological science curricula, thus making the introduction of such tools a considerable pedagogical challenge. This paper provides an evaluation of the pedagogical attributes of existing simulation tools for cell signal transduction based on Cognitive Load theory. Further, design recommendations for an improved educational simulation tool are provided. The study is based on simulation tools for cell signal transduction. However, the discussions are relevant to a broader biological simulation tool set.

  18. Evaluation of the Concepts and Subjects in Biology Perceived to Be Difficult to Learn and Teach by the Pre-Service Teachers Registered in the Pedagogical Formation Program

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gungor, Sema Nur; Ozkan, Muhlis

    2017-01-01

    This study examines the subjects and concepts in biology perceived to be difficult to learn and teach by 759 pre-service biology teachers registered in the pedagogical formation program at Uludag University Faculty of Education in the academic year of 2005-2016, as well as the associations that word "biology" first calls to their mind.…

  19. Teaching Trajectories and Students' Understanding of Difficult Concepts in Biology in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area in Rivers State

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Mumuni, Abosede Anthonia Olufemi; Dike, John Worlu; Uzoma-Nwogu, Azibaolanari

    2017-01-01

    This study investigated the effects of teaching trajectories on students' understanding of difficult concepts in Biology. Two research questions and two null hypotheses guided the study which was carried out in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State. Two public coeducational schools out of thirteen drawn through purposive sampling…

  20. Average latitudinal variation in ultraviolet radiation at the earth's surface. [biological sensitivity and dosage

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Johnson, F. S.; Mo, T.; Green, A. E. S.

    1976-01-01

    Tabulated values are presented for ultraviolet radiation at the earth's surface as a function of wavelength, latitude, and season, for clear sky and seasonally and latitudinally averaged ozone amounts. These tabulations can be combined with any biological sensitivity function in order to obtain the seasonal and latitudinal variation of the corresponding effective doses. The integrated dosages, based on the erythemal sensitivity curve and on the Robertson-Berger sunburn-meter sensitivity curve, have also been calculated, and these are found to vary with latitude and season in very nearly the same way as 307 and 314 nm radiation, respectively.

  1. Fruit Flies Provide New Insights in Low-Radiation Background Biology at the INFN Underground Gran Sasso National Laboratory (LNGS).

    PubMed

    Morciano, Patrizia; Cipressa, Francesca; Porrazzo, Antonella; Esposito, Giuseppe; Tabocchini, Maria Antonella; Cenci, Giovanni

    2018-06-04

    Deep underground laboratories (DULs) were originally created to host particle, astroparticle or nuclear physics experiments requiring a low-background environment with vastly reduced levels of cosmic-ray particle interference. More recently, the range of science projects requiring an underground experiment site has greatly expanded, thus leading to the recognition of DULs as truly multidisciplinary science sites that host important studies in several fields, including geology, geophysics, climate and environmental sciences, technology/instrumentation development and biology. So far, underground biology experiments are ongoing or planned in a few of the currently operating DULs. Among these DULs is the Gran Sasso National Laboratory (LNGS), where the majority of radiobiological data have been collected. Here we provide a summary of the current scenario of DULs around the world, as well as the specific features of the LNGS and a summary of the results we obtained so far, together with other findings collected in different underground laboratories. In particular, we focus on the recent results from our studies of Drosophila melanogaster, which provide the first evidence of the influence of the radiation environment on life span, fertility and response to genotoxic stress at the organism level. Given the increasing interest in this field and the establishment of new projects, it is possible that in the near future more DULs will serve as sites of radiobiology experiments, thus providing further relevant biological information at extremely low-dose-rate radiation. Underground experiments can be nicely complemented with above-ground studies at increasing dose rate. A systematic study performed in different exposure scenarios provides a potential opportunity to address important radiation protection questions, such as the dose/dose-rate relationship for cancer and non-cancer risk, the possible existence of dose/dose-rate threshold(s) for different biological systems and

  2. A Hypothesis on Biological Protection from Space Radiation Through the Use of New Therapeutic Gases as Medical Counter Measures

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Schoenfeld, Michael P.; Ansari, Rafat R.; Nakao, Atsunori; Wink, David

    2011-01-01

    Exposure to astronauts could be a significant obstacle for long duration manned space exploration because of current uncertainties regarding the extent of biological effects. Furthermore, concepts for protective shielding also pose a technically challenging issue due to the nature of cosmic radiation and current mass and power constraints with modern exploration technology. As biological damage from exposure is associated with increased oxidative stress, it would be enabling to mitigate and/or prevent stress prior to the development of clinical symptoms and disease. This paper hypothesizes a "systems biology" approach in which a combination of chemical and biological mitigation techniques are used conjunctively. It proposes using new, therapeutic, medical gases as both chemical radioprotectors for radical scavenging and biological promoters for management of the body s response to exposure. From reviewing radiochemistry of water, biological effects of CO, H2, NO, and H2S gas, and mechanisms of radiation biology, it is concluded that this approach may have great therapeutic potential for exposure. Furthermore, it also appears to have potential for curtailing the pathogenesis of other diseases in which oxidative stress has been implicated including cardiovascular disease, cancer, chronic inflammatory disease, hypertension, ischemia/reperfusion injury, acute respiratory distress syndrome, Parkinson s and Alzheimer s disease, cataracts, and aging.

  3. Wavelength dependence of biological damage induced by UV radiation on bacteria.

    PubMed

    Santos, Ana L; Oliveira, Vanessa; Baptista, Inês; Henriques, Isabel; Gomes, Newton C M; Almeida, Adelaide; Correia, António; Cunha, Ângela

    2013-01-01

    The biological effects of UV radiation of different wavelengths (UVA, UVB and UVC) were assessed in nine bacterial isolates displaying different UV sensitivities. Biological effects (survival and activity) and molecular markers of oxidative stress [DNA strand breakage (DSB), generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), oxidative damage to proteins and lipids, and the activity of antioxidant enzymes catalase and superoxide dismutase] were quantified and statistically analyzed in order to identify the major determinants of cell inactivation under the different spectral regions. Survival and activity followed a clear wavelength dependence, being highest under UVA and lowest under UVC. The generation of ROS, as well as protein and lipid oxidation, followed the same pattern. DNA damage (DSB) showed the inverse trend. Multiple stepwise regression analysis revealed that survival under UVA, UVB and UVC wavelengths was best explained by DSB, oxidative damage to lipids, and intracellular ROS levels, respectively.

  4. Broadening Horizons and Teaching Basic Biology through Cell-Free Synthesis of Green Fluorescent Protein in a High School Laboratory Course

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Albayrak, Cem; Jones, K. C.; Swartz, James R.

    2013-01-01

    Cell-free protein synthesis (CFPS) has emerged as a practical method for producing a broad variety of proteins. In addition, the direct accessibility to the reaction environment makes CFPS particularly suitable as a learning vehicle for fundamental biological concepts. Here, we describe its implementation as a teaching tool for a high school…

  5. Modeling Sources of Teaching Self-Efficacy for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Graduate Teaching Assistants.

    PubMed

    DeChenne, Sue Ellen; Koziol, Natalie; Needham, Mark; Enochs, Larry

    2015-01-01

    Graduate teaching assistants (GTAs) in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) have a large impact on undergraduate instruction but are often poorly prepared to teach. Teaching self-efficacy, an instructor's belief in his or her ability to teach specific student populations a specific subject, is an important predictor of teaching skill and student achievement. A model of sources of teaching self-efficacy is developed from the GTA literature. This model indicates that teaching experience, departmental teaching climate (including peer and supervisor relationships), and GTA professional development (PD) can act as sources of teaching self-efficacy. The model is pilot tested with 128 GTAs from nine different STEM departments at a midsized research university. Structural equation modeling reveals that K-12 teaching experience, hours and perceived quality of GTA PD, and perception of the departmental facilitating environment are significant factors that explain 32% of the variance in the teaching self-efficacy of STEM GTAs. This model highlights the important contributions of the departmental environment and GTA PD in the development of teaching self-efficacy for STEM GTAs. © 2015 S. E. DeChenne et al. CBE—Life Sciences Education © 2015 The American Society for Cell Biology. This article is distributed by The American Society for Cell Biology under license from the author(s). It is available to the public under an Attribution–Noncommercial–Share Alike 3.0 Unported Creative Commons License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0).

  6. Development of the Biology Card Sorting Task to Measure Conceptual Expertise in Biology

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Smith, Julia I.; Combs, Elijah D.; Nagami, Paul H.; Alto, Valerie M.; Goh, Henry G.; Gourdet, Muryam A. A.; Hough, Christina M.; Nickell, Ashley E.; Peer, Adrian G.; Coley, John D.; Tanner, Kimberly D.

    2013-01-01

    There are widespread aspirations to focus undergraduate biology education on teaching students to think conceptually like biologists; however, there is a dearth of assessment tools designed to measure progress from novice to expert biological conceptual thinking. We present the development of a novel assessment tool, the Biology Card Sorting Task,…

  7. Radon Adsorbed in Activated Charcoal--A Simple and Safe Radiation Source for Teaching Practical Radioactivity in Schools and Colleges

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Al-Azmi, Darwish; Mustapha, Amidu O.; Karunakara, N.

    2012-01-01

    Simple procedures for teaching practical radioactivity are presented in a way that attracts students' attention and does not make them apprehensive about their safety. The radiation source is derived from the natural environment. It is based on the radioactivity of radon, a ubiquitous inert gas, and the adsorptive property of activated charcoal.…

  8. RAD-ADAPT: Software for modelling clonogenic assay data in radiation biology.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Yaping; Hu, Kaiqiang; Beumer, Jan H; Bakkenist, Christopher J; D'Argenio, David Z

    2017-04-01

    We present a comprehensive software program, RAD-ADAPT, for the quantitative analysis of clonogenic assays in radiation biology. Two commonly used models for clonogenic assay analysis, the linear-quadratic model and single-hit multi-target model, are included in the software. RAD-ADAPT uses maximum likelihood estimation method to obtain parameter estimates with the assumption that cell colony count data follow a Poisson distribution. The program has an intuitive interface, generates model prediction plots, tabulates model parameter estimates, and allows automatic statistical comparison of parameters between different groups. The RAD-ADAPT interface is written using the statistical software R and the underlying computations are accomplished by the ADAPT software system for pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic systems analysis. The use of RAD-ADAPT is demonstrated using an example that examines the impact of pharmacologic ATM and ATR kinase inhibition on human lung cancer cell line A549 after ionizing radiation. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  9. Radiation health research, 1986 - 1990

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1991-01-01

    A collection of 225 abstracts of radiation research sponsored by NASA during the period 1986 through 1990 is reported. Each abstract was categorized within one of four discipline areas: physics, biology, risk assessment, and microgravity. Topic areas within each discipline were assigned as follows: Physics - atomic physics, nuclear science, space radiation, radiation transport and shielding, and instrumentation; Biology - molecular biology, cellular radiation biology, tissue, organs and organisms, radioprotectants, and plants; Risk assessment - radiation health and epidemiology, space flight radiation health physics, inter- and intraspecies extrapolation, and radiation limits and standards; and Microgravity. When applicable subareas were assigned for selected topic areas. Keywords and author indices are provided.

  10. Fostering 21st-Century Evolutionary Reasoning: Teaching Tree Thinking to Introductory Biology Students.

    PubMed

    Novick, Laura R; Catley, Kefyn M

    2016-01-01

    The ability to interpret and reason from Tree of Life (ToL) diagrams has become a vital component of science literacy in the 21st century. This article reports on the effectiveness of a research-based curriculum, including an instructional booklet, laboratory, and lectures, to teach the fundamentals of such tree thinking in an introductory biology class for science majors. We present the results of a study involving 117 undergraduates who received either our new research-based tree-thinking curriculum or business-as-usual instruction. We found greater gains in tree-thinking abilities for the experimental instruction group than for the business-as-usual group, as measured by performance on our novel assessment instrument. This was a medium size effect. These gains were observed on an unannounced test that was administered ∼5-6 weeks after the primary instruction in tree thinking. The nature of students' postinstruction difficulties with tree thinking suggests that the critical underlying concept for acquiring expert-level competence in this area is understanding that any specific phylogenetic tree is a subset of the complete, unimaginably large ToL. © 2016 L. R. Novick and K. M. Catley. CBE—Life Sciences Education © 2016 The American Society for Cell Biology. This article is distributed by The American Society for Cell Biology under license from the author(s). It is available to the public under an Attribution–Noncommercial–Share Alike 3.0 Unported Creative Commons License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0).

  11. Towards Space Exploration of Moon, Mars Neos: Radiation Biological Basis

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hellweg, Christine; Baumstark-Khan, Christa; Berger, Thomas; Reitz, Guenther

    2016-07-01

    Radiation has emerged as the most critical issue to be resolved for long-term missions both orbital and interplanetary. Astronauts are constantly exposed to galactic cosmic radiation (GCR) of various energies with a low dose rate. Primarily late tissue sequels like genetic alterations, cancer and non-cancer effects, i.e. cataracts and degenerative diseases of e.g. the central nervous system or the cardiovascular system, are the potential risks. Cataracts were observed to occur earlier and more often in astronauts exposed to higher proportions of galactic ions (Cucinotta et al., 2001). Predictions of cancer risk and acceptable radiation exposure in space are subject to many uncertainties including the relative biological effectiveness (RBE) of space radiation especially heavy ions, dose-rate effects and possible interaction with microgravity and other spaceflight environmental factors. The initial cellular response to radiation exposure paves the way to late sequelae and starts with damage to the DNA which complexity depends on the linear energy transfer (LET) of the radiation. Repair of such complex DNA damage is more challenging and requires more time than the repair of simple DNA double strand breaks (DSB) which can be visualized by immunofluorescence staining of the phosphorylated histone 2AX (γH2AX) and might explain the observed prolonged cell cycle arrests induced by high-LET in comparison to low-LET irradiation. Unrepaired or mis-repaired DNA DSB are proposed to be responsible for cell death, mutations, chromosomal aberrations and oncogenic cell transformation. Cell killing and mutation induction are most efficient in an LET range of 90-200 keV/µm. Also the activation of transcription factors such as Nuclear Factor κB (NF-κB) and gene expression shaping the cellular radiation response depend on the LET with a peak RBE between 90 and 300 keV/µm. Such LET-RBE relationships were observed for cataract and cancer induction by heavy ions in laboratory animals

  12. Teaching about Natural Background Radiation

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Al-Azmi, Darwish; Karunakara, N.; Mustapha, Amidu O.

    2013-01-01

    Ambient gamma dose rates in air were measured at different locations (indoors and outdoors) to demonstrate the ubiquitous nature of natural background radiation in the environment and to show that levels vary from one location to another, depending on the underlying geology. The effect of a lead shield on a gamma radiation field was also…

  13. "I'm Not the Science Type": Effect of an Inquiry Biology Content Course on Preservice Elementary Teachers' Intentions about Teaching Science

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Weld, Jeffrey; Funk, Lucas

    2005-01-01

    Inquiry Into Life Science is a content biology course expressly for the fulfillment of the General Education life science laboratory course requirement of elementary education majors at this university. The course is modeled on the Teaching Standards and Content Standards of the National Science Education Standards [National Research Council.…

  14. Biological weighting function for the inhibition of phytoplankton photosynthesis by ultraviolet radiation

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Cullen, John J.; Neale, Patrick J.; Lesser, Michael P.

    1992-01-01

    Severe reduction of stratospheric ozone over Antarctica has focused increasing concern on the biological effects of ultraviolet-B (UVB) radiation (280 to 320 nanometers). Measurements of photosynthesis from an experimental system, in which phytoplankton are exposed to a broad range of irradiance treatments, are fit to an analytical model to provide the spectral biological weighting function that can be used to predict the short-term effects of ozone depletion on aquatic photosynthesis. Results show that UVA (320 to 400 nanometers) significantly inhibits the photosynthesis of a marine diatom and a dinoflagellate, and that the effects of UVB are even more severe. Application of the model suggests that the Antarctic ozone hole might reduce near-surface photosynthesis by 12 to 15 percent, but less so at depth. The experimental system makes possible routine estimation of spectral weightings for natural phytoplankton.

  15. Innovating Science Teaching by Participatory Action Research--Reflections from an Interdisciplinary Project of Curriculum Innovation on Teaching about Climate Change

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Feierabend, Timo; Eilks, Ingo

    2011-01-01

    This paper describes a three-year curriculum innovation project on teaching about climate change. The innovation for this study focused on a socio-critical approach towards teaching climate change in four different teaching domains (biology, chemistry, physics and politics). The teaching itself explicitly aimed at general educational objectives,…

  16. The Implementation of Research-based Learning on Biology Seminar Course in Biology Education Study Program of FKIP UMRAH

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Amelia, T.

    2018-04-01

    Biology Seminar is a course in Biology Education Study Program of Faculty of Teacher Training and Education University of Maritim Raja Ali Haji (FKIP UMRAH) that requires students to have the ability to apply scientific attitudes, perform scientific writing and undertake scientific publications on a small scale. One of the learning strategies that can drive the achievement of learning outcomes in this course is Research-Based Learning. Research-Based Learning principles are considered in accordance with learning outcomes in Biology Seminar courses and generally in accordance with the purpose of higher education. On this basis, this article which is derived from a qualitative research aims at describing Research-based Learning on Biology Seminar course. Based on a case study research, it was known that Research-Based Learning on Biology Seminar courses is applied through: designing learning activities around contemporary research issues; teaching research methods, techniques and skills explicitly within program; drawing on personal research in designing and teaching courses; building small-scale research activities into undergraduate assignment; and infusing teaching with the values of researchers.

  17. [Experience of the development special medical technical laboratory for studies of effects caused by potent electromagnetic radiation in biologic objects].

    PubMed

    Gorodetsky, B N; Kalyada, T V; Petrov, S V

    2015-01-01

    This article covers topics of creating special medical technical laboratory for medial and biologic studies concerning influence of potent high-frequency elecromagnetic radiation on various biologic objects. The authors gave example of such laboratory, described its construction features, purpose and main characteristics of the included devices.

  18. Teaching Biology for a Sustainable Future

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Musante, Susan

    2011-01-01

    Students at Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Michigan, can now take an innovative biology course in which an integrated, interdisciplinary, problem-based approach is used--one that the scientific community itself is promoting. The first course in a four-semester sequence, Biology 123--The Living World: Concepts and Connections--explores real-world…

  19. A Historical Perspective on Problems in Botany Teaching.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hershey, David R.

    1996-01-01

    Discusses how the many problems in botany teaching are interrelated and most have existed since at least the early 1900s. Considers botany teaching at both the precollege and introductory college levels. Discusses botany neglect in biology teaching, botanical illiteracy, uninteresting or irrelevant botany teaching, zoochauvinism, research…

  20. Radiation accident preparedness: a European approach to train physicians to manage mass radiation casualties.

    PubMed

    Hotz, Mark E; Fliedner, Theodor M; Meineke, Viktor

    2010-06-01

    Mass casualties after radiation exposure pose an enormous logistical challenge for national health services worldwide. Successful medical treatment of radiation victims requires that a plan for medical radiation accident management be established, that the plan be tested in regular exercises, and that it be found to be effective in the management of actual victims of a radiological incident. These activities must be provided by a critical mass of clinicians who are knowledgeable in the diagnosis and management of radiation injury. Here, we describe efforts to provide education to physicians engaged in clinical transplantation. Following intensive discussion among European experts at the International Center for Advanced Studies in Health Sciences and Services, University of Ulm, Germany, an advanced training program on "radiation syndromes" was developed for physicians with experience in the management of patients with pancytopenia and multi-organ failure occurring in a transplant setting. The first European advanced training course using this educational tool took place at Oberschleissheim, Germany, on 28-30 November 2007. Small group discussions and practical exercises were employed to teach general principles and unique features of whole body radiation exposure. Topics included the biological effects of contamination, incorporation of radionuclides, clinical consequences of exposure to radiation, and approaches to medical management. Recommendations resulting from this initial educational experience include (1) provision of funding for attending, conducting and updating the curriculum, and (2) development of an educational program that is harmonized among European and non-European experts in medical management of mass casualties from a radionuclear incident.

  1. Ionizing radiation

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Tobias, C. A.; Grigoryev, Y. G.

    1975-01-01

    The biological effects of ionizing radiation encountered in space are considered. Biological experiments conducted in space and some experiences of astronauts during space flight are described. The effects of various levels of radiation exposure and the determination of permissible dosages are discussed.

  2. Life Sciences and Space Research 25 (2) Radiation Biology: Topical Meeting of the COSPAR Interdisciplinary Scientific Commission F of the COSPAR 29th Plenary Meeting, Washington, DC, Aug. 28-Sep. 5, 1992

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Horneck, G. (Editor); Buecher, H. (Editor); Cox, A. (Editor); Todd, P. (Editor); Yang, T. C. (Editor); Worgul, B. V. (Editor); Donlon, M. (Editor); Atwell, W. (Editor); Shea, M. A. (Editor); Smart, D. F. (Editor)

    1994-01-01

    Papers presented on long-term exposure to ionizing radiation, obtained from the Long Duration Exposure Facility, included radiation monitoring, radiation effects, and dosimetry. Mechanisms of biological systems, especially cells, under ionizing radiation and relative biological effectiveness were compared. The role of HZE particles as agents of mutation were reported from plant, animal, and in vitro models. Data on known and predicted effects of cosmic rays and other solar radiation on biological systems included differences related to Linear Energy Transfer and heavy ion particles.

  3. Meeting Report: Teaching Signal Transduction

    PubMed Central

    Kramer, IJsbrand; Thomas, Geraint

    2006-01-01

    In July, 2005, the European Institute of Chemistry and Biology at the campus of the University of Bordeaux, France, hosted a focused week of seminars, workshops, and discussions around the theme of “teaching signal transduction.” The purpose of the summer school was to offer both junior and senior university instructors a chance to reflect on the development and delivery of their teaching activities in this area. This was achieved by combining open seminars with restricted access workshops and discussion events. The results suggest ways in which systems biology, information and communication technology, Web-based investigations, and high standard illustrations might be more effectively and efficiently incorporated into modern cell biology courses. PMID:17012185

  4. Ionizing radiation induced cataracts: Recent biological and mechanistic developments and perspectives for future research.

    PubMed

    Ainsbury, Elizabeth A; Barnard, Stephen; Bright, Scott; Dalke, Claudia; Jarrin, Miguel; Kunze, Sarah; Tanner, Rick; Dynlacht, Joseph R; Quinlan, Roy A; Graw, Jochen; Kadhim, Munira; Hamada, Nobuyuki

    The lens of the eye has long been considered as a radiosensitive tissue, but recent research has suggested that the radiosensitivity is even greater than previously thought. The 2012 recommendation of the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) to substantially reduce the annual occupational equivalent dose limit for the ocular lens has now been adopted in the European Union and is under consideration around the rest of the world. However, ICRP clearly states that the recommendations are chiefly based on epidemiological evidence because there are a very small number of studies that provide explicit biological, mechanistic evidence at doses <2Gy. This paper aims to present a review of recently published information on the biological and mechanistic aspects of cataracts induced by exposure to ionizing radiation (IR). The data were compiled by assessing the pertinent literature in several distinct areas which contribute to the understanding of IR induced cataracts, information regarding lens biology and general processes of cataractogenesis. Results from cellular and tissue level studies and animal models, and relevant human studies, were examined. The main focus was the biological effects of low linear energy transfer IR, but dosimetry issues and a number of other confounding factors were also considered. The results of this review clearly highlight a number of gaps in current knowledge. Overall, while there have been a number of recent advances in understanding, it remains unknown exactly how IR exposure contributes to opacification. A fuller understanding of how exposure to relatively low doses of IR promotes induction and/or progression of IR-induced cataracts will have important implications for prevention and treatment of this disease, as well as for the field of radiation protection. Crown Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  5. Effects of Ionizing Radiation on Biological Molecules—Mechanisms of Damage and Emerging Methods of Detection

    PubMed Central

    Reisz, Julie A.; Bansal, Nidhi; Qian, Jiang; Zhao, Weiling

    2014-01-01

    Abstract Significance: The detrimental effects of ionizing radiation (IR) involve a highly orchestrated series of events that are amplified by endogenous signaling and culminating in oxidative damage to DNA, lipids, proteins, and many metabolites. Despite the global impact of IR, the molecular mechanisms underlying tissue damage reveal that many biomolecules are chemoselectively modified by IR. Recent Advances: The development of high-throughput “omics” technologies for mapping DNA and protein modifications have revolutionized the study of IR effects on biological systems. Studies in cells, tissues, and biological fluids are used to identify molecular features or biomarkers of IR exposure and response and the molecular mechanisms that regulate their expression or synthesis. Critical Issues: In this review, chemical mechanisms are described for IR-induced modifications of biomolecules along with methods for their detection. Included with the detection methods are crucial experimental considerations and caveats for their use. Additional factors critical to the cellular response to radiation, including alterations in protein expression, metabolomics, and epigenetic factors, are also discussed. Future Directions: Throughout the review, the synergy of combined “omics” technologies such as genomics and epigenomics, proteomics, and metabolomics is highlighted. These are anticipated to lead to new hypotheses to understand IR effects on biological systems and improve IR-based therapies. Antioxid. Redox Signal. 21: 260–292. PMID:24382094

  6. Improving student performance in an introductory biology majors course: A social action project in the scholarship of teaching

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Chambers, Sara Lang Ketchum

    This social action study followed an introductory biology course for a three-year period to determine whether changes in teaching personnel, instructional techniques and reorientation to student-centered learning would impact student performance. The course was redirected from a traditional lecture-laboratory format to one emphasizing active learning inquiry methods. Student retention, achievement, and failure were observed for three years in addition to one year prior, and one year following, the study. The study examined the two semester introductory biology course required of all biology majors and those intending a career in science, medicine or dentistry. During the first semester of the study, the dropout rate decreased from 46% to 21%. Prior to the study, 39% of the students completing the course received a grade of D or F while only 4% received a grade of B or above. During the first semester of the study 14% of the students received a grade of D or F while 46% received a B, B+ or A grade. Similar results were seen in other semesters of the study. A statistical comparison of student retention and performance was carried out using grade data for classes taught by the original faculty, the action study faculty and the post-study faculty. The differences between the original faculty and the action study faculty were statistically significant. Effect size calculations indicated large differences between the action study faculty and the two other faculty groups in terms of student retention, achievement and failure. The results are attributed to both the personnel change and, more significantly, the change in teaching methods and emphasis on student-active learning. Comparison between the pre- and post-study teams showed less dramatic effect sizes than when the action study data were compared with the data from either other team. Nevertheless, the post-study results showed that although the retention rate dropped during the year after the study, the improvement

  7. Literature review on relative biological effectiveness (RBE) of ionizing radiation in the past 5 years (in Japanese)

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Tanooka, H.; Orii, H.

    1971-09-01

    The RBE of therapy using ionizing radiations other than x rays, gamma - rays, and electrons in various materials and under various radiation conditions is discussed. Literature concerning the RBE of various ionizing radiations published between 1966 and 1971 was selected from the following ten journals: Radiation Research, international Journal of Radiation Biology, Journal of Radiation Research, Japanese Journal of Oenetics, Nippon Acta Radiologica, American Journal of Roentgenology, British Journal of Radiology, and Acta Radiologica. This review includes a comprehensive survey of the usefulness of fast neutrons and the conclusions from the symposiums. In addition, a series of reports ofmore » experimental data concerning the excellent therapeutic effects of the 14 MeV neutron are reviewed. It is also noted that the progress of studies on the RBE in the cells of higher organisms has been achieved. In addition, the utilization of linear accelerators with high LET can positively increase the therapeutic effectiveness. (JA)« less

  8. Biological dosimetry to determine the UV radiation climate inside the MIR station and its role in vitamin D biosynthesis

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rettberg, P.; Horneck, G.; Zittermann, A.; Heer, M.

    1998-11-01

    The vitamin D synthesis in the human skin, is absolutely dependent on UVB radiation. Natural UVB from sunlight is normally absent in the closed environment of a space station like MIR. Therefore it was necessary to investigate the UV radiation climate inside the station resulting from different lamps as well as from occasional solar irradiation behind a UV-transparent quartz window. Biofilms, biologically weighting and integrating UV dosimeters successfully applied on Earth (e.g. in Antarctica) and in space (D-2, Biopan I) were used to determine the biological effectiveness of the UV radiation climate at different locations in the space station. Biofilms were also used to determine the personal UV dose of an individual cosmonaut. These UV data were correlated with the concentration of vitamin D in the cosmonaut's blood and the dietary vitamin D intake. The results showed that the UV radiation climate inside the Mir station is not sufficient for an adequate supply of vitamin D, which should therefore be secured either by vitamin D supplementat and/or by the regular exposure to special UV lamps like those in sun-beds. The use of natural solar UV radiation through the quartz window for `sunbathing' is dangerous and should be avoided even for short exposure periods.

  9. Enhancement of transmission of laser and other radiation by soft turbid physical and biological media

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Askar'yan, G. A.

    1982-07-01

    An analysis is made and experimental results are reported of studies of the transmission of laser and other radiation by turbid physical and biological media, such as layers of a scattering medium or human tissue of thickness much greater than the characteristic attenuation length. It is reported that the transmission increases strongly as a result of depression and piercing of soft scattering media. A local pressure applied to a biological tissue produces a transmission enhancement considerably greater than compression of a layer of a physically turbid medium: this is due to the displacement of blood and of muscle out of the compressed region. A reduction in the scattering and absorption is expected to occur also in the case of rf and ionizing radiations, such as charged particles, x rays, gamma rays, etc. It is pointed out that this could be useful in deep irradiation carried out with the aim of inhibiting internal morbid processes (for example, in the spinal cord) and in treatment of neuroinfectious diseases (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, multiple sclerosis, poliomyelitis, etc.), as well as in oncological conditions, ulcers, etc.

  10. Occupational cosmic radiation exposure in Portuguese airline pilots: study of a possible correlation with oxidative biological markers.

    PubMed

    Silva, Rodrigo; Folgosa, Filipe; Soares, Paulo; Pereira, Alice S; Garcia, Raquel; Gestal-Otero, Juan Jesus; Tavares, Pedro; Gomes da Silva, Marco D R

    2013-05-01

    Several studies have sought to understand the health effects of occupational exposure to cosmic radiation. However, only few biologic markers or associations with disease outcomes have so far been identified. In the present study, 22 long- and 26 medium-haul male Portuguese airline pilots and 36 factory workers who did not fly regularly were investigated. The two groups were comparable in age and diet, were non-smokers, never treated with ionizing radiation and other factors. Cosmic radiation exposure in pilots was quantified based on direct monitoring of 51 flights within Europe, and from Europe to North and South America, and to Africa. Indirect dose estimates in pilots were performed based on the SIEVERT (Système informatisé d'évaluation par vol de l'exposition au rayonnement cosmique dans les transports aériens) software for 6,039 medium- and 1,366 long-haul flights. Medium-haul pilots had a higher cosmic radiation dose rate than long-haul pilots, that is, 3.3 ± 0.2 μSv/h and 2.7 ± 0.3 μSv/h, respectively. Biological tests for oxidative stress on blood and urine, as appropriate, at two time periods separated by 1 year, included measurements of antioxidant capacity, total protein, ferritin, hemoglobin, creatinine and 8-hydroxy-2-deoxyguanosine (8OHdG). Principal components analysis was used to discriminate between the exposed and unexposed groups based on all the biological tests. According to this analysis, creatinine and 8OHdG levels were different for the pilots and the unexposed group, but no distinctions could be made among the medium- and the long-haul pilots. While hemoglobin levels seem to be comparable between the studied groups, they were directly correlated with ferritin values, which were lower for the airline pilots.

  11. Methods of integrating Islamic values in teaching biology for shaping attitude and character

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Listyono; Supardi, K. I.; Hindarto, N.; Ridlo, S.

    2018-03-01

    Learning is expected to develop the potential of learners to have the spiritual attitude: moral strength, self-control, personality, intelligence, noble character, as well as the skills needed by themselves, society, and nation. Implementation of role and morale in learning is an alternative way which is expected to answer the challenge. The solution offered is to inject student with religious material Islamic in learning biology. The content value of materials teaching biology includes terms of practical value, religious values, daily life value, socio-political value, and the value of art. In Islamic religious values (Qur'an and Hadith) various methods can touch human feelings, souls, and generate motivation. Integrating learning with Islamic value can be done by the deductive or inductive approach. The appropriate method of integration is the amtsal (analog) method, hiwar (dialog) method, targhib & tarhib (encouragement & warning) method, and example method (giving a noble role model / good example). The right strategy in integrating Islamic values is outlined in the design of lesson plan. The integration of Islamic values in lesson plan will facilitate teachers to build students' character because Islamic values can be implemented in every learning steps so students will be accustomed to receiving the character value in this integrated learning.

  12. A Conceptual Framework for Graduate Teaching Assistant Professional Development Evaluation and Research

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Reeves, Todd D.; Marbach-Ad, Gili; Miller, Kristen R.; Ridgway, Judith; Gardner, Grant E.; Schussler, Elisabeth E.; Wischusen, E. William

    2016-01-01

    Biology graduate teaching assistants (GTAs) are significant contributors to the educational mission of universities, particularly in introductory courses, yet there is a lack of empirical data on how to best prepare them for their teaching roles. This essay proposes a conceptual framework for biology GTA teaching professional development (TPD)…

  13. The effect of using graphic organizers in the teaching of standard biology

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Pepper, Wade Louis, Jr.

    This study was conducted to determine if the use of graphic organizers in the teaching of standard biology would increase student achievement, involvement and quality of activities. The subjects were 10th grade standard biology students in a large southern inner city high school. The study was conducted over a six-week period in an instructional setting using action research as the investigative format. After calculation of the homogeneity between classes, random selection was used to determine the graphic organizer class and the control class. The graphic organizer class was taught unit material through a variety of instructional methods along with the use of teacher generated graphic organizers. The control class was taught the same unit material using the same instructional methods, but without the use of graphic organizers. Data for the study were gathered from in-class written assignments, teacher-generated tests and text-generated tests, and rubric scores of an out-of-class written assignment and project. Also, data were gathered from student reactions, comments, observations and a teacher's research journal. Results were analyzed using descriptive statistics and qualitative interpretation. By comparing statistical results, it was determined that the use of graphic organizers did not make a statistically significant difference in the understanding of biological concepts and retention of factual information. Furthermore, the use of graphic organizers did not make a significant difference in motivating students to fulfill all class assignments with quality efforts and products. However, based upon student reactions and comments along with observations by the researcher, graphic organizers were viewed by the students as a favorable and helpful instructional tool. In lieu of statistical results, student gains from instructional activities using graphic organizers were positive and merit the continuation of their use as an instructional tool.

  14. Use of fluorescence and scanning electron microscopy as tools in teaching biology

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Ghosh, Nabarun; Silva, Jessica; Vazquez, Aracely; Das, A. B.; Smith, Don W.

    2011-06-01

    Recent nationwide surveys reveal significant decline in students' interest in Math and Sciences. The objective of this project was to inspire young minds in using various techniques involved in Sciences including Scanning Electron Microscopy. We used Scanning Electron Microscope in demonstrating various types of Biological samples. An SEM Tabletop model in the past decade has revolutionized the use of Scanning Electron Microscopes. Using SEM Tabletop model TM 1000 we studied biological specimens of fungal spores, pollen grains, diatoms, plant fibers, dust mites, insect parts and leaf surfaces. We also used fluorescence microscopy to view, to record and analyze various specimens with an Olympus BX40 microscope equipped with FITC and TRITC fluorescent filters, a mercury lamp source, DP-70 digital camera with Image Pro 6.0 software. Micrographs were captured using bright field microscopy, the fluoresceinisothiocyanate (FITC) filter, and the tetramethylrhodamine (TRITC) filter settings at 40X. A high pressure mercury lamp or UV source was used to excite the storage molecules or proteins which exhibited autofluorescence. We used fluorescent microscopy to confirm the localization of sugar beet viruses in plant organs by viewing the vascular bundles in the thin sections of the leaves and other tissues. We worked with the REU summer students on sample preparation and observation on various samples utilizing the SEM. Critical Point Drying (CPD) and metal coating with the sputter coater was followed before observing some cultured specimen and the samples that were soft in textures with high water content. SEM Top allowed investigating the detailed morphological features that can be used for classroom teaching. Undergraduate and graduate researchers studied biological samples of Arthropods, pollen grains and teeth collected from four species of snakes using SEM. This project inspired the research students to pursue their career in higher studies in science and 45% of the

  15. A new model for biological effects of radiation and the driven force of molecular evolution

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wada, Takahiro; Manabe, Yuichiro; Nakajima, Hiroo; Tsunoyama, Yuichi; Bando, Masako

    We proposed a new mathematical model to estimate biological effects of radiation, which we call Whack-A-Mole (WAM) model. A special feature of WAM model is that it involves the dose rate of radiation as a key ingredient. We succeeded to reproduce the experimental data of various species concerning the radiation induced mutation frequencies. From the analysis of the mega-mouse experiments, we obtained the mutation rate per base-pair per year for mice which is consistent with the so-called molecular clock in evolution genetics, 10-9 mutation/base-pair/year. Another important quantity is the equivalent dose rate for the whole spontaneous mutation, deff. The value of deff for mice is 1.1*10-3 Gy/hour which is much larger than the dose rate of natural radiation (10- (6 - 7) Gy/hour) by several orders of magnitude. We also analyzed Drosophila data and obtained essentially the same numbers. This clearly indicates that the natural radiation is not the dominant driving force of the molecular evolution, but we should look for other factors, such as miscopy of DNA in duplication process. We believe this is the first quantitative proof of the small contribution of the natural radiation in the molecular evolution.

  16. Using the Biology Card Sorting Task to Measure Changes in Conceptual Expertise during Postsecondary Biology Education

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bissonnette, Sarah A.; Combs, Elijah D.; Nagami, Paul H.; Byers, Victor; Fernandez, Juliana; Le, Dinh; Realin, Jared; Woodham, Selina; Smith, Julia I.; Tanner, Kimberly D.

    2017-01-01

    While there have been concerted efforts to reform undergraduate biology toward teaching students to organize their conceptual knowledge like experts, there are few tools that attempt to measure this. We previously developed the Biology Card Sorting Task (BCST), designed to probe how individuals organize their conceptual biological knowledge.…

  17. Gut Microbiomics-A Solution to Unloose the Gordian Knot of Biological Effects of Ionizing Radiation.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Amy; Steen, Tomoko Y

    2018-02-14

    The Chernobyl and Fukushima nuclear accidents have called forth a growing body of research on their biological aftermaths. A variety of wild organisms, including primates, birds, fish, insects, and worms are being studied in the affected areas, with emerging morphological, physiological, and genetic aberrations ascribed to ionizing radiation. Despite the effort in surveying Chernobyl and Fukushima wildlife, little is known about the microorganisms associated with these radiation-contaminated animals. The microbiota, especially the gut commensal, plays an important role in shaping the metabolic reservoir and immune system of the host, and is sensitive to a wide array of environmental factors, including ionizing radiation. Humans and limited numbers of laboratory species have been the main subjects of microbiome studies, however, a more practical insight on host-gut microbiota dynamics under environmental impact should be explored in natural habitats. In this analysis, we introduced a working model explaining possible mechanisms of ionizing radiation on the gut microbiota, with an evaluation of the gut microbiota as a potential biomarker for exposure to ionizing radiation. © The American Genetic Association 2017. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  18. In situ Biological Dose Mapping Estimates the Radiation Burden Delivered to ‘Spared’ Tissue between Synchrotron X-Ray Microbeam Radiotherapy Tracks

    PubMed Central

    Rothkamm, Kai; Crosbie, Jeffrey C.; Daley, Frances; Bourne, Sarah; Barber, Paul R.; Vojnovic, Borivoj; Cann, Leonie; Rogers, Peter A. W.

    2012-01-01

    Microbeam radiation therapy (MRT) using high doses of synchrotron X-rays can destroy tumours in animal models whilst causing little damage to normal tissues. Determining the spatial distribution of radiation doses delivered during MRT at a microscopic scale is a major challenge. Film and semiconductor dosimetry as well as Monte Carlo methods struggle to provide accurate estimates of dose profiles and peak-to-valley dose ratios at the position of the targeted and traversed tissues whose biological responses determine treatment outcome. The purpose of this study was to utilise γ-H2AX immunostaining as a biodosimetric tool that enables in situ biological dose mapping within an irradiated tissue to provide direct biological evidence for the scale of the radiation burden to ‘spared’ tissue regions between MRT tracks. Γ-H2AX analysis allowed microbeams to be traced and DNA damage foci to be quantified in valleys between beams following MRT treatment of fibroblast cultures and murine skin where foci yields per unit dose were approximately five-fold lower than in fibroblast cultures. Foci levels in cells located in valleys were compared with calibration curves using known broadbeam synchrotron X-ray doses to generate spatial dose profiles and calculate peak-to-valley dose ratios of 30–40 for cell cultures and approximately 60 for murine skin, consistent with the range obtained with conventional dosimetry methods. This biological dose mapping approach could find several applications both in optimising MRT or other radiotherapeutic treatments and in estimating localised doses following accidental radiation exposure using skin punch biopsies. PMID:22238667

  19. Should We Add History of Science to Provide Nature of Science into Vietnamese Biology Textbook: A Case of Evolution and Genetics Teaching?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Diem, Huynh Thi Thuy; Yuenyong, Chokchai

    2018-01-01

    History of science (HOS) plays a substantial role in the enhancement of rooted understanding in science teaching and learning. HOS of evolution and genetics has not been included in Vietnamese biology textbooks. This study aims to investigate the necessity of introducing evolution and genetics HOS into Vietnamese textbooks. A case study approach…

  20. BSCS BIOLOGY--IMPLEMENTATION IN THE SCHOOLS.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    GROBMAN, ARNOLD B.; AND OTHERS

    INFORMATION FOR TEACHERS AND PRINCIPALS IMPLEMENTING BIOLOGICAL SCIENCE CURRICULUM STUDY (BSCS) BIOLOGY IN THE SCHOOL PROGRAM IS INCLUDED IN THIS GUIDE. THE RATIONALE AND CONTENT OF THE BSCS VERSIONS ARE EXPLAINED. PHYSICAL FACILITIES, LABORATORY EQUIPMENT, AND LABORATORY MATERIALS THAT FACILITATE TEACHING BSCS BIOLOGY ARE ANALYZED. ADMINISTRATIVE…

  1. Changes in biologically active ultraviolet radiation reaching the Earth's surface.

    PubMed

    Madronich, S; McKenzie, R L; Björn, L O; Caldwell, M M

    1998-10-01

    being used, together with models of atmospheric transmission, to provide global coverage and long-term estimates of surface UV-B radiation. Estimates of long-term (1979-1992) trends in zonally averaged UV irradiances that include cloud effects are nearly identical to those for clear-sky estimates, providing evidence that clouds have not influenced the UV-B trends. However, the limitations of satellite-derived UV estimates should be recognized. To assess uncertainties inherent in this approach, additional validations involving comparisons with ground-based observations are required. Direct comparisons of ground-based UV-B radiation measurements between a few mid-latitude sites in the Northern and Southern Hemispheres have shown larger differences than those estimated using satellite data. Ground-based measurements show that summertime erythemal UV irradiances in the Southern Hemisphere exceed those at comparable latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere by up to 40%, whereas corresponding satellite-based estimates yield only 10-15% differences. Atmospheric pollution may be a factor in this discrepancy between ground-based measurements and satellite-derived estimates. UV-B measurements at more sites are required to determine whether the larger observed differences are globally representative. High levels of UV-B radiation continue to be observed in Antarctica during the recurrent spring-time ozone hole. For example, during ozone-hole episodes, measured biologically damaging radiation at Palmer Station, Antarctica (64 degrees S) has been found to approach and occasionally even exceed maximum summer values at San Diego, CA, USA (32 degrees N). Long-term predictions of future UV-B levels are difficult and uncertain. Nevertheless, current best estimates suggest that a slow recovery to pre-ozone depletion levels may be expected during the next half-century. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED)

  2. Survey of the learning activities of Australasian radiation oncology specialist trainees.

    PubMed

    Holt, T; Bydder, S; Bloomfield, L

    2008-12-01

    Trainee radiation oncologists must master a substantial body of skills and knowledge to become competent specialists. The resources available to support this are limited. We surveyed the 90 registrars enrolled in the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Surgeons (RANZCR) radiation oncology training programme to obtain a range of information about their learning activities (with a significant focus on part 1 teaching). Responses were received from 59 registrars (66% of those eligible). Trainees reported spending a median 2.5 h per week (range 0-10 h) in formal teaching activities. With regard to part 1 exam preparation, 83% reported having had physics teaching--the median quality was 5/7; 88% had radiobiology teaching--the median quality was 4/7; 52% had anatomy teaching--the median quality was 3/7. Registrars training within the RANZCR radiation oncologists training programme perceive their own clinical learning environment as generally good; however' 50% of respondents felt that more teaching was needed for part 1 subjects. This compared with only 19% of respondents who felt that more teaching was required for part 2 exam preparation. Innovative solutions, such as centralized web-based teaching, may help to address weaknesses in part 1 teaching. With increasing demands on radiation oncologists and trainees it will be important to monitor learning environments.

  3. Does Teaching Experience Matter? Examining Biology Teachers' Prior Knowledge for Teaching in an Alternative Certification Program

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Friedrichsen, Patricia J.; Abell, Sandra K.; Pareja, Enrique M.; Brown, Patrick L.; Lankford, Deanna M.; Volkmann, Mark J.

    2009-01-01

    Alternative certification programs (ACPs) have been proposed as a viable way to address teacher shortages, yet we know little about how teacher knowledge develops within such programs. The purpose of this study was to investigate prior knowledge for teaching among students entering an ACP, comparing individuals with teaching experience to those…

  4. Evaluation of Teachers' Activities in the Use of Animated Instructional Resource Materials in Biology Teaching in Senior Secondary Schools in Bauchi State Nigeria

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kwasu, I. A.; Abubakar; Ema, E.

    2015-01-01

    This paper presents a profile on how teachers in senior secondary schools in Bauchi state Nigeria utilise animated instructional resource (AIR) in the teaching of biology. A structured questionnaire used to generate data on the availability, accessibility and application of the AIR for classroom instruction by teachers. The instrument for data…

  5. Does Increasing Biology Teacher Knowledge of Evolution and the Nature of Science Lead to Greater Preference for the Teaching of Evolution in Schools?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Nehm, Ross H.; Schonfeld, Irvin Sam

    2007-01-01

    This study investigated whether or not an increase in secondary science teacher knowledge about evolution and the nature of science gained from completing a graduate-level evolution course was associated with greater preference for the teaching of evolution in schools. Forty-four precertified secondary biology teachers participated in a 14-week…

  6. Evolution as represented through argumentation: A qualitative study on reasoning and argumentation in high school biology teaching practices

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Yalcinoglu, Pelin

    This study aimed to explore high school biology teachers' epistemological criteria and their attention to reasoning and argumentation within their instructional practices. This study investigated: (1) what epistemological criteria do high school biology teachers use when justifying the validity of conclusions, (2) what is the frequency of the explicit use of reasoning and argumentation, if any, in high school biology teachers' instructional practices, and to what extend are reasoning and argumentation skills reflected, if at all, in high school biology teachers' modes of assessment. Three different data collection methods were employed in this study; face-to-face interviews, classroom observations, and document collections. Teachers' epistemological criteria were investigated to provide insight about their reasoning structures. This investigation was made possible by having teachers provide an argument about the validity of hypothetical conclusions drawn by the students based on two different scenarios related to evolution. Toulmin's Argument Pattern used to create rubric to analyze high school biology teachers' levels of reasoning through argumentation. Results of the data analysis suggested following findings. First, high school biology teachers participated in this study presented variety of epistemological criteria which were presented as high, moderate and low levels of reasoning through the argumentations. Second, elements of Toulmin's Argument Pattern were visible in the participants teaching practices, however students were not explicitly introduced to a well structured argument in those classrooms. High level of reasoning was not evident in the instructional practices of the observed teachers. High school biology classrooms which were observed in this study do not provide opportunities for students to practice high level of reasoning or improve their argumentation skills. Third, Interview Protocols designed for this study were found useful to identify the

  7. Characterization of Radiation Fields in Biological Shields of Nuclear Power Plants for Assessing Concrete Degradation

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Remec, Igor; Rosseel, Thomas M; Field, Kevin G

    Life extensions of nuclear power plants to 60 and potentially 80 years of operation have renewed interest in long-term material degradation. One material being considered is concrete with a particular focus on radiation-induced effects. Based on the projected neutron fluence (E > 0.1 MeV) values in the concrete biological shields of the US PWR fleet and the available data on radiation effects on concrete, some decrease in mechanical properties of concrete cannot be ruled out during extended operation beyond 60 years. An expansion of the irradiated concrete database and a reliable determination of relevant neutron fluence energy cutoff value aremore » necessary to assure reliable risk assessment for NPPs extended operation.« less

  8. Validation and Application of the Survey of Teaching Beliefs and Practices for Undergraduates (STEP-U): Identifying Factors Associated with Valuing Important Workplace Skills among Biology Students.

    PubMed

    Marbach-Ad, Gili; Rietschel, Carly; Thompson, Katerina V

    2016-01-01

    We present a novel assessment tool for measuring biology students' values and experiences across their undergraduate degree program. Our Survey of Teaching Beliefs and Practices for Undergraduates (STEP-U) assesses the extent to which students value skills needed for the workplace (e.g., ability to work in groups) and their experiences with teaching practices purported to promote such skills (e.g., group work). The survey was validated through factor analyses in a large sample of biology seniors (n = 1389) and through response process analyses (five interviewees). The STEP-U skills items were characterized by two underlying factors: retention (e.g., memorization) and transfer (e.g., knowledge application). Multiple linear regression models were used to examine relationships between classroom experiences, values, and student characteristics (e.g., gender, cumulative grade point average [GPA], and research experience). Student demographic and experiential factors predicted the extent to which students valued particular skills. Students with lower GPAs valued retention skills more than those with higher GPAs. Students with research experience placed greater value on scientific writing and interdisciplinary understanding. Greater experience with specific teaching practices was associated with valuing the corresponding skills more highly. The STEP-U can provide feedback vital for designing curricula that better prepare students for their intended postgraduate careers. © 2016 G. Marbach-Ad et al. CBE—Life Sciences Education © 2016 The American Society for Cell Biology. This article is distributed by The American Society for Cell Biology under license from the author(s). It is available to the public under an Attribution–Noncommercial–Share Alike 3.0 Unported Creative Commons License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0).

  9. Research and Teaching: Assessment of Graduate Teaching Assistants Enrolled in a Teaching Techniques Course

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Zehnder, Caralyn

    2016-01-01

    At the authors' public liberal arts institution, biology masters students are required to enroll in BIOL 5050: Teaching Techniques. Course topics include designing effective lectures, assessment, classroom management, diversity in the classroom, and active learning strategies. The impact of this type of training on graduate students' attitudes and…

  10. The Effect of Low-Dose Ionizing Radiation on Stem Cell Biology: A Contribution to Radiation Risk.

    PubMed

    Squillaro, Tiziana; Galano, Giovanni; De Rosa, Roberto; Peluso, Gianfranco; Galderisi, Umberto

    2018-04-17

    Exposure to high levels of ionizing radiation (IR) (>0.5Gy), negatively affect health. but, less is known about the effects of low dose IR (LDIR) but recent, evidence suggests that it may have profound effects on cellular functions. We are commonly exposed to LDIR over natural background levels from numerous sources: people may be exposed to low dose IR for medical diagnosis and therapy, air travel, illegal IR waste dumpsites or by occupational exposures in the nuclear and medical sectors. Stem cells reside for long periods of time in our bodies, and this increases the possibility that they may be accumulate genotoxic damage derived from extrinsic LDIR or intrinsic sources (such as DNA replication). In this review we provide an overview of LDIR effects on biology of stem cell compartments. The principal findings and issues reported in the scientific literature are discussed in order to present the current understanding of the LDIR exposure risk, and assess whether it may impact human health. We first consider the general biological consequences of LDIR exposure. Following this, we discuss the effects of LDIR on stem cells as discovered through in vitro and in vivo studies. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. © 2018 AlphaMed Press.

  11. VERT, a virtual clinical environment, enhances understanding of radiation therapy planning concepts.

    PubMed

    Leong, Aidan; Herst, Patries; Kane, Paul

    2018-06-01

    The ability to understand treatment plan dosimetry and apply this understanding clinically is fundamental to the role of the radiation therapist. This study evaluates whether or not the Virtual Environment for Radiotherapy Training (VERT) contributes to teaching treatment planning concepts to a cohort of first-year radiation therapy students. We directly compared a custom-developed VERT teaching module with a standard teaching module with respect to the understanding of treatment planning concepts using a cross-over design. Students self-reported their understanding of specific concepts before and after delivery of the VERT and standard teaching modules and evaluated aspects of VERT as a learning experience. In addition, teaching staff participated in a semi-structured interview discussing the modules from an educational perspective. Both the standard teaching module and VERT teaching module enhanced conceptual understanding and level of confidence in the student cohort after both teaching periods. The proportion of students reporting a perceived increase in knowledge/confidence was similar for the VERT teaching module for all but two scenarios. We propose that an integrated approach, providing a strong theoretical conceptual framework, followed by VERT to situate this framework in the (simulated) clinical environment combines the best of both teaching approaches. This study has established for the first time a clear role for a tailored VERT teaching module in teaching RT planning concepts because of its ability to visualise conceptual information within a simulated clinical environment. © 2018 The Authors. Journal of Medical Radiation Sciences published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd on behalf of Australian Society of Medical Imaging and Radiation Therapy and New Zealand Institute of Medical Radiation Technology.

  12. Applicability of discovery science approach to determine biological effects of mobile phone radiation.

    PubMed

    Leszczynski, Dariusz; Nylund, Reetta; Joenväärä, Sakari; Reivinen, Jukka

    2004-02-01

    We argue that the use of high-throughput screening techniques, although expensive and laborious, is justified and necessary in studies that examine biological effects of mobile phone radiation. The "case of hsp27 protein" presented here suggests that even proteins with only modestly altered (by exposure to mobile phone radiation) expression and activity might have an impact on cell physiology. However, this short communication does not attempt to present the full scientific evidence that is far too large to be presented in a single article and that is being prepared for publication in three separate research articles. Examples of the experimental evidence presented here were designed to show the flow of experimental process demonstrating that the use of high-throughput screening techniques might help in rapid identification of the responding proteins. This, in turn, can help in speeding up of the process of determining whether these changes might affect human health.*

  13. Radiation Damage From Mono-energetic Electrons Up to 200 keV On Biological Systems

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Prilepskiy, Yuriy

    2006-03-01

    The electron gun of the CEBAF machine at Jefferson lab (Newport News, VA) is capable of delivering electrons with energies up to 200 keV with a resolution of about 10-5. This 1.5 GHz beam permits to generate cellular radiation damage within minutes. We have performed irradiation of cancer cells with different energies and different currents to investigate their biological responses. This study will permit to address the physical processes involved in the RBE and LET at a level that supersedes current data listed in the literature by orders of magnitude. We will discuss the experimental setup and results of the first stage of data collected with this novel system. This research is part of a global program to provide detailed information for the understanding of radiation based cancer treatments.

  14. Self-expression assignment as a teaching approach to enhance the interest of Kuwaiti women in biological sciences.

    PubMed

    El-Sabban, Farouk

    2008-06-01

    Stimulating the interest of students in biological sciences necessitates the use of new teaching methods and motivating approaches. The idea of the self-expression assignment (SEA) has evolved from the prevalent environment at the College for Women of Kuwait University (Safat, State of Kuwait), a newly established college where the number of students is low and where students have varied backgrounds and interests and are being instructed biological sciences in English for the first time. This SEA requires each student to choose a topic among a long list of topics and interact with it in any way to produce a finished product without the interference of the course instructor. Students are told that the SEA will be graded based on their commitment, creative thinking, innovation in developing the idea, and finishing up of the chosen assignment. The SEA has been implemented in three introductory courses, namely, Biology, Introduction to Human Nutrition and Food Science, and The Human Body. Many interesting projects resulted from the SEA, and, based on an administered survey, students assessed this assignment very favorably. Students expressed their pleasure of experiencing freedom in choosing their own topics, interacting with such topics, learning more about them, and finishing up their projects. Students appreciated this type of exposure to biological sciences and expressed that such an experience enhanced their interest in such sciences.

  15. The Effect of Knowledge Linking Levels in Biology Lessons upon Students' Knowledge Structure

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Wadouh, Julia; Liu, Ning; Sandmann, Angela; Neuhaus, Birgit J.

    2014-01-01

    Knowledge structure is an important aspect for defining students' competency in biology learning, but how knowledge structure is influenced by the teaching process in naturalistic biology classroom settings has scarcely been empirically investigated. In this study, 49 biology lessons in the teaching unit "blood and circulatory system" in…

  16. Radiation dosimetry and biophysical models of space radiation effects

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Cucinotta, Francis A.; Wu, Honglu; Shavers, Mark R.; George, Kerry

    2003-01-01

    Estimating the biological risks from space radiation remains a difficult problem because of the many radiation types including protons, heavy ions, and secondary neutrons, and the absence of epidemiology data for these radiation types. Developing useful biophysical parameters or models that relate energy deposition by space particles to the probabilities of biological outcomes is a complex problem. Physical measurements of space radiation include the absorbed dose, dose equivalent, and linear energy transfer (LET) spectra. In contrast to conventional dosimetric methods, models of radiation track structure provide descriptions of energy deposition events in biomolecules, cells, or tissues, which can be used to develop biophysical models of radiation risks. In this paper, we address the biophysical description of heavy particle tracks in the context of the interpretation of both space radiation dosimetry and radiobiology data, which may provide insights into new approaches to these problems.

  17. Spectral and spatial shaping of a laser-produced ion beam for radiation-biology experiments

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Pommarel, L.; Vauzour, B.; Mégnin-Chanet, F.; Bayart, E.; Delmas, O.; Goudjil, F.; Nauraye, C.; Letellier, V.; Pouzoulet, F.; Schillaci, F.; Romano, F.; Scuderi, V.; Cirrone, G. A. P.; Deutsch, E.; Flacco, A.; Malka, V.

    2017-03-01

    The study of radiation biology on laser-based accelerators is most interesting due to the unique irradiation conditions they can produce, in terms of peak current and duration of the irradiation. In this paper we present the implementation of a beam transport system to transport and shape the proton beam generated by laser-target interaction for in vitro irradiation of biological samples. A set of four permanent magnet quadrupoles is used to transport and focus the beam, efficiently shaping the spectrum and providing a large and relatively uniform irradiation surface. Real time, absolutely calibrated, dosimetry is installed on the beam line, to enable shot-to-shot control of dose deposition in the irradiated volume. Preliminary results of cell sample irradiation are presented to validate the robustness of the full system.

  18. Characteristics of Knowledge Interconnectedness in Teaching

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Antonijevic, Radovan

    2006-01-01

    The subject of the paper presents establishing basic characteristics, forms and levels of knowledge interconnectedness in teaching, especially in mathematics and biology teaching. The analysis was realized by considering basic theoretical views in this field, as well as by establishing features and levels of knowledge interconnectedness in the…

  19. Stereotactic body radiation therapy for abdominal oligometastases: a biological and clinical review

    PubMed Central

    2012-01-01

    Advances in imaging and biological targeting have led to the development of stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) as an alternative treatment of extracranial oligometastases. New radiobiological concepts, such as ceramide-induced endothelial apoptosis after hypofractionated high-dose SBRT, and the identification of patients with oligometastatic disease by microRNA expression may yet lead to further developments. Key factors in SBRT are delivery of a high dose per fraction, proper patient positioning, target localisation, and management of breathing–related motion. Our review addresses the radiation doses and schedules used to treat liver, abdominal lymph node (LN) and adrenal gland oligometastases and treatment outcomes. Reported local control (LC) rates for liver and abdominal LN oligometastases are high (median 2-year actuarial LC: 61 -100% for liver oligometastases; 4-year actuarial LC: 68% in a study of abdominal LN oligometastases). Early toxicity is low-to-moderate; late adverse effects are rare. SBRT of adrenal gland oligometastases shows promising results in the case of isolated lesions. In conclusion, properly conducted SBRT procedures are a safe and effective treatment option for abdominal oligometastases. PMID:22852764

  20. Radiation Oncology Medical Student Clerkship: Implementation and Evaluation of a Bi-institutional Pilot Curriculum

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Golden, Daniel W., E-mail: dgolden@radonc.uchicago.edu; Spektor, Alexander; Rudra, Sonali

    Purpose: To develop and evaluate a structured didactic curriculum to complement clinical experiences during radiation oncology clerkships at 2 academic medical centers. Methods and Materials: A structured didactic curriculum was developed to teach fundamentals of radiation oncology and improve confidence in clinical competence. Curriculum lectures included: (1) an overview of radiation oncology (history, types of treatments, and basic clinic flow); (2) fundamentals of radiation biology and physics; and (3) practical aspects of radiation treatment simulation and planning. In addition, a hands-on dosimetry session taught students fundamentals of treatment planning. The curriculum was implemented at 2 academic departments in 2012. Studentsmore » completed anonymous evaluations using a Likert scale to rate the usefulness of curriculum components (1 = not at all, 5 = extremely). Likert scores are reported as (median [interquartile range]). Results: Eighteen students completed the curriculum during their 4-week rotation (University of Chicago n=13, Harvard Longwood Campus n=5). All curriculum components were rated as extremely useful: introduction to radiation oncology (5 [4-5]); radiation biology and physics (5 [5-5]); practical aspects of radiation oncology (5 [4-5]); and the treatment planning session (5 [5-5]). Students rated the curriculum as “quite useful” to “extremely useful” (1) to help students understand radiation oncology as a specialty; (2) to increase student comfort with their specialty decision; and (3) to help students with their future transition to a radiation oncology residency. Conclusions: A standardized curriculum for medical students completing a 4-week radiation oncology clerkship was successfully implemented at 2 institutions. The curriculum was favorably reviewed. As a result of completing the curriculum, medical students felt more comfortable with their specialty decision and better prepared to begin radiation oncology residency.« less

  1. Evaluation of the Redesign of an Undergraduate Cell Biology Course

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    McEwen, Laura April; Harris, dik; Schmid, Richard F.; Vogel, Jackie; Western, Tamara; Harrison, Paul

    2009-01-01

    This article offers a case study of the evaluation of a redesigned and redeveloped laboratory-based cell biology course. The course was a compulsory element of the biology program, but the laboratory had become outdated and was inadequately equipped. With the support of a faculty-based teaching improvement project, the teaching team redesigned the…

  2. The Teaching of Evolution and Creationism in Minnesota

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Moore, Randy; Kraemer, Karen

    2005-01-01

    The evolution-related attitudes and actions of Minnesota high school biology teachers were studied to estimate the prevalence of creationism among biology teachers. Minnesota's high school biology teachers were questioned about the evolution education in public schools regarding the percentage of biology teachers who teach evolution, class-time…

  3. Teaching Molecular Biology with Microcomputers.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Reiss, Rebecca; Jameson, David

    1984-01-01

    Describes a series of computer programs that use simulation and gaming techniques to present the basic principles of the central dogma of molecular genetics, mutation, and the genetic code. A history of discoveries in molecular biology is presented and the evolution of these computer assisted instructional programs is described. (MBR)

  4. Characterization of Radiation Fields in Biological Shields of Nuclear Power Plants for Assessing Concrete Degradationa

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Remec, Igor; Rosseel, Thomas M; Field, Kevin G

    Life extensions of nuclear power plants to 60 and potentially 80 years of operation have renewed interest in long-term material degradation. One material being considered is concrete, with a particular focus on radiation-induced effects. Based on the projected neutron fluence values (E > 0.1 MeV) in the concrete biological shields of the US pressurized water reactor fleet and the available data on radiation effects on concrete, some decrease in mechanical properties of concrete cannot be ruled out during extended operation beyond 60 years. An expansion of the irradiated concrete database and a reliable determination of relevant neutron fluence energy cutoffmore » value are necessary to ensure reliable risk assessment for extended operation of nuclear power plants.« less

  5. Teaching Molecular Biological Techniques in a Research Content

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Stiller, John W.; Coggins, T. Chad

    2006-01-01

    Molecular biological methods, such as the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and gel electrophoresis, are now commonly taught to students in introductory biology courses at the college and even high school levels. This often includes hands-on experience with one or more molecular techniques as part of a general biology laboratory. To assure that most…

  6. Biology Education Research: Lessons and Future Directions

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Singer, Susan R.; Nielsen, Natalie R.; Schweingruber, Heidi A.

    2013-01-01

    Biologists have long been concerned about the quality of undergraduate biology education. Over time, however, biology faculty members have begun to study increasingly sophisticated questions about teaching and learning in the discipline. These scholars, often called biology education researchers, are part of a growing field of inquiry called…

  7. Biological-based and physical-based optimization for biological evaluation of prostate patient's plans

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sukhikh, E.; Sheino, I.; Vertinsky, A.

    2017-09-01

    Modern modalities of radiation treatment therapy allow irradiation of the tumor to high dose values and irradiation of organs at risk (OARs) to low dose values at the same time. In this paper we study optimal radiation treatment plans made in Monaco system. The first aim of this study was to evaluate dosimetric features of Monaco treatment planning system using biological versus dose-based cost functions for the OARs and irradiation targets (namely tumors) when the full potential of built-in biological cost functions is utilized. The second aim was to develop criteria for the evaluation of radiation dosimetry plans for patients based on the macroscopic radiobiological criteria - TCP/NTCP. In the framework of the study four dosimetric plans were created utilizing the full extent of biological and physical cost functions using dose calculation-based treatment planning for IMRT Step-and-Shoot delivery of stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) in prostate case (5 fractions per 7 Gy).

  8. Space radiation health research, 1991-1992

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Jablin, M. H. (Compiler); Brooks, C. (Compiler); Ferraro, G. (Compiler); Dickson, K. J. (Compiler); Powers, J. V. (Compiler); Wallace-Robinson, J. (Compiler); Zafren, B. (Compiler)

    1993-01-01

    The present volume is a collection of 227 abstracts of radiation research sponsored by the NASA Space Radiation Health Program for the period 1991-1992. Each abstract has been categorized within one of three discipline areas: Physics, Biology and Risk Assessment. Topic areas within each discipline have been assigned as follows: Physics - Atomic Physics, Theory, Cosmic Ray and Astrophysics, Experimental, Environments and Environmental Models, Solar Activity and Prediction, Experiments, Radiation Transport and Shielding, Theory and Model Development, Experimental Studies, and Instrumentation. Biology - Biology, Molecular Biology, Cellular Radiation Biology, Transformation, Mutation, Lethality, Survival, DNA Damage and Repair, Tissue, Organs, and Organisms, In Vivo/In Vitro Systems, Carcinogenesis and Life Shortening, Cataractogenesis, Genetics/Developmental, Radioprotectants, Plants, and Other Effects. Risk Assessment - Risk Assessment, Radiation Health and Epidemiology, Space Flight Radiation Health Physics, Inter- and Intraspecies Extrapolation and Radiation Limits and Standards. Section I contains refereed journals; Section II contains reports/meetings. Keywords and author indices are provided. A collection of abstracts spanning the period 1986-1990 was previously issued as NASA Technical Memorandum 4270.

  9. Uncertainty of fast biological radiation dose assessment for emergency response scenarios.

    PubMed

    Ainsbury, Elizabeth A; Higueras, Manuel; Puig, Pedro; Einbeck, Jochen; Samaga, Daniel; Barquinero, Joan Francesc; Barrios, Lleonard; Brzozowska, Beata; Fattibene, Paola; Gregoire, Eric; Jaworska, Alicja; Lloyd, David; Oestreicher, Ursula; Romm, Horst; Rothkamm, Kai; Roy, Laurence; Sommer, Sylwester; Terzoudi, Georgia; Thierens, Hubert; Trompier, Francois; Vral, Anne; Woda, Clemens

    2017-01-01

    Reliable dose estimation is an important factor in appropriate dosimetric triage categorization of exposed individuals to support radiation emergency response. Following work done under the EU FP7 MULTIBIODOSE and RENEB projects, formal methods for defining uncertainties on biological dose estimates are compared using simulated and real data from recent exercises. The results demonstrate that a Bayesian method of uncertainty assessment is the most appropriate, even in the absence of detailed prior information. The relative accuracy and relevance of techniques for calculating uncertainty and combining assay results to produce single dose and uncertainty estimates is further discussed. Finally, it is demonstrated that whatever uncertainty estimation method is employed, ignoring the uncertainty on fast dose assessments can have an important impact on rapid biodosimetric categorization.

  10. Perceptions regarding workplace hazards at a veterinary teaching hospital.

    PubMed

    Weaver, Dustin R; Newman, Lee S; Lezotte, Dennis C; Morley, Paul S

    2010-07-01

    To assess perceptions of personnel working at a veterinary teaching hospital regarding risks of occupational hazards and compare those perceptions with assessments made by occupational safety experts. Cross-sectional study. A representative sample of personnel (n = 90) working at the veterinary teaching hospital at Colorado State University and a panel of 3 occupational safety experts. Hospital personnel ranked perceptions of 14 physical, chemical, and biological workplace hazards and listed the injuries, illnesses, and near misses they had experienced. The expert panel provided consensus rankings of the same 14 hazards for 9 sections of the facility. Risk perceptions provided by the 2 sources were compared. Risk perceptions did not differ significantly between hospital personnel and the expert panel for most of the site-specific comparisons (94/126 [75%]). Personnel perceived greater risks for some physical hazards (loud noises, sharps injuries, and ionizing radiation) and some chemical or materials exposures (insecticides or pesticides and tissue digester emissions). In contrast, the expert panel perceived greater risks for physical hazards (bite or crush and restraining and moving animals), chemical exposures (anesthetic waste gas), and biological exposures (Toxoplasma gondii, antimicrobial-resistant bacteria, and allergens). Participants and safety experts had similar perceptions about occupational risks, but there were important differences where hospital personnel apparently overestimated or underappreciated the risks for workplace hazards. This type of study may be useful in guiding development of optimal workplace safety programs for veterinary hospitals.

  11. The value of animations in biology teaching: a study of long-term memory retention.

    PubMed

    O'Day, Danton H

    2007-01-01

    Previous work has established that a narrated animation is more effective at communicating a complex biological process (signal transduction) than the equivalent graphic with figure legend. To my knowledge, no study has been done in any subject area on the effectiveness of animations versus graphics in the long-term retention of information, a primary and critical issue in studies of teaching and learning. In this study, involving 393 student responses, three different animations and two graphics-one with and one lacking a legend-were used to determine the long-term retention of information. The results show that students retain more information 21 d after viewing an animation without narration compared with an equivalent graphic whether or not that graphic had a legend. Students' comments provide additional insight into the value of animations in the pedagogical process, and suggestions for future work are proposed.

  12. Teaching Biology around Themes: Teach Proteins and DNA Together.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Offner, Susan

    1992-01-01

    Proposes as a unifying theme for high school biology the question of "how chromosomes determine what we are." Describes a sequence of lessons in which students learn about proteins, enzymes, and amino acids. Includes three dry laboratory exercises to demonstrate the DNA sequences for sickle cell anemia and cystic fibrosis. (MDH)

  13. Teaching the Ethics of Biology.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Johansen, Carol K.; Harris, David E.

    2000-01-01

    Points out the challenges of educating students about bioethics and the limited training of many biologists on ethics. Discusses the basic principles of ethics and ethical decision making as applied to biology. Explains the models of ethical decision making that are often difficult for students to determine where to begin analyzing. (Contains 28…

  14. Teaching Biology on the Internet.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ingebritsen, Thomas S.; Brown, George G.; Pleasants, John M.

    Iowa State University, through a program called Project BIO, is using an innovative new approach to offer biology courses via the World Wide Web. The approach features online lectures similar to those a student might experience in a traditional classroom. Students listen to the lectures using RealAudio while viewing lecture materials with a Web…

  15. Preparing High School Students for the Interdisciplinary Nature of Modern Biology

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Nagle, Barbara

    2013-01-01

    Fostering interdisciplinary learning in biology will require significant changes in the way one teaches science to K-12 students. The perspective on interdisciplinary biology teaching and learning in this essay is based on the author's experiences as a former research cell biologist, high school science teacher, and developer of secondary science…

  16. Promoting Inquiry-Based Teaching in Laboratory Courses: Are We Meeting the Grade?

    PubMed Central

    Butler, Amy; Burke da Silva, Karen

    2014-01-01

    Over the past decade, repeated calls have been made to incorporate more active teaching and learning in undergraduate biology courses. The emphasis on inquiry-based teaching is especially important in laboratory courses, as these are the courses in which students are applying the process of science. To determine the current state of research on inquiry-based teaching in undergraduate biology laboratory courses, we reviewed the recent published literature on inquiry-based exercises. The majority of studies in our data set were in the subdisciplines of biochemistry, cell biology, developmental biology, genetics, and molecular biology. In addition, most exercises were guided inquiry, rather than open ended or research based. Almost 75% of the studies included assessment data, with two-thirds of these studies including multiple types of assessment data. However, few exercises were assessed in multiple courses or at multiple institutions. Furthermore, assessments were rarely based on published instruments. Although the results of the studies in our data set show a positive effect of inquiry-based teaching in biology laboratory courses on student learning gains, research that uses the same instrument across a range of courses and institutions is needed to determine whether these results can be generalized. PMID:25185228

  17. Teaching energy using an integrated science approach

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Poggi, Valeria; Miceli, Cristina; Testa, Italo

    2017-01-01

    Despite its relevance to all scientific domains, the debate surrounding the teaching of energy is still open. The main point remains the problems students have in understanding some aspects of the energy concept and in applying their knowledge to the comprehension of natural phenomena. In this paper, we present a research-based interdisciplinary approach to the teaching of energy in which the first and second laws of thermodynamics were used to interpret physical, chemical and biological processes. The contents of the three disciplines (physics, chemistry, biology) were reconstructed focusing on six basic aspects of energy (forms, transfer, transformation, conservation, degradation, and entropy) and using common teaching methodologies. The module was assessed with 39 secondary school students (aged 15-16) using a 30-question research instrument and a treatment/control group methodology. Analysis of students’ learning outcomes suggests a better understanding of the energy concept, supporting the effectiveness of an interdisciplinary approach in the teaching of energy in physics and science in general. Implications for the teaching of energy are briefly discussed.

  18. Thirty-sixth Lauriston S. Taylor Lecture on radiation protection and measurements--from the field to the laboratory and back: the what ifs, wows, and who cares of radiation biology.

    PubMed

    Brooks, Antone L

    2013-11-01

    My scientific journey started at the University of Utah chasing fallout. It was on everything, in everything, and was distributed throughout the ecosystem. This resulted in radiation doses to humans and caused me great concern. From this concern I asked the question, "Are there health effects from these radiation doses and levels of radioactive contamination?" I have invested my scientific career trying to address this basic question. While conducting research, I got acquainted with many of the What ifs of radiation biology. The major What if in my research was, "What if we have underestimated the radiation risk for internally-deposited radioactive material?" While conducting research to address this important question, many other What ifs came up related to dose, dose rate, and dose distribution. I also encountered a large number of Wows. One of the first was when I went from conducting environmental fallout studies to research in a controlled laboratory. The activity in fallout was expressed as pCi L⁻¹, whereas it was necessary to inject laboratory animals with μCi g⁻¹ body weight to induce measurable biological changes, chromosome aberrations, and cancer. Wow! That is seven to nine orders of magnitude above the activity levels found in the environment. Other Wows have made it necessary for the field of radiation biology to make important paradigm shifts. For example, one shift involved changing from "hit theory" to total tissue responses as the result of bystander effects. Finally, Who cares? While working at U.S. Department of Energy headquarters and serving on many scientific committees, I found that science does not drive regulatory and funding decisions. Public perception and politics seem to be major driving forces. If scientific data suggested that risk had been underestimated, everyone cared. When science suggested that risk had been overestimated, no one cared. This result-dependent Who cares? was demonstrated as we tried to generate interactions

  19. Biological Consequences and Health Risks Of Low-Level Exposure to Ionizing Radiation: Commentary on the Workshop

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Feinendegen, Ludwig E.; Brooks, Antone L.; Morgan, William F.

    2011-03-01

    This paper provides an integration and discussion of the information presented at the workshop held from May 2 to 5, 2010, in Richland, WA, adjacent to the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL). Consequently, this is commentary and not necessarily a consensus document. This workshop was in honor of Dr. Victor P. Bond in celebration of his numerous contributions to the radiation sciences. Internationally recognized experts in biophysics, experimental radiation biology, epidemiology, and risk assessment were invited to discuss all issues of low-dose risk. This included the physics of track structure and its consequences to dosimetry, primary and secondary responses atmore » the molecular, cellular, and tissue biology levels, epidemiology, definitions of risk, and the practical and regulatory applications of these issues including their biomedical and social consequences. Of major concern was the present state of knowledge about cancer risk and other risks in humans following intentional or accidental exposures to low doses and low dose-rates of ionizing radiation (below about 100 mSv accumulated dose). This includes low dose exposures which occur during radiation therapy in tissues located outside of the irradiated volume. The interdisciplinary approach of this workshop featured discussions rather than formal presentations in ten separate consecutive sessions. Each session was led by chairpersons, listed in the opening of the workshop, which introduced topics, facts and posed relevant questions. The content of each session is given by a brief summary followed by the abstracts from the primary discussants in the session as has been presented in the previous section. This manuscript provides additional review and discussion of the sessions and tracks the topics and issues discussed as follows: • Energy deposition through particle tracks in tissues. • Energy deposition and primary effects in tissues. • Consequences of experimental advances in radiobiology

  20. Promoting Systems Thinking through Biology Lessons

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Riess, Werner; Mischo, Christoph

    2010-01-01

    This study's goal was to analyze various teaching approaches within the context of natural science lessons, especially in biology. The main focus of the paper lies on the effectiveness of different teaching methods in promoting systems thinking in the field of Education for Sustainable Development. The following methods were incorporated into the…

  1. An Evolving Controversy: The Struggle to Teach Science in Science Classes

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Berkman, Michael; Plutzer, Eric

    2012-01-01

    Although the level of controversy varies from one community to the next, biology teachers across the United States struggle to teach evolution. Some face pressure to teach both religious and scientific theories of human origins; others did not have adequate coursework on evolution during teacher preparation. As a result, many biology teachers are…

  2. Biological Dialogues: How to Teach Your Students to Learn Fluency in Biology

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    May, S. Randolph; Cook, David L.; May, Marilyn K.

    2013-01-01

    Biology courses have thousands of words to learn in order to intelligently discuss the subject and take tests over the material. Biological fluency is an important goal for students, and practical methods based on constructivist pedagogies can be employed to promote it. We present a method in which pairs of students write dialogues from…

  3. Developing Materials for Biology Teaching. Asian Programme of Educational Innovation for Development (APEID) Report of a Sub-Regional Workshop (Bangkok, Thailand, August 3-12, 1981).

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization, Bangkok (Thailand). Regional Office for Education in Asia and the Pacific.

    The major purposes of this workshop were to develop teaching and learning materials on certain selected key biology concepts relevant to environmental, genetic, and agricultural aspects, and to develop exemplary training materials on certain teacher competencies relating to laboratory and field techniques. Chapter One reports on the status and…

  4. Adding Math to Biology.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Texley, Juliana

    2001-01-01

    Describes a teaching method in which students learn about evolutionary biology through the use of mathematics. Uses the concept of biostatistics, the mathematical analysis of the variation in nature, to understand evolution. (SAH)

  5. Generation of radicals in hard biological tissues under the action of laser radiation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sviridov, Alexander P.; Bagratashvili, Victor N.; Sobol, Emil N.; Omelchenko, Alexander I.; Lunina, Elena V.; Zhitnev, Yurii N.; Markaryan, Galina L.; Lunin, Valerii V.

    2002-07-01

    The formation of radicals upon UV and IR laser irradiation of some biological tissues and their components was studied by the EPR technique. The radical decay kinetics in body tissue specimens after their irradiation with UV light were described by various models. By the spin trapping technique, it was shown that radicals were not produced during IR laser irradiation of cartilaginous tissue. A change in optical absorption spectra and the dynamics of optical density of cartilaginous tissue, fish scale, and a collagen film under exposure to laser radiation in an air, oxygen, and nitrogen atmosphere was studied.

  6. The EvoDevoCI: A Concept Inventory for Gauging Students' Understanding of Evolutionary Developmental Biology

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Perez, Kathryn E.; Hiatt, Anna; Davis, Gregory K.; Trujillo, Caleb; French, Donald P.; Terry, Mark; Price, Rebecca M.

    2013-01-01

    The American Association for the Advancement of Science 2011 report "Vision and Change in Undergraduate Biology Education" encourages the teaching of developmental biology as an important part of teaching evolution. Recently, however, we found that biology majors often lack the developmental knowledge needed to understand evolutionary…

  7. Teaching Evolution: A Heuristic Study of Personal and Cultural Dissonance

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Grimes, Larry G.

    Darwinian evolution is a robustly supported scientific theory. Yet creationists continue to challenge its teaching in American public schools. Biology teachers in all 50 states are responsible for teaching science content standards that include evolution. As products of their backgrounds and affiliations teachers bring personal attitudes and beliefs to their teaching. The purpose of this study was to explore how biology teachers perceive, describe, and value their teaching of evolution. This research question was explored through a heuristic qualitative methodology. Eight veteran California high school biology teachers were queried as to their beliefs, perceptions, experiences and practices of teaching evolution. Both personal and professional documents were collected. Data was presented in the form of biographical essays that highlight teachers' backgrounds, experiences, perspectives and practices of teaching evolution. Of special interest was how they describe pressure over teaching evolution during a decade of standards and No Child Left Behind high-stakes testing mandates. Five common themes emerged. Standards have increased the overall amount of evolution that is taught. High-stakes testing has decreased the depth at which evolution is taught. Teacher belief systems strongly influence how evolution is taught. Fear of creationist challenges effect evolution teaching strategies. And lastly, concern over the potential effects of teaching evolution on student worldviews was mixed. Three categories of teacher concern over the potential impact of evolution on student worldviews were identified: Concerned, Strategist, and Carefree. In the final analysis teacher beliefs and attitudes still appeared to he the most important factor influencing how evolution is taught.

  8. Potential health effects of space radiation

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Yang, Chui-Hsu; Craise, Laurie M.

    1993-01-01

    Crewmembers on missions to the Moon or Mars will be exposed to radiation belts, galactic cosmic rays, and possibly solar particle events. The potential health hazards due to these space radiations must be considered carefully to ensure the success of space exploration. Because there is no human radioepidemiological data for acute and late effects of high-LET (Linear-Energy-Transfer) radiation, the biological risks of energetic charged particles have to be estimated from experimental results on animals and cultured cells. Experimental data obtained to date indicate that charged particle radiation can be much more effective than photons in causing chromosome aberrations, cell killing, mutation, and tumor induction. The relative biological effectiveness (RBE) varies with biological endpoints and depends on the LET of heavy ions. Most lesions induced by low-LET radiation can be repaired in mammalian cells. Energetic heavy ions, however, can produce large complex DNA damages, which may lead to large deletions and are irreparable. For high-LET radiation, therefore, there are less or no dose rate effects. Physical shielding may not be effective in minimizing the biological effects on energetic heavy ions, since fragments of the primary particles can be effective in causing biological effects. At present the uncertainty of biological effects of heavy particles is still very large. With further understanding of the biological effects of space radiation, the career doses can be kept at acceptable levels so that the space radiation environment need not be a barrier to the exploitation of the promise of space.

  9. TeachEnG: a Teaching Engine for Genomics.

    PubMed

    Kim, Minji; Kim, Yeonsung; Qian, Lei; Song, Jun S

    2017-10-15

    Bioinformatics is a rapidly growing field that has emerged from the synergy of computer science, statistics and biology. Given the interdisciplinary nature of bioinformatics, many students from diverse fields struggle with grasping bioinformatic concepts only from classroom lectures. Interactive tools for helping students reinforce their learning would be thus desirable. Here, we present an interactive online educational tool called TeachEnG (acronym for Teaching Engine for Genomics) for reinforcing key concepts in sequence alignment and phylogenetic tree reconstruction. Our instructional games allow students to align sequences by hand, fill out the dynamic programming matrix in the Needleman-Wunsch global sequence alignment algorithm, and reconstruct phylogenetic trees via the maximum parsimony, Unweighted Pair Group Method with Arithmetic mean (UPGMA) and Neighbor-Joining algorithms. With an easily accessible interface and instant visual feedback, TeachEnG will help promote active learning in bioinformatics. TeachEnG is freely available at http://teacheng.illinois.edu. The source code is available from https://github.com/KnowEnG/TeachEnG under the Artistic License 2.0. It is written in JavaScript and compatible with Firefox, Safari, Chrome and Microsoft Edge. songj@illinois.edu. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com

  10. Validation and Application of the Survey of Teaching Beliefs and Practices for Undergraduates (STEP-U): Identifying Factors Associated with Valuing Important Workplace Skills among Biology Students

    PubMed Central

    Marbach-Ad, Gili; Rietschel, Carly; Thompson, Katerina V.

    2016-01-01

    We present a novel assessment tool for measuring biology students’ values and experiences across their undergraduate degree program. Our Survey of Teaching Beliefs and Practices for Undergraduates (STEP-U) assesses the extent to which students value skills needed for the workplace (e.g., ability to work in groups) and their experiences with teaching practices purported to promote such skills (e.g., group work). The survey was validated through factor analyses in a large sample of biology seniors (n = 1389) and through response process analyses (five interviewees). The STEP-U skills items were characterized by two underlying factors: retention (e.g., memorization) and transfer (e.g., knowledge application). Multiple linear regression models were used to examine relationships between classroom experiences, values, and student characteristics (e.g., gender, cumulative grade point average [GPA], and research experience). Student demographic and experiential factors predicted the extent to which students valued particular skills. Students with lower GPAs valued retention skills more than those with higher GPAs. Students with research experience placed greater value on scientific writing and interdisciplinary understanding. Greater experience with specific teaching practices was associated with valuing the corresponding skills more highly. The STEP-U can provide feedback vital for designing curricula that better prepare students for their intended postgraduate careers. PMID:27856547

  11. The Attractors of Teaching Biology: A Perspective from a Turkish Context

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kilinc, Ahmet; Mahiroglu, Ahmet

    2009-01-01

    Because the teaching occupation plays a crucial role in a country's development, policymakers and teacher recruitment units all around the world strive to understand how to attract individuals to this profession. However, research regarding the attractors of teaching has been conducted almost entirely in developed countries and has not focused on…

  12. The Value of Animations in Biology Teaching: A Study of Long-Term Memory Retention

    PubMed Central

    2007-01-01

    Previous work has established that a narrated animation is more effective at communicating a complex biological process (signal transduction) than the equivalent graphic with figure legend. To my knowledge, no study has been done in any subject area on the effectiveness of animations versus graphics in the long-term retention of information, a primary and critical issue in studies of teaching and learning. In this study, involving 393 student responses, three different animations and two graphics—one with and one lacking a legend—were used to determine the long-term retention of information. The results show that students retain more information 21 d after viewing an animation without narration compared with an equivalent graphic whether or not that graphic had a legend. Students' comments provide additional insight into the value of animations in the pedagogical process, and suggestions for future work are proposed. PMID:17785404

  13. The use of the dicentric assay for biological dosimetry for radiation accidents in Bulgaria.

    PubMed

    Hadjidekova, Valeria; Hristova, Rositsa; Ainsbury, Elizabeth A; Atanasova, Petya; Popova, Ljubomira; Staynova, Albena

    2010-02-01

    This paper details the construction of a 137Cs gamma calibration curve that has been established for dicentric assay and the testing and validation of the curve through biological dosimetry in three situations of suspected workplace overexposure that arose accidentally or through negligence or lack of appropriate safety measures. The three situations were: (1) suspected 137Cs contamination in a factory air supply; (2) suspected exposure to an industrial 192Ir source; and (3) accidental exposure of construction workers to radiation from a 60Co radiotherapy source in a hospital medical physics department. From a total of 24 potentially-exposed subjects, only one worker was found to have a statistically significant dose (0.16 Gy, 95% confidence intervals 0.02-0.43 Gy). In all other cases, the main function of the biological dosimetry was to reassure the subjects that any dose received was low.

  14. Biological Effects of Nonionizing Electromagnetic Radiation. Volume 7, Number 2-4, July thru December 1982.

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1983-07-01

    MICROWAVE IRRA- dichotomy in MW susceptibility between two strains DIATION ON MA%4MALIAN CELLS INCUBATED IN congenic at the H- 2 Tla region on chromosome 17...Marsden Hosp., Fulham Road, London or the system is tlerant to typically 2 )1 errors in SW 3, England); Jotes, C. H. Strahlentherapie 158(6): -he phases...A Biological Effects of Nonionizing Electromagnetic Radiation Volume VII. Number 2 -4 (July Thru Decemoer 1982) July 1983 A Digest of Current

  15. The effects of autonomy-supportive and controlling teaching behaviour in biology lessons with primary and secondary experiences on students' intrinsic motivation and flow-experience

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hofferber, Natalia; Basten, Melanie; Großmann, Nadine; Wilde, Matthias

    2016-09-01

    Self-Determination Theory and Flow Theory propose that perceived autonomy fosters the positive qualities of motivation and flow-experience. Autonomy-support can help to maintain students' motivation in very interesting learning activities and may lead to an increase in the positive qualities of motivation in less interesting learning activities. This paper investigates whether autonomy-supportive or controlling teaching behaviour influence students' motivation and flow-experience in biology class. In study 1, 158 students of grade six worked on the adaptations of Harvest Mice (Micromys minutus) with living animals. The 153 sixth graders of study 2 dealt with the same content but instead worked with short films on laptops. Previous studies have shown that students perceive film sequences as less interesting than working with living animals. Students' intrinsic motivation and flow-experience were measured at the end of the first and the third lesson. In study 1, autonomy-supportive teaching behaviour led to significant differences in students' intrinsic motivation and flow-experience when compared to controlling teaching behaviour. In study 2, motivation and flow-experience were not always in line with theory. The positive effects of autonomy-supportive and the non-beneficial effects of the controlling teaching behaviour seem to be dependent on the interestingness of the teaching material.

  16. Biology in Bloom: Implementing Bloom's Taxonomy to Enhance Student Learning in Biology

    PubMed Central

    Dirks, Clarissa; Wenderoth, Mary Pat

    2008-01-01

    We developed the Blooming Biology Tool (BBT), an assessment tool based on Bloom's Taxonomy, to assist science faculty in better aligning their assessments with their teaching activities and to help students enhance their study skills and metacognition. The work presented here shows how assessment tools, such as the BBT, can be used to guide and enhance teaching and student learning in a discipline-specific manner in postsecondary education. The BBT was first designed and extensively tested for a study in which we ranked almost 600 science questions from college life science exams and standardized tests. The BBT was then implemented in three different collegiate settings. Implementation of the BBT helped us to adjust our teaching to better enhance our students' current mastery of the material, design questions at higher cognitive skills levels, and assist students in studying for college-level exams and in writing study questions at higher levels of Bloom's Taxonomy. From this work we also created a suite of complementary tools that can assist biology faculty in creating classroom materials and exams at the appropriate level of Bloom's Taxonomy and students to successfully develop and answer questions that require higher-order cognitive skills. PMID:19047424

  17. Evaluation of microbial loads, physical characteristics, chemical constituents and biological properties of radiation processed Fagonia arabica

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Khattak, Khanzadi Fatima

    2012-06-01

    Whole plant of Fagonia arabica with 3 different particle sizes (30, 50 and 70 mesh) were exposed to gamma radiation doses of 1-10 kGy from a Cobalt 60 source. A series of tests was performed in order to check the feasibility of irradiation processing of the plant. The applied radiation doses did not affect (P<0.05) pH and antimicrobial activities of the plant. The total weight of the dry extracts in methanol as well as water was found increased with irradiation. The irradiated samples showed significant increase in phenolic content and free radical scavenging activity using DPPH. Shortly after irradiation (on the day of radiation treatment) high amounts of free radicals were detected in the irradiated plant samples and the chemiluminescence measurements were generally found to be dose dependent. Maximum luminescence intensity was observed in case of samples with mesh size of 30 for all the radiation doses applied. After a period of one month the chemiluminescence signals of the irradiated samples approximated those of the controls. The study suggests that gamma irradiation treatment is effective for quality improvement and enhances certain beneficial biological properties of the treated materials.

  18. [Genomics innovative teaching pattern based upon amalgamation between modern educational technology and constructivism studying theory].

    PubMed

    Liang, Xu-Fang; Peng, Jing; Zhou, Tian-Hong

    2007-04-01

    In order to overcome various malpractices in the traditional teaching methods, and also as part of the Guangdong province molecular biology perfect course project, some reforms were carried out to the teaching pattern of genomics. The reforms include using the foreign original teaching materials, bilingual teaching, as well as taking the constructivism-directed discussion teaching method and the multimedia computer-assisted instruction. To improve the scoring way and the laboratory course of the subject, we carried on a multiplex inspection systems and a self-designing experiments. Through the teaching reform on Genomics, we have gradually consummated the construction of molecular biology curriculum system.

  19. The teaching practices inventory: a new tool for characterizing college and university teaching in mathematics and science.

    PubMed

    Wieman, Carl; Gilbert, Sarah

    2014-01-01

    We have created an inventory to characterize the teaching practices used in science and mathematics courses. This inventory can aid instructors and departments in reflecting on their teaching. It has been tested with several hundred university instructors and courses from mathematics and four science disciplines. Most instructors complete the inventory in 10 min or less, and the results allow meaningful comparisons of the teaching used for the different courses and instructors within a department and across different departments. We also show how the inventory results can be used to gauge the extent of use of research-based teaching practices, and we illustrate this with the inventory results for five departments. These results show the high degree of discrimination provided by the inventory, as well as its effectiveness in tracking the increase in the use of research-based teaching practices. © 2014 C. Wieman and S. Gilbert. CBE—Life Sciences Education © 2014 The American Society for Cell Biology. This article is distributed by The American Society for Cell Biology under license from the author(s). It is available to the public under an Attribution–Noncommercial–Share Alike 3.0 Unported Creative Commons License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0).

  20. The Two Ts: Teaching and Technology

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Flannery, Maura C.

    2004-01-01

    A professor of Biology shares his experience at the BioQUEST workshop, which he attended. He talks about the BioQUEST Curriculum Consortium, which is a large-scale college biology project, focusing on active learning strategies, and the use of technology in teaching. The approaches presented at the workshop are described.

  1. CRITTERS! A Realistic Simulation for Teaching Evolutionary Biology

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Latham, Luke G., II; Scully, Erik P.

    2008-01-01

    Evolutionary processes can be studied in nature and in the laboratory, but time and financial constraints result in few opportunities for undergraduate and high school students to explore the agents of genetic change in populations. One alternative to time consuming and expensive teaching laboratories is the use of computer simulations. We…

  2. Discussion on Reformation of Biotechnological Pharmacy Experimental Teaching

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wen, Zhang; Yanjun, Li; Qiao, Zeng

    This article constructs a "comprehensive-designable-innovation" multi-level experimental teaching model, through integrating related disciplines courses, updating biopharmaceutical experiment teaching content, adding designing and innovation experiment item. During the teaching, the teacher mobilizes and stimulates the students' learning interest, enthusiasm and initiative fully by adopting the opening experiment teaching mode. The experiment not only consolidates the students' theory knowledge, makes them master the basic skills of biological pharmacy experiment, but also cultivates the students' independent innovating and independent ability.

  3. Teaching for Empowerment.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Freysinger, Valeria; Bedini, Leandra A.

    1994-01-01

    Explores ideas to help college educators empower students through their teaching. The article discusses assumptions of power and privilege that underlie empowerment, providing examples of how educators can disempower. Biological, psychological, and sociocultural processes of empowerment as related to race, gender, and disability are examined. (SM)

  4. Animal Experimentation: Bringing Ethical Issues into Biology Teaching.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Van Rooy, Wilhelmina

    2000-01-01

    There are many possibilities for the use of controversial issues such as animal experimentation in biology classrooms. Outlines a series of three lessons that asked senior biology students to consider the issue of animal experimentation from three perspectives. (Author/LM)

  5. The use of drawing as an alternative assessment tool in biology teaching

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Nugraha, I.

    2018-05-01

    Science required the recording of data to build knowledge. The act of drawing an illustration is one of the oldest methods to record the data in science. Illustration in science provides information that the written word cannot, hence the old adage “A picture is worth a thousand words” is very important for studying science. Drawings an illustration is not only valuable for artists but also for scientists because some aspects of science process skills can also be developed through drawing. In terms of science teaching, applying the act of drawing can also be used as an assessment tool. In this study, we assessed drawing of human internal organs of 38 student teachers who enrolled human physiology course and its correlation to their final exam achievement. Guidance of biological drawing was employed to assess the quality, labelling, and annotations of the drawing. The finding of this study showed that there was a positive correlation between the quality of drawing and final exam achievement. It is suggested that using the method of drawing in combination with written responses assessment would provide a more complete information about student’s understanding of human internal organs.

  6. Focus issue: series on computational and systems biology.

    PubMed

    Gough, Nancy R

    2011-09-06

    The application of computational biology and systems biology is yielding quantitative insight into cellular regulatory phenomena. For the month of September, Science Signaling highlights research featuring computational approaches to understanding cell signaling and investigation of signaling networks, a series of Teaching Resources from a course in systems biology, and various other articles and resources relevant to the application of computational biology and systems biology to the study of signal transduction.

  7. Estimation of Biological Effects of Tritium.

    PubMed

    Umata, Toshiyuki

    2017-01-01

    Nuclear fusion technology is expected to create new energy in the future. However, nuclear fusion requires a large amount of tritium as a fuel, leading to concern about the exposure of radiation workers to tritium beta radiation. Furthermore, countermeasures for tritium-polluted water produced in decommissioning of the reactor at Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station may potentially cause health problems in radiation workers. Although, internal exposure to tritium at a low dose/low dose rate can be assumed, biological effect of tritium exposure is not negligible, because tritiated water (HTO) intake to the body via the mouth/inhalation/skin would lead to homogeneous distribution throughout the whole body. Furthermore, organically-bound tritium (OBT) stays in the body as parts of the molecules that comprise living organisms resulting in long-term exposure, and the chemical form of tritium should be considered. To evaluate the biological effect of tritium, the effect should be compared with that of other radiation types. Many studies have examined the relative biological effectiveness (RBE) of tritium. Hence, we report the RBE, which was obtained with radiation carcinogenesis classified as a stochastic effect, and serves as a reference for cancer risk. We also introduce the outline of the tritium experiment and the principle of a recently developed animal experimental system using transgenic mouse to detect the biological influence of radiation exposure at a low dose/low dose rate.

  8. Asian Network for Biological Sciences (ANBS).

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Asian Network for Biological Sciences.

    The Asian Network for Biological Sciences (ANBS) is a group of institutions, laboratories, research centers, and scholars who are willing to cooperate in programs and activities aimed at improving teaching and research in the biological sciences. This publication: (1) outlines ANBS aims and objectives; (2) describes major activities in the past;…

  9. A Study Assessing the Potential of Negative Effects in Interdisciplinary Math-Biology Instruction

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Madlung, Andreas; Bremer, Martina; Himelblau, Edward; Tullis, Alexa

    2011-01-01

    There is increasing enthusiasm for teaching approaches that combine mathematics and biology. The call for integrating more quantitative work in biology education has led to new teaching tools that improve quantitative skills. Little is known, however, about whether increasing interdisciplinary work can lead to adverse effects, such as the…

  10. Teaching Bioinformatics in Concert

    PubMed Central

    Goodman, Anya L.; Dekhtyar, Alex

    2014-01-01

    Can biology students without programming skills solve problems that require computational solutions? They can if they learn to cooperate effectively with computer science students. The goal of the in-concert teaching approach is to introduce biology students to computational thinking by engaging them in collaborative projects structured around the software development process. Our approach emphasizes development of interdisciplinary communication and collaboration skills for both life science and computer science students. PMID:25411792

  11. Biological Inquiry: A New Course and Assessment Plan in Response to the Call to Transform Undergraduate Biology

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Goldey, Ellen S.; Abercrombie, Clarence L.; Ivy, Tracie M.; Kusher, Dave I.; Moeller, John F.; Rayner, Doug A.; Smith, Charles F.; Spivey, Natalie W.

    2012-01-01

    We transformed our first-year curriculum in biology with a new course, Biological Inquiry, in which greater than 50% of all incoming, first-year students enroll. The course replaced a traditional, content-driven course that relied on outdated approaches to teaching and learning. We diversified pedagogical practices by adopting guided inquiry in…

  12. Biology in Context: Teachers' Professional Development in Learning Communities

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Elster, Doris

    2009-01-01

    Biology in Context ("bik") is a project that aims to improve biology teaching in lower secondary schools in Germany. Based on a theoretical framework derived from the National Educational Standards, four competence areas should be fostered in biology education: subject knowledge; inquiry acquisition; subject-related communication; and…

  13. Knowledge base and functionality of concepts of some Filipino biology teachers in five biology topics

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Barquilla, Manuel B.

    2018-01-01

    This mixed research, is a snapshot of some Filipino Biology teachers' knowledge structure and how their concepts of the five topics in Biology (Photosynthesis, Cellular Respiration, human reproductive system, Mendelian genetics and NonMendelian genetics) functions and develops inside a biology classroom. The study focuses on the six biology teachers and a total of 222 students in their respective classes. Of the Six (6) teachers, three (3) are under the Science curriculum and the other three (3) are under regular curriculum in both public and private schools in Iligan city and Lanao del Norte, Philippines. The study utilized classroom discourses, concept maps, interpretative case-study method, bracketing method, and concept analysis for qualitative part; the quantitative part uses a nonparametric statistical tool, Kendall's tau Coefficient for determining relationship and congruency while measures of central tendencies and dispersion (mean, and standard deviation) for concept maps scores interpretation. Knowledge Base of Biology teachers were evaluated by experts in field of specialization having a doctorate program (e.g. PhD in Genetics) and PhD Biology candidates. The data collection entailed seven (7) months immersion: one (1) month for preliminary phase for the researcher to gain teachers' and students' confidence and the succeeding six (6) months for main observation and data collection. The evaluation of teachers' knowledge base by experts indicated that teachers' knowledge of (65%) is lower than the minimum (75%) recommended by ABD-el-Khalick and Boujaoude (1997). Thus, the experts believe that content knowledge of the teachers is hardly adequate for their teaching assignment. Moreover, the teachers in this study do not systematically use reallife situation to apply the concepts they teach. They can identify concepts too abstract for their student; however, they seldom use innovative ways to bring the discussion to their students' level of readiness and

  14. Promoting inquiry-based teaching in laboratory courses: are we meeting the grade?

    PubMed

    Beck, Christopher; Butler, Amy; da Silva, Karen Burke

    2014-01-01

    Over the past decade, repeated calls have been made to incorporate more active teaching and learning in undergraduate biology courses. The emphasis on inquiry-based teaching is especially important in laboratory courses, as these are the courses in which students are applying the process of science. To determine the current state of research on inquiry-based teaching in undergraduate biology laboratory courses, we reviewed the recent published literature on inquiry-based exercises. The majority of studies in our data set were in the subdisciplines of biochemistry, cell biology, developmental biology, genetics, and molecular biology. In addition, most exercises were guided inquiry, rather than open ended or research based. Almost 75% of the studies included assessment data, with two-thirds of these studies including multiple types of assessment data. However, few exercises were assessed in multiple courses or at multiple institutions. Furthermore, assessments were rarely based on published instruments. Although the results of the studies in our data set show a positive effect of inquiry-based teaching in biology laboratory courses on student learning gains, research that uses the same instrument across a range of courses and institutions is needed to determine whether these results can be generalized. © 2014 C. Beck et al. CBE—Life Sciences Education © 2014 The American Society for Cell Biology. This article is distributed by The American Society for Cell Biology under license from the author(s). It is available to the public under an Attribution–Noncommercial–Share Alike 3.0 Unported Creative Commons License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0).

  15. Using Mouse Mammary Tumor Cells to Teach Core Biology Concepts: A Simple Lab Module.

    PubMed

    McIlrath, Victoria; Trye, Alice; Aguanno, Ann

    2015-06-18

    Undergraduate biology students are required to learn, understand and apply a variety of cellular and molecular biology concepts and techniques in preparation for biomedical, graduate and professional programs or careers in science. To address this, a simple laboratory module was devised to teach the concepts of cell division, cellular communication and cancer through the application of animal cell culture techniques. Here the mouse mammary tumor (MMT) cell line is used to model for breast cancer. Students learn to grow and characterize these animal cells in culture and test the effects of traditional and non-traditional chemotherapy agents on cell proliferation. Specifically, students determine the optimal cell concentration for plating and growing cells, learn how to prepare and dilute drug solutions, identify the best dosage and treatment time course of the antiproliferative agents, and ascertain the rate of cell death in response to various treatments. The module employs both a standard cell counting technique using a hemocytometer and a novel cell counting method using microscopy software. The experimental procedure lends to open-ended inquiry as students can modify critical steps of the protocol, including testing homeopathic agents and over-the-counter drugs. In short, this lab module requires students to use the scientific process to apply their knowledge of the cell cycle, cellular signaling pathways, cancer and modes of treatment, all while developing an array of laboratory skills including cell culture and analysis of experimental data not routinely taught in the undergraduate classroom.

  16. A Hybrid Reality Radiation-free Simulator for Teaching Wire Navigation Skills

    PubMed Central

    Kho, Jenniefer Y.; Johns, Brian D.; Thomas, Geb. W.; Karam, Matthew D.; Marsh, J. Lawrence; Anderson, Donald D.

    2016-01-01

    Objectives Surgical simulation is an increasingly important method to facilitate the acquiring of surgical skills. Simulation can be helpful in developing hip fracture fixation skills because it is a common procedure for which performance can be objectively assessed (i.e., the tip-apex distance). The procedure requires fluoroscopic guidance to drill a wire along an osseous trajectory to a precise position within bone. The objective of this study was to assess the construct validity for a novel radiation-free simulator designed to teach wire navigation skills in hip fracture fixation. Methods Novices (N=30) with limited to no surgical experience in hip fracture fixation and experienced surgeons (N=10) participated. Participants drilled a guide wire in the center-center position of a synthetic femoral head in a hip fracture simulator, using electromagnetic sensors to track the guide wire position. Sensor data were gathered to generate fluoroscopic-like images of the hip and guide wire. Simulator performance of novice and experienced participants was compared to measure construct validity. Results The simulator was able to discriminate the accuracy in guide wire position between novices and experienced surgeons. Experienced surgeons achieved a more accurate tip-apex distance than novices (13 vs 23 mm, respectively, p=0.009). The magnitude of improvement on successive simulator attempts was dependent on level of expertise; tip-apex distance improved significantly in the novice group, while it was unchanged in the experienced group. Conclusions This hybrid reality, radiation-free hip fracture simulator, which combines real-world objects with computer-generated imagery demonstrates construct validity by distinguishing the performance of novices and experienced surgeons. There is a differential effect depending on level of experience, and it could be used as an effective training tool in novice surgeons. PMID:26165262

  17. Sex and the Biology Teacher

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Keller, Dolores Elaine

    1972-01-01

    Summarizes evidence that mammals are basically female, with masculine characteristics being imposed by hormonal changes in embryos or post-natally. Advocates the removal of male-dominant terminology in biological research and teaching. (AL)

  18. Helping Graduate Teaching Assistants in Biology Use Student Evaluations as Professional Development

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Kendall, K. Denise; Niemiller, Matthew L.; Dittrich-Reed, Dylan; Schussler, Elisabeth E.

    2014-01-01

    Graduate teaching assistants (GTAs) are often used as instructors in undergraduate introductory science courses, particularly in laboratory and discussion sections associated with large lectures. These GTAs are often novice teachers with little opportunity to develop their teaching skills through formal professional development. Focused…

  19. Validation and Application of the Survey of Teaching Beliefs and Practices for Undergraduates (STEP-U): Identifying Factors Associated with Valuing Important Workplace Skills among Biology Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Marbach-Ad, Gili; Rietschel, Carly; Thompson, Katerina V.

    2016-01-01

    We present a novel assessment tool for measuring biology students' values and experiences across their undergraduate degree program. Our Survey of Teaching Beliefs and Practices for Undergraduates (STEP-U) assesses the extent to which students value skills needed for the workplace (e.g., ability to work in groups) and their experiences with…

  20. Report to UNESCO on Eleven Weeks as Consultant to the Governments of Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia and Malawi on Aspects of Biology Teaching, February to April, 1971.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Meyer, Rex

    This report describes the activities of a UNESCO consultant who visited Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia and Malawi for the purpose of assisting local education agencies in the Biology Teaching Pilot Project. The consultant's report briefly summarizes the status of the School Science Project (SSP) in these East African countries. Also listed are the…

  1. The Electronic Biology Classroom: Implementation and Student Opinion.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Davis, Mark S.

    This paper describes a method for teaching introductory biology using a multimedia approach. This methodology aimed to increase student participation, promote independent learning, and enhance computer literacy. Five multimedia tools were used to teach the course. PowerPoint slide shows were used to present lecture material; videodiscs displayed…

  2. Biology Today: Teaching and the Media.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Flannery, Maura C.

    1983-01-01

    Provides examples of media coverage on interferon, herpes, and starch blockers, suggesting that biology teachers can put such coverage into broader perspective by answering student questions, explaining details, and sensitizing them to the limitations of the media. Includes resources to help teachers with this task. (JN)

  3. Bridging Physics and Biology Using Resistance and Axons

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Dyer, Joshua M.

    2014-01-01

    When teaching physics, it is often difficult to get biology-oriented students to see the relevance of physics. A complaint often heard is that biology students are required to take physics for the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) as part of a "weeding out" process, but that they don't feel like they need physics for biology. Despite…

  4. Biological effectiveness of neutrons: Research needs

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Casarett, G. W.; Braby, L. A.; Broerse, J. J.; Elkind, M. M.; Goodhead, D. T.; Oleinick, N. L.

    1994-02-01

    The goal of this report was to provide a conceptual plan for a research program that would provide a basis for determining more precisely the biological effectiveness of neutron radiation with emphasis on endpoints relevant to the protection of human health. This report presents the findings of the experts for seven particular categories of scientific information on neutron biological effectiveness. Chapter 2 examines the radiobiological mechanisms underlying the assumptions used to estimate human risk from neutrons and other radiations. Chapter 3 discusses the qualitative and quantitative models used to organize and evaluate experimental observations and to provide extrapolations where direct observations cannot be made. Chapter 4 discusses the physical principles governing the interaction of radiation with biological systems and the importance of accurate dosimetry in evaluating radiation risk and reducing the uncertainty in the biological data. Chapter 5 deals with the chemical and molecular changes underlying cellular responses and the LET dependence of these changes. Chapter 6, in turn, discusses those cellular and genetic changes which lead to mutation or neoplastic transformation. Chapters 7 and 8 examine deterministic and stochastic effects, respectively, and the data required for the prediction of such effects at different organizational levels and for the extrapolation from experimental results in animals to risks for man. Gaps and uncertainties in this data are examined relative to data required for establishing radiation protection standards for neutrons and procedures for the effective and safe use of neutron and other high-LET radiation therapy.

  5. Radiation Protection in Educational Institutions. Recommendations of the National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements, Washington, DC.

    The problems involved when radiation-producing devices of our contemporary technology are used in the teaching of science at the high school and undergraduate college level are discussed. Information is provided on the hazards involved in the use of radiation-producing equipment or radioactive materials in science demonstrations and experiments…

  6. Matching the Neurobiology of Learning to Teaching Principles

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Moffett, Nelle; Fleisher, Steven C.

    2013-01-01

    The authors describe principles of good teaching drawn from meta-analyses of research on teaching effectiveness. Recent developments in neurobiology are presented and aligned to provide biological support for these principles. To make it easier for college faculty to try out sample instructional strategies, the authors map principles of good…

  7. Brain-Based Research & Language Teaching.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Christison, MaryAnn

    2002-01-01

    Introduces brain-based teaching and learning. Reviews basic biological facts about the human brain and discusses seven principles based on recent research that have practical benefits for English-as-a-Foreign-Language teachers. (Author/VWL)

  8. Undergraduates Achieve Learning Gains in Plant Genetics through Peer Teaching of Secondary Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Chrispeels, H. E.; Klosterman, M. L.; Martin, J. B.; Lundy, S. R.; Watkins, J. M.; Gibson, C. L.; Muday, G. K.

    2014-01-01

    This study tests the hypothesis that undergraduates who peer teach genetics will have greater understanding of genetic and molecular biology concepts as a result of their teaching experiences. Undergraduates enrolled in a non-majors biology course participated in a service-learning program in which they led middle school (MS) or high school (HS)…

  9. Method for photo-altering a biological system to improve biological effect

    DOEpatents

    Hill, Richard A.; Doiron, Daniel R.; Crean, David H.

    2000-08-01

    Photodynamic therapy is a new adjunctive therapy for filtration surgery that does not use chemotherapy agents or radiation, but uses pharmacologically-active sensitizing compounds to produce a titratable, localized, transient, post operative avascular conjunctiva. A photosensitizing agent in a biological system is selectively activated by delivering the photosensitive agent to the biological system and laser activating only a spatially selected portion of the delivered photosensitive agent. The activated portion of the photosensitive agent reacts with the biological system to obtain a predetermined biological effect. As a result, an improved spatial disposition and effectuation of the biological effect by the photosensitive agent in the biological system is achieved.

  10. Teaching information literacy skills to sophomore-level biology majors.

    PubMed

    Thompson, Leigh; Blankinship, Lisa Ann

    2015-05-01

    Many undergraduate students lack a sound understanding of information literacy. The skills that comprise information literacy are particularly important when combined with scientific writing for biology majors as they are the foundation skills necessary to complete upper-division biology course assignments, better train students for research projects, and prepare students for graduate and professional education. To help undergraduate biology students develop and practice information literacy and scientific writing skills, a series of three one-hour hands-on library sessions, discussions, and homework assignments were developed for Biological Literature, a one-credit, one-hour-per-week, required sophomore-level course. The embedded course librarian developed a learning exercise that reviewed how to conduct database and web searches, the difference between primary and secondary sources, source credibility, and how to access articles through the university's databases. Students used the skills gained in the library training sessions for later writing assignments including a formal lab report and annotated bibliography. By focusing on improving information literacy skills as well as providing practice in scientific writing, Biological Literature students are better able to meet the rigors of upper-division biology courses and communicate research findings in a more professional manner.

  11. Teaching Information Literacy Skills to Sophomore-Level Biology Majors

    PubMed Central

    Thompson, Leigh; Blankinship, Lisa Ann

    2015-01-01

    Many undergraduate students lack a sound understanding of information literacy. The skills that comprise information literacy are particularly important when combined with scientific writing for biology majors as they are the foundation skills necessary to complete upper-division biology course assignments, better train students for research projects, and prepare students for graduate and professional education. To help undergraduate biology students develop and practice information literacy and scientific writing skills, a series of three one-hour hands-on library sessions, discussions, and homework assignments were developed for Biological Literature, a one-credit, one-hour-per-week, required sophomore-level course. The embedded course librarian developed a learning exercise that reviewed how to conduct database and web searches, the difference between primary and secondary sources, source credibility, and how to access articles through the university’s databases. Students used the skills gained in the library training sessions for later writing assignments including a formal lab report and annotated bibliography. By focusing on improving information literacy skills as well as providing practice in scientific writing, Biological Literature students are better able to meet the rigors of upper-division biology courses and communicate research findings in a more professional manner. PMID:25949754

  12. Culturally relevant inquiry-based laboratory module implementations in upper-division genetics and cell biology teaching laboratories.

    PubMed

    Siritunga, Dimuth; Montero-Rojas, María; Carrero, Katherine; Toro, Gladys; Vélez, Ana; Carrero-Martínez, Franklin A

    2011-01-01

    Today, more minority students are entering undergraduate programs than ever before, but they earn only 6% of all science or engineering PhDs awarded in the United States. Many studies suggest that hands-on research activities enhance students' interest in pursuing a research career. In this paper, we present a model for the implementation of laboratory research in the undergraduate teaching laboratory using a culturally relevant approach to engage students. Laboratory modules were implemented in upper-division genetics and cell biology courses using cassava as the central theme. Students were asked to bring cassava samples from their respective towns, which allowed them to compare their field-collected samples against known lineages from agricultural stations at the end of the implementation. Assessment of content and learning perceptions revealed that our novel approach allowed students to learn while engaged in characterizing Puerto Rican cassava. In two semesters, based on the percentage of students who answered correctly in the premodule assessment for content knowledge, there was an overall improvement of 66% and 55% at the end in the genetics course and 24% and 15% in the cell biology course. Our proposed pedagogical model enhances students' professional competitiveness by providing students with valuable research skills as they work on a problem to which they can relate.

  13. Culturally Relevant Inquiry-Based Laboratory Module Implementations in Upper-Division Genetics and Cell Biology Teaching Laboratories

    PubMed Central

    Siritunga, Dimuth; Montero-Rojas, María; Carrero, Katherine; Toro, Gladys; Vélez, Ana; Carrero-Martínez, Franklin A.

    2011-01-01

    Today, more minority students are entering undergraduate programs than ever before, but they earn only 6% of all science or engineering PhDs awarded in the United States. Many studies suggest that hands-on research activities enhance students’ interest in pursuing a research career. In this paper, we present a model for the implementation of laboratory research in the undergraduate teaching laboratory using a culturally relevant approach to engage students. Laboratory modules were implemented in upper-division genetics and cell biology courses using cassava as the central theme. Students were asked to bring cassava samples from their respective towns, which allowed them to compare their field-collected samples against known lineages from agricultural stations at the end of the implementation. Assessment of content and learning perceptions revealed that our novel approach allowed students to learn while engaged in characterizing Puerto Rican cassava. In two semesters, based on the percentage of students who answered correctly in the premodule assessment for content knowledge, there was an overall improvement of 66% and 55% at the end in the genetics course and 24% and 15% in the cell biology course. Our proposed pedagogical model enhances students’ professional competitiveness by providing students with valuable research skills as they work on a problem to which they can relate. PMID:21885825

  14. Biological dosimetry of ionizing radiation: Evaluation of the dose with cytogenetic methodologies by the construction of calibration curves

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zafiropoulos, Demetre; Facco, E.; Sarchiapone, Lucia

    2016-09-01

    In case of a radiation accident, it is well known that in the absence of physical dosimetry biological dosimetry based on cytogenetic methods is a unique tool to estimate individual absorbed dose. Moreover, even when physical dosimetry indicates an overexposure, scoring chromosome aberrations (dicentrics and rings) in human peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBLs) at metaphase is presently the most widely used method to confirm dose assessment. The analysis of dicentrics and rings in PBLs after Giemsa staining of metaphase cells is considered the most valid assay for radiation injury. This work shows that applying the fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) technique, using telomeric/centromeric peptide nucleic acid (PNA) probes in metaphase chromosomes for radiation dosimetry, could become a fast scoring, reliable and precise method for biological dosimetry after accidental radiation exposures. In both in vitro methods described above, lymphocyte stimulation is needed, and this limits the application in radiation emergency medicine where speed is considered to be a high priority. Using premature chromosome condensation (PCC), irradiated human PBLs (non-stimulated) were fused with mitotic CHO cells, and the yield of excess PCC fragments in Giemsa stained cells was scored. To score dicentrics and rings under PCC conditions, the necessary centromere and telomere detection of the chromosomes was obtained using FISH and specific PNA probes. Of course, a prerequisite for dose assessment in all cases is a dose-effect calibration curve. This work illustrates the various methods used; dose response calibration curves, with 95% confidence limits used to estimate dose uncertainties, have been constructed for conventional metaphase analysis and FISH. We also compare the dose-response curve constructed after scoring of dicentrics and rings using PCC combined with FISH and PNA probes. Also reported are dose response curves showing scored dicentrics and rings per cell, combining

  15. Analog Computer Laboratory with Biological Examples.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Strebel, Donald E.

    1979-01-01

    The use of biological examples in teaching applications of the analog computer is discussed and several examples from mathematical ecology, enzyme kinetics, and tracer dynamics are described. (Author/GA)

  16. Enhancing the biological degradability of sulfamethoxazole by ionizing radiation treatment in aqueous solution

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sági, Gyuri; Kovács, Krisztina; Bezsenyi, Anikó; Csay, Tamás; Takács, Erzsébet; Wojnárovits, László

    2016-07-01

    Changes of biodegradability and toxicity were followed up on aqueous solutions of sulfamethoxazole (SMX), during ionizing radiation treatment. The biodegradability of SMX (0.1 mmol dm-3) was specified by five-day biological oxygen demand (BOD5), using municipal activated sludge, and the results showed an improvement with applying only 0.4 kGy dose. BOD5 further increased with prolonged irradiation, indicating a conversion of SMX, a non-biodegradable compound, to biologically treatable substances. At 2.5 kGy dose, the BOD5/COD ratio increased from 0 to 0.16. The total organic carbon (TOC) content showed a decrease of only 15% at this point, thus high degree of mineralization is not necessary to make SMX digestible for the low concentrations of microorganisms used during BOD5 measurements. Increment in respiration inhibition of municipal activated sludge was observed with increasing the dose. The EC50 values showed a decrease of one order of magnitude when changing the dose from 0.4 kGy to 2.5 kGy. The increase of inhibition and formation of H2O2 showed a strong correlation.

  17. Approaches to Biology Teaching and Learning: Understanding the Wrong Answers--Teaching toward Conceptual Change

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Tanner, Kimberly; Allen, Deborah

    2005-01-01

    Underpinning science education reform movements in the last 20 years--at all levels and within all disciplines--is an explicit shift in the goals of science teaching from students simply creating a knowledge base of scientific facts to students developing deeper understandings of major concepts within a scientific discipline. For example, what use…

  18. Preparing Future Biology Faculty: An Advanced Professional Development Program for Graduate Students

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Lockwood, Stephanie A.; Miller, Amanda J.; Cromie, Meghan M.

    2014-01-01

    Formal professional development programs for biology graduate students interested in becoming faculty members have come far; however, programs that provide advanced teaching experience for seasoned graduate teaching assistants are scarce. We outline an advanced program that focuses on further training of graduate teaching assistants in pedagogy…

  19. More examples of chimpanzees teaching.

    PubMed

    Scheel, Matthew H; Shaw, Heidi L; Gardner, R Allen

    2015-01-01

    Darwinism is a principle of biological continuity. This commentary argues against any claim of discontinuity between humans and other animals that must be based on absence of evidence. Instead, we offer additional examples of active teaching by chimpanzees.

  20. Biology Teachers and Peace.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Whitney, L. Jack

    1981-01-01

    Suggests that biology teachers can serve an important role in turning humankind from nuclear warfare to peaceful cooperation. Argues that the school should lead the world in teaching about the universal will to live exhibited by all organisms and about the insanity of nuclear armament. (DC)

  1. DNA Barcoding Investigations Bring Biology to Life

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Musante, Susan

    2010-01-01

    This article describes how DNA barcoding investigations bring biology to life. Biologists recognize the power of DNA barcoding not just to teach biology through connections to the real world but also to immerse students in the exciting process of science. As an investigator in the Program for the Human Environment at Rockefeller University in New…

  2. Biology. Teacher's Guide. Investigations in Natural Science.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Renner, John W.; And Others

    Investigations in Natural Science is a program in secondary school biology, chemistry, and physics based upon the description of science as a quest for knowledge, not the knowledge itself. This teaching guide is designed for use with the 18 biology investigations found in the student manual. These investigations focus on concepts related to:…

  3. Fostering 21st-Century Evolutionary Reasoning: Teaching Tree Thinking to Introductory Biology Students

    PubMed Central

    Novick, Laura R.; Catley, Kefyn M.

    2016-01-01

    The ability to interpret and reason from Tree of Life (ToL) diagrams has become a vital component of science literacy in the 21st century. This article reports on the effectiveness of a research-based curriculum, including an instructional booklet, laboratory, and lectures, to teach the fundamentals of such tree thinking in an introductory biology class for science majors. We present the results of a study involving 117 undergraduates who received either our new research-based tree-thinking curriculum or business-as-usual instruction. We found greater gains in tree-thinking abilities for the experimental instruction group than for the business-as-usual group, as measured by performance on our novel assessment instrument. This was a medium size effect. These gains were observed on an unannounced test that was administered ∼5–6 weeks after the primary instruction in tree thinking. The nature of students’ postinstruction difficulties with tree thinking suggests that the critical underlying concept for acquiring expert-level competence in this area is understanding that any specific phylogenetic tree is a subset of the complete, unimaginably large ToL. PMID:27881445

  4. Challenges and Opportunities for Learning Biology in Distance-Based Settings

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Hallyburton, Chad L.; Lunsford, Eddie

    2013-01-01

    The history of learning biology through distance education is documented. A review of terminology and unique problems associated with biology instruction is presented. Using published research and their own teaching experience, the authors present recommendations and best practices for managing biology in distance-based formats. They offer ideas…

  5. Stereology techniques in radiation biology

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Kubinova, Lucie; Mao, XiaoWen; Janacek, Jiri; Archambeau, John O.; Nelson, G. A. (Principal Investigator)

    2003-01-01

    Clinicians involved in conventional radiation therapy are very concerned about the dose-response relationships of normal tissues. Before proceeding to new clinical protocols, radiation biologists involved with conformal proton therapy believe it is necessary to quantify the dose response and tolerance of the organs and tissues that will be irradiated. An important focus is on the vasculature. This presentation reviews the methodology and format of using confocal microscopy and stereological methods to quantify tissue parameters, cell number, tissue volume and surface area, and vessel length using the microvasculature as a model tissue. Stereological methods and their concepts are illustrated using an ongoing study of the dose response of the microvessels in proton-irradiated hemibrain. Methods for estimating the volume of the brain and the brain cortex, the total number of endothelial cells in cortical microvessels, the length of cortical microvessels, and the total surface area of cortical microvessel walls are presented step by step in a way understandable for readers with little mathematical background. It is shown that stereological techniques, based on a sound theoretical basis, are powerful and reliable and have been used successfully.

  6. Creationism in the Biology Classroom: What Do Teachers Teach & How Do They Teach It?

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Moore, Randy

    2008-01-01

    Approximately one-fourth of biology teachers in public schools include creationism in their biology courses. Most of these teachers 1) present creationism as a scientific alternative to evolution, and 2) present only the biblical (i.e., Christian) story of creation. State science-education standards, position statements from professional…

  7. On the Cultivation of Students' Interests in Biology Teaching

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Li, Yan

    2011-01-01

    This paper introduces the importance of middle school students' interests in learning biology. Considering the psychological characteristics of middle school students, this paper suggests several practical ways for inspiring students' interests in learning biology.

  8. The Development of Biology Teaching Material Based on the Local Wisdom of Timorese to Improve Students Knowledge and Attitude of Environment in Caring the Preservation of Environment

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Ardan, Andam S.

    2016-01-01

    The purposes of this study were (1) to describe the biology learning such as lesson plans, teaching materials, media and worksheets for the tenth grade of High School on the topic of Biodiversity and Basic Classification, Ecosystems and Environment Issues based on local wisdom of Timorese; (2) to analyze the improvement of the environmental…

  9. The Effects of Doctoral Teaching Development on Early-Career STEM Scholars' College Teaching Self-efficacy.

    PubMed

    Connolly, Mark R; Lee, You-Geon; Savoy, Julia N

    2018-01-01

    To help prepare future faculty in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) to teach undergraduates, more research universities are offering teaching development (TD) programs to doctoral students who aspire to academic careers. Using social cognitive career theory, we examine the effects of TD programs on early-career STEM scholars' sense of self-efficacy as postsecondary teachers. In 2011, a survey questionnaire was administered to 2156 people who in 2009 were doctoral students in STEM departments at three U.S. research universities; 1445 responded (67%). Regression analysis revealed positive relationships between TD participation and participants' college teaching self-efficacy and positive interaction effects for women. These findings may be used to improve the quality and quantity of TD offerings and help them gain wider acceptance. © 2018 M. R. Connolly et al. CBE—Life Sciences Education © 2018 The American Society for Cell Biology. This article is distributed by The American Society for Cell Biology under license from the author(s). It is available to the public under an Attribution–Noncommercial–Share Alike 3.0 Unported Creative Commons License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0).

  10. Computer Analogies: Teaching Molecular Biology and Ecology.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Rice, Stanley; McArthur, John

    2002-01-01

    Suggests that computer science analogies can aid the understanding of gene expression, including the storage of genetic information on chromosomes. Presents a matrix of biology and computer science concepts. (DDR)

  11. Biological Effects of Directed Energy

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Dayton, Thomas; Beason, Charles; Hitt, M. K.; Rogers, Walter; Cook, Michael

    2002-11-01

    This Final Report summarizes the biological effects research conducted by Veridian Engineering personnel under contract F41624-96-C-9009 in support of the Air Force Research Laboratory's Radio Frequency Radiation Branch from April 1997 to April 2002. Biological effects research and consultation were provided in five major areas: Active Denial System (also known as Vehicle Mounted Active Denial System), radio frequency radiation (RFR) health and safety, non-lethal weapon biological effects research, the newly formed Joint Non-Lethal Weapons Human Effects Center of Excellence, and Biotechnology. The report is organized by research efforts within the major research areas, providing title, objective, a brief description, relevance to the AF or DoD, funding, and products.

  12. [Visual representation of biological structures in teaching material].

    PubMed

    Morato, M A; Struchiner, M; Bordoni, E; Ricciardi, R M

    1998-01-01

    Parameters must be defined for presenting and handling scientific information presented in the form of teaching materials. Through library research and consultations with specialists in the health sciences and in graphic arts and design, this study undertook a comparative description of the first examples of scientific illustrations of anatomy and the evolution of visual representations of knowledge on the cell. The study includes significant examples of illustrations which served as elements of analysis.

  13. BIOLOGICAL EDUCATION IN AMERICAN SECONDARY SCHOOLS 1890-1960.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    HURD, PAUL DEHART

    CHANGES IN AMERICAN SECONDARY SCHOOL BIOLOGICAL EDUCATION DURING THE PERIOD 1890-1960 ARE DESCRIBED. INFORMATION FROM THE REPORTS OF IMPORTANT COMMITTEES SUMMARIZES CHANGES IN BIOLOGICAL EDUCATION DURING EACH DECADE OF THE PERIOD COVERED BY THE STUDY. CHANGES IN COURSE CONTENT, TEACHING METHODOLOGY, AND RATIONALE ARE RELATED TO CORRESPONDING…

  14. Openers for Biology Classes.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Gridley, C. Robert R.

    This teaching guide contains 200 activities that are suitable for openers and demonstrations in biology classes. Details are provided regarding the use of these activities. Some of the broad topics under which the activities are organized include algae, amphibians, bacteria, biologists, crustaceans, dinosaurs, ecology, evolution, flowering plants,…

  15. Radiation Sensitization in Cancer Therapy.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Greenstock, Clive L.

    1981-01-01

    Discusses various aspects of radiation damage to biological material, including free radical mechanisms, radiation sensitization and protection, tumor hypoxia, mechanism of hypoxic cell radiosensitization, redox model for radiation modification, sensitizer probes of cellular radiation targets, pulse radiolysis studies of free radical kinetics,…

  16. Teaching Life Sciences to Blind and Visually Impaired Learners

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Fraser, William John; Maguvhe, Mbulaheni Obert

    2008-01-01

    This study reports on the teaching of life sciences (biology) to blind and visually impaired learners in South Africa at 11 special schools with specific reference to the development of science process skills in outcomes-based classrooms. Individual structured interviews were conducted with nine science educators teaching at the different special…

  17. Development of the biology card sorting task to measure conceptual expertise in biology.

    PubMed

    Smith, Julia I; Combs, Elijah D; Nagami, Paul H; Alto, Valerie M; Goh, Henry G; Gourdet, Muryam A A; Hough, Christina M; Nickell, Ashley E; Peer, Adrian G; Coley, John D; Tanner, Kimberly D

    2013-01-01

    There are widespread aspirations to focus undergraduate biology education on teaching students to think conceptually like biologists; however, there is a dearth of assessment tools designed to measure progress from novice to expert biological conceptual thinking. We present the development of a novel assessment tool, the Biology Card Sorting Task, designed to probe how individuals organize their conceptual knowledge of biology. While modeled on tasks from cognitive psychology, this task is unique in its design to test two hypothesized conceptual frameworks for the organization of biological knowledge: 1) a surface feature organization focused on organism type and 2) a deep feature organization focused on fundamental biological concepts. In this initial investigation of the Biology Card Sorting Task, each of six analytical measures showed statistically significant differences when used to compare the card sorting results of putative biological experts (biology faculty) and novices (non-biology major undergraduates). Consistently, biology faculty appeared to sort based on hypothesized deep features, while non-biology majors appeared to sort based on either surface features or nonhypothesized organizational frameworks. Results suggest that this novel task is robust in distinguishing populations of biology experts and biology novices and may be an adaptable tool for tracking emerging biology conceptual expertise.

  18. Development of the Biology Card Sorting Task to Measure Conceptual Expertise in Biology

    PubMed Central

    Smith, Julia I.; Combs, Elijah D.; Nagami, Paul H.; Alto, Valerie M.; Goh, Henry G.; Gourdet, Muryam A. A.; Hough, Christina M.; Nickell, Ashley E.; Peer, Adrian G.; Coley, John D.; Tanner, Kimberly D.

    2013-01-01

    There are widespread aspirations to focus undergraduate biology education on teaching students to think conceptually like biologists; however, there is a dearth of assessment tools designed to measure progress from novice to expert biological conceptual thinking. We present the development of a novel assessment tool, the Biology Card Sorting Task, designed to probe how individuals organize their conceptual knowledge of biology. While modeled on tasks from cognitive psychology, this task is unique in its design to test two hypothesized conceptual frameworks for the organization of biological knowledge: 1) a surface feature organization focused on organism type and 2) a deep feature organization focused on fundamental biological concepts. In this initial investigation of the Biology Card Sorting Task, each of six analytical measures showed statistically significant differences when used to compare the card sorting results of putative biological experts (biology faculty) and novices (non–biology major undergraduates). Consistently, biology faculty appeared to sort based on hypothesized deep features, while non–biology majors appeared to sort based on either surface features or nonhypothesized organizational frameworks. Results suggest that this novel task is robust in distinguishing populations of biology experts and biology novices and may be an adaptable tool for tracking emerging biology conceptual expertise. PMID:24297290

  19. Some perspectives on research into the biological response to non-ionizing electromagnetic radiation. [relation to SETI, SPS, and other government projects

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Sharp, J. C.

    1979-01-01

    Research on the biological effects of RF radiation in the United States has undergone a series of swings during the last three decades. The resurgence of research during the past decade is examined in the light of two projects: the proposed Space Power Station and SETI.

  20. Using Research to Teach an "Introduction to Biological Thinking"

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bell, Ellis

    2011-01-01

    A course design for first-year science students is described, where the focus is on the skills necessary to do science. The course uses original research projects, designed by the students, to teach a variety of skills including reading the scientific literature, hypothesis development and testing, experimental design, data analysis and…

  1. LASER APPLICATIONS AND OTHER TOPICS IN QUANTUM ELECTRONICS: Modification of biological objects in water media by CO2-laser radiation

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Baranov, G. A.; Belyaev, A. A.; Onikienko, S. B.; Smirnov, S. A.; Khukharev, V. V.

    2005-09-01

    The modification of biological objects (polysaccharides and cells) by CO2-laser radiation in water added drop by drop into the interaction region is studied theoretically and experimentally. Calculations are performed by using the models describing gas-dynamic and heterogeneous processes caused by absorption of laser radiation by water drops. It is found experimentally that the laser modification of polysaccharides leads to the formation of low-molecular derivatives with immunostimulating properties. A dose of the product of laser activation of the yeast culture Saccharamyces cerevisiae prevented the development of a toxic emphysema in mice and protected them against lethal grippe and also prevented a decrease of survival rate, increased the average life, and prevented the development of metabolic and immune disorders in mice exposed to sublethal gamma-radiation doses.

  2. Analysis of undergraduate cell biology contents in Brazilian public universities.

    PubMed

    Mermelstein, Claudia; Costa, Manoel Luis

    2017-04-01

    The enormous amount of information available in cell biology has created a challenge in selecting the core concepts we should be teaching our undergraduates. One way to define a set of essential core ideas in cell biology is to analyze what a specific cell biology community is teaching their students. Our main objective was to analyze the cell biology content currently being taught in Brazilian universities. We collected the syllabi of cell biology courses from public universities in Brazil and analyzed the frequency of cell biology topics in each course. We also compared the Brazilian data with the contents of a major cell biology textbook. Our analysis showed that while some cell biology topics such as plasma membrane and cytoskeleton was present in ∼100% of the Brazilian curricula analyzed others such as cell signaling and cell differentiation were present in only ∼35%. The average cell biology content taught in the Brazilian universities is quite different from what is presented in the textbook. We discuss several possible explanations for these observations. We also suggest a list with essential cell biology topics for any biological or biomedical undergraduate course. The comparative discussion of cell biology topics presented here could be valuable in other educational contexts. © 2017 The Authors. Cell Biology International Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of International Federation of Cell Biology.

  3. Using fiction in the teaching of physics

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Burko, Lior M.

    2016-03-01

    Fiction has been used in teaching since Plato told the story of Atlantis. However, relatively little use is made of it in teaching physics. We have created short stories that form the basis of case studies. One short story tells the story of a possible radioactive contamination on Earth because of the detonation by terrorists of a dirty bomb in a densely populated urban area. The short story discusses in what many would find an engaging way both the physics of radioactivity and the health aspects of radiation exposure and radiation sickness. Another case tells the story of a hypothetical future crewed mission to the Moon. The astronauts encounter a giant solar flare that would inevitably give the crew lethal dose of radiation. The astronauts do not have enough time to either abort the mission, or land on the Moon and seek shelter. There is, however, something they can do, but they do not think of think of it until it is too late to do anything about it, and being saved beccomes a matter of chance. This case discusses the history and future of lunar and space exploration, solar wind and space weather, and elements of planetary science. We describe some examples of short stories, and how we incorporate them in the teaching of physics and allied disciplines.

  4. Space experiment "Cellular Responses to Radiation in Space (CELLRAD)": Hardware and biological system tests

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hellweg, Christine E.; Dilruba, Shahana; Adrian, Astrid; Feles, Sebastian; Schmitz, Claudia; Berger, Thomas; Przybyla, Bartos; Briganti, Luca; Franz, Markus; Segerer, Jürgen; Spitta, Luis F.; Henschenmacher, Bernd; Konda, Bikash; Diegeler, Sebastian; Baumstark-Khan, Christa; Panitz, Corinna; Reitz, Günther

    2015-11-01

    One factor contributing to the high uncertainty in radiation risk assessment for long-term space missions is the insufficient knowledge about possible interactions of radiation with other spaceflight environmental factors. Such factors, e.g. microgravity, have to be considered as possibly additive or even synergistic factors in cancerogenesis. Regarding the effects of microgravity on signal transduction, it cannot be excluded that microgravity alters the cellular response to cosmic radiation, which comprises a complex network of signaling pathways. The purpose of the experiment ;Cellular Responses to Radiation in Space; (CELLRAD, formerly CERASP) is to study the effects of combined exposure to microgravity, radiation and general space flight conditions on mammalian cells, in particular Human Embryonic Kidney (HEK) cells that are stably transfected with different plasmids allowing monitoring of proliferation and the Nuclear Factor κB (NF-κB) pathway by means of fluorescent proteins. The cells will be seeded on ground in multiwell plate units (MPUs), transported to the ISS, and irradiated by an artificial radiation source after an adaptation period at 0 × g and 1 × g. After different incubation periods, the cells will be fixed by pumping a formaldehyde solution into the MPUs. Ground control samples will be treated in the same way. For implementation of CELLRAD in the Biolab on the International Space Station (ISS), tests of the hardware and the biological systems were performed. The sequence of different steps in MPU fabrication (cutting, drilling, cleaning, growth surface coating, and sterilization) was optimized in order to reach full biocompatibility. Different coatings of the foil used as growth surface revealed that coating with 0.1 mg/ml poly-D-lysine supports cell attachment better than collagen type I. The tests of prototype hardware (Science Model) proved its full functionality for automated medium change, irradiation and fixation of cells. Exposure of

  5. On a fundamental problem in radiation biology

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Dugan, V.; Trujillo, R.

    1974-01-01

    Experimental evidence indicates that the radiation dose required to reduce a surviving population to a certain fraction of its original population is lower for vertebrate cells than for viruses. On the other hand, the number of ionizations per cell required to inactivate that cell is greater for vertebrate cells than for viruses. The apparent conflict between these two findings is investigated. It is found that the apparent contradiction is probably a result of the fractional power dependence of the radiation-dose value on the nucleic acid weight.

  6. Using cogenerative dialogue to afford the teaching and learning of biology in an urban high school

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Otulaja, Femi Segun

    The body of research work presented in this dissertation integrates critical ethnography with video and conversation analyses in order to provide ways to articulate and understand the complexities associated with social life enactment as it unfolds during cogenerative dialogues and in the science classroom as the teacher and her students engage in science teaching and learning. The primary goal is to improve the teaching and learning of science in an urban science classroom at a public high school in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. In order to understand what is going on in the classroom and why, I worked with a female science teacher who identify as an African-American and her culturally diversified students in a biology class to examine teacher's and students' conscious and unconscious patterned actions, (i.e., classroom practices, that structure teaching and learning in the classroom. It is my belief that to improve science teaching and learning in the classroom, it is salient to improve science teacher's practices as a precursor to transforming students' practices. In order to ameliorate breaches in the fluency of encounters in the classroom, the teacher and her students need to establish and sustain critical, collaborative and collective conversations through cogen. I employ theoretical lenses of cultural sociology that I triangulate with sociology of emotions and critical pedagogy. I focus on culture as schemas and associated practices layered with the triple dialectics of agency, passivity and structure as new or hybridized/interstitial cultures that are produced get enacted in the science classroom to transform teacher's and her students' encounters with each other. The salient implication is that since encounters are imbued with emotions, teacher and her students learn to generate positive emotional energy during cogen that gets reproduced and transformed in the science classroom. Positive emotional energy creates resources that help to initiate and sustain

  7. Cancer Risk Assessment for Space Radiation

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    Richmond, Robert C.; Curreri, Peter A. (Technical Monitor)

    2002-01-01

    Predicting the occurrence of human cancer following exposure to any agent causing genetic damage is a difficult task. This is because the uncertainty of uniform exposure to the damaging agent, and the uncertainty of uniform processing of that damage within a complex set of biological variables, degrade the confidence of predicting the delayed expression of cancer as a relatively rare event within any given clinically normal individual. The radiation health research priorities for enabling long-duration human exploration of space were established in the 1996 NRC Report entitled "Radiation Hazards to Crews of Interplanetary Missions: Biological Issues and Research Strategies". This report emphasized that a 15-fold uncertainty in predicting radiation-induced cancer incidence must be reduced before NASA can commit humans to extended interplanetary missions. That report concluded that the great majority of this uncertainty is biologically based, while a minority is physically based due to uncertainties in radiation dosimetry and radiation transport codes. Since that report, the biologically based uncertainty has remained large, and the relatively small uncertainty associated with radiation dosimetry has increased due to the considerations raised by concepts of microdosimetry. In a practical sense, however, the additional uncertainties introduced by microdosimetry are encouraging since they are in a direction of lowered effective dose absorbed through infrequent interactions of any given cell with the high energy particle component of space radiation. The biological uncertainty in predicting cancer risk for space radiation derives from two primary facts. 1) One animal tumor study has been reported that includes a relevant spectrum of particle radiation energies, and that is the Harderian gland model in mice. Fact #1: Extension of cancer risk from animal models, and especially from a single study in an animal model, to humans is inherently uncertain. 2) One human database

  8. Using biological control research in the classroom to promote scientific inquiry and literacy

    USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

    Many scientists who research biological control also teach at universities or more informally through cooperative outreach. The purpose of this paper is to review biological control activities for the classroom in four refereed journals, The American Biology Teacher, Journal of Biological Education...

  9. Review of teaching methods and critical thinking skills.

    PubMed

    Kowalczyk, Nina

    2011-01-01

    Critical information is needed to inform radiation science educators regarding successful critical thinking educational strategies. From an evidence-based research perspective, systematic reviews are identified as the most current and highest level of evidence. Analysis at this high level is crucial in analyzing those teaching methods most appropriate to the development of critical thinking skills. To conduct a systematic literature review to identify teaching methods that demonstrate a positive effect on the development of students' critical thinking skills and to identify how these teaching strategies can best translate to radiologic science educational programs. A comprehensive literature search was conducted resulting in an assessment of 59 full reports. Nineteen of the 59 reports met inclusion criteria and were reviewed based on the level of evidence presented. Inclusion criteria included studies conducted in the past 10 years on sample sizes of 20 or more individuals demonstrating use of specific teaching interventions for 5 to 36 months in postsecondary health-related educational programs. The majority of the research focused on problem-based learning (PBL) requiring standardized small-group activities. Six of the 19 studies focused on PBL and demonstrated significant differences in student critical thinking scores. PBL, as described in the nursing literature, is an effective teaching method that should be used in radiation science education. ©2011 by the American Society of Radiologic Technologists.

  10. Epistemological Syncretism in a Biology Classroom: A Case Study

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Bennett, William D.; Park, Soonhye

    2011-01-01

    In teaching science, the beliefs of teachers may come into conflict and inhibit the implementation of reformed teaching practice. An experienced biology teacher, Mr. Hobbs, was found to have two different sets of epistemological beliefs while his classroom practice was predominantly teacher-centered. A case study was then performed in order to…

  11. Scientific experiments in the flight of the 1977 biological satellite (draft plan)

    NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

    1977-01-01

    The physiological, biological, radiobiological and radiophysical experiments planned for the 1977 biological satellite are described. The biological experiments will involve rats, higher and lower plants, insects and other biological specimens carried on the biosatellite. The responses of these organisms to weightlessness, artificial gravity, cosmic radiation particles and general flight factors will be studied. The radiophysical experiments will investigate certain properties of cosmic radiation as well as the possibility of creating electrostatic and dielectric radiation shields under actual space-flight conditions.

  12. [The practice and discussion of the physical knowledge stepping into genetics teaching].

    PubMed

    Luo, Shen; Luo, Peigao

    2014-09-01

    Genetics, one of the core courses of biological field, play a key role in biology teaching and research. In fact, there exists high similarity between many genetic knowledge and physical knowledge. Due to strong abstract of genetic contents and the weak basis of genetics, some students lack of interests to study genetics. How to apply the strong physical knowledge which students had been learned in the middle school in genetics teaching is worthwhile for genetics teachers. In this paper, we would like to introduce an infiltrative teaching model on applying physical knowledge into genetic contents by establishing the intrinsic logistic relationship between physical knowledge and genetic knowledge. This teaching model could help students more deeply understand genetic knowledge and enhance students' self-studying ability as well as creating ability.

  13. Teaching Biology Field Courses in the Wake of Environmental Disasters.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Baca, Bart J.

    1982-01-01

    A biology field course organized to study the effects of the June 1979 Mexican oil spill on the marine biology of the shores of south Texas and Mexico is described, demonstrating how to effectively couple a biology classroom course with a natural or human caused environmental disaster. (Author/DC)

  14. Teaching Evolution: A Heuristic Study of Personal and Cultural Dissonance

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Grimes, Larry G.

    2012-01-01

    Darwinian evolution is a robustly supported scientific theory. Yet creationists continue to challenge its teaching in American public schools. Biology teachers in all 50 states are responsible for teaching science content standards that include evolution. As products of their backgrounds and affiliations teachers bring personal attitudes and…

  15. The experimental teaching reform in biochemistry and molecular biology for undergraduate students in Peking University Health Science Center.

    PubMed

    Yang, Xiaohan; Sun, Luyang; Zhao, Ying; Yi, Xia; Zhu, Bin; Wang, Pu; Lin, Hong; Ni, Juhua

    2015-01-01

    Since 2010, second-year undergraduate students of an eight-year training program leading to a Doctor of Medicine degree or Doctor of Philosophy degree in Peking University Health Science Center (PKUHSC) have been required to enter the "Innovative talent training project." During that time, the students joined a research lab and participated in some original research work. There is a critical educational need to prepare these students for the increasing accessibility of research experience. The redesigned experimental curriculum of biochemistry and molecular biology was developed to fulfill such a requirement, which keeps two original biochemistry experiments (Gel filtration and Enzyme kinetics) and adds a new two-experiment component called "Analysis of anti-tumor drug induced apoptosis." The additional component, also known as the "project-oriented experiment" or the "comprehensive experiment," consists of Western blotting and a DNA laddering assay to assess the effects of etoposide (VP16) on the apoptosis signaling pathways. This reformed laboratory teaching system aims to enhance the participating students overall understanding of important biological research techniques and the instrumentation involved, and to foster a better understanding of the research process all within a classroom setting. Student feedback indicated that the updated curriculum helped them improve their operational and self-learning capability, and helped to increase their understanding of theoretical knowledge and actual research processes, which laid the groundwork for their future research work. © 2015 The International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.

  16. Long-term variability and impact on human health of biologically active UV radiation in Moscow

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhdanova, Ekaterina; Chubarova, Natalia

    2014-05-01

    Measurements of erythemally weighted UV irradiance (Qer) have been performed at the Meteorological Observatory of Moscow State University since 1999 with the UVB-1 YES pyranometers. These types of devices are broadband with a spectral sensitivity curve close to the action spectrum of erythema. Main uncertainties of UVB-1 YES measurements include the difference in spectral curves of the instrument and the action spectrum of erythema, as well as the deviation from the cosine law. These uncertainties were taken into account in the database of Qer measurements (Chubarova, 2008. Additional corrections of UVB-1 measurements at low ambient temperatures have been made. We analyze interannual, seasonal and diurnal Qer changes over the time period 1999-2012. In addition, the comparisons with the results of UV reconstruction model (Chubarova, 2008) are made. This model allows us to evaluate relative changes in Qer due to variations in total ozone, effective cloud amount transmission, aerosol and cloud optical thickness since 1968. It is important to note that the main reason for UV irradiance monitoring development is the strong influence of UV irradiance on the biosphere and especially on human health mainly on human skin (CIE, 1993, CIE, 2006) and eyes (Oriowo, M. et al., 2001). Based on the detailed studies we have shown the possibility of utilizing UVB-1 pyranometers for measuring the eye-damage UV radiation. Parallel measurements by the Bentham DTM-300 spectrometer and the UVB-1 YES pyranometer at the Innsbruck Medical University (Austria) have provided us the calibration factor in eye-damage units for this broadband instrument. Influence of main geophysical factors on different types of UV irradiance is estimated by means the RAF ideology (Booth, Madronich, 1994). We discuss the responses of different types of biologically active UV radiation to the impact of various atmospheric factors. The UV conditions (deficiency, optimum, excess for human) are analyzed according to

  17. Evaluation of the Redesign of an Undergraduate Cell Biology Course

    PubMed Central

    McEwen, Laura April; Harris, dik; Schmid, Richard F.; Vogel, Jackie; Western, Tamara

    2009-01-01

    This article offers a case study of the evaluation of a redesigned and redeveloped laboratory-based cell biology course. The course was a compulsory element of the biology program, but the laboratory had become outdated and was inadequately equipped. With the support of a faculty-based teaching improvement project, the teaching team redesigned the course and re-equipped the laboratory, using a more learner-centered, constructivist approach. The focus of the article is on the project-supported evaluation of the redesign rather than the redesign per se. The evaluation involved aspects well beyond standard course assessments, including the gathering of self-reported data from the students concerning both the laboratory component and the technical skills associated with the course. The comparison of pre- and postdata gave valuable information to the teaching team on course design issues and skill acquisition. It is argued that the evaluation process was an effective use of the scarce resources of the teaching improvement project. PMID:19255138

  18. The Martian and extraterrestrial UV radiation environment--1. Biological and closed-loop ecosystem considerations.

    PubMed

    Cockell, C S; Andrady, A L

    1999-01-01

    The Martian surface is exposed to both UVC radiation (<280 nm) and higher doses of UVB (280-315 nm) compared to the surface of the Earth. Terrestrial organisms have not evolved to cope with such high levels of UVC and UVB and thus any attempts to introduce organisms to Mars, particularly in closed-loop life support systems that use ambient sunlight, must address this problem. Here we examine the UV radiation environment of Mars with respect to biological systems. Action spectra and UV surface fluxes are used to estimate the UV stress that both DNA and chloroplasts would experience. From this vantage point it is possible to consider appropriate measures to address the problem of the Martian UV environment for future long term human exploration and settlement strategies. Some prospects for improving the UV tolerance of organisms are also discussed. Existing artificial ecosystems such as Biosphere 2 can provide some insights into design strategies pertinent to high UV environments. Some prospects for improving the UV tolerance of organisms are also discussed. The data also have implications for the establishment of closed-loop ecosystems using natural sunlight on the lunar surface and elsewhere in the Solar System.

  19. Radiation-induced DNA damage and the relative biological effectiveness of 18F-FDG in wild-type mice

    DOE PAGES

    Taylor, Kristina; Lemon, Jennifer A.; Boreham, Douglas R.

    2014-05-28

    Clinically, the most commonly used positron emission tomography (PET) radiotracer is the glucose analog 2-[ 18F] fluoro-2-deoxy-d-glucose ( 18F-FDG), however little research has been conducted on the biological effects of 18F-FDG injections. The induction and repair of DNA damage and the relative biological effectiveness (RBE) of radiation from 18F-FDG relative to 662 keV γ-rays were investigated. The study also assessed whether low-dose radiation exposure from 18F-FDG was capable of inducing an adaptive response. DNA damage to the bone marrow erythroblast population was measured using micronucleus formation and lymphocyte γH2A.X levels. To test the RBE of 18F-FDG, mice were injected withmore » a range of activities of 18F-FDG (0–14.80 MBq) or irradiated with Cs-137 γ-rays (0–100 mGy). The adaptive response was investigated 24 h after the 18F-FDG injection by 1 Gy in vivo challenge doses for micronucleated reticulocyte (MN-RET) formation or 1, 2 and 4 Gy in vitro challenges doses for γH2A.X formation. A significant increase in MN-RET formation above controls occurred following injection activities of 3.70, 7.40 or 14.80 MBq (P < 0.001) which correspond to bone marrow doses of ~35, 75 and 150 mGy, respectively. Per unit dose, the Cs-137 radiation exposure induced significantly more damage than the 18F-FDG injections (RBE = 0.79 ± 0.04). A 20% reduction in γH2A.X fluorescence was observed in mice injected with a prior adapting low dose of 14.80 MBq 18F-FDG relative to controls (P < 0.019). A 0.74 MBq 18F-FDG injection, which gives mice a dose approximately equal to a typical human PET scan, did not cause a significant increase in DNA damage nor did it generate an adaptive response. Typical 18F-FDG injection activities used in small animal imaging (14.80 MBq) resulted in a decrease in DNA damage, as measured by γH2A.X formation, below spontaneous levels observed in control mice. Lastly, the 18F-FDG RBE was <1.0, indicating that the mixed radiation quality

  20. Radiation-induced DNA damage and the relative biological effectiveness of 18F-FDG in wild-type mice

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Taylor, Kristina; Lemon, Jennifer A.; Boreham, Douglas R.

    Clinically, the most commonly used positron emission tomography (PET) radiotracer is the glucose analog 2-[ 18F] fluoro-2-deoxy-d-glucose ( 18F-FDG), however little research has been conducted on the biological effects of 18F-FDG injections. The induction and repair of DNA damage and the relative biological effectiveness (RBE) of radiation from 18F-FDG relative to 662 keV γ-rays were investigated. The study also assessed whether low-dose radiation exposure from 18F-FDG was capable of inducing an adaptive response. DNA damage to the bone marrow erythroblast population was measured using micronucleus formation and lymphocyte γH2A.X levels. To test the RBE of 18F-FDG, mice were injected withmore » a range of activities of 18F-FDG (0–14.80 MBq) or irradiated with Cs-137 γ-rays (0–100 mGy). The adaptive response was investigated 24 h after the 18F-FDG injection by 1 Gy in vivo challenge doses for micronucleated reticulocyte (MN-RET) formation or 1, 2 and 4 Gy in vitro challenges doses for γH2A.X formation. A significant increase in MN-RET formation above controls occurred following injection activities of 3.70, 7.40 or 14.80 MBq (P < 0.001) which correspond to bone marrow doses of ~35, 75 and 150 mGy, respectively. Per unit dose, the Cs-137 radiation exposure induced significantly more damage than the 18F-FDG injections (RBE = 0.79 ± 0.04). A 20% reduction in γH2A.X fluorescence was observed in mice injected with a prior adapting low dose of 14.80 MBq 18F-FDG relative to controls (P < 0.019). A 0.74 MBq 18F-FDG injection, which gives mice a dose approximately equal to a typical human PET scan, did not cause a significant increase in DNA damage nor did it generate an adaptive response. Typical 18F-FDG injection activities used in small animal imaging (14.80 MBq) resulted in a decrease in DNA damage, as measured by γH2A.X formation, below spontaneous levels observed in control mice. Lastly, the 18F-FDG RBE was <1.0, indicating that the mixed radiation quality