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This study aimed to provide a deeper understanding of high school students' errors while solving genetics problems. Four students were asked to solve two genetics problems and participate in a modified think-aloud interview. Data from the interview, video clips of the problem-solving process, and test sheets were used to analyse participants' problem-solving processes and identify errors during each of the following problem-solving phases: understanding, planning, execution, and checking. The error of "Misinterpreting evidence" was observed in the understanding phase for Problem 1 (represented verbally), whereas the error of "Making incorrect assumptions" was observed for Problem 2 (students had to draw a pedigree). Errors of "Incorrect conclusion" occurred in the planning phase, characterised by problem-solving strategies based on incorrect assumptions or misunderstanding the problem due to errors in the understanding phase. Further, "Using incomplete representation" and "Mathematical errors" were observed in the execution phase due to representational competence and the application of mathematical principles, respectively. The checking phase was characterised by "Not monitoring the problem-solving process" and "Disregarding evidence," wherein participants failed to check the logical consistency of genetic principles with the information embedded in the problem. The results indicated that problem-solving errors were related to the interaction between the students' domain-general competencies and domain-specific knowledge.

In this study, we investigated the impact of different temperatures (10 °C, 4 °C, and − 1 °C) on salted kimchi cabbage. The diversity of white colony forming yeast (WCFY) on kimchi cabbage was assessed. The culture-dependent method revealed Candida as the predominant yeast, whereas the culture-independent method showed variations in the WCFY community based on storage temperatures. Meanwhile, the bacterial communities of salted kimchi cabbage were analyzed at different temperatures, with Latilactobacillus being the most abundant after WCFY observation. Other major LAB involved in kimchi fermentation were also observed at all temperatures. Additionally, the yeast communities revealed that Kazachstania, Candida, and Mrakia showed the highest relative abundance at 10 °C, 4 °C, and − 1 °C, respectively, as the storage period increased. Furthermore, correlation analysis showed that Candida had significant negative correlations between Levilactobacillus, Lactiplantibacillus, and Latilactobacillus. These findings suggest that the microbial community at different storage temperatures can affect the quality and safety of kimchi cabbage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) is a member of the CC chemokine family, and the MCP-1 2518 A/G gene polymorphism is reported to be correlated with chronic inflammatory diseases, including insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome. However, few studies have investigated the association between MCP-1 gene polymorphisms and obesity in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). We conducted a retrospective case-control study and evaluated the association between the MCP-1 2518 A/G polymorphism and obesity in Korean patients with T2DM. Patients and Methods: This single-center, retrospective, case-control study enrolled 526 Korean patients with T2DM. Obesity was defined using the body mass index (BMI) with a cutoff level of 25 kg/m2. Polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism was used to analyze MCP-1 2518 A/G polymorphism; the genotypes was presented as GG, AG, or AA. We compared the MCP-1 2518 A/G polymorphism with the prevalence of diabetic complications, as well as clinical and biochemical characteristics. Results: The obese group had a higher number of females and higher C-peptide, insulin, triglycerides, aspartate transaminase (AST), and alanine transaminase (ALT) levels. The obese group also had a higher prevalence of cardiovascular disease than the non-obese group. The obese group had a higher frequency of the MCP-1 2518 AA genotype and the A allele than the non-obese group. The results of multiple logistic regression analysis showed that the non-G allele of MCP-1 was significantly associated with obesity (odds ratio (OR), 1.888; P=0.016). Conclusion: This study demonstrates that the MCP-1 2518 A/G polymorphism is associated with obesity in Korean patients with T2DM. Further studies involving various ethnic groups are required to validate our results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to explore the effect on group dynamics of statements associated with deep learning approaches (DLA) and their contribution to cognitive collaboration and model development during group modeling of blood circulation. A group was selected for an in-depth analysis of collaborative group modeling. This group constructed a model in a similar fashion to a target model and demonstrated within-group dialogic interaction patterns. It was found that statements associated with DLA contributed to the collaborative group dynamics by providing cognitive scaffolding and enabling critical monitoring, which together facilitated model development and students' participation and understanding. In the model generation phase, the skills demonstrated indicated the use of statements associated with DLA as one student focused on the principles of blood circulation, thereby providing scaffolding for the other students. These students then generated another sub-model. In the model elaboration phase, statements associated with DLA elements such as "request information of mechanism" (AQ-a) and "resolve discrepancies in knowledge" (AQ-b) provided students with metacognitive scaffolding and enabled them to show their deep cognitive participation. Moreover, statements associated with DLA elements such as "asking questions" or "metacognitive activity" enabled the students to monitor others' models or ideas critically, showing that active cognitive interaction was taking place within the group. These findings reveal that individual learning approaches will bring a synergistic effect to a group modeling process and can lead to practical educational insights for educators seeking to use lessons based on group modeling.

The purpose of this study is to identify the epistemological features and model qualities depending on model evaluation levels and to explore the reasoning process behind high-level evaluation through small group interaction about blood circulation. Nine groups of three to four students in the eighth grade participated in the modeling practice. Their group models, which were represented by discourse and blood circulation diagrams, were analyzed for the development of the framework that informed the model evaluation levels and epistemological features. The model evaluation levels were categorized into levels one to four based on the following evaluation criteria: no evaluation, authoritative sources, superficial criteria, and more comprehensive criteria. The qualities of group models varied with the criteria of model evaluation. While students who used authoritative sources for evaluating the group model appeared to have an absolutist epistemology, students who evaluated according to the superficial criteria and more comprehensive criteria appeared to have an evaluative epistemology. Furthermore, groups with Level four showed a chain reaction of cognitive reasoning during the modeling practice concerning practical epistemology. The findings have implications for science teachers and education researchers who want to understand the context for developing students' practical epistemologies.