Pedagogy in Paleopathology

Abstract

The study of diseases, anomalies and abnormalities in skeletal or mummified bodies representing peoples of the past, has been the stepchild of Archaeology and medical pathology for many years. In the past the emphasis has been on documentation of unusual findings. Little effort has been made to educate researchers and teachers in this field. A course of instruction in Paleopathology was held for 4 years at the U.S. National Museum. In an assessment of the teaching of Paleopathology in North America Kerley found that 68 of 340 anthropology departments and museums with physical anthropology sections offered such courses. There was considerable variation in the organization of the courses, material covered, teaching aids available, instruction methods, and the general orientation of the instruction. In 1972 a course in Paleopathology was first offered at the University of Tennessee-Knoxville and has continued since. The problem of communicating concepts of pathology, epidemiology, and demography to inexperienced university students has necessitated continuing modification of the course. Education in Paleopathology has received little emphasis in the past. Our teaching methods may be of value to others. We are documenting our experiences with the hope that they are helpful and that in the future there may be increased interest in and some standardization of teaching methods.     

Crisis in Biology An Examination of the Deficiencies in the Current Pattern of Expansion in Biological Education

A method of analysing the content of biology curricula, courses, and texts on the basis of the relative emphasis laid on different levels of biological organization, is discussed. It is suggested that this method may have led to unwarranted contrasts between ‘traditional’ and ‘modern’ curricula. A simple modification to this method is proposed.     

Book review of evolutionary genetics: Concepts,analysis, and practice

Recent technological advances have expanded and increased the resolution of studies in evolutionary biology, creating a need for a modern textbook that highlights the latest developments in the field. Evolutionary Genetics: Concepts, Analysis, and Practice, by Glenn‐Peter Sætre and Mark Ravinet (2019), as well as the book's accompanying online tutorials, provide a clear, up‐to‐date, and enjoyable introduction to evolutionary biology and genetics that explains fundamental evolutionary concepts, illustrates recent exciting findings, and offers hands‐on experience in analysing and interpreting genomic data. The book's accessible nature and emphasis on developing practical skills make it a valuable resource for undergraduate courses on evolutionary biology.     

Anticipation of Personal Genomics Data Enhances Interest and Learning Environment in Genomics and Molecular Biology Undergraduate Courses

An important discussion at colleges is centered on determining more effective models for teaching undergraduates. As personalized genomics has become more common, we hypothesized it could be a valuable tool to make science education more hands on, personal, and engaging for college undergraduates. We hypothesized that providing students with personal genome testing kits would enhance the learning experience of students in two undergraduate courses at Brigham Young University: Advanced Molecular Biology and Genomics. These courses have an emphasis on personal genomics the last two weeks of the semester. Students taking these courses were given the option to receive personal genomics kits in 2014, whereas in 2015 they were not. Students sent their personal genomics samples in on their own and received the data after the course ended. We surveyed students in these courses before and after the two-week emphasis on personal genomics to collect data on whether anticipation of obtaining their own personal genomic data impacted undergraduate student learning. We also tested to see if specific personal genomic assignments improved the learning experience by analyzing the data from the undergraduate students who completed both the pre- and post-course surveys. Anticipation of personal genomic data significantly enhanced student interest and the learning environment based on the time students spent researching personal genomic material and their self-reported attitudes compared to those who did not anticipate getting their own data. Personal genomics homework assignments significantly enhanced the undergraduate student interest and learning based on the same criteria and a personal genomics quiz. We found that for the undergraduate students in both molecular biology and genomics courses, incorporation of personal genomic testing can be an effective educational tool in undergraduate science education.     

A survey of the use of field facilities by Scottish higher education

The paper describes a survey of the use made of field study facilities by Scottish universities and colleges during the academic year 1971-72. Most of the data relate to residential field courses, and a variety of characteristics of such courses are tabulated. Some interesting points of comparison arise between biology and geography courses, the former being apparently more dependent on time, staff and laboratory facilities. The nature of the facilities available for field work and some of the constraints placed on the provision of field courses are briefly discussed.     

Beyond strain typing and molecular epidemiology: integrated genetic epidemiology of infectious diseases

In the past 20 years, genetic and molecular methods for characterizing pathogen strains have taken a major place in modern approaches to epidemiology of parasitic and other infectious diseases. Here, Michel Tibayrenc explains the main concepts used in this field of research, with special emphasis on the approaches developed in his team, and suggests future avenues to explore.     

A comparative study between outcomes of an in‐person versus online introductory field course

The COVID‐19 pandemic has disrupted many standard approaches to STEM education. Particularly impacted were field courses, which rely on specific natural spaces often accessed through shared vehicles. As in‐person field courses have been found to be particularly impactful for undergraduate student success in the sciences, we aimed to compare and understand what factors may have been lost or gained during the conversion of an introductory field course to an online format. Using a mixed methods approach comparing data from online and in‐person field‐course offerings, we found that while community building was lost in the online format, online participants reported increased self‐efficacy in research and observation skills and connection to their local space. The online field course additionally provided positive mental health breaks for students who described the time outside as a much‐needed respite. We maintain that through intentional design, online field courses can provide participants with similar outcomes to in‐person field courses.     

Application of lipases in kinetic resolution of racemates

Lipases have been well established as valuable catalysts in organic synthesis. This review article focuses on some of the recent developments in the rapidly growing field of lipase-catalyzed kinetic resolution of racemates as a versatile method for the separation of enantiomers. The literature search dates back to the last five years and covers some comprehensive examples. The main emphasis is on the use of lipases in organic solvents.     

Biological education—the end of the dinosaur era?

Biology courses in schools have proliferated in recent years but now the climate has changed and it is important to consider the biological education component of a science programme for all pupils. This paper identifies the constraints -which have shaped existing biology courses and discusses objectives and content for future biological education.     

Graduate education and the role of the physical anthropologist in biomedical teaching and research

There is a place for the physical anthropologist in biomedical teaching and research because of the special and unique skills possessed by this individual. However, eventual success in the health sciences environment requires the student to obtain the knowledge and background for functionally oriented teaching and research. Students interested in a biomedical teaching and research career must prepare themselves methodologically and theoretically. This requires: (1) teaching qualifications, (2) an increased emphasis on methodology and technology, (3) an increased emphasis on research and experimental design, (4) appropriate interdisciplinary courses which provide the background for both teaching and research, (5) increased interaction with graduate faculty active in research, and (6) the latitude to adapt the graduate program to meet these specific needs. Students who finish their graduate training with a marketable skill, and who can apply their unique talents to a specialized area, will have broad appeal in the job market and will considerably strengthen their career opportunities.     

Circadian rhythms have insignificant effects on plant gas exchange under field conditions

Circadian rhythms in photosynthesis and stomatal conductance have been widely observed, but their possible adaptive significance is unknown. To determine whether such rhythms have a significant effect on the daily courses of carbon gain and/or water loss under field conditions, we obtained laboratory data on circadian rhythms in gas exchange of Saururus cernuus L., a wetland perennial. Using these data we modified a widely used mathematical model of photosynthesis and stomatal conductance by introducing the observed circadian‐rhythmic variation into the maximum rates of electron transport and carboxylation. We measured photosynthesis and stomatal conductance hourly on the same species growing naturally in the field and compared measured daily courses of photosynthesis and stomatal conductance with daily courses calculated using the model as originally formulated and also as modified to include circadian rhythms. The model fit the field data only slightly better when rhythms were included: the rhythms accounted for only about 1% of the observed daily carbon gain. Thus, these rhythms probably do not affect photosynthesis and stomatal conductance in the field.     

Structure and function of molybdopterin containing enzymes

Molybdopterin containing enzymes are present in a wide range of living systems and have been known for several decades. However, only in the past two years have the first crystal structures been reported for this type of enzyme. This has represented a major breakthrough in this field. The enzymes share common structural features, but reveal different polypeptide folding topologies. In this review we give an account of the related spectroscopic information and the crystallographic results, with emphasis on structure-function studies.     

Genomics of the filamentous fungi - moving from the shadow of the bakers yeast

Fungi have now well and truly entered the genomic age. We currently know the complete DNA sequence for 18 fungal species and many more fungal genome sequencing projects are in progress. Whilst yeasts dominated the early genomic years, recently there has been a dramatic increase in filamentous fungal genome projects. The implications of this wealth of genetic information for mycologists worldwide is immense. In this review we summarise the background to fungal genome projects with an emphasis on the filamentous fungi. We discuss efforts to determine gene function and to compare genomes from different species. Since this is such a fast-moving field, useful web sites are listed that will enable the reader to keep up to date with developments.     

Field courses narrow demographic achievement gaps in ecology and evolutionary biology

Disparities remain in the representation of marginalized students in STEM. Classroom‐based experiential learning opportunities can increase student confidence and academic success; however, the effectiveness of extending learning to outdoor settings is unknown. Our objectives were to examine (a) demographic gaps in ecology and evolutionary biology (EEB) major completion, college graduation, and GPAs for students who did and did not enroll in field courses, (b) whether under‐represented demographic groups were less likely to enroll in field courses, and (c) whether under‐represented demographic groups were more likely to feel increased competency in science‐related tasks (hereafter, self‐efficacy) after participating in field courses. We compared the relationships among academic success measures and demographic data (race/ethnicity, socioeconomic status, first‐generation, and gender) for UC Santa Cruz undergraduate students admitted between 2008 and 2019 who participated in field courses (N = 941 students) and who did not (N = 28,215 students). Additionally, we administered longitudinal surveys to evaluate self‐efficacy gains during field‐based versus classroom‐based courses (N = 570 students). We found no differences in the proportion of students matriculating at the university as undecided, proposed EEB, or proposed other majors across demographic groups. However, five years later, under‐represented students were significantly less likely to graduate with EEB degrees, indicating retention rather than recruitment drives disparities in representation. This retention gap is partly due to a lower rate of college completion and partly through attrition to other majors. Although under‐represented students were less likely to enroll in field courses, field courses were associated with higher self‐efficacy gains, higher college graduation rates, higher EEB major retention, and higher GPAs at graduation. All demographic groups experienced significant increases in self‐efficacy during field‐based but not lecture‐based courses. Together, our findings suggest that increasing the number of field courses and actively facilitating access to students from under‐represented groups can be a powerful tool for increasing STEM diversity.     

Under pressure: the search for the essential mechanisms of hypertension

High blood pressure, or hypertension, is a very common disorder with a substantial impact on public health because of its associated complications. Despite the high prevalence of essential hypertension and years of research, the basic causes remain obscure. Here I review recent advances in understanding the pathophysiology of hypertension. I present a general overview of the field and, by necessity, use broad strokes to portray recent progress and place it in context. For this purpose, I use illustrative examples from the large number of important developments in hypertension research over the last five years. The intent of this review is to provide a sense of where the field is progressing, with an emphasis on work that sheds light on pathogenic mechanisms and that is therefore likely to inform new translational advances.     

An Assessment of Introductory Restoration Courses in the United States and Canada

A considerable number of institutions offer courses in restoration ecology and its application, ecological restoration. We quantified the scope and structure of introductory restoration courses at 67 post‐secondary institutions by reviewing institutional course catalogs and course syllabi. Most courses were available at Research‐level institutions. More than half of the courses were offered within departments that focused on natural resource management, and were required or optional in a degree program. Most courses were taught in classroom settings during the academic year and were geared toward advanced students. Course titles suggested an emphasis on the science of restoration ecology over the practice of ecological restoration, and learning objectives focused primarily on concepts and less on skills and attitudes. Assessment was largely via conventional methods, notably exams. Many courses assigned readings from the primary literature; there was little consensus in terms of text selection. We conclude that restoration is being presented to students as an advanced undertaking and in largely theoretical terms. Although we were unable to consider other important elements such as thematic content, class size, or pedagogical method, our study provides a baseline assessment of introductory restoration courses that can be used to evaluate changes in restoration education or opportunities for restoration education in other countries. These results can inform the development of new introductory restoration courses, and raise important considerations in light of the development of a Practitioners' Certification Program by the Society for Ecological Restoration.     

Liposomes: an overview of manufacturing techniques

During the last few decades liposomes have attracted great interest as ideal models for biological membranes as well as efficient carriers for drugs, diagnostics, vaccines, nutrients and other bioactive agents. The extensive and ever increasing literature covering the field of liposomology written by researchers with diverse backgrounds is an indication of increasing interest in this field. Many techniques and methodologies have evolved for the manufacture of liposomes, on small and large scales, since their introduction to the scientific community around 40 years ago. This article intends to provide an overview of the advantages and disadvantages of liposome preparation methods in general with particular emphasis on the heating method, developed in our laboratory, as a model technique for fast production of the lipid vesicles.     

Measuring antioxidants in tree species in the natural environment: from sampling to data evaluation

Biochemical measurements of antioxidants and protective pigments have been successfully introduced as markers of environmental stress in field studies (mainly forest studies). A guideline for field sampling and analysis methods is required to allow better comparison of data from different studies. The present review paper recommends HPLC methods for the analysis of ascorbate and glutathione (in oxidized and reduced form), tocopherols, and chloroplast pigments. Methodological variations are substantially lower (coefficients of variance of repeated extractions typically 4-9%) than biological variations of field samples (typical variation coefficients 8-36%), hence special emphasis is put on considerations of sampling standardization in the field with respect to sample time (seasonal and diurnal) and representative sampling of individuals and tissues. Following the suggestions in this paper would enable researchers to produce results that could be compared with those of several forest studies on conifers published in recent years. A larger data-set available for multivariate statistical evaluations (e.g. principal component analysis and cluster analysis) will enhance the diagnostic value of such investigations.     

The expanding field of poly(ADP-ribosyl)ation reactions. 'Protein Modifications: Beyond the Usual Suspects' Review Series

Poly(ADP-ribosyl)ation is a post-translational modification of proteins that is mediated by poly(ADP-ribose) polymerases (PARPs). Although the existence and nature of the nucleic acid-like molecule poly(ADP-ribose) (PAR) has been known for 40 years, understanding its biological functions--originally thought to be only the regulation of chromatin superstructure when DNA is broken--is still the subject of intense research. Here, we review the mechanisms controlling the biosynthesis of this complex macromolecule and some of its main biological functions, with an emphasis on the most recent advances and hypotheses that have developed in this rapidly growing field.