Eukaryotes use proteins to carefully package and compact their genomes to fit into the nuclei of their individual cells. Nucleosomes are the primary level of compaction. Nucleosomes are formed when DNA wraps around an octamer of histone proteins and a nucleosome's position can limit access to genetic regulatory elements. Therefore, nucleosomes…

The mutation that caused hemophilia in European royal families during the 19th century has been characterized and presents excellent teaching opportunities.

Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS), most recognized for the hallmark hyperphagia and food preoccupations, is caused by the absence of expression of the paternally active genes in the q11-13 region of chromosome 15. Since the recognition of PWS as a genetic disorder, most research has focused primarily on the medical, genetic, and behavioral aspects of…

The accessibility of learning media is one of the determining factor of student skills in dealing with the 21st-century demands. This study aimed at developing the online-discussion-forum-based Gen-21cs application. This Design Development Research (DDR) used the Richey and Klein Model which comprised of six phases, namely, 1) identifying the…

With the ever-increasing push towards authentic learning within post-secondary institutions, many approaches are being explored. One such method with a particular focus on real-world applications has been the International Genetically Engineered Machines (iGEM) competition program. At the University of Calgary, the iGEM program sees teams of…

The study determined the effect of instructional scaffolding strategy on senior secondary school Biology Students' academic achievement and retention of concepts. Two research questions and two hypotheses were formulated for the study. Quasi-experimental research design involving pre-test, the post-test control group was employed. The population…

Family communication environments can be a facilitator or barrier to family cooperation and communication in collecting family health history (FHH) information, which can facilitate disease prevention. This study examined the direct and indirect effects of family communicative environments on whether individuals actively collected FHH information,…

The academic study of "race" varies from discipline to discipline. "Race" is placed in quotes in this instance because historically race was considered a biological category that denoted unalterable biological characteristics between races. There is a long intellectual history of documenting phenotypic differences between…

Process evaluations provide insight into the implementation of complex interventions. This study is a process evaluation for the implementation of a parent-led physical activity intervention at home with youth with a rare neurodevelopmental disorder (Prader-Willi syndrome, PWS) and youth with non-syndromal obesity (NSO). Participants included 42…

Phenotypic elements of autism spectrum disorder can be masked by attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder symptoms, potentially leading to a misdiagnosis or delaying an autism spectrum disorder diagnosis. This study explored differences in the age of autism spectrum disorder diagnosis between participants with previously diagnosed…

Age-related behavioural change in Cornelia de Lange syndrome is poorly understood. We report a 7 year follow-up study of adaptive behaviour, autism spectrum disorder symptomatology, language skills and behavioural characteristics in 30 individuals with Cornelia de Lange syndrome, compared with 18 individuals with Cri du Chat syndrome. The…

Integrated STEM education holds the promise for students' meaningful science instruction. However, the implementation of integrated STEM-based approaches for science learning might be difficult for teachers due to the lack of expertise and instructional materials. Therefore, this study focused on the preparation and validation of an integrated…

English language readers rarely get glimpses of the state of autism research in China. Given the seriousness of autism, the population of China, and the potential for theoretically interesting cross-cultural insights, we provide a broad survey of research carried out in China on childhood autism. Four themes are considered: etiology, diagnosis,…

A lesson plan on the phylum Tardigrada is presented in a storytelling workbook that introduces the evolutionary concepts of adaptive radiation, speciation, divergence, and "tree-thinking" through narrative, transitional art, contemplative coloring, and data searches, which can be enhanced with microscopy wet labs. Students gain insight…

Dealing with multiple external representations (MERs) in science education is the key to students' understanding of science communication and becoming scientifically literate. It is generally accepted that learning scientific concepts, processes, and principles requires understanding and interacting with MERs. Science can be understood as a…