State University of Padang

Coloration plays a crucial role in sexual selection. Stejneger's grass lizard (Takydromus stejnegeri) exhibits a diverse range of body colorations, including complex combinations of green or brown and striped or non-striped patterns in both sexes. In order to clarify the relationships among the variation of body coloration, body condition, and mate preference, we conducted a capture-mark-recapture survey in the wild and mate choice experiments in the laboratory. Analysis of data from 2,497 marked individuals revealed that adult females typically exhibit green patches on their sides, whereas adult males tend to display white stripes on their backs during the breeding season. These colorations did not correlate with their body condition. In the mate choice experiments, we found that green females preferred green males, while brown females preferred brown males. Conversely, males did not demonstrate a significant preference for both colors. Our findings suggest that the varied colorations of T. stejnegeri are influenced by life stage, sexual maturity, and potentially linked to assortative female choice. Significance Statement The maintenance of color variation is a fascinating subject in evolutionary biology, with sexual selection and mimicry often cited as two of the primary underlying mechanisms. However, long-term population monitoring and studies involving large sample sizes are rare, especially in reptiles—a group with elusive habits—where research is particularly scarce. This study has gathered an extensive collection of research samples to monitor seasonal variation in body color among individuals within the population and has conducted experiments on sexual selection to substantiate the maintenance of variation. We believe this research approach offers a compelling case study for investigating color variation.

Improving scientific literacy is crucial for early childhood development, yet limited studies necessitate a thorough analysis to identify effective solutions. This study aims to analyze the implementation of project-based learning in early childhood education to improve scientific literacy. The study followed the identification, screening, eligibility assessment, and inclusion stages using a systematic literature review based on the PRISMA framework. Sources were accessed from databases such as Google Scholar, ERIC, Springer, JSTOR, Dimensions, and ScienceDirect, totalling 2085 articles. After screening articles published between 2014 and 2024, written in English, and relevant to the topic, 55 articles were selected for further analysis. The findings categorize approaches, trends, subjects, effects, and learning media used in adopting project-based learning to develop scientific literacy in early childhood. Two main approaches were identified: 1) narrative and dialogue and 2) project-based learning. Project-based learning is widely applied in 16 countries in Asia, America, Australia, and Europe. The review indicates that project-based learning improves early childhood scientific literacy in physics, biology, astronomy, and technology through learning media such as experimental tools, toys, robots, AR, VR, and AI. Therefore, implementing project-based learning supported by innovative learning media is an effective solution for improving scientific literacy in early childhood. Keywords: early childhood education, literature review, project-based learning, scientific literacy

Despite being a greatly valuable fishery product, shellfish (Polymesoda bengalensis) have accumulated heavy metals, such as lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), copper (Cu), and zinc (Zn), in their bodies due to their sessile and filter-feeding nature. Furthermore, there is a dearth of public knowledge of how to manage high levels of heavy metals in shellfish, making an effective detoxification method necessary. This study investigated the use of citronella (Cymbopogon nardus) extract as a natural detoxifying agent to reduce heavy metal levels and enhance antioxidant content in shellfish. Additionally, a health risk assessment was carried out to examine the effects of consuming shellfish contaminated with heavy metals before and after treatment. The results demonstrated that the extract concentration of 50% and the soaking times of 45 min (Pb, Cu, and Zn) and 60 min (Cd) were able to reduce the levels of heavy metals in shellfish significantly. In addition, the antioxidant content also increased to 0.8881 mg AA/g FW after treatment with citronella extract. The health risk assessment revealed a 72.90% reduction in the hazard index, indicating a decrease in health risks after detoxification. The bioconcentration factor revealed the order of heavy metal accumulation as Zn > Cu > Cd > Pb, while the target hazard quotient showed that Zn posed the highest potential risk before detoxification. In conclusion, citronella extract is effective as a natural detoxifying agent that can reduce heavy metals and improve the safety of shellfish consumption, with the potential to reduce health risks associated with consuming heavy metal-contaminated shellfish.

Introduction: Thromboembolic (TE) complications in COVID-19 patients are rising globally, contributing significantly to mortality, particularly in severe cases. However, their prevalence, characteristics, and impact on mortality in Malaysia remain unclear. Objectives: This study aimed to determine the prevalence of thromboembolic (TE) events and associated mortality among COVID-19 patients admitted within a single centre intensive care unit (ICU). The proportions of patients with TE events who died, and factors associated with TE events were explored. Methods: In this retrospective cohort study, patients with PCR confirmed SARS-CoV-2 virus and who received thromboprophylaxis within February 2020-2021 were included. TE event is a combination of venous [(deep vein thrombosis (DVT), pulmonary embolism (PE)] and arterial (myocardial infarction (MI), stroke) thromboembolism. Results: Mean (SD) age 56.6 (13.7), 63.5% were male, 61.6% Malays, median (IQR) 7 (3-14) days of ICU stay, 64.2%, 53.2% and 20.9% had underlying hypertension, diabetes and obesity respectively. In total, 240 (44.9%) developed TE event. Significantly higher proportions of COVID-19 patients who developed complications of DVT (2.5% vs. 0.2%; p = 0.013), PE (47.5% vs 34.0%; p = 0.006), stroke (12.3% vs. 1.5; p<0.001) and MI (16.4% vs. 4.6%; p<0.001) died. Predictors of TE events were age [HR 1.01 (95% CI 1.00-1.02)], obesity [HR 1.98 (95% CI 1.51-2.6)], D-dimer [HR 1.01 (95% CI 1.00-1.01)], and duration of ICU stay [HR 0.98 (95% CI 0.97-0.99)]. Conclusion: In severely ill COVID-19 patients, TE complications were common, and patients with DVT, PE, stroke, or MI faced increased mortality, even with thromboprophylaxis. Age, obesity, elevated D-Dimer levels, and longer ICU stays were significant predictors of TE events. Considering these findings, a more aggressive approach, combining thromboprophylaxis with enhanced anti-inflammatory treatments, may be necessary for high-risk COVID-19 ICU patients to reduce TE events and mortality.

This paper discusses traditional Minangkabau disaster mitigation based on the myths of Minangkabau ecological sites located in the Semangko Fault area in West Sumatra. Traditional communities believe in myths as a force that guides their relationship with ecological sites. Natural signs conveyed in myths serve as guidelines for the community in disaster mitigation. This belief has the consequence that the community must adhere to it. Myths may deviate from beliefs to the superstructure and, vice versa, originate from conventions so that they become superstructure. Therefore, through a qualitative study, myths related to ecological sites and their meanings are documented about community disaster mitigation in the Semangko Fault area. The analysis was conducted using the perspective of cultural materialism. It was found that myths are the superstructure of ecological sites that regulate human interaction with the environment; myths embody past local experiences of natural disaster events; myths become a reference for disaster mitigation management that is familiar in local communities. Recommendations in disaster management should consider myths in disaster mitigation.

Forest fires pose a significant threat to ecological sustainability, human health, and economic stability, especially in fire-prone regions like South Sumatra, Indonesia. Peatland areas are particularly vulnerable due to their unique ecological characteristics and human-induced disturbances. The objective of this study is to map, analyze, and investigate forest fire risk and fire spread in peatlands within South Sumatra, Indonesia, from 2014 to 2023 using Remote Sensing and GIS technologies. Key geomorphological, environmental, and human activity parameters were assessed, including slope, elevation, temperature, distance to roads, and land cover. Each parameter was classified into five fire hazard levels, and a comprehensive forest fire risk map was generated using an overlay approach via the intersect method in ArcGIS. The analysis revealed that 82% of South Sumatra's area is classified as having high to very high fire risk, with peatlands being the most vulnerable regions due to their low elevation, gentle slopes, moderate to high temperatures, and proximity to roads, which facilitate human access. Fire propagation was further examined using dNBR (differenced Normalized Burn Ratio) and hotspot data from NASA's FIRMS. The dNBR analysis identified fluctuations in burn severity over the years, with significant damage observed in 2015, 2018, and 2022. However, the accuracy of dNBR in peatland areas was affected by cloud cover. Hotspot density, analyzed using Kernel Density Estimation (KDE), highlighted fire-prone zones, particularly in peatland regions. Findings show that human activity, coupled with climatic phenomena such as El Niño, significantly influences fire risk and propagation in South Sumatra, Indonesia.

Gelatin is a well-known protein that is derived from denatured collagen, which is processed from different parts of the animal skin, bone, and connective tissue.

The role of ChatGPT and higher-order thinking skills (HOTS) as predictors of physics inquiry among upper-secondary students has yet to be widely explored. Therefore, this research aimed to examine upper-secondary students' role in ChatGPT (convenience and quality (CQ), motivation and engagement (ME), and accuracy and trust (AT)) and HOTS as predictors of physics inquiry. Data were collected from 334 upper-secondary students in Indonesia through online questionnaires and analyzed with SPSS software using correlation and multiple linear regression. The results showed that CQ had the strongest correlation with HOTS, with significant predictors being response speed, concept linkage, and explanation quality. The ME dimension was also significantly correlated with HOTS, with increased motivation to learn and enjoyment in learning as key predictors. Lastly, the AT dimension significantly correlated with HOTS, where the accuracy of information and students' trust in it were essential predictors. These findings indicate that ChatGPT has the potential to enhance inquiry-based learning in physics by effectively supporting the development of HOTS. Keywords: physics inquiry, ChatGPT, higher-order thinking skills, correlation, multiple linear regression, AI in education

Direct current (DC) motors are frequently utilized in various applications, and the motor's pace is affected by applied loads as it fluctuates. A power converter must be employed to control the velocity of the motor by varying the armature voltage. One of the options for the power converter is the one-quadrant DC chopper. In this case, the investigation will turn the one-quadrant chopper into a system by merging velocity and current control into the DC motor. The speed is regulated by controlling the armature voltage. This may be accomplished using a controlled rectifier. The contribution of the research is to test the effectiveness of Artificial Neural Network Control (ANN) and Proportional-Integral (PI) controllers to control the speed of a DC motor using a one-quadrant DC chopper. Therefore, due to technological advancements, the authors will utilize the training data of the artificial neural network of Proportional- Integral controllers in MATLAB's Simulink. Test results demonstrate the artificial neural network (ANN's) superior ability to regulate system response, showing enhancements in delay time, rise time, overshoot, and steady-state error compared to the PI controller. These findings underscore the potential of ANN as a more sophisticated choice for DC motor control, although further research is required to finetune its performance through rigorous training.

Higher order thinking skills (HOTS) play a crucial role in student success both academically and professionally. One of the internal factors that influence HOTS is trait thinking. The specific objective of this research is to find the HOTS prediction model for students and the main attributes of trait thinking that most determine HOTS. The ANFIS model was used to identify which of the known attributes can give an early indicator of the expected performance of HOTS. The experimental results reveal significant relationships between all trait thinking attributes to HOTS score.

In this work, we launched smartphones with a moving object to analyse the motion on an inclined plane. The data of time versus distance was acquired by utilizing a smartphone proximity sensor to record time intervals between detection objects whose distance had been set beforehand. The plot of time versus distance was used to analyze the characteristics of accelerated motion. Meanwhile, time squared versus distance was used to determine acceleration. The inclination angle was varied to observe the effect on the motion characteristic and acceleration value. Furthermore, kinetic friction coefficient existing along the object’s motion was also calculated.

The prolonged use of synthetic pesticides can lead to adverse effects on both the environment and human health, manifesting in conditions such as organ dysfunction, hormonal disturbances, and even cancer. Thus, there is an imperative need to explore natural-based pesticides (biopesticides) that possess antimicrobial capabilities, are environmentally friendly, and are beneficial for health. Several plants, including Muntingia calabura, Mangifera indica, Psidium guajava, and Tithonia diversifolia, offer potential as sources for biopesticides. This research aims to assess the antimicrobial efficacy of extracts from these leaves with water-based solvent, evaluating their potential use as biopesticides. The plant samples were extracted using the maceration method with water as the solvent. Each extract was tested for its antimicrobial activity against Escherichia coli (K-12) and Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Antimicrobial efficacy was quantitatively measured by calculating the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) using the CLSI guidelines (M07-A13). The results demonstrated that the T. diversifolia leaf extract, with a 3-hour simplicia immersion duration, exhibited the most potent antimicrobial activity against the test bacterial strain E. coli, given its lowest MIC value of (7.03 ± 0.79 µg/ml). Hence, the T. diversifolia leaf extract holds significant promise for development into a biopesticide, owing to its superior antimicrobial capabilities.

Online markets are becoming increasingly important for the trade of orchids. However, the sale of orchids online raises conservation concerns, as some sellers use these platforms to bypass regulations. In March 2024, we assessed the extent of trade of 28 nationally protected orchid species in the five most visited Indonesian-language online markets. Twenty-four of the 28 orchid species protected in Indonesia were being traded online, involving 1294 advertisements posted by 789 sellers. The majority (93%) of these sellers were located in Java; 3882 orchid individuals were sold during the performance of this research, with a total trade value of IDR 262 129 387 (USD 16 911). Furthermore, there were 2 831 688 orchid individuals reported to be available in stock by sellers, with a total potential trade value of more than IDR 231 billion (USD 14.9 million). None of the recorded sellers in the present study declared a permit for the orchids they offered. Our findings can be utilized by law enforcement agencies to identify key players and areas involved in this trade, as well as by conservationists and policymakers to determine which species are being traded and so might require further conservation measures.

This research aims to find out how to reduce cases of violence among elementary school students by uncovering solutions and their implementation. Currently, violence among students is rampant in Indonesia. The 2018 Program for International Student Assessment data show that students who report having experienced violence are above the average for OECD member countries. This research method uses a qualitative approach supported by focus group discussions and in-depth interviews with elementary school teachers and principals. The research results obtained nine themes: oppression as a problem, causes, impacts of oppression, institutional, curricular, cultural, religious, family intervention, current challenges, and recommendations. Curricular factor interventions include educational curricula and behavioral principles based on culture and customs. Extracurricular interventions include the application of values and norms. Additional interventions include socializing anti-violence values and norms to inspire students to be more enthusiastic about learning and increasing the role of parents at home. This research found an ideal combination of curricular and extracurricular activities to prevent cases of bullying at school. The curriculum on cultural values, customs, and institutions also determines the components that will help students have good morals and avoid violence inside and outside school.

This study investigates the synergistic effects of incorporating layered double hydroxide (LDH) and tannic acid (TA) into polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) films to enhance their mechanical, tribological, and corrosion resistance properties for biomedical applications. Composite coating films were prepared by blending PVA with LDH and TA in various concentrations. The addition of LDH and TA significantly increased the crystallinity index of the composite films, with the highest crystallinity observed at 66.3% for the sample containing 1 wt% TA and 2 wt% LDH (PVA/TA1/LDH2). This enhancement in crystallinity contributed to improved mechanical performance, as demonstrated by tensile tests, where the PVA/TA1/LDH2 composite exhibited the highest tensile strength among all samples. Tribological testing revealed that the PVA/TA1/LDH2 composite also achieved the lowest coefficient of friction (COF), along with a minimal wear rate, indicating superior wear resistance. SEM analysis of the wear scars confirmed a narrow wear track and smoother surface morphology for this composite, which suggests effective load distribution and reduced surface degradation. The addition of TA was further shown to improve the corrosion resistance of the PVA composite films, with the PVA/TA1/LDH1 sample exhibiting the lowest corrosion current density (Icorr) of 0.36 μA cm⁻², representing a significant improvement over neat PVA. These findings highlight the potential of PVA/LDH/TA films for coating applications in biomedical devices, where enhanced mechanical strength, wear resistance, and corrosion protection are critical. The synergistic effects of LDH and TA provide a pathway for developing durable and functional coatings, expanding the practical utility of PVA films in demanding biomedical environments.

Dong Tao Chicken is a variety of chicken indigenous to Vietnam. Particularly from Hong Yen, in Northern Vietnam. Dong Tao is well known for its exorbitant prices. Dong Tao chicken’s high selling price is influenced by a number of reasons, including outstanding meat quality, great consumer interest, and limited availability. The size of the leg bones distinguishes Dong Tao from other species of chicken. Huge leg bones cause the growth of large muscles, resulting in a significantly greater leg morphology than other varieties of chicken in general. No research report is currently available that comprehensively compares Dong Tao chicken to any other variety. As a result, this paper discusses the structure and morphology of Dong Tao in comparison to other poultry breeds, as well as its breeding methods, nutritional value content, and processing techniques. According to literary studies, Dong Tao Animal Husbandry is generally practiced in traditional and semi-cultural methods. Dong Tao has similar nutritional value as other chickens. Furthermore, like other chicken meat chain manufacturing, Dong Tao has at least four subsystem limits.

Literature discussing contents of meta-beliefs, or beliefs about other beliefs, and what effects they have on intergroup relationships, specifically among disadvantaged groups are rare. Our study aims to explore meta-beliefs among the resettled Sambas Madurese community, in West Kalimantan, Indonesia, who were affected by the 1999 Sambas Conflict. We adopted an ethnographic approach, with a three-month live-in duration, conducting interviews, casual conversations, and taking part in community activities. Our findings reveal two important contents of meta-belief held by the Sambas Madurese migrants: ‘people of the barracks’, and ‘evil and criminal’. As a disadvantaged group, the Sambas Madurese resort to more covert and subtle forms of resistance, mainly through reappropriation and daily life changes to disprove meta-beliefs. Here, reappropriation of those negative meta-beliefs, mainly linked to moral superiority, is employed. It is observed that the contents of meta-belief go beyond cognitive aspects, including strong emotive components and behavioral responses. Our study hopes to contribute to a discussion on intergroup relationships among host and disadvantaged migrant communities from ethnic conflict backgrounds.

Clean energy and environmental pollution are two key concerns of modern society and are pivotal necessities for the economic, social, and sustainable development of the world. Today around 80% of energy is generated using nonrenewable resources and fossil fuels (oil, gas, coal) which ultimately results in hazardous global emissions. As a clean substitute for fossil fuels, hydrogen has emerged as a promising and renewable energy resource. Utilization of this energy resource requires the development of active, stable, low‐cost environmentally friendly techniques. Water splitting electrolysis is a method for producing clean and efficient hydrogen using an environmentally benign technique that is currently at its most mature stage. Electrolysis is attracting ever‐increasing attention, as it is a promising electrochemical device for hydrogen production from water due to the high conversion efficiency and relatively low energy input required when compared to thermochemical and photocatalytic methods. This paper will outline the need, performance, and insight of anion exchange membrane (AEM) electrolyzer. Recent developments in the design and preparation of AEM. New strategies for activity, stability, and efficiency improvement of AEM. Membrane types, and factors affecting AEM performance in an electrolyzer. This review also discusses the effects, operating characteristics, and energy consumption of electrocatalysts in the AEM electrolyzer. Hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER) pathways and mechanisms in acidic and alkaline media. This study seeks to provide a detailed overview of recent accomplishments in the field of the hydrogen economy, particularly electrolysis, to inspire further research and development to address the technology's obstacles.

Brain function is crucial in achieving peak performance. This can determine a person’s motor control and psychological state, such as motivation, attention, goal setting, memory, self-control, decision-making, and concentration. Spontaneous activity of various physical organs such as the brain, heart, and muscles can be a reference when this behavior occurs. This protocol paper aims to determine whether brain exercises can influence athletes’ brain wave activity and concentration levels. The quasi-experimental method used a pretest-posttest control group design involving 68 futsal athletes. Group 1 will use Brain Gym with instrumental music, Group 2 will use Brain Gym with aromatherapy, and Group 3 will use Brain Gym with both aromatherapy and instrumental music. The research will take place at UNPARI, Lubuklinggau, South Sumatra. The results of this research can serve as a basis for developing mental training methods based on the psychophysiological impact of brain wave activity and athletes’ concentration. This highlights the need for better-designed training programs to optimize performance.