The importance of humour and charisma to facilitate students’ motivation for learning

The article presents a synthesis of qualitative studies regarding the importance of using humour and games in learning. Humour has a wide range of functions that make it a valid instrument if used in classroom. It can be used to raise students’ motivation and it promotes their psychological and emotional development. This paper presents the results of an enquiry conducted upon a sample of 698 students from the IVth to the VIIIth grade. Among the items we have also included different topics related to the importance of interactive strategies designed to support learning through laughter and to make lessons more attractive. At a theoretical level we will investigate if teacher’s charisma is related to the ability to use it in the classroom on one hand and if and how learning is eased. Correlational analysis revealed specific results showing that using humour in education is beneficial to increasing students’ motivation.

Download Full-text

Structure, Function and Interactions of Tau: Particular Focus on Potential Drug Targets for the Treatment of Tauopathies

CNS & Neurological Disorders - Drug Targets ◽

10.2174/1871527317666180525112008 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 17 (5) ◽

pp. 325-337 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Hojjat Borna ◽

Kasim Assadoulahei ◽

Gholamhossein Riazi ◽

Asghar Beigi Harchegani ◽

Alireza Shahriary

Keyword(s):

Tau Protein ◽

Drug Targets ◽

Brain Injuries ◽

Potential Drug ◽

Microtubule Network ◽

Wide Range ◽

Potential Risk Factors ◽

Range Of Functions ◽

Potential Drug Targets

Background & Objective: Neurodegenrative diseases are among the most widespread lifethreatening disorders around the world in elderly ages. The common feature of a group of neurodegenerative disorders, called tauopathies, is an accumulation of microtubule associated protein tau inside the neurons. The exact mechanism underlying tauopathies is not well-understood but several factors such as traumatic brain injuries and genetics are considered as potential risk factors. Although tau protein is well-known for its key role in stabilizing and organization of axonal microtubule network, it bears a broad range of functions including DNA protection and participation in signaling pathways. Moreover, the flexible unfolded structure of tau facilitates modification of tau by a wide range of intracellular enzymes which in turn broadens tau function and interaction spectrum. The distinctive properties of tau protein concomitant with the crucial role of tau interaction partners in the progression of neurodegeneration suggest tau and its binding partners as potential drug targets for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases. Conclusion: This review aims to give a detailed description of structure, functions and interactions of tau protein in order to provide insight into potential therapeutic targets for treatment of tauopathies.

Download Full-text

Role of Thioredoxin-Interacting Protein in Diseases and Its Therapeutic Outlook

International Journal of Molecular Sciences ◽

10.3390/ijms22052754 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 22 (5) ◽

pp. 2754

Author(s):

Naila Qayyum ◽

Muhammad Haseeb ◽

Moon Suk Kim ◽

Sangdun Choi

Keyword(s):

Interacting Protein ◽

Thioredoxin Interacting Protein ◽

Signaling Complex ◽

Current Review ◽

Wide Range ◽

Range Of Functions ◽

Species Production ◽

And Oxidative Stress ◽

Significant Attention

Thioredoxin-interacting protein (TXNIP), widely known as thioredoxin-binding protein 2 (TBP2), is a major binding mediator in the thioredoxin (TXN) antioxidant system, which involves a reduction-oxidation (redox) signaling complex and is pivotal for the pathophysiology of some diseases. TXNIP increases reactive oxygen species production and oxidative stress and thereby contributes to apoptosis. Recent studies indicate an evolving role of TXNIP in the pathogenesis of complex diseases such as metabolic disorders, neurological disorders, and inflammatory illnesses. In addition, TXNIP has gained significant attention due to its wide range of functions in energy metabolism, insulin sensitivity, improved insulin secretion, and also in the regulation of glucose and tumor suppressor activities in various cancers. This review aims to highlight the roles of TXNIP in the field of diabetology, neurodegenerative diseases, and inflammation. TXNIP is found to be a promising novel therapeutic target in the current review, not only in the aforementioned diseases but also in prolonged microvascular and macrovascular diseases. Therefore, TXNIP inhibitors hold promise for preventing the growing incidence of complications in relevant diseases.

Download Full-text

Teacher Enthusiasm and Student Motivation for Learning

Global Journal of Educational Studies ◽

10.5296/gjes.v6i1.16405 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 6 (1) ◽

pp. 40

Author(s):

David Palmer

Keyword(s):

Student Motivation ◽

Teacher Behaviors ◽

Motivational Factor ◽

Motivation For Learning ◽

Wide Range ◽

Teacher Enthusiasm

Previous studies of teacher enthusiasm have indicated that it can influence student motivation for learning, but it is not yet clear whether all students are influenced in this way, or only some of them. This study aimed to identify the percentage of students who were influenced by the teacher’s enthusiasm in normal classroom settings. Twenty-four grade 10 students were individually interviewed. The results indicated that all of the students had been influenced by the teacher’s enthusiasm, or lack of enthusiasm, in a recent lesson. Furthermore, the students described a wide range of teacher behaviors that they interpreted as indicating teacher enthusiasm. It was concluded that teacher enthusiasm is a motivational factor that can influence all or nearly all students.

Download Full-text

The Role of HCN Channels on Membrane Excitability in the Nervous System

Journal of Signal Transduction ◽

10.1155/2012/619747 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 2012 ◽

pp. 1-11 ◽

Cited By ~ 38

Author(s):

Daisuke Kase ◽

Keiji Imoto

Keyword(s):

Intracellular Signaling ◽

Hcn Channels ◽

Heart Cells ◽

Hcn Channel ◽

Membrane Excitability ◽

Wide Range ◽

Inward Currents ◽

Range Of Functions ◽

Channel Currents

Hyperpolarization-activated and cyclic nucleotide-gated (HCN) channels were first reported in heart cells and are recently known to be involved in a variety of neural functions in healthy and diseased brains. HCN channels generate inward currents when the membrane potential is hyperpolarized. Voltage dependence of HCN channels is regulated by intracellular signaling cascades, which contain cyclic AMP, PIP2, and TRIP8b. In addition, voltage-gated potassium channels have a strong influence on HCN channel activity. Because of these funny features, HCN channel currents, previously called funny currents, can have a wide range of functions that are determined by a delicate balance of modulatory factors. These multifaceted features also make it difficult to predict and elucidate the functional role of HCN channels in actual neurons. In this paper, we focus on the impacts of HCN channels on neural activity. The functions of HCN channels reported previously will be summarized, and their mechanisms will be explained by using numerical simulation of simplified model neurons.

Download Full-text

Secondary Structure Libraries for Artificial Evolution Experiments

Molecules ◽

10.3390/molecules26061671 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 26 (6) ◽

pp. 1671

Author(s):

Ráchel Sgallová ◽

Edward A. Curtis

Keyword(s):

Secondary Structure ◽

Sequence Space ◽

In Vitro Selection ◽

Random Sequence ◽

Random Mutagenesis ◽

Nucleotide Composition ◽

Artificial Evolution ◽

Wide Range ◽

Range Of Functions

Methods of artificial evolution such as SELEX and in vitro selection have made it possible to isolate RNA and DNA motifs with a wide range of functions from large random sequence libraries. Once the primary sequence of a functional motif is known, the sequence space around it can be comprehensively explored using a combination of random mutagenesis and selection. However, methods to explore the sequence space of a secondary structure are not as well characterized. Here we address this question by describing a method to construct libraries in a single synthesis which are enriched for sequences with the potential to form a specific secondary structure, such as that of an aptamer, ribozyme, or deoxyribozyme. Although interactions such as base pairs cannot be encoded in a library using conventional DNA synthesizers, it is possible to modulate the probability that two positions will have the potential to pair by biasing the nucleotide composition at these positions. Here we show how to maximize this probability for each of the possible ways to encode a pair (in this study defined as A-U or U-A or C-G or G-C or G.U or U.G). We then use these optimized coding schemes to calculate the number of different variants of model stems and secondary structures expected to occur in a library for a series of structures in which the number of pairs and the extent of conservation of unpaired positions is systematically varied. Our calculations reveal a tradeoff between maximizing the probability of forming a pair and maximizing the number of possible variants of a desired secondary structure that can occur in the library. They also indicate that the optimal coding strategy for a library depends on the complexity of the motif being characterized. Because this approach provides a simple way to generate libraries enriched for sequences with the potential to form a specific secondary structure, we anticipate that it should be useful for the optimization and structural characterization of functional nucleic acid motifs.

Download Full-text

Secretory Proteases of the Human Skin Microbiome

Infection and Immunity ◽

10.1128/iai.00397-21 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Wisely Chua ◽

Si En Poh ◽

Hao Li

Keyword(s):

Human Skin ◽

Hydrolytic Enzymes ◽

Microbial Interactions ◽

Skin Microbiome ◽

Protein Cleavage ◽

Wide Range ◽

Range Of Functions ◽

Diverse Community ◽

Secreted Proteases ◽

Pathogenic Agents

The human skin is our outermost layer and serves as a protective barrier against external insults. Advances in next generation sequencing have enabled the discoveries of a rich and diverse community of microbes - bacteria, fungi and viruses that are residents of this surface. The genomes of these microbes also revealed the presence of many secretory enzymes. In particular, proteases which are hydrolytic enzymes capable of protein cleavage and degradation are of special interest in the skin environment which is enriched in proteins and lipids. In this minireview, we will focus on the roles of these skin-relevant microbial secreted proteases, both in terms of their widely studied roles as pathogenic agents in tissue invasion and host immune inactivation, and their recently discovered roles in inter-microbial interactions and modulation of virulence factors. From these studies, it has become apparent that while microbial proteases are capable of a wide range of functions, their expression is tightly regulated and highly responsive to the environments the microbes are in. With the introduction of new biochemical and bioinformatics tools to study protease functions, it will be important to understand the roles played by skin microbial secretory proteases in cutaneous health, especially the less studied commensal microbes with an emphasis on contextual relevance.

Download Full-text

Ultrabithorax Is a Micromanager of Hindwing Identity in Butterflies and Moths

Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution ◽

10.3389/fevo.2021.643661 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 9 ◽

Author(s):

Amruta Tendolkar ◽

Aaron F. Pomerantz ◽

Christa Heryanto ◽

Paul D. Shirk ◽

Nipam H. Patel ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Regulatory Networks ◽

Targeted Mutagenesis ◽

Junonia Coenia ◽

Wing Venation ◽

Loss Of Function ◽

Color Patterns ◽

Wide Range ◽

Range Of Functions ◽

Gene Regulatory ◽

Pyralid Moth

The forewings and hindwings of butterflies and moths (Lepidoptera) are differentiated from each other, with segment-specific morphologies and color patterns that mediate a wide range of functions in flight, signaling, and protection. The Hox gene Ultrabithorax (Ubx) is a master selector gene that differentiates metathoracic from mesothoracic identities across winged insects, and previous work has shown this role extends to at least some of the color patterns from the butterfly hindwing. Here we used CRISPR targeted mutagenesis to generate Ubx loss-of-function somatic mutations in two nymphalid butterflies (Junonia coenia, Vanessa cardui) and a pyralid moth (Plodia interpunctella). The resulting mosaic clones yielded hindwing-to-forewing transformations, showing Ubx is necessary for specifying many aspects of hindwing-specific identities, including scale morphologies, color patterns, and wing venation and structure. These homeotic phenotypes showed cell-autonomous, sharp transitions between mutant and non-mutant scales, except for clones that encroached into the border ocelli (eyespots) and resulted in composite and non-autonomous effects on eyespot ring determination. In the pyralid moth, homeotic clones converted the folding and depigmented hindwing into rigid and pigmented composites, affected the wing-coupling frenulum, and induced ectopic scent-scales in male androconia. These data confirm Ubx is a master selector of lepidopteran hindwing identity and suggest it acts on many gene regulatory networks involved in wing development and patterning.

Download Full-text

Distinct roles for innexin gap junctions and hemichannels in mechanosensation

eLife ◽

10.7554/elife.50597 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 9 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Denise S Walker ◽

William R Schafer

Keyword(s):

Blood Pressure ◽

Heterologous Expression ◽

Pain Perception ◽

Mechanosensory Transduction ◽

Wide Range ◽

Touch Receptor Neurons ◽

Touch Sensitivity ◽

Range Of Functions ◽

Receptor Neurons ◽

And Control

Mechanosensation is central to a wide range of functions, including tactile and pain perception, hearing, proprioception, and control of blood pressure, but identifying the molecules underlying mechanotransduction has proved challenging. In Caenorhabditis elegans, the avoidance response to gentle body touch is mediated by six touch receptor neurons (TRNs), and is dependent on MEC-4, a DEG/ENaC channel. We show that hemichannels containing the innexin protein UNC-7 are also essential for gentle touch in the TRNs, as well as harsh touch in both the TRNs and the PVD nociceptors. UNC-7 and MEC-4 do not colocalize, suggesting that their roles in mechanosensory transduction are independent. Heterologous expression of unc-7 in touch-insensitive chemosensory neurons confers ectopic touch sensitivity, indicating a specific role for UNC-7 hemichannels in mechanosensation. The unc-7 touch defect can be rescued by the homologous mouse gene Panx1 gene, thus, innexin/pannexin proteins may play broadly conserved roles in neuronal mechanotransduction.

Download Full-text

Expression Characterization of Flavonoid Biosynthetic Pathway Genes and Transcription Factors in Peanut Under Water Deficit Conditions

Frontiers in Plant Science ◽

10.3389/fpls.2021.680368 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 ◽

Author(s):

Ghulam Kubra ◽

Maryam Khan ◽

Faiza Munir ◽

Alvina Gul ◽

Tariq Shah ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Transcription Factors ◽

Water Deficit ◽

Biosynthetic Pathway ◽

Correlational Analysis ◽

Accumulation Pattern ◽

Yield Production ◽

Expression Of Genes ◽

Flavonoid Biosynthetic Pathway ◽

Wide Range

Drought is one of the hostile environmental stresses that limit the yield production of crop plants by modulating their growth and development. Peanut (Arachis hypogaea) has a wide range of adaptations to arid and semi-arid climates, but its yield is prone to loss due to drought. Other than beneficial fatty acids and micronutrients, peanut harbors various bioactive compounds including flavonoids that hold a prominent position as antioxidants in plants and protect them from oxidative stress. In this study, understanding of the biosynthesis of flavonoids in peanut under water deficit conditions was developed through expression analysis and correlational analysis and determining the accumulation pattern of phenols, flavonols, and anthocyanins. Six peanut varieties (BARD479, BARI2011, BARI2000, GOLDEN, PG1102, and PG1265) having variable responses against drought stress have been selected. Higher water retention and flavonoid accumulation have been observed in BARI2011 but downregulation has been observed in the expression of genes and transcription factors (TFs) which indicated the maintenance of normal homeostasis. ANOVA revealed that the expression of flavonoid genes and TFs is highly dependent upon the genotype of peanut in a spatiotemporal manner. Correlation analysis between expression of flavonoid biosynthetic genes and TFs indicated the role of AhMYB111 and AhMYB7 as an inhibitor for AhF3H and AhFLS, respectively, and AhMYB7, AhTTG1, and AhCSU2 as a positive regulator for the expression of Ah4CL, AhCHS, and AhF3H, respectively. However, AhbHLH and AhGL3 revealed nil-to-little relation with the expression of flavonoid biosynthetic pathway genes. Correlational analysis between the expression of TFs related to the biosynthesis of flavonoids and the accumulation of phenolics, flavonols, and anthocyanins indicated coregulation of flavonoid synthesis by TFs under water deficit conditions in peanut. This study would provide insight into the role of flavonoid biosynthetic pathway in drought response in peanut and would aid to develop drought-tolerant varieties of peanut.

Download Full-text

MicroRNAs: Small Regulators of Tissue Regeneration

Journal of Genes and Cells ◽

10.15562/gnc.51 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 3 ◽

pp. 6

Author(s):

Madjid Momeni-Moghaddam ◽

Elnaz Yossefi ◽

Fatemeh Oladi

Keyword(s):

Small Molecules ◽

Tissue Regeneration ◽

Protein Production ◽

Special Functions ◽

Cellular Events ◽

Organ Regeneration ◽

Wide Range ◽

Range Of Functions ◽

Transcriptional Gene Regulation ◽

Common Cell

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small molecules that are involved in the regulation of cellular events. They can monitor protein production using a kind of gene expression inhibition called post transcriptional gene regulation. Nowadays a lot of them have been found in different kind of cellular process so they have a wide range of functions from common cell tasks to roles in the regulation of special functions including regeneration of damaged tissues. In recent years, there has been an increasing interest in the field of miRNAs. This paper will review the research conducted on the roles of miRNAs in stem cells and tissue/organ regeneration.

Download Full-text