Largest Category Research Articles

The Finnic Peoples of Russia: Genetic Structure Inferred from Genome-Wide and Y-Chromosome Data

Background: Eastern Finnic populations, including Karelians, Veps, Votes, Ingrians, and Ingrian Finns, are a significant component of the history of Finnic populations, which have developed over ~3 kya. Yet, these groups remain understudied from a genetic point of view. Methods: In this work, we explore the gene pools of Karelians (Northern, Tver, Ludic, and Livvi), Veps, Ingrians, Votes, and Ingrian Finns using Y-chromosome markers (N = 357) and genome-wide autosomes (N = 67) and in comparison with selected Russians populations of the area (N = 763). The data are analyzed using statistical, bioinformatic, and cartographic methods. Results: The autosomal gene pool of Eastern Finnic populations can be divided into two large categories based on the results of the PCA and ADMIXTURE modeling: (a) “Karelia”: Veps, Northern, Ludic, Livvi, and Tver Karelians; (b) “Ingria”: Ingrians, Votes, Ingrian Finns. The Y-chromosomal gene pool of Baltic Finns is more diverse and is composed of four genetic components. The “Northern” component prevails in Northern Karelians and Ingrian Finns, the “Karelian” in Livvi, Ludic, and Tver Karelians, the “Ingrian-Veps” in Ingrians and Veps (a heterogeneous cluster occupying an intermediate position between the “Northern” and the “Karelian” ones), and the “Southern” in Votes. Moreover, our phylogeographic analysis has found that the Y-haplogroup N3a4-Z1927 carriers are frequent among most Eastern Finnic populations, as well as among some Northern Russian and Central Russian populations. Conclusions: The autosomal clustering reflects the major areal groupings of the populations in question, while the Y-chromosomal gene pool correlates with the known history of these groups. The overlap of the four Y-chromosomal patterns may reflect the eastern part of the homeland of the Proto-Finnic gene pool. The carriers of the Y-haplogroup N3a4-Z1927, frequent in the sample, had a common ancestor at ~2.4 kya, but the active spread of N3a4-Z1927 happened only at ~1.7–2 kya, during the “golden” age of the Proto-Finnic culture (the archaeological period of the “typical” Tarand graves). A heterogeneous Y-chromosomal cluster containing Ingrians, Veps, and Northern Russian populations, should be further studied.

A Cheminformatics Workflow to Select Representative TSCA Chemicals for New Approach Methodology (NAM) Screening.

The Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) requires the US EPA to evaluate the hazard and exposure of new and existing chemicals. New chemical notifications are typically data-poor and EPA has historically relied upon approaches including chemical categories to fill data gaps. As part of a multi-year Research Program, opportunities are being explored to leverage New Approach Methods (NAMs) in hazard and exposure assessments. Data from a battery of in vitro NAMs will be generated to form a case study for an adaptable approach to inform new chemical assessments. Herein, a cheminformatics workflow was developed to identify a set of ∼300 representative candidate chemicals for in vitro screening from the TSCA non-confidential active inventory. The freely available web application ClassyFire was used to categorize all discrete organic structures from the TSCA inventory into one of 68 primary structural categories. Large primary categories were subcategorized into smaller categories using hierarchical agglomerative clustering, ultimately yielding 180 structural terminal categories. The inventory was filtered to substances that lacked previous ToxCast bioactivity screening, were associated with physicochemical property predictions indicating non-volatile solids or liquids, and had a higher chance of procurement. Amenability predictions for liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry were also generated to provide an indication of which chemicals lent themselves to aqueous-based screening and analytical verification in solvated samples. Structures associated with transformation in solvent, potentially explosive or highly reactive, were excluded. Potential candidate substances were selected on the basis of being structurally representative of the terminal category and meeting other screenability conditions. A final set of 318 candidate chemicals were proposed to undergo analytical quality control and screening in a range of broad and targeted biological technologies for human health-relevant end points. Finally, in silico tools were applied to explore predicted hazard profiles of these candidate substances relative to the full inventory.

PENGARUH MODEL PEMBELAJARAN RADEC TERHADAP PEMAHAMAN KONSEP BELAJAR PPKN SISWA SEKOLAH DASAR

This research is motivated by problems in Civics subjects which are considered boring and difficult because they are theoretical and rote. Apart from that, in the learning process teachers only teach with lectures without using innovative learning models and do not encourage students to think critically. So students don't understand the concept and are only concerned with the results rather than the process. This causes understanding of concepts in PPKn to be low and less meaningful. The purpose of this research is to determine the influence and measure the magnitude of the influence of using the RADEC learning model on understanding the concept of Civics in class V of SD Negeri Ciputat 06. This research is a quantitative research using a quasi-experimental method. The sampling technique in this research used purposive sampling. The sample for this research was 30 students in class 5A and 30 students in class 5B. Data collection used test techniques in the form of essay questions totaling 10 pretest questions and 10 posttest questions. The results of the research show that there is a significant influence on the test results between the experimental class and the control class, as evidenced by the results of independent sample t test calculations with sig (2-tailed) 0.00 <0.05 and tcount 10.059 > ttable 2.0017, so Ho is rejected and Ha accepted. The magnitude of this influence is 2.32. This is proven by the results of the effect size test calculation using the Cohen's d formula and large categories. So, it can be concluded that the use of the RADEC learning model has an influence on students' understanding of Civics learning concepts with a large influence of 2.32 in the large category. This learning model can be an effective and interesting alternative to increase students' understanding of the material and interest in learning.

A location-sizing and routing model for a biomethane production chain fed by municipal waste

This paper proposes an integrated approach for a biomethane supply chain from Organic Fraction of Municipal Solid Waste (OFMSW), addressing both strategic plant location-sizing and tactical vehicle routing. A two-stage iterative approach following a cluster-first location&sizing&route-second approach is implemented to optimize investment and transportation costs. A novel classification of waste producers into small and large categories allows for a tailored approach, minimizing transportation costs through waste pooling for small producers and allocating vehicles effectively for large producers. Extensive computational experiments on a case study on the Lazio Region demonstrate the cost-effectiveness of the proposed approach, which saves 30% of transportation costs with respect to a location-sizing model. Additionally, the sensitivity analysis highlights the significant impact of including huge-scale plants in the solution.

Estimation of Marketed Surplus and Marketing Efficiency of Milk in Andhra Pradesh, India

A study was conducted to analyze milk's marketed surplus and marketing efficiency in the Vishakhapatnam and Chittoor districts of Andhra Pradesh. The study randomly selected 80 dairy farmers from four villages in Chittoor and Vishakhapatnam districts. According to the study, average milk production and marketable surplus increase as herd size increases. The average marketed surplus is highest for the large size category (58.75 lit/day) followed by Medium (45.40 lit/day) and small size category (19.01 lit/day). Because of the lowest price spread and highest producer share in consumers' rupee, the most efficient marketing channel was producer-consumer (Channel-I), followed by producer-creameries-consumer (Channel-II). The study suggests that producers' choice of supply network influences their profitability.

Implementation of STEM based PBL with design thinking strategies to improve students creative problem solving capability on renewable energy topics

This research aims to describe the effectiveness of STEM-based PBL with design thinking strategies in improving students' creative problem-solving abilities on renewable energy. This research was conducted at SMAN 1 Sungkai Jaya using a non-equivalent control group design research design. The research instrument used was a description test sheet. Learning by applying the STEM-based PBL model with design thinking strategies can improve creative problem-solving abilities; this can be seen from the average N-gain for the experimental class of 0.49 in the medium category. This is also supported by the data obtained from the Independent Sample t-test, which obtained a Sig value. (2-tailed) is 0.000, and the effect size value is 0.862 in the large category, which can be concluded that the implementation of STEM-based PBL with design thinking strategies can improve students' creative problem-solving abilities on renewable energy topics.

Research on Socio-Profile of Farmers of S.A.S. Nagar District, Punjab

The socio-economic traits of farm households in Punjab's rural districts were the focus of the current study. For this objective, information was gathered from 150 farm homes from the villages of S.A.S. Nagar district, Punjab. The findings showed that the Sikh religion and General Castes comprised the majority of farm households. Most people were found to be in the 30 to 70 age range, which is the most economically active. In all farm-size categories, the sex ratio was in favour of the females. The proportion of farm households living in the joint type of family was positively associated with the farm size. Most of the persons of the marginal and small farm-size categories were illiterate and with relatively low level of education as compared to the semi-medium, medium, and large farm-size categories. The proportionate share of earners was the highest for the small farm-size category and the lowest for the semi-medium farm-size category. About 92 percent of sampled farmers owned pucca houses. The proportion of sampled farmers who owned good condition houses, bathrooms and toilets were related to the farm size. About 93% of farmers contact the local input dealers for any information needed for crop cultivation. 90 % of farmers had mobile connection. It was found that most of the farmers had an internet connection (66%) for a majority of sampled farmers in the rural areas of Punjab.

Tau Immunotherapies for Alzheimer's Disease and Related Tauopathies: Status of Trials and Insights from Preclinical Studies.

The tau protein undergoes pathological changes in Alzheimer's disease and other tauopathies that eventually lead to functional impairments. Over the years, several therapeutic approaches have been examined to slow or halt the progression of tau pathology but have yet to lead to an approved disease-modifying treatment. Of the drugs in clinical trials that directly target tau, immunotherapies are the largest category and mostly consist of antibodies in different stages of development. There is a reasonable optimism that at least some of these compounds will have a clinically meaningful efficacy. This view is based on the significant although modest efficacy of some antibodies targeting amyloid-β in Alzheimer's disease and the fact that tau pathology correlates much better with the degree of dementia than amyloid-β lesions. In Alzheimer's disease, clearing pathological tau may therefore improve function later in the disease process than when removing amyloid-β. This review provides a brief update on the active and passive clinical tau immunization trials with insight from preclinical studies. Various epitopes are being targeted and some of the antibodies are said to target extracellular tau but because almost all of pathological tau is found intracellularly, the most efficacious antibodies should be able to enter the cell.

Metastasis-free survival of uveal melanoma by tumour size category based on The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) classification in 1001 cases.

Uveal melanoma (UM) can be classified by tumour size category and by The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) groups (cytogenetic-based, 4-category prognostic classification into Groups A-D). This study was conducted to assess impact on metastasis-free survival (MFS) in UM by tumour size category based on correlation with TCGA classification. Retrospective analysis of 1001 cases categorised as small (0.0-3.0 mm), medium (3.1-8.0 mm) and large (≥8.1 mm), grouped by TCGA classification. Of 1001 cases, TCGA Groups (A/B/C/D) included small (n = 270, 75%/11%/13%/1%), medium (n = 503, 46%/14%/27%/13%) and large (n = 228, 23%/19%/38%/20%) UM. The 5-and 10-year Kaplan-Meier MFS for small UM revealed Group A (98%, 98%), Group B (100%, 100%), Group C (86%, NA) and Group D (100%, NA). For medium UM, the values dropped with Group A (95%, 93%), Group B (90%, 90%), Group C (68%, 38%), and Group D (44%, NA). For large UM, the values dropped further with Group A (94%, 86%), Group B (85%, NA), Group C (40%, 28%), and Group D (23%, NA). Additionally, a comparison (small vs. medium vs. large tumour size category) revealed TCGA low-risk grouping (Groups A or B) in 86% vs. 60% vs. 58% cases with UM. By tumour size category, favourable cytogenetics (Groups A or B) is found in 86% of small tumours, 60% of medium tumours, and 58% of large tumours. The MFS at 10 years for favourable cytogenetics was 98% for small tumours, 92% for medium tumours, and 54% for large tumours. Tumour size category can serve as a surrogate for TCGA.

PENGARUH MODEL DISCOVERY LEARNING BERBANTUAN MEDIA ANIMASI TERHADAP PENINGKATAN KEMAMPUAN PEMAHAMAN KONSEP PESERTA DIDIK

This study aims to determine the effect of the discovery learning model assisted by animation media on students' conceptual understanding abilities in science lessons at SDN Cipinang 2 semester II of the 2023/2024 academic year. The subjects of this study were 15 students in class V A and 15 in class V B. The research method used by the author is a quasi-experiment with observation and test research techniques. The data analysis technique used SPSS Statistic 27.0 for Windows software with normality tests, homogeneity tests, and hypothesis tests using t-tests. From the results of the hypothesis test, it was concluded that there was no difference between the pretest of the control class and the experimental class and there was a difference between the posttest of the control class and the experimental class. Then the results of the N-Gain test in the experimental class obtained an average result of 82.4% in the high category, so the use of the discovery learning model was quite effective. Furthermore, the results of the effect size calculation obtained significant results from the use of the discovery learning model assisted by animation media to improve students' conceptual understanding abilities, with a result of 0.9 including the large category. Based on these facts, the author concludes that the discovery learning model assisted by animation media has an influence on the conceptual understanding ability of students at SDN Cipinang 2.

Improving Students’ Critical Thinking Skills Through The Use Of Pbl-Base Google Sites Learning Media And Review Students’ Collaboration Skills

Human Resources (HR) must have the 4Cs (communication, collaboration, critical thinking, and creativity) to be educated in the 21st century. Initial research shows that students' ability to collaborate and think critically still needs to be improved. This research aims to determine the use of PBL-Google Sites learning media to improve critical thinking skills and review students' collaboration skills. The research method uses pre-experiment with a one-group pretest-posttest design. The research sample comprised 63 students in classes 7A and 7B of SMP Negeri 11 Yogyakarta. The instruments used are tests and non-tests. The test instrument uses pretest and posttest critical thinking skills. The non-test instrument uses observation of collaboration skills. The data analysis results show the influence of using Google Sites PBL learning media on students' critical thinking abilities. Judging from the results of the Wilcoxon test, the Sig (2-tailed) value is <0.05, namely 0.000, and there is an effect size value of -0.616, which shows that the magnitude of the effect is in a large category. Students' collaborative skills obtained an average score of 75.14, which is in the good category. Based on the results of data analysis, the Google Sites PBL model learning media can improve students’ critical thinking skills and determine students' collaboration skills.

Energy Sources in Natural and Anthropogenic Ecosystems

This study makes an inventory, a classification and a SWOT analysis of all energy sources that support the functionality of natural and man-made systems. The analysis is carried out at the planetary level, taking into account the entire ecosphere. It is an interdisciplinary study based on literature, integrating information from the field of ecology with that of physics, chemistry, biology, meteorology, and geography. The study carries out an inventory of all types of energy sources; makes a classification of these sources according to their origin and determines which is the most advantageous source through a SWOT analysis. The entire activity of the earth is supported by two large categories of energy sources, namely solar energy and telluric energy. Currently, ten types of energy sources are used or are in the experimental stage, five sources with solar origin and five sources with telluric origin. The most advantageous energy source in terms of regeneration capacity, production costs and ecological footprint is the biofuels. The conclusions of this study are very useful in the realization of energy production strategies and the selection of the most advantageous sources in terms of cost and benefit.

Reduced-Dimensional Perovskites: Quantum Well Thickness Distribution and Optoelectronic Properties.

Reduced-dimensional perovskites (RDPs), a large category of metal halide perovskites, have attracted considerable attention and shown high potential in the fields of solid-state displays and lighting. RDPs feature a quantum-well-based structure and energy funneling effects. The multiple quantum well (QW) structure endows RDPs with superior energy transfer and high luminescence efficiency. The effect of QW confinement directly depends on the number of inorganic octahedral layers (QW thickness, i.e., n value), so the distribution of n values determines the optoelectronic properties of RDPs. Here, it is focused on the QW thickness distribution of RDPs, detailing its effect on the structural characteristics, carrier recombination dynamics, optoelectronic properties, and applications in light-emitting diodes. The reported distribution control strategies is also summarized and discuss the current challenges and future trends of RDPs. This review aims to provide deep insight into RDPs, with the hope of advancing their further development and applications.

Taming large categories

Taming large categories

Are Children's Hospitals Doing Enough to Address the Climate Crisis?

The warming of our planet matters to the health, well-being, and future of every child. 1 Due to the nature of infants' and children's biological systems and cognitive immaturity, they are more vulnerable to the effects of climate change and air pollution. 1,2 The U.S. healthcare sector itself contributes to the problem and accounts for 8.5% of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions (GHGe). 3 These emissions come directly from hospital operations, indirectly from purchased energy, and the largest category, termed scope 3 emissions, includes purchased goods and services, employee commuting, and waste management. 4 Reducing GHGe can also improve hospitals' operating efficiency and promote healthcare resiliency. 1.

Perforated Peptic Ulcer in Lagos. Risk Factors and Management Outcome

Abstract Background: Complications of peptic ulcers, such as bleeding, gastric outlet obstruction, and perforation, can be life-threatening and may require surgical intervention. Perforated peptic ulcer (PPU) presents mostly as a surgical emergency and is one of the leading causes of secondary peritonitis with significant morbidity and mortality. The clinical outcome of surgical treatment of peptic ulcers varies due to the varying patterns of presentations and interventions between countries. There are few documented series on PPU in Nigeria. This paper reviews the management outcome of PPU in our institution. Materials and Methods: A retrospective review of the available medical records of patients managed for PPU between February 2008 and February 2023 was conducted. All patients had a single anterior peptic ulcer perforation managed by a modified Graham’s patch. Data analysis was performed using IBM SPSS for Windows, Version 23 (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY, USA). Results: There were 107 PPU patients comprising 93 males and 14 females. The mean age of all patients was 41 years. The peak prevalence of PPU was found among patients aged 30–39 years. Delayed presentation was recorded in about half of the patients. Ingestion of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) was the most common risk factor for PPU. Among the 93 documented cases, perforated gastric ulcers (71 cases) were found in a much higher proportion than duodenal ulcers (22 cases). Large ulcer (10–30 mm) was the main perforation size category found in 47 out of 83 recorded PPU cases. PPU size was not associated with the incidence of complications or mortality. The median duration of hospital stays was 13 (1–19) days. Surgical site infection was the most common complication after surgery. Conclusion: PPU is present in our predominantly male patients in their fourth decade of life. Ingestion of NSAIDs is a major risk factor. Duodenal ulcers were the predominant type seen in our patients. Documented perforated ulcer sizes in our patients are predominantly in the large category. Surgical site infection, systemic sepsis, and superficial wound infection were major complications in our patients.

AN ECONOMICS OF POTATO PRODUCTION IN KANGRA DISTRICT OF HIMACHAL PRADESH

In Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh is renowned for its disease-free quality seed potato production, an economic study of 200 growers grouped into small (105) and large (95) farms revealed an overall cost of cultivation at Rs. 94,667 per farm and Rs. 3,08,051 per ha in 2022-23. Among all inputs, potato seed accounted for 29% per hectare, while human labor constituted 27% of costs. The total variable cost was 89%, with fixed costs at 11% per ha. Gross income averaged Rs. 4,67,705 per ha. Efficiency analysis across farm categories showed the cost of potato production at Rs. 250 per quintal (q). Large farms exhibited a slightly higher output-input ratio (1.52) compared to small farms. Production costs ranged from Rs. 1,195 to Rs. 1,270 per q for large and small farms, respectively, with variable costs higher on small farms (Rs. 1,117) than on large ones (Rs. 1,074) per q. The reported benefit-cost ratio stood at 1.88, indicating favorable returns. Potato prices ranged from Rs. 1,860 to Rs. 1,880 per q, with larger farms realizing higher prices. Break-even analysis suggested the need for small, large, and overall farm categories to achieve at least 50.72, 38.02, and 44.14 q of potatoes, respectively, to maintain a no-profit, no-loss condition. The analysis underscores potential profit increase by optimizing human labor, manure, and fertilizer use.

Implementation of Levels of Inquiry Model in Improving Students' HOTS on Fluid Material

This research is motivated by the low level of students' higher order thinking skills (HOTS) in physics. The purpose of this study is to determine how the application of Levels of Inquiry (LoI) learning model in improving students' HOTS. The research design used was a quasi-experiment involving grade XI students in one of the high schools in Bandung City with a research sample of 35 students in the experimental class and 25 students in the control class. The instruments used in this study were higher order thinking skills test in the form of two-level multiple choices for fluid material and observation sheet of learning model implementation. Data analysis techniques include N-Gain, hypothesis testing and effect size. The results of the analysis showed that the application of the LoI learning model in the experimental class was in the excellent category and could improve students' HOTS in the moderate category with an N-gain value of 0.53. In the control class, the application of the conventional learning model can improve students' HOTS in the low category with an N-gain score of 0.18. In addition, the analysis of the Mann-Whitney test results showed that there was a significant difference in students' HOTS between the experimental group and the control group with an effect size in the very large category. This research proves that the application of the LoI learning model is effective in improving students' HOTS in fluid materials.

Enhanced Catalytic Synthesis of Flavonoid by UV-B Radiation in Artemisia argyi

Enzymatic synthesis of specific active substances is an important foundation for biological adaptations to various stresses. In this study, we investigated the metabolic response of the medicinal herb Artemisia argyi to UV-B radiation through transcriptome and metabolome analysis. In all tested samples, there were 544 shared differentially expressed genes, most of which were linked to the metabolism of flavonoids and fatty acids. A total of 283 differential metabolites were identified and classified into 10 categories, with flavonoids being the largest category. Through an integrated analysis of genes and metabolites involved in flavonoid biosynthesis, flavonoids were predicted to be critical for the adaptation of A. argyi to UV radiation. The increased plant hormones methyl jasmonate and salicylic acid were considered as key regulatory approaches for catalyzing the large-scale synthesis of flavonoids. We explored this by investigating the flavonoid production of A. argyi grown at different altitudes. It showed that total flavonoid content of A. argyi planted in high-altitude areas was 45% higher than that in low-altitude areas. These findings not only deepen our understanding of flavonoid anabolism and its regulation but also provide a reliable strategy for improving flavonoid content in the genus Artemisia.

Bibliometric Patent Review of Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery.

This study analyzes patents associated with minimally invasive spine surgery (MISS) found on the Lens open online platform. The goal of this research was to provide an overview of the most referenced patents in the field of MISS and to uncover patterns in the evolution and categorization of these patents. MISS has rapidly progressed, with a core focus on minimizing surgical damage, preserving the natural anatomy, and enabling swift recovery, all while achieving outcomes that rival traditional open surgery. While prior studies have primarily concentrated on MISS outcomes, the analysis of MISS patents has been limited. To conduct this study, we used the Lens platform to search for patents that included the terms "minimally invasive" and "spine" in their titles, abstracts, or claims. We then categorized these patents and identified the top 100 with the most forward citations. We further classified these patents into 4 categories: Spinal Stabilization Systems, Joint Implants or Procedures, Screw Delivery System or Method, and Access and Surgical Pathway Formation. Five hundred two MISS patents were identified initially, and 276 were retained following a screening process. Among the top 100 patents, the majority had active legal status. The largest category within the top 100 patents was Access and Surgical Pathway Formation, closely followed by Spinal Stabilization Systems and Joint Implants or Procedures. The smallest category was Screw Delivery System or Method. Notably, the majority of the top 100 patents had priority years falling between 2000 and 2009, indicating a moderate positive correlation between patent rank and priority year. Thus far, patents related to Access and Surgical Pathway Formation have laid the foundation for subsequent innovations in Spinal Stabilization Systems and Screw Technology. This study serves as a valuable resource for guiding future innovations in this rapidly evolving field.