The assessment of teamwork competencies for students focuses on dimensionality and mixed-method assessment

The challenges of assessing teamwork competency, which internal structures can be multidimensional and complex. It is necessary to assess of the teamwork competency as unidimensional or multidimensional structures and perform assessments in a variety of ways to ensure accuracy and accuracy from the assessment. The research objectives were to assess the dimension of students’ teamwork competencies and to assess students’ teamwork competencies using mixed methods assessment. Participants were 385 students in advanced professional innovation scholarship undergoing empowerment process for dimensional and quantitative assessment, 10 experts panel for setting cut-off score of assessment criteria, and 40 students for qualitative assessment. Research instrumentations were teamwork competency self-assessment digital form, the setting questionnaire of the cut-off score of assessment criteria for expert judgment, and an interview form for qualitative assessment. Data were analysed by mean, standard deviation, Eigen value, one-way multivariate analysis of variance (one-way MANOVA), thematic analysis. Research results found that: The teamwork competencies were appropriate for multi-dimension assessment, the ratio between the Eigen value of factor 1 toward the Eigen value of factor 2 was equal to 1.078. Quantitative assessment of teamwork competencies, Building a team relationship (BTR) at high to a very high level, participation in a team exchange (PTE) at a high level, adapting and creating a team atmosphere (ACT) at a very high level, and supporting a team (STE) high to a very high level. In addition, the main effect (region) on BTR and STE, the results showed that there were statistically significant region differences with small to moderate effect size, but on PTE and ACT, the results showed that there were no statistically significant region differences. Qualitative assessment of students’ perspective reflects the reasons for the teamwork competencies found that significant of building a team relationship comprised nineteen-theme (Priority three: Make a success of the team, good working friendship, and it's easy to build harmony and grouping with friends) and significant of supporting a team comprised six-theme Priority three: Reduce conflicts, Strengthen teamwork, and Make it work better). The quantitative assessment of teamwork competencies reflects to appropriate for multi-dimension assessment, and the qualitative assessments also support the explanation of teamwork competencies with multidimensional characteristics of students.

Analyses of nicotine metabolism biomarker genetics stratified by sex in African and European Americans

Nicotine is inactivated by the polymorphic CYP2A6 enzyme to cotinine and then to 3′hydroxycotinine. The Nicotine Metabolite Ratio (NMR; 3′hydroxycotinine/cotinine) is a heritable nicotine metabolism biomarker, varies with sex and ancestry, and influences smoking cessation and disease risk. We conducted sex-stratified genome-wide association studies of the NMR in European American (EA) and African American (AA) smokers (NCT01314001, NCT00666978). In EA females (n = 389) and males (n = 541), one significant (P < 5e−8) chromosome 19 locus was found (top variant: rs56113850, CYP2A6 (intronic), for C vs. T: females: beta = 0.67, P = 7.5e−22, 21.8% variation explained; males: beta = 0.75, P = 1.2e−37, 26.1% variation explained). In AA females (n = 503) and males (n = 352), the top variant was found on chromosome 19 but differed by sex (females: rs11878604, CYP2A6 (~ 16 kb 3′), for C vs. T: beta = − 0.71, P = 6.6e−26, 16.2% variation explained; males: rs3865454, CYP2A6 (~ 7 kb 3′), for G vs. T: beta = 0.64, P = 1.9e−19, 18.9% variation explained). In AA females, a significant region was found on chromosome 12 (top variant: rs12425845: P = 5.0e−9, TMEM132C (~ 1 Mb 5′), 6.1% variation explained) which was not significant in AA males. In AA males, significant regions were found on chromosomes 6 (top variant: rs9379805: P = 4.8e−9, SLC17A2 (~ 8 kb 5′), 8.0% variation explained) and 16 (top variant: rs77368288: P = 3.5e−8, ZNF469 (~ 92 kb 5′), 7.1% variation explained) which were not significant in AA females. Further investigation of these associations outside of chromosome 19 is required, as they did not replicate. Understanding how sex and ancestry influence nicotine metabolism genetics may improve personalized approaches for smoking cessation and risk prediction for tobacco-related diseases.

A Deformation-Based Shape Study of the Corpus Callosum in First Episode Schizophrenia

Background: Previous first-episode schizophrenia (FES) studies have reported abnormalities in the volume and mid-sagittal size of the corpus callosum (CC), but findings have been inconsistent. Besides, the CC shape has rarely been analyzed in FES. Therefore, in this study, we investigated FES-related CC shape abnormalities using 198 participants [92 FES patients and 106 healthy controls (HCs)].Methods: We conducted statistical shape analysis of the mid-sagittal CC curve in a large deformation diffeomorphic metric mapping framework. The CC was divided into the genu, body, and splenium (gCC, bCC, and sCC) to target the key CC sub-regions affected by the FES pathology. Gender effects have been investigated.Results: There were significant area differences between FES and HC in the entire CC and gCC but not in bCC nor sCC. In terms of the localized shape morphometrics, significant region-specific shape inward-deformations were detected in the superior portion of gCC and the anterosuperior portion of bCC in FES. These global area and local shape morphometric abnormalities were restricted to female FES but not male FES.Conclusions: gCC was significantly affected in the neuropathology of FES and this finding was specific to female FES. This study suggests that gCC may be a key sub-region that is vulnerable to the neuropathology of FES, specifically in female patients. The morphometrics of gCC may serve as novel and efficient biomarkers for screening female FES patients.

FIMP Dark Matter in Clockwork/Linear Dilaton extra-dimensions

We study the possibility that Dark Matter (DM) is made of Feebly Interacting Massive Particles (FIMP) interacting just gravitationally with the Standard Model particles in the framework of a Clockwork/Linear Dilaton (CW/LD) model. We restrict here to the case in which the DM particles are scalar fields. This paper extends our previous study of FIMP’s in Randall-Sundrum (RS) warped extra-dimensions. As it was the case in the RS scenario, also in the CW/LD model we find a significant region of the parameter space in which the observed DM relic abundance can be reproduced with scalar DM mass in the MeV range, with a reheating temperature varying from 10 GeV to 109 GeV. We comment on the similarities of the results in both extra-dimensional models.

Cosmic microwave background constraints on a physical model of reionization

ABSTRACT We study constraints on allowed reionization histories by comparing predictions of a physical seminumerical model with secondary temperature and polarization anisotropies of the cosmic microwave background (CMB). Our model has four free parameters characterizing the evolution of ionizing efficiency ζ and the minimum mass Mmin of haloes that can produce ionizing radiation. Comparing the model predictions with the presently available data of the optical depth τ and kinematic Sunyaev–Zeldovich signal, we find that we can already rule out a significant region of the parameter space. We limit the duration of reionization $\Delta z= 1.30^{+0.19}_{-0.60}$ (Δz &lt; 2.9 at $99{{\ \rm per\ cent}}$ C.L.), one of the tightest constraints on the parameter. The constraints mildly favour Mmin ≳ 109 M⊙ (at $68{{\ \rm per\ cent}}$ C.L.) at z ∼ 8, thus indicating the presence of reionization feedback. Our analysis provides an upper bound on the secondary B-mode amplitude $D_{l=200}^{BB} \lt 18$ nK2 at $99{{\ \rm per\ cent}}$ C.L. We also study how the constraints can be further tightened with upcoming space- and ground-based CMB missions. Our study, which relies solely on CMB data, has implications not only for upcoming CMB surveys for detecting primordial gravitational waves but also redshifted 21 cm studies.

The SNCA-Rep1 Polymorphic Locus: Association with the Risk of Parkinson’s Disease and SNCA Gene Methylation

Neurodegeneration in Parkinsons disease is characterized by the accumulation of alpha-synuclein, aprotein encoded by theSNCAgene, in neurons. In addition to mutations, many polymorphisms have been identified in this gene, and one of theseis a dinucleotide microsatellite:SNCA-Rep1.The mechanisms by which specific configurations ofSNCA-Rep1 may contribute to the development of this disease have yet to be clarified. Inour study, a relationship between longSNCA-Rep1 alleles and Parkinsons was confirmed in the Russian population. Long allelic variants ofSNCA-Rep1 were shown to be associated with the hypomethylation of the CpG-sites in intron 1 of theSNCAgene. Long variants ofSNCA-Rep1 are supposed to exert their effect through the hypomethylation of atranscriptionally significant region of this gene. Hypomethylation is usually associated with increased expression, which, in turn, contributes to alpha-synuclein accumulation in neuronal cytoplasm, with the latter being the main molecular marker of Parkinsons disease. Further studies are needed to establish a relationship between our finding andSNCAgene expression.

The SNCA-Rep1 Polymorphic Locus: Association with the Risk of Parkinson’s Disease and SNCA Gene Methylation

Neurodegeneration in Parkinsons disease is characterized by the accumulation of alpha-synuclein, aprotein encoded by theSNCAgene, in neurons. In addition to mutations, many polymorphisms have been identified in this gene, and one of theseis a dinucleotide microsatellite:SNCA-Rep1.The mechanisms by which specific configurations ofSNCA-Rep1 may contribute to the development of this disease have yet to be clarified. Inour study, a relationship between longSNCA-Rep1 alleles and Parkinsons was confirmed in the Russian population. Long allelic variants ofSNCA-Rep1 were shown to be associated with the hypomethylation of the CpG-sites in intron 1 of theSNCAgene. Long variants ofSNCA-Rep1 are supposed to exert their effect through the hypomethylation of atranscriptionally significant region of this gene. Hypomethylation is usually associated with increased expression, which, in turn, contributes to alpha-synuclein accumulation in neuronal cytoplasm, with the latter being the main molecular marker of Parkinsons disease. Further studies are needed to establish a relationship between our finding andSNCAgene expression.

Modern Approaches to the History of Altai in the 18th – Early 20th Centuries

This article is the result of the historiographical analysis concerning the history of the Altai development, Altai being a significant region of modern Siberia and Russia. The authors present the main directions of studying the Altai history of the 18th – early 20th centuries, as well as scientific and methodological approaches used by historians in the last two decades. The examination includes such directions of studying Altai history, practiced in the last two decades, as frontier development, history of management, socio-economic development, agrarian colonization, history of entrepreneurship, social and gender studies, etc. The general state of historical science associated with the growth of public interest in history, review of theoretical and methodological foundations of historical research determined the development of historical Siberian studies concerning Altai in this period. Consequently, the historical study of Altai in the modern (post-Soviet) research shows the importance of modern history-oriented regional studies. Moreover, the development of the historical studies regarding such a large and major region as Altai in the last 20 years evinces the existence of a multidimensional regionaloriented scientific school in Russian historiography

The Inception of the Kashmir Crisis: Inquiries from a Historical Perspective (1931– 1947)

In the context of the Indian subcontinent, politically and economically "Kashmir" is a significant region. Kashmir has been involved with the politics of the subcontinent since ancient times as a Vital Organ. Foreign powers have been influencing Kashmir politics in almost all ages. During the Muslim rule in the middle ages, Kashmir was known as a politically stable and economically prosperous region. However, during the rule of the Sikhs (1819-1846) and the Dogra kings (1846-1947), the general population of Kashmir was absorbed. At that time, 70 percent of the total population of Kashmir, despite being Muslim, has been deprived of their rights by a small number of rulers. India and Pakistan were created on the basis of religion in the Indian subcontinent. According to the British government's decision, Kashmir was deprived of its right to join India or Pakistan on the basis of the majority of the subcontinent's domestic states. The dream of independence for Kashmiris turned into a nightmare in the role of the last British representative, Lord Mount Batten, then Congress leader Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, Kashmir's local representative Sheikh Abdullah, Pakistani leaders and King Maharaja Hari Singh in Kashmir. After World War II, when different regions of the world began to be liberated from the chain of imperialism, the occupation and oppression of Kashmir began again. Despite the postmodern era, the Kashmir crisis continues. This article seeks to find out where the main source of the Kashmir crisis that has been going on for decades, and what has worked behind it.