Biological Sections Research Articles

Analysis of the biodrying and biostabilization efficiency of a continuous flow full-scale facility

The technological solution adopted for aerobic treatment of Waste Organic Fraction (WOF) can influence the evolution of the physical parameters of the process making the facility acting as a biostabilization or a biodrying system. In the present study, the continuous flow biological section of the full-scale mechanical biological treatment plant was experimentally investigated by means of evolution, during treatment period (day), of temperature (T) (° C), volatile solids (VS) (%TS) and oxygen uptake of the WOF under treatment. Oxygen uptake was measured by the Dynamic Respirometer Index Potential (DRIP) (mgO2/kgVSh). Main findings were that T (° C) and VS %TS remained quite constant among inlets and outlets of the biological treatment sections, about 70° C and 50 (%TS), respectively. DRIP (mgO2/kgVSh) values measured by several samples withdrawn along the basin width increased significantly in the first half portion of the basin of the aerobic section, remaining quite constant in the second half. This was mainly caused by the strong moisture reduction that rapidly achieved values lower than 40% causing inhibition to microbial activity. The simulation model developed in this work showed that the mean retention time (day) of the WOF inside the aerobic basin was about 14-16 days, this parameter being strongly influenced by the WOF inlet rate (tonnes/day). Finally, experimental evidence pointed out that the reduction of WOF DRIP (mgO2/kgVSh) stopped after the first days of treatment indicating that the facility operates mainly as biodrying system. Based on simulations, biostabilization can also be pursued by maintaining the moisture of WOF to proper values not lower than 40 (% w/w).

Lauraceous fossil woods from the early Eocene of Laguna del Hunco, Argentine Patagonia

Two silicified fossil woods are identified as a new species of Laurinoxylon from the Huitrera Formation at Laguna del Hunco in the Chubut Province of Argentina. Supporting characters include the absence of growth ring boundaries, vessels solitary or in short radial multiples, simple and scalariform perforation plates, alternate intervessel pitting, scalariform vessel-ray pits, scarce axial parenchyma, septate fibres, rays usually one to four cells wide, and idioblasts commonly associated with rays and rarely with the axial parenchyma. The fossil woods resemble members of the Perseae-Cinnamomeae-Laureae clade but do not closely match any extant genus; they therefore probably represent an extinct lineage. Although lauraceous woods are known from other Palaeocene and Eocene floras in Patagonia, the presence of the family at Laguna del Hunco was previously based only on leaf compressions without preserved cuticular details. Our new record confirms the occurrence of Lauraceae in the diverse Laguna del Hunco flora, which contains many genera associated with extant rainforest floras. Roberto R. Pujana* [rpujana@gmail.com], Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales, Av. Ángel Gallardo 470, Ciudad de Buenos Aires 1405, Argentina Nathan A. Jud [judn@william.jewell.edu], Department of Biology, William Jewell College, Liberty, MO 64068, USA Peter Wilf [pwilf@psu.edu] Department of Geosciences, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA María A. Gandolfo [mag4@cornell.edu], LH Bailey Hortorium, Plant Biology Section, School of Integrative Plant Science, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA.

Expanding and Enriching the LncRNA Gene-Disease Landscape Using the GeneCaRNA Database.

The GeneCaRNA human gene database is a member of the GeneCards Suite. It presents ~280,000 human non-coding RNA genes, identified algorithmically from ~690,000 RNAcentral transcripts. This expands by ~tenfold the ncRNA gene count relative to other sources. GeneCaRNA thus contains ~120,000 long non-coding RNAs (LncRNAs, >200 bases long), including ~100,000 novel genes. The latter have sparse functional information, a vast terra incognita for future research. LncRNA genes are uniformly represented on all nuclear chromosomes, with 10 genes on mitochondrial DNA. Data obtained from MalaCards, another GeneCards Suite member, finds 1547 genes associated with 1 to 50 diseases. About 15% of the associations portray experimental evidence, with cancers tending to be multigenic. Preliminary text mining within GeneCaRNA discovers interactions of lncRNA transcripts with target gene products, with 25% being ncRNAs and 75% proteins. GeneCaRNA has a biological pathways section, which at present shows 131 pathways for 38 lncRNA genes, a basis for future expansion. Finally, our GeneHancer database provides regulatory elements for ~110,000 lncRNA genes, offering pointers for co-regulated genes and genetic linkages from enhancers to diseases. We anticipate that the broad vista provided by GeneCaRNA will serve as an essential guide for further lncRNA research in disease decipherment.

A journey into the innovations and expertise of Dubai police and the general department of forensic science and criminology

This manuscript offers an in-depth exploration of the Dubai Police and its General Department of Forensic Science and Criminology, emphasizing their critical role in law enforcement through advanced forensic science and innovative practices. Beginning with a historical overview, it traces the evolution of forensic disciplines from Edmond Locard's foundational principles to Sir Alec Jeffreys' groundbreaking DNA profiling techniques. The manuscript details the structure and functions of specialized sections within the department, including Biology and DNA, Forensic Chemistry, Forensic Toxicology, Firearms and Tool Marks, Questioned Documents, Forensic Explosive, Forensic Fire Investigation, Forensic and Mechanical Engineering, and Nuclear Physics. Key achievements, such as the Biology and DNA Section's processing of thousands of cases and the generation of highly discriminating DNA profiles, are highlighted. The manuscript also addresses the department's challenges, including the rapid evolution of technology and the increasing complexity of crimes. Future plans to enhance capabilities through investment in new technologies, international collaboration, and continuous professional development are outlined. By showcasing the department's commitment to innovation, excellence, and public safety, this manuscript underscores the pivotal contributions of the Dubai Police and its forensic department to crime resolution and community safety. The insights provided aim to foster a deeper understanding of the critical role of forensic science in the criminal justice system.

Laser axial scanning microdissection for high-efficiency dissection from uneven biological samples.

Fast and efficient separation of target samples is crucial for the application of laser-assisted microdissection in the molecular biology research field. Herein, we developed a laser axial scanning microdissection (LASM) system with an 8.6 times extended depth of focus by using an electrically tunable lens. We showed that the ablation quality of silicon wafers at different depths became homogenous after using our system. More importantly, for those uneven biological tissue sections within a height difference of no more than 19.2 µm, we have demonstrated that the targets with a size of microns at arbitrary positions can be dissected efficiently without additional focusing and dissection operations. Besides, dissection experiments on various biological samples with different embedding methods, which were widely adopted in biological experiments, also have shown the feasibility of our system.

4-Aminoazobenzene: A novel negative ion matrix for enhanced MALDI tissue imaging of metabolites

Endogenous metabolites play key functions in many important physiological and biochemical processes. The comprehensive in situ detection and direct imaging of metabolites in bio-tissues by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry imaging (MALDI-MSI) is very important for understanding complex and diverse biological processes and has become an essential aspect of spatial omics. In this work, 4-aminoazobenzene (AAB) was successfully screened and optimized as a new negative ion (−)MALDI matrix to enhance the in situ detection and imaging of metabolites in tissues using MALDI-MSI. Obviously, AAB exhibited superior properties in terms of ultraviolet absorption, background ion interference, matrix morphology, and metabolite ionization efficiency. AAB was used for in situ detection and imaging of metabolites in rat brain and germinating Chinese yew seed tissue sections, where 264 and 339 metabolite ion signals were successfully detected and imaged using (-)MALDI-MS, respectively. In addition, high-resolution imaging of mouse eyeball section using MALDI-timsTOF MSI with spatial resolution of up to 10 µm was successfully carried out, showing that AAB is an efficient (-)MALDI matrix for capturing high-resolution images of metabolites in biological tissue sections.

A Comparison of Measured Outcomes across Tree-Thinking Interventions

Phylogenetic tree diagrams are commonly found in introductory biology curricula and represent the evolutionary relationships of organisms. Tree-thinking, or the ability to accurately interpret, use, and generate these phylogenetic representations, involves a challenging set of skills for students to learn. Although many introductory biology courses incorporate tree-thinking instruction, few studies have identified which instructional methods provide the best learning gains for students. We gathered data from 884 introductory biology students using the Basic Evolutionary Tree-Thinking Skills Inventory (BETTSI) to measure tree-thinking learning gains. We measured tree-thinking differences across five sections of introductory biology, each offering a different instructional intervention, and compared differences among STEM majors and non-STEM majors. After calculating paired differences, we performed a two-way repeated measure analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Scheffe’s post hoc test to identify significant differences among and between the different interventions. We found that students who engaged in active tree-thinking instruction had significantly higher tree-thinking learning gains than students who participated in passive or no instruction. Furthermore, these learning gains became even more significant as active-learning became more multifaceted. These active-learning approaches also removed knowledge gaps between STEM majors and non-majors. Instructors must select explicit and active pedagogical approaches to support student tree-thinking to accomplish positive learning gains for all students.

A conversation with Peter Crompton, MD, MPH, Chief, Malaria Infection Biology and Immunity Section, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.

A conversation with Peter Crompton, MD, MPH, Chief, Malaria Infection Biology and Immunity Section, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.

BIOLOGY SECTION – “THE IMPORTANCE OF G. GAMOW'S IDEAS FOR BIOLOGY OF THE 21st CENTURY” XXIII INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE NAMED BY G. GAMOW THAT TOOK PLACE IN AUGUST 2023 AT ODESA I. I. MECHNIKOV NATIONAL UNIVERSITY

The biological section "The Importance of G. Gamow's Ideas for Biology of the 21st Century" was held on 23 August 2023 in online mode via Zoom application. A total of 44 participants from Ukraine, Germany, United Kingdom, Switzerland, Poland, USA, Canada, Argentina and Kazakhstan took part in the event.

THE POSSIBILITIES OF A CHILDREN’S TECHNOPARK FOR THE FORMATION OF STUDENTS’ KNOWLEDGE ABOUT PLANTS AS INTEGRAL ORGANISMS

The article notes that due to certain reasons, unfortunately, there is not enough time for full-fledged biological training of students within the framework of formal education. In this regard, it is proposed to use the reserves of non-formal education, one of whose exponents is additional education on the basis of a children’s technopark. It is also implemented in the biological section at the site of the natural science laboratory. Due to its modern equipment, it becomes possible for students to form theoretical knowledge about plants as integral organisms, as well as practical skills in cultivating plants taking into account environmental factors. It is better to organise this process in two directions – anatomic-morphological and ecological ones. The first direction can be realised in the zones for studying the external organisation of a plant organism, as well as the internal processes occurring in it. The second direction can be implemented through organising students’ observations of the state of a plant organism under the influence of environmental factors.

On the Prospects of Modern Teaching Methods in Biological Education

In the methodology of teaching biology, all sections of biology should be explained to future teachers in such a way that there are no sections left where they will have difficulties in this area of science. The teacher should explain each section with such skill and interest that they will be interested in both the subject and its teaching. Because modern teaching requires exactly this from teachers.

Regularization of the Solution of a Nonlinear Integral Equation of the First Kind

Integral equations, the main branch of mathematics, are widely used in physics, engineering, mechanics, control theory and other fields. Related to the application of integral equations, new fields are developing, such as economics, some sections of biology, etc. The theory of integral equations mainly developed in the late nineteenth-early twentieth century, starting with Vito Volterra (1982, 1986), Eric Ivar Fredholm (2010), David Hilbert, Erhard Schmidt, etc. scientists began to study it. Nevertheless, within the framework of mathematical concepts that existed before the first half of the twentieth century, such problems were considered incorrect because a small change in the given functions led to a greater change in the desired functions. The Volterra equation of the first kind is an integral equation that has an exact solution only in some cases. The limit of integration has been carried out in very small quantities on non-classical linear and nonlinear integral equations with variable limits and the construction of solutions in these works is based on numerical methods. Therefore, for the so-called non-classical Volterra integral equations, it is relevant to determine the conditions that ensure the uniqueness and regularization of their solutions. In this paper, the uniqueness of the solution of the non-classical nonlinear integral Volterra equation of the first kind is resolved. The aim of the study is to solve the non-classical Volterra integral equation of the first kind, that is, to determine the conditions that ensure the uniqueness of the solution of the nonlinear non-classical Volterra integral equation of the first kind. The proposed methods can be used for the study of integral, integral-differential equations such as the Volterra integral equation of the first kind, as well as for the qualitative study of some applied processes in physics, ecology, medicine, geophysics, and the theory of control of complex systems.

Methods of teaching the section of biology "Blood system" for students in 7-8 classes

The article discusses the use of modern methods of teaching the “blood system” in biology lessons at secondary school No. 33 in the city of Pavlodar. At this stage, the updated content of education has brought a lot of changes, and the main thing is the voluminous content of the program of the subject “Biology”. The author of the article provides examples of the use of modern methods such as mind maps, case studies, the work of creative groups, and the use of information and communication technologies for teaching.

3D digital holographic polarimetry of diffuse optically anisotropic biological tissue object fields

The experimental validation of methods for the digital holographic 3D layer-by-layer reconstruction of complex amplitude distributions in different phase planes of diffuse biological tissue histological section microscopic images with a subsequent reconstruction of azimuth and ellipticity polarization maps is presented. Polarization dependencies of the integral and layer-by-layer vector structure of the laser object field azimuth and ellipticity distributions in two types of biological layer samples—the fibrous myocardium and parenchymal liver—have been investigated. Scenarios and dynamics of changes in the values of statistical moments of the first to fourth orders, which characterize the integral and layer-by-layer polarization maps of diffuse biological tissue histological section microscopic images with different morphological structures, have been determined. Criteria for selecting the polarization components of the object field that are formed by acts of scattering of different multiplicities have been identified. An example of biomedical application in cancer detection of biological tissues is provided.

Supporting Instruction in Cell Biology Using No-Cost Open Educational Resources

To reduce the cost of educational materials needed by students, we generated a no-cost open educational resources (OER) textbook for an undergraduate level cell biology course. Cell biology is part of the curriculum in various undergraduate degrees for science, technology, engineering, and math majors, therefore generation of OER targets a large population of students. In addition to cost reduction, we unified the textbook content with course learning outcomes to ensure that the students have a clear understanding of course goals. To assess student perceptions of OER materials and their experiences related to learning outcomes, surveys were administered to students enrolled in sections of cell biology using a traditional textbook and those enrolled in sections using the OER. Data showed positive student attitudes about learning, accessibility, and cost of OER, supporting the use of no-cost OER in undergraduate classrooms and beyond.

О возможностях оборудования педагогического технопарка «Кванториум» для формирования практических умений и навыков обучающихся при изучении раздела биологии «Генетика»

The article considers the pedagogical problem of forming practical skills and abilities of 9th grade students when studying the biology section “Genetics” with the help of high-tech equipment of the pedagogical tech-nopark “Quantorium” at Glazov State Pedagogical Institute named after V.G. Korolenko. Primary diagnostics showed low results of schoolchildren in all parameters of the study, including the level of academic perfor-mance. A set of tasks was developed and introduced into the educational process using special equipment of the pedagogical technopark “Quantorium”, focused on the development of practical skills and cognitive activity skills among students of the experimental group for 5 months. After the classes, secondary diagnostics of schoolchildren was carried out, the level of their academic performance in the discipline “Biology”, the section “Genetics”, including the control group, was revealed. Statistically reliable improvements in the level of skills and practical skills of ninth-graders participating in the experiment, as well as an increase in their performance in the subject compared to the control group were revealed.

Shannon‐Cosine wavelet precision integration method for image enhancement based on fractional partial differential equations

AbstractFractional order partial differential equations have a wide range of applications in image processing. The solution of partial differential equations is generally obtained using the finite difference method, which still requires improvement in terms of efficiency and effectiveness. In this work, a multi‐scale interpolative wavelet operator is constructed by means of Shannon‐Cosine wavelets with interpolation, smoothness, compact support and other excellent properties. We use the wavelet operator instead of the finite difference operator to solve fractional‐order partial differential equations. The proposed method can limit the artefacts and remove the noises appeared in the processed images effectively. In addition, for the loss of texture in the denoised image, we enhance the image by employing fractional order differential equations to improve the quality of the image. Finally, the biological sections images are taken as the examples to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed method.

A-288 Molecular Detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in Pulmonary and Extra-Pulmonary Samples. Data from a Brazilian Clinical Laboratory

Abstract Background Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the causative agent of tuberculosis (TB), is among the leading infectious causes of death in developing countries. In humans, TB presents as a progressive granulomatous infectious disease that affects lungs causing pulmonary tuberculosis, but can also affect intestines, meninges, bones, joints, lymph nodes, skin and other body tissues causing extra-pulmonary tuberculosis. The aim of this study was to evaluate the frequency of tuberculosis cases detected during the COVID-19 period and the emergence of cases with extrapulmonary diagnosis. Methods This study was a retrospective analysis from January 2017 to December 2022 based on the analysis of 3105 clinical samples processed by the molecular biology section of AFIP Laboratory. All clinical samples were isolated from pulmonary and extra-pulmonary sites recovered from inpatients admitted in several Brazilian tertiary hospitals. In Brief, the DNA extraction was performed according to the type of patient’s samples and, then submitted to Real-Time PCR (qPCR) method using a commercial kit, which contains specific primers and probes to the M. tuberculosis genome. Results Of the 3105 samples tested, 222 (14%) samples were positive for the presence of M. tuberculosis. Out of which, 120/1405 (8,5%) were detected in the pre-Covid-19 period (2017–2019) and 102/1700 (6%) were detected in Covid-19 period (2020–2022). The prevalence of M. tuberculosis infection was 64.5% and 35.5% among men and females, respectively. The main age range was 41 to 50 years (44.7%), while over 60 years comprised 13.5% of cases (Fig. 1). Between the isolate sites, 67.1% of the M. tuberculosis cases were detected in pulmonary and 32.8% in extra-pulmonary body sites, of which, cerebrospinal fluid and blood are among the most frequent, followed by cervical lymph node, ascitic fluid, gastric lavage, urine and others. A total of 95% of M. tuberculosis was detected in patients assisted by public health service. We did not have access to patient’s symptoms, clinical history or further diagnostic procedures. Conclusion Comparing the two periods of the study, a reduction in the positivity rate of new cases was observed in the pandemic period, perhaps this fact can be associated with restrictions on access to the diagnosis of other pathologies in the pandemic period. Despite no information about the severity of the infection, male gender prevalence and age range from 41 to 50 years group need further attention.

METHODOLOGICAL INSTRUCTONS FOR SOLVING BIOLOGICAL PROBLEMS IN GENETICS

One of the standard requirements in biology is the development of students' abilities to solve multilevel qualitative and quantitative problems on program topics. Many years of experience have shown that one of the most difficult issues for many students and teachers is the organization and conduct of effective problems solving training. One of the objective reasons for this problem is the discrepancy between the number of hours allotted for practical exercises on problem solving. Another important reason is the lack of uniform principles of problems solving methodology. This paper presents a methodology for organizing and conducting practical classes of university courses "Methods for Solving Problems in Biology" and "Practice for Solving Problems in Biology". It has been tested in teacher training universities and teacher training courses. The effectiveness indicators of the proposed methodology include 1) improving the skills and abilities of students, which is expressed in effective scores by the end of the course, 2) the effectiveness of teaching students to solve problems during teaching practice in secondary schools, 3) the proposed methodology is also successfully used in professional activities by those teachers who studied this methodology in advanced training courses. This paper proposes methodological approaches to solving biological problems from the sections "Population Genetics" and "Non-Field Dominance" of genetics.

DeepS: Accelerating 3D Mass Spectrometry Imaging via a Deep Neural Network.

Mass spectrometry imaging (MSI) is a powerful methodology that enables the visualization of the spatial distribution of biomolecules, including lipids, peptides, and proteins, from biological tissue sections. While two-dimensional (2D) MSI has been widely reported in various applications, three-dimensional (3D) MSI can enable the mapping of biomolecule distribution in complex biological structures (e.g., organs) with an added dimension. However, traditional 3D MSI techniques are time-consuming since 3D MS images are constructed from 2D MSI analyses of a series of tissue sections. In this study, we propose a 3D MSI workflow, termed DeepS, which uses a 3D sparse sampling network (3D-SSNet) and a sparse sampling strategy to significantly accelerate 3D MSI analyses. Sparsely sampled tissue sections are reconstructed using 3D-SSNet, yielding results comparable to those using full sampling MSI, even at a sampling ratio of 20-30%. The workflow performed well when applied to 3D imaging of a mouse brain with Alzheimer's disease, and combined with transfer learning, it is successfully used for the 3D MSI analyses of more heterogeneous samples, e.g., a mouse brain with glioblastoma and a mouse kidney.