title: Identification, cloning, and functional characterization of the IL-1 receptor antagonist in the chicken reveal important differences between the Chicken and mammals

authors: Gibson, Mark S.

subjects: gene

abstract: The human IL-1 family contains 11 genes encoded at three separate loci. Nine, including IL-1R antagonist (IL-1RN), are present at a single locus on chromosome 2, whereas IL-18 and IL-33 lie on chromosomes 11 and 9, respectively. There are currently only two known orthologs in the chicken, IL-1β and IL-18, which are encoded on chromosomes 22 and 24, respectively. Two novel chicken IL-1 family sequences were identified from expressed sequence tag libraries, representing secretory and intracellular (icIL-1RN) structural variants of the IL-1RN gene, as seen in mammals. Two further putative splice variants (SVs) of both chicken IL-1RN (chIL-1RN) structural variants were also isolated. Alternative splicing of human icIL-1RN gives three different transcripts; there are no known SVs for human secretory IL-1RN. The chicken icIL-1RN SVs differ from those found in human icIL-1RN in terms of the rearrangements involved. In mammals, IL-1RN inhibits IL-1 activity by physically occupying the IL-1 type I receptor. Both full-length structural variants of chIL-1RN exhibited biological activity similar to their mammalian orthologs in a macrophage cell line bioassay. The four SVs, however, were not biologically active. The chicken IL-1 family is more fragmented in the genome than those of mammals, particularly in that the large multigene locus seen in mammals is absent. This suggests differential evolution of the family since the divergence of birds and mammals from a common ancestor, and makes determination of the full repertoire of chicken IL-1 family members more challenging.

text: Identification, cloning, and functional characterization of the IL-1 receptor antagonist in the chicken reveal important differences between the Chicken and mammals The human IL-1 family contains 11 genes encoded at three separate loci. Nine, including IL-1R antagonist (IL-1RN), are present at a single locus on chromosome 2, whereas IL-18 and IL-33 lie on chromosomes 11 and 9, respectively. There are currently only two known orthologs in the chicken, IL-1β and IL-18, which are encoded on chromosomes 22 and 24, respectively. Two novel chicken IL-1 family sequences were identified from expressed sequence tag libraries, representing secretory and intracellular (icIL-1RN) structural variants of the IL-1RN gene, as seen in mammals. Two further putative splice variants (SVs) of both chicken IL-1RN (chIL-1RN) structural variants were also isolated. Alternative splicing of human icIL-1RN gives three different transcripts; there are no known SVs for human secretory IL-1RN. The chicken icIL-1RN SVs differ from those found in human icIL-1RN in terms of the rearrangements involved. In mammals, IL-1RN inhibits IL-1 activity by physically occupying the IL-1 type I receptor. Both full-length structural variants of chIL-1RN exhibited biological activity similar to their mammalian orthologs in a macrophage cell line bioassay. The four SVs, however, were not biologically active. The chicken IL-1 family is more fragmented in the genome than those of mammals, particularly in that the large multigene locus seen in mammals is absent. This suggests differential evolution of the family since the divergence of birds and mammals from a common ancestor, and makes determination of the full repertoire of chicken IL-1 family members more challenging.

year: 2012

title: Educational issues in introductory tertiary biology

authors: Buntting, Catherine Michelle

subjects: undergraduate

abstract: The work presented in this thesis focuses on educational issues in first-year biology courses at university. First-year courses are important because they have the potential to influence student retention and subsequent subject selection choices, as well as learning at higher levels. Further, biology is considered to be an important enabling subject in New Zealand because of the Government's drive towards a biotechnology-based knowledge economy.

Specifically, the work in this thesis explores the educational implications of the increasingly diverse academic backgrounds of students entering first-year biology courses on teaching and learning in these courses. A social constructivist view of learning is adopted, in which prior knowledge of the learners is considered to have a significant influence on their learning. The social context of learning interactions also is considered to be important.  The research involved three phases: identification of prior knowledge assumed by faculty; identification of actual prior knowledge of students; and the implementation and evaluation of an intervention programme based on concept mapping.

In order to investigate faculty assumptions of student prior knowledge, 35 faculty from six New Zealand universities were interviewed. Document analysis and classroom observations provided data triangulation.  The findings for this phase of the research suggest that faculty were aware of the diverse prior knowledge of students, and reported a tension between teaching  from scratch  in order to accommodate those with very limited prior knowledge; and the risk of boring those with more extensive relevant backgrounds.  A range of concepts that are not explained during teaching (i.e., concepts it is assumed students understand) were identified, including biology-specific concepts and relevant chemical and mathematical concepts.

In the second phase, research findings from phase one were used to develop a prior knowledge questionnaire administered in two successive years to all students enrolled in first-year biology courses at one New Zealand university.  Data analysis for this phase suggests that although students with more extensive prior biology study were more likely to have a scientifically acceptable understanding of some key concepts, this was not true of all the concepts that were investigated, including chemical and mathematical concepts. The data also point to differences between what faculty expect students to know, and what students actually know. Furthermore, few students, regardless of the extent of prior biology study, were able to demonstrate understanding of the relationships between important biological concepts.  

In the third phase of the research, an intervention based on concept mapping was implemented and evaluated. Two of the six weekly tutorial classes associated with two first-year biology courses were used for the purposes of the intervention. The intervention differed from the other concept mapping studies reported in the literature in that its implementation was of long duration, viz., a period of 11 weeks.  

Students who participated in the intervention reported in 'tutorial experience questionnaires' and subsequent interviews that concept mapping helped them to learn the biology content covered during lectures, and to identify links between concepts. A large proportion of participants indicated that they used concept mapping for biology study outside of the intervention tutorial classes, and in some cases in other courses of study.  Classroom management strategies appeared to contribute to the positive views about the use of concept mapping during tutorials. Specifically, the tutor modelled the use of concept mapping, but students were also given opportunities to construct their own maps.  The role of the tutor in guiding discussions with students and providing feedback was also viewed as being important. Detailed analysis of course assessment tasks suggests that concept mapping enhanced learning for test questions that require understanding of links between concepts. Where tasks require only the recall of facts, concept mapping does not appear to make a statistically significant difference to student performance.

The findings from the concept mapping intervention thus suggest that although concept mapping is a strategy that can be used effectively in tertiary biology tutorial classes, it is more worthwhile if the type of deep learning that is encouraged by the use of concept mapping is also the type of learning required to successfully complete assessment tasks. This raises the issue of whether the type of learning faculty specify in course objectives is the type of learning they actually seek to develop in course delivery and associated assessment regimes.

text: Educational issues in introductory tertiary biology The work presented in this thesis focuses on educational issues in first-year biology courses at university. First-year courses are important because they have the potential to influence student retention and subsequent subject selection choices, as well as learning at higher levels. Further, biology is considered to be an important enabling subject in New Zealand because of the Government's drive towards a biotechnology-based knowledge economy.

Specifically, the work in this thesis explores the educational implications of the increasingly diverse academic backgrounds of students entering first-year biology courses on teaching and learning in these courses. A social constructivist view of learning is adopted, in which prior knowledge of the learners is considered to have a significant influence on their learning. The social context of learning interactions also is considered to be important.  The research involved three phases: identification of prior knowledge assumed by faculty; identification of actual prior knowledge of students; and the implementation and evaluation of an intervention programme based on concept mapping.

In order to investigate faculty assumptions of student prior knowledge, 35 faculty from six New Zealand universities were interviewed. Document analysis and classroom observations provided data triangulation.  The findings for this phase of the research suggest that faculty were aware of the diverse prior knowledge of students, and reported a tension between teaching  from scratch  in order to accommodate those with very limited prior knowledge; and the risk of boring those with more extensive relevant backgrounds.  A range of concepts that are not explained during teaching (i.e., concepts it is assumed students understand) were identified, including biology-specific concepts and relevant chemical and mathematical concepts.

In the second phase, research findings from phase one were used to develop a prior knowledge questionnaire administered in two successive years to all students enrolled in first-year biology courses at one New Zealand university.  Data analysis for this phase suggests that although students with more extensive prior biology study were more likely to have a scientifically acceptable understanding of some key concepts, this was not true of all the concepts that were investigated, including chemical and mathematical concepts. The data also point to differences between what faculty expect students to know, and what students actually know. Furthermore, few students, regardless of the extent of prior biology study, were able to demonstrate understanding of the relationships between important biological concepts.  

In the third phase of the research, an intervention based on concept mapping was implemented and evaluated. Two of the six weekly tutorial classes associated with two first-year biology courses were used for the purposes of the intervention. The intervention differed from the other concept mapping studies reported in the literature in that its implementation was of long duration, viz., a period of 11 weeks.  

Students who participated in the intervention reported in 'tutorial experience questionnaires' and subsequent interviews that concept mapping helped them to learn the biology content covered during lectures, and to identify links between concepts. A large proportion of participants indicated that they used concept mapping for biology study outside of the intervention tutorial classes, and in some cases in other courses of study.  Classroom management strategies appeared to contribute to the positive views about the use of concept mapping during tutorials. Specifically, the tutor modelled the use of concept mapping, but students were also given opportunities to construct their own maps.  The role of the tutor in guiding discussions with students and providing feedback was also viewed as being important. Detailed analysis of course assessment tasks suggests that concept mapping enhanced learning for test questions that require understanding of links between concepts. Where tasks require only the recall of facts, concept mapping does not appear to make a statistically significant difference to student performance.

The findings from the concept mapping intervention thus suggest that although concept mapping is a strategy that can be used effectively in tertiary biology tutorial classes, it is more worthwhile if the type of deep learning that is encouraged by the use of concept mapping is also the type of learning required to successfully complete assessment tasks. This raises the issue of whether the type of learning faculty specify in course objectives is the type of learning they actually seek to develop in course delivery and associated assessment regimes.

year: 2006

title: Māori, census 2018 and data sovereignty

authors: Kukutai, Tahu

abstract: This webinar explores the issues with the 2018 Census data collection and examines what the implications could be for communities and funding.  See below to read some relevant articles prior to the webinar.

Our presenters also discuss iwi data sovereignty and data bias and the reasons why we should all pay more attention to the quality of the data we provide, use and collect.

text: Māori, census 2018 and data sovereignty This webinar explores the issues with the 2018 Census data collection and examines what the implications could be for communities and funding.  See below to read some relevant articles prior to the webinar.

Our presenters also discuss iwi data sovereignty and data bias and the reasons why we should all pay more attention to the quality of the data we provide, use and collect.

year: 2019