Biological Concepts Research Articles

Reducing confusion surrounding expert conceptions of Alzheimer's and dementia: A practical analysis.

Biological, clinicobiological and clinical conceptions of Alzheimer's disease and related dementias are being promoted simultaneously to different practical ends. The co-existence of contemporary conceptions and the 'scary label' associated with older diagnostic criteria create the possibility of misunderstanding and harm. In this comment, we argue in favour of socio-ethical interventions targeted to health workers and the general public so as to lower the uncertainties introduced by contemporary diagnostic criteria and to articulate how they relate to established criteria.

A plant mutant screen CURE integrated with core biology concepts showed effectiveness in course design and students' perceived learning gains.

Course-based undergraduate research experiences (CUREs) provide students with valuable opportunities to engage in research in a classroom setting, expanding access to research opportunitiesfor undergraduates, fostering inclusive research and learning environments, and bridging the gap between the research and education communities. While scientific practices, integral to the scientific discovery process, have been widely implemented in CUREs, there have been relatively few reports emphasizing the incorporation of core biology concepts into CURE curricula. In this study, we present a CURE that integrates core biology concepts, including genetic information flow, phenotype-genotype relationships, mutations and mutants, and structure-function relationships, within the context of mutant screening and gene loci identification. The design of this laboratory course aligns with key CURE criteria, as demonstrated by data collected through the laboratory course assessment survey (LCAS). The survey of undergraduate research experiences (SURE) demonstrates students' learning gains in both course-directed skills and transferrable skills following their participation in the CURE. Additionally, concept survey data reflect students' self-perceived understanding of the aforementioned core biological concepts. Given that genetic mutant screens are central to the study of gene function in biology, we anticipate that this CURE holds potential value for educators and researchers who are interested in designing and implementing a mutant screen CURE in their classrooms. This can be accomplished through independent research or by establishing partnerships between different units or institutions.

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IN BIOLOGY EDUCATION

Artificial intelligence (AI) in biology education can be defined as the deployment of AI in sections of study that help learners and researchers in their areas of concentration, specifically biological sciences. It gives a significant meaning toward the improvement of biology education since AI contributes toward the improvement of research methods and the expansion of knowledge on the associated biological concepts. Continued advances in artificial intelligence as a powerful tool in biological research will prove a major boon to the further development of biology education. Traditional basic biological sciences and such interdisciplinary fields as computational biology will step up their cooperation and come up with new theoretical predictions. They develop new theoretical frameworks; all these exciting changes that are rocking the biological world today are destined to reshape the face of the education in biology in the twenty-first century.

Construction of the “Mission poCELLble” -Cellular Structure and Function: A Strategic Intervention Material (SIM) for Grade 7 Biology

This study aimed to address the persistent challenges of low student mastery in Grade 7 Biology by constructing and validating a Strategic Intervention Material (SIM) titled "Mission poCELLble" – Cellular Structure and Function. The development process was driven by the urgency to provide targeted support for students struggling with key concepts in cellular biology. A Strategic Intervention Material (SIM) for grade seven biology was the main objective of this study. The SIM was meticulously crafted based on the identified least mastered skills and the Department of Education's standard criteria for SIM construction. This research followed the input-process-output model of developing instructional material, utilizing two sets of questionnaires: one set for five identified experts and one for teacher and student users, each containing 19 statements tailored to their respective roles. Data analysis informed the construction of the SIMs, including identifying least mastered skills, assessing student-teacher agreement with the Kappa Measure, and measuring expert and readability levels with Cronbach's alpha and Flesh-Kincaid Reading Ease.The results revealed that the SIM content, pedagogical and technical aspects were “very evident” as rated by the experts. The internal consistency between responses are rated as “good”. These findings suggest the potential of the "Mission poCELLble" SIM as a valuable tool for intervention purposes in Grade 7 Biology classrooms. Further research is recommended to assess the SIM's effectiveness in improving student learning outcomes.

THE NEW INVENTORY IN TO DENTISTRY – ‘BIO–ELECTRONIC MATERIAL’. A TERSE REVIEW.

By fusing biological concepts with engineering and technology, bionics offers the possibility of creating products that improve and not merely repair oral health and functionality. Because of stem cell therapy and bioengineering, dental treatments in the future might concentrate more on regeneration than replacement. More natural-looking and long-lasting restorations will result from the development of biomimetic materials, which mimic the inherent qualities of teeth and tissues. The potential of bionics in dentistry to transition from conventional mechanical replacements to physiologically integrated solutions will determine its future.

The improbability of detecting trade-offs and some practical solutions.

Trade-offs are a fundamental concept in evolutionary biology because they are thought to explain much of nature's biological diversity, from variation in life-histories to differences in metabolism. Despite the predicted importance of trade-offs, they are notoriously difficult to detect. Here we contribute to the existing rich theoretical literature on trade-offs by examining how the shape of the distribution of resources or metabolites acquired in an allocation pathway influences the strength of trade-offs between traits. We further explore how variation in resource distribution interacts with two aspects of pathway complexity (i.e., the number of branches and hierarchical structure) affects tradeoffs. We simulate variation in the shape of the distribution of a resource by sampling 106 individuals from a beta distribution with varying parameters to alter the resource shape. In a simple "Y-model" allocation of resources to two traits, any variation in a resource leads to slopes less than -1, with left skewed and symmetrical distributions leading to negative relationships between traits, and highly right skewed distributions associated with positive relationships between traits. Adding more branches further weakens negative and positive relationships between traits, and the hierarchical structure of pathways typically weakens relationships between traits, although in some contexts hierarchical complexity can strengthen positive relationships between traits. Our results further illuminate how variation in the acquisition and allocation of resources, and particularly the shape of a resource distribution and how it interacts with pathway complexity, makes its challenging to detect trade-offs. We offer several practical suggestions on how to detect trade-offs given these challenges.

Development of Learning Video Media in Biology Subjects

The purpose of this study is to produce valid and practical learning video media for use in the learning process. This research is a development research used to produce a product in the form of learning video media. The stages in this development include: planning stage, design stage, and development stage. The subjects in this study were 2 validators consisting of learning media experts and content or learning media material experts, 31 grade XI science students and 1 Biology subject teacher. Data collection techniques used observation, interviews, questionnaires and documentation. The data analysis techniques used were Qualitative Descriptive Analysis, and Descriptive Static Analysis. Research on this offers novelty in the form of more visual and interactive learning media, allowing students to understand complex biological concepts through interesting graphical and animated representations. In addition, these learning videos provide flexibility for students to learn independently and repeatedly, thus improving conceptual understanding and accommodating various learning styles.

An integrated engineering worldview of synthetic biology education through the lens of webinar based pedagogy.

Synthetic biology is an interdisciplinary field that brings together engineering and biology concepts alongside the arts and social sciences to develop solutions to pressing problems in our world. The education of students entering this field has relied on a diverse set of pedagogical methods to accomplish this goal. One non-profit group, iGEM-the International Genetically Engineered Machine competition, has been a driver of students' awareness of synthetic biology for the last 20 years giving many young researchers their first experience in the field of synthetic biology. Dissemination of synthetic biology concepts by iGEM has occurred through several programs including a webinar series started during the 2020 COVID pandemic. The iGEM webinar series successfully engaged students by taking inspiration from synthetic biology programs in Europe, North America, and Asia that had themselves evolved alongside iGEM. The webinar designers modeled the content after their experiences in iGEM as well as their academic courses, pedagogy, and mentoring experiences. This series has produced globally accessible pedagogy for both technical synthetic biology knowledge and the communication skills necessary to build and communicate synthetic biology projects. The hope is that this series functions as a lasting blueprint that can be used by future educators in synthetic biology and other disciplines to reduce barriers that students face when attempting to enter cutting edge fields.

Endothelial Reactive Oxygen Species: Key Players in Cardiovascular Health and Disease.

Significance: Endothelial cells (ECs) line the entire vasculature system and serve as both barriers and facilitators of intra- and interorgan communication. Positioned to rapidly sense internal and external stressors, ECs dynamically adjust their functionality. Endothelial dysfunction occurs when the ability of ECs to react to stressors is impaired, which precedes many cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). While EC reactive oxygen species (ROS) have historically been implicated as mediators of endothelial dysfunction, more recent studies highlight the central role of ROS in physiological endothelial signaling. Recent Advances: New evidence has uncovered that EC ROS are fundamental in determining how ECs interact with their environment and respond to stress. EC ROS levels are mediated by external factors such as diet and pathogens, as well as inherent characteristics, including sex and location. Changes in EC ROS impact EC function, leading to changes in metabolism, cell communication, and potentially disrupted signaling in CVDs. Critical Issues: Current endothelial biology concepts integrate the dual nature of ROS, emphasizing the importance of EC ROS in physiological stress adaptation and their contribution to CVDs. Understanding the discrete, localized signaling of EC ROS will be critical in preventing adverse cardiovascular outcomes. Future Directions: Exploring how the EC ROS environment alters EC function and cross-cellular communication is critical. Considering the inherent heterogeneity among EC populations and understanding how EC ROS contribute to this diversity and the role of sexual dimorphism in the EC ROS environment will be fundamental for developing new effective cardiovascular treatment strategies.

Preparing the Next Generation of Integrative Organismal Biologists.

Pursuing cutting edge questions in organismal biology in the future will require novel approaches for training the next generation of organismal biologists, including knowledge and use of systems-type modeling combined with integrative organismal biology. We link agendas recommending changes in science education and practice across three levels: Broadening the concept of organismal biology to promote modeling organisms as systems interacting with higher and lower organizational levels; enhancing undergraduate science education to improve applications of quantitative reasoning and modeling in the scientific process; and K-12 curricula based on Next Generation Science Standards emphasizing development and use of models in the context of explanatory science, solution design, and evaluating and communicating information. Out of each of these initiatives emerges an emphasis on routine use of models as tools for hypothesis testing and prediction. The question remains, however, what is the best approach for training the next generation of organismal biology students to facilitate their understanding and use of models? We address this question by proposing new ways of teaching and learning, including the development of interactive web-based modeling modules that lower barriers for scientists approaching this new way of imagining and conducting integrative organismal biology.

THE USE OF MNEMONIC METHODS AND ASSOCIATIVE CARDS IN STUDYING GENETICS ANNOTATION

This article explores the effectiveness of using mnemonic techniques and associative cards in the study of genetics. The focus is on the principles of how associative cards function and their role in enhancing the memorization of complex genetic terms and processes. The literature review supports the positive impact of visualization and associations on students’ cognitive activities, highlighting how these methods facilitate the retention of challenging information in fields like biology and genetics. Mnemonic techniques, which combine verbal and visual elements, help learners build stronger cognitive connections and improve recall accuracy. Associative cards are discussed as a tool for integrating visual and textual information, allowing students to grasp genetic concepts such as DNA replication, mutations, and hereditary patterns more effectively.Moreover, the article examines the practical implementation of mnemonic methods in the modern educational system, particularly focusing on the use of digital platforms like Quizlet and Anki. These platforms utilize spaced repetition techniques to improve long-term retention, making the learning process more flexible and interactive. The research emphasizes how personalized study approaches, using these cognitive tools, contribute to better learning outcomes and overall academic performance.The conclusions show that the incorporation of mnemonic techniques and associative cards into genetics education not only enhances student engagement but also significantly improves the efficiency of mastering complex biological concepts. This study underlines the potential of these methods to be further integrated into educational curricula to address learning challenges in genetic studies.

Transformation of macrophages into myofibroblasts in fibrosis-related diseases: emerging biological concepts and potential mechanism.

Macrophage-myofibroblast transformation (MMT) transforms macrophages into myofibroblasts in a specific inflammation or injury microenvironment. MMT is an essential biological process in fibrosis-related diseases involving the lung, heart, kidney, liver, skeletal muscle, and other organs and tissues. This process consists of interacting with various cells and molecules and activating different signal transduction pathways. This review deeply discussed the molecular mechanism of MMT, clarified crucial signal pathways, multiple cytokines, and growth factors, and formed a complex regulatory network. Significantly, the critical role of transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) and its downstream signaling pathways in this process were clarified. Furthermore, we discussed the significance of MMT in physiological and pathological conditions, such as pulmonary fibrosis and cardiac fibrosis. This review provides a new perspective for understanding the interaction between macrophages and myofibroblasts and new strategies and targets for the prevention and treatment of MMT in fibrotic diseases.

Simona: a comprehensive R package for semantic similarity analysis on bio-ontologies

BackgroundBio-ontologies are keys in structuring complex biological information for effective data integration and knowledge representation. Semantic similarity analysis on bio-ontologies quantitatively assesses the degree of similarity between biological concepts based on the semantics encoded in ontologies. It plays an important role in structured and meaningful interpretations and integration of complex data from multiple biological domains.ResultsWe present simona, a novel R package for semantic similarity analysis on general bio-ontologies. Simona implements infrastructures for ontology analysis by offering efficient data structures, fast ontology traversal methods, and elegant visualizations. Moreover, it provides a robust toolbox supporting over 70 methods for semantic similarity analysis. With simona, we conducted a benchmark against current semantic similarity methods. The results demonstrate methods are clustered based on their mathematical methodologies, thus guiding researchers in the selection of appropriate methods. Additionally, we explored annotation-based versus topology-based methods, revealing that semantic similarities solely based on ontology topology can efficiently reveal semantic similarity structures, facilitating analysis on less-studied organisms and other ontologies.ConclusionsSimona offers a versatile interface and efficient implementation for processing, visualization, and semantic similarity analysis on bio-ontologies. We believe that simona will serve as a robust tool for uncovering relationships and enhancing the interoperability of biological knowledge systems.

Emerging and Biological Concepts in Pediatric High-Grade Gliomas.

Primary central nervous system tumors are the most frequent solid tumors in children, accounting for over 40% of all childhood brain tumor deaths, specifically high-grade gliomas. Compared with pediatric low-grade gliomas (pLGGs), pediatric high-grade gliomas (pHGGs) have an abysmal survival rate. The WHO CNS classification identifies four subtypes of pHGGs, including Grade 4 Diffuse midline glioma H3K27-altered, Grade 4 Diffuse hemispheric gliomas H3-G34-mutant, Grade 4 pediatric-type high-grade glioma H3-wildtype and IDH-wildtype, and infant-type hemispheric gliomas. In recent years, we have seen promising advancements in treatment strategies for pediatric high-grade gliomas, including immunotherapy, CAR-T cell therapy, and vaccine approaches, which are currently undergoing clinical trials. These therapies are underscored by the integration of molecular features that further stratify HGG subtypes. Herein, we will discuss the molecular features of pediatric high-grade gliomas and the evolving landscape for treating these challenging tumors.

Life, sense-making, and subjectivity. Why the enactive conception of life and mind requires phenomenology

One of the ideas that characterises the enactive approach to cognition is that life and mind are deeply continuous, which means that both phenomena share the same basic set of organisational and phenomenological properties. The appeal to phenomenology to address life and basic cognition is controversial. It has been argued that, because of its reliance on phenomenological categories, enactivism may implicitly subscribe to a form of anthropomorphism incompatible with the modern scientific framework. These worries are a result of a lack of clarity concerning the role that phenomenology can play in relation to biology and our understanding of non-human organisms. In this paper, I examine whether phenomenology can be validly incorporated into the enactive conception of mind and life. I argue that enactivists must rely on phenomenology when addressing life and mind so that they can properly conceptualise minimal living systems as cognitive, as well as argue for an enactive conception of biology in line with their call for a non-objectivist science. To sustain these claims, I suggest that enactivism must be further phenomenologised by not only drawing from Hans Jonas’s phenomenology of the organism (as enactivists often do) but also from Edmund Husserl’s thoughts on the connection between transcendental phenomenology and biology. Additionally, phenomenology must be considered capable of providing explanatory accounts of phenomena

Path planning algorithm design using particle swarms optimization and artificial potential fields

AbstractOne of the most important challenges in an autonomous and robotics system is the path planning in which the system finds the optimal path from start point to goal point. The traditional path planning algorithms may have large memory requirements which scale with the size and resolution of the configuration space. To address these challenges, this paper introduces a novel path planning algorithm that combines Particle Swarm Optimization and Artificial Potential Field in the form of a path planning algorithm for mobile robots. The biological and physical concepts from Particle Swarm Optimization and Artificial Potential Field algorithms are combined to yield an algorithm which minimizes instances of getting stuck in local minima and generates a smooth but feasible path. The developed method requires memory which scales only with the number of particles and the time taken to reach the goal. This results in a memory‐efficient solution that generates smooth and feasible paths for mobile robots navigating in a 2D space.

The Definition of Individual Biological Fitness

“Fitness” is one of the central concepts in biology. Despite this, the concept is still not clearly defined. Previous attempts at definition refer to what should be called an individual’s “potential fitness,” or, when mathematized, the relative fitness of genetic alleles. In contrast, the present work defines the actual fitness of an individual, exactly what is referred to in the expression “survival of the fittest.” This represents a new conceptualization, a mathematical definition that will extend across the entire set of ideas related to evolution.

The Bio-Restorative Concept for Implant-Supported Restorations.

This study aims to present the bio-restorative approach in implant dentistry, which combines biological and restorative concepts through digital planning. This concept combines periodontal, surgical, and prosthetic variables, aiming to reduce patient morbidity while achieving satisfactory esthetic and functional outcomes in implant-supported restorations in the long term. Implant dentistry evolved from a primarily surgical to a recent prosthetically driven approach. This evolution was partly due to advancements in bone reconstructive techniques and an increased demand for esthetic outcomes. Recently, digital planning has introduced a new paradigm that allows for the full integration of both approaches. The bio-restorative concept considers functional, esthetic, and biological variables in a virtual planning environment. This is achieved through the simultaneous digital assessment of (A) anatomical site characteristics and (B) implant restorative variables. These variables include digital tooth arrangement, soft-hard tissue conditions, implant variables, supra-platform components, and a surgical plan that respects or modifies peri-implant phenotype. The bio-restorative concept is intended to improve contemporary implant dentistry by integrating updated biological and prosthetic notions through digital planning. Adopting this paradigm has the potential to redefine the standards in implant dentistry, fostering a holistic and patient-centered approach. It enhances patient and clinician satisfaction through more efficient and less invasive procedures. Significantly, it improves predictability, leading to successful implant-supported restorations in the long term.

Design as a learning opportunity in biology lessons—a cross-domain STEM approach and its impact on biological subject knowledge

There is a broad consensus in politics, economy and science about the importance of promoting STEM competences. To promote STEM skills in the classroom, we propose a cross-domain approach combining the STEM sub-domains of Biology and Technology/Engineering. Therefore, we have developed a model that illustrates how the STEM sub-domains of Biology and Technology/Engineering can complement each other in a cognitive process. Both sub-domains show similarities in working methods and consider structural and functional relationships. These synergies can be brought together in a design process. This approach leads to the question of the extent to which a cross-domain approach utilising a design process can be a learning opportunity for biological subject knowledge. Based on this model, we have created a learning arrangement on the topic of the ‘locomotor system’. Learners should use a design process to build a feeding machine inspired by structural-functional relationships in different locomotor systems. In a quasi-experimental study, we compared this Design approach with two alternative teaching approaches (a Reconstruction approach and a Biology approach). In the Reconstruction approach, students receive the same input on structural-functional relationships in locomotor systems but build their feeding machine according to a predetermined plan. In the Biology approach, no feeding machine is built; instead, structural-function relationships in locomotor systems are modelled using further examples from the animal world. 413 pupils (age: M = 12.53, SD = 0.818) took part in the study. Longitudinal and cross-sectional analyses emphasise the potential of the Design approach compared to the other methods and show significant differences in long-term learning outcomes. Path models illustrate that cognitive abilities (IQ) and participation in the ‘Design’-intervention group are decisive prerequisites for learning success. The results also show that students following the Design-approach develop a significantly improved understanding of concepts related to the musculoskeletal system. Using a design process combining biology and engineering presents a learning opportunity for students to develop long-term robust biological knowledge and understanding of biological concepts. Thus, using a design approach can be a cross-domain bridge for integrated STEM instruction in order to foster pupils’ knowledge acquisition and competences.

Genetic enhancement from the perspective of transhumanism: exploring a new paradigm of transhuman evolution.

Transhumanism is a movement that advocates for the enhancement of human capabilities through the use of advanced technologies such as genetic enhancement. This article explores the definition, history, and development of transhumanism. Then, it compares the stance on genetic enhancement from the perspectives of bio-conservatism, bio-liberalism, and transhumanism. This article posits that transhuman evolution has twofold implications, allowing for the integration of transhumanist research and evolutionary biology. First, it offers a compelling scientific framework for understanding genetic enhancement, avoiding technological progressivism, and incorporating concepts of evolutionary biology. Second, it represents a new evolutionary paradigm distinct from traditional Lamarckism and Darwinism. It marks the third synthesis of evolutionary biology, offering fresh perspectives on established concepts such as artificial selection and gene-culture co-evolution. In recent decades, human enhancement has captivated not only evolutionary biologists, neurobiologists, psychologists, and philosophers, but also those in fields such as cybernetics and artificial intelligence. In addition to genetic enhancement, other human enhancement technologies, including brain-computer interfaces and brain uploading, are currently under development, which the paradigm of transhuman evolution can better integrate into its framework.