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Vocational Education and Training (VET) is undergoing an international and national improvement process in order to achieve internationalization, among others. To this end, it is necessary to optimize the EFL level of VET students. Structural equation modeling (SEM) is used to analyze the direct and indirect effects of English language anxiety, willingness to communicate in English, and self-efficacy in English on the academic performance in EFL among VET students. The sample consisted of 100 Spanish VET students (75% female-25% male) aged between 18 and 40 years old. Questionnaires on English language anxiety (FLCAS), willingness to communicate in English (WTC), and self-efficacy in English skills (listening, speaking, reading, and writing) were administered. In addition, academic grade was used to measure the performance in English. The proposed model received a satisfactory fit. The results show that English language anxiety significantly influences academic performance and has a medium effect on willingness to communicate in English. Practical implications for organizing English classes to improve English proficiency in VET are discussed.

There is currently little research on the use of podcasting as a learning tool in the tertiary-level foreign language classroom. Here we attempt to partly fill that gap through a multiple case study of three university teachers who use this technology in their courses in Spanish as a foreign language. We obtained data for analysis primarily in two ways, through individual interviews with the teachers on two separate occasions and by compiling a corpus of all the podcasts (227 in total) the three teachers had used in their classes, most of them student-created. Given this last fact, our analysis focuses especially on the creation of podcasts by students and the teacher's role in the process. Our findings show that podcasting as an educational tool can offer significant benefits for language learning. Student-produced podcasts, in particular, provide students with a context to practice their foreign language speaking skills, but reading and writing skills are also heavily engaged in the process of writing a script for what they will say in their podcast. The production of podcasts can also be highly motivating for students if the final product is posted online on an open-access host site; this means that native speakers of the target language could be among the potential listeners. On the downside, the process of having students produce podcasts requires considerable time and preparation on the part of both teachers and students, and students who are shy or less comfortable with technology may find the task challenging.

Childhood overweight/obesity is associated with stress-related psychopathology, yet the pathways connecting childhood obesity to stress susceptibility are poorly understood. We employed a systems biology approach with 62 adolescent Lewis rats fed a Western-like high-saturated fat diet (WD, 41% kcal from fat) or a control diet (CD, 13% kcal from fat). A subset of rats underwent a 31-day model of predator exposures and social instability (PSS). Effects were assessed using behavioral tests, DTI (diffusion tensor imaging), NODDI (neurite orientation dispersion and density imaging), 16S rRNA gene sequencing for gut microbiome profiling, hippocampal microglia analysis, and targeted gene methylation. Parallel experiments on human microglia cells (HMC3) examined how palmitic acid influences cortisol-related inflammatory responses. Rats exposed to WD and PSS exhibited deficits in sociability, increased fear/anxiety-like behaviors, food consumption, and body weight. WD/PSS altered hippocampal microstructure (subiculum, CA1, dentate gyrus), and microbiome analysis showed a reduced abundance of members of the phylum Firmicutes. WD/PSS synergistically promoted neuroinflammatory changes in hippocampal microglia, linked with microbiome shifts and altered Fkbp5 expression/methylation. In HMC3, palmitate disrupted cortisol responses, affecting morphology, phagocytic markers, and cytokine release, partially mediated by FKBP5. This study identifies gene-environment interactions that influence microglia biology and may contribute to the connection between childhood obesity and stress-related psychopathology later in life.

The Bayesian highest-density interval plus region of practical equivalence (HDI + ROPE) decision rule is an increasingly common approach to testing null parameter values. The decision procedure involves a comparison between a posterior highest-density interval (HDI) and a prespecified region of practical equivalence. One then accepts or rejects the null parameter value depending on the overlap (or lack thereof) between these intervals. Here, we demonstrate, both theoretically and through examples, that this procedure is logically incoherent. Because the HDI is not transformation invariant, the ultimate inferential decision depends on statistically arbitrary and scientifically irrelevant properties of the statistical model. The incoherence arises from a common confusion between probability density and probability proper. The HDI + ROPE procedure relies on characterizing posterior densities as opposed to being based directly on probability. We conclude with recommendations for alternative Bayesian testing procedures that do not exhibit this pathology and provide a "quick fix" in the form of quantile intervals. This article is the work of the authors and is reformatted from the original, which was published under a CC-BY Attribution 4.0 International license and is available at https://psyarxiv.com/5p2qt/. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

El retrato de Francisco Cascales en la portada de la edición príncipe de los Discursos históricos de Murcia (1621) manifiesta la voluntad del humanista de atestiguar su pertenencia a las élites. Como hidalgo, Cascales incluye el blasón del apellido materno, pero su familia paterna fue procesada por la Inquisición, un lastre ineludible de obviar. Este artículo analiza su pretensión de reconocimiento como vir bonus y como escritor y reflexiona sobre la imagen que quiso ofrecer de sí mismo, reivindicando méritos, virtud e ingenio.

Earthquake hazard analyses rely on seismogenic source models. These are designed in various fashions, such as point sources or area sources, but the most effective is the three-dimensional representation of geological faults. We here refer to such models as fault sources. This study presents the European Fault-Source Model 2020 (EFSM20), which was one of the primary input datasets of the recently released European Seismic Hazard Model 2020. The EFSM20 compilation was entirely based on reusable data from existing active fault regional compilations that were first blended and harmonized and then augmented by a set of derived parameters. These additional parameters were devised to enable users to formulate earthquake rate forecasts based on a seismic-moment balancing approach. EFSM20 considers two main categories of seismogenic faults: crustal faults and subduction systems, which include the subduction interface and intraslab faults. The compiled dataset covers an area from the Mid-Atlantic Ridge to the Caucasus and from northern Africa to Iceland. It includes 1248 crustal faults spanning a total length of ∼95 100 km and four subduction systems, namely the Gibraltar, Calabrian, Hellenic, and Cyprus arcs, for a total length of ∼2120 km. The model focuses on an area encompassing a buffer of 300 km around all European countries (except for Overseas Countries and Territories) and a maximum of 300 km depth for the subducting slabs. All the parameters required to develop a seismic source model for earthquake hazard analysis were determined for crustal faults and subduction systems. A statistical distribution of relevant seismotectonic parameters, such as faulting mechanisms, slip rates, moment rates, and prospective maximum magnitudes, is presented and discussed to address unsettled points in view of future updates and improvements. The dataset, identified by the DOI https://doi.org/10.13127/efsm20 (Basili et al., 2022), is distributed as machine-readable files using open standards (Open Geospatial Consortium).

Abstract Background The centromere is one of the key regions of the eukaryotic chromosome. While maintaining its function, centromeric DNA may differ among closely related species. Here, we explored the composition and structure of the pericentromeres (a chromosomal region including a functional centromere) of Hieracium alpinum (Asteraceae), a member of one of the most diverse genera in the plant kingdom. Previously, we identified a pericentromere-specific tandem repeat that made it possible to distinguish reads within the Oxford Nanopore library attributed to the pericentromeres, separating them into a discrete subset and allowing comparison of the repeatome composition of this subset with the remaining genome. Results We found that the main satellite DNA (satDNA) monomer forms long arrays of linear and block types in the pericentromeric heterochromatin of H. alpinum, and very often, single reads contain forward and reverse arrays and mirror each other. Beside the major, two new minor satDNA families were discovered. In addition to satDNAs, high amounts of LTR retrotransposons (TEs) with dominant of Tekay lineage, were detected in the pericentromeres. We were able to reconstruct four main TEs of the Ty3-gypsy and Ty1-copia superfamilies and compare their relative positions with satDNAs. The latter showed that the conserved domains (CDs) of the TE proteins are located between the newly discovered satDNAs, which appear to be parts of ancient Tekay LTRs that we were able to reconstruct. The dominant satDNA monomer shows a certain similarity to the GAG CD of the Angela retrotransposon. Conclusions The species-specific pericentromeric arrays of the H. alpinum genome are heterogeneous, exhibiting both linear and block type structures. High amounts of forward and reverse arrays of the main satDNA monomer point to multiple microinversions that could be the main mechanism for rapid structural evolution stochastically creating the uniqueness of an individual pericentromeric structure. The traces of TEs insertion waves remain in pericentromeres for a long time, thus “keeping memories” of past genomic events. We counted at least four waves of TEs insertions. In pericentromeres, TEs particles can be transformed into satDNA, which constitutes a background pool of minor families that, under certain conditions, can replace the dominant one(s).

Abstract Background Aside from the canonical role of PDL1 as a tumour surface-expressed immune checkpoint molecule, tumour-intrinsic PDL1 signals regulate non-canonical immunopathological pathways mediating treatment resistance whose significance, mechanisms, and therapeutic targeting remain incompletely understood. Recent reports implicate tumour-intrinsic PDL1 signals in the DNA damage response (DDR), including promoting homologous recombination DNA damage repair and mRNA stability of DDR proteins, but many mechanistic details remain undefined. Methods We genetically depleted PDL1 from transplantable mouse and human cancer cell lines to understand consequences of tumour-intrinsic PDL1 signals in the DNA damage response. We complemented this work with studies of primary human tumours and inducible mouse tumours. We developed novel approaches to show tumour-intrinsic PDL1 signals in specific subcellular locations. We pharmacologically depleted tumour PDL1 in vivo in mouse models with repurposed FDA-approved drugs for proof-of-concept clinical translation studies. Results We show that tumour-intrinsic PDL1 promotes the checkpoint kinase-2 (Chk2)-mediated DNA damage response. Intracellular but not surface-expressed PDL1 controlled Chk2 protein content post-translationally and independently of PD1 by antagonising PIRH2 E3 ligase-mediated Chk2 polyubiquitination and protein degradation. Genetic tumour PDL1 depletion specifically reduced tumour Chk2 content but not ATM, ATR, or Chk1 DDR proteins, enhanced Chk1 inhibitor (Chk1i) synthetic lethality in vitro in diverse human and murine tumour models, and improved Chk1i efficacy in vivo. Pharmacologic tumour PDL1 depletion with cefepime or ceftazidime replicated genetic tumour PDL1 depletion by reducing tumour Chk2, inducing Chk1i synthetic lethality in a tumour PDL1-dependent manner, and reducing in vivo tumour growth when combined with Chk1i. Conclusions Our data challenge the prevailing surface PDL1 paradigm, elucidate important and previously unappreciated roles for tumour-intrinsic PDL1 in regulating the ATM/Chk2 DNA damage response axis and E3 ligase-mediated protein degradation, suggest tumour PDL1 as a biomarker for Chk1i efficacy, and support the rapid clinical potential of pharmacologic tumour PDL1 depletion to treat selected cancers.

Daily living skills may affect repetitive behavior patterns in individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This study aimed to validate a scale to assess activities of daily living at home (SAADL) in children and adolescents with ASD. Content validity by expert judgment showed Aiken V values between 0.75 and 0.88. The exploratory factor analysis (EFA) showed factor loadings (0.62 to 0.89) and high communalities. The % explanation of variance for dimension 1 (personal care) was 51.5% and for dimension 2 (mobility in the home) was 66.3%. The Cronbach's reliability was 0.87 and the retest values reflected high values of precision and accuracy. The SAADL is valid and reliable and can be used to assess activities of daily living of self-care and mobility at home.

Reading comprehension is a fundamental skill to be developed from the early stages of reading acquisition and it is essential for both formative and personal learning. This study examines eye-tracking as a useful and complementary tool in the assessment and improvement of implicit reading comprehension. The aim is to understand the role of eye-tracking in implicit reading comprehension and, complementarily, in intervening skills such as vocabulary, rapid automatized naming, and processing speed. In a final sample of 7-8 year-old 67 students, tests for implicit reading comprehension (literal, inferential, and total), eye-tracking measures, vocabulary, rapid automatized naming, processing speed, as well as tests to control for intellectual and attentional levels were administered. The results of the correlational and regression analyses indicate the existence of predictive relationships between (i) implicit reading comprehension and eye-tracking measures; and additionally, (ii) between intervening skills (vocabulary, rapid automatized naming, processing speed) and eye-tracking measures; and (iii) between implicit reading comprehension and intervening skills (vocabulary, rapid automatized naming, processing speed). In summary, better performance in implicit reading comprehension (literal, inferential, and total) is related to and explained by shorter eye movement times in recognition and access to meaning, larger vocabulary, and faster rapid automatized naming and processing speed. Furthermore, eye-tracking measures are better predictors of implicit reading comprehension. These findings provide promising evidence for the contribution of eye-tracking to optimising the level of implicit reading comprehension, which is applied daily in classrooms.

Recent studies have shown contradictory results on the influence of digital technology on the level of reading comprehension performance in college students. This paper examines the existence of differences in reading comprehension between the use of digital technology and traditional support in college students. A meta-analysis of international publications between 2012-2022 is carried out with a total sample of 481 students. The results indicate that technology has not an average positive effect on reading comprehension. The study evidences improvement in students' reading comprehension with printed medium with an effect size of 0.19. The practical implications should be aimed at stimulating research with new digital resources and increasing educational actions on teaching methodology in the classroom.

In today's digital context, it is essential for students' academic and personal development to improve their digital reading comprehension. A comparative analysis of digital reading comprehension between three modalities is presented: dual (multimodal), auditory, and visual (monomodal). We used an experimental design and a standardized test (PROLEC-SE-R) of reading comprehension administered to 132 secondary school students in their first language. The quantitative analysis, which considered age, gender, and academic achievement, shows that there are significant differences in favor of dual modality or multimodality in digital reading comprehension. This shows that multimodality improves the level of digital reading comprehension the most. In particular, there is a significant difference in favor of the literal level of digital reading comprehension compared to the inferential level in all modalities studied (dual, auditory, visual). This yields pedagogical implications for optimizing digital reading comprehension.

The scientific literature reveals the impact of applying game-based videos and gamification on undergraduates' learning. This work proposes, within an online context, using these educational strategies to make students the active protagonists of their learning. Therefore, this paper aims to analyze the students' perception of the effectiveness of the application of game-based videos (within a flipped classroom framework) and gamification to improve knowledge and competencies. The study was conducted for four months with pre-service teachers (n = 190) in an online Social Sciences course. The students were provided with the lesson plan and filled in an ad hoc questionnaire using a quasi-experimental design in an ecological environment. The results indicate a positive impact in all the assessed aspects after implementing the innovative experience. Utilizing a different teaching style, one with the student as the protagonist of the learning process plus the improvement of learning shows significantly positive educational results. These preliminary findings enhance the development of pre-service teacher training and a student-centered teaching--learning process. Consequently, guidelines are provided to advance innovative educational experiences in online higher education.