General Biology Research Articles

Embracing Diversity: Differences in Virulence Mechanisms, Disease Severity, and Host Adaptations Contribute to the Success of Nontyphoidal Salmonella as a Foodborne Pathogen.

Not all Salmonella enterica serovars cause the same disease. S. enterica represents an incredibly diverse species comprising >2,600 unique serovars. While some S. enterica serovars are host-restricted, others infect a wide range of hosts. The diseases that nontyphoidal Salmonella (NTS) serovars cause vary considerably, with some serovars being significantly more likely to cause invasive disease in humans than others. Furthermore, while genomic analyses have advanced our understanding of the genetic diversity of these serovars, they have not been able to fully account for the observed clinical differences. One overarching challenge is that much of what is known about Salmonella’s general biology and virulence strategies is concluded from studies examining a select few serovars, especially serovar Typhimurium. As targeted control strategies have been implemented to control select serovars, an increasing number of foodborne outbreaks involving serovars that are less frequently associated with human clinical illness are being detected. Harnessing what is known about the diversity of NTS serovars represents an important factor in achieving the ultimate goal of reducing salmonellosis-associated morbidity and mortality worldwide. In this review we summarize the current understanding of the differences and similarities among NTS serovars, highlighting the virulence mechanisms, genetic differences, and sources that characterize S. enterica diversity and contribute to its success as a foodborne pathogen.

The dark side of the black caiman: Shedding light on species dietary ecology and movement in Agami Pond, French Guiana.

The black caiman is one of the largest neotropical top predators, which means that it could play a structuring role within swamp ecosystems. However, because of the difficulties inherent to studying black caimans, data are sorely lacking on many aspects of their general biology, natural history, and ecology, especially in French Guiana. We conducted a detailed study of the Agami Pond black caiman population using a multidisciplinary approach. The aim was to better understand the species’ dietary ecology and movements in the pond, and thus its functional role in pond system. We gathered natural history data, tracked caiman movements using satellite transmitters, and characterized feeding ecology via stable isotope analysis. Our study was carried out over three sampling periods and spanned both wet and dry seasons, which differ in their hydrological and ecological conditions. Our results show that black caiman abundance and age demographics differed between seasons in Agami Pond. In the dry season, Agami Pond is one of the only areas within the marsh to hold water. It thus contains large quantities of different fish species, which form the basis of the black caiman’s diet. Caiman body size, a proxy for age class, was around 1.5 meters. During the wet season, which corresponds to the breeding period for migratory birds (e.g., Agami herons), adult black caimans are present in Agami Pond. Adults were most abundant in the inundated forest. There, most individuals measured up to 2 meters. They also exhibited a particular “predatory” behavior near bird nests, preying on fallen chicks and adults. Juveniles and subadults were present during both seasons in the pond’s open waters. These behavioral observations were backed up by stable isotope analysis, which revealed ontogenetic variation in the caiman’s isotopic values. This isotopic variation reflected variation in diet that likely reduced intraspecific competition between adults and young. The telemetry and microchip data show that different age classes had different movement patterns and that seasonal variation in the pond may influence caiman prey availability and reproductive behavior. The new information gathered should help predict this species’ responses to potential ecosystem disturbance (e.g., water pollution, habitat destruction) and inform the development of an effective conservation plan that involves locals and wildlife officials.

НАУКОВІ ЧИТАННЯ, ПРИСВЯЧЕНІ 120–РІЧЧЮ ВІДКРИТТЯ ПОДВІЙНОГО ЗАПЛІДНЕННЯ У ПОКРИТОНАСІННИХ РОСЛИН ПРОФЕСОРОМ УНІВЕРСИТЕТУ СВЯТОГО ВОЛОДИМИРА С. Г. НАВАШИНИМ

On February 6-7, 2019, the Department of Botany and Zoology of the Faculty of Chemistry and Biology of Ternopil Volodymyr Hnatiuk National Pedagogical University hosted “Scientific readings” dedicated to the 120th anniversary of the discovery of double fertilization in angiosperms made by S. Navashyn, the professor of Saint Volodymyr University.The conference was attended by 7 doctors of sciences, professors, 12 candidates of sciences, associate professors, teaching staff and assistants of the Department of Botany and Zoology, Department of General Biology and Methods of teaching of sciences of TNPU, research fellows of the Ternopil branch of the “Institute of Soil Protection of Ukraine”, undergraduate and postgraduate students of the chemical and biological faculty.The conference program included both plenary and section meetings, discussions. Questions highlighted covered such key areas:Actual problems of embryology, cytomebrology and reproductive biology of flowering plants (Magnoliophyta).Current trends in development of modern biology, ecology and pedagogy of higher education.At the plenary meeting (chairman S.V. Pyda, doctor of agricultural sciences, professor, head of the Department of Botany and Zoology), the reports were delivered by M. M. Barna, doctor of biology, professor of the Department of Botany and Zoology, L.S. Barna, candidate of Pedagogy, Associate Professor of the Department of General Biology and Methods of Teaching Sciences, N.V. Herts and O.B. Matsiuk, Associate Professors of the Department of Botany and Zoology (N.V. Hertz presented a speech entitled “Serhii Navashyn, the professor of Saint Volodymyr University, 1857-1930, dedicated to the 120th anniversary of the discovery of double fertilization in angiosperms”); M. M. Barna, doctor of biology, professor of the Department of Botany and Zoology, and L.S. Barna, Associate Professor of the Department of General Biology and Methods of Teaching Sciences made a keynote statement under the title ‘“Historical Account and Controversial Nature of Discovery of Double Fertilization in Angiosperms by by S. Navashyn”; H.Ya. Zhyrska, Associate Professor of the Department of General Biology and Methods of Teaching Sciences, and Professor A.V. Stepaniuk made a report on the “Consistency crucial to the mental representation of “double fertilization” in the minds of high school students; V.V Hrubinko, Doctor of Biology, Professor, Head of the Department of General Biology and Methods of Teaching Sciences made a report on “Adaptation Strategies of Waterside Plants to Pollution of Hydroecosystem with Hard Metals”.All the reports were assisted with multimedia devices.The closing meeting chaired by S.V Pyda, Doctor of Agriculture, Professor, Head of the Department of Botany and Zoology of TNPU summed up the presentations and passed the resolution of “Science Readings”.

The Emerging Role of microRNAs in Polyglutamine Diseases.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding molecules that regulate a large amount of post-transcriptional repressor genes by recognizing semi-complementary target sequences that are normally located in the 3′ UTR of the mRNA. Altered expression of miRNA has been related to several pathological processes, including polyglutamine (Poly Q) diseases. Specific expression patterns in the circulating fluids and brain parenchyma have been speculated as potential biomarkers for Poly Q disease diagnosis and prognosis. Several miRNAs have been consistently identified in diseases including Huntington’s disease (HD) and spinocerebellar ataxia (SCA). In our review, we describe the emerging role of miRNAs in Poly Q diseases and provide an overview on general miRNA biology, implications in pathophysiology, and their potential roles as future biomarkers and applications for therapy.

A Time to Model and a Time to Experiment.

The nature and role of models have been amply discussed by philosophers of science. They have emphasized the diversity of models and their functions. Biological sciences in general, and molecular and cellular biology in particular, are no exceptions. The nature and role of models in molecular and cellular biology are also a legacy of the different disciplines that contributed to its formation. Models can be a step toward abstraction, or the opposite, a step toward a material representation of an-to date-abstract phenomenon. Models can also help to collect information and knowledge. I will consider different models that played a highly important role in molecular and cellular biology, up to the Gene Regulatory Network model. There is a right time to model, and a right way to do it. I will try to understand why a model is well received (or not), and what kind of relationship it may or must have with experiments and experimental data.

Некоторые аспекты проблемы классификации, система классиологии и статус ее отраслевых разделов

1. Classification is one of the main elements of man’s thinking. Its roots have been laid in the man’s thinking at biological, subconscious level. To overcome the intuitive component of the research of classification problematics reflection (ideas about ideas) is needed. A great amount of studies on different classification questions is widely published. To make this amount visible seems to be useful. 2. A great number of questions connected to classification is supposed to be called “classiology” science. The following parts are suggested to be identified in it. Introduction into the problem. Preliminary positions (prolegomena). Basic notions and preliminary problematics, which are to be adopted or stated before considering the classification problems are included. Classiology(s. s.) is subdivided into two part - general questions and systematic part. In general questions of classiology (s. s.) its basis notions are defined: 1) class system - classification, science about it - the science of classification; 2) procedure of class system construction - classifying, the science about it - systematization; 3) procedure of the referring of the object to one of the system's classes - diagnosis, the science about it - diagnostics; 4) notion, binding notions 1-3 - classiosystem, science about classiosystems - syncretic classiology (synclassiology). According to the variety of classiology activities - general, branch and concrete classiology are suggested to be identified. Systematization classiology (s.s.) consists of structures, defined by the titles of the notions. 3. Geological classiology and biological classiology (biological systematics) are parts of the suggested system of classiology. They are referred to the subdivision “Branch classiology”. These segments are fractally so vast as classiology in general. And they can also be made visible fractally transporting to them the structure of the system of classiology as a whole. GEOLOGICAL CLASSIOLOGY Introductory part Preliminary positions (geoprolegomena) Geological classiology (s.s.) General question of geological classiology Systematic geological classiology General geological classiology Branch geological classiology Concrete geological classiology BIOLOGICAL CLASSIOLOGY (BIOLOGICAL SYSTEMATICS) Introductory part Preliminary positions (bioprolegomena) Biological classiology (s.s.) (Biological systematics) General question of biological systematics Systematic biological classiology General biological classiology Branch biological classiology Concrete biological classiology.

Analisis Kesulitan Mahasiswa Institut Teknologi dan Sains Nahdlatul Ulama Pasuruan pada Mata Kuliah Biologi Umum Materi Sistem Pencernaan Manusia

Learning difficulty students at the Nahdlatul Ulama Institute of Technology and Science Pasuruan in first semester for academic on year 2018/2019 which are marked by midterm scores in general Biology courses for human digestive system meterial that is deficient. Learning Difficulty student can lead to their lack of achievement in this course. This research was conducted to find out the factors of learning difficulty both internal and external by the students and the expectation is to be able to provide further input as an effort to resolve the difficulty learning to improve their learning achievement. This research is a qualitative descriptive study that aims to determine the internal and external factors that induces difficulty student Learning in General Biology courses in human digestive system material. The study used a descriptive design, tests, questionnaires and interviews to receive data. The research subjects are 32 students are from Biology, Mathematics, Physics and Agricultural Product Technology major. Based on the results of the study for the internal factors that cause their difficulty for Learning are study habits and ability material comprehension are still lacking as much as 59.37%, while the external factors are the lack of learning support tools as much as 59.37% and the condition of the house environment and around it as much as 50%.

To Blend or not to Blend: A Case Study of On-line Learning in General Biology

To Blend or not to Blend: A Case Study of On-line Learning in General Biology

Range extension of the rare agamid, Pseudocalotes austeniana (Annandale, 1908) (Reptilia, Sauria, Draconinae) in the East Himalaya, with comments on its ontogenetic shift

Despite its recognition since the early 1900s, the agamid lizard Pseudocalotes austeniana remains known based on 3 vouchered specimens only from the East Himalaya, and little is known about its general biology. During herpetological surveys of Tibet, China, we collected 3 specimens of P. austeniana from Medog County, southeastern Tibet, including the first juvenile specimen ever vouchered. We provide a detailed description based on new material of this enigmatic species, report on a range extension of 400 km northeastward from its type locality, its ontogenetic shift, and clutch size.

Recent Studies on Chicken Swarm Optimization algorithm: a review (2014–2018)

Solving a complex optimization problem in a limited timeframe is a tedious task. Conventional gradient-based optimization algorithms have their limitations in solving complex problems such as unit commitment, microgrid planning, vehicle routing, feature selection, and community detection in social networks. In recent years population-based bio-inspired algorithms have demonstrated competitive performance on a wide range of optimization problems. Chicken Swarm Optimization Algorithm (CSO) is one of such bio-inspired meta-heuristic algorithms mimicking the behaviour of chicken swarm. It is reported in many literature that CSO outperforms a number of well-known meta-heuristics in a wide range of benchmark problems. This paper presents a review of various issues related to CSO like general biology, fundamentals, variants of CSO, performance of CSO, and applications of CSO.

The Status and Connotation of Senior High School Students’ Life Concept on the Background of Core Literacy

In the document “Curriculum Standard of General Senior High School Curriculum and Biology (2017 ed.)” published in 2018, developing students’ core literacy as the fundamental task and value pursuit of current educational and teaching curriculum reform in China. Life concept is the key element of the core literacy of biology in senior high school. This paper expounds the position and value of life concept in the biology curriculum of senior high school, and analyses the connotation of life concept, which will provide an important reference for the effective cultivation of the life concept of senior high school students in the future.

Kavram Haritalarının Genel Biyoloji Dersine Yönelik Tutum ve Akademik Başarıya Etkisi

Bu çalışmanın amacı, genel biyoloji dersinde kavram haritalama ve geleneksel öğretim yöntemlerini kullanmanın öğretmen adaylarının akademik başarısı ve biyoloji dersine yönelik tutumları üzerindeki etkilerini incelemektir. Araştırma Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart Üniversitesi Eğitim Fakültesi Fen Bilgisi Öğretmenliği 2.sınıfta öğrenim gören 103 öğretmen adayının katılımıyla gerçekleştirilmiştir. Araştırmada ön test-son test kontrol gruplu deneysel araştırma modeli kullanılmıştır. Veri toplama aracı olarak Genel Biyoloji Dersi Akademik Başarı Testi ve Biyoloji Dersine Yönelik Tutum Ölçeği kullanılmıştır. Araştırma sonucunda; deney ve kontrol grubundaki öğrencilerin akademik başarı ve tutum son testlerinden aldıkları puanlar arasında anlamlı bir fark tespit edilememiştir (p>.05). Deney ve kontrol gruplarının akademik başarı ve tutum ön test/son test karşılaştırmalarına göre hem kavram haritalama ile hem de geleneksel öğretim yöntemi ile ders alan öğrencilerin başarı ve tutumlarında son test lehine anlamlı farklılıklar tespit edilmiştir (p<.05).

Rapid and extensive karyotype diversification in haploid clinical Candida auris isolates

Candida auris is a newly emerged pathogenic microbe, having been identified as a medically relevant fungus as recently as 2009. It is one of the most drug-resistant yeast species known to date and its emergence and population structure are unusual. Because of its recent emergence, we are largely ignorant about fundamental aspects of its general biology, life cycle, and population dynamics. Here, we report the karyotype variability of 26 C. auris strains representing the four main clades. We demonstrate that all strains are haploid and have a highly plastic karyotype containing five to seven chromosomes, which can undergo marked alterations within a short time frame when the fungus is put under genotoxic, heat, or osmotic stress. No simple correlation was found between karyotype pattern, drug resistance, and clade affiliation indicating that karyotype heterogeneity is rapidly evolving. As with other Candida species, these marked karyotype differences between isolates are likely to have an important impact on pathogenic traits of C. auris.

Getting to the core of biology success

Education The “Vision and Change” report details a nationally agreed upon framework of core concepts designed to prepare students for the biology-related challenges of the 21st century. Couch et al. describe the development of General Biology–Measuring Achievement and Progression in Science (GenBio-MAPS), an instrument designed to measure student understanding of the core concepts at key time points during an undergraduate biology program, allowing for assessment at both 2- and 4-year institutions. Data were collected from more than 5000 students at 20 institutions, resulting in the first programmatic assessment for general biology programs that align with the core concepts. Implementing GenBio-MAPS will allow departments to identify areas of proficiency and deficiency throughout their programs and guide curricular changes to address problem areas and support the teaching of core concepts. CBE Life Sci. Educ. 18 , ar1 (2019).

Randomize it

Multiple-choice testing is a staple within the U.S. higher education system. From classroom assessments to standardized entrance exams such as the GRE, GMAT, or LSAT, test developers utilize a variety of validated and heuristic-driven item-writing guidelines. One such guideline that has been given recent attention is to randomize the position of the correct answer throughout the entire answer key. Doing this theoretically limits the number of correct guesses that test-takers can make and thus reduces the amount of construct-irrelevant variance in test score interpretations. This study empirically tested the strategy to randomize the answer-key. Specifically, a factorial ANOVA was conducted to examine differences in General Biology classroom multiple-choice test scores by the interaction of method for varying the correct answer’s position and student-ability. Although no statistically significant differences were found, the paper argues that the guideline is nevertheless ethically substantiated.

Stage-specific transcriptome of Bursaphelenchus xylophilus reveals temporal regulation of effector genes and roles of the dauer-like stages in the lifecycle

The pine wood nematode Bursaphelenchus xylophilus is the causal agent of pine wilt disease, one of the most devastating forest diseases in East Asian and West European countries. The lifecycle of B. xylophilus includes four propagative larval stages and gonochoristic adults which are involved in the pathogenicity, and two stages of dispersal larvae involved in the spread of the disease. To elucidate the ecological roles of each developmental stage in the pathogenic life cycle, we performed a comprehensive transcriptome analysis using RNA-seq generated from all developmental stages of B. xylophilus and compared transcriptomes between stages. We found more than 9000 genes are differentially expressed in at least one stage of the life cycle including genes involved in general nematode biology such as reproduction and moulting but also effector genes likely to be involved in parasitism. The dispersal-stage transcriptome revealed its analogy to C. elegans dauer and the distinct roles of the two larval stages from each other regarding survival and transmission. This study provides important insights and resources to understand B. xylophilus parasitic biology.

Системно-логический подход к анализу содержания и структурированию программы школьного курса общей биологии

The formation of a competent specialist of the agrarian direction, rationally using natural resources, at first incorporated in the school course of general biology. The article reflects a critical understanding of existing and existing domestic programs and textbooks of this course from the standpoint of a systematic approach, synergetics and dialectical logic. The content and structure of the course of general biology, based on this approach, are proposed.

Oleic, palmitic triglycerides, very low density lipoproteins. Atherosclerosis, arterial atheromatosis and ischemic heart disease pathogenesis

In the clinic and experiment, the basic factor in pathogenesis of hyperlipoproteinemia, atherosclerosis and atheromatosis is disturbance of physicochemical parameters of very low density lipoproteins (VLDLP). They are secreted into the blood flow by hepatocytes in biological reaction of exotrophia, external nutrition, biological function of trophology – nutrition. When there are no genetic disorders, VLDLP parameters are determined mainly by substrate induction, realization of biological reaction of exotrophia. Aphysiological induction of substrate is: a) high content of exogenous palmitic saturated fatty acid and palmitic position forms of triglycerides in the food of Homo sapiens, when a patient uses an excessive amount of meat and little carbohydrates for food. We believe that for primary prevention of ischemic heart disease the following is required: a) as for normalization of biological function of endoecology – to reduce the supply of ligandless palmitic low density lipoproteins in the intima and b) to inhibit atheromatosis of elastic type arteries including coronary artery atheromatosis. To inhibit atherosclerosis, it is necessary to normalize the biological function of nutrition, reduce the amount of meat food, replacing it by fish, while increasing the amount of vegetable food according to parameters of general biology. The basic in prevention of atherosclerosis, atheromatosis and IHD, we suppose, is activation of cognitive biological function. This is positioning of organism in the unity of: a) metabolic reactions in vivo b) exposure of environmental factors and c) social conditions, understanding of the fact that in phylogenesis, the species Homo sapiens was formed as herbivorous species with carnivorous (fish-eating) past in the ocean. If there is no critical understanding of the necessity of optimization of biological nutritional function in patients “meat-eaters”, neither prevention of atherosclerosis and atheromatosis, nor treatment of IHD will be successful. Nothing different in biology or medicine is available.

Using Forensic Science as an Engagement Tool for Student Retention and Student Success in General Biology

Lane College is a historically black college committed to educating underserved minority students. My goal was to give students a diverse teaching and research experience and improve student success in General Biology I by engaging students through forensic sciences. Through the popularity of television shows like The First 48, CSI, NCIS, and Cold Case Files the study of forensic science has flourished and given teachers a method to teach biology, chemistry, and physics. I implemented forensic science in the laboratory in one of my two sections of General Biology I in the Spring 2018 semester. First students studied and determined the items that need to be analyzed from a mock crime scene after being introduced to some basic forensic science techniques in the first week of laboratory. Each additional week the students participated in hair analysis, fiber analysis, soil analysis, synthetic blood tests, chromatography, and DNA fingerprinting. My hope was that in this environment it would foster the students to ask questions, research background information, design experiments, gather and analyze data leading them to understand the method of scientific discovery. Additionally, the students learned to collaborate and build their critical thinking skills while becoming self‐learners. To measure the success of the intervention, I used a mixture of Forensic Science questions (n=25) that was given as a pre and post test to both sections as a way to compare the effect of the intervention. At the end of the course, the class that received the forensic science intervention had a small average increase compared with that of the class did not receive the intervention. When looking at the questions and comparing the pre and post averages 15 out of 25 had an increase 7 out of 25 had a decrease and 3 out of 25 had no change. There was a slight increase in student success in General Biology I by engaging students through forensic sciences.Support or Funding InformationNational Science Foundation Award HRD # 1623340 to MVSThis abstract is from the Experimental Biology 2019 Meeting. There is no full text article associated with this abstract published in The FASEB Journal.

Peer‐Led Team Learning and Course‐based Undergraduate Research Experiences in General Biology and General Chemistry

Lane College is a historically black college with a commitment to educating underserved minority students. Our overall goal for this project is to improve student learning of foundational concepts and retention in Biology and Chemistry through student‐centered activities within our first‐year courses. These approaches include implementation of peer‐led team learning strategies and course‐based undergraduate research experiences (CUREs) within the General Biology and General Chemistry courses. Our peer‐mentors, who serve as supplemental instructors for our General Biology and Chemistry courses are an essential element for the success of the program. They receive leadership training, through a collaboration with the Office of the First Year Experience as well as mentored undergraduate research experiences before working with our first‐year students. We have redesigned our laboratory courses to implement CUREs. Biology projects include comparative genomics in collaboration with the Genomics Education Partnership, environmental surveys of antibiotic resistant bacteria or sequence analysis of GAPC from plants growing on campus. Chemistry projects include development of novel analytical methods to measure chemical components of household products, such as using the iodine‐clock reaction to determine the amount of starch in various foods. We are assessing student learning outcomes related to understanding the scientific method using the Experimental Design Ability Test and the CURE survey developed by the GEP. In addition, we are evaluating student learning outcomes of the process of science, such as development and testing of hypotheses, recording observations within a laboratory notebook, and communication of results through oral presentations and written reports.Support or Funding InformationNSF HRD1623340This abstract is from the Experimental Biology 2019 Meeting. There is no full text article associated with this abstract published in The FASEB Journal.