Search

This study has a two-fold objective: First, to adapt and validate the Emotions and Motivation Self-Regulation Questionnaire (EMSR-Q) with university students in Colombia, and secondly, to verify whether the relationship model between emotional and motivational self-regulation and academic performance coincides with what was initially proposed by the questionnaire’s authors. A total of 644 higher education students participated in the study. To test the questionnaire’s structural validity and generalizability across cultures and educational levels, confirmatory factor and cross validation analyses were carried out. Besides, to test its predictive validity, a multiple linear regression analysis was carried out. Results showed that the data fit the model well, that the scales of the questionnaire have adequate reliability, and that negative selfregulation of stress and avoidance-oriented self-regulation related negatively and significantly to academic performance. The results support the emotion and motivation self-regulation model proposed by the authors.

Abstract Background Increased tissue stiffness is a common feature of malignant solid tumors, often associated with metastasis and poor patient outcomes. Vitronectin, as an extracellular matrix anchorage glycoprotein related to a stiff matrix, is present in a particularly increased quantity and specific distribution in high-risk neuroblastoma. Furthermore, as cells can sense and transform the proprieties of the extracellular matrix into chemical signals through mechanotransduction, genotypic changes related to stiffness are possible. Methods We applied high density SNPa and NGS techniques to in vivo and in vitro models (orthotropic xenograft vitronectin knock-out mice and 3D bioprinted hydrogels with different stiffness) using two representative neuroblastoma cell lines (the MYCN-amplified SK-N-BE(2) and the ALK-mutated SH-SY5Y), to discern how tumor genomics patterns and clonal heterogeneity of the two cell lines are affected. Results We describe a remarkable subclonal selection of genomic aberrations in SK-N-BE(2) cells grown in knock-out vitronectin xenograft mice that also emerged when cultured for long times in stiff hydrogels. In particular, we detected an enlarged subclonal cell population with chromosome 9 aberrations in both models. Similar abnormalities were found in human high-risk neuroblastoma with MYCN amplification. The genomics of the SH-SY5Y cell line remained stable when cultured in both models. Conclusions Focus on heterogeneous intratumor segmental chromosome aberrations and mutations, as a mirror image of tumor microenvironment, is a vital area of future research.

Abstract Purpose This study's main objective is to assess the feasibility of processing the MRI information with identified ACL‐footprints into 2D‐images similar to a conventional anteroposterior and lateral X‐Ray image of the knee. The secondary aim is to conduct specific measurements to assess the reliability and reproducibility. This study is a proof of concept of this technique. Methods Five anonymised MRIs of a right knee were analysed. A orthopaedic knee surgeon performed the footprints identification. An ad‐hoc software allowed a volumetric 3D image projection on a 2D anteroposterior and lateral view. The previously defined anatomical femoral and tibial footprints were precisely identified on these views. Several parameters were measured (e.g. coronal and sagittal ratio of tibial footprint, sagittal ratio of femoral footprint, femoral intercondylar notch roof angle, proximal tibial slope and others). The intraclass correlation coefficient (ICCs), including 95% confidence intervals (CIs), has been calculated to assess intraobserver reproducibility and interobserver reliability. Results Five MRI scans of a right knee have been assessed (three females, two males, mean age of 30.8 years old). Five 2D‐”CLASS” have been created. The measured parameters showed a “substantial” to “almost perfect” reproducibility and an “almost perfect” reliability. Conclusion This study confirmed the possibility of generating “CLASS” with the localised centroid of the femoral and tibial ACL footprints from a 3D volumetric model. “CLASS” also showed that these footprints were easily identified on standard anteroposterior and lateral X‐Ray views of the same patient, thus allowing an individual identification of the anatomical femoral and tibial ACL's footprints. Level of evidence Level IV diagnostic study

Carsharing practices are spreading across many cities in the world. This paper analyzes real-life data obtained from a private carsharing company operating in the city of Barcelona, Spain. After describing the main trends in the data, machine learning and time-series analysis methods are employed to better understand citizens’ needs and behavior, as well as to make predictions about the evolution of their demand for this service. In addition, an original proposal is made regarding the location of the pick-up points. This proposal is based on a capacitated dispersion algorithm, and aims at balancing two relevant factors, including scattering of pick-up points (so that most users can benefit from the service) and efficiency (so that areas with higher demand are well covered). Our aim is to gain a deeper understanding of citizens’ needs and behavior in relation to carsharing services. The analysis includes three main components: descriptive, predictive, and prescriptive, resulting in customer segmentation and forecast of service demand, as well as original concepts for optimizing parking station location.

Pellet injection is the most promising technique to achieve efficient plasma core fuelling, key for attaining stationary scenarios in large magnetic confinement fusion devices. In this paper, the injection of pellets with different volumes and speeds into standard plasma scenarios in ITER (tokamak) and Wendelstein 7-X (stellarator) is studied by modeling the pellet ablation and particle deposition, focusing on the evaluation of the expected differences in pellet plasmoid drifts in tokamaks and stellarators. Since the efficiency of the damping-drift mechanisms is predicted to depend on the magnetic configuration, device-specific characteristics are expected for the temporal evolution of the plasmoid drift acceleration. For instance, plasmoid-internal Pfirsch–Schlüter currents dominate the drift damping process for stellarators, while plasmoid-external currents are more relevant for tokamaks. Also, relatively larger drifts are in principle expected for W7-X due to higher field gradients in relation to machine dimensions. However, shorter plasmoid-internal charge reconnection lengths result in the drift damping due to internal Pfirsch–Schlüter currents being more effective than in a tokamak. Therefore, the average relative drift displacement during the whole plasmoid homogenization may a priori be comparable in both magnetic configurations. Moreover, High Field Side (HFS) injection is expected to be highly advantageous to maximize pellet particle deposition in ITER, whereas it may only be beneficial in medium to high β environments in W7-X. Finally, there may be means for the optimization of pellet injection configurations in both ITER and W7-X for the considered plasma scenarios despite the sizeable differences in the relative importance of the mechanisms of plasmoid drift acceleration and deceleration in play.

The identification and selection of genetically superior animals for residual feed intake (RFI) could enhance productivity and minimize environmental impacts. The aim of this study was to use RNA-seq data to identify the differentially expressed genes (DEGs), known non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs), specific biomarkers and enriched biological processes associated with RFI of the liver in Nellore cattle in two genetic groups. In genetic group 1 (G1), 24 extreme RFI animals (12 low RFI (LRFI) versus 12 high RFI (HRFI)) were selected from a population of 60 Nellore bulls. The RNA-seq of the samples from their liver tissues was performed using an Illumina HiSeq 2000. In genetic group 2 (G2), 20 samples of liver tissue of Nellore bulls divergent for RFI (LRFI, n = 10 versus HRFI, n = 10) were selected from 83 animals. The raw data of the G2 were chosen from the ENA repository. A total of 1811 DEGs were found for the G1 and 2054 for the G2 (p-value ≤ 0.05). We detected 88 common genes in both genetic groups, of which 33 were involved in the immune response and in blocking oxidative stress. In addition, seven (B2M, ADSS, SNX2, TUBA4A, ARHGAP18, MECR, and ABCF3) possible gene biomarkers were identified through a receiver operating characteristic analysis (ROC) considering an AUC > 0.70. The B2M gene was overexpressed in the LRFI group. This gene regulates the lipid metabolism protein turnover and inhibits cell death. We also found non-coding RNAs in both groups. MIR25 was up-regulated and SNORD16 was down-regulated in the LRFI for G1. For G2, up-regulated RNase_MRP and SCARNA10 were found. We highlight MIR25 as being able to act by blocking cytotoxicity and oxidative stress and RMRP as a blocker of mitochondrial damage. The biological pathways associated with RFI of the liver in Nellore cattle in the two genetic groups were for energy metabolism, protein turnover, redox homeostasis and the immune response. The common transcripts, biomarkers and metabolic pathways found in the two genetic groups make this unprecedented work even more relevant, since the results are valid for different herds raised in different ways. The results reinforce the biological importance of these known processes but also reveal new insights into the complexity of the liver tissue transcriptome of Nellore cattle.

Mobility and transportation activities in smart cities require an increasing amount of energy. With the frequent energy crises arising worldwide and the need for a more sustainable and environmental friendly economy, optimizing energy consumption in these growing activities becomes a must. This work reviews the latest works in this matter and discusses several challenges that emerge from the aforementioned social and industrial demands. The paper analyzes how collaborative concepts and the increasing use of electric vehicles can contribute to reduce energy consumption practices, as well as intelligent x-heuristic algorithms that can be employed to achieve this fundamental goal. In addition, the paper analyzes computational results from previous works on mobility and transportation in smart cities applying x-heuristics algorithms. Finally, a novel computational experiment, involving a ridesharing example, is carried out to illustrate the benefits that can be obtained by employing these algorithms.

Vehicular ad hoc networks (VANETs) are a fundamental component of intelligent transportation systems in smart cities. With the support of open and real-time data, these networks of inter-connected vehicles constitute an ‘Internet of vehicles’ with the potential to significantly enhance citizens’ mobility and last-mile delivery in urban, peri-urban, and metropolitan areas. However, the proper coordination and logistics of VANETs raise a number of optimization challenges that need to be solved. After reviewing the state of the art on the concepts of VANET optimization and open data in smart cities, this paper discusses some of the most relevant optimization challenges in this area. Since most of the optimization problems are related to the need for real-time solutions or to the consideration of uncertainty and dynamic environments, the paper also discusses how some VANET challenges can be addressed with the use of agile optimization algorithms and the combination of metaheuristics with simulation and machine learning methods. The paper also offers a numerical analysis that measures the impact of using these optimization techniques in some related problems. Our numerical analysis, based on real data from Open Data Barcelona, demonstrates that the constructive heuristic outperforms the random scenario in the CDP combined with vehicular networks, resulting in maximizing the minimum distance between facilities while meeting capacity requirements with the fewest facilities.

The positive effect of feedback on students’ performance and learning is no longer disputed. For this reason, scholars have been working on developing models and theories that explain how feedback works and which variables may contribute to student engagement with it. Our aim with this review was to describe the most prominent models and theories, identified using a systematic, three-step approach. We selected 14 publications and described definitions, models, their background, and specific underlying mechanisms of feedback processes. We concluded the review with eight main points reached from our analysis of the models. The goal of this paper is to inform the field and to help both scholars and educators to select appropriate models to frame their research and intervention development. In our complementary review (Panadero and Lipnevich, 2021) we further analyzed and compared the fourteen models with the goal to classify and integrate shared elements into a new comprehensive model.

We previously demonstrated that treatment with BemA (bempedoic acid), an inhibitor of ATP citrate lyase, significantly reduces fatty liver in a model of liver steatosis (HFHFr—female Sprague-Dawley rat fed a high-fat high-fructose diet). Since the hepatic production of the gasotransmitter H2S is impaired in liver disorders, we were interested in determining if the production of H2S was altered in our HFHFr model and whether the administration of BemA reversed these changes. We used stored liver samples from a previous study to determine the total and enzymatic H2S production, as well as the expression of CBS (cystathionine β-synthase), CSE (cystathionine γ-lyase), and 3MST (3-mercaptopiruvate sulfurtransferase), and the expression/activity of FXR (farnesoid X receptor), a transcription factor involved in regulating CSE expression. Our data show that the HFHFr diet reduces the total and enzymatic production of liver H2S, mainly by decreasing the expression of CBS and CSE. Furthermore, BemA treatment restored H2S production, increasing the expression of CBS and CSE, providing evidence for the involvement of FXR transcriptional activity and the mTORC1 (mammalian target of rapamycin1)/S6K1 (ribosomal protein S6 kinase beta-1)/PGC1α (peroxisome proliferator receptor gamma coactivator1α) pathway.

Formative assessment practices have been theoretically connected to the development of self-regulation with mounting empirical evidence. Co-regulation is the process whereby a more capable individual (e.g., teacher or peer) attunes the behaviours, emotions, or cognitive processes of an individual (a student) to align with goals or expectations and is being recognized as a strategy for developing self-regulation. Formative assessment practices may facilitate co-regulation, however, much of the literature has focused on older student populations. This phenomenological study explored the relationship between formative assessment and co-regulation in eight Kindergarten classrooms. Eight Kindergarten teachers and four Early Childhood Educators (ECE) completed semi-structured interviews in 2019 during two time periods with each participant completing two interviews. To supplement the interviews, 56 h of classroom observations were completed in each classroom, totaling 448 h of observations across eight classrooms. Interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. Qualitative data were analyzed thematically. Four themes emerged: 1) Authentic assessment and self-regulation practices, 2) Feedback as foundational, 3) Formative assessment and co-regulation have shared purposes, and 4) Connections between classroom assessment and co-regulation. Participants described their classroom assessment and self-regulation practices as authentic and natural for students while also providing examples of their interactions with students as a form of co-regulation. Feedback was articulated as foundational to both classroom assessment and co-regulation. Participants illustrated examples of feedback from peers (including through modified peer-assessment). Shared purposes between formative assessment and co-regulation placed students at the centre of the learning process, encouraging agentic behaviours, and scaffolding student thinking. The final theme underlined the need to broaden conceptualizations of assessment in Kindergarten. Findings suggested student agency as the bridge between classroom assessment and co-regulation, and a bidirectional, mutually supportive, relationship between formative assessment and co-regulation.

Evaluative judgement is the capability to make decisions about the quality of work of oneself and others. In this paper, we propose that developing students' evaluative judgement should be a goal of higher education, to enable students to improve their work and to meet their future learning needs: a necessary capability of graduates. We explore evaluative judgement within a discourse of pedagogy rather than primarily within an assessment discourse, as a way of encompassing and integrating a range of pedagogical practices. We trace the origins and development of the term 'evaluative judgement' to form a concise definition then recommend refinements to existing higher education practices of self-assessment, peer assessment, feedback, rubrics, and use of exemplars to contribute to the development of evaluative judgement. Considering pedagogical practices in light of evaluative judgement may lead to fruitful methods of engendering the skills learners require both within and beyond higher education settings.

This study explores the effects of peer assessment (PA) practice on peer feedback (PF) quality of 11th grade secondary education students (N = 36). The PA setting was synchronous: anonymous assessors gave immediate PF using mobile response technology during 10 feedback occasions. The design was quasi-experimental (experimental vs. control condition) in which students in one condition received a scaffold to filter out relevant information they received. It was expected that this filter-out scaffold would influence PF quality in subsequent tasks in which they were assessors. PF content analysis showed that offering multiple PF occasions improved PF quality: messages contained more negative verifications and informative and suggestive elaborations after the intervention. However, no effects were found of filtering out relevant information on PF quality. Moreover, students' perceived peer feedback skills improved which was in correspondence with their actual quality improvement over time. Additionally, the perceived usefulness of the received feedback was rated high by all participants.

We have known for a long time that a relationship exists between how learning is assessed and the learning processes and strategies students employ when engaged in those assessments. Black and Wiliam pointed out in 1998 that self-regulated learning should be a primary goal of formative assessment (FA). Since then, a growing body of research on this relationship has been produced. The purpose of this paper is to present and discuss keystone publications that inform our current understandings of the relationship between FA and self-regulated learning. The result is a roadmap of the development of the field and directions for future research.

Teaching a large class can present real challenges in design, management and standardisation of assessment practices. One of the main dilemmas for university teachers is how to implement effective formative assessment practices with accompanying high-quality feedback consistently over time with large classroom groups. This article reports on how elements of formative practices can be implemented as part of summative assessment in very large undergraduate cohorts (n = 1500 in one semester), studying in different modes (on- and off-campus), with multiple markers, and under common cost and time constraints. Design features implemented include the use of exemplars, rubrics and audio feedback. The article draws on the reflections of the leading teacher, and argues that, for summative assessment to benefit learners, it should contain formative assessment elements. The teaching practices utilised in the case study provide some means to resolve the tensions between formative assessment and summative assessment that may be more generally applicable.

Although previous research has indicated that providing anonymity is an effective way to create a safe peer assessment setting, continuously ensuring anonymity prevents students from experiencing genuine two-way interactive feedback dialogues. The present study investigated how installing a transitional approach from an anonymous to a non-anonymous peer assessment setting can overcome this problem. A total of 46 bachelor's degree students in Educational Studies participated in multiple peer assessment cycles in which groups of students assessed each other's work. Both students' evolution in peer feedback quality as well as their perceptions were measured. The content analysis of the peer feedback messages revealed that the quality of peer feedback increased in the anonymous phase, and that over time, the feedback in the consecutive non-anonymous sessions was of similar quality. The results also indicate that the transitional approach does not hinder the perceived growth in peer feedback skills, nor does it have a negative impact on their general conceptions towards peer assessment. Furthermore, students clearly differentiated between their attributed importance of anonymity and their view on the usefulness of a transitional approach. The findings suggest that anonymity can be a valuable scaffold to ease students' importance level towards anonymity and their associated need for practice.

In the team orienteering problem, a fixed fleet of vehicles departs from an origin depot towards a destination, and each vehicle has to visit nodes along its route in order to collect rewards. Typically, the maximum distance that each vehicle can cover is limited. Alternatively, there is a threshold for the maximum time a vehicle can employ before reaching its destination. Due to this driving range constraint, not all potential nodes offering rewards can be visited. Hence, the typical goal is to maximize the total reward collected without exceeding the vehicle’s capacity. The TOP can be used to model operations related to fleets of unmanned aerial vehicles, road electric vehicles with limited driving range, or ride-sharing operations in which the vehicle has to reach its destination on or before a certain deadline. However, in some realistic scenarios, travel times are better modeled as random variables, which introduce additional challenges into the problem. This paper analyzes a stochastic version of the team orienteering problem in which random delays are considered. Being a stochastic environment, we are interested in generating solutions with a high expected reward that, at the same time, are highly reliable (i.e., offer a high probability of not suffering any route delay larger than a user-defined threshold). In order to tackle this stochastic optimization problem, which contains a probabilistic constraint on the random delays, we propose an extended simheuristic algorithm that also employs concepts from reliability analysis.

Anthracycline-induced cardiotoxicity is the most severe collateral effect of chemotherapy originated by an excess of oxidative stress in cardiomyocytes that leads to cardiac dysfunction. We assessed clinical data from patients with breast cancer receiving anthracyclines and searched for discriminating microRNAs between patients that developed cardiotoxicity (cases) and those that did not (controls), using RNA sequencing and regression analysis. Serum levels of 25 microRNAs were differentially expressed in cases versus controls within the first year after anthracycline treatment, as assessed by three different regression models (elastic net, Robinson and Smyth exact negative binomial test and random forest). MiR-4732-3p was the only microRNA identified in all regression models and was downregulated in patients that experienced cardiotoxicity. MiR-4732-3p was also present in neonatal rat cardiomyocytes and cardiac fibroblasts and was modulated by anthracycline treatment. A miR-4732-3p mimic was cardioprotective in cardiac and fibroblast cultures, following doxorubicin challenge, in terms of cell viability and ROS levels. Notably, administration of the miR-4732-3p mimic in doxorubicin-treated rats preserved cardiac function, normalized weight loss, induced angiogenesis, and decreased apoptosis, interstitial fibrosis and cardiac myofibroblasts. At the molecular level, miR-4732-3p regulated genes of TGFβ and Hippo signaling pathways. Overall, the results indicate that miR-4732-3p is a novel biomarker of cardiotoxicity that has therapeutic potential against anthracycline-induced heart damage.

En el presente trabajo se revisa la literatura para conocer cuál es el grado de relación que existe entre los niveles de Alianza Terapéutica (AT) y el éxito en el tratamiento psicoterapéutico del episodio depresivo mayor. Se utilizaron bases de datos electrónicas (PsycInfo, Pubmed y PsycArticle) y se obtuvieron 13 trabajos que cumplían los criterios de inclusión prefijados. En todos los trabajos los resultados avalan la existencia de una relación positiva entre los niveles de AT y el resultado psicoterapéutico de la depresión, ya sea medido este mediante instrumentos psicométricos o tomando otras variables como el riesgo de recaída o el abandono de la terapia. Se examina si el tipo de corriente psicoterapéutica modula de alguna manera esta relación, encontrándose resultados contradictorios. Se concluye destacando la importancia de establecer una buena AT para lograr unos buenos resultados psicoterapéuticos en el tratamiento de la depresión.

Background: The significance of national tourism in the global data highlights the importance of studying the characteristics of Spanish tourists that show interest in visiting Valencia (Spain). Personality traits might influence tourism behavior, and their importance has scarcely been addressed in the prior tourism literature. Objectives: We aimed to identify the touristic profiles of national tourists based on their lifestyles and to analyze the influence of personality traits in tourism segmentation. Methodology: 329 individuals participated in this study, they responded questionnaires about sociodemography, personality, lifestyle and a 3-item questionnaire developed by the authors. We performed analysis to obtain profiles by lifestyle, we carried out tests to study differences in personality traits among profiles and we analyzed the effects of the responses to the author-developed questionnaire and the demographic characteristics of the subjects on their cluster membership. Results: The results show that this market can be segmented into four clusters. We found significant statistical differences in personality traits among profiles. In addition, the authors present an author-designed questionnaire that, together with demographic variables, is able to predict participants’ profiles. Conclusion: The results suggest that lifestyle is an appropriate indicator for this market segmentation and the analysis of its relationship with personality provides a deep comprehension of the resulting profiles. In addition, the profile prediction by the responses to the author-developed questionnaire constitutes a new basis for tourism segmentation, as these predictors might be used as “quick touristic classifiers”. Implications or recommendations: The study of decision-making processes in tourism allows researchers and sellers to predict tourist behaviors and adapt offers to tourists’ preferences and interests.