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The aim of this study was to examine which topic- and learning-related knowledge and motivational beliefs predict the use of specific deep-level learning strategies during an independent learning task. Participants included 335 Estonian fourth- and sixth-grade students who were asked to read about light processes and seasonal changes. The study was completed electronically. Topic-related knowledge was assessed via an open question about seasonal changes, and learning-related knowledge was assessed via scenario-based tasks. Expectancies, interest, and utility values related to learning astronomy and using deep-level learning strategies were assessed via questions based on the Situated Expectancy-Value Theory. Deep-level learning strategies (using drawings in addition to reading and self-testing) were assessed while completing the reading task. Among topic-related variables, prior knowledge and utility value--but not interest or expectancy in learning astronomy--were related to using deep-level learning strategies. Among learning-related variables, interest and utility value of effective learning--but not metacognitive knowledge of learning strategies or expectancy in using deep-level learning strategies--were related to using deep-level learning strategies. This study confirms that it is not enough to examine students' knowledge and skills in using learning strategies with general or hypothetical questions, instead, it is of crucial importance to study students in real learning situations.

Children's development during early childhood affects their well-being and educational success, but there are few reliable assessment instruments available. The aim of the study was to develop, pilot and validate an e-assessment instrument for assessing five-year-old children's development in cognitive processes, learning, language and mathematical skills. The tablet-based instrument was piloted in Estonia in 11 kindergartens with 122 children. The teachers guided the children one by one over several days. The instrument was validated using teachers' evaluations of the sampled children's skills. The results showed positive associations in expected skill areas supporting the claim of the instrument being valid for assessing young children's development.

"Manor and violence in the folklore collections of the late 19th century". The folklore collected during the collection campaigns of the last decades of the 19th century contains a significant amount of material concerning the relationship between peasants and those connected to manors. In this article, I focus on one particular aspect of these texts: the depiction of violence directed from the manor towards the peasants. I examine the topic from two perspectives. Firstly, I apply the framework proposed by Gyanendra Pandey (2014), who distinguishes between three kinds of violence: (1) violence intended to maintain societal order; (2) wild, uncontrollable violence associated with marginalized groups; and (3) trivial or overlooked violence. I explore how these three types of violence manifest in my material and how they interconnect. Secondly, I analyze these texts, which originate from oral sources and were written down by individuals with limited formal education, within the context of contemporary public discourse (such as newspapers, history writing, literature, etc.) on manor-related violence. I investigate the parallels and discrepancies between these public writings and archival texts. Regarding the first perspective, it can be said that the writers often depict the violence executed by landlords as wild, while the right to enact violence for maintaining order is attributed to the Tsar. Additionally, the writers employ various rhetorical techniques to stress that trivial violence was also present. As for the connection to public writings, it is evident that the authors of these texts are familiar with them but sometimes alter or reinterpret them.

A novel dicoumarol-based copolyester was synthesized via a one-step polycondensation reaction using titanium tetraisopropoxide (TTIP) as a catalyst. The copolyester was characterized using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectroscopy (1H and 13C), and Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC). Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used to examine the surface morphology before and after degradation. The synthesized copolyester exhibited toxicity against MCF-7 breast cancer cells, with an IC50 value of 62.5 μg/mL, and demonstrated potential as a drug carrier with a consistent drug-release rate. The combination of dicoumarol, itaconic acid, and 1,12-dodecanediol in the copolyester enhances its biomedical capabilities, with dicoumarol providing anticancer properties, itaconic acid offering biocompatibility and mechanical stability, and 1,12-dodecanediol ensuring structural integrity and responsiveness. This study presents the first example of a dicoumarol-substituted copolyester, which was thoroughly characterized and shown to have promising biocompatibility for targeted anticancer therapy. The synthesis of this novel copolyester from renewable sources highlights the growing interest in sustainable materials for pharmaceutical and biomedical applications, particularly in drug delivery and tissue engineering for cancer treatment.

Abstract In this work, iron‐ and nitrogen‐doped carbide‐derived carbon and carbon nanotube (CDC/CNT) composites are prepared and used as oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) electrocatalysts in acidic conditions. Three different approaches are taken to mix iron and nitrogen precursors, namely iron(II) acetate and 1,10‐phenanthroline, with the nanocarbon materials. The doping is done via high‐temperature pyrolysis. The success of doping is proved by several physicochemical methods indicating that iron is atomically dispersed. The Fe−N−C catalyst materials possess similar textural properties with high specific surface area and plenty of pores in different sizes. The evaluation of the ORR activity using the rotating (ring−)disk electrode method shows that the prepared Fe−N−C materials have very similar and good electrocatalytic performance in acidic media and low yield of H2O2 formation. This excellent ORR performance of the Fe−N−C catalyst materials is attributed to the presence of Fe−Nx and pyridinic‐N moieties, as well as a feasible porous structure.

The study aims to examine students' awareness and reported use of learning strategies as well as their effectiveness for word recognition using a word list memorization task. The sample included 1039 Grade 2, 1069 Grade 4, 832 Grade 6, and 3752 Grade 9 students (aged 8-15 years) from 272 Estonian schools. More students in higher grades reported using abstract grouping than students in lower grades. Students' evaluations of rehearsal and perceptual grouping were loaded onto theoretically expected factors, and evaluative statements tended to have similar meaning across all grades. Grade 9 students tended to evaluate abstract grouping higher and rehearsal lower than students in lower grades. Reported use of abstract grouping was related to higher word-recognition scores in Grades 4 and up; this trend was not evident in Grade 2. The word-list memorization task is one possibility to assess memorization strategies in basic school, and it can provide useful information to plan activities supporting students' development of effective usage of strategies.

Students’ motivation to learn and the strategies they use during learning are two important factors that affect their learning outcomes. Some learning strategies are more effective, and some are less effective (deep and surface strategies). Both the knowledge of and motivation to use certain learning strategies depend on students’ individual characteristics (prior knowledge) and the context (classroom practices). The aims of the present study were (1) to examine differences between middle and high school students’ perceptions of the effectiveness of specific learning strategies and motivation to use effective strategies and (2) to explore relations between motivation, learning strategies, and grades in these two subgroups. The participants were 6287 middle school students (aged 13–16) and 5476 high school students (aged 17–20 years). The students completed an electronic questionnaire during school hours. Their perceptions of the effectiveness of specific learning strategies in certain learning scenarios and motivational beliefs (self-efficacy, utility, and cost) concerning the use of effective strategies were assessed with rating scales; additionally, students’ self-reported math and history grades were used. A network analysis was used to examine the relations between constructs. The results show small between-group differences in accordance with the theoretical expectations. The findings are discussed in relation to school level and educational context.

Self-regulation forms the rudiments for children's academic achievement and socialization. Although one's executive control and verbal skills are needed in both of the core aspects for academic performance: processing to regulate one's own learning and behavior, young students' cognitive capacity for that is still immature influencing the "right response" execution. This longitudinal study investigates children's deviant self-regulation, aggression, in two reciprocal relations: (1) individual cognitive factors; and (2) classroom-contextual factors. Results show the persistence of aggression over time; in aggressive students also lower verbal and executive function skills in Grade 6, while no classroom-contextual relations were detected. This indicates the need to identify as early as possible the pupils performing poorly in cognitive tasks in order to implement specific scaffold-interventions to enhance their processing skills -- fundamental for efficient executive control. By doing so, we can prevent possible later complications and improve those pupils' basic functions early on to regulate their learning and execute appropriate behavior. Human cognition is an entire and interdependent system enabled by our undivided mental mechanism needed for making relevant conclusions as well as shaping appropriate behavior to become a responsibly thinking and dignified member of society.

The aim of this study was to explore how pre- and in-service teachers (N = 346) evaluate different learning strategies for six scenarios, and how they justify their answers. Results showed that teachers mostly evaluate strategies found to be effective in previous empirical studies as more effective and they can provide proper scientific justifications, though some justifications included misconceptions. Teachers were most confused when comparing interleaving versus blocking and retrieval versus concept mapping. Configural frequency analysis showed that justifications were generally, but not always, consistent with evaluations. These findings refer to the importance of examining teacher knowledge both with evaluations and with open-end questions. Misconceptions identified by justifications comprise useful information for planning teacher-training courses.

This study aimed to investigate students’ metacognitive knowledge and reported use of surface and deep learning strategies. It also explored the extent to which students recall their teachers’ recommendations for learning strategies and the relationship between these recollections and students’ knowledge and reported use of strategies. A scenario-based questionnaire was used to set a learning goal in the area of biology. Students’ metacognitive knowledge was assessed through perceived effectiveness and reported use of learning strategies. Additionally, open-ended questions allowed students to recall and report recommendations given by their teachers. We used person-centered methods to explore whether different types of recollections were related to reported strategy use. Among students who recollected that their teachers have recommended deep learning strategies, it was typical to value deep strategies higher than surface strategies and report using deep strategies. Also, it was atypical among those students to value surface level strategies and not use deep strategies.

The objective of this research was to identify which learning strategies pre and in-service teachers (N = 340) recommend to students in two hypothetical learning situations, in order to examine how teachers evaluate students’ learning strategies, and to study relations between recommendations and evaluations. Among the recommended and evaluated learning strategies, four tapped deep learning, and two tapped surface learning. Results showed that teachers mainly recommended either deep-learning strategies or a combination of deep and surface-learning strategies. Teachers gave better evaluations of deep-learning strategies compared to surface-learning strategies. Differences in evaluations of surface-learning strategies and interleaving were found between teachers who recommended only deep-learning strategies and those who recommended both types of strategies.

Letters are a means of communication with people who are far away. As such, letters are always intended to create intersubjective space common to the sender and receiver of the letter. The intersubjectivity can be created in different ways; for example, alluding to shared memories, using shared idioms or inserting direct addresses into the letters. Ideally the exchange of letters is symmetrical, but the reality tends to be nonideal – letters go missing, one partner is more passive and there can be a hierarchical relationship between the sender and the receiver. This asymmetricity, however, does not diminish the potential intersubjectivity of any particular letter. The article focuses on intersubjectivity in the letters sent by a farmer and folklore collector Jaan Saalverk (1874–1932) to Jakob Hurt. In 1888 Hurt started widespread folklore collecting campaigns; he published appeals in several newspapers and with the help of these hoped to build up a dense network of local collectors. The campaign lasted until Hurt’s death in 1907, and during this time about a thousand people stepped in. Saalverk participated in the campaign in 1896–1905 and he was one of the most prolific co-workers of Hurt from Jüri parish. As in most cases the organizers of the campaigns and the local collectors did not meet in person, the collecting campaigns can be considered as epistolary events – people who participated had to be able to use the postal system and know how to address other people in epistolary exchanges. In this article I do not cover everything that was sent by Saalverk to Hurt but, taking a narrower focus, study one special genre – the letters sent by him. Letters were not an obligatory part of collecting campaigns and there were collectors who never sent a letter to Hurt. However, most of the collectors wrote letters on several occasions. Some were added to collected materials and commented on them, some were sent in between collections; most of the letters dealt with collecting activity, but there were plenty of those that addressed other issues. The folklore collecting campaigns provide quite a special epistolary context. One aspect to be noted is social hierarchy – Hurt was a parson and had a university degree, while most of the collectors were farmers, that is, had considerably lower social standing. Besides, the communication took place on the borderline between private and public spheres – letters sent by collectors were private, but Hurt often quoted them in his public reports. This context of epistolary communication was marked by asymmetry – collectors always wrote more than Hurt. In his letters to Hurt, Saalverk touches upon several issues that can be found in the letters of other collectors as well. He writes about the importance of collecting for the nation and for himself, about his concerns over the value of his contribution and the prejudices that people from his area have towards folklore collecting. While he dwells on the importance of collecting, he seems to feel empowered by perceiving it as part of the modern world (opposed to drinking and fighting as non-modern ways to spend one’s free time); but considering the prejudices of local people he seems to be puzzled and not so confident anymore. A special trait of Saalverk’s letters is the devices he uses to create an intersubjective space between himself and Hurt. He does not use the most common device of folklore collectors – metaphorical language that Hurt employs in public texts about folklore collecting. Saalverk relies on direct addresses – in most of his letters, there is a plea for Hurt to send him a private letter and explain to him the importance of folklore collecting so that Saalverk could cite these ideas to refute the prejudices of local people. These pleas are connected to two different intersubjective spaces at once. On the one hand, they try to break the substantial asymmetry of the communication in this context, on the other hand Saalverk seems to hope that if he succeeds in creating real intersubjectivity between himself and Hurt, it would help him to solve problems he is having in the intersubjective space between himself and people around him.

This study examined the effects of a teacher-led learning-strategy intervention program on fourth-grade students' reported use and perceived effectiveness of rehearsal and comprehension-oriented learning strategies. During 18 program units, teachers taught about learning and various learning strategies, including visualisation, elaboration and categorisation. Strategies were practised in math, language and science classes. Participants were comprised of 82 fourth-grade students in the intervention group and 387 fourth-grade students in the control group. Students' reported use and perceived effectiveness of learning strategies were assessed before and at least 4 months after intervention using a web-based word-memorisation task and associated reflection questions. The intervention group tended to use more comprehension-oriented learning strategies in post-tests, and the intervention group also showed an increase in perceived effectiveness of comprehension-oriented learning strategies. Still, rehearsal was evaluated as the most effective strategy in both the control group and the intervention group. Explanations for these findings and possible future directions are discussed.

Several studies have shown that apples (Malus domestica Borkh.) in the daily diet are healthy due to their rich content of phytochemicals. The aim of this study was to compare the content of polyphenols in the peels, flesh, seeds and leaves of five apple cultivars (âAntonovkaâ, âÅkeröâ, âCortlandâ, âKarksi renettâ and âKristaâ) grown in Estonia. Of the 21 collected cultivars, these five were selected on the basis of their rich or distinct chemical composition according to the LC-DAD-MS/MS data. In addition, the weight of the fruit, the number of seeds in the fruit and the weight of the seeds were determined. A total of 33 compounds were detected in the peels, 23 in the flesh, 11 in the seeds, and 25 in the leaves. They belong to four groups: 1) flavon-3-ols (quercetin and its derivatives), 2) dihydrochalcones (phloretin and its derivatives), 3) flavan-3-ols (catechin, epicatechin and oligomers), and 4) esters formed between caffeic acid and L-quinic acid (chlorogenic acid). Based on the data presented in this article, the leaves contained the highest measured total polyphenol content (TPGA). The peels contained high amounts of all the major polyphenolic groups mentioned. The apple flesh lacked flavon-3-ols and the seeds flavon-3-ols and flavan-3-ols. In the peels, the major polyphenols were quercetin galactoside (3â342 mg/100 g), procyanidin B1 (18â179 mg/100 g), and (epi)catechin trimer (28â200 mg/100 g); in the flesh chlorogenic acid (77â298 mg/100 g); in the seeds phloridzin (466 mg/100 g in âCortlandâ); and in the leaves chlorogenic acid (147â446 mg/100 g) and quercetin glycosides, especially quercetin rhamnoside (242â350 mg/100 g), quercetin galactoside (39â334 mg/100 g) and quercetin glucoside (91â321 mg/100 g).

Background: Most previous studies of teaching styles and reading skills have been cross-sectional. Longitudinal research is needed to clarify the direction of effects. The present longitudinal study examined the degree to which differences in teaching styles in the third grade predict the sixth-grade reading performance. The consistency of the findings was addressed by comparing results across students in two countries (Finland and Estonia). Methods: A total of 1,057 students (50.9% boys) were followed from the third to sixth grade. Teaching styles of third-grade teachers (N = 70) were examined as predictors of the development of reading (i.e., third-grade to sixth-grade reading fluency and comprehension). Results: Five patterns of third-grade teaching practices were found across two countries: "child-centred style," "teacher-directed style," "child-dominated style," "extreme child-centred style," and "mixed child-centred" and "teacher-directed style (mixed teaching style)." The mixed teaching style and the child-centred style in the third grade were related to the greatest increases in reading fluency from the third to sixth grade, over and above the contribution of age, gender and maternal education. Conclusions: The findings underscore the importance of the flexible use of child-centred and teacher-directed practices, which are both linked to the development of reading fluency during late primary school years.

The aim of the study was to analyse literacy instruction activities and their associations with the reading performance of first graders in Estonia and Finland, two countries that share similar orthographies and educational systems but differ in the onset of formal reading instruction. The contents of 33 Literacy lessons in first grade spring were analysed and students' (N[subscript EST] = 415, N[subscript FIN] = 154) reading performance was assessed in first grade autumn and spring. The results showed that there were more similarities than differences between the countries in literacy instruction activities, but some country-specific interaction effects were found between students' reading performance and contents of the instruction. Especially the slopes of reading performance development among Finnish beginning readers differed from the other readers in both countries with respect to the content of literacy instruction. The results highlight the importance of responsiveness to students' needs in early school years literacy instruction.

We explored two methods for synthesizing Pd nanoparticles using three different carbide-derived carbon (CDC) support materials, one of which was nitrogen-doped. These materials were studied for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in 0.1 M KOH solution, and the resulting CDC/Pd catalysts were characterized using TEM, XRD, and XPS. The citrate method and the polyol method using polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) as a capping agent were employed to elucidate the impact of the support material on the final catalyst. The N-doping of the CDC material resulted in smaller Pd nanoparticles, but only in the case of the citrate method. This suggests that the influence of support is weaker when using the polyol method. The citrate method with CDC1, which is predominantly microporous, led to a higher degree of agglomeration and formation of larger particles in comparison to supports, which possessed a higher degree of mesoporosity. We achieved smaller Pd particle sizes using citrate and NaBH4 compared to the ethylene glycol PVP method. Pd deposited on CDC2 and CDC3 supports showed similar specific activity (SA), suggesting that the N-doping did not significantly influence the ORR process. The highest SA value was observed for CDC1/Pd_Cit, which could be attributed to the formation of larger Pd particles and agglomerates.

The berry pomace could be a potential source for food applications due to its high content of polyphenols, but also dietary fiber, PUFAs and pectin. This is the first study that aims to compare the total dietary fiber (TDF), protein, fat, mineral, pectin and fatty acid content of the following 16 different pomace samples of Sorbus aucuparia L. cultivars (cvs): ‘Likernaja’, ‘Burka’, ‘Alaja Krupnaja’, ‘Granatnaja’, ‘Rubinovaja’, ‘Bussinka’, ‘Vefed’, ‘Angri’, ‘Krasnaja’, ‘Solnechnaja’, ‘Sahharnaja’, ‘Oranzevaja’, ‘Kubovaja’, ‘Moravica’, ‘Rosina’ and ‘Rossica’, in order to find new natural materials for valorization. The contents of pectin and dietary fibers were analyzed using the respective Megazyme enzymatic kits. The TDF content was the highest in the pomace samples of hybrid cvs ‘Granatnaja’ (63.04% dry mass DM), ‘Burka’ (64.52% DM), ‘Rubinovaja’ (65.66% DM) and ‘Likernaja’ (67.17% DM). The pomace of hybrid cv ‘Rubinovaja’ was distinguished from other samples by its high protein content, cv ‘Alaja Krupnaja’ by its high pectin content and cv ‘Oranzevaja’ by its high fat content, which were 7.58% DM, 8.39% DM and 7.47% DM, respectively. The pomace of cv ‘Sahharnaja’ possessed the highest average macro-element content (1.56 g/kg DM). The average fatty acids profile was characterized by a high content of linoleic acid (51.94%), oleic acid (20.55%) and palmitic acid (12.96%). The lowest n6/n3 ratio was found in the hybrid cv ‘Alaja Krupnaja’ (6.70%). The data obtained demonstrate that the pomaces of certain cultivars of rowanberry contain significant amounts of valuable components, which can be used in functional food and cosmetic applications.

The focus in the development of catalysts doped with transition metals aims to replace platinum group metal catalysts in fuel cells. However, these non-precious metal catalysts exhibit limited performance in acidic environment for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) due to issues such as metal agglomeration and the subsequent loss of active sites. Herein, we synthesised catalysts doped with iron and nitrogen on a composite material consisting of carbide-derived carbon (CDC) and graphene (G), employing an additional nitrogen source dicyandiamide (DCDA), denoted as FeN-CDC/G/DCDA. Our physico-chemical analysis unveiled that the inclusion of DCDA was effective in mitigating metal agglomeration during the synthesis process and increasing the presence of Fe-Nx sites in the catalysts. Notably, the FeN-CDC/G/DCDA catalyst exhibited enhanced ORR activity in acid media with half-wave potential (E1/2) of 0.76 V, surpassing the performance of the FeN-CDC/G catalyst, which had an E1/2 value of 0.70 V. Furthermore, the rotating ring-disk electrode results indicated a reduced formation of hydrogen peroxide when employing the FeN-CDC/G/DCDA catalyst. The findings from this study represent a significant step towards the development of efficient catalysts for fuel cells, underscoring the pivotal role of additional nitrogen doping and its positive impact on the ORR performance.

Uuringu eesmärk on teada saada, kuidas õpetajad (N = 659) ja õpilased (N = 4888) hindavad erinevate õpistrateegiate tõhusust. Varasemad väikese valimiga uuringud on näidanud, et õpetajate ja õpilaste teadlikkus tõhusatest ja mittetõhusatest õpistrateegiatest on erinev, seega on teemat oluline uurida põhjalikumalt suurema valimiga. 2021. aastal viidi läbi üle-eestiline Õpetajauurimus 2021 ning järgmisel aastal Õpilasuurimus 2022. Uuringu käigus paluti õpetajatel ja õpilastel hinnata erinevate õpistrateegiate tõhusust nelja õpistsenaariumi kontekstis. Tulemustest selgus, et põhikooliõpetajad hindavad sügavat õppimist toetavaid õpistrateegiaid kõrgemalt kui põhikooliõpilased, kuid gümnaasiumis õpetajate ja õpilaste hinnangute vahel erinevust ei ole. Nii põhikoolis kui gümnaasiumis hindavad õpetajad pindmist õppimist toetavaid õpistrateegiaid madalamalt kui õpilased. Mõningaid erinevusi leiti ka konkreetsete õpistrateegiate tõhususe hinnangutes. Õppeainetest ning õpetajate staažist ei sõltunud, kuidas õpetajad õpistrateegiate tõhusust hindavad. Kokkuvõttes selgus, et nii õpetajate kui ka õpilaste teadmised uuringus kasutatud õpistrateegiatest olid pigem head. Õpetajate puhul kinnitab see varasemalt leitut ning õpilaste puhul saadi teada, et ka nemad hindavad kõrgemalt sügavat õppimist toetavaid õpistrateegiaid. Summary

The article looks at nature references in texts written in the 1890s by two men born in the middle of the 19th century: namely, the autobiographical writings of farmer and school teacher Paulus Paurmann (1850–1903), and the diary of miller Märt Siipsen (1846–1916). Paurmann and Siipsen can be called vernacular literati – despite their poor education they were eager to participate in the modern literary sphere as both readers and writers. Both men depended on nature in their livelihood – this combined with their interest in contemporary literary matters makes them good examples of the spread of modern ideas about nature among the lower social classes. The influence of these ideas can manifest in at least three different ways: (1) as an interest in modern scientific ideas; (2) as a wish to shape nature – plant new species, apply new technologies; (3) by using nature (as well as poetic language stemming from nature) to express one’s identity, to position oneself with respect to modern identity markers. In Siipsen’s text we can see two different ways of positioning oneself in relation to nature: passive (religious) and active (practical). In some passages he states that everything which happens in nature depends on God, whereas in others he describes attempts at designing his surroundings by adding new plants and birds. The relationship between the two remains ambiguous. Paurmann has written two autobiographies. The earlier one uses a lot of descriptions of and metaphorical references to nature and its composition adheres to the poetics of sentimental chapbooks; the latter one is written in plain language and barely mentions nature at all. That is to say, references to nature in his writings depend on the chosen poetic language. In conclusion, we can see that both men have incorporated into their writings certain new ideas about nature that were disseminated in the written discourse at the time. Siipsen mostly describes new ways of designing one’s farmyard, whereas Paurmann turns to poetic uses of nature.

Abstract Data on the clinical validity of DNA copy number variants (CNVs) in spermatogenic failure (SPGF) is limited. This study analyzed the genome-wide CNV profile in 215 men with idiopathic SPGF and 62 normozoospermic fertile men, recruited at the Andrology Clinic, Tartu University Hospital, Estonia. A two-fold higher representation of > 1 Mb CNVs was observed in men with SPGF (13%, n = 28) compared to controls (6.5%, n = 4). Seven patients with SPGF were identified as carriers of microdeletions (1q21.1; 2.4 Mb) or microduplications (3p26.3, 1.1 Mb; 7p22.3-p22.2, 1.56 Mb; 10q11.22, 1.42 Mb, three cases; Xp22.33; 2.3 Mb) linked to severe congenital conditions. Large autosomal CNV carriers had oligozoospermia, reduced or low-normal bitesticular volume (22–28 ml). The 7p22.3-p22.2 microduplication carrier presented mild intellectual disability, neuropsychiatric problems, and short stature. The Xp22.33 duplication at the PAR1/non-PAR boundary, previously linked to uterine agenesis, was detected in a patient with non-obstructive azoospermia. A novel recurrent intragenic deletion in testis-specific LRRC69 was significantly overrepresented in patients with SPGF compared to the general population (3.3% vs. 0.85%; χ2 test, OR = 3.9 [95% CI 1.8–8.4], P = 0.0001). Assessment of clinically valid CNVs in patients with SPGF will improve their management and counselling for general and reproductive health, including risk of miscarriage and congenital disorders in future offspring.

Abstract A Pt‐free cathode catalyst is necessary for proton‐exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) to enable the widespread use of these environmentally friendly energy conversion devices at affordable price. Herein, a pyrolyzed electrospun carbon nanofibre (CNF) catalyst is prepared embedded with cobalt(II) phthalocyanine and iron(II) phthalocyanine compounds to provide the transition metal N4‐macrocyclic complex‐derived sites (MNX) possessing better electrocatalytic oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) activity. The physical characterisation showed the nanofibrous structure of catalyst with rough surface texture and considerable amount of N, Fe, and Co. The D−MN4−CNF−IL−A catalyst prepared using ionic liquid as a porogen displayed the best electrocatalytic activity for O2 electroreduction proceeding via 4e− pathway in 0.5 M H2SO4 electrolyte solution with the ORR onset and half‐wave potential of 0.83 and 0.71 V vs reversible hydrogen electrode (RHE), respectively.

Four experiments examined the effects of a dangerous context and a systemic epinephrine injection on sensory preconditioning in rats. In each experiment, rats were exposed to presentations of a tone and light in stage 1, light-shock pairings in stage 2, and test presentations of the tone alone and light alone in stage 3. Presentations of the tone and light in stage 1 occurred in either a safe or a previously shocked context, and/or under a systemic injection of epinephrine. Experiment 1 showed that a trace interval of 20 sec between presentations of the tone and light produced sensory preconditioning of the tone in a previously shocked context but not in a safe context, while experiment 2 provided evidence that this trace preconditioning was associative, due to the formation of a tone-light association. Experiment 3 showed that, in a safe context, exposure to the trace protocol under the influence of an epinephrine injection also produced sensory preconditioning of the tone, while experiment 4 provided evidence that a shocked context and an epinephrine injection have additive effects on trace preconditioning. These findings are discussed in relation to theories of trace conditioning. They suggest that the release of epinephrine by danger enhances attention and/or working memory processes, and thereby associative formation across a trace interval.

In order to improve the economic competitiveness of bioenergy carriers and biochemicals, they must be produced from low-cost or no-cost feedstock and at a reduced operational expenses. In that regard, this study focused on understanding the techno-economic feasibility of using pulp sludge as a low-cost alternative feedstock to forestry biomass in torrefaction. Economic feasibility of further integrating pulp sludge torrefaction with anaerobic digestion to produce energy, biomethane and volatile fatty acids (VFA) was also studied. The operational expenses were around 8.2 and 2.04 M€ and the minimum selling price of torrefied pellets was 407 and 189 €/t for forestry biomass torrefaction and pulp sludge torrefaction respectively. In case of integrated approaches, VFA production showed higher economic feasibility with a torrefied pellets selling price of 163 €/t compared with biomethane production (213 €/t). The biomethane and VFA selling price can be reduced by 90 and 64% compared with current market price at torrefied pellets selling price of 260 €/t. Sensitivity analysis revealed that, moisture content of the sludge is the main influencing parameter on the overall economic feasibility of the pulp sludge torrefaction. The environmental analysis showed that pulp sludge torrefaction has higher emissions compared with forestry biomass torrefaction.

Plant resource sharing mediated by mycorrhizal fungi has been a subject of recent debate, largely owing to the limitations of previously used isotopic tracking methods. Although CdSe/ZnS quantum dots (QDs) have been successfully used for in situ tracking of essential nutrients in plant-fungal systems, the Cd-containing QDs, due to the intrinsic toxic nature of Cd, are not a viable system for larger-scale in situ studies. We synthesized amino acid-based carbon quantum dots (CQDs; average hydrodynamic size 6 ± 3 nm, zeta potential −19 ± 12 mV) and compared their toxicity and uptake with commercial CdSe/ZnS QDs that we conjugated with the amino acid cysteine (Cys) (average hydrodynamic size 308 ± 150 nm, zeta potential −65 ± 4 mV) using yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae as a proxy for mycorrhizal fungi. We showed that the CQDs readily entered yeast cells and were non-toxic up to 100 mg/L. While the Cys-conjugated CdSe/ZnS QDs were also not toxic to yeast cells up to 100 mg/L, they were not taken up into the cells but remained on the cell surfaces. These findings suggest that CQDs may be a suitable tool for molecular tracking in fungi (incl. mychorrhizal fungi) due to their ability to enter fungal cells.

Abundant availability of lignocellulosic biomass (LCB) coupled with diverse pretreatment methods have made it a promising option for energy production. However, it faces several challenges, some of which can be overcome by integrating pretreatment processes. The present study aims to optimize the integration of two different pretreatment methods—torrefaction (to reduce moisture content and fractionate biomass) and alkaline pretreatment of wood waste (to delignify biomass)—and utilize it for bioethanol production. Pretreatment performance was evaluated based on delignification, biomass hydrolysis, and bioethanol production. Initially, torrefaction was performed in a continuous reactor at a temperature range of 225–300 °C, followed by optimization of the critical parameters of alkaline pretreatment of torrefied wood waste (TWW), that is, the temperature, reaction time, solid–liquid ratio, and alkali concentration. Subsequently, the chemical and carbohydrate compositions of raw wood waste (RWW) and TWW were studied, followed by enzymatic hydrolysis and bioethanol fermentation. Integrated pretreatment positively impacted the cellulose and glucose contents of raw and torrefied biomass at lower temperatures. The enzymatic hydrolysis of TWW treated with alkali produced higher levels of glucose and bioethanol than (stand-alone) TWW. These results can be used as a basis for choosing the most suitable pretreatment for enhanced biomass conversion.

Background: Math is a difficult subject with which many upper middle-school students struggle. In addition to knowledge, skills, and motivation, effective learning strategies play an important role in learning math. Aims: This study aimed to examine the effects of comprehension-oriented learning strategies (perceptual and abstract grouping of material) -- together with math self-concept, task-persistent learning behaviour, earlier math skills, reasoning abilities, and reading comprehension -- on solving mathematical calculation and word problems at the end of middle school. Sample: The sample consisted of 231 students (50% boys; mean age in Grade 9 = 15.55 years) from 16 schools and 31 classrooms in Estonia. Methods: Students were tested twice -- once at the end of Grade 6 and once at the end of Grade 9. Calculation and problem-solving skills were assessed at both time points. Math self-concept, teacher-rated task persistence, reasoning abilities, and reading comprehension were assessed in Grade 6. Learning strategies were assessed using a word-memorization task in Grade 9. Multiple regression analysis was used. Results and Conclusions: Applying abstract (but not perceptual) grouping was related to higher calculation and problem-solving skills. Math skills were persistent over time, and calculation and problem-solving skills mutually affected each other. Math self-concept, task persistence, and reading comprehension had a positive effect on problem-solving but not calculation skills. The study noted deficient use of comprehension-oriented strategies at the end of middle school, suggesting that more attention should be paid to teaching and discussing such learning strategies. These findings suggest that students' math skills may be enhanced by supporting metacognitive awareness and use of comprehension-oriented learning strategies.

The aim of this study was to find out which learning strategies teachers teach, either directly or indirectly, and how classroom observations are related to teachers’ knowledge of learning strategies. Seven different learning strategies were used. The Learning Strategy Teaching Observation Instrument (LSTOI) was developed for this study. Forty-five video-based classroom observations were conducted. Teachers showed strong knowledge of learning strategies, but they did not directly teach about strategies in the classroom. In order to find out how teachers support learning strategies in the classroom, we conducted a detailed analysis of two teachers who provided the greatest amount of direct strategy instruction. Results showed that, although these teachers gave more direct strategy instruction than others, they justified the usefulness of strategies by saying that students will achieve better results in an upcoming test or examination. A better approach would be to explain the long-term impact of learning strategies and develop students’ skills in independently applying strategies in the future.

Abstract Depression has a devastating impact on young people around the world. This impact is pervasive and long-long lasting, still causing havoc as young people transition into adulthood. Prevention and timely early intervention efforts are necessary to lessen the disease burden of depression in young people. There is some evidence for the effectiveness of existing prevention and early intervention programs when delivered early. However, there is no consensus on what the active ingredients of these programs are. Identifying these ingredients is important because focusing on those that have maximal benefit will help to minimise the costs and resourcing of (already intensive) therapeutic approaches. We explored whether, and in what circumstances, affective awareness (i.e., knowing how one feels) is a candidate for protecting against and decreasing vulnerability to depression in young people. We specifically looked at how Ecological Momentary Assessment methods (EMA) were used to measure and/or increase affective awareness. We integrated three streams of data, including narrative review findings, perspectives from young people and psychologists, and publicly available information online (e.g., discussion forums). Across data sources, we found converging evidence that affective awareness is important in the prevention and early intervention of depression although there were considerable gaps in knowledge. More work needs to be done with young people and their health care teams to build affective awareness in the right way, at the right time, with individual differences in mind. The identification of how EMA can be best incorporated into young people’s lives to facilitate these outcomes is also needed.

The study aimed to examine the possibility of teaching primary school students a learner-generated drawing strategy, among other constructivist learning strategies. The teacher-guided program “Learning with Understanding” began by discussing the broader topics of the learning process, followed by teaching specific strategies, and ended with an overview of all strategies and reflective discussions. During 18 program lessons, primary school teachers taught, practiced, and raised metacognitive awareness of three learning strategies—elaboration of new information with familiar material and daily practice, organization of material into categories and elaboration, and organization of information through drawing. This study examined composing drawings for math word problems before and after the program. The sample consisted of second- and fourth-grade students from eight Estonian schools. The intervention group included 110 students from second grade and 80 students from fourth grade. The control group consisted of 121 second-grade students, and 82 fourth-grade students. Before and after the intervention, students had to solve two math word problems and compose a drawing, if needed. The results showed that before the intervention, neither the control group nor the intervention group students drew almost any drawings. However, after the intervention, both the control group and the intervention group students started to draw more drawings. Also, the intervention group students composed both more drawings and more schematic drawings. The effect of the intervention was visible at both grade levels. Comparing the correctness of answers with the drawing type showed that the fourth grade obtained significantly more correct answers when no drawings were made, while in the second grade, students had fewer correct answers when they had not compiled a drawing. Thus, we showed that even very young students could learn to compose schematic drawings; however, drawings alone may not be of help to solve the problem.

Preeclampsia (PE) is a common pregnancy-linked disease, causing preterm births, complicated deliveries, and health consequences for mothers and offspring. We have previously developed 6PLEX, a multiplex assay that measures PE-related maternal serum biomarkers ADAM12, sENG, leptin, PlGF, sFlt-1, and PTX3 in a single test tube. This study investigated the potential of 6PLEX to develop novel PE prediction models for early pregnancy. We analyzed 132 serum samples drawn at 70–275 gestational days (g days) from 53 pregnant women (PE, n = 22; controls, n = 31). PE prediction models were developed using a machine learning strategy based on the stepwise selection of the most significant models and incorporating parameters with optimal resampling. Alternative models included also placental FLT1 rs4769613 T/C genotypes, a high-confidence risk factor for PE. The best performing PE prediction model using samples collected at 70–98 g days comprised of PTX3, sFlt-1, and ADAM12, the subject's parity and gestational age at sampling (AUC 0.94 [95%CI 0.84–0.99]). All cases, that developed PE several months later (onset 257.4 ± 15.2 g days), were correctly identified. The model's specificity was 80% [95%CI 65–100] and the overall accuracy was 88% [95%CI 73–95]. Incorporating additionally the placental FLT1 rs4769613 T/C genotype data increased the prediction accuracy to 93.5% [AUC = 0.97 (95%CI 0.89–1.00)]. However, 6PLEX measurements of samples collected at 100–182 g days were insufficiently informative to develop reliable PE prediction models for mid-pregnancy (accuracy

This study aimed to examine how parental profiles during homework help (supportive versus controlling) for children in Grades 6 and 9 change over time and relate to children’s motivation and math skills. Participants included 719 mother–child dyads. Children’s perceptions of parental help and math skills were assessed in both grades; children’s math-related self-concept, interest, and mother-rated task persistence were assessed only in Grade 6. Three similar profiles of parental help appeared in both grades. Most mothers and children belonged to the Average support and control profile (around 60% in both grades); 29–33% belonged to the Average support, high control profile; and 8–11% belonged to the Low support, below average control profile. Profiles differed based on children’s self-concept, task persistence, and math skills in Grade 6. Transitions of parental homework help predicted children’s math skills in Grade 9. These findings help to conceptualize parental homework help as a multidimensional construct that may manifest in three different profiles which differentially relate to the child’s skills and motivation.

Background: The present study examined differences in the prediction of reading development and reading difficulties in Estonia (n = 348) and Finland (n = 344). These neighbouring countries share many similarities in terms of their language, orthography and educational system; however, they differ in the timing of the onset of reading instruction, which is kindergarten in Estonia and Grade 1 in Finland. Methods: Children's skills were assessed three times -- fall and spring in Grade 1 and spring in Grade 2. Results: The results showed that school-entry rapid automatised naming and reading fluency predicted the development of fluency in Grade 2, but reading fluency was a stronger predictor in Estonia than in Finland. In addition, school-entry reading fluency was the strongest predictor of reading comprehension in Grade 2. Furthermore, listening comprehension was a stronger predictor of reading comprehension in the Finnish sample than in the Estonian sample. Finally, high-risk children were identified based on their slow reading and rapid automatised naming at school entry. In Estonia, the reading development of high-risk children was declining compared to their peers, while the Finnish high-risk children were catching up with their peers. The high-risk children in the Finnish sample also had reading difficulties less often than the Estonian sample. Conclusions: The findings suggest that the skills at school entry are stronger predictors of reading development in Estonia than in Finland. The reasons for this could be the earlier onset of reading instruction in kindergarten in the Estonian sample or differences in reading instruction practices between Estonian and Finnish schools.

This study examined relations between child-reported teacher emotional support, teaching practices, and children's task-persistent learning behaviour. The study was carried out in Estonia, where a students' first teacher advances with his/her students and teaches all primary subjects in the first 3 years of schooling. In total, 660 sixth-grade children reported about their first teacher's emotional support. Teachers' child-centred and teacher-directed practices were observed with the Early Childhood Classroom Observation Measure (ECCOM); results included 38 teachers in Grade 1, and 37 in Grade 3. Within the same grades, teachers reported on their affection for students, as well as their behavioural and psychological control over students. Teachers also evaluated each of their student's task persistence. As shown by ECCOM results, retrospective student-reported teacher emotional support tended to be positively related to child-centred practises, and negatively related to teacher-directed practises in Grade 3, while also negatively related to teacher-reported psychological control in Grade 1. Although higher perceived emotional support was related with more persistent learning behaviour on an individual level, general task persistence was predicted primarily by teacher-reported practices at the classroom level.

The present study examined the longitudinal associations between children's perceptions of parental involvement in math homework (control and support) and their math performance and motivation (task-persistent homework behavior and math self-concept). Children (n = 512) reported their perceptions concerning parental involvement in sixth-grade math homework. In grades 3 and 6, children completed math tests, evaluated own math self-concept, and their mothers (n = 420) evaluated task persistence during homework. The results showed that low self-concept in math predicted increased parental control, which in turn related to low math performance, task persistence, and math self-concept. Second, perceived parental support was related to increased task persistence during homework. Finally, parental control was especially detrimental for boys' task persistence and math self-concept.

The aim was to examine reading comprehension among elementary school students in two shallow orthographies, Estonian and Finnish. Participants were 619 Estonian children (50% boys) and 292 Finnish children (52% boys) whose reading comprehension was assessed in first, second, third, and sixth grades. The results showed that reading comprehension among Estonian and Finnish children was at a similar level by the end of first grade but Finnish children started to have better performance from second grade onward. These findings suggest that the roots of Finnish students' strong reading skills are nurtured from the very beginning of elementary school. The potential cross-country differences in reading instruction are discussed.

Sustainable biofuel production is necessary to meet the daunting challenge of “fueling” growing economies with a significantly reduced carbon footprint. Although its higher oxygen content often hinders the direct conversion of lignocellulosic biomass (LCB) into energy-dense biofuels, microbial biofuel production from LCB still has potential. The production of primary alcohols by acetone–butanol–ethanol (ABE) fermentation has been practiced for more than a century to attain near-theoretical maximum. However, ABE produced conventionally by native microorganisms is not equivalent to fossil fuel-based aviation fuels in terms of energy density, volatility, and cost-efficiency. Various strategies have been adapted for the microbial synthesis of advanced fuels from renewable feedstock with the advancements in genetic engineering. Yet, the presence of inhibitors and the inefficiency of microbes to utilize or transport the sugar mixtures from LCB often impede titer and yield. However, ABE mixtures can act as platform chemicals to synthesize high-value biofuels by biocatalytic or chemo-catalytic applications. Chemical catalysts, in particular, are used to produce higher alcohols ranging from 3-carbon to 20-carbon fuels from the ABE fermentation mixture. This article reviews the recent trends in the production of higher biofuels from ABE mixtures using biological and chemical catalysts. Focus is placed on genomic and metabolic engineering strategies implemented to upgrade microbes for higher biofuel production via the fermentation of renewable feedstocks. This paper also summarizes the advancements in the chemical conversion route of an ABE fermentation mixture into higher biofuels. Finally, the review provides insights into future research toward commercializing renewable and sustainable higher biofuels and chemicals.

Phosphorus (P) is a macronutrient that often limits the productivity and growth of terrestrial ecosystems, but it is also one of the main causes of eutrophication in aquatic systems at both local and global levels. P content in soils can vary largely, but usually, only a small fraction is plant-available or in an organic form for biological utilization because it is bound in incompletely weathered mineral particles or adsorbed on mineral surfaces. Furthermore, in agricultural ecosystems, plant-available P content in topsoil is mainly controlled by fertilization and land management. To understand, model, and predict P dynamics at the landscape level, the availability of detailed observation-based P data is extremely valuable. We used more than 388,000 topsoil plant-available P samples from the period 2005 to 2021 to study spatial and temporal variability and land-use effect on soil P. We developed a mapping approach based on existing databases of soil, land-use, and fragmentary soil P measurements by land-use classes to provide spatially explicit high-resolution estimates of topsoil P at the national level. The modeled spatially detailed (1:10,000 scale) GIS dataset of topsoil P is useful for precision farming to optimize nutrient application and to increase productivity; it can also be used as input for biogeochemical models and to assess P load in inland waters and sea.

This paper aims to quantify data uncertainties in marine microplastic measurements, including spatiotemporal sampling error and sample volume estimation error, identify impacts of varying mesh sizes, sampling and analysis methods, and evaluate consistency in multiple microplastic observation datasets. Twenty-seven datasets on surface marine microplastics with particle size >100 µm in the Baltic Sea are compiled. Results show that the trawl datasets have a spatiotemporal sampling error of 25% for microlitter concentration, 36% for microplastic fiber concentrations and 40-56% for microplastic particle concentration. By taking surface currents and wave-induced Stokes drift into account, the sample volume of the trawl measurements is corrected, leading to a mean microplastic concentration correction of 12%. The differences of microplastic concentration between datasets with varying mesh sizes from 100 – 500 µm are not statistically significant. Analysis methods, however, can lead to significant differences in microplastic datasets. The dataset consistency is further examined among the three dataset categories using trawl, pump and bulk sampling techniques. It is found that an individual dataset is often self-consistent. Most of the datasets within one monitoring category are more consistent than those from different categories. More than 70% of the datasets within individual categories are consistent, which have mean microplastic concentration significantly smaller than the rest of the datasets. Significant inconsistencies are identified between different data categories. Six out of eight highest relative standard deviations are found in the pump and bulk datasets. The median value of the mean microplastic concentration from the 10 pump datasets is about 4.5 times as much as that of the 14 trawl datasets, both for fiber and non-fiber particles. Significant differences are also identified on microplastic fiber fraction in different dataset categories. Two thirds of the 13 bulk and pump datasets have a microplastic fiber fraction >85% while the 14 trawl datasets show much lower microplastic fiber fractions between 45-70%. In addition, the particle collection efficiency, potential leakage of particles with irregular shapes, clogging, the false zero samples and related lower limit of the detectable microplastic concentration for given sampling methods and water environment, are also discussed.

Our study aimed to investigate the patterns of children’s relationships with their parents and teachers, the development of these relationships during Grade 1, and respective links to children’s learning (in task persistence and performance). Parents of 350 children answered questionnaires about the quality of their relationships with their children; 25 teachers answered questions about children’s task persistence at school and the quality of their relationships with their students; 350 children completed literacy and math performance tests; and six testers evaluated children’s task persistence when completing those tests. All measures were administered twice: at the start and end of Grade 1. Latent profile analyses found two meaningful child profiles that were similar at the beginning and end of Grade 1: average relationship (89% at T1, 85% at T2) and conflictual relationship (11% at T1, 15% at T2) with parents and teachers. These profiles were highly stable throughout Grade 1, except for 15 children who moved from an average relationship to a conflictual relationship profile. This declining trajectory can be characterized by poor relationships with teachers and low task persistence at the end of Grade 1, although they did not perform any worse than other children. Finally, children exhibiting conflictual relationships with their parents and teachers at the beginning of Grade 1 performed worse on spelling and subtraction tasks and demonstrated lower task-persistent behavior at the end of Grade 1 than those with average (good) relationships with parents and teachers.