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Students' knowledge of data analysis determines the quality of the research they report but they tend to perceive courses on statistics or data analysis as challenging and unappealing. The present study aimed to investigate the correlation between biology education students' attitudes toward statistics and their proficiency in determining various data analytical techniques. This study involved biology education students from the Universitas Muhammadiyah Malang who had completed a course in statistics, research methods, and data analysis. The Survey of Attitudes Toward Statistics (SATS) and the Statistics Assessment of Graduate Students (SAGS) were used sequentially as instruments for collecting data on student attitudes toward statistics and data analysis competencies. The results revealed that while most students had positive attitudes toward statistics, they perceived the subject as challenging to learn. Additionally, the students demonstrated low levels of competency in data analysis. The aspects of cognitive competence and difficulty from SATS correlate significantly with their SAGS score. These results suggest that there is a need for a revision of the biology education curriculum to better equip students with the skills and knowledge to increase their data analysis competencies.

The implementation of the Environmental Science learning process so far has shown a lack of encouragement to improve students' 4C skills. The EMKONTAN learning model is one of the models that is believed to improve students' creativity, collaboration skills, and environmental literacy. This study aims to analyze the effectiveness of the EMKONTAN learning model in improving critical thinking and collaborative skills for prospective biology teacher students. EMKONTAN is a student-centered learning model (students' active learning), oriented to creative learning, problem-based learning, collaborative learning, and provides opportunities for students to improve environmental learning. This research was conducted in the event semester of the 2020/2021 academic year at IKIP Budi Utomo Malang and FTTE Universitas Muhammadiyah Malang-Indonesia, involving 150 second-semester students through total sampling. Data was obtained through observation, questionnaires, and tests. The research used a pretest-posttest non-equivalent control group design. Data collection in this study was carried out using Google Forms, Google Classroom, Google Meet, and WhatsApp. Data analysis using statistical product and service solutions (SPSS) version 23 software. The analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) analysis results showed that EMKONTAN, PBL affected students' creativity and collaboration skills in biology teacher candidate students with a value of p<0.005. The least significant difference (LSD) result was significantly different in improving students' creativities thinking, and collaboration skills. The EMKONTAN class gained the highest post-test score. Therefore, EMKONTAN could be applicable to improve students' creative thinking and collaborative skills outcomes in environmental learning.

Academic performance of students is global issue of great concern to educators. This study sought to ascertain the effect of STEM problem-based learning as an inquiry approach on secondary school student's performance in Biology at government-owned secondary schools in Kebbi State, Nigeria. The non-equivalent control group design was adopted. Two schools were selected in which purposive sampling was employed to select the participants. Each class contain 40 participants. The data was obtained using Diffusion and Osmosis Achievement Test (DOAT). The variables were evaluated using descriptive statistics and the Independent Samples t-test. Based on the results obtained the STEM Problem-Based Learning (STEM-PBL) have a significant and favorable impact on students' biology achievement and that students in the experimental group retained more Biology information compared to the control group. The study recommended among others that, Biology classes should be made more engaging to students and teachers need to be more creative and inventive when it comes to discovering, selecting, and implementing activity-based instructional strategies in the classroom.

Collaboration is an important skill for a teacher. Prospective teachers' perceptions about collaboration must be explored to discover their collaboration skills before becoming a teacher. This research aims to determine prospective biology teachers' perceptions regarding collaboration in their teacher preparation program. The study uses a mixed-method approach with an explanatory design. This research uses a survey instrument to obtain quantitative data and semi-structured interviews to obtain qualitative data. A total of 73 prospective biology teacher students were involved in this research. Data were analyzed using a mixed-method approach with explanatory design. The research results show that students have an expert level of collaboration. The gender factor does not significantly influence collaboration, but females have a higher overall score than males. Prospective biology teacher students have been able to define collaboration well, but their definition is not yet in-depth. Prospective biology teacher students have realized the importance of having collaboration skills to support their careers. The recommendation in this research is to develop an appropriate training model to train the collaboration skills of prospective biology teacher students.

Metacognitive skills are one of the abilities required in the twenty-first century, to achieve independent learning. However, these skills still need to review whether these skills have been empowered by educators, particularly in universities. This research was aimed at determining the metacognitive skill profile of Biology Education students at the Institute of Teachers' Education in South Sulawesi, Indonesia. This research used a descriptive quantitative method. The population of this research was all the students of the Biology Education Study Program at the non-state Institute of Teachers' Education in South Sulawesi. The samples of this research were 356 Biology Education students in the second semester who programmed the Environmental Science course in the 2020/2021 academic year. The instrument used in this research was an essay test to measure students' metacognitive skills in the Environmental Science course. The results of the data analysis indicate that the students' metacognitive skills are in the category of undeveloped as much as 89.27%. Therefore, some efforts to improve students' metacognitive skills are required by those institutes through the implementation of a learning model which can empower the metacognitive skills of the prospective Biology teacher students.

A preliminary study showed that Biology learning in the classroom could not encourage the integration of science concepts and Islamic values. The aims of this study are to (1) develop a new learning model that integrates scientific principles and Islamic values, and (2) characterize the RQANI model's validity, practicability, and effectiveness. This study belonged to the research and development study. The learning model was developed in four stages, including (1) preliminary investigation, (2) design, (3) realization/implementation, and (4) test, evaluation, and revision. The study population included all biology education students at IAIN Ternate, STKIP KIE Raha Ternate, and UIN Alauddin Makassar in Indonesia. The study enrolled 120 fourth semester biology education students from IAIN Ternate, STKIP KIE Raha Ternate, and UIN Alauddin Makassar, Indonesia. The research instruments employed in this study are validation sheets for learning models, observation sheets for learning implementation, learning achievement tests, and response questionnaires for the learning model. The results of this study include: (1) a new learning model, namely RQANI, that consists of five learning stages (Reading, Questioning, Answering, Elaboration, Integration); (2) The validity of the RQANI prototype was very high with an average value of 3.74. The RQANI learning model was considered fairly practical and effective in improving student learning outcomes and positive responses. Therefore, it can be concluded that RQANI has met the requirements for a valid, practical and effective learning model.

A survey and exploratory study were conducted to analyze Lake Tempe as a resource for contextual learning (CTL). The first phase of the study included exploring the lake's potential through interviews with the people who live in the lake's coastal region. Quadrat transects were done to identify aquatic plants around the lake. A feasibility analysis was conducted to see the lake's potential as a learning resource. Field data were collected and compared to the environmental biology (EB) curriculum, responses, and learning outcome. The data were analyzed descriptively and tested using a paired sample t-test. The results showed differences in the three stations' physicochemical parameters and decreased quality of the water. It was found that anthropogenic activity had a significant contribution to the lake's pollution. Nine species of six aquatic plant families were found in the lake. The survey revealed that the lake was feasible as a learning resource with criteria easy to access, safety, time efficiency, costs, and the material's suitability for EB courses. The t-test showed a difference in the students' scores between before and after exploration practices. These findings suggest that Lake Tempe can serve as a resource for CTL in EB courses.

Biology is a subject that contains of many difficult concepts to study. This study aimed to identify Biology topics taught in Senior High School (SHS) which were considered as difficult materials by undergraduate students. The data were gathered by means of a web-based survey from 198 Biology students of 25 universities and 51 Biology education students of nine universities in Indonesia. The biology students graduated from SHSs in 97 regions/municipality, while the biology education students were graduated from 34 regions/municipality. The data were analyzed using two formulas: (1) Biology Difficulty Index (BDI) to determine the difficulty index of Biology subject, and (2) Topic Difficulty Index (TDI) to examine the difficulty index of each Biology topics. The results showed that the highest value of TDI was Genetics. There was no significant difference of BDI between Biology students and Biology education students. The lower of the students' BDI, the higher the level of their interest in Biology subject. The primary cause of difficulty encountered by the students in studying various topics of Biology was the complicated characteristics of the materials. The findings of this study can be followed up by designing diagnostic tests and instructional designs in biology topics which consider students' difficulty.

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effectiveness of coupled inquiry-5E approach on the understanding of meiosis concept among pre-service teachers. The research design of this study is one-group design with a pre-test-post-test-delayed post-test. A total of 31 pre-service teachers from one public university involved in this study. An instrument, Meoisis Conceptual Test with 19 items was used. Data was analysed using One Way Repeated Measure ANOVA. The result showed that there is a statistically significant effect for time, Wilks' Lambda =0.80, F (2,29) = 3.65, p<0.05, multivariate eta squared = 0.20. From the analysis, it can be concluded that there is a statistically significant effect for time. Thus, this finding showed that couple inquiry learning approach has an effect on enhancing meiosis understanding among pre-service teachers. From this study, it is suggested that couple inquiry learning approach is a good method to be used in learning abstract concept such as meiosis.

The current COVID-19 pandemic forces the educational field to adapt to e-learning to continue teaching and learning. This study aimed to analyze the use of e-learning platforms during the COVID-19 crisis, especially in the biology education program. This study used a quantitative survey design. Through purposive sampling, 100 lecturers from 43 universities in Indonesia participated in this study. Data collection was carried out by using an online questionnaire. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and thematic content analysis. The findings showed that WhatsApp, Google Classroom, and Zoom remain the most used e-learning platforms in Indonesian universities due to their accessibility and affordability. Participants' obstacles during online learning centered on the limited network and quota as well as controlling aspects. Suggestions for further online learning are providing internet quota assistance, infrastructure, and network refinement and planning a comprehensive and careful learning design. The findings of this study can be a reference for biology education lecturers as well as universities officials in determining and using e-learning platforms during COVID-19 to improve online learning in Indonesian higher education during the pandemic.

This study examines the perceptions of Jordanian science teachers' conceptions of assessment, and how these perceptions are affected by the teacher's gender, length of experience, and subject variables. The teacher conception of the assessment questionnaire was completed by 488 teachers. It consisted of 27 items spread over four dimensions: school accountability, student accountability, assessment improves education, and assessment is irrelevant. Results showed a high mean for assessment being irrelevant, followed by assessment improving education, student accountability, and school accountability. The results also showed significant differences in the teachers' perception of school accountability by gender, as the female teachers' mean score was higher than that of the males. There were significant differences in the perception of assessment that improves education, again by the teacher's gender, with female teachers scoring higher. The results showed no significant differences in the perception of any of the dimensions according to the length of teaching experience. Finally, there were significant differences in perceptions of assessment in student accountability according to the subject, the mean score for physics teachers being higher than that for chemistry and biology teachers. Perceptions of assessment improving education and assessment being irrelevant, also varied according to the subject, the mean score for mathematics teachers being higher than that of the chemistry, biology, and physics teachers.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, various applications of genetics were used as a basis for studying the origin of the virus to diagnosing patients with this disease. Student literacy about COVID-19 from the genetic aspect will strengthen them in dealing with misinformation in a society that rejects the existence of COVID-19. This study aimed to evaluate the COVID-19 genetics literacy instrument. The draft instrument consisting of 20 items was first distributed online to Biology Education students in Indonesia. The analysis was carried out after 400 respondents filled out the online form. Seven items were eliminated according to the results of CFA and EFA. There were 13 items comprising of three dimensions taken. The Rasch analysis shows that the instrument is reliable and has a separation index according to the recommendations. There was no misfit and its have good discriminating power. The three choices given in each item did not confuse the respondents. Therefore, the instrument was of good quality and could be used to evaluate respondents' genetics literacy for future studies.

The objectives of this study were to analyze the validity, practicality, and effectiveness of South Kalimantan local wisdombased biology learning and its effect on student learning outcomes. The research method used is research and development. This research was in a Develop stage of Thiagarajan's Model. This development has produced learning models (lesson plans, student's worksheet, learning achievement test questions, teacher activity sheets, student activity sheets, and student response sheets). The local wisdom-based learning model were designed with seven stages using Banjar language (regional language of South Kalimantan). Model that have been developed were tested for the level of validity, practicality, effectiveness, and its effect in learning. The level of validity is determined based on the assessment and review of the four validators. To find out the effectiveness and the effect of the learning model, quasi-experimental design was applied by involving two classes at SMAN 7 Banjarmasin-Indonesia. Data were collected using a variety of instruments, namely the validity assessment sheet, the student's worksheet and lesson plan sheets, student achievement test questions, and student response sheets. Data analysis was implemented to measure the effectiveness and the effect of learning by calculating n-Gain and ANCOVA, respectively. The results, the learning tools met the "valid" criteria so that it can be implemented. Learning also concluded having good practicality criteria. Moreover, it can be seen that the application of local wisdom-based learning model and tools was quite effective in improving student learning outcomes, in contrast to learning in the control class. Furthermore, ANCOVA test concluded that there were significant differences in learning outcomes between students in the experimental and the control class.

Environmental learning in the 21st-century must be contextual and require the ability of Higher-Order Thinking Skills (HOTS) to solve environmental problems such as green consumerism. The purpose of this study was to implement an Android-based Supplementary Book of Green Consumerism (SBGC) to improve 8th-grade students' HOTS in environmental learning. The method used experiment with a sample of 144 students in 8th grade. This research design was a pre-post test with the control group. The treatment given was in the form of using SBGC in the experimental classes. The instrument used 12 items with HOTS questions (analyzing, evaluating, and creating) that contain a green consumerism problem. Analysis of the data used the normality test, homogeneity and continued with the t-test. The results showed that the students HOTS score increased significantly in the pre-test and post-test in the experimental class or compared to the control class. Increased in the experimental classes from a score 15.7 (very low) to 32.73 (low). Meanwhile, comparison between the experimental classes with a score 32.73 (low) and control classes with a score 25.25 (very low). This showed that SBGC is easy to understand and have instruction to solve environmental learning in SBGC menu. SBGC is also interesting so that makes students become active in learning. The conclusion of this study was that SBGC can increased students' HOTS in environmental learning.

Empowerment of critical thinking skill is one of numerous goals the 21st century education intends to acquire. This study employed content analysis on a number of articles that had been published in Biology education journals across Indonesia since 2010 to 2017, with critical thinking skill as the main focus of the study. This current study has revealed that in the past three years, the number of publications that focused on critical thinking skill had improved. Among those publications, the most dominant research designed was quantitative. In addition, the tenth graders of senior high school and 'Ecosystem' were consecutively the subject and material targeted the most. Test and t-test were serially the most commonly-used instrument and data analysis method. In respect to the findings of this study, some recommendations have been proposed for upcoming researches underpinning critical thinking skill as the main focus. Some of these recommendations include increasing the diversity of research type and choosing more precise data analysis techniques.

The specific researches focused on biology teacher candidates in nowadays outbreak/pandemic (COVID-19) condition are very scarce. This study aimed to describe the profile of COVID-19 literacy level possessed by biology teacher candidate students in Indonesia. The data in this survey research was collected between January and March, 2020. The selected location was Malang, one of education city and was announced as the red zone for COVID-19 spread. The total sample were 290 students. The data collection employed the questionnaire, contained of three parts i.e. information of respondent's identity, profile of information resource, attaining time profile of COVID-19 related information, and COVID-19 literacy level. The students' literacy scores were analyzed using ANOVA to analyze the presence of student's years' effect on COVID-19 literacy of biology teacher candidate students. As a result, students' years do not have a significant effect on their COVID-19 literacy. Most students had heard of COVID-19 before the disease was reported to enter Indonesia, but only few students were categorized in high level. The campus should respond immediately to these results, considering that students act as agents of information for those around them.

We reviewed 48 articles related to the engineering design process in science education published from 2010 to 2020. There are several previous literature review studies that analyzed the engineering design process in science education. However, we have not found any that investigates projects, discussed topics, as well as the benefits of the implementation of the engineering design process in science education. The research method used was a systematic literature review. This study analyzed the characteristics of the content based on year of publication, type of publications, countries that implement it, research approach, educational stage, and science content. The findings show that the projects used in the implementation of the engineering design processes in science education varied according to the discussed topics. The benefits of the implementation of the engineering design process in science education include cognitive benefits, procedural (skills) benefits, attitudinal benefits, and a combination of the three benefits.

Biology learning needs to support sustainable development. This research was a quantitative-qualitative sequential explanatory mixed research. This research aimed to obtain information about the relationship between naturalist intelligence and environmental responsibility behavior. This research was conducted in February-August 2019. The quantitative research data were obtained by using a questionnaire, and the qualitative research data were obtained by doing interviews and observations. The data hypothesis was tested using a correlation test with the Product Moment Pearson formula. The result of this research showed that there was a positive relationship between naturalist intelligence and environmentally responsible behavior with regress equation Y[with circumflex] = 20.331 + 0,7524X, Correlation coefficient (r) = 0.66, and determination coefficient (r[superscript 2]) = 43.56%. it indicated that the interpretation value was strong. r[superscript 2] value means that 43.56% environmentally responsible behavior correlates by naturalist intelligence, and other factors influence 56.44% environmentally responsible behavior. Biology learning must provide innovations related to increasing students' knowledge about the environment. This study concludes that there is a correlation between the two variables.

Science education in the 21st century including biology learning at the level of Junior High School requires a more contextual implementation. Environmental learning topics such as green consumerism is a contextual topic in biology learning. Students must have high Pro-Environmental Behavior (PEB) to participate in protecting the environment. The purpose of this study was to measure the PEB of students at the 7th-grade level. The research method used descriptive with survey data collection techniques. The study was conducted in November-December 2018 at State Junior High School 1 South Tambun, West Java, Indonesia. A total sample of 135 students in 7th grade was selected by simple random sampling. The results showed there were six PEB indicators based on Green Consumerism that were Energy Conservation (86.37), Transportation (56.67), Waste Avoidance (53.04), Daily Consumption (64.44), Recycling (58.89), Social Behavior (60.54). Among the six indicators, only energy conservation was categorized as very high, while the others are categorized as moderate. This study concluded that PEB students must be improved by various models, methods, and media in biology learning.

Information literacy is a fundamental aspect to ease students in encompassing the knowledge-making process as well as empowering their capacity in using and creating various information and knowledge products. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of integrating information literacy rubric with Project-Based Learning on students' learning outcomes in Structure of Plant Development course. This quasi-experimental research used a non-randomized pretest-posttest control group design. The population in this study was the all biology department undergraduate students at the Universitas Negeri Malang in 2018/2019 academic year. The sample consisted of 120 students which were divided into two groups (control and experiment). The data gained was analyzed using one-way ANCOVA. The results showed that Project-Based Learning which was integrated with information literacy rubric had a significant impact on biology students' learning outcomes. Based on the findings, it is suggested that educators should provide a proper strategy as an effort to support their students' learning outcomes.

The purpose of this study was to identify the level of teacher-student interaction, the suitability of learning environment, learning commitment and learning comfort among Biology students. In addition, the contribution of teacher-students interaction, learning commitment and learning environment towards learning comfort were also explored. This quantitative study employed a survey method whereby four types of questionnaires were used: (1) Teacher-Student Interaction Inventory; (2) Classroom Learning Environment Inventory; (3) Learning Commitment Inventory; and (4) Learning Comfort Inventory. A total of 400 Form Four Biology students from Perak were involved in this study. Data were analysed using descriptive and inferential analysis. The findings showed that the level of teacher-student interaction, the suitability of learning environment, learning commitment and learning comfort were high. There were significant relationship between teacher-student interaction, the suitability of learning environment and learning commitment with learning comfort. In addition, the results of multiple regression analysis revealed that students` learning commitment and learning environment provide significant contribution towards learning comfort.

Cell biology is widely considered to be the most important subject for promoting current modern biology. This paper sheds new light on the subject with the development of a diagnostic test to investigate misconceptions among pre-service biology teachers in cell biology. In this study, we developed and validated a diagnostic test -- known as the three-tier test -- to investigate misconceptions. In developing the test, we modified the initial version of the Cell Biology Diagnosis Test (CBD-Test), comprising a two-tier construct, and then we added a certainty response index for each item. The initial CBD-test was a construct based on proportional knowledge, references, and concepts that have been identified as frequently misunderstood in cell biology. The three-tier test was then adjusted to distinguish a lack of knowledge from a misconception. Participants in this test were 204 pre-service student teachers in an undergraduate biology education program. The test highlighted the fact that most of the students shared misconceptions regarding the structure and function of cells, fundamental components of cells, material transport across the membrane, and cell division. Furthermore, the findings validate the advantages of the CBD-Test as a reliable and valid instrument to diagnose misconception on a broad range.

Analytical thinking is the competency needed by students in order to compete and achieve success in the professional field for the 21st Century. Research that aims to examine the most optimal learning model in empowering students' analytical thinking needs to be done since many students have low ordered thinking skills. Through this quasi-experimental research design, differences in achievement of analytical thinking between students who attended TPS and PBL learning were reviewed. The study was conducted from April to June 2016, involving students of XI Science Class at the SSHS 13 of Banjarmasin, South Kalimantan Province Indonesia. The data from the study were analyzed using ANCOVA test at a significance level of 5%. The findings suggested that PBL was able to empower a significantly higher analytical thinking than that of TPS. Thus, implementing PBL in a variety of biology learning is recommended as an alternative strategy to improve the ability of analytical thinking of high school students, especially in Indonesia.

Many researchers emphasize the significance of employing inquiry learning in shaping preservice elementary teachers' tendencies to teach science. Using an interpretive research methodology, this study examined the influence of employing an inquiry-based teaching approach on teaching biology to preservice elementary teachers at the Hashemite University in Jordan. The purpose was to explore 3 teachers' perspectives of the teaching approach as well as to examine the effect of taking such courses on their future intentions to use inquiry. Findings indicated that participants were generally supportive of an inquiry-based learning strategy as they saw value in the inquiry experience provided from their course. Finally, the study suggested that support should be devoted to encourage the continuation and development of inquiry-based laboratories to better prepare prospective teachers. Furthermore, collaboration between postsecondary science teachers and science educators should be established to promote understanding of inquiry learning. [Note: The publication year (2009) shown on the PDF is incorrect. The correct publication year is 2008.]

The purposes of this study were to: 1) Examine the effect of RMS learning model towards critical thinking skills. 2) Examine the effect of different academic abilities against critical thinking skills. 3) Examine the effect of the interaction between RMS learning model and different academic abilities against critical thinking skills. The research method used was quasi experimental with 2x2 factorial pretest posttest nonequivalent group design.The critical thinking skills instrument used was essay test with the high level of reliability is 0.712. The data analysis used descriptive analysis and ANACOVA statistical analysis. The results showed that RMS learning model effectively improved students' critical thinking skills and was able to align students critical thinking skills in different academic abilities. The impact of RMS learning model is higher 55,6% than conventional model on critical thinking skills. The basic concepts of science and biology lecturer were recommended to apply RMS learning model to apply them in high schools, middle schools, and elementary schools.

The efficacy of an intervention instructional program was evaluated to facilitate understanding of particle theory concepts among students (N = 190) using a diagnostic instrument consisting of eleven two-tier multiple-choice items in a pre-test--post-test design. The students involved were high school students, undergraduates and postgraduates from six educational levels. The eleven items evaluated understanding in three key conceptual categories: (1) intermolecular spacing in matter, (2) the influence of intermolecular forces on changes of state and (3) diffusion in liquids and gases. The intervention program proved effective in improving students' overall understanding of particle theory concepts, with statistically significant improvement in overall scores among students in five of the six groups. However, only 25-46% of the students displayed consistent understanding of the concepts in the three conceptual categories. (Contains 6 tables and 7 figures.)

Abstract In chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL), comorbidities assessed by the CLL comorbidity index (CLL-CI) have been associated with outcomes in Western cohorts. We conducted a retrospective analysis of an unselected Middle Eastern cohort of newly diagnosed CLL patients seen at the Kuwait Cancer Control Center (n = 300). Compared to Western studies, these Middle Eastern patients were diagnosed at a younger age (median of 59) and had a higher comorbidity burden (69% non-low risk CLL-CI). A higher CLL-CI score was independently associated with significantly shorter event-free survival and greater risk of death. Our analysis demonstrates that CLL-CI is a valuable tool for comorbidity assessment and prognostic influence in (relatively young) Middle Eastern CLL patients.

Dissemination of news through social media is one of the biggest causes of increasing student’s trust in pseudoscience. The purpose of this correlational study was to analyze the relationship between belief in science and pseudoscience beliefs related to biology in high school students. This research entails a correlational study conducted through a survey methodology. The results of the study show that the ability to believe in science has a significant effect on students' belief in pseudoscience related to biology for high school students. Based on the research, the initial hypothesis of the study was rejected, that there is a positive relationship between belief in science and belief in pseudoscience related to biology, thus indicating that increasing students' confidence in science will also increase students' confidence in pseudoscience related to biology. This is due to the continuous spread of unscientific issues through social media which will affect the increase in trust in pseudoscience. The increase in pseudoscience is due to the lack of student media literacy so that it can affect the way students respond to news that is on social media. The lack of education regarding students' media literacy is a factor in increasing students' confidence in pseudoscience related to biology for high school students.

One of the key reasons for the poor performance of natural enemies of honeydew-producing insect pests is mutualism between ants and some aphid species. The findings demonstrated that red wood ant, Formica rufa Linnaeus (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) had a deleterious impact on different biological parameters of the lady beetle, Hippodamia variegata Goeze (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae). H. variegata laid far fewer eggs in ant-tended aphid colonies, laying nearly 2.5 times more eggs in ant absence. Ants antennated and bit the lady beetle eggs, resulting in significantly low egg hatching of 66 per cent over 85 per cent in ant absent treatments. The presence of ants significantly reduced the development of all larval instars. The highest reduction was found in the fourth larval instar (31.33% reduction), and the lowest in the first larval instar (20% reduction). Later larval instars were more aggressively attacked by ants than earlier instars. The first and second larval instars stopped their feeding and movement in response to ant aggression. The third and fourth larval instars modified their mobility, resulting in increased ant aggression towards them. Adult lady beetles were shown to be more vulnerable to ant attacks than larvae. However, H. variegata adults demonstrated counterattacks in the form of diverse defensive reaction behaviours in response to F. rufa aggression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prostate cancer (PCa) remains a leading cause of mortality among American men, with metastatic and recurrent disease posing significant therapeutic challenges due to a limited comprehension of the underlying biological processes governing disease initiation, dormancy, and progression. The conventional use of PCa cell lines has proven inadequate in elucidating the intricate molecular mechanisms driving PCa carcinogenesis, hindering the development of effective treatments. To address this gap, patient-derived primary cell cultures have been developed and play a pivotal role in unraveling the pathophysiological intricacies unique to PCa in each individual, offering valuable insights for translational research. This review explores the applications of the conditional reprogramming (CR) cell culture approach, showcasing its capability to rapidly and effectively cultivate patient-derived normal and tumor cells. The CR strategy facilitates the acquisition of stem cell properties by primary cells, precisely recapitulating the human pathophysiology of PCa. This nuanced understanding enables the identification of novel therapeutics. Specifically, our discussion encompasses the utility of CR cells in elucidating PCa initiation and progression, unraveling the molecular pathogenesis of metastatic PCa, addressing health disparities, and advancing personalized medicine. Coupled with the tumor organoid approach and patient-derived xenografts (PDXs), CR cells present a promising avenue for comprehending cancer biology, exploring new treatment modalities, and advancing precision medicine in the context of PCa. These approaches have been used for two NCI initiatives (PDMR: patient-derived model repositories; HCMI: human cancer models initiatives). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]