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10.1186/s40594-020-0202-3
|
Change theory and theory of change: what’s the difference anyway?
|
This commentary focuses on the difference between a theory of change and change theory, as it relates to systemic change projects in STEM higher education. A theory of change is project-specific and related to evaluation. It makes the underlying rationale of a project explicit, which supports planning, implementation, and assessment of the project. In addition, a theory of change is often required by funding agencies as part of grant proposals. In contrast, change theories represent theoretical and empirically grounded knowledge about how change occurs that goes beyond any one project. Ideally, a theory of change is informed by change theories. This essay describes the connections between a theory of change and change theory and provides examples of how change theory can inform a project’s theory of change. Grounding projects in change theory allows change agents to draw on existing knowledge and to better contribute to our collective knowledge about how to achieve meaningful change in STEM higher education.
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21967822
|
EDUCATION
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10.1186/s40594-019-0200-5
|
Development and application of the Action Taxonomy for Learning Assistants (ATLAs)
|
Background: The success of the learning assistant (LA) model has largely been attributed to LA facilitation of active learning tasks. A deeper understanding of how LAs facilitate these tasks would inform LA training and support successful adoption of the LA model. Our investigation of LA actions during their interaction with students in the classroom contributes to that understanding. We present and discuss the development of the action taxonomy for learning assistants (ATLAs), as well as illustrate its applicability by presenting some analyses that were conducted on sample data. Results: The LAs carried out several different actions that we categorized broadly as LA-Directed Facilitation, LA-Guided Facilitation, Advice, Feedback, Course-Related Talk, and Non-Course-Related Talk. LA-Directed Facilitation and LA-Guided Facilitation were the most common types of actions observed. We found that LA actions varied by course. Conclusions: ATLAs is a tool that can be used to examine LA actions. In our sample data set, LAs undertook many different actions during interactions with students which indicates that LAs play several different roles in the classroom. These findings have practical implications not only for faculty seeking to implement a peer instruction model such as the LA model, but also for instructors wanting to utilize LAs in their courses more effectively. Understanding what the LAs are doing during interactions with students can provide us insight into the different roles that LAs undertake. Knowledge of these roles will guide effective training, feedback, and direction of LAs, particularly during the pedagogy course.
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21967822
|
EDUCATION
|
10.3390/cancers12010244
|
Resistance to MET/VEGFR2 Inhibition by Cabozantinib Is Mediated by YAP/TBX5-Dependent Induction of FGFR1 in Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer
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The overall goal of this study was to elucidate the role of FGFR1 induction in acquired resistance to MET and VEGFR2 inhibition by cabozantinib in prostate cancer (PCa) and leverage this understanding to improve therapy outcomes. The response to cabozantinib was examined in mice bearing patient-derived xenografts in which FGFR1 was overexpressed. Using a variety of cell models that reflect different PCa disease states, the mechanism underpinning FGFR1 signaling activation by cabozantinib was investigated. We performed parallel investigations in specimens from cabozantinib-treated patients to confirm our in vitro and in vivo data. FGFR1 overexpression was sufficient to confer resistance to cabozantinib. Our results demonstrate transcriptional activation of FGF/FGFR1 expression in cabozantinib-resistant models. Further analysis of molecular pathways identified a YAP/TBX5-driven mechanism of FGFR1 and FGF overexpression induced by MET inhibition. Importantly, knockdown of YAP and TBX5 led to decreased FGFR1 protein expression and decreased mRNA levels of FGFR1, FGF1, and FGF2. This association was confirmed in a cohort of hormone-naïve patients with PCa receiving androgen deprivation therapy and cabozantinib, further validating our findings. These findings reveal that the molecular basis of resistance to MET inhibition in PCa is FGFR1 activation through a YAP/TBX5-dependent mechanism. YAP and its downstream target TBX5 represent a crucial mediator in acquired resistance to MET inhibitors. Thus, our studies provide insight into the mechanism of acquired resistance and will guide future development of clinical trials with MET inhibitors.
|
20726694
|
ONCOLOGY
|
10.3389/frai.2019.00031
|
Analysis of Features Selected by a Deep Learning Model for Differential Treatment Selection in Depression
|
Background: Deep learning has utility in predicting differential antidepressant treatment response among patients with major depressive disorder, yet there remains a paucity of research describing how to interpret deep learning models in a clinically or etiologically meaningful way. In this paper, we describe methods for analyzing deep learning models of clinical and demographic psychiatric data, using our recent work on a deep learning model of STAR*D and CO-MED remission prediction. Methods: Our deep learning analysis with STAR*D and CO-MED yielded four models that predicted response to the four treatments used across the two datasets. Here, we use classical statistics and simple data representations to improve interpretability of the features output by our deep learning model and provide finer grained understanding of their clinical and etiological significance. Specifically, we use representations derived from our model to yield features predicting both treatment non-response and differential treatment response to four standard antidepressants, and use linear regression and t-tests to address questions about the contribution of trauma, education, and somatic symptoms to our models. Results: Traditional statistics were able to probe the input features of our deep learning models, reproducing results from previous research, while providing novel insights into depression causes and treatments. We found that specific features were predictive of treatment response, and were able to break these down by treatment and non-response categories; that specific trauma indices were differentially predictive of baseline depression severity; that somatic symptoms were significantly different between males and females, and that education and low income proved important psycho-social stressors associated with depression. Conclusion: Traditional statistics can augment interpretation of deep learning models. Such interpretation can lend us new hypotheses about depression and contribute to building causal models of etiology and prognosis. We discuss dataset-specific effects and ideal clinical samples for machine learning analysis aimed at improving tools to assist in optimizing treatment.
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26248212
|
AI
|
10.3389/fpsyg.2020.00139
|
Emotion Recognition and Aging. Comparing a Labeling Task With a Categorization Task Using Facial Representations
|
Research suggests that aging comes with a decline in the ability to identify emotional expressions. In previous studies on emotion recognition and aging, participants were typically instructed to classify images of facial expressions using sets of lexical emotion labels. Yet, in daily life, when exposed to facial expressions by others, people match these with their conceptual knowledge of how emotions are visually presented (i.e., a smile for “happiness”), rather than recalling lexical labels (i.e., the word “happy”). By comparing performances of young adults and older adults on an emotion sorting task based on visual categorization and a traditional labeling task based on lexical categorization, this research aimed to explore a different way of studying emotion recognition abilities over the lifespan. In line with earlier research, results of the labeling task showed that our older participants (Mage = 71.9) were less accurate in labeling emotions than participants in a young age group (Mage = 23.8), especially for expressions of sadness, fear, anger and contempt. Outcomes of the categorization task suggest that older adults have difficulties separating distinctive meanings of emotions more than young adults do. Results of this study indeed shows a decline in emotion recognition using both tasks, and suggests future studies to examine possible changes in conceptual knowledge of emotions, rather than the inability to perceive certain facial cues.
|
16641078
|
PSYCHOLOGY
|
10.3389/fonc.2020.00121
|
Improved Prediction of Aqueous Solubility of Novel Compounds by Going Deeper With Deep Learning
|
Aqueous solubility is an important physicochemical property of compounds in anti-cancer drug discovery. Artificial intelligence solubility prediction tools have scored impressive performances by employing regression, machine learning, and deep learning methods. The reported performances vary significantly partly because of the different datasets used. Solubility prediction on novel compounds needs to be improved, which may be achieved by going deeper with deep learning. We constructed deeper-net models of ~20-layer modified ResNet convolutional neural network architecture, which were trained and tested with 9,943 compounds encoded by molecular fingerprints. Retrospectively tested by 62 recently-published novel compounds, one deeper-net model outperformed four established tools, shallow-net models, and four human experts. Deeper-net models also outperformed others in predicting the solubility values of a series of novel compounds newly-synthesized for anti-cancer drug discovery. Solubility prediction may be improved by going deeper with deep learning. Our deeper-net models are accessible at
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2234943X
|
ONCOLOGY
|
10.3390/cancers12020458
|
Misregulation of ELK1, AP1, and E12 Transcription Factor Networks Is Associated with Melanoma Progression
|
Melanoma is among the most malignant cutaneous cancers and when metastasized results in dramatically high mortality. Despite advances in high-throughput gene expression profiling in cancer transcriptomic studies, our understanding of mechanisms driving melanoma progression is still limited. We present here an in-depth bioinformatic analysis of the melanoma RNAseq, chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP)seq, and single-cell (sc)RNA seq data to understand cancer progression. Specifically, we have performed a consensus network analysis of RNA-seq data from clinically re-grouped melanoma samples to identify gene co-expression networks that are conserved in early (stage 1) and late (stage 4/invasive) stage melanoma. Overlaying the fold-change information on co-expression networks revealed several coordinately up or down-regulated subnetworks that may play a critical role in melanoma progression. Furthermore, by incorporating histone lysine-27 acetylation information and highly expressed genes identified from the single-cell RNA data from melanoma patient samples, we present a comprehensive list of pathways, putative protein-protein interactions (PPIs) and transcription factor (TF) networks that are driving cancer progression. From this analysis, we have identified Elk1, AP1 and E12 TF networks that coordinately change expression in late melanoma when compared to early melanoma, implicating these TFs in melanoma progression. Additionally, the sumoylation-associated interactome is upregulated in invasive melanoma. Together, this bioinformatic analysis potentially implicates a combination of TF networks and PPIs in melanoma progression, which if confirmed in the experimental systems, could be used as targets for drug intervention in melanoma.
|
20726694
|
ONCOLOGY
|
10.1186/s40359-020-0384-y
|
Does physiological arousal lead to increased catastrophic misinterpretation? An experiment based on the concept of a fear memory
|
Background: While there has been research on catastrophic misinterpretation of ambiguous situations and on the effects of the induction of physiological arousal, there has been no experimental research on the relationship between them. Based on the concept of a fear memory, we aimed to investigate if the induction of physiological arousal leads to catastrophic misinterpretations. Methods: Participants were shown either a suspenseful film clip to induce physiological arousal (EG, n = 43) or a calm film clip with no specific effect on arousal levels (CG, n = 40) before completing a measure of catastrophic misinterpretation (BSIQ-FR). To assess the specific predictive value of physiological arousal, measurements of other known predictors were included (BSI, BDI-II, ACQ, BSQ, STAI-T, ASI-3). Results: The film manipulation led to a significant increase in physiological arousal in the EG but not in the CG. The EG did not report more catastrophic misinterpretations than the CG – however, more participants in the EG reported at least one catastrophic misinterpretation. The increase in physiological arousal due to the film manipulation predicted catastrophic misinterpretation in the open response format in the EG, but not in the CG, even when controlling for other known predictors. Conclusions: Our study provides evidence that experimentally induced physiological arousal can predict catastrophic misinterpretation. The findings support the concept of a fear memory. With the BSIQ-FR, a German questionnaire measuring catastrophic misinterpretation was introduced. Further research on the relationship between physiological arousal and catastrophic misinterpretation with clinical samples is recommended.
|
20507283
|
PSYCHOLOGY
|
10.3390/cancers12040892
|
Integrated Analysis of RNA-Binding Proteins in Glioma
|
RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) play important roles in many cancer types. However, RBPs have not been thoroughly and systematically studied in gliomas. Global analysis of the functional impact of RBPs will provide a better understanding of gliomagenesis and new insights into glioma therapy. In this study, we integrated a list of the human RBPs from six sources—Gerstberger, SONAR, Gene Ontology project, Poly(A) binding protein, CARIC, and XRNAX—which covered 4127 proteins with RNA-binding activity. The RNA sequencing data were downloaded from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) (n = 699) and Chinese Glioma Genome Atlas (CGGA) (n = 325 + 693). We examined the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) using the R package DESeq2, and constructed a weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) of RBPs. Furthermore, survival analysis was also performed based on the univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression models. In the WGCNA analysis, we identified a key module involved in the overall survival (OS) of glioblastomas. Survival analysis revealed eight RBPs (PTRF, FNDC3B, SLC25A43, ZC3H12A, LRRFIP1, HSP90B1, HSPA5, and BNC2) are significantly associated with the survival of glioblastoma patients. Another 693 patients within the CGGA database were used to validate the findings. Additionally, 3564 RBPs were classified into canonical and non-canonical RBPs depending on the domains that they contain, and non-canonical RBPs account for the majority (72.95%). The Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis showed that some non-canonical RBPs may have functions in glioma. Finally, we found that the knockdown of non-canonical RBPs, PTRF, or FNDC3B can alone significantly inhibit the proliferation of LN229 and U251 cells. Simultaneously, RNA Immunoprecipitation (RIP) analysis indicated that PTRF may regulate cell growth and death- related pathways to maintain tumor cell growth. In conclusion, our findings presented an integrated view to assess the potential death risks of glioblastoma at a molecular level, based on the expression of RBPs. More importantly, we identified non-canonical RNA-binding proteins PTRF and FNDC3B, showing them to be potential prognostic biomarkers for glioblastoma.
|
20726694
|
ONCOLOGY
|
10.3390/cancers12040896
|
Detection of Circulating Tumor Cells in the Diagnostic Leukapheresis Product of Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer Patients Comparing CellSearch® and ISET
|
Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) detected by CellSearch are prognostic in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), but rarely found. CTCs can be extracted from the blood together with mononuclear cell populations by diagnostic leukapheresis (DLA), therefore concentrating them. However, CellSearch can only process limited DLA volumes (≈2 mL). Therefore, we established a protocol to enumerate CTCs in DLA products with Isolation by SizE of Tumor cells (ISET), and compared CTC counts between CellSearch® and ISET. DLA was performed in NSCLC patients who started a new therapy. With an adapted protocol, ISET could process 10 mL of DLA. CellSearch detected CTCs in a volume equaling 2 × 108 leukocytes (mean 2 mL). CTC counts per mL were compared. Furthermore, the live cell protocol of ISET was tested in eight patients. ISET successfully processed all DLA products—16 with the fixed cell protocol and 8 with the live cell protocol. In total, 10–20 mL of DLA was processed. ISET detected CTCs in 88% (14/16), compared to 69% (11/16, p < 0.05) with CellSearch. ISET also detected higher number of CTCs (ISET median CTC/mL = 4, interquartile range [IQR] = 2–6, CellSearch median CTC/mL = 0.9, IQR = 0–1.8, p < 0.01). Cells positive for the epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM+) per mL were detected in similar counts by both methods. Eight patients were processed with the live cell protocol. All had EpCAM+, CD45−, CD235- cells isolated by fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS). Overall, ISET processed larger volumes and detected higher CTC counts compared to CellSearch. EpCAM+ CTCs were detected in comparable rates.
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20726694
|
ONCOLOGY
|
10.3389/fonc.2020.00383
|
Resveratrol Sensitizes Colorectal Cancer Cells to Cetuximab by Connexin 43 Upregulation-Induced Akt Inhibition
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Cetuximab is a monoclonal antibody that acts as an anti-epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) agent. Cetuximab inhibits the phosphorylation and activation of EGFR and blocks downstream signal pathways of EGF/EGFR, including Ras-Raf-MAPK and PI3K-Akt pathways. Akt activation is an important factor in cetuximab resistance. It has been reported that resveratrol and connexin 43 regulate Akt in different ways based on tissue type. Since connexin 43 interacts with Akt, and resveratrol is known to upregulate connexin 43, we investigated whether resveratrol can sensitize colorectal cancer cells to cetuximab via connexin 43 upregulation. Our work confirmed that resveratrol increases the inhibition of growth by cetuximab in vitro and in vivo, upregulates connexin 43 expression and phosphorylation, increases gap junction function, and inhibits the activation of Akt and NFκB in parental or cetuximab-treated parental HCT116 and CT26 cells. Resveratrol did not exhibit these effects on connexin 43-shRNA transfected cells, so connexin 43 upregulation may contribute to Akt inhibition in these cells. Given these data, resveratrol may sensitize colorectal cancer cells to cetuximab via upregulating connexin 43 to inhibit the Akt pathway.
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2234943X
|
ONCOLOGY
|
10.3389/feduc.2020.00030
|
Place-Based Diminished Returns of Parental Educational Attainment on School Performance of Non-Hispanic White Youth
|
Background: Youth educational outcomes are a function of a wide range of factors including parental education level. This effect, however, is shown to be smaller for African American, Hispanic, and Asian American youth, a pattern called Marginalization-related Diminished Returns (MDRs). It is, however, unknown if it is race/ethnicity or other conditions associated with race/ethnicity (e.g., poor neighborhood quality) which reduces the marginal returns of parental education for youth. Aim: To explore whether MDRs are only due to race/ethnicity or if they also remain for non-Hispanic Whites in poor neighborhoods, we compared the association between parental education level and adolescents’ school performance based on neighborhood quality in a nationally representative sample of non-Hispanic Whites in the United States. Methods: This cross-sectional study used wave 1 of the Add Health study, an ongoing nationally representative cohort, 1994–2019. Participants included 849 non-Hispanic White adolescents between the ages of 12 and 21 years and their parents. The independent variable was parental education level, which was treated as a continuous measure. Age, grade, gender, and parental marital status were the covariates. The dependent variable was school performance (sum of school grades in Math, English, History, and Science). Linear regression models were used for data analysis. Results: Overall, worse neighborhood quality was associated with worse school performance. Parental education level, however, was not directly associated with youth school performance. We found a statistically significant interaction between parental education level and neighborhood quality suggesting that the strength of the association between parental education and youth school performance weakens as neighborhood quality declines. Conclusion: Parental education level is a more salient determinant of youth educational outcomes in better neighborhoods. The result suggests that MDRs may not be solely due to race/ethnicity but contextual factors that commonly covary with marginalization and poverty. These contextual factors may include segregation, concentration of poverty, and social and physical neighborhood disorder.
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2504284X
|
EDUCATION
|
10.1186/s40594-020-00212-9
|
Boundary crossing pedagogy in STEM education
|
This commentary aims to discuss an overarching boundary crossing framework under which integrated STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) pedagogy can be conceptualized. Four potential learning dialogical processes for boundary crossing are presented and used as the main theoretical construct for the discussion. A proposal of an interactive pedagogical framework is put forward accompanied by a provisional statement to relate the connective factors that are critical in the formation of a boundary crossing STEM pedagogy. These factors are situated learning, communities of practices, problem solving, learning dialogical processes, and boundary objects. A Hong Kong school STEM case is employed to illustrate the applicability of this framework. The commentary ends with a reflective remark on boundary crossing STEM pedagogy.
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21967822
|
EDUCATION
|
10.3389/fonc.2020.00665
|
Results of Multilevel Containment Measures to Better Protect Lung Cancer Patients From COVID-19: The IEO Model
|
A novel coronavirus causing severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), named SARS-CoV-2, was identified at the end of 2019. The spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has progressively expanded from China, involving several countries throughout the world, leading to the classification of the disease as a pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO). According to published reports, COVID-19 severity and mortality are higher in elderly patients and those with active comorbidities. In particular, lung cancer patients were reported to be at high risk of pulmonary complications related to SARS-CoV2 infection. Therefore, the management of cancer care during the COVID-19 pandemic is a crucial issue, to which national and international oncology organizations have replied with recommendations concerning patients receiving anticancer treatments, delaying follow-up visits and limiting caregiver admission to the hospitals. In this historical moment, medical oncologists are required to consider the possibility to delay active treatment administration based on a case-by-case risk/benefit evaluation. Potential risks associated with COVID-19 infection should be considered, considering tumor histology and natural course, disease setting, clinical conditions, and disease burden, together with the expected benefit, toxicities (e.g., myelosuppression or interstitial lung disease), and response obtained from the planned or ongoing treatment. In this study, we report the results of proactive measures including social media, telemedicine, and telephone triage for screening patients with lung cancer during the COVID-19 outbreak in the European Institute of Oncology (Milan, Italy). Proactive management and containment measures, applied in a structured and daily way, has significantly aided the identification of advance patients with suspected symptoms related to COVID-19, limiting their admission to our cancer center; we have thus been more able to protect other patients from possible contamination and at the same time guarantee to the suspected patients the immediate treatment and evaluation in referral hospitals for COVID-19.
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2234943X
|
ONCOLOGY
|
10.3389/fonc.2020.00628
|
Precision Medicine and the Role of Biomarkers of Radiotherapy Response in Breast Cancer
|
Radiotherapy remains an important treatment modality in nearly two thirds of all cancers, including the primary curative or palliative treatment of breast cancer. Unfortunately, largely due to tumor heterogeneity, tumor radiotherapy response rates can vary significantly, even between patients diagnosed with the same tumor type. Although in recent years significant technological advances have been made in the way radiation can be precisely delivered to tumors, it is proving more difficult to personalize radiotherapy regimens based on cancer biology. Biomarkers that provide prognostic or predictive information regarding a tumor's intrinsic radiosensitivity or its response to treatment could prove valuable in helping to personalize radiation dosing, enabling clinicians to make decisions between different treatment options whilst avoiding radiation-induced toxicity in patients unlikely to gain therapeutic benefit. Studies have investigated numerous ways in which both patient and tumor radiosensitivities can be assessed. Tumor molecular profiling has been used to develop radiosensitivity gene signatures, while the assessment of specific intracellular or secreted proteins, including circulating tumor cells, exosomes and DNA, has been performed to identify prognostic or predictive biomarkers of radiation response. Finally, the investigation of biomarkers related to radiation-induced toxicity could provide another means by which radiotherapy could become personalized. In this review, we discuss studies that have used these methods to identify or develop prognostic/predictive signatures of radiosensitivity, and how such assays could be used in the future as a means of providing personalized radiotherapy.
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2234943X
|
ONCOLOGY
|
10.3389/fpsyg.2020.00728
|
Does the MRI/fMRI Procedure Itself Confound the Results of Meditation Research? An Evaluation of Subjective and Neurophysiological Measures of TM Practitioners in a Simulated MRI Environment
|
Early research into meditation, including Transcendental Meditation (TM), relied exclusively on EEG to measure brain activity during meditation practice. Since the advent of neural imaging, MRI, and later fMRI, have dominated this field. Unfortunately, the use of this technology rests on the questionable assumption that lying down in a confining tube while exposed to very loud sounds would not interfere with the meditation practice. The present study was designed to assess the effects of the fMRI procedure on both the subjective and neurophysiological responses of short and long-term TM practitioners. Twenty-three TM practitioners volunteered to participate in this study: 11 short-term meditators, averaging 2.2 years practice, and 12 long-term meditators, averaging 34.8 years. The repeated-measures design included two activities for each participant, eyes-closed rest, and TM practice, in each of three conditions: sitting quietly in an upright position (normal TM practice); lying quietly in a supine position; and lying, with earplugs, inside a simulated fMRI tube (simMRI), while exposed to 110 dB recordings of an actual fMRI machine. Subjective experiences were collected after each activity in each condition. Physiological arousal was recorded using skin conductance levels. Scalp EEG was averaged into eight frequency bands within frontal and parietal leads; eLORETA software was used to explore the 3-D cortical distribution of EEG sources. During the simMRI condition, participants reported having more shallow meditation experiences, and greater agitation/distraction. Skin conductance levels paralleled self-reports, decreasing least during the simMRI condition. Frontal and parietal power decreased from sitting to simMRI in the alpha2 through gamma bands. Parietal power was higher during rest compared to TM in the alpha1 through beta2 bands. Frontal and parietal alpha1 coherence were highest during the simMRI condition. The eLORETA analysis revealed that the default mode network was more active during TM when sitting compared to the simMRI condition. The responses to the supine condition were generally between sitting and simMRI, with some significant exceptions. In conclusion, these data indicate that the fMRI procedure itself (high dB noise; lying down) strongly influences subjective and neurophysiological responses during meditation practice, and may therefore confound the interpretation of results from fMRI studies.
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16641078
|
PSYCHOLOGY
|
10.3389/fpsyg.2020.00798
|
Do Customers Pay Attention to Motivations and Switching Costs When They Terminate Their Relationships?
|
Research on some key boundary conditions and outcomes of consumers’ relationship termination in the online environment is scare. We examine how four categories (e.g., upkeep, time, benefits, and personal loss) of avoiding relationships affect customers’ relationship termination. We also consider both the motivation (hedonic vs. utilitarian) and switching costs when customers evaluate whether to exit from or stay in a relationship. Results show that time plays a significant role in customers’ relationship termination, but there appears to be an increase or decrease in customers’ relationship termination associated with the role of two moderators. More specifically, upkeep plays a significant role in affecting relationship termination for consumers motivated by hedonic interests (as opposed to those motivated by utilitarian interests). Meanwhile, personal loss plays a role in affecting relationship termination for utilitarian consumers (and not hedonic). Furthermore, we found that high switching costs facilitate a relationship termination if time and personal loss are involved. The findings indicate that the effect of high switching costs on customer loyalty is limited. We also found that when consumers consider time category, they are likely to have a greater intent to terminate a relationship regardless of the level of switching costs.
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16641078
|
PSYCHOLOGY
|
10.1186/s40594-020-00218-3
|
Finding time for computer science in the elementary school day: a quasi-experimental study of a transdisciplinary problem-based learning approach
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Background: As the number of computer science (CS) jobs become increasingly available in this country and computing skills become essential tools for managing all aspects of our personal lives, CS is quickly becoming an essential element of K-12 education and recently, there has been increased attention to bringing computer science to the elementary grades. However, with a schedule that emphasizes literacy and mathematics, and other subjects competing for instructional time, creating opportunities for CS in the elementary school day is challenging. This study aimed to address this problem by investigating the use of problem-based transdisciplinary modules (i.e., “Time4CS” modules) that combined English language arts (ELA), science, and social studies lessons with theCode.org“Fundamentals” CS education program.Results: Results indicated that teachers who taught Time4CS modules completed more CS lessons than teachers who did not teach the modules. Further, across all classrooms, completing a higher percentage of non-grade level assignedCode.orgFundamentals lessons (i.e.,Code.orglessons above or below grade level that were available to teachers, but not required for their particular grade level) was positively associated with students’ achievement outcomes on state ELA and mathematics tests. Additionally, higher amounts of interdisciplinary teaching practices were associated with higher student achievement, specifically students’ state assessment ELA scores.Conclusions: This study demonstrated that transdisciplinary problem-based modules that integrate the teaching of CS with other subject areas are a feasible way to bring more CS opportunities to younger learners. Moreover, it showed that implementing such modules is linked to more positive student academic achievement outcomes. With attentive revision, the modules featured in this study may be useful tools for elementary schools. These findings have implications for researchers, school district administrators, and those individuals who are in-charge of public policy initiatives seeking ways to bring CS to all elementary school students. Specifically, they highlight that it is possible to make time in the elementary school day for CS, and that there are no negative consequences for core subjects (e.g., ELA and mathematics).
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21967822
|
EDUCATION
|
10.1186/s40594-020-00221-8
|
Faculty persistence with research-based instructional strategies: a case study of participation in a faculty online learning community
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Background: Incorporating research-based instructional strategies (RBISs) into college classrooms is essential for improving learning outcomes. However, the rate of implementation of new strategies is quite low. The development and dissemination model of introducing faculty to new strategies has shown to be inadequate in encouraging uptake and consistent use of those strategies. This model lacks the ongoing support that has shown to be exceedingly important in the adoption and persistent use of new strategies. In addition, this model ignores the necessity of adaptation of RBISs due to differences in teaching situations including availability of particular resources or different student populations. Faculty online learning communities (FOLCs) are online collaborative faculty groups that provide continued support in order to fill this gap. This case study explores one FOLC member’s adoption of a research-based physical science curriculum as they reflect on their teaching experiences. We operationalize Rodgers’ cycle of reflection to make sense of these changes. Specifically, the study aims to understand how the focal faculty member’s participation in reflection in the context of the FOLC changes over time. Results: Analysis via Rodgers’ reflection framework revealed changes in the way Leslie participated in reflection within the context of the FOLC. The faculty participant optimized her teaching practice through iterative cycles of reflection with the FOLC cluster. As a result, she became more satisfied with the curriculum and her implementation over time. Conclusions: Faculty encounter challenges when adopting RBISs that must be addressed in real time. Reflection accompanied by ongoing community support via the Next Gen PET FOLC can provide support for changes in practice and increase faculty satisfaction with RBISs. The results contribute to evidence that community building and ongoing support in implementing new curricula is integral to the adaptation process, and FOLCs can provide that support to sustain long-term change.
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21967822
|
EDUCATION
|
10.1186/s40594-020-00220-9
|
Development of the student course cognitive engagement instrument (SCCEI) for college engineering courses
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Background: Evidence shows that students who are actively engaged with learning materials demonstrate greater learning gains than those who are passively engaged. Indeed, cognitive engagement is often cited as a critical component of an educational experience. However, understanding how and in what ways cognitive engagement occurs remains a challenge for engineering educators. In particular, there exists a need to measure and evaluate engagement in ways that provide information for instructors to deploy concrete, actionable steps to foster students’ cognitive engagement. The present study reports the development and gathering of validation evidence for a quantitative instrument to measure students’ in-class cognitive engagement. The instrument was informed by Wylie and Chi’s ICAP (Interactive Constructive Active Passive) model of active learning, as well as contextual concerns within engineering courses. Results: The process followed the classical measurement model of scale development. We provide a detailed overview of the item development and scale validation processes, focusing on the creation of individual subscales to measure different modes of cognition within learning contexts. Multiple rounds of testing the student course cognitive engagement instrument (SCCEI) in college engineering courses provided evidence of validity. This indicated the reliable measurement of student cognitive engagement in the context of notetaking, processing material, and interacting with peers in the classroom. Results suggest differentiating modes of cognitive engagement is indeed applicable when considering students’ in-class notetaking and processing of material. Conclusions: Findings point towards the need for additional engagement scales that expand the instrument’s ability to distinguish between particular activities within a mode of engagement as defined by ICAP. The present study contributes to the growing body of literature on cognitive engagement of engineering students. Results address the development of measurement tools with evidence of validity for use in STEM education.
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21967822
|
EDUCATION
|
10.1186/s40359-020-00421-5
|
Social media use disorder and loneliness: any association between the two? Results of a cross-sectional study among Lebanese adults
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Background: In Lebanon, it is already established that mental disorders are prevalent among the population. Lebanese people are active users of social media platforms. To date, no study has previously explored the relationship between mental health and social media use disorder in Lebanon. The present study aims to learn more about the link between social media use disorder and loneliness among Lebanese people. Methods: This cross-sectional study was carried out between January and December 2018. It enrolled 456 residents of the community randomly selected from Lebanon’s governorates in a proportionate rate. Results: The results showed that 107 (23.7%) participants were classified as having social media use disorder. The results of a stepwise linear regression, taking the loneliness score as the dependent variable, showed that female gender compared to males (Beta = 0.42), having a secondary level of education compared to illiteracy (Beta = 0.65), higher social media use disorder (Beta = 0.03) and higher insomnia (Beta = 0.02) and alexithymia (Beta = 0.02) were significantly associated with higher loneliness. Conclusion: The present study was able to contribute to the literature and showed the association between social media use disorder and loneliness. These findings can benefit psychologists and public health practitioners in their future prevention and intervention plans.
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20507283
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PSYCHOLOGY
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10.3389/fonc.2020.549220
|
Survival Outcomes and Prognostic Analysis Following Greater Cytoreductive Radiotherapy in Patients With Metastatic Prostate Cancer
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Purpose: To assess the survival outcomes of patients with metastatic prostate cancer (mPCa) who undergo greater cytoreductive radiotherapy in a real-world clinical practice and determine their prognostic factors. Methods: We performed a retrospective study of 160 patients with mPCa who underwent cytoreductive radiotherapy between 2009 and 2018 at a single institution. The degree of the cytoreductive burden was calculated for each patient. Overall survival (OS) was calculated from the date of detection of metastases. Variables associated with prostate-specific antigen (PSA) response and OS were evaluated via univariate and multivariate analyses. Results: The median follow-up period was 47.2 months. The median OS was 42.3 months with a 5-year OS rate of 37.9%. The PSA levels of 90 patients (56.7%) decline by > 50% after radiotherapy. The 5-year OS rates of patients who underwent total, major, and minor cytoreductive radiotherapy were 53.4, 38.2, 17.6%, respectively; the corresponding median OS intervals were 62.5, 41.0, and 24.4 months, respectively (P < 0.001). A greater extent of cytoreduction (P < 0.05), lower PSA at radiotherapy initiation [hazard ratio 0.51, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.33–0.78; P = 0.002] and better PSA response [hazard ratio 0.47, 95% CI 0.30–0.72; P < 0.001] were independent factors associated with superior OS. A high metastatic burden (as defined in the CHAARTED trial) was the only independent predictor of a poorer PSA response (odds ratio 0.36, 95% CI 0.19–0.69; P = 0.002). Grade 2 late gastrointestinal and genitourinary toxicities were observed in 3 and 2 patients, respectively, and only 1 patient had grade 3 late gastrointestinal toxicity. Conclusion: Cytoreductive radiotherapy is effective and safe in select patients with mPCa. Greater cytoreduction, together with lower PSA at radiotherapy initiation and improved PSA response are favorable prognostic factors. Further studies are needed to confirm our findings.
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2234943X
|
ONCOLOGY
|
10.3389/feduc.2020.00146
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OER4Schools: Outcomes of a Sustained Professional Development Intervention in Sub-Saharan Africa
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Sustaining educational initiatives beyond short-term pilot projects is highly challenging in low-income countries. We describe the outcomes and implications of our iterative Design-Based Implementation Research conducted in Zambia. This focused on a unique, school-based, peer-facilitated professional learning programme for primary teachers: OER4Schools integrates interactive pedagogy, open digital educational resources and mobile learning. Teacher interviews carried out 18 months after a year-long intervention showed that the programme became self-sustaining; earlier participants reported further development of their interactive teaching strategies and awareness of pupil progress; recent joiners developed similarly. Roles of teachers and pupils changed and a new classroom culture emerged. The study identifies the key mechanisms involved in sustainability, including culturally sensitive and participatory development and implementation, semi-structured multimedia materials, and supportive organisational structures for sustained professional learning. Our findings are hence framed by sociocultural influences as well as the wider policy context.
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2504284X
|
EDUCATION
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10.3389/fonc.2020.562189
|
Inhibitory Effect of a Microecological Preparation on Azoxymethane/Dextran Sodium Sulfate-Induced Inflammatory Colorectal Cancer in Mice
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This study aims to investigate the antitumor effect and the possible mechanism of a microecological preparation (JK5G) in mice. The mice treated with AOM/DSS were then randomly divided into the two model groups and the JK5G group, and the blank control group was included. Fecal samples were used for liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry and 16S rRNA gene sequencing analyses to reveal metabolic perturbations and gut flora disorders to demonstrate the effects of JK5G. Compared with the mice in the control group, the weight and food intake of mice after JK5G treatment were both upregulated. Moreover, JK5G could inhibit the growth of colon tumors and prolong the survival rate of mice, as well as inhibit the levels of cytokines in serum. The proportions of lymphocytes, T cells, CD3+CD4+ T cells, and CD3+CD8+ T cells in the spleen of the JK5G mice were all significantly increased compared to those in the control group (p < 0.05). Similarly, compared with the model group, the proportions of lymphocytes, B cells, T cells, natural killer T cells, CD3+CD4+ T cells, and CD3+CD8+ T cells in the intestinal tumors of the JK5G mice were significantly increased (p < 0.05). Furthermore, 16S rRNA high-throughput sequencing data revealed that Alloprevotella in the JK5G group was significantly upregulated, and Ruminiclostridium, Prevotellaceae_UCG_001, and Acetitomaculum were significantly downregulated. Fecal and serum metabolite analysis detected 939 metabolites, such as sildenafil and pyridoxamine, as well as 20 metabolites, including N-Palmitoyl tyrosine and dihydroergotamine, which were differentially expressed between the JK5G and model groups. Integrated analysis of 16s rRNA and metabolomics data showed that there were 19 functional relationship pairs, including 8 altered microbiota, such as Ruminiclostridium and Prevotellaceae_UCG_001, and 16 disturbed metabolites between the JK5G and model groups. This study revealed that JK5G treatment was involved in the growth of colorectal cancer, which may be associated with the role of JK5G in improving the nutritional status of mice and regulating the tumor microenvironment by regulating the changes of intestinal microbiota and metabolite bands on different pathways.
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2234943X
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ONCOLOGY
|
10.3389/fpsyg.2020.02180
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Prejudice, Does It Exist or Not? Consumer Price Discrimination in Minority Entrepreneurship
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Many prior studies on minority entrepreneurship have found that some consumers display a strong bias against products from minority ventures. Not surprisingly, discrimination against products sold by minority-owned businesses increases the failure rate for such ventures. This paper seeks to verify the extent of consumer discrimination for minority products, and investigates whether it varies among different products. Building on insights from the theory of consumer discrimination, we conducted a comparative behavior experiment on 155 subjects for the expected pricing of two new products (common products and products with ethnic characteristics). Consistent with prior literature, we found that potential consumers held a bias against common products from minority ventures and offered a lower price. However, the theory of consumer discrimination could not be applied to the products with ethnic characteristics. Instead, potential consumers viewed ethnic characteristics products from minority ventures as being high quality and offered higher prices. This finding complements the theory of consumer discrimination and provides useful knowledge for minority entrepreneurs: minority entrepreneurs can employ price discrimination to strengthen the ethnic brand’s impression by integrating ethnic cultural features into new products.
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16641078
|
PSYCHOLOGY
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10.1186/s40594-020-00252-1
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Gender gaps in the performance of Norwegian biology students: the roles of test anxiety and science confidence
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Background: Understanding student motivational factors such as test anxiety and science confidence is important for increasing retention in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM), especially for underrepresented students, such as women. We investigated motivational metrics in over 400 introductory biology students in Norway, a country lauded for its gender equality. Specifically, we measured test anxiety and science confidence and combined students’ survey responses with their performance in the class. Results: We found that female students expressed more test anxiety than did their male counterparts, and the anxiety they experienced negatively predicted their performance in class. By contrast, the anxiety male students experienced did not predict their performance. Conversely, men had higher confidence than women, and confidence interacted with gender, so that the difference between its impact on men’s and women’s performance was marginally significant. Conclusions: Our findings have implications for STEM instructors, in Norway and beyond: specifically, to counter gender-based performance gaps in STEM courses, minimize the effects of test anxiety.
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21967822
|
EDUCATION
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10.3389/frai.2020.509354
|
Deep Active Inference and Scene Construction
|
Adaptive agents must act in intrinsically uncertain environments with complex latent structure. Here, we elaborate a model of visual foraging—in a hierarchical context—wherein agents infer a higher-order visual pattern (a “scene”) by sequentially sampling ambiguous cues. Inspired by previous models of scene construction—that cast perception and action as consequences of approximate Bayesian inference—we use active inference to simulate decisions of agents categorizing a scene in a hierarchically-structured setting. Under active inference, agents develop probabilistic beliefs about their environment, while actively sampling it to maximize the evidence for their internal generative model. This approximate evidence maximization (i.e., self-evidencing) comprises drives to both maximize rewards and resolve uncertainty about hidden states. This is realized via minimization of a free energy functional of posterior beliefs about both the world as well as the actions used to sample or perturb it, corresponding to perception and action, respectively. We show that active inference, in the context of hierarchical scene construction, gives rise to many empirical evidence accumulation phenomena, such as noise-sensitive reaction times and epistemic saccades. We explain these behaviors in terms of the principled drives that constitute the expected free energy, the key quantity for evaluating policies under active inference. In addition, we report novel behaviors exhibited by these active inference agents that furnish new predictions for research on evidence accumulation and perceptual decision-making. We discuss the implications of this hierarchical active inference scheme for tasks that require planned sequences of information-gathering actions to infer compositional latent structure (such as visual scene construction and sentence comprehension). This work sets the stage for future experiments to investigate active inference in relation to other formulations of evidence accumulation (e.g., drift-diffusion models) in tasks that require planning in uncertain environments with higher-order structure.
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26248212
|
AI
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10.1007/s00432-020-03432-2
|
Experimental and clinical studies on radiation and curcumin in human glioma
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Purpose: There is progressing evidence for the anti-cancer potential of the natural compound and dietary spice curcumin. Curcumin has been ascribed to be cytotoxic for various tumour cell types, to inhibit cell proliferation and to interfere with the cellular oxidant status. The compound has been notified as a therapeutic agent with radiosensitizing potential in brain tumour therapy. We considered the rationale to combine curcumin with radiation in the treatment of human glioblastoma multiforme (GBM). Method: Determination of clonogenic cell survival following exposure of U251 human glioma cells to single dose (1–6 Gy) and fractionated irradiation (5 daily fractions of 2 Gy) without and with curcumin. Additional literature search focused on the interaction between curcumin and radiotherapy in experimental and clinical studies on human glioma. Results: No interaction was found on the survival of U251 human glioma cells after irradiation in combination with curcumin at clinically achievable concentrations. Experimental in vitro and in vivo data together with clinical bioavailability data from the literature do not give evidence for a radiosensitizing effect of curcumin. Reported GBM intratumoural curcumin concentrations are too low to either exert an own cytotoxic effect or to synergistically interact with radiation. Novel approaches are being explored to increase the bioavailability of curcumin and to facilitate transport over the blood–brain barrier, aimed to reach therapeutic curcumin levels at the tumour site. Conclusion: There is neither a biological nor clinical rationale for using curcumin as radiosensitizer in the therapy of GBM patients.
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14321335
|
ONCOLOGY
|
10.3389/fpsyg.2020.566684
|
Unbiased Decisions Among Women’s Basketball Referees
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Decisions often reflect implicit biases. Ethnic, racial, and gender traits are associated with stereotypes that may influence the decision-making process. Previous research shows that referees’ decisions in men’s professional sports are often biased in favor of racial and nationalistic in-groups. This study examined if similar biases exist in women’s professional sports. Additionally, this study analyzed the potential influence of the gender composition of referee teams on rapid decisions. We gathered data on referee foul calls in women’s professional basketball in Spain, 2014–2019 and defined important decisions (fifth fouls) and stressful situations (one-possession matches). The main finding is that out-groups based on racial (i.e., Black players) and nationalistic (i.e., foreign players) criteria did not differ in number of foul calls received. In stressful situations, foreign players actually received fewer fouls than Spanish players. Similarly, there was no evidence of bias due to the gender composition of referee teams: foul calls did not differ between all-male and mixed teams. Implications for race and nationality as dynamic social constructs within ethnocentric and social identity theories are discussed.
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16641078
|
PSYCHOLOGY
|
10.1186/s40594-020-00253-0
|
Variation in which key motivational and academic resources relate to academic performance disparities across introductory college courses
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Background: Differences in post-secondary academic outcomes along dimensions of gender, race/ethnicity, and socioeconomic status are a major concern. Few studies have considered differences in patterns of academic outcomes and underlying mechanisms driving disparities across different STEM disciplines. Using data from about 4000 undergraduates in introductory STEM courses at a large, urban university in the eastern United States, this study examines how differences in course grades by gender, race/ethnicity, and parent education vary in introductory chemistry, physics, and psychology courses. In addition, structural equation modeling techniques examine whether academic resources and discipline-specific motivational attitudes are important mediators of demographic differences in course grades.Results: This study finds that women have higher course grades than men on average in psychology, and men have marginally higher grades than women in physics. In addition, students whose race/ethnicity is represented or overrepresented in these courses (students who are White and or Asian) have higher course grades in chemistry and physics and marginally higher grades in psychology on average compared with underrepresented students (who are Black, Latinx, Native American, Pacific Islander, and or other racial/ethnic backgrounds). Further, first-generation college students have lower course grades in physics and psychology on average than students with a college-educated parent. The largest average differences in course performance are about half a full letter grade (e.g., the difference between a B and an A−). This study also finds that some demographic differences in physics and chemistry performance are linked to math resources whereas some disparities in psychology are more related to verbal resources. In addition, the results suggest discipline-specific self-efficacy is a motivational attitude associated with course performance in chemistry, physics, and psychology, while discipline-specific interest is only relevant in chemistry.Conclusions: Overall, the findings emphasize that there are demographic differences in post-secondary course performance on average, and academic resources and motivational attitudes help explain these differences. Importantly, the specific findings differ across chemistry, physics, and psychology. Understanding these pathways and how they are similar and different across disciplines within STEM is crucial for developing interventions aimed at attenuating disparities in post-secondary academic outcomes.
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21967822
|
EDUCATION
|
10.3389/fpsyg.2020.570216
|
Psychological Pathways Linking Public Trust During the Coronavirus Pandemic to Mental and Physical Well-being
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The well-being of the public during the 2019 coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic is deeply rooted in institutional trust in the government’s risk communication effort. The objective of this study was to examine the psychological pathway through which public trust in the government is associated with mental and physical well-being. We collected cross-sectional data from 501 participants aged ≥18 years using an online panel. Public trust in the government was assessed as our exposure variable. We screened for psychological distress by combining the Patient Health Questionnaire and the General Anxiety Disorder scale. Physical well-being was examined using self-rated health. We further assessed the roles of risk perceptions. The author conducted a one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), Pearson’s correlations, multivariable regressions, and mediation analyses (using the Preachers and Hayes’ approach). Participants were 55.29% female, 67.86% Caucasian/white with a mean age of 32.44 ± 11.94 years. Public trust in the government regarding COVID-19 was negatively correlated with psychological distress (r = −0.20; p < 0.001) and positively associated with physical well-being (r = 0.13; p < 0.001). After adjusting for sociodemographic and socioeconomic factors, public trust remained negatively associated with psychological distress (β = −0.19; 95% confidence intervals, [CI] −0.30, −0.09) and positively associated with physical well-being (β = 0.26; 95% CI [0.16, −0.37]). Perceived self-efficacy to practice COVID-19 protective behavior partially mediated the relationship between public trust and psychological distress (13.07%); and physical well-being (28.02%). Perceived self-efficacy to protect self against COVID-19 infection can serve as a psychological pathway through which public trust may be associated with mental and physical health.
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16641078
|
PSYCHOLOGY
|
10.3389/frai.2020.544972
|
AI for Improving Children’s Health: A Community Case Study
|
The Indian health care system lacks the infrastructure to meet the health care demands of the country. Physician and nurse availability is 30 and 50% below WHO recommendations, respectively, and has led to a steep imbalance between the demand for health care and the infrastructure available to support it. Among other concerns, India still struggles with challenges like undernutrition, with 38% of children under the age of five being underweight. Despite these challenges, technological advancements, mobile phone ubiquity and rising patient awareness offers a huge opportunity for artificial intelligence to enable efficient healthcare delivery, by improved targeting of constrained resources. The Saathealth mobile app provides low-middle income parents of young children nflwith interactive children’s health, nutrition and development content in the form of an entertaining video series, a gamified quiz journey and targeted notifications. The app iteratively evolves the user journey based on dynamic data and predictive algorithms, empowering a shift from reactive to proactive care. Saathealth users have registered over 500,000 sessions and over 200 million seconds on-app engagement over a year, comparing favorably with engagement on other digital health interventions in underserved communities. We have used valuable app analytics data and insights from our 45,000 users to build scalable, predictive models that were validated for specific use cases. Using the Random Forest model with heterogeneous data allowed us to predict user churn with a 93% accuracy. Predicting user lifetimes on the mobile app for preliminary insights gave us an RMSE of 25.09 days and an R2 value of 0.91, reflecting closely correlated predictions. These predictive algorithms allow us to incentivize users with optimized offers and omni-channel nudges, to increase engagement with content as well as other targeted online and offline behaviors. The algorithms also optimize the effectiveness of our intervention by augmenting personalized experiences and directing limited health resources toward populations that are most resistant to digital first interventions. These and similar AI powered algorithms will allow us to lengthen and deepen the lifetime relationship with our health consumers, making more of them effective, proactive participants in improving children’s health, nutrition and early cognitive development.
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26248212
|
AI
|
10.3389/fpsyg.2020.621065
|
University Students’ Motives-for-Physical-Activity Profiles: Why They Practise and What They Get in Terms of Psychological Need Satisfaction
|
Physical activity (PA) is an important habit for overall health and quality of life, but it tends to recede as young adults transition from high school into university. The present study sought to understand, in the case of university students that still practice PA, their motives for PA and their relationships with psychological need satisfaction (PNS) and characteristics of practice regularity (frequency, duration, team, competitive, coach, league, federation, and type of day of the week for PA). Participants were 423 university students who reported to practice PA (203 identified as men, 191 as women, 29 did not report gender), with ages ranging from 18 to 30 years old (M = 19.91, SD = 1.97). Measures assessing motives for PA, PNS, and PA characteristics were completed. Hierarchical, followed by iterative, cluster analysis was used and four naturally occurring groupings of university students were identified based on their motives for PA: one extrinsic-motives cluster (with both extrinsic motives—fitness and appearance—above the mean), one all-motives cluster (with all five motives above the mean), one intrinsic-motives cluster (with all three intrinsic motives—enjoyment, competence, social—above the mean), and one low-motives cluster (with all motives below the mean). Groupings were compared in terms of the characteristics of their practice regularity (frequency, duration, competition, team, coach, league, federation, type of day of the week used for PA) and their levels of PNS (of the needs for autonomy, competence, and relatedness in PA). Significant between-group differences were observed in the duration of single principal PA sessions, minutes per week practicing main PA, total PA minutes per week, and type of day of the week used for PA. The number of days per week devoted to the principal PA and the number of total PAs practiced were similar across all four clusters. With regard to between-group differences in psychological need satisfaction in PA by cluster, these analyses showed the existence of four clearly distinguishable naturally occurring groupings based on motives for PA, which gives researchers and practitioners the possibility to analyze and implement tailored interventions aimed at promoting PA among university students.
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16641078
|
PSYCHOLOGY
|
10.3389/fpsyg.2021.610817
|
The Effects of Viewing Cute Pictures on Performance During a Basketball Free-Throw Task
|
Previous studies have shown that viewing cute pictures leads to performance improvement in a subsequent fine motor task. We examined the beneficial effects of viewing cute pictures in a more complex sporting skill (i.e., basketball free throws) by comparing three conditions (viewing baby animal pictures, adult animal pictures, and no pictures) and two tests (no-pressure and pressure). The participants, all of whom were college basketball players, performed 16 free throws in each condition. In the no-pressure test, male participants improved performance after viewing pictures of baby animals but not after adult animals and no pictures. In the pressure test, no significant improvement was observed. For female participants, the cuteness-viewing effect was not observed in both tests. The results suggest that viewing cute pictures may improve performance during basketball free throws in a low-pressure situation by narrowing the breadth of attentional focus and inducing approach motivation and caregiving behaviors.
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16641078
|
PSYCHOLOGY
|
10.3389/frai.2021.654154
|
Dissemination Dynamics of Receding Words: A Diachronic Case Study of Whom
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We explore the relationship between word dissemination and frequency change for a rapidly receding feature, the relativizer whom. The success of newly emerging words has been shown to correlate with high dissemination scores. However, the reverse—a correlation of lower dissemination scores with receding features—has not been investigated. Based on two established and two newly developed measures of word dissemination—across texts, linguistic environments, registers, and topics—we show that a general correlation between dissemination and frequency does not obtain in the case of whom. Different dissemination measures diverge from each other and show internally variable developments. These can, however, be explained with reference to the specific sociolinguistic history of whom over the past 300 years. Our findings suggest that the relationship between dissemination and word success is not static, but needs to be contextualized against different stages in individual words’ life-cycles. Our study demonstrates the applicability of large-scale, quantitative measures to qualitatively informed sociolinguistic research.
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26248212
|
AI
|
10.1007/s44196-023-00263-0
|
Thermal Error Modeling of Numerical Control Machine Based on Beetle Antennae Search Back-propagation Neural Networks
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Thermal errors are one key impact factor on the processing accuracy of numerical control machine. This study targeted at a certain vertical processing center presents a new algorithm for predictive modeling of thermal errors in numerical control machine. This algorithm is founded on back-propagation neural networks (BPNNs) and adopts beetle antennae search (BAS) to find the best weights and thresholds of BPNNs. It avoids the local minimization due to local extremums faced by traditional BPNNs. The intermingling rate and arithmetic computation efficiency of neural network algorithms are further improved. Then, a BAS-BP thermal error prediction model is built with the machine temperature changes and thermal errors as the input data. Compared with conventional BPNNs, the BPNN after particle swarm optimization suggests the convergence rate of BAS-BP is improved by 85%, the leftover mistakes between the genuine information and the anticipated information are under 1 um, and the overall prediction precision is above 90%. Thus, the new model has high precision, high anti-disturbance ability and strong robustness.
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18756883
|
AI
|
10.3390/educsci13050530
|
Digital Literacy and Digital Self-Efficacy of Australian Technology Teachers
|
Agriculture is being increasingly transformed into a technological industry and calls for a greater need for digitally literate employees. To ensure school students are best placed for this requirement, the development of teacher digital literacy, self-efficacy, and the awareness of agricultural technology is essential. The current study explores the digital literacy and self-efficacy of Australian Technology Mandatory teachers who were participants in a one-day workshop (n = 185). The workshop introduced participants to the GPS Cows module, a complete teaching resource specifically designed to cover agricultural aspects of the Technology Mandatory syllabus. Data were collected by way of classroom ‘clickers’ during the workshop and by a post-workshop survey. Teachers were found to have reasonable basic digital literacy but lacked the confidence to conduct more detailed analytics. There was also some evidence that a teacher’s own digital literacy may also impact their perception of their students’ skills. Professional development workshops, such as the GPS Cows workshop, can improve teacher digital literacy and self-efficacy through hands-on learning in a collaborative, team environment.
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22277102
|
EDUCATION
|
10.1007/s00432-023-04941-6
|
Nodal frozen section + elective neck dissection as an alternative to sentinel lymph node biopsy for the management of cT1-2N0 oral squamous cell carcinoma patients: a viability and accuracy study
|
Purpose: Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma (OSCC) is characterized by a high aggressiveness and a tendency to metastasize. The management of the neck in cT1-2N0 patients c follows three strategies: watchful waiting, elective neck dissection (END) or sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB). The aim was to assess the viability of intraoperative frozen sections of the nodes of cT1-2N0 to spot occult metastases as an alternative to SLNB, performing a modified radical neck dissection (MRND) in intraoperatively positive patients. Methods: The patients were treated at the Maxillo-Facial Surgery Unit of Policlinico San Marco of Catania between 2020 and 2022. END was performed in all patients, including frozen section examination of at least one clinically suspicious node per level. In case of positivity after frozen section examination, neck dissection was extended to levels IV and V. Results: All frozen sections were compared with a definitive test after paraffin inclusion. During surgery, 70 END were performed, and 210 nodes were analyzed with frozen sections. Among the 70 END, 52 were negative after frozen Sects. (156 negative nodes), and surgery was ended. Five of the 52 negative ENDs resulted in pN + after paraffin inclusion (9.6%), which underwent postoperative adjuvant treatment. The sensibility of our END + frozen section method was 75%, while the specificity of our test was 94%. The negative predictive value was 90,4%. Conclusions: Elective neck dissection + intraoperative frozen section could be an alternative to SLNB to spot occult nodal metastases in cT1-2N0 OSCC due to the opportunity to perform a one-step diagnostic/therapeutic procedure.
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14321335
|
ONCOLOGY
|
10.1007/s00432-023-04936-3
|
Should I call psycho-oncology? Training nurses on psycho-oncological screening reduces uncertainties
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Purpose: Psycho-oncological screening is required to identify distressed patients and direct them to psycho-oncological care. In practice, screening procedure and related communication are still insufficient due to various barriers on the side of the medical team. The aim of this study is to evaluate the specifically developed training (OptiScreen training) on screening from nurses’ perspective. Methods: N = 72 nurses from visceral–oncological care at Hanover Medical School received the 6-h training, which consisted of three modules and targeted topics around screening, psycho-oncology and communication. The training was evaluated using a pre- and post-questionnaire assessing screening knowledge, uncertainties and further satisfaction outcomes. Results: Personal uncertainties were significantly reduced by the training (t(63) = − 13.32, p < .001, d = 1.67). General satisfaction with the training was achieved (62.0–98.6% satisfied with the training elements). Feasibility (69%) and general acceptance (94.3%) for the training were rated positively. Conclusion: The nurses rated the training as useful to reduce personal uncertainties regarding the screening process. Acceptability, feasibility and satisfaction with the training from the nursing perspective were achieved. The training contributes to minimizing barriers to inform about psycho-oncology and to recommend appropriate support services to patients.
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14321335
|
ONCOLOGY
|
10.3390/educsci13070648
|
Constructing a Novel E-Learning Course, Educational Computational Chemistry through Instructional Design Approach in the TPASK Framework
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The educational scenario after the COVID-19 confinement presents new challenges for teachers. Technological advances require teachers to be prepared for instruction through technology, and with this, the need for e-learning courses arose to strengthen this knowledge. This article aims to describe an innovative e-learning course in Educational Computational Chemistry (ECC) for in-service chemistry teachers through an Instructional Design (ID) that allows the development of the constructs associated with the Technological Pedagogical Science Knowledge (TPASK) framework. From the literature overview, relevant findings were raised concerning ID and its potential technological support. The results indicate that an effective ID must present general elements, such as the organisation and generation of content, progress monitoring, and feedback instances. However, the stages of engagement, flexibility, and positioning are relevant elements. These design elements are linked to emerging technological tools, such as artificial intelligence for generating audiovisual material, interactive content development, and event logs. In addition, positive results are evident from the teachers who participated in the ECC e-learning course, who project the knowledge, computer skills, and learning acquired into their professional work as chemistry teachers. Based on the above, a course design for ECC is proposed with general guidelines that contribute to the continuous training of in-service chemistry teachers.
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22277102
|
EDUCATION
|
10.1186/s40594-023-00439-2
|
Exploring senior engineering students’ engineering identity: the impact of practice-oriented learning experiences
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Background: Engineering identity reflects students' acceptance and recognition of engineering, which has a great influence on their willingness to enter and stay in the engineering field. Existing studies have shown that curricular and co-curricular practice-oriented experiences may be helpful for developing students’ engineering identity. However, the actual impact of various practice-oriented learning experiences remained to be further examined. This quantitative study aims to explore the impact of three types of practice-oriented learning experiences (capstone experiences, technological innovation and entrepreneurship competitions, and engineering-related internships) in the development of engineering talents' engineering identity. A theoretical framework of engineering identity, which consists of three dimensions, that is, Interest, Performance/Competence and Recognition, was adopted to guide the research. Results: Through responses from 160 senior engineering students at a leading research intensive Chinese university, the study explored the relationships between engagement in practice-oriented learning experiences and engineering identity. Senior capstone design was found to be associated positively with students' development of engineering identity and recognition by others. Participating in two or more technological innovation and entrepreneurship competitions associated positively with students' development of engineering identity, performance/competence and recognition. Meanwhile, internships did not show any statistically significant effect on engineering identity. Moreover, by analyzing the potential mediating effect, we found that recognition played a complete intermediary role between senior capstone design and engineering identity. In addition, recognition and performance/competence mediated the relationship between twice or more technological innovation and entrepreneurship competitions and engineering identity. Conclusions: These findings add to our current understanding about the role of different practice-oriented learning activities on students’ development of engineering identity. These findings point to the importance of learning activities, including technological innovation and entrepreneurship competitions and senior capstone design, on the development of engineering identity. Moreover, the results highlighted the important role of students’ engagement in multiple authentic engineering projects throughout the curriculum and their gaining recognitions through these project experiences. Based on these findings, practical suggestions are proposed to help nurture students’ engineering identity. In addition, future qualitative investigations about the underlying mechanisms are recommended to facilitate the understanding of students’ development of engineering identity.
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21967822
|
EDUCATION
|
10.3390/ejihpe13070091
|
The Effect of STEAM Activities Based on Experiential Learning on Ninth Graders’ Mental Motivation
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The impact of STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math) on pupils’ learning has been increasingly highlighted recently. This study aims to shed light on the effect of STEAM activities based on experiential learning on ninth graders’ mental motivation and learning. The present research adopted a mixed methodology (quantitative and qualitative). The study sample consisted of 90 students divided into three groups. The tools utilized in conducting the study included California Measurement Mental Motivation, and semi-structured interviews with (10) participants. The tools’ validity and reliability were verified. After data were analyzed, the findings showed statically significant differences between students’ post average scores regarding mental motivation due to teaching method, and in favor of the experimental groups (face-to-face STEAM activities, online STEAM activities). This provides tangible proof for the need to include STEAM activities in school curricula to enhance learners’ curiosity, problem-solving skills and self-confidence through learning, as well as their task accomplishment ability.
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22549625
|
PSYCHOLOGY
|
10.3390/cancers15143683
|
Xpert Bladder Cancer Monitor for the Early Detection of Non-Muscle Invasive Bladder Cancer Recurrences: Could Cystoscopy Be Substituted?
|
XBM was prospectively assessed in spontaneous urine collected just before flexible cystoscopy and washing cytology carried out within the first 2 years follow-up of 337 patients with NMIBC. Recurrences were pathologically confirmed in 49 patients (14.5%), 22 of them being high-risk (6.5%). The XBM sensitivity for detecting any type of recurrence was 69.4% and 63.6% in the cases of high-risk NMIBC. Negative predictive value (NPV) for XBM was 93% for all recurrences and 96.2% for high-risk recurrences. XBM could have avoided 213 invasive controls but missed the detection of 15 recurrences (30.6%)–8 of them of high-risk (36.4%). XBM false positive elevations were detected in 90 patients (26.7%), whereas 10 patients with the invasive method had a false positive result (3%), p <0.001. However, early detection of recurrences during the first year’s follow-up after an XBM false positive result was observed in 18 patients (20%). On the other hand, 19 recurrences were detected during this period among the rest of the patients (7.7%)—p = 0.003, and odds ratio (OR) 3.0 (95% CI 1.5–6.0). Regarding one-year follow-up recurrences, 10% were high-risk recurrences in the XBM false positive group and 3.2% in the rest of the patients—p = 0.021, and OR 3.3 (95% CI 1.2–8.9). Additionally, 11.3% of the patients without false positive results developed a recurrence, p = 0.897, for any recurrence, being 10% and 5.2%, respectively, and high-risk and low-risk recurrences, p = 0.506. After searching for the best XBM cutoff for detecting the 38 high-risk initial recurrences and the early high-risk recurrences after a one-year follow-up, a linear discriminant analysis (LDA) of 0.13 could have avoided 11.3% of cystoscopies and bladder wash cytologies, as this cutoff missed only 1 high-risk recurrence (2.6%). More extensive and well-designed studies will confirm if XBM can improve the surveillance of NMIBC.
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20726694
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ONCOLOGY
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10.3390/cancers15153796
|
Modelling the Tumour Microenvironment, but What Exactly Do We Mean by “Model”?
|
The Oxford English Dictionary includes 17 definitions for the word “model” as a noun and another 11 as a verb. Therefore, context is necessary to understand the meaning of the word model. For instance, “model railways” refer to replicas of railways and trains at a smaller scale and a “model student” refers to an exemplary individual. In some cases, a specific context, like cancer research, may not be sufficient to provide one specific meaning for model. Even if the context is narrowed, specifically, to research related to the tumour microenvironment, “model” can be understood in a wide variety of ways, from an animal model to a mathematical expression. This paper presents a review of different “models” of the tumour microenvironment, as grouped by different definitions of the word into four categories: model organisms, in vitro models, mathematical models and computational models. Then, the frequencies of different meanings of the word “model” related to the tumour microenvironment are measured from numbers of entries in the MEDLINE database of the United States National Library of Medicine at the National Institutes of Health. The frequencies of the main components of the microenvironment and the organ-related cancers modelled are also assessed quantitatively with specific keywords. Whilst animal models, particularly xenografts and mouse models, are the most commonly used “models”, the number of these entries has been slowly decreasing. Mathematical models, as well as prognostic and risk models, follow in frequency, and these have been growing in use.
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20726694
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ONCOLOGY
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10.3390/educsci13080774
|
Adapted Education for Gifted Students in Norway: A Mixed Methods Study
|
In this article, we describe the mixed methods research (i.e., quantitative survey and qualitative interviews) we conducted to investigate adapted education for gifted students in Norway. The survey results showed that the teachers (n = 132) used differentiation strategies and agreed that gifted students need an adapted education that extends beyond the regular curriculum. We identified three themes related to adapted education based on an analysis of the student interview data (n = 17, aged 12–15) and four themes based on an analysis of the teachers’ responses to the open-ended survey question regarding adapted education. We also investigated similarities and differences between teacher and student themes: both groups reported similar enrichment strategies applied within adapted education and similar barriers and systematic challenges to its facilitation.
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22277102
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EDUCATION
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10.3390/cancers15153917
|
Novel Discovery of the Somatostatin Receptor (SSTR2) in Pleomorphic Adenomas via Immunohistochemical Analysis of Tumors of the Salivary Glands
|
Reliable preoperative diagnosis between salivary gland tumor entities is difficult. In this monocentric retrospective study, we examined the somatostatin receptor 2 (SSTR2) status of salivary gland tumors after salivary gland tumor resection via immunohistochemistry (IHC), and stains were compared in analogy to the HER2 mamma scale. A total of 42.3% of all pleomorphic adenoma (PA) tumors (42 of 99, 95% confidence interval 32.5–52.8%) demonstrated ≥20% of cells displaying the SSTR2 as compared to just 1% of all other tumors (1/160, 95% CI 0.02–3.4%). The other tumor was a neuroendocrine carcinoma. PA had a higher intensity of SSTR2 staining, with 90.9% staining ≥ an intensity of 2 (moderate). Tumors with an intensity of SSTR2 expression equal to or greater than 2 had an 89.9% likelihood of being a PA (95% CI: 82.2–95.0%, AUC: 0.928). Only one Warthin tumor demonstrated a ‘strong’ SSTR2 staining intensity. No Warthin tumor showed a percentage of cells staining for SSTR2 above ≥20%. This result demonstrates consistent and strong expression of SSTR2 in PAs as compared to Warthin tumors, which may allow physicians to utilize radioligand-somatostatin analog PET CT/MR imaging to diagnose the PA. SSTR2 positivity, if shown to be clinically relevant, may allow peptide receptor radionuclide therapy in the future.
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20726694
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ONCOLOGY
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10.3390/ejihpe13090135
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Association of Outdoor Physical Activity and Sports with Life Satisfaction among Women of Reproductive Age According to a European Representative Sample—A Longitudinal Analysis
|
(1) Background: Low life satisfaction (LS) is associated with impaired mental and physical health. Outdoor physical activity (PA) has diverse somatic and psychological benefits. This study aimed to analyse the associations between sports settings and LS in women of reproductive age. (2) Methods: Special Eurobarometer on Sport and Physical Activity (2022, 2018, 2013) data on regularity and settings of sports/PA, LS and sociodemographic variables were analysed. The representative sample consisted of 18,489 women (34.60 ± 9.36 years). Pearson χ2 test and multivariate logistic regression analysis were conducted, using IBM SPSS version 28.0 according to the STROBE guidelines. The significance level was set at p < 0.05. (3) There was a significant difference in LS based on sports settings (χ2 = 409.696, p < 0.001). In the outdoor group, a 21.4% higher probability of being “very satisfied” compared to the non-outdoor, 30.0% higher compared to the inactive group, was found (R2N = 0.151). Dividing the sample by age, a significant effect remained in middle adulthood (35–44 years p = 0.002 and 45–49 years p = 0.033). (4) Conclusions: Our results underline the importance of the promotion of outdoor, green exercise and the development of special interventions to maintain or improve the psychological well-being of women in reproductive age.
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22549625
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PSYCHOLOGY
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10.3390/cancers15184598
|
Predicting Long-Term Care Service Demands for Cancer Patients: A Machine Learning Approach
|
Background: Long-term care (LTC) service demands among cancer patients are significantly understudied, leading to gaps in healthcare resource allocation and policymaking. Objective: This study aimed to predict LTC service demands for cancer patients and identify the crucial factors. Methods: 3333 cases of cancers were included. We further developed two specialized prediction models: a Unified Prediction Model (UPM) and a Category-Specific Prediction Model (CSPM). The UPM offered generalized forecasts by treating all services as identical, while the CSPM built individual predictive models for each specific service type. Sensitivity analysis was also conducted to find optimal usage cutoff points for determining the usage and non-usage cases. Results: Service usage differences in lung, liver, brain, and pancreatic cancers were significant. For the UPM, the top 20 performance model cutoff points were adopted, such as through Logistic Regression (LR), Quadratic Discriminant Analysis (QDA), and XGBoost (XGB), achieving an AUROC range of 0.707 to 0.728. The CSPM demonstrated performance with an AUROC ranging from 0.777 to 0.837 for the top five most frequently used services. The most critical predictive factors were the types of cancer, patients’ age and female caregivers, and specific health needs. Conclusion: The results of our study provide valuable information for healthcare decisions, resource allocation optimization, and personalized long-term care usage for cancer patients.
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20726694
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ONCOLOGY
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10.3390/educsci13090942
|
How Has the Pandemic Affected Access and the Feeling of Belonging in Portuguese Higher Education?
|
This study is based on an in-depth analysis of the Portuguese reality. The main question addressed concerns the effects of the pandemic on the social profile and conditions of participation, and higher education students’ sense of belonging in Portugal. The changes resulting from the pandemic will also be considered in light of the policies that have been pursued and implemented at the national level with the aim of increasing and enhancing students’ integration within the higher education community. The application of a longitudinal approach was made possible through institutional data and data produced by the EUROSTUDENT project. The results obtained clarify some of the immediate effects that the pandemic has had on higher education and on the social and academic conditions and contexts of students in Portugal. On a more structural level, these results also emphasise the importance of political choices in the process of democratisation and extending the system to new segments of the population.
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22277102
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EDUCATION
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10.3390/educsci13100971
|
Empowering Novice Teachers: The Design and Validation of a Competence Model to Manage Verbal Aggressive Behaviour in the Classroom
|
(1) Background: Dealing with students’ maladaptive behaviour in the classroom, such as verbal aggressive behaviour, is challenging, particularly for novice teachers. They often encounter limited opportunities for training and practice in handling such incidents during their pre-service education, rendering them ill-equipped and uncertain when confronted with instances of verbal aggression during their initial teaching experiences. This article reports on the design and validation of a verbal aggression management competence model to guide and substantiate novice teachers’ immediate reactions. (2) Methods: The model’s construction and validation processes were informed by a dual-pronged approach, encompassing a literature analysis to explore theoretical concepts and semi-structured interviews involving 32 educational experts to validate its practical applicability. (3) Results: The design and validation processes resulted in a comprehensive competence model consisting of concrete steps to be taken during or immediately following an incident and overarching attitudes to be adopted throughout the incident managing process. (4) Conclusions: This study contributes a structured framework to empower novice teachers, offering tools to address verbal aggressive behaviour within the classroom environment. Furthermore, it highlights the potential of incorporating this model into teacher education programs, facilitating the competence development of future teachers, and fostering conducive learning environments.
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22277102
|
EDUCATION
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10.1186/s40594-023-00438-3
|
How are primary school computer science curricular reforms contributing to equity? Impact on student learning, perception of the discipline, and gender gaps
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Background: Early exposure to Computer Science (CS) and Computational Thinking (CT) for all is critical to broaden participation and promote equity in the field. But how does the introduction of CS and CT into primary school curricula impact learning, perception, and gaps between groups of students? Methodology: We investigate a CS-curricular reform and teacher Professional Development (PD) programme from an equity standpoint by applying hierarchical regression and structural equation modelling on student learning and perception data from three studies with, respectively, 1384, 2433 and 1644 grade 3–6 students (ages 7–11) and their 83, 142 and 95 teachers. Results: Regarding learning, exposure to CS instruction appears to contribute to closing the performance gap between low-achieving and high-achieving students, as well as pre-existing gender gaps. Despite a lack of direct influence of what was taught on student learning, there is no impact of teachers’ demographics or motivation on student learning, with teachers’ perception of the CS-PD positively influencing learning. Regarding perception, students perceive CS and its teaching tools (robotics, tablets) positively, and even more so when they perceive a role model close to them as doing CS. Nonetheless, gender differences exist all around with boys perceiving CS more positively than girls despite access to CS education. However, access to CS-education affects boys and girls differently: larger gender gaps are closing (namely those related to robotics), while smaller gaps are increasing (namely those related to CS and tablets). Conclusion: This article highlights how a CS curricular reform impacts learning, perception, and equity and supports the importance of (i) early introductions to CS for all; (ii) preparing teachers to teach CS all the while removing the influence of teacher demographics and motivation on student outcomes; and (iii) having developmentally appropriate activities that signal to all groups of students.
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21967822
|
EDUCATION
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10.1186/s40359-023-01368-z
|
Psychometric properties of the Persian Gaming Disorder Test and relationships with psychological distress and insomnia in adolescents
|
Background: Gaming Disorder (GD) was recently included by the World Health Organization (WHO) as a psychiatric condition in the eleventh revision of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11) and is a concern worldwide, including in Iran. Thus, based on the ICD-11 criteria, a Persian version of the Gaming Disorder Test (GDT) was developed to facilitate assessment of GD. Methods: The present study used classical test theory and Rasch analysis to examine the psychometric properties of the Persian GDT. Iranian adolescents (n = 3837; 2171 [56.6%] males; mean [SD] age = 16.02 [1.4] years) completed the GDT and other instruments assessing disordered gaming, psychological distress, and insomnia. Results: Overall, the psychometric properties of the Persian GDT were satisfactory based on classical test theory (i.e., confirmatory factor analysis corroborated the unidimensional structure of GDT) and Rasch analysis (i.e., fit statistics suggested that all items were embedded in the concept of GD). Moreover, the Persian GDT was found to be sex-invariant, displaying no items with substantial differential item functioning across sexes. Additionally, it was found that GD mediated associations between time spent gaming and measures of psychological distress and insomnia. Conclusion: The Persian GDT is a convenient and short instrument for assessing GD among Iranian adolescents. The mediating roles of GD in the associations between time spent gaming and psychological distress and between time spent gaming and insomnia suggest that targeting features of GD may reduce psychological distress and improve sleep for Iranian adolescents.
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20507283
|
PSYCHOLOGY
|
10.1186/s40359-023-01356-3
|
A Lenz into the predictive power of language teacher emotion regulation and self-evaluation on L2 grit, teaching style preferences, and work engagement: a case of Chinese EFL instructors
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An individual’s capacity to successfully control their emotional experiences and react to them requires them to engage in a number of processes, including those that are physiological, behavioral, and cognitive. When educators engage in self-evaluation, they investigate and assess the quality of their professional work. These two teacher-related conceptions have the potential to open up valuable perspectives in the course of the professional pursuits of teachers. Even though earlier research has shown their significance, the potential implications of these factors on the resiliency and teaching style preferences of language instructors have not been emphasized. As a result, the purpose of this study was to determine the extent to which a language teacher’s ability to regulate their emotions while carrying out self-evaluation procedures may accurately predict their level of resilience as well as their preferred method of instruction. To accomplish this, 399 English as a foreign language (EFL) teachers were asked to reflect on their experiences by responding to the following related questionnaires: The Language Teacher Emotion Regulation Inventory (LTERI), The Core of Self-evaluation Questionnaire (CSEQ), the L2-teacher Grit Scale (L2TGS), Grasha Teaching Style Inventory (TSI) and the Engaged Teacher Scale (ETS). The results demonstrated that those EFL teachers who maintained healthy emotional control were grittier and more engaged. They also tended to teach in a manner focused on the students. The pedagogical implications of this research are discussed further in depth.
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20507283
|
PSYCHOLOGY
|
10.3390/educsci13101054
|
‘Something Better than a Cure’ in Times of Mental Health Crisis
|
In this paper, I turn to Adam Phillips’ recent discussion of the vexed nature of cure in psychoanalysis to consider the structural differences between mental and physical health. I examine how psychoanalytic thinking raises questions for naturalistic ways of thinking about mental health and for broader crisis narratives that are becoming prevalent in Western modernity. In the latter half of this paper, I draw a comparison between thinking about matters of health and ways of thinking in the philosophy of education. I suggest that the lure of cure can be detected in statements of universalist aims and ends for education (which themselves have come to invoke conceptions of wellbeing and mental health in modern times). I also explore Phillps’ account of psychoanalysis as ‘something better than a cure’ and consider its implications for future thinking in the philosophy of education.
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22277102
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EDUCATION
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10.3390/ejihpe13100162
|
Prisoners’ Educational Experiences in Five Different Prison Sports Programmes: A Research Note
|
Organized sports programmes offer manifold opportunities for learning and personal development. Prisoners in organized sports programmes could profit from these educational opportunities, which could eventually support their process of reintegration into society. However, research on the educational experiences of imprisoned individuals during organized sports activities is scarce. Using quantitative survey data (N = 568 adult male prisoners) collected within the scope of the Hessian Prison Sports Study in Hesse, Germany, the present study examines educational experiences that are instigated through participation in five different prison sports programmes (fitness, racket, and team sports, running groups, and strength training). The results show that participants reported few educational experiences. The most common experiences reported were learning to exert effort and acquiring health-related knowledge. The findings reveal distinct patterns for specific sports programmes. For instance, team sports more frequently address cooperation skills and fairness. This paper advocates for more attention to the educational potential of sports in prison settings, where sports outcomes should be better aligned with the desired educational outcomes.
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22549625
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PSYCHOLOGY
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10.3390/cancers15215133
|
The Association between Proton Pump Inhibitors and the Effectiveness of CDK Inhibitors in HR+/HER- Advanced Breast Cancer Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
|
There have been many clinical questions regarding whether the use of proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) could deteriorate the effects of cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors (CDKIs) in HR+/HER2- advanced breast cancer patients. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of this clinical question, including studies enrolling HR+/HER2- metastatic breast cancer patients treated with CDKIs (Palbociclib or Ribociclib) and reporting at least one comparative survival outcome, either overall survival (OS) or progression-free survival (PFS), between concomitant PPI users and non-users. Eight studies met the eligibility criteria, with a total of 2584 patients included (PPI users: 830, PPI non-users: 1754), demonstrating that concomitant PPI use was associated with significantly higher risks of all-cause mortality (HR = 2.03; 95% CI, 1.49 to 2.77; I2 = 0%) and disease progression (HR = 1.75; 95% CI, 1.26 to 2.43; I2 = 59%) in breast cancer patients taking Palbociclib. In contrast, there were no significant survival impacts of PPIs on Ribociclib (HR = 1.46; 95% CI, 0.91 to 2.34; I2 = 36%). Additionally, there was no significant difference in the risk associated with CDKI dose reduction due to drug toxicity (RR = 1.12; 95% CI, 0.97 to 1.29). Therefore, when HR+/HER2- advanced breast cancer patients require the use of PPIs, it may be reasonable to consider using Ribociclib.
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20726694
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ONCOLOGY
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10.3390/educsci13111081
|
Effects of COVID-19 on First-Year Undergraduate Research in Physical Geography
|
Having confirmed that including research in first-year undergraduate teaching can actually help students understand the research process, link research with concepts, and improve both their academic and professional skills, we intended to evaluate how this experiential learning component fared during the COVID-19 challenge. For a first-year three-credit physical geography class, we have included a First Year Research Experience (FYRE) project for six iterations. A cluster analysis grouped students’ perceptions obtained from survey questions into five categories, from high to low. The results showed an overall improvement in perception of the FYRE during the pandemic, driven primarily by soft-skill development related to time management and self-motivation. Students were also able to better connect the research project with the theoretical content of the course. Components of the FYRE that suffered during the pandemic include engaging with course instructors and completing the oral presentation phase of the research. Soft-skill development continued through the second year of the pandemic, although students’ dissatisfaction with continued restrictions on in-person contact was evident.
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22277102
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EDUCATION
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10.3390/ejihpe13110167
|
A Moderated Mediation Model of the Influence of Cynical Distrust, Medical Mistrust, and Anger on Vaccination Hesitancy in Nursing Staff
|
During the pandemic, nurses experienced anger that stemmed from a sense of threat, frustration, or even a sense of injustice. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between vaccination hesitancy, anger, cynicism, and medical mistrust among nurses, as there are no relevant studies in the literature. This study was conducted online by completing self-report questionnaires. The Dimensions of Anger Reactions-5, the 8-item “Cynical Distrust” scale, and the Medical Mistrust Multiformat Scale were used. For vaccination hesitancy, two questions with a 5-point scale were used: one question examining hesitancy to get vaccinated with the COVID-19 vaccine, and another question examining hesitancy to get vaccinated with the influenza vaccine. In total, 387 nurses (66 men and 321 women) participated in this study. Nurses showed statistically greater hesitancy toward the COVID-19 vaccine compared to hesitancy toward the influenza vaccine. The variation in vaccine hesitancy was explained by the scores in the Medical Mistrust Multiformat Scale, the Dimensions of Anger Reactions, and the Cynical Distrust Scale. The Medical Mistrust Multiformat Scale mediated the relationship between the Cynical Distrust Scale and total vaccine hesitancy. The Dimensions of Anger Reactions Scale significantly moderated the indirect effect of the Cynical Distrust Scale on total vaccine hesitancy through the Medical Mistrust Multiformat Scale. In conclusion, it is highly likely that anger is involved in reported vaccine hesitancy both by activating schemas of distrust in others and by adopting anti-systemic views of mistrust in the medical system.
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22549625
|
PSYCHOLOGY
|
10.3390/ejihpe13110174
|
Antecedents and Mediators of Academic Satisfaction in Virtual Vocational Training
|
At a time when distance vocational training is on the rise, it seems logical to investigate the variables that can affect the quality of such teaching. The usability of the virtual environment, as well as the behaviour and disposition of the teaching staff, emerge as key factors that influence burnout, engagement, and academic satisfaction. Using a cross-sectional sample of 208 distance vocational training students, the mediating role of burnout and academic engagement in the relationships established between the usability of the virtual environment, teacher support, and academic satisfaction was analysed. On the other hand, multiple regression analyses were carried out in order to investigate the relationships between the challenges and obstacles faced by distance vocational training students and their level of burnout or engagement. Our results confirm the mediating role of academic burnout and engagement in students’ academic satisfaction. Regression analyses suggest that the obstacles faced by distance vocational education and training (D-VET) students influence their level of academic burnout or engagement. Our findings are consistent with the current understanding of the role that certain variables play in the well-being of students and which, in turn, influence the quality of teaching.
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22549625
|
PSYCHOLOGY
|
10.1186/s40594-023-00456-1
|
Correction: How are primary school computer science curricular reforms contributing to equity? Impact on student learning, perception of the discipline, and gender gaps
| null |
21967822
|
EDUCATION
|
10.3390/cancers15215303
|
An Interpretable Radiomics Model Based on Two-Dimensional Shear Wave Elastography for Predicting Symptomatic Post-Hepatectomy Liver Failure in Patients with Hepatocellular Carcinoma
|
Objective: The aim of this study was to develop and validate an interpretable radiomics model based on two-dimensional shear wave elastography (2D-SWE) for symptomatic post-hepatectomy liver failure (PHLF) prediction in patients undergoing liver resection for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Methods: A total of 345 consecutive patients were enrolled. A five-fold cross-validation was performed during training, and the models were evaluated in the independent test cohort. A multi-patch radiomics model was established based on the 2D-SWE images for predicting symptomatic PHLF. Clinical features were incorporated into the models to train the clinical–radiomics model. The radiomics model and the clinical–radiomics model were compared with the clinical model comprising clinical variables and other clinical predictive indices, including the model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) score and albumin–bilirubin (ALBI) score. Shapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) was used for post hoc interpretability of the radiomics model. Results: The clinical–radiomics model achieved an AUC of 0.867 (95% CI 0.787–0.947) in the five-fold cross-validation, and this score was higher than that of the clinical model (AUC: 0.809; 95% CI: 0.715–0.902) and the radiomics model (AUC: 0.746; 95% CI: 0.681–0.811). The clinical–radiomics model showed an AUC of 0.822 in the test cohort, higher than that of the clinical model (AUC: 0.684, p = 0.007), radiomics model (AUC: 0.784, p = 0.415), MELD score (AUC: 0.529, p < 0.001), and ALBI score (AUC: 0.644, p = 0.016). The SHAP analysis showed that the first-order radiomics features, including first-order maximum 64 × 64, first-order 90th percentile 64 × 64, and first-order 10th percentile 32 × 32, were the most important features for PHLF prediction. Conclusion: An interpretable clinical–radiomics model based on 2D-SWE and clinical variables can help in predicting symptomatic PHLF in HCC.
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20726694
|
ONCOLOGY
|
10.1007/s44196-023-00352-0
|
Unmanned Vehicle Fusion Positioning Technology Based on “5G + Beidou” and 3D Point Cloud Image
|
Unmanned vehicles need to know their location and direction information accurately to plan and navigate their paths. However, the positioning system is susceptible to interference from a variety of factors, which leads to increased positioning errors, thereby affecting the accuracy of unmanned vehicle positioning. An unmanned vehicle fusion positioning technology based on the "5G + Beidou" integrated positioning system was proposed. While using the "5G + Beidou" base station for positioning, the 3D point cloud image was fused, and the high-precision real-time positioning was carried out through the vehicle's autonomous navigation algorithm. This paper first analyzed the current situation and characteristics of GNSS technology and studied the key technologies and principles of the "5G + Beidou" integrated positioning system. Then, aiming at the difficulty of 5G base station deployment, the GNSS system parameter optimization scheme based on a multidimensional fusion structure was designed. Finally, in the experiment, it was verified that the fusion system could achieve higher precision positioning results compared with traditional single-dimensional GNSS and multi-dimensional GNSS. The technical advantages of "5G + Beidou" were used for data fusion processing of unmanned vehicles, and a positioning method based on the combination of 3D point cloud image and high-precision map was proposed. Through some experiments, it was concluded that the fusion location method could control the error below 0.1, which showed the accuracy of the fusion location.
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18756883
|
AI
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10.3390/cancers15225323
|
The Potential of Lifestyle Medicine: Strategies to Optimize Health and Well-Being in Oncology Care with Dr. Amy Comander
|
The field of lifestyle medicine in cancer care and survivorship is undergoing significant transformation, presenting both challenges and opportunities. This collection of insights and reflections by an esteemed speaker aims to address critical facets of this evolving landscape and the intersection of healthcare, lifestyle, and cancer. With a focus on optimizing the health of cancer survivors, the speaker emphasizes the correlation between general population health and strategies for mitigating cancer risk. Evidence-based resources have a key role in their comprehensive insights into lifestyle changes’ role in cancer prevention and survivorship. Lifestyle interventions also have a promising role in mitigating the late effects in the pediatric context. Therefore, encouraging the early adoption of healthy practices in childhood cancer survivors emerges as a pivotal strategy. Furthermore, challenges in enhancing education and access to lifestyle medicine are addressed. This highlights the importance of patient-centered communication, motivational interviewing, and personalized guidance in facilitating lifestyle changes with patients. Finally, the role of nutritionists in advising breast cancer patients to consider calorie restriction to lower IGF-1 levels is explored. This collection underscores the multifaceted nature of lifestyle medicine in cancer care, highlighting challenges, opportunities, and the transformative power of passion and curiosity in shaping healthcare careers.
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20726694
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ONCOLOGY
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10.3390/ejihpe13110182
|
The Perth Empathy Scale: Psychometric Properties of the Polish Version and Its Mental Health Correlates
|
The Perth Empathy Scale (PES) is a 20-item self-report questionnaire that assesses people’s ability to recognize emotions in others (i.e., cognitive empathy) and vicariously experience other’s emotions (i.e., affective empathy), across positive and negative emotions. Originally developed in English, the aim of our study was to introduce the first Polish version of the PES and test its psychometric performance. Our sample was 318 people (184 females, 134 males) with ages ranging from 18 to 77. The factor structure was verified with confirmatory factor analysis. Reliability was tested in terms of internal consistency and test–retest reliability. To explore convergent, divergent, and discriminant validity, we examined relationships between the PES and measures of depression, anxiety, and emotional intelligence. It was shown that the scale was characterized by the intended four-factor solution, thus supporting factorial validity. The internal consistency reliability was also good and test–retest reliability was moderate. The convergent, divergent, and discriminant validity were strong. The clinical importance of assessing affective empathy across both positive and negative emotions was supported. Overall, our results therefore suggest that the Polish version of the PES has strong psychometric performance and clinical relevance as a measure of the multidimensional empathy construct.
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22549625
|
PSYCHOLOGY
|
10.3390/ejihpe13110185
|
Evaluation of Linguistics Students’ Learning Outcomes in Peer Teaching Courses: The Effect of Altruistic and Egoistic Behaviors
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In the current study, we evaluated the students’ foreign language lexical and grammatical skills in the course based on the peer teaching methodology and analyzed the effect of their altruistic and egoistic behaviors on learning results. This experiment was conducted in a groups of senior students majoring in linguistics. The total number of participants accounted for 197 students (101 students in reference groups and 96 in exposure groups); the difference between the reference and exposure groups was that the undergraduates in the latter were to prepare a fragment of a lesson, create exercises, and act in the capacity of a teacher during the course. To evaluate students’ foreign language lexical and grammatical skills, the diagnostic test was conducted at the beginning and at the end of the experiment. Apart from comparing the diagnostic and final tests, we also circulated a questionnaire which checked the students’ egoistic and altruistic tendencies. The data appeared to be quite noisy; therefore, we processed them with a tool which proves effective when it comes to solving such problems, i.e., neural networks. According to the results on learning outcomes, students improved their English proficiency in the exposure groups to a greater extent than in the reference groups. At the same time, the results of the psychological tests revealed that the higher the students’ training level, the less altruistic they are. Also, it was detected that the more altruistic learners’ progress in outcomes was higher than those of the more selfish students, regardless of the way in which the learning process was organized. Moreover, the statistical data proved the efficiency of the peer teaching methodology for students’ majoring in linguistics, despite their psychological characteristics.
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22549625
|
PSYCHOLOGY
|
10.3390/educsci13111150
|
Promoting Interdisciplinary Research Collaboration among Mathematics and Special Education Researchers
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This manuscript provides a theoretical framing of a collaborative research design effort among mathematics education and special education researchers. To gain insight into the current state of research on mathematics learning, we drew on how researchers in mathematics education and special education have defined and operationalized the term ‘mathematical concept’ related to the learning of fractions. Using this information, we designed a future study that focuses on and connects prior research in mathematics and special education. We conclude by discussing the implications of such collaborative research efforts.
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22277102
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EDUCATION
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10.3390/ejihpe13120193
|
Trends in Suicidal Mortality and Motives among Working-Ages Individuals in Japan during 2007–2022
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Suicides in Japan consistently decreased from 2009–2019, but increased during the COVID-19 pandemic. To identify causes of increasing suicides, age-dependent and temporal fluctuations of suicide mortality rate per 100,000 (SMRP) in working-age generations (20–59 years) disaggregated by suicidal motives (7-categories; 52-subcategories) and sex from 2007 to 2022, were analyzed by analysis of variance and joinpoint regression, respectively, using the government suicide database “Suicide Statistics”. The SMRP of 20–29 year-old males and 20–49 year-old females began to increase in the late 2010s. SMRPs of these high-risk groups for suicides caused by depression (the leading suicidal motive for all groups) began increasing in the late 2010s. Economic-related, employment-related, and romance-related problems contributed to the increasing SMRPs in 20–29 males in the late 2010s. Romance-related and family-related problems contributed to the increasing SMRPs of 20–29 females in the late 2010s. Increasing SMRPs caused by child-raising stress in 20–39 year-old females from the late 2010s was a remarkable finding. In contrast, SMRPs of 30–59 year-old males consistently decreased until 2021; however, in these groups, SMRPs for suicides caused by various motives sharply increased in 2022. The consistent increase in SMRPs of high-risk groups from the late 2010s to the pandemic suggest recent socioeconomic and psychosocial problems in Japan possibly contributed to the increasing SMRPs in these high-risk groups independently of pandemic-associated factors, whereas the SMRPs of males of 30–59 years were probably associated with the ending of the pandemic rather than pandemic-associated factors.
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22549625
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PSYCHOLOGY
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10.3390/cancers15235617
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Extracellular Vesicles: Biological Packages That Modulate Tumor Cell Invasion
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Tumor progression, from early-stage invasion to the formation of distal metastases, relies on the capacity of tumor cells to modify the extracellular matrix (ECM) and communicate with the surrounding stroma. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) provide an important means to regulate cell invasion due to the selective inclusion of cargoes such as proteases and matrix proteins into EVs that can degrade or modify the ECM. EVs have also been shown to facilitate intercellular communication in the tumor microenvironment through paracrine signaling, which can impact ECM invasion by cancer cells. Here, we describe the current knowledge of EVs as facilitators of tumor invasion by virtue of their effects on proteolytic degradation and modification of the ECM, their ability to educate the stromal cells in the tumor microenvironment, and their role as mediators of long-range communication aiding in cell invasion and matrix remodeling at secondary sites.
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20726694
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ONCOLOGY
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10.1186/s40594-023-00449-0
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Using intensive longitudinal methods to quantify the sources of variability for situational engagement in science learning environments
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Background: Situational engagement in science is often described as context-sensitive and varying over time due to the impact of situational factors. But this type of engagement is often studied using data that are collected and analyzed in ways that do not readily permit an understanding of the situational nature of engagement. The purpose of this study is to understand—and quantify—the sources of variability for learners’ situational engagement in science, to better set the stage for future work that measures situational factors and accounts for these factors in models. Results: We examined how learners' situational cognitive, behavioral, and affective engagement varies at the situational, individual learner, and classroom levels in three science learning environments (classrooms and an out-of-school program). Through the analysis of 12,244 self-reports of engagement collected using intensive longitudinal methods from 1173 youths, we found that the greatest source of variation in situational engagement was attributable to individual learners, with less being attributable to—in order—situational and classroom sources. Cognitive engagement varied relatively more between individuals, and affective engagement varied more between situations. Conclusions: Given the observed variability of situational engagement across learners and contexts, it is vital for studies targeting dynamic psychological and social constructs in science learning settings to appropriately account for situational fluctuations when collecting and analyzing data.
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21967822
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EDUCATION
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10.3390/ejihpe13120197
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Subjective Well-Being and Self-Assessed Health of Adolescents: A Longitudinal Cohort Study
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Background: The aim of this study was to investigate the stability and predictors of subjective well-being and self-perceived health in adolescents over a two-year period, focusing on the importance of mental health in overall well-being. Methods: Participants in this longitudinal cohort study were surveyed at the ages of 15 (n = 441) and 17 (n = 354) through questionnaires. The data were analyzed using both descriptive and inferential statistical methods. Hierarchical regression was employed to investigate significant predictors of subjective well-being. The subjective well-being and self-perceived health dimensions showed a consistent level of stability throughout the two-year period of secondary education. Additionally, there was a significant correlation between well-being at the beginning and end of this education period. Furthermore, self-perceived health dimensions, particularly general health, vitality, and mental health, were positively associated with well-being at the end of secondary education, highlighting their role in overall subjective well-being. The regression analysis revealed that self-perceived health factors, notably “General health” and “Mental health”, significantly predicted overall subjective well-being, enhancing the model’s explanatory power beyond gender and economic status. Nevertheless, baseline subjective well-being has the strongest predictive effect on final well-being. Conclusions: This study highlights the importance of psychological and health factors, particularly mental health, that affect the overall well-being of adolescents and emphasizes the need to focus on and improve these factors in order to improve subjective well-being.
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22549625
|
PSYCHOLOGY
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10.1186/s40359-023-01477-9
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The development of the fear of earthquake scale: validity and reliability study in Türkiye after the 2023 earthquake
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Background: In 2023, Türkiye experienced a significant earthquake disaster that profoundly impacted 11 provinces. The enduring consequences of these earthquakes on daily life triggered widespread fears and anxieties in society, leading to scholarly investigations in this field. Objective: The primary objective of this study was to create and evaluate the psychometric properties of the Fear of Earthquake Scale (FES), a modified adaptation of the Fear of COVID-19 Scale (FCV-19 S), tailored to measure earthquake-related experiences in Türkiye. Methods: A total of 315 Turkish adult participants (106 men, 209 women), with a mean age of 37.71 years, completed the FES, along with the Brief Psychological Resilience Scale (BPRS). Psychometric analyses included confirmatory factor analysis as well as the evaluation of alternative factor structures, internal consistency, convergent validity, and criterion validity with respect to resilience. Results: The findings indicate that the Turkish version of the Fear of Earthquake Scale has strong psychometric properties in terms of validity and reliability. After assessing various factor structures, it was observed that the two-factor model which represents the emotional and somatic response to fear, exhibited the best-fit values The Cronbach’s alpha coefficients were calculated as 0.89 for the overall FES, 0.84 for the emotional subscale and 0.86 for the somatic subscale, indicating high internal consistency. Additionally, the negative correlation between resilience and the FES supports the criterion validity of the scale, and multi-group confirmatory factor analyses proved that measurement invariance held across genders and whether they experienced an earthquake or not for all groups. Furthermore, the results of the study revealed that women and individuals with prior earthquake experience reported higher levels of fear of earthquakes. Conclusions: The FES emerged as a reliable and valid tool for assessing earthquake-related fears among the Turkish population.
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20507283
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PSYCHOLOGY
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10.3390/educsci13121238
|
Let’s Get Digital: ICT Training Needs in Pre-Service Language Teaching
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During the last five years, language teaching in Europe has been heavily influenced by two major occurrences. On the one hand, the outbreak of COVID-19 forced teachers to extensively adapt many of their teaching practices to the digital world; this major paradigm shift is likely to have continued repercussions post-pandemic in terms of methodology and use of resources. At the same time, the publication of an updated version of the Common European Framework, commonly known as the Companion Volume focuses our attention on the real-life communicative needs of language users. The Companion Volume emphasizes digital and online communication processes throughout the development of language skills, and this focus inevitably translates into changes in national and regional curricula for language education. The present study investigates the degree to which future teachers are prepared for this new reality and explores emerging digital training needs among pre-service teachers. The investigation obtains quantitative and qualitative data from 30 pre-service teachers who have completed postgraduate studies in language education, which included a stage of school-based teaching practice. Results indicate that while pre-service language teachers have a positive view of ICT and moderate levels of general digital competence, they feel additional specific and in-depth preparation is required within their initial training.
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22277102
|
EDUCATION
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10.3390/ejihpe14010001
|
The Impact of a School Dog on Children’s Social Inclusion and Social Climate in a School Class
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Animal-assisted pedagogy is well known in classroom practice, but scientific evidence of its impact on teaching and learning conditions is still lacking. At the same time, the biggest challenge in education systems worldwide is the social inclusion of students. In a pre–post design, 30 heterogeneous students (16 f/14 m) from four different school classes (grades 5–8) of two secondary schools and one grammar school were interviewed (in a problem-centered interview) about their social inclusion and their social climate in class before and after being taught selected subjects with a school dog for one school term. At the second measurement point, participants were also asked about their perception of animal-assisted pedagogy. The qualitative data analysis (Kuckartz) showed that the presence of a dog leads to an improved social climate, more social integration and to a change in social roles; therefore, we discussed our findings in the context of role theory (Krappmann). In addition, we found that the mutual perception of the other students and the teacher changes to a more positive and friendlier image. Through animal-assisted pedagogy, a new social role is added to the classroom, where caring and bonding are prioritized. Social interaction and norms are influenced and stereotypical and individual roles can be changed. Therefore, animal-assisted pedagogy can be key to promoting social inclusion in the school environment.
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22549625
|
PSYCHOLOGY
|
10.3390/educsci14010007
|
Do Cases Always Deliver What They Promise? A Quality Analysis of Business Cases in Higher Education
|
Although the usage of case studies is very common in teaching worldwide, there has been inadequate discussion concerning the quality with respect to teaching and learning. The focus of this article is to assess the pedagogic aspect of business case studies in academic teaching. On the basis of a specific tool to detect the pedagogical quality of business cases and related teaching notes, a total of nine award-winning case studies delivered by a well-known publishing house were analysed. The findings indicate that the pedagogical quality varies from case to case. There are deficits concerning the focus on problem orientation and the complexity of the cases. Further weaknesses have been identified in some case studies regarding the learner’s autonomy and prior knowledge, while with respect to real-life orientation, most case studies have a high level of accordance with a pedagogic optimum.
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22277102
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EDUCATION
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10.3390/ai5010005
|
Application of YOLOv8 and Detectron2 for Bullet Hole Detection and Score Calculation from Shooting Cards
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Scoring targets in shooting sports is a crucial and time-consuming task that relies on manually counting bullet holes. This paper introduces an automatic score detection model using object detection techniques. The study contributes to the field of computer vision by comparing the performance of seven models (belonging to two different architectural setups) and by making the dataset publicly available. Another value-added aspect is the inclusion of three variants of the object detection model, YOLOv8, recently released in 2023 (at the time of writing). Five of the used models are single-shot detectors, while two belong to the two-shot detectors category. The dataset was manually captured from the shooting range and expanded by generating more versatile data using Python code. Before the dataset was trained to develop models, it was resized (640 × 640) and augmented using Roboflow API. The trained models were then assessed on the test dataset, and their performance was compared using matrices like mAP50, mAP50-90, precision, and recall. The results showed that YOLOv8 models can detect multiple objects with good confidence scores. Among these models, YOLOv8m performed the best, with the highest mAP50 value of 96.7%, followed by the performance of YOLOv8s with the mAP50 value of 96.5%. It is suggested that if the system is to be implemented in a real-time environment, YOLOv8s is a better choice since it took significantly less inference time (2.3 ms) than YOLOv8m (5.7 ms) and yet generated a competitive mAP50 of 96.5%.
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26732688
|
AI
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10.3390/ai5010008
|
Statistically Significant Differences in AI Support Levels for Project Management between SMEs and Large Enterprises
|
Background: This article delves into an in-depth analysis of the statistically significant differences in AI support levels for project management between SMEs and large enterprises. The research was conducted based on a comprehensive survey encompassing a sample of 473 SMEs and large Slovenian enterprises. Methods: To validate the observed differences, statistical analysis, specifically the Mann–Whitney U test, was employed. Results: The results confirm the presence of statistically significant differences between SMEs and large enterprises across multiple dimensions of AI support in project management. Large enterprises exhibit on average a higher level of AI adoption across all five AI utilization dimensions. Specifically, large enterprises scored significantly higher (p < 0.05) in AI adopting strategies and in adopting AI technologies for project tasks and team creation. This study’s findings also underscored the significant differences (p < 0.05) between SMEs and large enterprises in their adoption and utilization of AI technologies for project management purposes. While large enterprises scored above 4 for several dimensions, with the highest average score assessed (mean value 4.46 on 1 to 5 scale) for the usage of predictive Analytics Tools to improve the work on the project, SMEs’ average levels, on the other hand, were all below 4. SMEs in particular may lag in incorporating AI into various project activities due to several factors such as resource constraints, limited access to AI expertise, or risk aversion. Conclusions: The results underscore the need for targeted strategies to enhance AI adoption in SMEs and leverage its benefits for successful project implementation and strengthen the company’s competitiveness.
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26732688
|
AI
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10.3390/ejihpe14010014
|
Climate Change Perception and Mental Health. Results from a Systematic Review of the Literature
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Climate change is one of the main global challenges and influences various aspects of human health. Numerous studies have indeed demonstrated an association between extreme climate-related events and physical and mental health outcomes, but little is still known about the association between the perception/awareness of climate change and mental health. In accordance with the PRISMA 2020 guidelines, a search was conducted on PubMed and Scopus. The protocol was registered on PROSPERO. The included studies were original observational studies published in English, reporting the association between the perception/awareness of climate change and mental health. A total of 3018 articles were identified. A total of 10 observational studies were included. The period covered in the included studies ranged between 2012 and 2022. Climate change perception is consistently associated with adverse mental health effects across different types of estimates. In particular, the studies identified an association between a higher level of perception/awareness of climate change and depression, anxiety, eco-anxiety, stress, adjustment disorder, substance use, dysphoria, and even thoughts of suicide. Qualitative data underscore the impact on daily activities, contributing to feelings of loss and suicidal ideation. Moreover, climate change perception correlates with lower well-being and resilience. The association between awareness of climate change and mental health is a complex and still poorly explored phenomenon. The main limitations are the high heterogeneity in terms of exposure assessment and data reporting, which hinders quantitative analysis. These results show that climate change perception impacts mental health. Better understanding the phenomenon represents an opportunity to inform public health interventions that promote mental well-being.
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22549625
|
PSYCHOLOGY
|
10.3390/cancers16020343
|
Bacterial Lipopolysaccharide Induces PD-L1 Expression and an Invasive Phenotype of Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma Cells
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Background: Expression of programmed death ligand-1 (PD-L1) is related to the prognosis of many solid malignancies, including oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), but the mechanism of PD-L1 induction remains obscure. In this study, we examined the expression of PD-L1 and partial epithelial–mesenchymal transition (pEMT) induced by bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in OSCC. Methods: The expression of Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) recognizing LPS in OSCC cell lines was analyzed. Moreover, the induction of PD-L1 expression by Porphyromonas gingivalis (P.g) or Escherichia coli (E. coli) LPS and EMT was analyzed by western blotting and RT-PCR. Morphology, proliferation, migration, and invasion capacities were examined upon addition of LPS. PD-L1 within EXOs was examined. Results: PD-L1 expression and pEMT induced by LPS of P.g or E. coli in TLR4-expressing OSCC cell lines were observed. Addition of LPS did not change migration, proliferation, or cell morphology, but increased invasive ability. Moreover, higher expression of PD-L1 was observed in OSCC EXOs with LPS. Conclusion: Oral bacterial LPS is involved in enhanced invasive potential in OSCC cells, causing PD-L1 expression and induction of pEMT. The enhancement of PD-L1 expression after addition of LPS may be mediated by EXOs.
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20726694
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ONCOLOGY
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10.1186/s40359-024-01526-x
|
Evaluation of the psychometric properties of the family adaptability and cohesion scale (FACES III) through item response theory models in students from Chile and Colombia
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Background: A psychometric study of the Family Adaptability and Cohesion Scale (FACES III) has been conducted in Spanish-speaking countries from the perspective of the classical test theory. However, this approach has limitations that affect the psychometric understanding of this scale. Objective: Accordingly, this study used the item response theory to investigate the psychometric performance of the items. Furthermore, it evaluated the differential performance of the items for Colombia and Chile. Method: For this purpose, 518 health science students from both countries participated. Confirmatory Factor Analysis was used. Results: The study results revealed that the cohesion and adaptability items presented adequate discrimination and difficulty indices. In addition, items 5, 8, 13, 17, and 19 of cohesion indicated differential functioning between students from both countries, with Chilean students exhibiting a greater discriminatory power. Further, the Colombian group exhibited a greater discriminatory power for item 18 of adaptability. Conclusions: The study concluded that the items of FACES III indicated adequate psychometric performance in terms of their discriminative capacity and difficulty in Chile and Colombia.
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20507283
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PSYCHOLOGY
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10.3390/cancers16020404
|
Intramedullary Spinal Cord Tumors: Whole-Genome Sequencing to Assist Management and Prognosis
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Intramedullary spinal cord tumors (IMSCTs) harbor unique genetic mutations which may play a role in prognostication and management. To this end, we present the largest cohort of IMSCTs with genetic characterization in the literature from our multi-site institutional registry. A total of 93 IMSCT patient records were reviewed from the years 1999 to 2020. Out of these, 61 complied with all inclusion criteria, 14 of these patients had undergone genetic studies with 8 undergoing whole-genomic sequencing. Univariate analyses were used to assess any factors associated with progression-free survival (PFS) using the Cox proportional hazards model. Firth’s penalized likelihood approach was used to account for the low event rates. Fisher’s exact test was performed to compare whole-genome analyses and specific gene mutations with progression. PFS (months) was given as a hazard ratio. Only the absence of copy neutral loss of heterozygosity (LOH) was shown to be significant (0.05, p = 0.008). Additionally, higher risk of recurrence/progression was associated with LOH (p = 0.0179). Our results suggest LOH as a genetic predictor of shorter progression-free survival, particularly within ependymoma and glioblastoma tumor types. Further genomic research with larger multi-institutional datasets should focus on these mutations as possible prognostic factors.
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20726694
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ONCOLOGY
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10.3389/fonc.2023.1296948
|
T-cell receptor determinants of response to chemoradiation in locally-advanced HPV16-driven malignancies
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Background: The effect of chemoradiation on the anti-cancer immune response is being increasingly acknowledged; however, its clinical implications in treatment responses are yet to be fully understood. Human papillomavirus (HPV)-driven malignancies express viral oncogenic proteins which may serve as tumor-specific antigens and represent ideal candidates for monitoring the peripheral T-cell receptor (TCR) changes secondary to chemoradiotherapy (CRT).Methods: We performed intra-tumoral and pre- and post-treatment peripheral TCR sequencing in a cohort of patients with locally-advanced HPV16-positive cancers treated with CRT. An in silico computational pipeline was used to cluster TCR repertoire based on epitope-specificity and to predict affinity between these clusters and HPV16-derived epitopes.Results: Intra-tumoral repertoire diversity, intra-tumoral and post-treatment peripheral CDR3β similarity clustering were predictive of response. In responders, CRT triggered an increase peripheral TCR clonality and clonal relatedness. Post-treatment expansion of baseline peripheral dominant TCRs was associated with response. Responders showed more baseline clustered structures of TCRs maintained post-treatment and displayed significantly more maintained clustered structures. When applying clustering by TCR-specificity methods, responders displayed a higher proportion of intra-tumoral TCRs predicted to recognise HPV16 peptides.Conclusions: Baseline TCR characteristics and changes in the peripheral T-cell clones triggered by CRT are associated with treatment outcome. Maintenance and boosting of pre-existing clonotypes are key elements of an effective anti-cancer immune response driven by CRT, supporting a paradigm in which the immune system plays a central role in the success of CRT in current standard-of-care protocols.
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2234943X
|
ONCOLOGY
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10.3390/ejihpe14020018
|
Academic Motivation of Students Experiencing Person-Environment Misfit in Social Work Educational Settings: The Role of Social Dominance Orientation
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Interweaving social dominance, person-environment fit, and self-determination theories, the present study sought to understand whether the attrition between students’ levels of social dominance orientation and the hierarchy-attenuating function of the social work faculty in which they study may influence students’ academic motivational pathways. A total of 221 undergraduate social work students participated in the study and completed a self-report questionnaire. Participants’ social dominance orientation, person-environment misfit, and academic intrinsic and extrinsic motivation were measured. Results indicated that students’ social dominance orientation was associated with an external rather than an internal regulation of their academic motivation, mediated by their perceived person-environment misfit. For those students who personally support group-based inequalities, exposure to hierarchy-attenuating contexts would lead to regulating their academic behavior toward the pursuit of extrinsic (vs. intrinsic) goals, that is, studying to gain financial benefits and social prestige, in accordance with the pursuit of their beliefs of social dominance.
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22549625
|
PSYCHOLOGY
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10.3390/cancers16030605
|
Lung Resection for Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer following Bronchoscopic Lung Volume Reduction for Heterogenous Emphysema
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Bronchoscopic lung volume reduction (BLVR) is a minimally invasive treatment for emphysema. Lung cancer may be associated with emphysema due to common risk factors. Thus, a growing number of patients undergoing BLVR may develop lung cancer. Herein, we evaluated the effects of lung resection for non-small cell lung cancer in patients undergoing BLVR. The clinical data of patients undergoing BLVR followed by lung resection for NSCLC were retrospectively reviewed. For each patient, surgical and oncological outcomes were recorded to define the effects of this strategy. Eight patients were included in our series. In all cases but one, emphysema was localized within upper lobes; the tumor was detected during routine follow-up following BLVR and it did not involve the treated lobe. The comparison of pre- and post-BLVR data showed a significant improvement in FEV1 (29.7 ± 4.9 vs. 33.7 ± 6.7, p = 0.01); in FVC (28.5 ± 6.6 vs. 32.4 ± 6.1, p = 0.01); in DLCO (31.5 ± 4.9 vs. 38.7 ± 5.7, p = 0.02); in 6MWT (237 ± 14 m vs. 271 ± 15 m, p = 0.01); and a reduction in RV (198 ± 11 vs. 143 ± 9.8, p = 0.01). Surgical resection of lung cancer included wedge resection (n = 6); lobectomy (n = 1); and segmentectomy (n = 1). No major complications were observed and the comparison of pre- and post-operative data showed no significant reduction in FEV1% (33.7 ± 6.7 vs. 31.5 ± 5.3; p = 0.15) and in DLCO (38.7 ± 5.7 vs. 36.1 ± 5.4; p = 0.15). Median survival was 35 months and no cancer relapses were observed. The improved lung function obtained with BLVR allowed nonsurgical candidates to undergo lung resection for lung cancer.
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20726694
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ONCOLOGY
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10.3389/fonc.2023.1225116
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FI-CEUS: a solution to improve the diagnostic accuracy in MRI LI-RADS-indeterminate (LR-3/4) FLLs at risk for HCC
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ObjectiveTo evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of fusion imaging contrast-enhanced ultrasound (FI-CEUS) of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) LI-RADS-indeterminate (LR-3/4) and conventional ultrasound undetected focal liver lesions (FLLs) in patients at risk for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).MethodsBetween February 2020 and July 2021, 71 FLLs in 63 patients were registered for diagnostic performance evaluation respectively for ultrasound-guided thermal ablation evaluation in this retrospective study. Diagnostic performance regarding FLLs was compared between FI-CEUS and contrast-enhanced MRI (CE-MRI).ResultsFor diagnostic performance evaluation, among 71 lesions in 63 patients, the diagnostic efficacy of FI-CEUS with LI-RADS was significantly higher than that of CE-MRI (P < 0.05) in both overall and hierarchical comparison (except for the group with lesion diameter ≥2 cm). For malignant lesions, the proportion of arterial phase hyperenhancement (APHE) and washout on FI-CEUS was higher than that on CE-MRI (P < 0.05).ConclusionFI-CEUS has a high value in the precise qualitative diagnosis of small FLLs (<2 cm) of MRI LI-RADS-indeterminate diagnosis (LR-3/4) that are undetected by conventional ultrasound in patients at risk for HCC and can be a good supplementary CE-MRI diagnostic method for thermal ablation evaluation.
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2234943X
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ONCOLOGY
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10.1186/s40594-023-00461-4
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Can training and apprentice programs in STEM increase worker life satisfaction and optimism?
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Background: Despite the significant relationship between life satisfaction and education, less is known about the connection between life satisfaction and informal learning in the context of training and apprenticeship programs. This paper examines the influence of the LaunchCode program, a novel training and apprentice program in STEM, on participant’s life satisfaction and optimism. We also explore mediating roles of STEM employment and earnings, as well as moderating role of participants’ educational attainment levels. Results: We find high life satisfaction and optimism among those who completed both the training course and the apprenticeship component. In addition, we find a significant mediation effect of STEM employment on the relationships between program participation and current life satisfaction, as well as optimism, among the apprenticeship completers. Finally, we find a significant moderation effect of one’s education level on the relationship between program completion and finding a STEM job, such that participants with a college degree are more likely to secure STEM employment through coursework alone. Conclusions: Our findings highlight the significance of apprenticeships in increasing life satisfaction and optimism, as well as the importance of STEM employment in explaining the significant effect of apprenticeships on life satisfaction and optimism. These findings suggest that what people do for a living is more important than how much they earn. However, while apprenticeships may offer an alternative route to the labor market, education may still facilitate connections to STEM employment in the absence of an apprenticeship.
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21967822
|
EDUCATION
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10.3389/fonc.2024.1320766
|
Antibody-mediated targeting of Claudins in cancer
|
Tight junctions (TJs) are large intercellular adhesion complexes that maintain cell polarity in normal epithelia and endothelia. Claudins are critical components of TJs, forming homo- and heteromeric interaction between adjacent cells, which have emerged as key functional modulators of carcinogenesis and metastasis. Numerous epithelial-derived cancers display altered claudin expression patterns, and these aberrantly expressed claudins have been shown to regulate cancer cell proliferation/growth, metabolism, metastasis and cell stemness. Certain claudins can now be used as biomarkers to predict patient prognosis in a variety of solid cancers. Our understanding of the distinct roles played by claudins during the cancer progression has progressed significantly over the last decade and claudins are now being investigated as possible diagnostic markers and therapeutic targets. In this review, we will summarize recent progress in the use of antibody-based or related strategies for targeting claudins in cancer treatment. We first describe pre-clinical studies that have facilitated the development of neutralizing antibodies and antibody-drug-conjugates targeting Claudins (Claudins-1, -3, -4, -6 and 18.2). Next, we summarize clinical trials assessing the efficacy of antibodies targeting Claudin-6 or Claudin-18.2. Finally, emerging strategies for targeting Claudins, including Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR)-T cell therapy and Bi-specific T cell engagers (BiTEs), are also discussed.
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2234943X
|
ONCOLOGY
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10.1007/s00432-023-05603-3
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A subregion-based RadioFusionOmics model discriminates between grade 4 astrocytoma and glioblastoma on multisequence MRI
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Purpose: To explore a subregion-based RadioFusionOmics (RFO) model for discrimination between adult-type grade 4 astrocytoma and glioblastoma according to the 2021 WHO CNS5 classification. Methods: 329 patients (40 grade 4 astrocytomas and 289 glioblastomas) with histologic diagnosis was retrospectively collected from our local institution and The Cancer Imaging Archive (TCIA). The volumes of interests (VOIs) were obtained from four multiparametric MRI sequences (T1WI, T1WI + C, T2WI, T2-FLAIR) using (1) manual segmentation of the non-enhanced tumor (nET), enhanced tumor (ET), and peritumoral edema (pTE), and (2) K-means clustering of four habitats (H1: high T1WI + C, high T2-FLAIR; (2) H2: high T1WI + C, low T2-FLAIR; (3) H3: low T1WI + C, high T2-FLAIR; and (4) H4: low T1WI + C, low T2-FLAIR). The optimal VOI and best MRI sequence combination were determined. The performance of the RFO model was evaluated using the area under the precision-recall curve (AUPRC) and the best signatures were identified. Results: The two best VOIs were manual VOI3 (putative peritumoral edema) and clustering H34 (low T1WI + C, high T2-FLAIR (H3) combined with low T1WI + C and low T2-FLAIR (H4)). Features fused from four MRI sequences ( $${F}_{seq}^{\mathrm{1,2},\mathrm{3,4}}$$ F seq 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 achieved the AUPRC of 0.972 (VOI3) and 0.976 (H34) in the primary cohort (p = 0.905), and 0.971 (VOI3) and 0.974 (H34) in the testing cohort (p = 0.402). Conclusion: The performance of subregions defined by clustering was comparable to that of subregions that were manually defined. Fusion of features from the edematous subregions of multiple MRI sequences by the RFO model resulted in differentiation between grade 4 astrocytoma and glioblastoma.
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14321335
|
ONCOLOGY
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10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1349353
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Starting fresh: a mixed method study of follower job satisfaction, trust, and views of their leader’s behavior
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Introduction The leadership literature has been dominated by the study of broad styles rather than the identification of specific key behaviors. To address this deficiency, a mixed method approach was utilized to explore how follower behavioral descriptions of their leaders would relate to potential outcomes of trust in that leader and job satisfaction. Methods Data were collected from 273 hospital direct reports of 44 managers. They were asked to first describe the leadership approach of their managers in their own words, and then complete quantitative measures of the two potential outcomes. Results The qualitative responses were coded into nine leadership behavior themes listed here in order from most to least often mentioned: Kindness, Supportive, Open to Input, Allow Autonomy, Engage with Team, Transparency, Fairness, Professionalism, Hold Accountable. All behavior themes related significantly to trust of the leader, with three themes relating significantly to job satisfaction (Transparency, Fairness, and Professionalism). Discussion These results provide a more specific view of leader behavior than does the typical style approach.
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16641078
|
PSYCHOLOGY
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10.3390/educsci14030220
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Challenges Faced by Students with Special Needs in Primary Education during Online Teaching
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This study investigates the psychological, educational, and technological difficulties faced by primary education students with special needs during online teaching. An interpretative phenomenological analysis was used for the qualitative analysis of data obtained through semi-structured interviews with twenty-two (22) teachers in primary education at a European country. The results revealed that their students showed negative emotions and behaviour. Those diagnosed with autism and learning disabilities had difficulty concentrating in class, while those with sensory disabilities had epileptic instances. Students with mild mental retardation in particular found it difficult to use digital tools. Many problems, however, are due to the lack of infrastructure and digital skills, as well as proper preparation of teachers for online teaching. Therefore, students and teachers should be equipped with the necessary digital skills, specialised digital tools and accessible open educational resources (OER) in order to effectively participate in online education.
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22277102
|
EDUCATION
|
10.1186/s40359-024-01597-w
|
The effect of working memory training on test anxiety symptoms and attentional control in adolescents
|
Objective: The percentage of adolescents with test anxiety is increasing rapidly. Working memory (WM) training has been demonstrated to reduce anxiety levels and enhance attentional control in individuals. Therefore, we investigated whether adaptive dual n-back WM training could lower test anxiety level and improve attentional control in adolescents. Methods: Forty adolescents were allocated to either adaptive dual n-back WM training (n = 21) or non-adaptive dual 1-back WM training (n = 19) for 10 days. The Test Anxiety Scale was applied to measure individuals’ test anxiety symptoms. The Attentional Control Scale (ACS), the flanker task, and the Go/Nogo task were used to measure attentional control. Results: Compared with the control group, the training group reported significantly relief of test anxiety symptoms; however, there were no significant differences between the two groups in pre-to-post changes in ACS scores or performance on the flanker task and Go/Nogo task. Conclusion: In sum, adaptive dual n-back WM training effectively reduced adolescents’ level of test anxiety but did not improve their attentional control.
|
20507283
|
PSYCHOLOGY
|
10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1269954
|
Why teachers do (or do not) implement recommended teaching practices? An application of the theory of planned behavior
|
Introduction In Luxembourg, competency-based practices (CBP), differentiated instruction (DI), and formative assessment (FA) have been imposed by the 2009 school law. Referring to the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB), this study examined factors influencing the implementation of these practices in classrooms. Methods Teachers participated in an online survey assessing their attitudes, subjective norm, perception of behavioral control, intention, and pedagogical practices regarding CBP, DI, or FA. Measurement models were used in structural equation models testing the TPB. Results If the main relationships postulated by the theory were confirmed, some inconstancies were observed depending on the targeted practices. Structural equation TPB models controlling for gender, experience, teaching level, and socio-economic level of the school population explained between 20 and 45% of the variance in teachers’ practices, and between 65 and 75% of the variance in teachers’ intention to use these practices. Discussion The relevance of the TPB for studying teaching practices and implications for professional training are discussed.
|
16641078
|
PSYCHOLOGY
|
10.1007/s00432-024-05648-y
|
Psoralen: a narrative review of current and future therapeutic uses
|
Psoralen is a family of naturally occurring photoactive compounds found in plants that acquire potential cytotoxicity when activated by specific frequencies of electromagnetic waves. Psoralens penetrate the phospholipid cellular membranes and insert themselves between the pyrimidines of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA). Psoralens are initially biologically inert and acquire photoreactivity when exposed to certain classes of electromagnetic radiation, such as ultraviolet light. Once activated, psoralens form mono- and di-adducts with DNA, leading to marked cell apoptosis. This apoptotic effect is more pronounced in tumor cells due to their high rate of cell division. Moreover, photoactivated psoralen can inhibit tyrosine kinase signaling and influence the immunogenic properties of cells. Thus, the cytotoxicity of photoactivated psoralen holds promising clinical applications from its immunogenic properties to potential anti-cancer treatments. This narrative review aims to provide an overview of the current understanding and research on psoralen and to explore its potential future pharmacotherapeutic benefits in specific diseases.
|
14321335
|
ONCOLOGY
|
10.1007/s44196-024-00433-8
|
Applying a Genetic Algorithm to Implement the Fuzzy-MACBETH Method in Decision-Making Processes
|
This paper describes the development of an evolutionary algorithm for building cardinal scales based on the Fuzzy-MACBETH method. This method uses a triangular fuzzy numbers scale in the MACBETH method to incorporate the subjectivity of a semantic scale into mathematical modeling, which enables circumventing the cardinal inconsistency problem of the classical method, facilitating its application in complex contexts. A genetic algorithm is used in the fuzzy system developed here to build the basic fuzzy scale in a cardinally inconsistent decision matrix. The proposed technique is inspired by crossover and mutation genetic operations to explore potential solutions and obtain a cardinal scale aligned with the decision maker’s preferences. Finally, an illustrative example of the application of the proposed decision support system is presented. The results confirm that the FGA-MACBETH method aligns with the classical method. This study’s primary contribution is that circumventing the problem of cardinal inconsistency in a semantically consistent decision matrix enabled obtaining a cardinal scale without requiring the decision maker to redo his/her initial assessments.
|
18756883
|
AI
|
10.1007/s00432-024-05690-w
|
Retraction Note: The role of lymph node dissection in the surgical treatment of endometrial cancer patients (retrospective analysis)
| null |
14321335
|
ONCOLOGY
|
10.1007/s44196-024-00475-y
|
Retraction Note to: A Multilevel Fuzzy Evaluation of Cross-Border E-Commerce Profitability Model
| null |
18756883
|
AI
|
10.3390/cancers16071333
|
Real-World Outcome and Prognostic Factors in MDS Patients Treated with Azacitidine—A Retrospective Analysis
|
Azacitidine (AZA) is recognized as a vital drug used in the therapy of myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) due to its beneficial effect on survival and quality of life. Nevertheless, many patients fail to respond to AZA treatment, as prognostic factors still are not identified. The present retrospective analysis included 79 patients with MDS treated with AZA as first-line therapy in a real-life setting. The percentage of patients with good, intermediate, and poor cytogenetics was 46.8%, 11.4%, and 34.2%, respectively. The overall response rate (complete remission [CR], partial remission [PR], and hematological improvement [HI]) was 24%. The CR, PR, and HI rates were 13.9%, 2.5%, and 7.6%, respectively. Stable disease (SD) was documented in 40.5% of patients. The median overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) were 17.6 and 14.96 months, respectively. Patients with ORR and SD had a significantly longer median OS (23.8 vs. 5.7 months, p = 0.0005) and PFS (19.8 vs. 3.5 months, p < 0.001) compared to patients who did not respond to AZA. In univariate analysis, only an unfavorable cytogenetic group was a prognostic factor of a lower response rate (p = 0.03). In a multivariate model, older age (p = 0.047), higher IPSS (International Prognostic Scoring System) risk (p = 0.014), and higher IPSS-R cytogenetic risk (p = 0.004) were independent factors of shorter OS. Independent prognostic factors for shorter PFS were age (p = 0.001), IPSS risk (p = 0.02), IPSS cytogenetic risk (p = 0.002), and serum ferritin level (p = 0.008). The safety profile of AZA was predictable and consistent with previous studies. In conclusion, our study confirms the efficacy and safety of AZA in a real-world population and identifies potential biomarkers for response and survival.
|
20726694
|
ONCOLOGY
|
10.1186/s40594-024-00479-2
|
Beyond performance, competence, and recognition: forging a science researcher identity in the context of research training
|
Background: Studying science identity has been useful for understanding students’ continuation in science-related education and career paths. Yet knowledge and theory related to science identity among students on the path to becoming a professional science researcher, such as students engaged in research at the undergraduate, postbaccalaureate, and graduate level, is still developing. It is not yet clear from existing science identity theory how particular science contexts, such as research training experiences, influence students’ science identities. Here we leverage existing science identity and professional identity theories to investigate how research training shapes science identity. We conducted a qualitative investigation of 30 early career researchers—undergraduates, postbaccalaureates, and doctoral students in a variety of natural science fields—to characterize how they recognized themselves as science researchers. Results: Early career researchers (ECRs) recognized themselves as either science students or science researchers, which they distinguished from being a career researcher. ECRs made judgments, which we refer to as “science identity assessments”, in the context of interconnected work-learning and identity-learning cycles. Work-learning cycles referred to ECRs’ conceptions of the work they did in their research training experience. ECRs weighed the extent to which they perceived the work they did in their research training to show authenticity, offer room for autonomy, and afford opportunities for epistemic involvement. Identity-learning cycles encompassed ECRs’ conceptions of science researchers. ECRs considered the roles they fill in their research training experiences and if these roles aligned with their perceptions of the tasks and traits of perceived researchers. ECRs’ identity-learning cycles were further shaped by recognition from others. ECRs spoke of how recognition from others embedded within their research training experiences and from others removed from their research training experiences influenced how they see themselves as science researchers. Conclusions: We synthesized our findings to form a revised conceptual model of science researcher identity, which offers enhanced theoretical precision to study science identity in the future. We hypothesize relationships among constructs related to science identity and professional identity development that can be tested in further research. Our results also offer practical implications to foster the science researcher identity of ECRs.
|
21967822
|
EDUCATION
|
10.3390/ejihpe14040058
|
Emotional Regulation Mechanisms of University Students in Group Work Situations
|
Universities are active agents of social change through knowledge, providing citizens with the necessary abilities to face professional challenges. This work aims to evaluate and analyse the adaptation of emotional regulation in learning situations of group work in virtual and hybrid (virtual and presential) environments, of a group of students of Physical Activity and Sport Sciences belonging to a Chilean university and a Spanish university. Method: A total of 107 students from a Chilean university and a Spanish university, all of them enrolled in the degree in Physical Activity and Sport Sciences, participated in the study. The instrument used was the Adaptative Instrument for Regulation of Emotions questionnaire. Results: The analysis of the data shows that there are some significant differences (p ≤ 0.05), between the groups of students who worked virtually and those who worked in hybrid situations, in the aspects related to personal motivations (learn from my classmates, not to disappoint my working group, and enjoying the experience of working in a group). The students who worked online resolved conflicts mainly through individual regulation mechanisms with significant differences in relation to the students who worked in hybrid mode. No significant differences were found in the socioemotional challenges or in the balance of the metacognitive experience. Conclusion: The group that worked in hybrid learning valued group purposes over personal purposes and used the social regulation mechanism over individual regulation in conflict resolution. On the other hand, the group that worked virtually valued group and personal purposes equally and used the mechanism of individual regulation and social regulation to solve difficulties. Differences between students who worked in virtual and hybrid environments may be due to greater social interaction and group dynamics in hybrid environments, as well as differences in culture and access to resources and technology.
|
22549625
|
PSYCHOLOGY
|
10.1186/s40594-024-00481-8
|
Science teacher identity research: a scoping literature review
|
Science teacher identity significantly influences teacher professional development, practices, and attitudes, which in turn impacts student learning outcomes. With an increased number of studies on science teacher identity over the past two decades, there is a need for a scoping literature review that holistically maps the current state of science teacher identity research and identifies future research directions. This scoping literature review identified 48 empirical articles on science teacher identity, published from 2000 to 2023, in peer-reviewed journals and examined the studies’ (a) characteristics; (b) theoretical frameworks on identity; (c) definitions of science teacher identity; and (d) major findings. Specifically, there is a need for precise conceptualizations and definitions of science teacher identity; this clarity will facilitate valid, reliable, and fair instruments to capture the relatively stable facets of science teacher identity at a given moment in a given context in order to longitudinally track science teacher identity development. This scoping review identifies both progress and gaps in the current literature and future directions for synergistic, cross-cultural international research on science teacher identity.
|
21967822
|
EDUCATION
|
10.3390/ejihpe14040061
|
Assessing We-Disease Appraisals of Health Problems: Development and Validation of the We-Disease Questionnaire
|
In couples dealing with health problems, we-disease appraisals can influence dyadic coping strategies to alleviate distress. This study describes the development and validation of a self-report scale to assess we-disease appraisals of health problems. The newly developed We-Disease Questionnaire (WDQ) was administered in three samples: parents of children with type 1 diabetes (n = 240) or cancer (n = 125) and individuals with visual impairment and their partners (n = 216). Reliability was measured by coefficient omega. To assess construct validity, correlations with other measures of individual and dyadic adjustment were examined. Descriptive statistics across all samples were compared. A 4-item version of the WDQ demonstrated good reliability and validity and showed meaningful associations with established scales. We-disease appraisals were highest among parents of children with cancer and lowest among couples with visual impairment. The WDQ is a reliable and valid measure that can be used across different health problems.
|
22549625
|
PSYCHOLOGY
|
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