The A&P Professor Science & Education Updates - Issue #173

Life Science

Sunlight hitting the skin seems to boost secretion of an appetite-boosting hormone in men, causing them to eat more in summer – but women aren't affected in the same way.

Mice and humans infected with dengue emit acetophenone, a mosquito-attractor

Researchers say they have found the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein circulating in the blood of long COVID patients up to 12 months after they were diagnosed with COVID-19.

With THC levels close to 100 percent, today’s cannabis products are making some teenagers highly dependent and dangerously ill.

The gene-editing technology has led to innovations in medicine, evolution and agriculture — and raised profound ethical questions about altering human DNA.

The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is the largest organelle of the cell and participates in multiple essential functions, including the production of secretory proteins, lipid synthesis, and calcium storage. Sustaining proteostasis requires an intimate coupling with energy production. Mitochondrial respiration evolved to be functionally connected to ER physiology through a physical interface between both organelles known as mitochondria-associated membranes. This quasi-synaptic structure acts as a signaling hub that tunes the function of both organelles in a bidirectional manner and controls proteostasis, cell death pathways, and mitochondrial bioenergetics.

Here, we discuss the main signaling mechanisms governing interorganellar communication and their putative role in diseases including cancer and neurodegeneration.

Teaching & Learning

Summary: Having expert knowledge in a subject helps us better memorize new information, a new study finds. The next time someone asks you to stop sharing your fun facts about rare coins, or teases you about your obsession with Norse mythology, tell them you’re working on your brain health.

I think this works in anatomy and histology, too!

Helpful table gets us thinking about the key elements of teaching.

Have you ever felt resentful or responded passive-aggressively to a request on your time or energy? That's a sign your boundaries are being crossed – and it might be because you haven't set them clearly. Therapist and author Nedra Glover Tawwab shares advice on how to set boundaries — and stick to them — in your daily life.

TAPP News & Notes

What is Normal? | What is Normal Body Temperature? | Practical Tips for an Open, Online, Randomized Testing Scheme