Research papers

Mapping genomic loci implicates genes and synaptic biology in schizophrenia

Vassily Trubetskoy, Antonio F. Pardiñas, Ting Qi, Georgia Panagiotaropoulou, Swapnil Awasthi, Tim B. Bigdeli, Julien Bryois,…

Schizophrenia has a heritability of 60–80%1, much of which is attributable to common risk alleles. Here, in a two-stage genome-wide association study of up to 76,755 individuals with schizophrenia and 243,649 control individuals, we report common variant associations at 287 distinct genomic loci. Associations were concentrated in genes that are expressed in excitatory and inhibitory neurons of the central nervous system, but not in other tissues or cell types. Using fine-mapping and functional genomic data, we identify 120 genes (106 protein-coding) that are likely to underpin associations at some of these loci, including 16 genes with credible causal non-synonymous or untranslated region variation. We also implicate fundamental processes related to neuronal function, including synaptic organization, differentiation and transmission. Fine-mapped candidates were enriched for genes associated with rare disruptive coding variants in people with schizophrenia, including the glutamate receptor subunit GRIN2A and transcription factor SP4, and were also enriched for genes implicated by such variants in neurodevelopmental disorders. We identify biological processes relevant to schizophrenia pathophysiology; show convergence of common and rare variant associations in schizophrenia and neurodevelopmental disorders; and provide a resource of prioritized genes and variants to advance mechanistic studies. A genome-wide association study including over 76,000 individuals with schizophrenia and over 243,000 control individuals identifies common variant associations at 287 genomic loci, and further fine-mapping analyses highlight the importance of genes involved in synaptic processes.

Effects of Peer Tutoring on Pre-Service Teachers’ Physics Performance in Colleges of Education, Ghana

Valentina Osei-Himah, Joseph Parker, Anna Mwinbuabu Naah

At Atebubu College of Education, the study attempted to determine the impacts of peer tutoring on gender and senior High school background courses of pre-service teachers in physics. To achieve the purpose of the study an action research design was used and a total number of 140 (78 males and 62 females) who are offering primary Education program were purposively selected. The major research tools were accomplishment tests, which were used to collect quantitative data from pre-service teachers. Using the independent sample t-test and one-way ANOVA to analyse the quantitative data. It was found that the male students’ performance in Physics (M = 8.81, SD = 0.927) does not significantly differ from that of the female students’ (M = 8.65, SD = 0.925) as a result of the peer tutoring method adopted for the study. The results of the one-way ANOVA show that there are no differences in the mean score of the pre-service teachers’ performance in Physics and their senior High School course background. It is therefore recommended among other things that the principals and head of science departments of Colleges of Education in Ghana should organise workshops, seminars and in-service training on how to utilize peer tutoring method effectively in teaching scientific concepts to pre-service teachers they training.

Medical physics services in radiology and nuclear medicine in Africa: challenges and opportunities identified through workforce and infrastructure surveys

Christoph Trauernicht, Francis Hasford, N. Khelassi-Toutaoui, Imen Bentouhami, Peter Knoll, Virginia Tsapaki

Abstract The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) developed a staffing model to estimate the number of clinically qualified medical physicists (CQMP) that are required in an imaging facility, including diagnostic radiology and nuclear medicine. For the first time this staffing model was applied on a large scale across Africa. Within the framework of the IAEA African Regional Agreement (AFRA) Technical Cooperation (TC) project RAF6/053 entitled “Enhancing Capacity Building of Medical Physics to Improve Safety and Effectiveness of Medical Imaging (AFRA)”, a survey based on the IAEA staffing model was used to investigate the current CQMP workforce needs in imaging and radionuclide therapy in Africa in order to establish a baseline, identify gaps and suggest steps for improvement. The survey was open for five months, after which data verification was performed. 82 responses were received from 21 countries, including data from 97 diagnostic radiology and 40 nuclear medicine departments, as well as 75 interventional radiology departments and/or catheterization laboratories. Only 26·8% of centres employed an adequate number of CQMPs. The staffing model indicated that 134·3 CQMPs were required for these centres, but only 63 are currently employed in medical imaging and/or nuclear medicine at these centres. At least 11 countries do not have a single institution with an adequate number of CQMPs. Data analysis indicated that the number of radiology and nuclear medicine CQMPs is largely inadequate, at least by a factor of 20 in almost all countries in the region.

Influence of teachers’ self-efficacy on secondary school students’ self-efficacy in biology in Ogbomoso, Nigeria

Mulkah Adebisi Ahmed, A. A. Lawal, Rihanat Aduke Ahmed

It is widely proven by several studies that efficacy is an important factor in the teaching-learning process. Therefore, the goal of this study was to examine whether teachers’ self-efficacy contributes to the development of students’ self-efficacy in Biology. This study was a descriptive research with survey type which used proportionate and stratified sampling techniques to select 98 secondary schools in Ogbomoso, Nigeria. Proportionate, purposive, and simple random sampling techniques were used to select 207 biology teachers and 392 SSS I and II biology students based on gender. The data collected were analysed using mean scores, chi-square, and regression analysis at 0.05 level of significance. The findings revealed that: 1) there was a positive correlation between teachers’ self-efficacy and students’ self-efficacy in biology; 2) the level of teachers’ self-efficacy was moderately high; and 3) female students have higher self-efficacy than male students in biology. The study concluded that teachers’ self-efficacy influences their students’ self-efficacy. Thus, it is recommended that biology teachers should be responsible and pay more attention to the development of their students’ self-efficacy irrespective of students’ gender.

Pharmaceutical pollution of the world’s rivers

John L. Wilkinson, Alistair B.A. Boxall, Dana W. Kolpin, Kmy Leung, Racliffe Weng Seng Lai, Cristóbal Galbán‐Malagón, Aiko D…

Environmental exposure to active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) can have negative effects on the health of ecosystems and humans. While numerous studies have monitored APIs in rivers, these employ different analytical methods, measure different APIs, and have ignored many of the countries of the world. This makes it difficult to quantify the scale of the problem from a global perspective. Furthermore, comparison of the existing data, generated for different studies/regions/continents, is challenging due to the vast differences between the analytical methodologies employed. Here, we present a global-scale study of API pollution in 258 of the world's rivers, representing the environmental influence of 471.4 million people across 137 geographic regions. Samples were obtained from 1,052 locations in 104 countries (representing all continents and 36 countries not previously studied for API contamination) and analyzed for 61 APIs. Highest cumulative API concentrations were observed in sub-Saharan Africa, south Asia, and South America. The most contaminated sites were in low- to middle-income countries and were associated with areas with poor wastewater and waste management infrastructure and pharmaceutical manufacturing. The most frequently detected APIs were carbamazepine, metformin, and caffeine (a compound also arising from lifestyle use), which were detected at over half of the sites monitored. Concentrations of at least one API at 25.7% of the sampling sites were greater than concentrations considered safe for aquatic organisms, or which are of concern in terms of selection for antimicrobial resistance. Therefore, pharmaceutical pollution poses a global threat to environmental and human health, as well as to delivery of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

Development and Validation of Questionnaire for Physics Learning Self-Efficacy among Ghanaian Senior High Schools

Eric Appiah-Twumasi, Yaw Ameyaw, Ishmeal Kwasi Anderson

This study focused on developing an instrument for assessing Senior High School students Physics learning self-efficacy beliefs. An instrument known as PLSE was administered on-site and in-person. The PLSE was tested on 290 final year Senior High School Physics students. Prior to this, the initial scale was administered to 60 Senior High School Physics students after validation by seven experts of Science educators. The PCA extracted four factors with loadings ranging from 0.588 to 0.889. The four factors were Physics Practical, Every Application of concepts, High-Order Thinking Skills and Physics Content. The calculated Average Variance Extracted (AVE), and Composite Reliability of the PLSE items were also found to range from 0.540 to 0.718 and 0.823 to 0.927 respectively. The subsequent reliability results showed excellent internal reliability for each of the sub-scales with Corrected Item-total Correlation (CIC) values, ranging between 0.571 and 0.752. Validity, and reliability assessments revealed accepted threshold cut-off of Average Variance Extracted (AVE), Composite Reliability (CR,) and Cronbach's Alpha coefficient. This paper suggests that the current proposed Physics learning instrument represent a reliable research scale to measure Senior High students Physics learning self-efficacy belief.

IOP Conference Series: Materials Science and Engineering

International Nuclear Science, Technology and Engineering Conference 2021 (iNuSTEC2021) “Nuclear Science and Technology for Socio-economic Development” Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) Skudai, Johor, Malaysia 10-12 October 2021 Editors Nahrul Khair Alang Md Rashid, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia Khaidzir Hamzah, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia Mohsin Mohd Sies, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia Jasman Zainal, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia Muhammad Arif Sazali, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia Muhammad Syahir Sarkawi, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia Nur Syazwani Mohd Ali, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia Khairulnadzmi Jamaluddin, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia Abdul Aziz Mohamed, Malaysian Nuclear Society Faridah Mohamad Idris, Malaysian Nuclear Agency Julie Andrianny Murshidi, Malaysian Nuclear Agency Faizal K P Kunchi Mohamed, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Hassan Mohamed, Universiti Tenaga Nasional Abu Hassan Husin, Universiti Teknologi MARA All papers have been peer-reviewed List of Supporting/Sponsoring Organisations, Preface, Contents, iNuSTEC2021 Organising Committee, Inustec 2021 Awards And Recognition, Acknowledgement and Images are available in this pdf

BNAI, NO-TOKEN, and MIND-UNITY: Pillars of a Systemic Revolution in Artificial Intelligence

Wei, Jason, Wang, Xuezhi, Dale Schuurmans, Maarten Bosma, Ichter, Brian, Xia, Fei, Ed H., Quoc V. Le, Denny Zhou

AbstractThere is a failure mode in large language models that we do not have a good name for, and thatwe therefore tend not to treat seriously enough. It is not hallucination — the model is not assertingsomething false. It is not refusal — the model answers at length. It is the production of responses thatcarry the complete outward form of careful reasoning while the cognitive work that reasoning issupposed to represent has not, in any meaningful sense, occurred. We call this theatrical compliance,and we argue that it is, in practical terms, more dangerous than either of the failure modes thatcurrently dominate alignment research. This paper identifies the phenomenon, characterizes its fiveprincipal forms, explains the asymmetry that makes it particularly costly in high-stakes settings, andoutlines the design requirements for systems intended to resist it. We do not describe such a systemin detail here. Our goal is to establish theatrical compliance as a research problem in its own rightand to argue that addressing it requires instruments operating at a fundamentally different level ofabstraction than task-level prompting frameworks.Keywords: theatrical compliance, large language models, AI reasoning quality, cognitiveprocess evaluation, prompt engineering, metacognitive systems.

Development and evaluation of an electronic nursing documentation system

Mohsen Shafiee, Mostafa Shanbehzadeh, Zeinab Nassari, Hadi Kazemi-Arpanahi

BACKGROUND: Nursing documentation is a critical aspect of the nursing care workflow. There is a varying degree in how detailed nursing reports are described in scientific literature and care practice, and no uniform structured documentation is provided. This study aimed to describe the process of designing and evaluating the content of an electronic clinical nursing documentation system (ECNDS) to provide consistent and unified reporting in this context. METHODS: A four-step sequential methodological approach was utilized. The Minimum Data Set (MDS) development process consisted of two phases, as follows: First, a literature review was performed to attain an exhaustive overview of the relevant elements of nursing and map the available evidence underpinning the development of the MDS. Then, the data included from the literature review were analyzed using a two-round Delphi study with content validation by an expert panel. Afterward, the ECNDS was developed according to the finalized MDS, and eventually, its performance was evaluated by involving the end-users. RESULTS: The proposed MDS was divided into administrative and clinical sections; including nursing assessment and the nursing diagnosis process. Then, a web-based system with modular and layered architecture was developed based on the derived MDS. Finally, to evaluate the developed system, a survey of 150 registered nurses (RNs) was conducted to identify the positive and negative impacts of the system. CONCLUSIONS: The developed system is suitable for the documentation of patient care in nursing care plans within a legal, ethical, and professional framework. However, nurses need further training in documenting patient care according to the nursing process, and in using the standard reporting templates to increase patient safety and improve documentation.

Biology and Ecology of Earthworms

C. A. Edwards, Norman Q. Arancon

Developing Preservice Teachers’ Scientific Problem-Solving Skills Using a Pragmatic Approach to Physics: The Case of Gbewaa College of Education

Anthony Baawuo, Emmanuel Issah Azuuga, Edward Apenen Adakudugu, Issaka Abdulai

This research aimed at developing preservice-teachers’ scientific problem-solving skills after taking part in active learning in an introductory science lesson in semester two of the 2020/2021 academic year. The researchers engaged 150 level hundred preservice-teachers for five (5) weeks. Pre-test and post-test designs were employed to collect data for both quantitative and qualitative analyses. Ten active learning practices were performed throughout the semester. The problem-solving assessment used was T-TEL and rubrics were used to develop the research instrument to evaluate preservice teachers’ problem-solving skills. A Sample group interview was conducted to obtain qualitative data on preservice teachers’ opinions of active learning activities. A sample t-test was used to compare problem-solving pre-test and post-test scores in the class. The data collected and content analysis was used to summarize preservice teachers’ opinions. The results revealed their problem-solving skills were highly improved after taking part in active learning processes at 0.05 confident levels. Preservice teachers expressed their opinions positively toward active learning processes and showed a willingness to participate actively in the next lesson using the same learning approach.

Event Generators for High-Energy Physics Experiments

J. M. Campbell, M. Diefenthaler, T. J. Hobbs, Stefan Höche, Joshua Isaacson, Felix Kling, S. Mrenna, J. Reuter, S. Alioli, J…

We provide an overview of the status of Monte-Carlo event generators for high-energy particle physics. Guided by the experimental needs and requirements, we highlight areas of active development, and opportunities for future improvements. Particular emphasis is given to physics models and algorithms that are employed across a variety of experiments. These common themes in event generator development lead to a more comprehensive understanding of physics at the highest energies and intensities, and allow models to be tested against a wealth of data that have been accumulated over the past decades. A cohesive approach to event generator development will allow these models to be further improved and systematic uncertainties to be reduced, directly contributing to future experimental success. Event generators are part of a much larger ecosystem of computational tools. They typically involve a number of unknown model parameters that must be tuned to experimental data, while maintaining the integrity of the underlying physics models. Making both these data, and the analyses with which they have been obtained accessible to future users is an essential aspect of open science and data preservation. It ensures the consistency of physics models across a variety of experiments.

Cancer Incidence, Mortality, Years of Life Lost, Years Lived With Disability, and Disability-Adjusted Life Years for 29 Cancer Groups From 2010 to 2019

Jonathan Kocarnik, Kelly Compton, Frances Dean, Weijia Fu, Brian Gaw, James Harvey, Hannah Henrikson, Dan Lu, Alyssa Pennini…

IMPORTANCE: The Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study 2019 (GBD 2019) provided systematic estimates of incidence, morbidity, and mortality to inform local and international efforts toward reducing cancer burden. OBJECTIVE: To estimate cancer burden and trends globally for 204 countries and territories and by Sociodemographic Index (SDI) quintiles from 2010 to 2019. EVIDENCE REVIEW: The GBD 2019 estimation methods were used to describe cancer incidence, mortality, years lived with disability, years of life lost, and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) in 2019 and over the past decade. Estimates are also provided by quintiles of the SDI, a composite measure of educational attainment, income per capita, and total fertility rate for those younger than 25 years. Estimates include 95% uncertainty intervals (UIs). FINDINGS: In 2019, there were an estimated 23.6 million (95% UI, 22.2-24.9 million) new cancer cases (17.2 million when excluding nonmelanoma skin cancer) and 10.0 million (95% UI, 9.36-10.6 million) cancer deaths globally, with an estimated 250 million (235-264 million) DALYs due to cancer. Since 2010, these represented a 26.3% (95% UI, 20.3%-32.3%) increase in new cases, a 20.9% (95% UI, 14.2%-27.6%) increase in deaths, and a 16.0% (95% UI, 9.3%-22.8%) increase in DALYs. Among 22 groups of diseases and injuries in the GBD 2019 study, cancer was second only to cardiovascular diseases for the number of deaths, years of life lost, and DALYs globally in 2019. Cancer burden differed across SDI quintiles. The proportion of years lived with disability that contributed to DALYs increased with SDI, ranging from 1.4% (1.1%-1.8%) in the low SDI quintile to 5.7% (4.2%-7.1%) in the high SDI quintile. While the high SDI quintile had the highest number of new cases in 2019, the middle SDI quintile had the highest number of cancer deaths and DALYs. From 2010 to 2019, the largest percentage increase in the numbers of cases and deaths occurred in the low and low-middle SDI quintiles. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: The results of this systematic analysis suggest that the global burden of cancer is substantial and growing, with burden differing by SDI. These results provide comprehensive and comparable estimates that can potentially inform efforts toward equitable cancer control around the world.

Physics-informed neural networks (PINNs) for fluid mechanics: a review

Shengze Cai, Zhiping Mao, Zhicheng Wang, Minglang Yin, George Em Karniadakis

National surgical, obstetric, anaesthesia and nursing plan, Nigeria

Justina O. Seyi‐Olajide, Jamie E. Anderson, Omolara Williams, Omolara Faboya, Joseph O. Amedu, Stanley Anyanwu, Abraham Beth…

Recent evidence suggests that strengthening surgical care within existing health systems will strengthen the overall health-care system. However, Nigeria's national strategic health development plan 2018-2022 placed little emphasis on surgical care. To address the gap, we worked with professional societies and other partners to develop the national surgical, obstetric, anaesthesia and nursing plan 2019-2023. The aim was to foster actions to prioritize surgical care for the achievement of universal health coverage. In addition to creating a costed strategy to strengthen surgical care, the plan included children's surgery and nursing: two key aspects that have been neglected in other national surgical plans. Pilot implementation of the plan began in 2020, supported by a nongovernmental organization with experience in surgical care in the region. We have created specific entry points to facilitate the pilot implementation. In the pilot, an electronic surgery registry has been created; personnel are being trained in life support; nurses are being trained in safe perioperative care; biomedical technicians and sterile supplies nurses are being trained in surgical instrument repair and maintenance; and research capacity is being strengthened. In addition, the mainstream media are being mobilized to improve awareness about the plan among policy-makers and the general population. Another development partner is interested in providing support for paediatric surgery, and a children's hospital is being planned. As funding is a key challenge to full implementation, we need innovative domestic funding strategies to support and sustain implementation.

Promoting Interactive Teaching with ICT: Features of Intervention for the Realities in the Ghanaian Physics Senior High School Classroom

Elizabeth Darko Agyei, Douglas Darko Agyei

<p>This research reports on the design aspect of a bigger project which sought to design and implement information and communication technology (ICT)-based interventions for the purpose of developing pre-service teachers’ ICT competency for teaching physics in an interactive manner using a three-stage (design stage, implementation and evaluation stage, and documentation and reflection stage) design-based research approach. Using literature as a lens, this research examines the interventions that we designed in the first stage of the project with the intent to determine its features that promote interactive teaching and fit the Ghanaian senior high school physics classroom context. Findings show that the intervention with inherent features comprising of: a readily available, sustainable, context- and content-specific ICT teaching and learning environment; an ICT-oriented knowledge base for teachers’ uptake of ICT; an underlining framework for defining interactive and learner-centred teaching approach with ICT; ICT-driven interactive lesson objectives; an inquiry-driven, activity- and ICT-based learning material; and a collaborative classroom arrangement is appropriate and sensitive to the needs of the Ghanaian physics classroom context and, hence, possess the potential for promoting interactive teaching. The features of the interventions, as situated in the specific context of the research and implications of the findings are discussed.<strong></strong></p><p><strong> </strong></p>

Enhancing Students’ Learning of Physics Concepts with Simulation as an Instructional ICT Tool

Elizabeth Darko Agyei, Douglas Darko Agyei

The dwindling interest and perceived difficulty experienced by science students in learning physics at the senior high school level of education in Ghana speak to the need for the creation of authentic instructional platforms that promote enhanced learning as well as motivate students’ interest in physics. This study used an explanatory case study design to examine the affordances of Physics Education Technology simulations (PhETs) as an instructional tool with the intent to explain how enhanced students’ learning of physics concepts with simulations through implementation processes are possible in the context of Ghana. Nine pre-service physics teachers were engaged as learners to mimic the role of senior high school science students in witnessing simulation-based physics lessons. Questionnaires, pre- and post-tests and focus group interviews were the data sources employed in this study. The results showed that the learners’ learning enhanced with the use of PhETs because their learning outcomes improved and also, they had positive experiences with the simulations. Consequently, the study advocates that enhanced learning of concepts in physics with simulations are possible through interactive implementation processes that are exploratory and demonstrative in nature and context-sensitive.

Effect of Practical Work on Physics Learning Effectiveness: A Case of a Senior High School in Ghana

Victor Antwi, Nelly Adjoa Sakyi-Hagan, Fortune Addo-Wuver, Bismark Asare

This study investigated the effect of practical work on students’ academic achievement, acquisition of scientific process, skills and attitudes towards the study of selected topics in electricity. Fifty (50) Form Two Physics students from a Senior High Technical School in the Kwaebibirem Municipal of the Eastern Region of Ghana participated in the study. Instruments used to collect data included a student learning evaluation form, questionnaire and pre-and-post-intervention tests. Data was analysed using descriptive statistics and Microsoft Excel 2010 Computer Software. The findings indicated that the students’ academic performance were enhanced, they acquired important scientific process skills needed for science practical work and developed positive attitudes towards science practical work. The study recommended that Physics teachers should adopt practical work as a teaching technique and as well be encouraged to teach concepts alongside with practical activities.

LAMMPS - a flexible simulation tool for particle-based materials modeling at the atomic, meso, and continuum scales

Aidan P. Thompson, Hasan Metin Aktulga, Richard A. Berger, Dan Bolintineanu, William M. Brown, Paul Crozier, Pieter J. in ’t…

Since the classical molecular dynamics simulator LAMMPS was released as an open source code in 2004, it has become a widely-used tool for particle-based modeling of materials at length scales ranging from atomic to mesoscale to continuum. Reasons for its popularity are that it provides a wide variety of particle interaction models for different materials, that it runs on any platform from a single CPU core to the largest supercomputers with accelerators, and that it gives users control over simulation details, either via the input script or by adding code for new interatomic potentials, constraints, diagnostics, or other features needed for their models. As a result, hundreds of people have contributed new capabilities to LAMMPS and it has grown from fifty thousand lines of code in 2004 to a million lines today. In this paper several of the fundamental algorithms used in LAMMPS are described along with the design strategies which have made it flexible for both users and developers. We also highlight some capabilities recently added to the code which were enabled by this flexibility, including dynamic load balancing, on-the-fly visualization, magnetic spin dynamics models, and quantum-accuracy machine learning interatomic potentials. Program Title: Large-scale Atomic/Molecular Massively Parallel Simulator (LAMMPS) CPC Library link to program files: https://doi.org/10.17632/cxbxs9btsv.1 Developer's repository link: https://github.com/lammps/lammps Licensing provisions: GPLv2 Programming language: C++, Python, C, Fortran Supplementary material: https://www.lammps.org Nature of problem: Many science applications in physics, chemistry, materials science, and related fields require parallel, scalable, and efficient generation of long, stable classical particle dynamics trajectories. Within this common problem definition, there lies a great diversity of use cases, distinguished by different particle interaction models, external constraints, as well as timescales and lengthscales ranging from atomic to mesoscale to macroscopic. Solution method: The LAMMPS code uses parallel spatial decomposition, distributed neighbor lists, and parallel FFTs for long-range Coulombic interactions [1]. The time integration algorithm is based on the Størmer-Verlet symplectic integrator [2], which provides better stability than higher-order non-symplectic methods. In addition, LAMMPS supports a wide range of interatomic potentials, constraints, diagnostics, software interfaces, and pre- and post-processing features. Additional comments including restrictions and unusual features: This paper serves as the definitive reference for the LAMMPS code. S. Plimpton, Fast parallel algorithms for short-range molecular dynamics. J. Comp. Phys. 117 (1995) 1–19. L. Verlet, Computer experiments on classical fluids: I. Thermodynamical properties of Lennard–Jones molecules, Phys. Rev. 159 (1967) 98–103.

The naked truth: a comprehensive clarification and classification of current ‘myths’ in naked mole‐rat biology

Rochelle Buffenstein, Vincent Amoroso, Blazej Andziak, Stanislav Avdieiev, Jorge Azpurua, Alison J. Barker, Nigel C. Bennett…

The naked mole-rat (Heterocephalus glaber) has fascinated zoologists for at least half a century. It has also generated considerable biomedical interest not only because of its extraordinary longevity, but also because of unusual protective features (e.g. its tolerance of variable oxygen availability), which may be pertinent to several human disease states, including ischemia/reperfusion injury and neurodegeneration. A recent article entitled 'Surprisingly long survival of premature conclusions about naked mole-rat biology' described 28 'myths' which, those authors claimed, are a 'perpetuation of beautiful, but falsified, hypotheses' and impede our understanding of this enigmatic mammal. Here, we re-examine each of these 'myths' based on evidence published in the scientific literature. Following Braude et al., we argue that these 'myths' fall into four main categories: (i) 'myths' that would be better described as oversimplifications, some of which persist solely in the popular press; (ii) 'myths' that are based on incomplete understanding, where more evidence is clearly needed; (iii) 'myths' where the accumulation of evidence over the years has led to a revision in interpretation, but where there is no significant disagreement among scientists currently working in the field; (iv) 'myths' where there is a genuine difference in opinion among active researchers, based on alternative interpretations of the available evidence. The term 'myth' is particularly inappropriate when applied to competing, evidence-based hypotheses, which form part of the normal evolution of scientific knowledge. Here, we provide a comprehensive critical review of naked mole-rat biology and attempt to clarify some of these misconceptions.

The integrative biology of genetic dominance

Sylvain Billiard, Vincent Castric, Violaine Llaurens

Dominance is a basic property of inheritance systems describing the link between a diploid genotype at a single locus and the resulting phenotype. Models for the evolution of dominance have long been framed as an opposition between the irreconcilable views of Fisher in 1928 supporting the role of largely elusive dominance modifiers and Wright in 1929, who viewed dominance as an emerging property of the structure of enzymatic pathways. Recent theoretical and empirical advances however suggest that these opposing views can be reconciled, notably using models investigating the regulation of gene expression and developmental processes. In this more comprehensive framework, phenotypic dominance emerges from departures from linearity between any levels of integration in the genotype-to-phenotype map. Here, we review how these different models illuminate the emergence and evolution of dominance. We then detail recent empirical studies shedding new light on the diversity of molecular and physiological mechanisms underlying dominance and its evolution. By reconciling population genetics and functional biology, we hope our review will facilitate cross-talk among research fields in the integrative study of dominance evolution.

Junior High School Teachers’ Attitudes Toward Inquiry-Based Science Teaching: Enabling or Disabling Dispositions?

Salifu Maigari Mohammed, Kwaku Darko Amponsah

This study sought to examine whether junior high school teachers’ attitudes are enabling or disabling dispositions toward inquiry-based science teaching. We used concurrent triangulation mixed methods design involving surveys and multiple case studies to collect quantitative and qualitative data. We sampled 308 integrated science teachers and a subsample of 18 teachers from junior high schools in urban and rural areas. Validity and reliability of the questionnaire were satisfactory for research. Credibility and dependability of the semi-structured interview schedule were also sufficient. Findings suggest that most junior high school teachers in the study context hold weak unfavourable attitudes that are disabling dispositions toward inquiry-based science teaching. Findings also suggest that the combination of societal subjective norms, perceived context dependency, and weak unfavourable attitudes of most junior high school teachers adversely influence their intentions and behaviours toward inquiry-based science teaching. Findings further suggest that most teachers in the study context developed weak unfavourable attitudes partly because they never had inquiry-based science teaching and learning experiences when they were students. Again, the teachers developed weak general attitudes toward science teaching partly because most science teaching and learning experiences they had were in specific subjects such as biology, chemistry, and physics instead of general (integrated) science. We recommend frequent attitude-focused inquiry-based science in-service trainings for junior high school teachers. We also recommend reforms in education that engages preservice teachers in attitude-focused inquiry-based science teaching and learning experiences.

The Welwitschia genome reveals a unique biology underpinning extreme longevity in deserts

Tao Wan, Zhiming Liu, Ilia J. Leitch, H. P. Xin, Gillian Maggs‐Kölling, Yanbing Gong, Zhen Li, Eugène Marais, Yiying Liao, C…

The gymnosperm Welwitschia mirabilis belongs to the ancient, enigmatic gnetophyte lineage. It is a unique desert plant with extreme longevity and two ever-elongating leaves. We present a chromosome-level assembly of its genome (6.8 Gb/1 C) together with methylome and transcriptome data to explore its astonishing biology. We also present a refined, high-quality assembly of Gnetum montanum to enhance our understanding of gnetophyte genome evolution. The Welwitschia genome has been shaped by a lineage-specific ancient, whole genome duplication (~86 million years ago) and more recently (1-2 million years) by bursts of retrotransposon activity. High levels of cytosine methylation (particularly at CHH motifs) are associated with retrotransposons, whilst long-term deamination has resulted in an exceptionally GC-poor genome. Changes in copy number and/or expression of gene families and transcription factors (e.g. R2R3MYB, SAUR) controlling cell growth, differentiation and metabolism underpin the plant's longevity and tolerance to temperature, nutrient and water stress.

Meroterpenoids: A Comprehensive Update Insight on Structural Diversity and Biology

Mamona Nazir, Muhammad Saleem, Muhammad Imran Tousif, Muhammad Aijaz Anwar, Frank Surup, Iftikhar Ali, Daijie Wang, Nilufar …

Meroterpenoids are secondary metabolites formed due to mixed biosynthetic pathways which are produced in part from a terpenoid co-substrate. These mixed biosynthetically hybrid compounds are widely produced by bacteria, algae, plants, and animals. Notably amazing chemical diversity is generated among meroterpenoids via a combination of terpenoid scaffolds with polyketides, alkaloids, phenols, and amino acids. This review deals with the isolation, chemical diversity, and biological effects of 452 new meroterpenoids reported from natural sources from January 2016 to December 2020. Most of the meroterpenoids possess antimicrobial, cytotoxic, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antiviral, enzyme inhibitory, and immunosupressive effects.