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This study aims to investigate leadership in orchestra conducting and interrogate educational principles to improve conducting pedagogy. Effective leadership implies a set of interpersonal, communicational, and emotional skills combined with a high level of expertise, which may enable the leader to not only achieve excellent outcomes but also create a positive and collaborative working climate and vision for the performance. This work demonstrates that there are strong implications between effective leadership and orchestra conducting. We examine how orchestra conductors are perceived to be effective leaders and deduce from general leadership theories the following five parameters: charisma, stage presence, nonverbal communication, relationships with musicians, and leadership style. Interviews with orchestra conductors and performers support these five parameters for effective orchestra conducting. We perform a detailed analysis of the profiles of two renowned orchestra leaders-- namely, Herbert von Karajan and Gustavo Dudamel-- to test the five parameters and distill educational implications for both scholars and practitioners. The results are presented and discussed, along with implications for the education of orchestra conductors.

Purpose: Hikikomori is a multidimensional condition, characterized by voluntarily social withdrawal, impacting the relational dimension of life. The current study aims to examine secondary school teachers' beliefs, knowledge and needs on hikikomori and students' social withdrawal. Design/methodology/approach: A qualitative method consisting of a semi-structured interview is adopted with 22 Italian secondary school teachers. The interview questions are focused on the beliefs, the profile, the conditions and the role of the school for adolescents socially retired. Findings: Data are analysed using content analysis based on the grounded theory framework. Forty-nine codes emerged from the inductive analysis, which were sorted into the following categories: (1) Characteristics of hikikomori and social withdrawal; (2) Origin, causes and consequences; (3) Sources of information; (4) Socio-relational modalities; (5) Teachers' needs and role of the school. Teachers are aware of the educational issues and risks related to hikikomori and claim for more institutional support. Teachers reconsider the way of working in class for preventing the risk of self-isolation, supporting the development of social and emotional skills, and encouraging collaboration and positive exchanges among students. Participants mention a personalized student-centred method where families and external agencies support the school system. Originality/value: Although several clinical and psychological interventions have been developed for treating the hikikomori's self-isolation and concomitant mental disorders, few plans have been implemented for reducing the risk of adolescents' social withdrawal. Preventing hikikomori is crucial as well as to investigate the role and the needs of school teachers, and the current study has tried to explore these.

Abstract We propose the lag‐1 autocorrelation of daily precipitation as a simple diagnostic of tropical precipitation variability in climate models. This metric generally has a relatively uniform distribution of positive values across the tropics. However, selected land regions are characterized by exceptionally low autocorrelation values. Low values correspond to the dominance of high frequency variance in precipitation, and specifically of high frequency convectively coupled equatorial waves. Consistent with previous work, we show that CMIP6 climate models overestimate the autocorrelation. Global kilometer‐scale models capture the observed autocorrelation when deep convection is explicitly simulated. When a deep convection parameterization is used, though, the autocorrelation increases over land and ocean, suggesting that land surface‐atmosphere interactions are not responsible for the changes in autocorrelation. Furthermore, the metric also tracks the accuracy of the representation of the relative importance of high frequency and low frequency convectively coupled equatorial waves in the models.

Abstract A sequence of torrential rainstorms pounded Pakistan in the summer of 2022, shattering records by massive margins (7 sigma). The severe socioeconomic damages underscore the urgency of identifying its dynamic drivers and relationship with human-induced climate change. Here, we find that the downpours were primarily initiated by the synoptic low-pressure systems, whose intensity and longevity far exceeded their counterparts in history as fueled by a historically-high cross-equatorial moisture transport over the Arabian Sea. The moisture transport has been trending upward since the 1960s and, in 2022, along with the anomalous easterly moisture influx caused by the combination of La Niña and negative Indian Ocean Dipole events, created a corridor of heavy rainfall extending from central India toward southern Pakistan. While it is not yet established whether the observed trend of the cross-equatorial moisture transport has exceeded natural variability, model-based analysis confirms that it is consistent with the fingerprint of anthropogenic climate warming and will raise the likelihood of such rare events substantially in the coming decades.

Abstract We investigated the relationship between self-efficacy and career development via subjective well-being of students majoring in physical education. Life satisfaction, positive affect, and negative affect were the componennts of subjective well-being. Participants were the 1381 adolescents with major in physical education with an age range of 18–22 years (Mage = 19.5 ± 1; females = 34.76%). Hayes PROCESS model was used to develop a multiple mediation model. The results suggest that higher self-efficacy leads to better career development. Further, a significant mediating role was played by negative and positive affect in case of the relationship between self-efficacy and career exploration, but life-satisfaction is not significant mediator. Conversely, life satisfaction and positive affect are significant mediators between self-efficacy and career adaptability but negative affect is not. The findings suggest that self-efficacy and subjective well-being benefit career development of adolescents in the physical education field.

The present article provides an in-depth look at the strategies and practices developed by a cohort of primary school music teachers in Italy to deliver online music lessons during the COVID-19 lockdown. We used a qualitative methodology based on semi-structured interviews to bring out our participants' voices and reflections in a very personal manner and examine their perspectives on issues important to their profession and daily work. We were interested in investigating which practices and strategies were used or developed to deal with the difficulties and positive aspects characterising their experiences as teachers during the lockdown period. A focus was put on lesson planning, time management, student involvement, and information and communication technology (ICT) skills. Qualitative data were analysed using an inductive method based on grounded theory, giving rise to the five following dimensions: classroom activities; the role of the school and staff members; teachers' interactions with children and their parents; positive outcomes; unresolved challenges. Participants discussed how they used ICT and managed their classes remotely, provided vivid descriptions of their professional relationships with colleagues and students, and reflected on the advantages and disadvantages of teaching music remotely, pointing to new ways to improve current teaching methodologies.

Abstract A single column model with parameterized large‐scale (LS) dynamics is used to better understand the response of steady‐state tropical precipitation to relative sea surface temperature under various representations of radiation, convection, and circulation. The large‐scale dynamics are parametrized via the weak temperature gradient (WTG), damped gravity wave (DGW), and spectral weak temperature gradient (Spectral WTG) method in NCAR's Single Column Atmosphere Model (SCAM6). Radiative cooling is either specified or interactive, and the convective parameterization is run using two different values of a parameter that controls the degree of convective inhibition. Results are interpreted in the context of the Global Atmospheric System Studies ‐Weak Temperature Gradient (GASS‐WTG) Intercomparison project. Using the same parameter settings and simulation configuration as in the GASS‐WTG Intercomparison project, SCAM6 under the WTG and DGW methods produces erratic results, suggestive of numerical instability. However, when key parameters are changed to weaken the large‐scale circulation's damping of tropospheric temperature variations, SCAM6 performs comparably to single column models in the GASS‐WTG Intercomparison project. The Spectral WTG method is less sensitive to changes in convection and radiation than are the other two methods, performing qualitatively similarly across all configurations considered. Under all three methods, circulation strength, represented in 1D by grid‐scale vertical velocity, is decreased when barriers to convection are reduced. This effect is most extreme under specified radiative cooling, and is shown to come from increased static stability in the column's reference radiative‐convective equilibrium profile. This argument can be extended to interactive radiation cases as well, though perhaps less conclusively.

Abstract Background High dietary carbohydrates can spare protein in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) but may affect growth and health. Inulin, a prebiotic, could have nutritional and metabolic effects, along with anti-inflammatory properties in teleosts, improving growth and welfare. We tested this hypothesis in rainbow trout by feeding them a 100% plant-based diet, which is a viable alternative to fishmeal and fish oil in aquaculture feeds. In a two-factor design, we examined the impact of inulin (2%) as well as the variation in the carbohydrates (CHO)/plant protein ratio on rainbow trout. We assessed the influence of these factors on zootechnical parameters, plasma metabolites, gut microbiota, production of short-chain fatty acids and lactic acid, as well as the expression of free-fatty acid receptor genes in the mid-intestine, intermediary liver metabolism, and immune markers in a 12-week feeding trial. Results The use of 2% inulin did not significantly change the fish intestinal microbiota, but interestingly, the high CHO/protein ratio group showed a change in intestinal microbiota and in particular the beta diversity, with 21 bacterial genera affected, including Ralstonia, Bacillus, and 11 lactic-acid producing bacteria. There were higher levels of butyric, and valeric acid in groups fed with high CHO/protein diet but not with inulin. The high CHO/protein group showed a decrease in the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines (il1b, il8, and tnfa) in liver and a lower expression of the genes coding for tight-junction proteins in mid-intestine (tjp1a and tjp3). However, the 2% inulin did not modify the expression of plasma immune markers. Finally, inulin induced a negative effect on rainbow trout growth performance irrespective of the dietary carbohydrates. Conclusions With a 100% plant-based diet, inclusion of high levels of carbohydrates could be a promising way for fish nutrition in aquaculture through a protein sparing effect whereas the supplementation of 2% inulin does not appear to improve the use of CHO when combined with a 100% plant-based diet.

We assessed the impact of environmental conditions and agronomic traits on maize grain quality parameters. The study was conducted using genotypes with distinct genetic constitutions developed specifically for late sowing in semi-arid environments. We evaluated the agronomic, physical, and chemical characteristics of eight maize open-pollinated varieties, six inbred lines, and three commercial hybrids. The yield of the open-pollinated varieties showed a positive correlation with protein content (r = 0.33), while it exhibited a negative correlation with the carbohydrate percentage (r = −0.36 and −0.42) in conjunction with the inbred lines. The flotation index of the hybrids was influenced primarily by the environmental effect (50.15%), whereas in the inbred lines it was nearly evenly divided between the genotype effect (45.51%) and the environmental effect (43.15%). In the open-pollinated varieties, the genotype effect accounted for 35.09% and the environmental effect for 42.35%. The characteristics of plant structure were associated with grain quality attributes relevant for milling, including hardness and test weight. Inbred lines exhibited significant genotype contributions to grain hardness, protein, and carbohydrate content, distinguishing them from the other two germplasm types. These associations are crucial for specific genotypes and for advancing research and development of cultivars for the food industry.

What are the main views and perceptions of creativity of a music teacher? By administering an open-ended questionnaire to 11 music teachers, we sought to elicit responses to clarify what are their self-reported understandings of creativity; how they think musical creativity can be facilitated in a teaching setting; and how they can differentiate between individual and collective forms of musical creativity in the classroom. A thematic analysis gave rise to five categories, each addressing one or more of these dimensions from different angles. Findings indicate that our respondents tended to associate the development of a creative musicianship with generally positive concepts, attributing to it several interrelated meanings. In particular, the music teachers who took part in the study mentioned how fostering creative attitude in their students may involve stimulating their curiosity, changing their perspectives, and helping them navigate both personal and social domains; finally, our participants indicated that both individual and collective forms of teaching may display important constraints when creativity is placed at the heart of the lesson.

The present study uses a qualitative approach to focus on dance improvisation and flow. Dance instructors with wide experience in performing and teaching dance improvisation took part in semi-structured interviews that featured questions about dance improvisation and flow, including issues of flow in dance education with children. The data were analyzed using a grounded theory approach, and the findings highlighted the following macro areas: characteristics of flow, conditions for flow, educational issues, and outcomes. Participants emphasized several connections between flow and dance improvisation and demonstrated their awareness of the potentialities of flow during dance improvisation and its usefulness for dance education with children. Participants considered the teacher a facilitator who has to inspire pupils and adopted a process orientation and a learner-centered approach for guiding children to exploring multiple ways of knowing. Physical and psychological wellbeing influenced performing excellence, as a global condition induced by flow and creative transfer emerged in the multidimensional framework in which improvisation and flow operate. The findings are discussed in the framework of general theories of flow to highlight the implications of adopting improvisation in general education.

International events (such as the recent conflicts in Europe, Africa and Middle East) have increased the number of migrant/refugee families in Italy, creating new challenges for education and teaching. The aim of the present research is to examine teaching methodologies, practices and teachers’ needs in relation to the school inclusion of migrant/refugee pupils. Italian primary and middle school teachers answered to an interview, to which a content analysis was applied. Six categories emerged from the results: opinions related to teaching; student skills; communication and social interaction; inclusive educational activities and resources; networking with the local community; needs. The results account for the complexity of teaching in an intercultural context and suggest a multidimensional approach for analyzing educational issues. Studenti migranti e rifugiati: esperienze didattiche e bisogni degli insegnanti. Eventi internazionali (come i recenti conflitti in Europa, Africa e Medio Oriente) hanno aumentato il numero di famiglie migranti/rifugiate nel nostro paese, determinando nuove sfide per l’educazione e la didattica. Lo scopo di questa ricerca è esaminare le metodologie didattiche, pratiche e bisogni degli insegnanti in relazione all’inclusione scolastica degli alunni migranti/rifugiati. Insegnanti di scuole primarie e secondarie di primo grado italiane hanno risposto ad una intervista, a cui è stata applicata l’analisi del contenuto. Dai risultati sono emerse sei categorie: opinioni relative all’insegnamento; competenze degli studenti; comunicazione e interazione sociale; attività e risorse didattiche inclusive; lavoro in rete con la comunità locale; bisogni. I risultati danno conto della complessità dell’insegnamento in un contesto interculturale e suggeriscono un approccio multidimensionale per l’analisi delle questioni educative.

The sensory profile of polenta and the connections between technological attributes and varieties of maize have not been extensively studied. Thus, it is necessary to understand the possible effect of its consumption on consumers’ health in terms of postprandial glucose levels and molecules associated with healthy activities. This work aims to study polenta’s technological and sensory properties from different maize genotypes and evaluate their digestibility and the potential contribution of bioactive compounds on health. A commercial hybrid, two open-pollinated varieties, and three inbred lines were used. Grain physical determinations and physical-chemical semolina traits were determined. Polenta’s technological quality was evaluated after simulated cooking. In vitro digestion was performed for polentas, and a sensory evaluation test was conducted. A significant correlation was found between semolina polyphenols and rapidly digestible starch (r = −0.6). Panellists characterised the genotype C6006 as having a good flavour, sandier mouthfeel, and low consistency. Also, the polenta from the hybrid exhibited sensory attributes more closely resembling commercial polenta in terms of maize odour, flavour, and consistency. The higher content of polyphenols presents in semolina affected the digestion of polenta, showing a lower proportion of rapidly digestible starch and a lower amount of bioaccessible protein fraction.

This pilot study analysed the learning strategies of advanced students and professional electroacoustic composers engaged in creating new musical pieces through online collaboration. The participants were divided into three groups and interacted in a virtual setting using synchronous (chat and Skype) and asynchronous tools (forum, compositional software) to perform the compositional activities. A multiple case study design was used to describe and interpret the actions of the participants. Forum discussions, Skype dialogues and e-mail exchanges were examined to explore the participants' interactions and understand their actions during the online activities. Individual semi-structured interviews focusing on the processes and working approaches were conducted. The following themes were considered for the analysis of the collaborative compositional activity: working approach, relational model, leadership, organisation and compositional process. The participants effectively completed the compositional activities on the online platform, and based on the results, the following phases emerged as: (a) context definition; (b) planning/organising; (c) experimenting/generating musical ideas; (d) constructing and (e) evaluating. The findings are discussed regarding the educational implications of developing didactic activities based on collaborative composition.

Introduction: The embryonic thermal programming (TM) in birds has been shown to impact several physiological parameters such as resistance to thermal stress, muscle growth or immunity. In mule ducks, it has recently been shown that TM can induce metabolic programming resulting in increased liver weight and fat storage after overfeeding. However, a decrease in hatchability and foie gras quality was also observed, suggesting that this technique needs to be optimized. Here, we tested a new thermal manipulation condition determined with the objective of avoiding negative impacts while maintaining or improving liver properties.Methods: The eggs of the control group were incubated at 37.6°C during the whole incubation period while those of the experimental group (TM group) were incubated at 39.3°C 16 h/24 h from the 11th day of incubation to the 21st. After hatching, all the animals were fed and raised under the same conditions until the age of 12 weeks. At this stage, one part of the animals was overfed and then slaughtered 2 h (to measure rapid changes in metabolism) or 10 h after the last meal (to obtain the best technological yields), while the other part was ration-fed and slaughtered 2 h after the last meal, at the same age.Results: An 8% increase in foie gras production was measured in the TM group compared to the control group without altering the quality of the final product (nor hatchability), confirming the successful optimization of the metabolic programming. Interestingly, these results allowed us not to reject the previously suggested hypothesis of a potential delay in metabolic processes involved in liver fattening in programmed animals, in particular by measuring a trend reversal regarding the amount of total hepatic lipids in both groups at 2 h and then 10 h after the last meal.Discussion: This study therefore validates the optimization of metabolic programming by embryonic thermal manipulation for duck liver fattening. The understanding of the mechanisms of embryonic thermal programming in birds remains today very incomplete and the search for epigenetic marks (main hypothesis of the concept of programming) at the origin of the observed phenotypes could be the next step of this work.

Preparing music students to design and carry out community-based initiatives can be an effective way to enhance their employability and their wellbeing. With a large body of evidence now pointing to the benefits of musical engagement for older adults, both for individuals and for society as a whole, there is considerable opportunity and value in training aspiring professional musicians to work with and on behalf of those in their third and fourth age. This article describes a seminar designed by a Swiss conservatoire in collaboration with local nursing homes involving residents and music university students in a 10-week group music making program. On the basis of the positive results to emerge in terms of health, wellbeing and career preparation, we aim to provide information relevant for colleagues to replicate this seminar in other higher music education institutions. Moreover, this paper aims to shed light on the complexity of designing music students’ training so that they acquire the competences needed to deliver meaningful, community-based initiatives alongside their other professional training commitments, and to provide directions for future research. The development and implementation of these points could foster the increase and sustainability of innovative programs beneficial for older adults, musicians and local communities.

Flow is a specific state of consciousness when people are completely immersed and concentrated on a task, that they lose the sense of time, and feel as if doing things unconsciously. This article aims to provide a brief overview of the flow in music, focused on music performance, and shed light on aspects such as psychological correlates, occurrence and educational applications. Our objective is to build a bridge between theory and practice examining the implications of flow for improving the musical practice. Several studies analyse flow in various musical activities, including improvisation/composition, listening and performance. Music improvisation is considered one of the most crucial pedagogical tools for promoting flow from the early years of music education on. Flow in music performance is the most extensively studied, and practical implications to facilitate optimal experience and flow conditions could be developed. In the final part of the article, educational strategies for inducing flow are proposed based on the nine characteristics of flow (Csikszentmihalyi, 1990).

The current study focuses on motor creativity in children by analyzing the factors related to teaching dance improvisation. A qualitative methodology is adopted to collect the expert dance instructors' conceptions of using dance improvisation in their teaching practice. Participants took part in semi-structured interviews that included questions about improvisation in dance education for children on topics like meanings, the motor and mental skills involved, motor creativity development, basic exercises, and the most frequently used ideas for organizing and teaching a typical lesson. Data were examined using content analysis, and the following macro areas were highlighted: creativity, movement, holistic development, and holistic education. The findings provided evidence of participants' conceptions of and ideas about dance improvisation and creativity development in children. The participants demonstrated awareness of the potentialities of dance improvisation and its usefulness for creativity development in children. The findings are discussed in the framework of general theories of creativity, highlighting the implications of using improvisation in education.

The present paper reports data from an original qualitative study that investigates how music students reacted to novel remote teaching strategies that emerged during the COVID-19 pandemic. A population of twenty learners enrolled at an Italian conservatory responded to an open-ended survey, verbalising their recent learning experiences concerning three complementary aspects of their everyday practice: (i) how efficiently new remote education settings were implemented, (ii) what novel musical activities have been creatively developed with the help of technology, and (iii) how peer interaction was transformed by the lockdown period. By providing concrete examples, our participants offered insights into the benefits, challenges, and transformations this sudden pedagogical change has produced. Our findings show how different approaches to rehearsal and time management have emerged, in turn impacting on how students prioritise short-term and long-term goals, enhance their creative potential, and establish and renew interactions with peers.

Purpose: The aim of this article is to examine the perspectives, experiences, roles and values of Italian primary school principals regarding the inclusion of migrant children. Design/methodology/approach: The method of the study is qualitative and consists of a semi-structured interview, which was carried out with 17 primary school principals and examined using content analysis. Findings: The following six categories emerged: (1) school organisation and services, (2) projects and activities for inclusion, (3) teaching methods and strategies, (4) assessment, (5) networking and (6) challenges. The findings highlighted the complexity of the principals' role; they have to take on several tasks to foster a positive school experience for migrant students. A student-centred approach was considered relevant for intercultural education to promote inclusion and well-being. Curriculum activities were designed according to student needs. Research limitations/implications: The number of participants was limited, and they all worked in a small area of northeast Italy. Future research should examine the perspective of other school stakeholders such as teacher coordinators, the Commission for School Inclusion, teachers and tutors. Practical implications: The findings could be used as a framework for defining a model of the organisation of the school useful for discussing the relevance of the activities and for comparing schools in different contexts. The development of reflective practice to analyse the activities inside the schools could be considered. Social implications: Stakeholders could consider the findings before making decisions and developing policy actions countrywide. Originality/value: The key factors included the awareness of the school principal role in managing the school and of the importance of connecting their school with the local community and external agencies.

The current paper presents the assessment of the infusion of sustainability principles into university curricula at two Jordanian universities. The peer review process of revising the curricula infusing sustainability principles is also discussed. The research methodology involved quantitative methods to assess the revised courses. The results revealed the following: the most relevant ESD themes in the revised curricula were "human connections to the physical and natural world", and "ethics/values". The most relevant ESD topics were: "sustainable production/consumption" and "health promotion". The most infused ESD pillars (competencies) were: "learning to know" and "learning to do". The most relevant ESD principles were: "practiced locally" and "responds through applied learning". The findings offered a rich scenario of the strategies applied by the university professors in revising the curricula, providing evidence of a mental attitude to adopt ESD strategies, as well as a goal-oriented approach in curriculum planning. The paper also discusses the implications of the study results for syllabus revision and development, as well as the refinement of the teaching methods that focus on infusing sustainability into university curricula.

The current study analysed teachers' methodologies, practices and needs to promote the integration of newly arrived migrant/refugee pupils in educational contexts. Twentynine Italian primary and middle school teachers answered a qualitative survey analysed with ATLAS.ti software. In analysis, seven categories emerged: teaching values and beliefs; students' cognitive, emotional, and linguistic skills; inclusive class activities and resources; intercultural communication; social interactions in classroom; networking with the local community; and teachers' needs. Teaching strategies and methods reported included inclusive approaches for supporting the integration of migrant/refugee students and promoting the well-being of the whole class. Creativity and flexibility emerged as two of the main features of teachers' work. Further needs reported included training, didactic counselling, resources for supporting teaching, economic resources and school organisation. Evidence was found for the complexity of teaching in an intercultural context suggesting a multidimensional approach for analysing educational issues.

We conducted a qualitative study involving twelve expert sports coaches to explore and compare the range of creative practices they adopted during their professional activities. Their written responses to open-ended questions highlighted different interrelated dimensions of creative engagement in coaching sport, suggesting that efforts to instil creativity may initially focus on an individual athlete; they may often span a range of behaviours dedicated to efficiency; they may involve significant degrees of freedom and trust; and they cannot be captured by a single defining feature. We contextualise these findings in the light of recent literature in sports studies, performance science and creativity research, providing concrete examples based on the written statements provided by our participants. We conclude by offering insights for future research and coaching practice that may be relevant in broader domains.

Global constraints on momentum and energy govern the variability of the rainfall belt in the intertropical convergence zone and the structure of the zonal mean tropical circulation. The continental-scale monsoon systems are also facets of a momentum- and energy-constrained global circulation, but their modern and palaeo variability deviates substantially from that of the intertropical convergence zone. The mechanisms underlying deviations from expectations based on the longitudinal mean budgets are neither fully understood nor simulated accurately. We argue that a framework grounded in global constraints on energy and momentum yet encompassing the complexities of monsoon dynamics is needed to identify the causes of the mismatch between theory, models and observations, and ultimately to improve regional climate projections. In a first step towards this goal, disparate regional processes must be distilled into gross measures of energy flow in and out of continents and between the surface and the tropopause, so that monsoon dynamics may be coherently diagnosed across modern and palaeo observations and across idealized and comprehensive simulations. Accounting for zonal asymmetries in the circulation, land/ocean differences in surface fluxes, and the character of convective systems, such a monsoon framework would integrate our understanding at all relevant scales: from the fine details of how moisture and energy are lifted in the updrafts of thunderclouds, up to the global circulations.

The development of quality gluten-free products presents a major technological challenge in terms of structure, texture, and shelf life. However, there is insufficient information available to identify genotypes for obtaining gluten-free maize pasta of good acceptability and technological quality. The objective of this work was to evaluate the technological and sensory quality of gluten-free pasta made from different maize cultivars. The flint open-pollinated variety, flint inbred line, and three dent commercial hybrids were used. Grain and flour’s physical characteristics and chemical composition were determined. Gluten-free pasta was made via extrusion, and its quality traits were studied. A sensory evaluation test was carried out. Flint cultivars showed the lowest values on swelling index (both 1.77) and water absorption (124.30 and 134.58%). Pasta swelling index showed a negative association r = −0.77 to sodium carbonate retention capacity (p = 8.5 × 10−5) and water retention capacity (p = 6.6 × 10−5). Evaluators’ preference results showed a higher frequency of choices at the top level of preference (4) for the flint open-pollinated variety C6006. Thus, evaluators’ choices showed a positive association between sample preference and firmness. Pasta preference and technological quality have a direct relationship with fast tests over grain, such as test weight and float index.

O objetivo desta pesquisa foi descrever como pais que passaram pelo processo de adoção monoparental desenvolvem, em sua rotina com os filhos, as atividades parentais de cuidado, controle e desenvolvimento. Foram entrevistados um pai e quatro mães, cuja monoparentalidade adotiva foi uma escolha pessoal. O instrumento utilizado para coleta foi um roteiro de entrevista semiestruturada. A organização dos dados foi realizada com o referencial da Análise Temática e foi fundamentada a partir do Modelo da Parentalidade proposto por Hoghughi. Os resultados foram distribuídos nos temas Cuidado físico, Cuidado emocional, Cuidado social, Controle e Desenvolvimento, que abarcam o grupo das Atividades Parentais. Observou-se que os participantes realizavam interações cotidianas de cuidado, com demonstrações de atenção e afeto para com as crianças, incentivando-as a alcançar seu potencial, buscando atividades complementares para o seu desenvolvimento, bem como estabelecendo regras e limites com a criança em suas práticas educativas parentais. A participação de familiares compôs expressiva rede de apoio nos cuidados com as crianças. Este estudo contribuiu para ampliar a compreensão sobre as práticas parentais exercidas nas famílias monoparentais adotivas por opção, constatando que a parentalidade foi experienciada de forma positiva, constituindo-se numa prática promotora de desenvolvimento tanto para as crianças como para os pais.

The study examines the professional development of in-service advanced music teachers as a result of their participation in a three-year collaborative online course. A socio-constructivist theoretical framework was used for designing and implementing the course. Participants were 24 teachers (22 teaching instrumental music and 2 vocal music) enrolled in blended collaborative learning activities. A mixed research method was adopted for assessing the impact of the course on teachers' attitudes and skills, including quantitative data (a close ended questionnaire about the quality of the online activities) and qualitative information (focus groups and interviews). Focus groups were conducted with teachers for collecting their satisfaction and perceived professional enhancement. School principals were interviewed to investigate perceived changes of teachers' behaviours in their music schools. The findings highlighted the impact of the course for improving music teachers' professional skills. Attending the course was an opportunity to discuss student-centred didactic principles, teaching methods, and practices in music education. Participants reported the development of a metacognitive attitude, a reflective teaching approach and a goal-oriented method to curriculum planning. The key factors that contributed to the effectiveness of the course as well as implications for designing professional learning activities for music teachers are also discussed.

While a number of studies have considered that metacognition is related to processes at an individual level, the role of metacognition during collaborative learning activities remains unclear. Metacognition has been studied mainly as a process of the individual, neglecting the relevance of group regulated behavior during cooperative activities and how group members perceive their skills and reflect on group potentialities. The current study presents the construction and validation of a 20-item quantitative scale for measuring the metacognition of groups based on their knowledge of cognition, planning, monitoring and evaluating. The tool was presented to 362 university students participating in online collaborative activities. The validity and reliability of the scale were verified calculating descriptive statistics, the KMO and Bartlett tests, exploratory factor analysis, Cronbach's alpha, a confirmatory factor analysis and multi-group invariance testing. The findings showed that the instrument is sufficiently valid and reliable. To demonstrate its utility, the scale was used to observe differences in the processes among students attending several courses. Trainee teachers of primary school reported a higher metacognitive level than students in psychology, for example. The findings indicate that metacognition should also be considered in a group dimension rather than only as a reflection of individual behavior, and it should be a relevant construct for understanding online collaborative processes. Ways in which the scale could be applied to improve CSCL and further research for assessing the correlation between metacognition and other constructs are also discussed.

The current study aims to construct and validate a measure of research misconduct for social science university students. The research is comprised of three studies; Study I presents the scale construction in three phases. In Phase I, the initial pool of items was generated by reviewing the literature and considering the results of semi-structured interviews. Phase II involved a psychometric cleaning of items, after which 38 items were retained. In Phase III, those 38 items were proposed to 652 university students, and data were exposed to exploratory factor analysis, which extracted a one-factor structure with 15 items and 55.73% variance. Study II confirmed the factorial structure of the scale using an independent sample (N = 200) of university students. Confirmatory factor analysis of the scale demonstrates a good model fit to the data with the one-factor structure established through the exploratory factor analysis. The scale exhibits good internal consistency, with a Cronbach’s alpha of 0.95. Study III involves validation of the scale, with evidence for convergent validity collected from a sample of university students (N = 200). The results reveal that the research misconduct scale has significant positive correlations with academic stress and procrastination and a significant negative correlation with academic achievement. The obtained convergent validity testifies that the scale can be considered a psychometrically sound instrument to measure research misconduct among social science university students.

While studies on the characteristics of flow states and their relation to peak performance exist, little is known about the dynamics by which flow states emerge and develop over time. The current paper qualitatively explores the necessary pre-conditions to enter flow, and the development of flow over time until its termination. Using an elicitation interview, participants (10 athletes and 12 musicians) were asked to recall their flow experiences in sports or music performances. The analysis resulted in the identification of the following three phases that athletes and musicians experience during flow: (1) Preparation to enter flow; (2) Entry into the flow state and; (3) Exit from the flow state. These three phases are characterized by several sub-themes contributing to the experience of flow. The function of emotions is crucial, as they play a core role across all three phases and regulate flow over time. The findings provide insights into the phenomenological characteristics of the transition and maintenance of the three proposed phases and the temporal dynamics of flow.

Abstract Background Late onset Pompe disease (LOPD) is a lysosomal neuromuscular disorder which can progressively impair the patients’ exercise tolerance, motor and respiratory functions, and quality of life. The available enzyme replacement therapy (ERT) does not completely counteract disease progression. We investigated the effect of exercise training alone, or associated with a high-protein diet, on the exercise tolerance, muscle and pulmonary functions, and quality of life of LOPD patients on long term ERT. Methods The patients were asked to participate to a crossover randomized study comprehending a control period (free diet, no exercise) followed by 2 intervention periods: exercise or exercise + diet, each lasting 26 weeks and separated by 13 weeks washout periods. Exercise training included moderate-intensity aerobic exercise on a cycle ergometer, stretching and balance exercises, strength training. The diet was composed by 25–30% protein, 30–35% carbohydrate and 35–40% fat. Before and after each period patients were assessed for: exercise tolerance test on a cycle-ergometer, serum muscle enzymes, pulmonary function tests and SF36 questionnaire for quality of life. Compliance was evaluated by training and dietary diaries. Patients were contacted weekly by researchers to optimize adherence to treatments. Results Thirteen LOPD patients, median age 49 ± 11 years, under chronic ERT (median 6.0 ± 4.0 years) were recruited. Peak aerobic power (peak pulmonary O2 uptake) decreased after control, whereas it increased after exercise, and more markedlyafter exercise + diet. Serum levels of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) significantly decreased after exercise + diet; both creatine kinase (CK) and LDH levels were significantly reduced after exercise + diet compared to exercise. Pulmonary function showed no changes after control and exercise, whereas a significant improvement of forced expiratory volume in 1 sec (FEV1) was observed after exercise + diet. SF36 showed a slight improvement in the “mental component” scale after exercise, and a significant improvement in “general health” and “vitality” after exercise + diet. The compliance to prescriptions was higher than 70% for both diet and exercise. Conclusions Exercise tolerance (as evaluated by peak aerobic power) showed a tendency to decrease in LOPD patients on long term ERT. Exercise training, particularly if combined with high-protein diet, could reverse this decrease and result in an improvement, which was accompanied by improved quality of life. The association of the two lifestyle interventions resulted also in a reduction of muscle enzyme levels and improved pulmonary function.

Abstract A severe, chronic, locally extensive granulomatous bronchopneumonia was diagnosed on post‐mortem and histopathological examination of an adult alpaca. Dermatophilus congolensis organisms were isolated from the lungs and genotypic identification of aerobic culture was confirmed by sequence analysis of the entire 16S rDNA gene. This is the first report of D. congolensis‐associated bronchopneumonia in any species.

Egg incubation of mule ducks, mainly used for fatty liver production, is one of the critical phases in this sector. Based on hatching rate, the best incubation parameters have already been well described for poultry, but the literature on ducks is lacking. In this study, we tested different incubation conditions by varying two important factors, temperature and relative humidity, in mule ducks. These variations were applied at different periods during embryogenesis in order to measure the impact of environmental disturbances on different zootechnical performances. The temperature was increased by 1.5 °C (16 h/24) and the relative humidity was set up to 65%, during 10 days. Six 10-day developmental windows were tested, from embryonic day 9 to embryonic day 14. Our results are in line with previous reports showing that increasing incubation temperature, even when relative humidity is adjusted, can have a negative impact on duck embryonic mortality up to 24.5% for the condition E10-E20 (P

O artigo apresenta, à luz do relato de experiência, reflexões sobre a dupla docência na disciplina Metodologia do Trabalho Científico (MTC), ministrada em uma turma do curso de licenciatura em Letras Português. Tem como objetivo analisar as possibilidades e os desafios da dupla docência. Adota nos procedimentos metodológicos a ideia de sujeito da experiência, a partir da qual se analisa como a docência na Educação Superior, organizada com base no trabalho colaborativo entre docentes de áreas diferentes na mesma turma de alunos, tem o potencial de fomentar a interdisciplinaridade, contribuindo para a formação do futuro docente. Conclui que uma configuração didática em dupla docência contribui para efetivar a ampliação de conhecimento e para legitimar a importância da interdisciplinaridade na perspectiva de trabalho colaborativo na Educação Superior.

Here, we estimate fast changes in the fluidity of Sinorhizobium meliloti membranes submitted to cyclic temperature changes (10°C–40°C–10°C) by monitoring the fluorescence polarization (P) of DPH and TMA-DPH of the whole cell (WC) as well as in its outer (OM) and inner (IM) membranes. Additionally, the long-term response to thermal changes is demonstrated through the dynamics of the phospholipid and fatty acid composition in each membrane. This allowed membrane homeoviscous adaptation by the return to optimal fluidity levels as measured by the PDPH/TMA-DPH in WC, OM, IM, and multilamellar vesicles of lipids extracted from OM and IM. Due to probe-partitioning preferences and membranes’ compositional characteristics, DPH and TMA-DPH exhibit different behaviors in IM and OM. The rapid effect of cyclic temperature changes on the P was the opposite in both membranes with the IM being the one that exhibited the thermal behavior expected for lipid bilayers. Interestingly, only after the incubation at 40°C, cells were unable to recover the membrane preheating P levels when cooled up to 10°C. Solely in this condition, the formation of threads and nodular structures in Medicago sativa infected with S. meliloti were delayed, indicating that the symbiotic interaction was partially altered but not halted.