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Cambodian upper secondary education is divided into two tracks: science and social science. Students make their track selection in grade 10 and begin their enrollment in grade 11. The enrollment in the science track has witnessed a steep decline from 96% in 2014 to 34% in 2020, while the enrollment in the social science track has seen a remarkable surge from 4% in 2014 to 66% in 2020. This tendency poses a significant challenge to the government's endeavors aimed at promoting workforces in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields. This survey study aimed to examine factors influencing students to leave science-track classes. The survey was administered to 696 grade-12 students from 20 upper secondary schools. The two-level hierarchical linear modeling (HLM) was used for data analysis. The findings revealed that at the individual level, age, ease of national examination, high passing rates, preference for good grades, expense on private tutoring, STEM major choices at the territory level, attitudes toward science, parental advice, and family income significantly influenced students' decision to opt for social science track over science track. At the school level, school location was a significant predictor of track choices. The findings were discussed with practical implications to improve enrollment in the science track at Cambodian upper secondary schools.

Skin cancer (SC) is a significant public health issue, with increasing incidence rates globally. Although environmental factors such as ultraviolet (UV) exposure are recognized risk factors, the impact of metabolites on SC development has not been thoroughly examined. This study seeks to explore the causal association between metabolites and SC risks using a Mendelian randomization (MR) approach. Our analysis revealed a total of 76 metabolites associated with SC risk. Of them, leucine to N-palmitoyl-sphingosine ratio, glycerol to palmitoylcarnitine ratio, oleoyl-linoleoyl-glycerol levels, and hypotaurine-to-taurine ratio were strongly associated with SC. Notably, leucine to N-palmitoyl-sphingosine ratio and glycerol to palmitoylcarnitine ratio were linked to increased risk factors for SC. However, oleoyl-linoleoyl-glycerol levels and hypotaurine-to-taurine ratio served as the protective indicators of SC. This study highlights the potential role of metabolites in skin cancer etiology, suggesting that metabolic factors may serve as important targets for prevention and risk assessment strategies.

BackgroundLaypeople have easy access to health information through large language models (LLMs), such as ChatGPT, and search engines, such as Google. Search engines transformed health information access, and LLMs offer a new avenue for answering laypeople’s questions. ObjectiveWe aimed to compare the frequency of use and attitudes toward LLMs and search engines as well as their comparative relevance, usefulness, ease of use, and trustworthiness in responding to health queries. MethodsWe conducted a screening survey to compare the demographics of LLM users and nonusers seeking health information, analyzing results with logistic regression. LLM users from the screening survey were invited to a follow-up survey to report the types of health information they sought. We compared the frequency of use of LLMs and search engines using ANOVA and Tukey post hoc tests. Lastly, paired-sample Wilcoxon tests compared LLMs and search engines on perceived usefulness, ease of use, trustworthiness, feelings, bias, and anthropomorphism. ResultsIn total, 2002 US participants recruited on Prolific participated in the screening survey about the use of LLMs and search engines. Of them, 52% (n=1045) of the participants were female, with a mean age of 39 (SD 13) years. Participants were 9.7% (n=194) Asian, 12.1% (n=242) Black, 73.3% (n=1467) White, 1.1% (n=22) Hispanic, and 3.8% (n=77) were of other races and ethnicities. Further, 1913 (95.6%) used search engines to look up health queries versus 642 (32.6%) for LLMs. Men had higher odds (odds ratio [OR] 1.63, 95% CI 1.34-1.99; P

Immune cells play complex roles in the formation of keloid. We aimed to investigate the causal relationship between immune cells and keloid and provide genetic evidence for the association between immune cells and keloid risk. Based on data from GWAS, we performed a comprehensive two-sample Mendelian Randomization (MR) analysis of 731 immune cell traits in 481,912 keloid cases. We used Inverse-Variance Weighted (IVW) method as the primary analysis. Then, a comprehensive sensitivity analysis was adopted to verify the results' robustness, heterogeneity, and horizontal pleiotropy. Finally, reverse MR analysis was performed. The IVW method in forward MR analysis showed that CD66b++ myeloid cell AC was negatively associated with keloid risk (OR < 1, P < 0.05). Consistently, reverse MR analysis showed keloid risk was negatively associated with CD66b++ myeloid cell AC (OR = 0.85, P = 0.012). No significant horizontal pleiotropy or heterogeneity was observed. The results of MR analysis demonstrate a bidirectional causal association between CD66b++ myeloid cell AC and keloid formation, suggesting CD66b++ myeloid cell AC is a protective factor against keloid.

A study has been conducted on materials containing polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) coated with poly eugenol. This research aims to explore the synthesis process and properties of PVA coated with poly eugenol. Characterization of PVA includes tensile strength measurement and surface observation using SEM. Additionally, the antioxidant activity of PVA was also tested using the DPPH method. In this study, PVA films were obtained by dissolving PVA in a water solvent. The characterization results indicate that the tensile strength ranges from 25.56 to 271.10 Mpa, elongation reaches 315.20 to 320%, and the young modulus ranges from 4.05 to 6.27 Mpa. Surface observation with SEM shows a smooth surface without pores. The antioxidant activity test shows IC50 values ranging from 84.11 to 175.37 ppm.

The increasing environmental pollution is one of the consequences of human activities that continue to expand. The environment has limitations in coping with pollutants generated by humans, such as waste from the laundry industry. This research aims to evaluate the combined effect of zeolite produced from corn cobs and the use of microorganisms capable of degrading anionic surfactants, with the goal of reducing the concentration of anionic surfactants in laundry wastewater. The methods used include adsorption using corn cobs as adsorbents and biodegradation using surfactant-degrading bacteria. Morphological observations using Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) indicate that the produced zeolite has a crystal structure that stacks up like clumps of cubes. X-ray Diffraction (XRD) analysis shows that zeolite synthesized with a silica extraction ratio from corn cobs and sodium aluminate of 20:20 mL has been successfully conducted. The biodegradation process of anionic surfactants in laundry wastewater using a combination of synthesized zeolite and Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacteria employing the Methylene Blue Alkyl Substance (MBAS) method has shown a decrease in concentration to 1.66 mg/L and degradation of 33.55%, especially in sample 3 with variations of 7.5 grams of corn cob zeolite and 15% microorganisms, during a 5-day experiment.

Research has indicated the importance of internal motivation as a factor in reducing academic misconduct in higher education and some commentators have also cited prosocial values as buffers against the temptation to cheat. In light of this research, the goal of the present research was to study the roles of motivation and prosocial values in combating academic misconduct. Specifically, it examined how internal motivation and strong prosocial values might impact the risk of academic misconduct. For this purpose, 455 student participants completed a self-report questionnaire. The results support the hypothesis that high internal motivation and strong prosocial values reduce the tendency to cheat. In comparison, high external motivation and weak prosocial values were associated with higher levels of academic misconduct. In addition, male students were more likely to cheat than their female classmates and science students were more likely to cheat than social science students. The ability to identify factors that reduce the risk of academic misconduct can inform interventions in higher education. According to the present results, such interventions should involve the promotion of prosocial values and enhance student well-being.

Abstract Introduction Determination of the fetal gender in the first trimester is important in twin pregnancy cases of familial X-linked genetic syndromes and helps determine chorionicity. We assessed and compared the accuracy of first-trimester ultrasound scans, and cell-free fetal DNA (CfDNA) in determining fetal gender in the first trimester of twin pregnancies. Methods Women with twin pregnancies were recruited prospectively during the first trimester. Fetal gender was determined using both ultrasound scans and CfDNA screening. Both results were compared to the newborn gender after delivery. Results A total of 113 women with twin pregnancies were enrolled. There was 100% sensitivity and specificity in Y chromosome detection using CfDNA. Gender assignment using ultrasound in any first-trimester scans was 79.7%. Accuracy level increased from 54.2% in CRL 45-54 mm to 87.7% in CRL 55-67 mm and 91.5% in CRL 67-87 mm. Male fetuses had significantly higher chances of a gender assignment error compared to female fetuses, odds ratio = 23.574 (CI 7.346 - 75.656). Conclusions CfDNA is highly sensitive and specific in determining the presence of the Y chromosome in twin pregnancies in the first trimester. Between CRL 55-87 mm, ultrasound scanning offers a highly accurate determination of fetal gender in twin pregnancies.

IntroductionCoronavirus diasease 2019 (COVID-19) can cause both pulmonary and systemic inflammation, potentially determining multi-organ dysfunction. The thyroid gland is a neuroendocrine organ that plays an important role in regulating immunity and metabolism. Low serum levels of thyroid hormones are common in critical disease situations. The association between low thyroid hormone levels and mortality in COVID-19 intensive care patients has yet to be studied.AimThe aim of this study is to compare thyroid hormone levels between patients in the general intensive care unit (ICU) to patients in the COVID-19 ICU.MethodsThis was a retrospective comparative study of 210 patients who were hospitalized at Ziv Medical Center in the general ICU and in the COVID-19 ICU. Clinical and demographic data were collected from patient’s electronic medical records.ResultsSerum thyroid hormone levels of Thyroid Simulating Hormone (TSH), T4, and T3 were significantly lower in COVID-19 intensive care unit patients compared to the patients from the general intensive care unit (p < 0.05). The mortality rate in the COVID-19 ICU (44.4%) was higher compared to that in the general ICU (27.3%) (p < 0.05). No significant statistical difference was observed between the two groups in terms of gender and recorded comorbidities of diabetes mellitus, cerebral vascular accident, kidney disease, and cancer.ConclusionsLow serum thyroid hormone levels—T3, T4, and TSH—in COVID-19 ICU patients are associated with higher mortality and could possibly be used as a prognostic factor for mortality among COVID-19 ICU patients. Thyroid hormone levels should be a part in the routine evaluation of COVID-19 ICU patients.

Peanut shell has a high cellulose content as a carbon source which can be used as a basic ingredient for making activated charcoal. Research on peanut shells used as activated charcoal aims to determine the effect of contact time and pH on reducing levels of metal ions Ca2+ and Mg2+ in water. The research was conducted using contact time variables (30, 60, 90, 120, and 150 minutes) and pH (4, 5, 6, 7, and 8). Measurement of adsorbed metal levels was determined by using an Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (AAS). The research results obtained showed that variations in contact time could reduce Ca2+ levels by 77.46% -84.89% and Mg2+ by 86.88%-88.91%. Adsorbents with variations in pH can reduce Ca2+ levels by 63.48%-88.74% and Mg2+ by 90.35%-94.49%. The best conditions for the absorption of Ca2+ and Mg2+ ions were a contact time of 60 minutes and pH 4. The adsorbent was applied to reduce Ca2+ and Mg2+ levels in water with different hardness levels. The results of the analysis of water samples from two different locations had Ca2+ levels of 94.180 mg/L and 210.20 mg/L, while Mg2+ levels were 13.536 mg/L and 17.420 mg/L. The percentages of Ca2+ adsorption for the two samples were 96.19% and 77.08%, and the percentages of Mg2+ adsorption for the two samples were 21.16% and 10.63%. Carbon from peanut shells activated with sodium acetate has the potential to be used to reduce hardness in water.

Ganoderma is a fungal pathogen that can cause rot disease at the base of plant stems. This disease threatens oil palm production, especially in Southeast Asia. Trichoderma sp. fungi can control Basal Stem Rot disease in Ganoderma boninense but are ineffective. One solution that can be done to inhibit the growth of Ganoderma sp. is by using Dark Septate Endophyte (DSE) fungi. Research on DSE isolated from sugar palm (Arenga pinnata Merr.) has not been widely studied. The sugar palm plant is related to the oil palm plant in the Arecaceae family. This study aims to analyze the potential of DSE fungi from the roots of the sugar palm plant in inhibiting the pathogenic fungi Ganoderma sp. The stages of this research were isolation and purification of DSE fungi from sugar palm roots, DSE antagonists against Ganoderma sp., and DSE volatile compounds against Ganoderma sp. The results of isolation and purification showed that there were 18 DSE isolates grouped based on morphological similarities in the form of DSE fungi colony colors, where there were ten fungi isolates representing ten different colony colors, namely, isolate A.3.1 (1); A.3.2 (2); A.4.1 (2); A.4.1 (3); A.4.2; A.5.2; A.5.3; A.6.1(a); A.6.2(a); A.6.4(a). A total of 8 fungi isolates were tested for antagonists and volatile compound testing on Ganoderma sp. The results of the antagonist test showed that DSE A4.1(2) had the highest percentage of inhibition with a value of 36.12%, and isolated A6.2 had the highest percentage of inhibition and the lowest with a value of 15.65%. The testing results for volatile compounds showed that the isolate of DSE A4.2 had the highest percentage of inhibition against Ganoderma sp. at 18.25%. In comparison, the lowest inhibition percentage was obtained from DSE A5.2 fungi isolate with a value of 0.43%. Keywords: dark septate endophyte, ganoderma, sugar palm (Arenga pinnata Merr.)

Corn cobs which generally only become waste can be processed into activated carbon and used for the absorption of heavy metals, such as copper(II) ions. This study aims to determine the morphology of corn cobs charcoal after activation, determine the isothermal adsorption model of copper (II) metal ions on corncob-activated carbon, and then determine the adsorption capacity of copper (II) metal ions on corncob-activated carbon. The morphology of the corncob-activated charcoal obtained was analyzed using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). Isothermal adsorption of copper (II) ions was carried out with various concentrations of copper (II) ions of 5, 10, 20, 50, and 100 ppm. The results of the analysis using SEM showed that the surface shape of the corncob-activated charcoal is regular and has pores with a pore diameter obtained in the range between 1.08-1.26 m and 1.38-1.59 m. The mechanism of adsorption of copper (II) ions by corncob-activated charcoal using KMnO4, following the Freundlich isothermal model with a value of R2 0.9993 with an adsorption capacity of 51 x 10-4 mmol/L. The utilization of activated carbon from corn cobs that are activated by potassium permanganate is very effective for adsorbing copper metal ion pollutants through an adsorption mechanism on the surface of activated carbon.