Biology Classes Research Articles

Influence of self‐assessment and conditional metaconceptual knowledge on students' self‐regulation of intuitive and scientific conceptions of evolution

AbstractIntuitive conceptions based on cognitive biases (teleology, anthropomorphism, and essentialism) often prove helpful in everyday life while simultaneously being problematic in scientific contexts. Nonetheless, students often have intuitive conceptions of scientific topics such as evolution. As potential approaches to enable students to self‐regulate their conceptions in the context of evolution, we investigated the effectiveness of two instructional approaches that are based on metacognition and self‐regulated learning: (a) a formative criteria‐referenced self‐assessment of one's conceptions and (b) instruction on conditional metaconceptual knowledge (metacognitive knowledge about why and in which contexts specific conceptions are appropriate or not). We conducted an experimental intervention study using a 2 × 2 factorial (plus an additional control group), pre‐post‐follow‐up‐test design in German upper secondary level biology classes (N = 730). The groups that received one or both interventions had higher conceptual knowledge (i.e., used less intuitive conceptions and/or more scientific conceptions) afterward than those whose conceptions were not addressed: The self‐assessment resulted in higher use of scientific conceptions; the instruction on conditional metaconceptual knowledge additionally resulted in lower use of intuitive conceptions based on cognitive biases, more reported thought processes relating to inhibition of cognitive biases, and a better ability to identify inappropriate phrasing based on cognitive biases. No effects were found on students' self‐reported metaconceptual awareness and regulation. However, the fact that students inhibited their intuitive conceptions in the post‐test indicates that they were indeed metaconceptually aware of and self‐regulated their conceptions. The results suggest that students can be taught to become aware of the differences between intuitive and scientific conceptions and to regulate the use of their intuitive conceptions in a scientific context.

The relationship among vedolizumab drug concentrations, biomarkers of inflammation, and clinical outcomes in a Canadian real-world study.

Therapeutic drug monitoring is used to optimize anti-tumour necrosis factor biologic effectiveness in inflammatory bowel disease, but its role with other biological classes is unclear. This study explores relationships between post-induction vedolizumab trough concentrations and biochemical outcomes in a real-world study of individuals with inflammatory bowel disease. This retrospective analysis of data from a national patient support program between 2018 and 2020, included 436 individuals with Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis receiving vedolizumab. Optimal vedolizumab concentration thresholds (at weeks 6 and 14) were determined based on their ability to predict biochemical normalization (week 30 faecal calprotectin [<250 µg/g], C-reactive protein [<5 mg/l]). Thresholds best associated with each outcome were evaluated in multivariate analyses. Among patients with Crohn's disease, week 6 serum vedolizumab concentrations (>41.65 µg/ml) predicted normalization defined by C-reactive protein: Spearman correlation coefficient [ρ] = -0.26, P = 0.002 and multivariate analysis (MVA)-OR: 3.22, 95% CI: 1.32-7.87, P = 0.01, and at week 14 (>22.25 µg/ml): ρ = -0.38, P < 0.0001, and MVA-OR: 3.21, 95% CI: 1.26-8.17 but not faecal calprotectin. Similarly, among patients with ulcerative colitis, week 6 vedolizumab concentrations (>39.65 g/ml) predicted normalization defined by C-reactive protein: ρ = -0.26, P = 0.005 and MVA-OR: 4.03, 95% CI: 1.30-12.52, P = 0.016, and at week 14 (>17.35 µg/ml): ρ = -0.39, P = 0.0001 and MVA-OR: 6.95, 95% CI: 1.81-26.77, P = 0.005, but not faecal calprotectin. Induction and post-induction serum vedolizumab were not consistently associated with biochemical normalization. As such, proactive therapeutic drug monitoring for vedolizumab should not be routinely incorporated in a treat to target strategy for inflammatory bowel disease. NCT04567628.

Abstract 123: Establishment of humanized CD3EDG/4-1BB mice for testing novel T cell engagers

Abstract Agonism of the 4-1BB receptor is an attractive therapeutic strategy for tumor cell therapy, due to the ability of this receptor to stimulate activity of T and NK cells for tumor cell killing. Many classes of biologics targeting 4-1BB have been generated to date, including bispecific or multispecific engagers designed to stimulate 4-1BB and CD3 activity on the T cell surface. To provide a preclinical platform to test such therapies, Biocytogen generated a humanized B-hCD3EDG/h4-1BB mouse model. This was achieved by crossing humanized mice expressing chimeric CD3E, CD3D and CD3G with mice expressing the human extracellular region of 4-1BB. Previously, we showed that these humanized CD3EDG mice and humanized 4-1BB mice can be used for validating efficacy of anti-human CD3 and 4-1BB antibody-based therapies, respectively. Here, we confirmed expression of human CD3 and 4-1BB on splenocytes in homozygous humanized B-hCD3EDG/h4-1BB mice by flow cytometry, which also demonstrated lack of murine CD3 and 4-1BB expression. Assessment of leukocyte subpopulations in the spleen and peripheral blood confirmed that humanization of the mice did not significantly alter the development or frequency of blood cell populations. Further evaluation of lymphocyte frequency was also performed, which demonstrates no significant alterations in the CD4/CD8 T cell ratio in spleen, lymph node, or peripheral blood of the animals. Presence of Treg and NK cells was also confirmed. Taken together, these data indicate that the humanized B-hCD3EDG/h4-1BB model is a novel, robust tool for testing novel T cell engagers. Citation Format: Chengzhang Shang, Chong Li, Lei Zhao, Qingqing Xu, James Jin, Menglian Ren. Establishment of humanized CD3EDG/4-1BB mice for testing novel T cell engagers [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2024; Part 1 (Regular Abstracts); 2024 Apr 5-10; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(6_Suppl):Abstract nr 123.

Abstract 4891: Discovery of novel biomolecular condensate drug targets in oncology using in silico predictive tools

Abstract Biomolecular condensates play a crucial role in maintaining cellular homeostasis by regulating various cellular processes, such as signaling, gene expression, DNA repair, and stress response. Dysregulation of condensate function has been implicated in the onset and progression of several cancer types, highlighting the potential of targeting condensates as a therapeutic approach. To establish a pipeline for discovering and prioritizing new oncology targets that function via biomolecular condensates, we developed in silico models that link protein condensate formation to its sequence. Leveraging publicly available data and neural network based protein language models, we built predictive models for protein phase separation and for their localization into heteromolecular condensates. With these models, we mapped the condensation character of the full human proteome, including disease variants of genes/proteins. Our results suggested that approximately half of the proteome has the potential to localize into condensate systems. We identified a broad array of chromosomal rearrangements that lead to pathological condensation (e.g., EML4-ALK fusions in lung cancer) and several instances where disease specific isoforms suppressed condensation (e.g., BARD1 mutations in breast cancer and DAXX mutations in melanoma). To identify cases where commonly occurring missense mutations lead to abnormal condensation we analyzed omics data from patients and healthy volunteers, focusing on two mechanisms: (i) condensation due to protein overexpression and (ii) altered condensation characteristics of disease variants compared to wild type protein. We investigated 18 TCGA oncology indications and identified several targets where mutations were predicted to cause aberrant condensation. The identified targets presented a wide range of biological classes, with transcription factors, co-activators, and epigenetic modulators being the most prominent. We prioritized CTNNB1 (βcatenin) for experimental validation and successfully demonstrated both the phase separation ability of the reconstituted protein and the presence of CTNNB1 condensates in colon carcinoma cells with mutated WNT pathway. Notably, many of our predicted targets contain extended intrinsically disordered regions (IDRs), which have remained challenging to target using conventional drug discovery approaches due to their lack of a well-defined 3D structure. To identify compounds that modulate IDR containing proteins we are utilizing our PhaseScan™ platform, which can screen tens of thousands of compounds against our predicted targets within condensates and measure their modulation potential. Subsequent cellular profiling of active compounds in the predicted disease models will allow us to validate the predictions made by our in silico models and ultimately unlock drugging novel targets within biomolecular condensate. Citation Format: Kadi L. Saar, Marius Rebmann, Mohammed Kanchwala, Seema Qamar, Prathima Radhakrishnan, Jasmine Cornish, Julia Doh, Jerome Cattin, Assaf Rotem, Mahmoud Ghandi, Andrew Seeber, Richard C. Centore, Sarah A. Teichmann, Tuomas Knowles, Shilpi Arora. Discovery of novel biomolecular condensate drug targets in oncology using in silico predictive tools [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2024; Part 1 (Regular Abstracts); 2024 Apr 5-10; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(6_Suppl):Abstract nr 4891.

Geometric Antibody Engineering Reveals the Spatial Factor on the Efficacy of Bispecific T Cell Engagers.

Bispecific antibodies (BsAbs) represent an emerging class of biologics that can recognize two different antigens or epitopes. T-cell engagers (TcEs) bind two targets in trans on the cell surface of the effector and target cell to induce proximal immune effects, opening exciting windows for immunotherapies. To date, the engineering of BsAbs has been mainly focused on tuning the molecular weight and valency. However, the effects of spatial factors on the biological functions of BsAbs have been less explored due to the lack of biochemical methods to precisely manipulate protein geometry. Here, we studied the geometric effects of the TcEs. First, by genetically inserting rigidly designed ankyrin repeat proteins into TcEs, we revealed that the efficacy progressively decreased as the spacer distance of the two binding domains increased. Then, we constructed 26 pairs of TcEs with the same size but varying orientations using click chemistry-mediated conjugation at different mutation sites. We found that linear ligation sites play a minor role in modulating cell-killing efficacy. Next, we rendered the TcEs' advanced topology by cyclization chemistry using the SpyTag/SpyCatcher pair or sortase ligation approaches. Cyclized TcEs were generally more potent than their linear counterparts. Particularly, sortase A cyclized TcEs, bearing a minimal tagging motif, exhibited better cell-killing efficacy in vitro and improved stability both in vitro and in vivo compared to the linear TcE. This work combines modern bioconjugation chemistry and protein engineering tools for antibody engineering, shedding light on the elusive spatial factors of BsAbs functionality.

A Case Study of Biology Teaching Practices in Croatian Primary Schools

Abstract The aim of this case study is to present the most frequent teaching methods used by biology teachers in the Republic of Croatia, based on the observations made during biology class and the teachers’ statements. The study included six distinguished primary school biology teachers, along with their seventh-grade classes. The data comprised an interview with each teacher and twelve class observations. The results show that biology education in the Croatian educational system is mostly traditional, whereby students mostly practice listening to the teacher (34%) and answering the questions (18%). In summary, the majority of teaching consists of teachers presenting the content materials and asking questions or engaging students in specific individual or group activities. The present study has determined a lack of student questions and class discussions. Additionally, the nature of teachers’ questions does not encourage students to think and provide extensive answers. For this reason, the study suggests that teachers encourage students to ask questions and organize teaching activities in ways which will contribute to more class activity and deep learning of students. Despite some acknowledged limitations, the results of this study can contribute to a better understanding of the teachers’ experiences in authentic science classrooms, in specific contexts.

Biologics in Focus: A Comprehensive Review of the Current Biological Therapies for Ulcerative Colitis in the United Arab Emirates (UAE)

Background: Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a relapsing–remitting inflammatory condition that has an increasing incidence across the world, including in the Middle East. Biological monoclonal antibody drugs (biologics) have been shown to be advantageous in treating UC. We undertook a review of the currently available biological and small-molecule therapies, with a particular emphasis on those currently licensed in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Methods: We conducted a literature search for studies on biological therapies using the PubMed, MEDLINE, and Embase databases using a list of keywords that were generated following referral to existing treatment guidelines for UC. Papers looking at biological and small-molecule treatments for UC in adult populations were included. Pediatric, pregnancy, and cost-effectiveness studies were excluded. Results and Discussion: There are currently three classes of biologics (anti-tumor necrosis factors (anti-TNFs), anti-integrins, and anti-interleukins) and one class of small-molecule therapy (Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitor) licensed for UC treatment in the UAE. Within the anti-TNF class, three medications have been approved: infliximab, adalimumab, and golimumab. For JAK inhibitors, there are two: tofacitinib and upadacitinib. There is only one licensed medication in the remaining classes: vedolizumab (anti-integrin) and ustekinumab (anti-interleukin). The length of studies varied from 6–8 weeks for induction studies and 52 weeks for maintenance studies. The studies demonstrated increased efficacy in these medications compared to placebos when clinical response, clinical remission, and other secondary measures such as mucosal healing were assessed following the induction and maintenance phases. Biosimilars of infliximab and adalimumab are also available for treating UC, and their safety and efficacy were compared to their biologic originators. Conclusions: The introduction of biologics has been proven to be beneficial for the treatment of UC. This review summarizes the efficacy and safety of each biological class in the treatment of the disease; however, biological drug registries and further studies are required to offer more insight into the comparative efficacy and safety of these agents.

Development of students' self-learning and self-assessment skills using checklists in biology classes

Relevance. The research relevance is predetermined by the need to form a students' mobile personality, capable of quickly adapting to changing conditions in the modern educational process. Despite this, the scientific literature devotes insufficient attention to the development of independence in the study of most school subjects, including biology. All this motivates researchers to search for new approaches to teaching academic disciplines. Purpose. The research goal is to evaluate the suitability and effectiveness of checklists usage in forming independence skills in biology lessons. Methodology. Methods of descriptive statistics and one-factor dispersive analysis were used for the statistical analysis of the data. Results. During the formative experiment, it was determined that the best results of self-learning were noted in the first experimental group of students where not only checklists were used in the educational process, but also success criteria were drawn up for the topics from the "Basics of Cytology" topic of a school course. These results especially differed for the better in comparison to the control group. Using a single-factor analysis of variance, it was determined that the differences in the level of academic knowledge between the three experimental groups of students and one control group were statistically reliable at a high level of significance. Conclusions. In general, the experiment showed the suitability and pedagogical effectiveness of checklists for the development of self-learning skills and self-assessment in the process of studying biology. The practical value of the research lies in the fact that checklists and success criteria have been tested in the conditions of a modern school and were proposed to improve the quality of teaching biology at school. Keywords: learning strategies; biology course; learning skills; pedagogical technologies; improving the quality of teaching

DIFFERENCES IN THE WISHES OF STUDENTS, TEACHERS, AND PARENTS ON INTEGRATION OF SMARTPHONES AND TABLETS IN BIOLOGY LESSONS

Smartphones and tablets have permeated various aspects of life. This study explores the differences in wishes between students, parents, and teachers regarding the use of smartphones and tablets in biology classes in the upcoming school year. An online questionnaire was used for the study, which provided eight different scenarios for the use of smartphones for teaching purposes. The data were collected from 934 participants, including 465 students, 282 parents, and 188 biology teachers from various Slovenian lower secondary schools. The principal component analysis revealed the unidimensional structure of the instrument, explaining 59.7% of the variance (alpha = .91). The results showed that the use of smartphones and tablets for distance learning, teaching purposes, schoolwork and homework is generally desirable. There was less consensus on their use for laboratory and field work, evaluation of knowledge, and biology lessons. The main finding was that the differences between the groups were small or even negligible in terms of effect sizes. Statistically significant differences were found between the focus groups, with students and teachers expressing greater agreement than parents. These findings emphasize the importance of addressing parents' concerns and understanding the perspectives of stakeholders in order to effectively integrate smartphones and tablets into the classroom. Keywords: differences in wishes, lower secondary school biology, mobile learning, smartphones and tablets integration, students and parents and teachers

A Review of Hepatitis B Reactivation Risk on Immunosuppressants with a Focus on Newer Immunomodulators

Abstract Purpose of Review Hepatitis B virus reactivation (HBVr) can complicate the use of immunosuppressive, antiviral, and chemotherapeutic medications in individuals with a history of prior exposure to HBV or chronic infection. Timely management is crucial to prevent fatalities. This review focuses on the various classes of biologics linked to the risk of HBVr, with emphasis on newer immunosuppressive and immunomodulator therapies. Recent Findings Immune checkpoint inhibitors, tyrosine kinase inhibitors, cytokine inhibitors, and chimeric antigen receptor T-cell immunotherapies are associated with a high risk of hepatitis B virus reactivation (HBVr) in patients who are hepatitis B surface antigen-positive (HbsAg-positive). This risk decreases significantly when patients start nucleoside analogue (NA) prophylaxis. It is recommended to use NA prophylaxis alongside these medications and closely monitor for reactivation upon discontinuation of NA prophylaxis. Summary To minimize the risk of reactivation when starting immunosuppressive, antiviral, and chemotherapeutic agents in individuals at high, intermediate, and low risk for hepatitis B virus reactivation (HBVr), it is crucial to employ specific strategies for risk assessment, monitoring, and management.

Comparative Impact of Asthma Biologics: A Nationwide US Claim-Based Analysis

BackgroundBiologic modifiers targeting type-2 (T2) airway inflammation are effective in reducing asthma exacerbation, however real-world and comparative effectiveness studies remain limited.Objective: to examine and compare the real-world impact of anti-T2 asthma biologics MethodsIn this retrospective new user cohort study, we used the MarketScan, a Commercial Claims and Encounters Database, to identify adult patients with asthma who were started on an anti-T2 biologic agent (anti-IL-5s, dupilumab or omalizumab). We examined the influence of the biologic class on asthma exacerbation by comparing the average number of asthma exacerbation 1-year pre- and post-biologic initiation. We conducted multivariable regression analyses to compare the effectiveness of these asthma biologics on reducing the incidence of asthma exacerbations within 18-month of initial administration of biologics while controlling for demographic variables, comorbidities, and asthma severity. ResultsWe identified 5,538 asthma patients who were initiated on an anti-T2 biologic [mean age (±SD); 45.6 (12.78) years; % females, 65.8%). Asthma biologics reduced asthma exacerbation by 11-47%, particularly among patients with 2+ asthma exacerbations in the year preceding biologic initiation (31-65% reduction). Biologics were especially effective in reducing asthma-related hospitalizations (44.6-60%). After adjusting for baseline demographics, asthma medication, and co-morbidities, dupilumab was associated with a lower estimated mean number of asthma exacerbation per year and lower adjusted OR for developing asthma exacerbation relative to other biologics (50-80% less likely). ConclusionAnti-T2 asthma biologics reduced asthma exacerbation in real-word settings. Evidence supports growing literature that dupilumab might have a more favorable impact on asthma exacerbation relative to other asthma biologics.

Promoting student’s habits of mind and cognitive learning outcomes in science education

: Learning must be able to develop knowledge, skills, and mindsets so that the graduates produced have attitudes, abilities and knowledge that are integrated and skilled in life. One way to achieve learning can be done through habits of mind because the success of learning is strongly influenced by habits of mind. The purpose of this study is to as certain how habits of mind and cognitive learning outcomes in biology are affected by learning process oriented guided inquiry learning with blended learning support. A pretest-postest design wih a non-equivalent control group was employed in this study. The trial ran from February to June 2022. Utilizing the habits of mind questionnaire, pupils’ thought patterns were assessed. Essay tests are also used to evaluate the results of cognitive learning. In this study, google form, LMS, and google meet were used for data collection. Statistical Product and Service Solutions software version 23 is used for data analysis and the results of covariance analysis (ANCOVA) showed a p value &lt; 0,005, meaning that POGIL-supported blended learning can empower habits of mind and cognitive learning outcomes in biology learning. There is a substantial difference between the outcomes of the least significant difference and increasing habits of mind and cognitive learning outcomes. As a result, POGIL with moodle support can be used to enhance students’ habits of mind and cognitive learning results in biology classes.

The Effect of Incremental Scaffolds in Experimentation on Cognitive Load

Experimentation provides a suitable way for students to gain an understanding of scientific inquiry since it is one of its main methods to develop scientific knowledge. However, it is assumed that experimentation can lead to cognitive overload when students experience little support during experimentation, which, in turn, might hinder effective learning. Extraneous cognitive load describes the load caused by inefficient instructional designs such as unguided problem-solving or the way information is presented and thus can be influenced by appropriate instructions. In order to prevent students from cognitive overload and assist them during experimentation, they can be provided with incremental scaffolds, which are sequential written solution instructions. The present study investigates the extent to which the use of incremental scaffolds affects learners’ cognitive load during experimentation in biology classes. The students in the Incremental Scaffolds Group (IncrS; n = 54) used incremental scaffolds in two self-conducted experiments while students of the No-Incremental Scaffolds Group (No-IncrS; n = 74) experimented openly without such a support. Both groups were provided with a pre-structured researcher protocol including the steps of experimentation and received the same lessons. Extraneous cognitive load was assessed after both experiments using a self-developed questionnaire consisting of two items. These were designed to assess how cognitive load was affected by the learning materials. The findings only revealed a significant main effect of time between the two conducted experiments, but no significant interaction effect with the treatment. Consequently, the results show that repeated experimentation reduces cognitive load during experimentation, regardless of the provision of incremental scaffolds. The positive effects of incremental scaffolds, thus possibly also concerning cognitive load, are assumed to occur only after multiple applications; hence, they might need to be applied more frequently and regularly to really become practiced. Two sessions of experimenting with incremental scaffolds seem to be insufficient for providing learners with substantial support, as students may need more time to fully adjust to utilizing the incremental scaffolds. Furthermore, a brief reflection phase on the use of incremental scaffolds at the end of each lesson in which they were used appears to be helpful. If incremental scaffolds can free up working memory, it may also be useful to consider the relation between incremental scaffolds, cognitive load, and knowledge acquisition.

The role of biology curriculum in promoting student health, environmental awareness, and academic success: Teacher responsibilities

The biology curriculum significantly shapes students’ understanding of health and environment, equipping them with knowledge and skills necessary for responsible citizenship and informed decision-making. This study aims to examine how the biology curriculum affects students' education, focusing on how it helps students become more aware of health and environmental issues. The study utilized a mixed-methods research design. A Purposive sampling was utilized for this research. The study was carried out in four schools in Tirana: Gymnasium “Aleks Buda, “Gymnasium “Samiu,” Gymnasium “Isa Boletini,” and Gymnasium “Partizani.” The sample consists of 200 students and 20 teachers. The research instruments used for the collection of data were questionnaires, interviews, and classroom observation. Findings of the study show that students’ understanding of essential health-associated subjects was greatly improved by their participation in the biology class. It also highlights how important it is for teachers to raise students' achievement levels. The study shows the important role instructors play in fostering an encouraging and exciting atmosphere for education. Furthermore, instructors may pinpoint how to meet every student's distinctive educational requirements with customized supervision, offering individualized assistance along with helpful criticism. In conclusion, the curriculum acts as a catalyst for bringing important health issues, like disease prevention and individual well-being, to the public's attention while simultaneously encouraging a sense of responsibility for the sustainability of the environment and the preservation of our world.

Biology teaching that develops the metacognitive aspect of learning: How to learn competence

Higher-order thinking and metacognition are closely related and are part of learning to develop competence. The goal of this research was to determine the practice of teaching biology that develops metacognition and evaluate whether teachers require specific professional training for this purpose or if broader cognitive-focused training can also enhance metacognitive development in students. The original Teaching Observation Form (TOF) has been adapted for research objectives. A survey was designed to capture the subjective perspectives of 292 students and their teachers regarding metacognition development. Additionally, the research involved six biology teachers who were professionally trained in a program focused on higher-order thinking. The survey results indicate a self-assessed good teaching practice for the development of metacognition. However, analysis of the first lesson's video recordings showed that some components had been eliminated from biology classes which hindered students' ability to develop metacognition. Although higher-order thinking and metacognition are interconnected phenomena, professional development training focuses solely on higher-order thinking whose impact we established through analysis of other lessons does not induce the necessary positive changes for the comprehensive development of metacognition in students. In a nutshell, explicit professional development programs aimed at fostering metacognitive awareness among teachers need to be designed. These programs should instruct teachers on how to model the development of metacognition in students through their teaching.

Environmental education through the didactic game "treading the path of environmental equilibrium" in the teaching of biological sciences

&#x0D; This study examines the use of educational game "Treading the Path Balanced Environment" as teachers to aid students in learning tool and Environment of content, Ecology and Environmental Education in the Life Sciences Education. This is qualitative-quantitative research used data collected through observations, evaluation questionnaires, application testing and filmic and photographic records in classes with 27 students of 3rd year high school students in a biology class of School Unit Professor José Kind in Teresina, PI. The research was based on theoretical as Piaget (1975) and Kishimoto (2000) that address the importance of play activities in cognitive development and demonstrate the learning of the contents in environmental education through educational game. It was found through statistical analysis, as the Hypothesis Testing (t test) that students improved their knowledge on environmental issues, demonstrating that the didactic game, combined with the lectures, presented contributions to the teaching-learning process. With the characteristics of a didactic game, provided a more fruitful and favorable environment for acquiring knowledge, promoted the motivation and socialization of students and teachers, allowed the discussion of environmental issues in context and interactively.

Integrative education as the basis for students� worldview knowledge in the process of teaching biology in high school

Relevance. The research relevance is predefined by the continuously developing system of integrative education, which puts forward new requirements for the process of teaching biology in high schools as the basis for the formation of students� worldview knowledge.Purpose. The research aims to conduct a theoretical and practical justification of the methodology of the formation of the worldview knowledge of students in the process of teaching biology in high school.Methodology. The primary research method is a pedagogical experiment, which allows a comprehensive consideration of all the contradictions in the research problem and improves the effectiveness of the process of teaching biology in high school. For this purpose, the auxiliary methods of mathematical statistics and graphical representation of the results of student achievement in the subject �biology� were used.Results. During empirical research, interviews and questionnaires with the participants of the experiment were also conducted, during which the interests of students in the subjects were determined. The worldview component in the content of school education, especially in biology classes, was identified, principles justified, stages of the process of formation of students� worldview knowledge identified and implemented. This led to the inclusionary approach in which forms and methods of integrative education, which promote the development of worldview skills of young people could be quantified and disclosed.Conclusions. Research materials are of practical value for graduate students of higher pedagogical educational institutions, and teachers of secondary general educational institutions which implement integrative education in their teaching activities in high schools. Thus, the purpose of education is not just the regurgitated transfer of knowledge in biology, but the preparation and adaptation of students to the new conditions of society.

Predictors of Complicated Disease Course in Adults and Children With Crohn’s Disease: A Nationwide Study from the epi-IIRN

Abstract Background Since data on predictors of complicated Crohn’s disease (CD) from unselected populations are scarce, we aimed to utilize a large nationwide cohort, the epi-IIRN, to explore predictors of disease course in children and adults with CD. Methods Data of patients with CD were retrieved from Israel’s 4 health maintenance organizations, whose records cover 98% of the population (2005-2020). Time-to-event modeled a complicated disease course, defined as CD-related surgery, steroid-dependency, or the need for &amp;gt;1 class of biologics. Hierarchical clustering categorized disease severity at diagnosis based on available laboratory results. Results A total of 16 659 patients (2999 [18%] pediatric-onset) with 121 695 person-years of follow-up were included; 3761 (23%) had a complicated course (750 [4.5%] switched to a second biologic class, 1547 [9.3%] steroid-dependency, 1463 [8.8%] CD-related surgery). Complicated disease was more common in pediatric- than adult-onset disease (26% vs 22%, odds ratio, 1.3; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.2-1.4). In a Cox multivariate model, complicated disease was predicted by induction therapy with biologics (hazard ratio [HR], 2.1; 95% CI, 1.2-3.6) and severity of laboratory tests at diagnosis (HR, 1.7; 95% CI, 1.2-2.2), while high socioeconomic status was protective (HR, 0.94; 95% CI, 0.91-0.96). In children, laboratory tests predicted disease course (HR, 1.8; 95% CI, 1.2-2.5), as well as malnutrition (median BMI Z score −0.41; 95% CI, −1.42 to 0.43 in complicated disease vs −0.24; 95% CI, −1.23 to 0.63] in favorable disease; P &amp;lt; .001). Conclusions In this nationwide cohort, CD course was complicated in one-fourth of patients, predicted by laboratory tests, type of induction therapy, socioeconomic status, in addition to malnutrition in children.

Implementation of think pair square type cooperative learning to improve collaboration skills in high schools

&#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D; Think Pair Square Style Cooperative Education encourages each student to become a proficient and independent learner. Given that this learning emphasizes 21st-century skills such as critical thinking, creativity, and teamwork. It was such as necessary to assess how effectively the application of this method enhances students' critical thinking abilities in the real world. The objective of this project is to improve student cooperation in cell biology classes by implementing a cooperative learning model similar to the Think Pair Square. The Classroom action research model was developed by Kemmis and McTaggar, which served as the framework for the procedure employed in this study. The outlines of the four stages of classroom action research are technique—planning, implementation, observation, and reflection. This instructional approach is seen to be beneficial as it enables students to share their thoughts and helps them see alternative problem-solving approaches. Students can seek explanations from other students to explain how to solve the problem if they are struggling with that. From the Data results, there were rising scores in the form of scoring that serve as evidence for this. Students' collaboration skills scored an average of 1.6 (level 1, or basic level) in the pre-cycle, 2 (level 2, or medium level), and 3.56 (level 3, or trained level) in cycle 2. Think Pair Square's implementation at SMA in Bandung could improve collaboration both within and outside of the classroom, foster more active dialogue and idea exchange, and promote student contact.&#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D;

Major cardiovascular events under biologic psoriasis therapies: a 19-year real-world analysis of FAERS data.

Over the years when biologic psoriasis therapies (TNF inhibitors, IL-12/23 inhibitors, IL-23 inhibitors, and IL-17 inhibitors) have been used in psoriasis patients, reports of major cardiovascular events (MACEs) have emerged. This study aims to investigate the association between MACEs and biologic psoriasis therapies by using information reported to the US Food and Drug Administration Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). FAERS data (January 2004 to December 2022) were reviewed. For each drug-event pair, the proportional reporting ratio (PRR) and the multi-item gamma Poisson shrinker (MGPS) algorithms were used to identify drug-adverse event associations. We filtered the query for indication and identified 173,330 reports with psoriasis indication in FAERS throughout the analyzed time frame. MACEs occurred in 4,206 patients treated with biologics. All the four biological classes had an elevated and similar reporting rates for MACEs relative to other alternative psoriasis treatments (PRR from 2.10 to 4.26; EB05 from 1.15 to 2.45). The descending order of association was IL-12/23 inhibitors>IL-17 inhibitors>IL-23 inhibitors>TNF inhibitors. The signal strength for myocardial infarction (PRR, 2.86; χ2, 296.27; EBGM 05, 1.13) was stronger than that for stroke, cardiac fatality, and death. All the biological classes demonstrated a little higher EBGM 05 score≥1 for the MACEs in patients aged 45-64 years. The time-to-onset of MACEs was calculated with a median of 228 days. Analysis of adverse event reports in the FAERS reflects the potential risk of MACEs associated with the real-world use of biological therapies in comparison to other alternative psoriasis treatments. Future long-term and well-designed studies are needed to further our knowledge regarding the cardiovascular safety profile of these agents.