Sci-Ed Update 338

Epigenetic markers for circadian rhythms, choosing teaching media, what IS genetic disease?, millions with autoimmune conditions, is cheating normal?, nutrients to protect cognition, placebos, & more

Jan 14, 2025

More than 15 million people, accounting for 4.6% of the US population, were diagnosed with at least one autoimmune disease from January 2011 to June 2022; 34% were diagnosed with more than one autoimmune disease.
Sex-stratified analysis revealed that 63% of patients diagnosed with autoimmune disease were women, and only 37% were men, establishing a female-to-male ratio of 1.7:1; age-stratified analysis revealed increasing prevalence of autoimmune conditions with age, peaking in individuals aged ≥ 65 years.
Among individuals with autoimmune diseases, 65% of patients had one condition, whereas 24% had two, 8% had three, and 2% had four or more autoimmune diseases (does not add to 100% due to rounding).
Rheumatoid arthritis emerged as the most prevalent autoimmune disease, followed by psoriasis, type 1 diabetes, Grave’s disease, and autoimmune thyroiditis; 19 of the top 20 most prevalent autoimmune diseases occurred more frequently in women.

Curating Quality Resources using the Cognitive Theory of Multimedia Instruction

With the shift toward online modes of delivery for instructional content, the Cognitive Theory of Multimedia Instruction is an important framework for educators seeking to create or evaluate high-quality instructional videos and presentations. The theory centers on the ways in which we can reduce the extraneous cognitive load that it takes to construct knowledge, and instead have our learners focus their cognitive efforts on tasks that are more relevant to their learning. Even with the rise of high-quality third-party resources, educators have opportunities to create multimedia resources that are engaging, informative, and can result in deep learning.
[In the linked article] are ten general principles that can help you guide the development of these resources.

Doctors Thought They Knew What a Genetic Disease Is. They Were Wrong.

Mutations that happen throughout a person’s life may contribute to disease more than we realized.

Cheating Has Become Normal

But it’s not AI that has a lot of professors worried. It’s what lies behind that willingness to cheat. While the reasons vary by student and situation, certain explanations surface frequently. Students are working long hours while taking full course loads. They doubt their ability to perform well. They arrive at college with weak reading and study skills. They don’t value the assignments they’re given. They feel like the only way they can succeed is to be perfect. They believe they will not be punished — or not punished harshly — if caught. And many, it seems, don’t feel particularly guilty about it.

Anatomy of Trust: Promoting Integrity in A&P Education

Episode 146 of The A&P Professor podcast is one of our winter shorts, where I replay interesting segments from previous episodes. In this one, we discuss the importance of academic integrity in the Anatomy & Physiology course. We emphasize the need to incorporate discussions about integrity in the syllabus and course materials and share real-life examples of violations in the healthcare field. We highlight how dishonesty can have serious consequences and discuss strategies for prevention, such as using multiple test versions and unique topics for papers/projects. Providing examples of acceptable practices and discouraging unethical behavior foster a culture of integrity. We invite listeners to contribute their own strategies for promoting academic integrity.

To listen to this episode, click on the play button above ⏵ (if present) or this link→ theAPprofessor.org/podcast-episode-146.html

UK study links key nutrients to reducing brain iron buildup

Researchers at the University of Kentucky have found that incorporating specific nutrients into a regular diet may reduce iron buildup in the brain — a factor associated with cognitive decline in normal aging.
The study, titled “Exploring the links among brain iron accumulation, cognitive performance, and dietary intake in older adults: A longitudinal MRI study,” was published in Neurobiology of Aging.
In this project, researchers specifically looked at non-heme iron, which is critical for brain health. This type of iron does not bind with storage proteins and, with age and in excess, can contribute to oxidative stress, potentially affecting neuronal integrity and cognition.
Excessive brain iron has been linked to poor cognitive performance, even in normal aging.
“Our results revealed a broad network of cortical and subcortical brain regions where iron accumulation occurred over the three-year period,” said Zachariou. “These regional increases in iron levels were associated with poorer episodic memory and executive function at the follow-up time-point.”
“However, participants who had higher baseline intake of antioxidants, vitamins, iron-chelating nutrients, and polyunsaturated fatty acids showed significantly less iron accumulation over the three-year period,” said Gold.

Serious Head Trauma May Awaken Dormant Viruses Inside Your Body

Differences in the distribution of phosphorylated tau in injured brain slices with an HSV-1 infection (right) and without (left). (Cairns et al., *Neuroimmunology*, 2025)

A serious knock to the head may also deliver an insidious blow to the human immune system – a one-two punch that could reawaken dormant viruses in the body, potentially contributing to neurodegenerative disease.
A study using stem cell 'mini brains' has shown that a herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) infection already 'arrested' by the immune system can shake off its shackles when brain tissue is injured.

Got a cold? A placebo might help

The viruses of cold and flu season are upon us, and in us, where they’re causing misery upon misery. But don’t worry. You can hop online, and for a mere $24.95, buy yourself a bottle of Zeebo Relief pills, designed to ease your bothersome symptoms.
The key ingredient? Absolutely nothing.
They’re placebos, and as such, they contain no active ingredients, not even sugar. The tagline: “You are the active ingredient.”
Maybe you’re rolling your eyes. Is there any reason to think that pills of nothing could work?
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Yes, it turns out. And in fact, many of us may have a similar placebo, of sorts, sitting in our medicine cabinets. It’s phenylephrine, and it’s been on the market for decades. This decongestant is in over-the-counter cold medications sold by brands such as Sudafed PE and DayQuil.

Circadian rhythms are set by epigenetic marks in neurons

**A neuronal epigenetic mark.** a, A region of the brain called the tuberomammillary nucleus (TMN) is involved in circadian rhythm, the body’s 24-hour internal clock. This region is rich in neurons that release the neurotransmitter molecule histamine. Zheng *et al*.¹ show that histamine can modify DNA-packaging histone proteins, producing an epigenetic mark that influences gene expression and behaviour. The enzyme transglutaminase 2 (TG2) can act as a ‘writer’, adding a histaminyl group to the fifth glutamine residue of histone H3 (producing a mark called H3Q5his). When mice are awake and in their active phase, levels of H3Q5his across the genome are high. b, TG2 also removes H3Q5his, acting as an ‘eraser’. When mice are in their inactive phase, levels of H3Q5his are low. Zheng and colleagues find that rhythmic fluctuations in H3Q5his correlate with the rhythmic expression of genes that control the circadian rhythm.

Genetic information is encoded in DNA, but the expression of this information depends on the accessibility of DNA to the transcriptional machinery. Chemical modifications to histone proteins, around which DNA is wrapped, affect its accessibility and transcription.
Over the past few decades, several such modifications, or epigenetic marks, have been identified and characterized — including acetylation, methylation and phosphorylation of histones. These marks are added by ‘writer’ enzymes, removed by ‘eraser’ enzymes and recognized by ‘reader’ proteins that mediate downstream cellular responses. Levels of epigenetic marks often fluctuate during a cell’s life or in response to external stimuli, but having them in the wrong place at the wrong time can alter gene-expression programs, erroneously turning genes on and off and leading to health conditions.
Writing in Nature, Zheng et al.¹ characterize an epigenetic mark found in neurons and explore its role in regulating behavioural patterns.

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