Sci-Ed Update 271

Are heavy kids diseased, TB vax and dementia, mitochondria & brain aging, microglia roles, LGBTQIA2S+ in science ed, our teaching persona, concept mapper, & more!

Jun 02, 2023

On January 9 of this year, the American Academy of Pediatricians (AAP) published their "Clinical Practice Guideline for the Evaluation and Treatment of Children and Adolescents with Obesity." With this guidanceopens in a new tab or window, the AAP is advising doctors and other providers that the "monitoring" and "watchful waiting" approaches are no longer valid.
In a stark shift from previous recommendations, the focus of the new guidance is unabashedly on weight loss and body mass index (BMI) instead of health. The new recommendations call for a more aggressive approach to weight loss, including the use of weight loss medications like the GLP-1 agonistsopens in a new tab or window for adolescentsopens in a new tab or window based solely on weight status -- regardless of whether the child has any medical problems like hypertension, liver disease, high cholesterol, or diabetes/prediabetes. This continued emphasis on weight reflects a doubling down on the same approach that hasn't improved health outcomes over the last 20 years; instead, we now have worsening rates of diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease.
We seem to believe that by applying a weight-focused approach to health more aggressively, with a new class of weight loss drugs, and on younger patients, we will get different results.

BCG vaccine treatment could protect against Alzheimer's and other dementias

*Vials of the BCG vaccine are seen in the trial clinic at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital on April 20, 2020, in Perth, Australia. Paul Kane/Getty Images*

The Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) vaccine has been in use for more than 80 years to combat tuberculosis.
In the 1970s, it was found to be an effective immunotherapy treatment for early-stage bladder cancers.
Since then, it has become one of the standard treatments for this cancer, administered directly into the bladder.
A study has now found that it may have a beneficial side effect — people receiving this therapy seem to have a reduced risk of developing dementia.

Restoring the brain’s mitochondria could slow ageing and end dementia

*Protein plaques in the brain may be caused by failing mitochondriaSebastian Kaulitzki/Alamy*

IF YOU own a car, you will have noticed the engine getting less efficient with time. The further you drive it, the more fuel it takes to make the same journey – until, eventually, it becomes so underpowered that it needs a physical push to climb even a gentle hill.
Now, it is emerging that much the same is true of the human brain. Microscopic structures called mitochondria, found in every brain cell, are quite literally the engines of our thoughts and feelings. As we age, they find it harder and harder to produce sufficient energy to power our mental activities. Worse, in a similar way to an old car leaving clouds of smoke in its wake, the cell’s powerhouses start generating unwanted waste products that slowly poison our brains. This means that malfunctioning mitochondria may underlie many of the most devastating brain conditions, including Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, Huntington’s and motor neuron disease.
According to this “grand unified theory” of neurodegeneration, we could prolong our brain’s healthy functioning by recharging our neurons through restoration of their powerhouses. The idea is already inspiring some exciting new therapies for age-related brain conditions, with multiple drug candidates under investigation. Some researchers are even exploring the possibility of transplanting healthy mitochondria into damaged, ageing brains to re-energise them. “If you keep changing the parts of a car, it can last forever,” says Claudio Soto, a neurologist at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston. “So what happens if we try to do the …

Understanding Microglia’s Dual Roles Could Aid Brain Protection

*Previous research has shown that microglia play a large role in demyelination. Credit: Neuroscience News*

Summary: Researchers made a significant discovery regarding microglia, the immune cells of the central nervous system, and their role in neurodegenerative diseases. They investigated how these cells respond to injury and their change in behavior under specific conditions.
Notably, the researchers found that microglia in models of Multiple Sclerosis (MS) displayed similar characteristics to those seen in Alzheimer’s disease. This research could pave the way for novel strategies to protect the human brain when microglia become neurotoxic.
Key Facts:
Microglia are immune cells of the central nervous system that can both protect and potentially harm the brain and spinal cord.
The University of Alberta study found similarities between microglia in MS and Alzheimer’s disease models, suggesting similar mechanisms could be at work.
The research aims to identify toxic properties of neurotoxic microglia, which could lead to new methods of protecting the brain from neurodegenerative diseases.

A Call to Action for Improving LGBTQIA2S+ Inclusive Policies and Practices in Educating Science and Medical Professionals

*Image: https://pxhere.com/en/photo/1209150 CC0 Public Domain*

Based on Nature’s novel sex and gender guidelines, we share a call to action to enact policy changes in medical and scientific education.
We conducted a literature search of current policies and practices affecting sex and gender minorities. Our work indicated a scarcity of guidelines and curricula dedicated to standardizing LGBTQIA2S+ topics. Educational policies must be enacted to ensure that sex and gender guidelines are implemented across all institutions as it impacts the future of healthcare and science. It is essential that sex and gender considerations be mandated topics in both medical and scientific education.

Our Teaching Persona in Anatomy & Physiology Class | TAPP 137

In Episode 137 of The A&P Professor podcast, host Kevin Patton explores the significance of playfulness, transparency, and authenticity in the teaching persona. Drawing from personal experiences training animals, Kevin explains how play is integral to learning, highlighting the importance of incorporating a sense of fun and embracing failures in the classroom. He also emphasizes the value of transparency by sharing our own mistakes and weaknesses, asserting that being open about flaws fosters authenticity and builds trust with students. By acknowledging vulnerabilities and demonstrating a genuine willingness to learn, educators can create a supportive and engaging learning environment. This thought-provoking discussion reminds us of the power of play and authenticity in effective teaching.

To listen to this episode, click on the player (if present) or this link→ theAPprofessor.org/podcast-episode-137.html

Model Builder

This [free] interactive tool [from HHMI BioInteractive] introduces students to building scientific models. Educators can use the tool to create assignments and, in some cases, automatically grade student models. Students can also use the tool to check their work against provided reference models.
Developing and using models is a key science practice highlighted in the NGSS framework and has many advantages for students. Model Builder is designed to be useful to beginners in modeling and can be an on-ramp to more sophisticated modeling platforms.
This tool is accompanied by the following materials:
The “User Guide” provides detailed instructions on how to use the tool and create different types of models.
The “Pedagogy Guide” provides a broader context about the use of models in the classroom and includes examples from Model Builder.
The “Catalog of BioInteractive Models for Educators” describes the models provided by BioInteractive, many of which relate to other BioInteractive resources. The catalog also links to model files that you can modify for your own use.

Inhale, Exhale, Remember: Uncovering the Breath-Memory Connection

Summary: Intricate links between breathing and memory recall have been unraveled by recent scientific research, painting a more complex picture of our cognitive processes.
Studies reveal that the rhythm of our breathing can influence neural activity, impacting cognitive functions such as emotional processing and memory recall.
The most compelling evidence highlights that inhalation, particularly through the nose, can improve memory function. As this field of study emerges, these insights could lead to novel therapeutic approaches for cognitive decline and memory-related conditions.
Key Facts:
The rhythm of our breathing creates electrical activity in the brain, enhancing emotional judgment and memory recall, with this effect being most pronounced during inhalation through the nose.
The amygdala and hippocampus, brain areas linked to emotion and memory, are significantly affected by the rhythm of breathing, suggesting that the act of breathing can modulate the functions of these regions.
Deep, controlled breathing, often used in mindfulness practices, can improve working memory capacity, the kind of memory we use to hold and manipulate information over short periods.

The A&P Professor Science & Education Updates