Descriptions of Centrifugation Manipulations in the Literature Illustrate the Need for Better Laboratory Training of Biologists

Autor/inn/en	Rioux, Pierre; Blier, Pierre
Titel	Descriptions of Centrifugation Manipulations in the Literature Illustrate the Need for Better Laboratory Training of Biologists
Quelle	In: Bioscene: Journal of College Biology Teaching, 47 (2021) 2, S.44-49 (6 Seiten)Infoseite zur Zeitschrift PDF als Volltext kostenfreie Datei Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	1539-2422
Schlagwörter	Laboratory Training; Scientists; Science Education; Ecology; Zoology; Botany; Biology; Periodicals; Physics; Environmental Education; Wildlife; Research Reports; Laboratory Procedures; Molecular Biology; Journal Articles; Higher Education + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Laborkunde; Scientist; Wissenschaftler; Naturwissenschaftliche Bildung; Ökologie; Zoologie; Botanik; Biologie; Periodical; Journal; Zeitschrift; Fachzeitschrift; Periodikum; Physik; Umweltbildung; Umwelterziehung; Umweltpädagogik; Research report; Forschungsbericht; Laboruntersuchung; Molekularbiologie; Journal article; Zeitschriftenaufsatz; Hochschulbildung; Hochschulsystem; Hochschulwesen
Abstract	Students in environmental sciences, ecology, or wildlife management are often reluctant to acquire training in basic laboratory techniques. To advocate the importance of this training, we reviewed literature in the fields of biological and environmental science for one frequently used technique--centrifugation--and evaluated whether centrifugation parameters are properly expressed. Centrifugation is used to extract and purify different types of biomolecules for further characterization or quantification. The repeatability of the procedure depends on the proper identification of parameters defining the gravitational force applied to a solution, for example the duration, distance from central axis, and angular velocity. Correctly expressing rotation velocity--the "speed"--is therefore crucial to ensuring repeatability and the possibility of using the same protocols in different laboratories. When scrutinizing the materials and methods sections of publications in ecology, zoology, botany, or general biology journals, we noticed that velocity is expressed in different ways and essential information is often missing. We sampled 2000 articles in different fields of biological sciences that recorded centrifugation as a technique in the materials and methods section. We found centrifugation velocity to be properly expressed in gravitational force "g" in only 47.8% of the papers. The score dropped to 40.4% in journals specialized in ecology. We use this analysis to advocate for a minimum of training in the techniques of biochemistry that are of common use in environmental sciences. Better training would allow higher reproducibility of results in scientific publications. (As Provided).
Anmerkungen	Association of College and Biology Educators. Web site: http://acube.org
Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2024/1/01