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10.3389/fonc.2020.579445
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Pembrolizumab-Induced Psoriasis in Metastatic Melanoma: Activity and Safety of Apremilast, a Case Report
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Background: Immune checkpoint inhibitors targeting cytotoxic T lymphocyte-associated antigen 4 (CTLA-4), programmed death-1 receptor (PD-1), and programmed death-1 receptor and its ligand (PD-L1) increased the survival of patients affected by metastatic malignant melanoma. Due to their mechanism of action, these drugs are associated with a unique toxicity profile. Indeed, immune-related adverse events (irAEs) present a wide clinical spectrum representing the Achilles’ heel of immunotherapy. Overall, cutaneous toxicities are among the most common irAEs. Immunomodulatory drugs are used for the management of irAEs and can theoretically lead to tumor escape. Case Presentation: We report the case of a 75-year-old man with metastatic melanoma receiving the anti-PD1 Pembrolizumab therapy. After 10 treatment cycles, the patient came to our clinic with itchy psoriatic manifestations widespread >30% of the body surface [12.3 Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) score] that negatively impacted on the patient’s quality of life and compliance with immunotherapy. Additionally, he had no positive personal history of psoriasis. Given the severity of the cutaneous manifestations, in a multidisciplinary approach, Apremilast (an oral small molecule PDE4 inhibitor) was started. Furthermore, Pembrolizumab was interrupted for 4 weeks until the improvement of skin lesions and the disappearance of itching. Immunosuppressive methylprednisolone therapy was initiated with a dose of 16 mg/die; then, this initial dose was progressively reduced until discontinuation. After 10 months, the patient had a good general clinical condition with psoriasis complete remission. Moreover, positron emission tomography (PET) and computed tomography (CT) scans showed complete response by immune Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (iRECIST). Conclusion: To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on the safety and efficacy of Apremilast for the treatment of immunotherapy-induced psoriasis in metastatic melanoma.
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2234943X
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ONCOLOGY
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10.1007/s00432-020-03400-w
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Health-related quality of life after Gamma Knife radiosurgery in patients with 1–10 brain metastases
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Purpose: Increasingly more patients with multiple (> 4) brain metastases (BM) are being treated with stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS). Preserving patients’ health-related quality of life (HRQoL) is an important treatment goal. The aim of this study was to assess (individual) changes in HRQoL in patients with 1–10 BM over time.Methods: A total of 92 patients were assessed before (n = 92) and at 3 (n = 66), 6 (n = 53), and 9 (n = 41) months after Gamma Knife radiosurgery (GKRS), using the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Brain (FACT-Br). The course of HRQoL was analyzed using linear mixed models. Clinical minimally important differences were used to evaluate individual changes.Results: At group level, patients’ physical well-being worsened, whereas emotional well-being improved over 9 months. Scores on other HRQoL subscales did not change significantly. Number (1–3 versus 4–10) and volume (small, medium, and large) of BM did not influence HRQoL over time, except for the subscale additional concerns; medium intracranial tumor volume was associated with less additional concerns. On the individual level as well, physical well-being declined while emotional well-being improved in most patients over 9 months after GKRS. At patient level, however, most patients had both declines as well as improvements in the different HRQoL aspects.Conclusion: Our results indicate that even in patients with up to 10 BM, both at group and individual subscale level, aspects of HRQoL remained stable over nine months after GKRS, except for an improvement in emotional well-being and a decline in physical well-being. Nevertheless, HRQoL scores varied considerably at the individual patient level.Trail registration number: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02953756, November 3, 2016.
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14321335
|
ONCOLOGY
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10.3389/fpsyg.2020.552831
|
Development of Chinese Junior High School Students’ Creative Potential: Within-Person and Between-Person Effects of Student–Student Support and Need for Cognition
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A longitudinal study was conducted to examine the developmental trend of creative potential in Chinese junior high school students and the within-person and between-person effects of student–student support and need for cognition. Two hundred and fourteen Chinese junior high school students participated in the present study (mean age = 13.29 years, SD = 0.49 years, 116 boys). Student–student support, need for cognition, and creative potential were measured once per year for 3 years. Longitudinal multilevel models indicated that (1) Chinese junior high school students’ creative potential showed a downward trend from grades 7 to 9; (2) at the within-person level, time-varying student–student support positively predicted time-varying creative potential; (3) at the within-person level, time-varying need for cognition moderated the positive link between time-varying student–student support and time-varying creative potential; and (4) at the between-person level, no support was found for the links between student–student support, need for cognition, and creative potential. Specifically, average levels of student–student support neither significantly predicted initial levels and developmental rates of creative potential nor moderated the links between average levels of student–student and initial levels and developmental rates of creative potential. The findings highlight that at the within-person and between-person levels, student–student support and need for cognition have differential influences on Chinese junior school students’ creative potential.
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16641078
|
PSYCHOLOGY
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10.3389/fpsyg.2020.590108
|
Measuring Gratitude in Germany: Validation Study of the German Version of the Gratitude Questionnaire-Six Item Form (GQ-6-G) and the Multi-Component Gratitude Measure (MCGM-G)
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The Gratitude Questionnaire-Six Item Form (GQ-6; McCullough et al., 2002) is a well-established instrument for measuring gratitude. Recently, the Multi-Component Gratitude Measure (MCGM) was developed as a more holistic approach (Morgan et al., 2017). While the GQ-6 mainly focuses on the emotional component of gratitude, the MCGM encompasses conceptual, attitudinal, and behavioral aspects. As of today, there is no validated German measure for gratitude. In order to close that research gap, the present study focused on validating the German versions of the GQ-6 (GQ-6-G) and of the MCGM (MCGM-G). In addition, multi-group comparisons were conducted to test for cultural measurement invariance. Construct validity was tested similar to original validation studies of the two scales focusing on affect, well-being, empathy, anxiety and depression. The online survey was completed in random order by 508 participants. The one-factor model of the GQ-6-G and the hierarchical structure of the MCGM-G could be replicated. However, the model fit of the Gratitude Questionnaire was significantly better after eliminating one item (GQ-5-G). Multi-group comparisons revealed cultural measurement invariance was established for the GQ-5-G and partial measurement invariance for five of six factors of the MCGM-G, respectively. Reliability analyses revealed good internal consistency for both instruments, and measures for criterion-related and discriminant validity have shown hypothesized relationships. Thus, the GQ-5-G and the MCGM-G are two instruments with good reliability and validity for measuring gratitude in Germany.
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16641078
|
PSYCHOLOGY
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10.1186/s40594-020-00250-3
|
Undergraduates’ awareness of White and male privilege in STEM
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Background: It is well-documented that experiences in STEM courses for women and students of color are different from the experiences of White men. As part of a larger interview study, 183 college seniors from diverse gender and race backgrounds were asked their thoughts on whether the experience of being a STEM major was different for people of different races and genders. We use a framework of “science as White property”, derived from critical race theory, to frame this study and results.Results: White men were largely unaware of any impact of race or gender. In contrast, women of color overwhelmingly report, consistent with results from a large body of prior research, that both race and gender impact their experiences as STEM majors. Students who acknowledged race and gender impacts did not always attribute these impacts to cultural or systemic factors (i.e., some reported women are underrepresented because they are less interested in STEM rather than a structural reason). Impacts identified that were attributable to systemic factors included impacts related to being a demographic minority (i.e., intimidation, feeling out of place, feeling pressure to work harder) and/or discrimination (i.e., job discrimination, bias against women or people of color and cultural assumptions implying the superiority of White people and men). A small number of students (mostly White women) stated that women or people of color benefit from their underrepresented status, often attributing this benefit to a perception of extra encouragement and opportunities. A common theme across categorizations was that women and students of color work harder than men and White people either because they are perceived to be harder workers or as a response to the sexism and racism they encounter.Conclusions: We found that White men are largely unaware of the impacts of race or gender on the pursuit of a STEM degree. Additionally, with the exception of women of color, students are less likely to perceive race as having an impact on the experiences of students than gender. We conclude with a discussion of implications for future work related to gender and race representation in STEM.
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21967822
|
EDUCATION
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10.3389/fpsyg.2020.571792
|
Convergent and Discriminant Validities of SCBE-30 Questionnaire Using Correlated Trait–Correlated Method Minus One
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Correlated trait–correlated method minus one was used to evaluate convergent and discriminant validity of Social Competence Behavior Evaluation questionnaire (Social Competence, Anger-Aggression, Anxiety-Withdrawal) between multiple raters. A total of 369 children (173 boys and 196 girls; Mage = 55.85, SDage = 11.54) were rated by their mothers, fathers, and teachers. Results showed more convergence between parents than parent-teacher ratings. Mother-teacher share a common view of child behavior that is not shared with father. Parents had more difficulty distinguishing internalizing and externalizing behaviors (especially fathers). Measurement invariance across child sex was explored, results imply that differences between boys and girls were not due to measure. Girls (compare to boys) were described as more social competent by their fathers and teachers, while boys as more aggressive by mothers and teachers.
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16641078
|
PSYCHOLOGY
|
10.1007/s00432-020-03428-y
|
Conditional knockdown of integrin beta-3 reveals its involvement in osteolytic and soft tissue lesions of breast cancer skeletal metastasis
|
Integrin β3 (ITGB3) is probably related to skeletal metastasis, which is the most frequent complication in breast cancer progression. We aimed to define its role and suitability as target for anti-metastatic therapy. We generated two MDA-MB-231 cell clones with conditional miRNA-mediated ITGB3 knockdown for analyzing the resulting effects in vitro regarding mRNA expression, proliferation and migration, as well the impact on skeletal metastasis in a nude rat model. Furthermore, ITGB3 levels were analyzed in exosomes from plasma of rats with skeletal metastases, and from MDA-MB-231 cells incubated with these vesicles, as well as from exosomes secreted by cells with conditional ITGB3 knockdown. This inhibition of ITGB3 expression decreased cellular proliferation and more distinctly inhibited cellular migration. Reduction and even complete remissions of respective soft tissue and osteolytic lesions were detected after ITGB3 knockdown in vivo. Furthermore, ITGB3 levels were increased in exosomes isolated from plasma of rats harboring MDA-MB-231 lesions as well as in respective cells incubated with these vesicles in vitro. ITGB3 was distinctly decreased in exosomes from cells with ITGB3 knockdown. The observed in vitro and in vivo anti-ITGB3 effects can be explained by downregulation of specific genes, which have roles in angiogenesis (NPTN, RRM2), tumor growth (NPTN), energy metabolism (ISCA1), cytokinesis (SEPT11), migration (RRM2, STX6), cell proliferation, invasiveness, senescence, tumorigenesis (RRM2) and vesicle trafficking (SEPT11, STX6). ITGB3 has a role in breast cancer skeletal metastasis via gene expression modulation, as mirrored for ITGB3 in exosomes, thus it could serve as target for anti-metastatic therapy.
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14321335
|
ONCOLOGY
|
10.3389/fonc.2020.583625
|
Evaluation of Polygenic Risk Scores for Prediction of Prostate Cancer in Korean Men
|
Aims The purpose of this study is to evaluate an aggregate influence of prostate cancer (PCa) susceptibility variants on the development of PCa in Korean men by using the polygenic risk score (PRS) approach. Methods An analysis of 1,001 cases of PCa and 2,641 controls was performed to: (i) identify potential PCa-related risk loci in Koreans and (ii) validate the cumulative association between these loci and PCa using the PRS. Subgroup analyses based on risk stratification were conducted to better characterize the potential correlation to key PCa-related clinical outcomes (e.g., Gleason score, prostate-specific antigen levels). The results were replicated using 514 cases of PCa and 548 controls from an independent cohort. Results Genome-wide association analysis from our discovery cohort revealed 11 candidate single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with PCa showing statistical significance of p < 5.0 x 10(-5). Seven variants were located at 8q24.21 (rs1016343, rs16901979, and rs13252298 in PRNCR1; rs4242384, rs7837688, and rs1447295 in CASC8; and rs1512268 in NKX3). Two variants located within HNF1B (rs7501939 and rs4430796) had a significant negative association with PCa risk [odds ratio (OR) = 0.717 and 0.747, p = 6.42 x 10(-7) and 3.67 x 10(-6), respectively]. Of the six independent SNPs that remained after linkage disequilibrium (LD) pruning, the top four SNPs best predicted PCa risk with an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) of 0.637 (95% CI: 0.582-0.692). Those with top 25% polygenic risk had a 4.2-fold increased risk of developing PCa compared with those with low risk. Conclusion Eleven PCa risk variants in Korean men were identified; PRSs of a subset of these variants could help predict PCa susceptibility.
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2234943X
|
ONCOLOGY
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10.1007/s00432-020-03417-1
|
Penile cancer: a Brazilian consensus statement for low- and middle-income countries
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Purpose: Penile cancer is highly prevalent in low- and middle-income countries, with significant morbidity and mortality rates. The first Brazilian consensus provides support to improve penile cancer patients’ outcomes, based on expert’s opinion and evidence from medical literature. Methods: Fifty-one Brazilian experts (clinical oncologists, radiation oncologists, urologists, and pathologists) assembled and voted 104 multiple-choice questions, confronted the results with the literature, and ranked the levels of evidence. Results: Healthcare professionals need to deliver more effective communication about the risk factors for penile cancer. Staging and follow-up of patients include physical examination, computed tomography, and magnetic resonance imaging. Close monitoring is crucial, because most recurrences occur in the first 2–5 years. Lymph-node involvement is the most important predictive factor for survival, and management depends on the location (inguinal or pelvic) and the number of lymph nodes involved. Conservative treatment may be helpful in selected patients without compromising oncological outcomes; however, surgery yields the lowest rate of local recurrence. Conclusion: This consensus provides an essential decision-making orientation regarding this challenging disease.
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14321335
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ONCOLOGY
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10.1186/s40594-020-00251-2
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Transforming education with community-developed teaching materials: evidence from direct observations of STEM college classrooms
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The Classroom Observation Project employs direct observations of geoscience teaching across the USA using the Reformed Teaching Observation Protocol (RTOP) to quantify the use of reformed teaching practices. We report on 345 RTOP observations used to evaluate the extent of teaching reform when curricular materials developed as part of the InTeGrate Project (ITG) were used. The InTeGrate Project has published 40 modules of curricular materials that teach geoscience in the context of societal issues and support instructors through guided use of student-centered instructional practices. All ITG materials were developed by teams of instructors, follow a consistent structure, and were evaluated against a project rubric. RTOP scores for classes observed when ITG materials were used (ITG; n = 50, M = 54.0) are significantly higher than RTOP scores for classes observed when ITG materials were not used (non-ITG; n = 295; M = 39.8; p < .0001). ITG observations all have RTOP scores in the student-centered (≥ 50) or transitional (31–49) instructional categories, and none in the teacher-centered instructional category (≤ 30), demonstrating that ITG materials support more student-centered teaching in class sessions where they are used. In 33 paired observations of the same instructor teaching with and without ITG materials, mean RTOP scores when teaching with ITG are greater than mean RTOP scores when teaching without ITG (M = 54 and M = 47.1, respectively). RTOP observations reveal that more student-centered instructional practices occur in class sessions in which ITG materials are used. There is a small range of RTOP scores when individual ITG activities are used by multiple instructors, suggesting that using ITG materials results in a consistent quality of instruction. The complete absence of teacher-centered instruction when using ITG materials means the materials are a useful resource for practicing reformed teaching methods. The model of the ITG Project in the creation and broad dissemination of ready-made curricula for use in large numbers of classrooms can be replicated to transform teaching and learning in other disciplinary communities.
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21967822
|
EDUCATION
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10.3389/feduc.2020.545608
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Secondary School Leaving Examinations: The Impact of Expectancies, Values, and Dimensional Comparisons on Male and Female Students’ Science-Oriented Choices
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In Germany, secondary school students have to choose at least one STEM subject (mathematics, biology, chemistry, and physics) for their Secondary School Leaving Examinations. In a representative sample of students in grade 13 in one federal state in Germany, we explore male and female students’ subject choices in an expectancy-value as well as dimensional comparison framework by considering prior performance, ability self-concept, and values in the chosen subject. We extend previous research by including dimensional comparisons that students make between the varying subjects they have to choose from. We discriminate between two opposing groups. One group shows a science-avoidance choice pattern by selecting only one science subject: biology (n = 439). The other group shows a science-oriented choice pattern by selecting either physics or chemistry or two STEM subjects of which one is physics or chemistry (n = 248). We measured achievement test scores, relative and absolute midterm grades, ability self-concepts, as well as attainment and utility values in chosen and non-chosen subjects and calculated logistic regressions as well as multigroup models. Our results showed that science-oriented final exam choices depended on two mechanisms. Within the expectancy-value framework, a science-oriented choice pattern was predicted by ability self-concept in mathematics for male and female students. However, attainment and utility values appeared to be irrelevant for this specific choice. Within the dimensional comparison framework, the relative mathematics-English midterm grade was relevant, but only for male students. Our findings raise the question whether male and female students should be encouraged differently in order to stay in the STEM pipeline and how structural conditions may shape pathways into or out of this pipeline.
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2504284X
|
EDUCATION
|
10.3389/fpsyg.2020.01850
|
EEG Correlates of Learning From Speech Presented in Environmental Noise
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How the human brain retains relevant vocal information while suppressing irrelevant sounds is one of the ongoing challenges in cognitive neuroscience. Knowledge of the underlying mechanisms of this ability can be used to identify whether a person is distracted during listening to a target speech, especially in a learning context. This paper investigates the neural correlates of learning from the speech presented in a noisy environment using an ecologically valid learning context and electroencephalography (EEG). To this end, the following listening tasks were performed while 64-channel EEG signals were recorded: (1) attentive listening to the lectures in background sound, (2) attentive listening to the background sound presented alone, and (3) inattentive listening to the background sound. For the first task, 13 lectures of 5 min in length embedded in different types of realistic background noise were presented to participants who were asked to focus on the lectures. As background noise, multi-talker babble, continuous highway, and fluctuating traffic sounds were used. After the second task, a written exam was taken to quantify the amount of information that participants have acquired and retained from the lectures. In addition to various power spectrum-based EEG features in different frequency bands, the peak frequency and long-range temporal correlations (LRTC) of alpha-band activity were estimated. To reduce these dimensions, a principal component analysis (PCA) was applied to the different listening conditions resulting in the feature combinations that discriminate most between listening conditions and persons. Linear mixed-effect modeling was used to explain the origin of extracted principal components, showing their dependence on listening condition and type of background sound. Following this unsupervised step, a supervised analysis was performed to explain the link between the exam results and the EEG principal component scores using both linear fixed and mixed-effect modeling. Results suggest that the ability to learn from the speech presented in environmental noise can be predicted by the several components over the specific brain regions better than by knowing the background noise type. These components were linked to deterioration in attention, speech envelope following, decreased focusing during listening, cognitive prediction error, and specific inhibition mechanisms.
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16641078
|
PSYCHOLOGY
|
10.1186/s40594-020-00254-z
|
How to foster the formation of STEM identity: studying diversity in an authentic learning environment
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Background: STEM identity has been shown to have a powerful role in an individual’s success in educational environments, as well as on their career goals and trajectories. Historically, however, STEM identity formation for underrepresented students has been hampered by the lack of representation of in STEM fields, which predominantly consist of white males. One educational challenge is diversifying STEM classrooms, both in terms of the students themselves and also in terms of the science and scientists they learn about.Methods: We piloted a 4-credit History, Philosophy, and Sociology of Science course at Michigan State University. Students were tasked with creating exhibits focused on themes of diversity and inclusion in science for a real client. Using a STEM identity survey, we assessed students’ attitudes towards the sciences, issues of diversity in science, and their sense of belonging to their educational communities. We also had the students respond to various short-answer questions throughout the semester to better understand their experiences working on a collaborative authentic learning task.Results: Our results suggest that authentic learning experiences based around ideas of diversity and inclusion can help students develop sense of belonging and positive STEM identities. Students demonstrated shifts in their self-identities as scientists, focusing more on the intersection between their gender, ethnicity, and self-perception as a scientist. Through qualitative analysis of short-answer questions, we were able to ascertain that working in groups in an authentic learning environment helped the students improve their communication and collaboration skills.Conclusions: Students’ increased focus on gender and ethnicity suggests that they are thinking critically about how their personal identities intersect with their scientific identities. Additional research would help us better understand if the coupling of authentic learning and inclusive teaching practices have significant impacts on the formation of students’ STEM identities.
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21967822
|
EDUCATION
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10.3389/fpsyg.2020.585745
|
Dissimilar Phonemes Create a Contextual Interference Effect During a Nonword Repetition Task
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Purpose: The contextual interference effect is a motor learning phenomenon where conditions that decrease overall learning during practice enhance overall learning with new tasks. In the limb literature, this effect is observed when different practice conditions are used (e.g., blocked vs. random practice schedules). In speech motor learning, contextual interference effects are mixed. The differences observed during speech motor learning may be due to the stimuli used. We hypothesized that dissimilar phonemes might create interference during speech motor learning, such that training accuracy would decrease. However, generalization accuracy would increase compared to practice with nonwords containing similar phonemes. Method: Thirty young adults with typical speech and hearing participated in a motor learning study using a cross-over design. Participants engaged in nonword repetition training followed by an immediate retention and transfer task with two sets of nonwords: nonwords with similar phonemes and nonwords with dissimilar phonemes. Percent consonants correct were calculated to examine the effects of the two different types of nonwords based on the stage of skill acquisition. Results: A contextual interference effect was observed in this study using nonwords that varied in phonemic similarity. Nonwords with similar phonemes were produced with greater accuracy during the training stage of skill acquisition, and nonwords with dissimilar phonemes were produced with greater accuracy during the transfer stage. Conclusion: The proposed hypothesis for this study was met – practicing nonwords with dissimilar phonemes resulted in greater accuracy in the transfer phase of this experiment. Results indicate that phonemic dissimilarity produced contextual interference and influenced speech motor learning. These results indicate that the linguistic properties of stimuli must be factored into speech motor learning. Future research should explore if other linguistic variables interact with variables of motor learning to enhance speech practice and generalization outcomes.
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16641078
|
PSYCHOLOGY
|
10.3389/fonc.2020.01702
|
Epidemiology of Thyroid Cancer: Incidence and Mortality in China, 2015
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Objective: Using data from cancer registries to estimate thyroid cancer incidence and mortality in China, 2015. Methods: Data submitted from local cancer registries were checked and evaluated according to the criteria of data quality control, a total of 368 cancer registries' data were qualified for the final analysis. Data were stratified by area (urban/rural, eastern/central/western), sex and age, combined with national population data to estimate thyroid cancer incidence and mortality in China, 2015. Results: Approximately 200,700 new cases were diagnosed in 2015, accounting for 5.11% of all cancer cases. The crude incidence rate was 14.60/100,000. Age-standardized incidence rates by Chinese standard population (ASIRC) and world standard population (ASIRW) were 12.05/100,000 and 10.44/100,000, with the cumulative incidence rate (0–74 years old) of 1.00%. About 7,900 deaths of thyroid cancer were reported in 2015, accounting for 0.34% of all cancer deaths. The crude mortality rate was 0.58/100,000, age-standardized mortality rates by Chinese standard population (ASMRC) and world standard population (ASMRW) were 0.37/100,000 and 0.36/100,000. The age-standardized incidence and mortality in females were significantly higher than those in males (P < 0.001). The rates in urban areas were higher than those in rural areas (P < 0.001). The ASIRC in eastern areas was higher than that in central and western areas (P < 0.001), while the ASMRC in central areas was higher than that in eastern and western areas (P < 0.001). Conclusions: The burden of thyroid cancer was heavy in China, cancer control faces the problem of the disparity between geographic areas, and the incidence and mortality rates were varied by sex and age. Targeted cancer preventive measures should be put into practice.
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2234943X
|
ONCOLOGY
|
10.3389/feduc.2020.601017
|
Foreign Language Development During Temporary School Closures in the 2020 Covid-19 Pandemic
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This report assesses effects of temporary school closures during the 2020 Covid-19 pandemic in Germany on early foreign language development among primary-school learners of English. We analyze English vocabulary and grammar skills before and after 15 weeks of school closures and the subsequent suspension of foreign-language (FL) instruction. In addition, we compare data from 141 students who experienced interruptions in schooling in 2020 to a matched group of 128 students who had received continuous instruction in the previous school year. The study did not find any negative effects of the temporary instructional suspension on FL vocabulary or grammar. Moreover, variance between students did not increase, and the effect structure of cognitive predictors of FL skills remained the same. Overall, temporary suspensions of FL instruction of the nature and length experienced during the 2020 Covid-19 pandemic did not appear to have detrimental effects on general foreign language learning among young students.
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2504284X
|
EDUCATION
|
10.3389/fpsyg.2020.582572
|
The Role of Phonological, Auditory Sensory and Cognitive Skills on Word Reading Acquisition: A Cross-Linguistic Study
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Despite considerable evidence regarding the influence of orthography on reading processing, the impact of orthographic depth on reading predictors remains unclear. In addition, it also remains unknown the role of the orthography in the influence of auditory temporal processing and attention skills on word reading skills. The current study investigates the word reading predictors in a group of British and Brazilian children with typical development considering phonological, auditory sensory, short-term memory, and sustained attention skills. Rhyme and Alliteration skills predicted word reading in both groups; however, the correlation in the British group was more robust. Short-term memory was also correlated with reading in both groups; however, it was a significant word reading predictor only in the British group. The auditory sensory was not directly correlated with word reading in either group; however, it was involved with Rhyme and Alliteration performance only in the British group. Those results were discussed considering the complexity of the phonological structure and opaque orthography in English when compared to Portuguese, which indicates that the less transparent the orthography, the higher the importance of factors such as phonological awareness, short-term memory, and to some extent, auditory sensory processing skills on word reading acquisition. Those results emphasize the need to consider orthography and phonological features of a particular language when developing a reading assessment and treatments.
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16641078
|
PSYCHOLOGY
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10.3389/frai.2020.534696
|
Deep Learning for Understanding Satellite Imagery: An Experimental Survey
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Translating satellite imagery into maps requires intensive effort and time, especially leading to inaccurate maps of the affected regions during disaster and conflict. The combination of availability of recent datasets and advances in computer vision made through deep learning paved the way toward automated satellite image translation. To facilitate research in this direction, we introduce the Satellite Imagery Competition using a modified SpaceNet dataset. Participants had to come up with different segmentation models to detect positions of buildings on satellite images. In this work, we present five approaches based on improvements of U-Net and Mask R-Convolutional Neuronal Networks models, coupled with unique training adaptations using boosting algorithms, morphological filter, Conditional Random Fields and custom losses. The good results—as high as AP=0.937 and AR=0.959—from these models demonstrate the feasibility of Deep Learning in automated satellite image annotation.
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26248212
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AI
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10.3389/fonc.2020.545460
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Circular RNA Circ-03955 Promotes Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition in Osteosarcoma by Regulating miR-3662/Metadherin Pathway
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Osteosarcoma is the most common primary malignant tumor, especially in children and adolescents. Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are found to play roles in the progression of osteosarcoma. However, the exact functions of circRNAs in osteosarcoma development still need to be clarified. We obtained differentially expressed circRNAs and miRNAs from a GSE99671 data set (GEO database). The gene co-expression network of ceRNAs and osteosarcoma-related genes was analyzed using the STRING database. qRT-PCR was used to detect the expression of circ-03955 and miR-3662. Transwell assays and flow cytometry were performed to detect phenotypic changes in cell function. A xenograft tumor model was established using BALB/c nude mice. Dual luciferase activity and RNA immunoprecipitation assays were performed to assess the relationship between circ-03955, miR-3662, and metadherin (MTDH). Immunohistochemistry, immunofluorescence, and Western blotting were used to assess protein expression levels. Circ-03955 was significantly upregulated, and miR-3662 was downregulated in osteosarcoma. Circ-03955 silencing inhibited the growth and metastasis of osteosarcoma. Mechanism analysis revealed that circ-03955 could bind to miR-3662, and the latter could target MTDH, leading to its suppressed expression and facilitating epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). All these findings demonstrate that the presence of circ-03955 promotes EMT in osteosarcoma by acting as miR-3662 sponge-mediated MTDH expression.
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2234943X
|
ONCOLOGY
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10.3389/fonc.2020.596691
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Dose–Response Between Serum Prealbumin and All-Cause Mortality After Hepatectomy in Patients With Hepatocellular Carcinoma
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Background: The relationship between serum prealbumin and the risk of all-cause mortality after hepatectomy in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) needs to be evaluated. Methods: We conducted a retrospective study. A Cox proportional hazards regression model was used to adjust for potential confounders. Prealbumin level was transformed by Z-scores and categorized into quartiles (Q1: 239 mg/L). We assessed the dose-response relationship between serum prealbumin and the risk of all-cause mortality using a restricted cubic spline model. Results: Data were included from 2,022 HCC patients who underwent hepatectomy at Guangxi Medical University Cancer Hospital in China between January 2006 and January 2016. The adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) for increasing quartiles of serum prealbumin were 0.78 [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.64–0.95] for Q2, 0.66 (0.53–0.81) for Q3, and 0.51 (0.41–0.64) for Q4 in the Cox model (all P < 0.001). Serum prealbumin showed an L-shaped, non-linear dose-response relationship with the risk of all-cause mortality (P < 0.001). Among patients whose serum prealbumin was below 250 mg/L, risk of all-cause mortality decreased by 27% (95% CI: 18–36%) per increase of one standard deviation (69.8 mg/L) in serum prealbumin. Conclusions: Levels of serum prealbumin under 250 mg/L may be considered dangerous with respect to all-cause mortality after hepatectomy in HCC patients. Serum prealbumin may be useful as a prognostic marker in HCC patients undergoing hepatectomy.
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2234943X
|
ONCOLOGY
|
10.3389/fpsyg.2020.587164
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Association Between Serum Lipid Levels, Resilience, and Self-Esteem in Japanese Adolescents: Results From A-CHILD Study
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Previous studies have found that serum lipid levels independently associate with mental health problems in adulthood. However, little is known about the association between serum lipid levels and positive aspects of mental health such as resilience and self-esteem, which develop in adolescence. The aim of this study is to examine the association between serum lipid levels and resilience and self-esteem in Japanese adolescents. Data were pooled data from the Adachi Child Health Impact of Living Difficulty (A-CHILD) study in 2016 and 2018, a school-based, cross-sectional study in Adachi City, Tokyo, Japan (N = 1,056, aged 13–14 years). Resilience of the child was assessed by caregivers, and self-esteem was self-identified via questionnaires. Serum lipid levels [total cholesterol, low-density lipoproteins (LDL), and high-density lipoproteins (HDL)] were assessed in school health checkup, in addition to height and weight measurements. Multiple linear regression was applied to investigate the association between standardized serum lipid levels and resilience and self-esteem. LDL showed inverse association with resilience [β = −1.26, 95% confidence interval (CI) = −2.39 to −0.14] after adjusting for child’s BMI, month of birth, sex, absence of parent, household income, caregiver’s mental health, and lifestyle (e.g., habits of eating, physical activity, and sleep). We also found an inverse association of total cholesterol and higher LDL cholesterol with self-esteem (β = −0.58, 95% CI = −0.99 to −0.18; β = −0.42, 95% CI = −0.83 to −0.01, respectively). HDL cholesterol was not associated with resilience and self-esteem. Among Japanese adolescent, total and LDL cholesterol may be biomarkers of resilience and self-esteem.
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16641078
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PSYCHOLOGY
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10.3389/fpsyg.2020.579986
|
Benefits and Challenges of Interdisciplinarity in CSCL Research: A View From the Literature
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Computer-supported collaborative learning (CSCL) has a history of being interdisciplinary from its conception. Its beginnings have included computer scientists, psychologists, cognitive scientists, and educational researchers. These collaborations have been fruitful but have also posed challenges (Suthers et al., 2013). This article builds on the authors’ extensive review of the CSCL literature to examine the nature of interdisciplinary collaboration in CSCL research as well as an interdisciplinary CSCL workshop. Using a corpus of more than 700 CSCL articles, we reported an updated analysis for the theories and methods used in CSCL research. In addition, bibliometric analyses examined journals that publish CSCL research and are cited by CSCL research. CSCL research is published in journals that are aligned with interdisciplinary research with large contributions from educational research followed by technology related fields and social sciences. The contributions from domain knowledge journals are relatively weak. These analyses revealed disciplinary influences and uptakes of CSCL research and how they might differ across CSCL research clusters. Lastly, we provide a case example of a CSCL workshop to further demonstrate the interdisciplinary nature of the field. Through these analyses we aim to characterize the benefits and challenges of interdisciplinary collaboration in CSCL research. Interdisciplinarity has helped CSCL research to adopt multiple theories and methods to understand CSCL. While cultivating diversity, we also need to be mindful that research outcomes are exchanged and appropriated actively across participating disciplines so that our understanding of CSCL rises above individual disciplines.
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16641078
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PSYCHOLOGY
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10.3389/fpsyg.2020.611395
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Longitudinal Performance in Basic Numerical Skills Mediates the Relationship Between Socio-Economic Status and Mathematics Anxiety: Evidence From Chile
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Socio-economic status (SES) and mathematical performance seem to be risk factors of mathematics anxiety (MA) in both children and adults. However, there is little evidence about how exactly these three constructs are related, especially during early stages of mathematical learning. In the present study, we assessed longitudinal performance in symbolic and non-symbolic basic numerical skills in pre-school and second grade students, as well as MA in second grade students. Participants were 451 children (average pre-school age = 5 years, 6 months) from 12 schools in Chile, which differed in school vulnerability index (SVI), an indicator of SES. We tested an explanatory model of MA that included SES and longitudinal performance in basic numerical skills as predictors. The results showed a direct effect of SES on MA and a mediating effect of performance in symbolic and non-symbolic comparison tasks in pre-school. However, in second grade, only performance in symbolic comparison significantly mediated the SES-MA relationship. These findings suggest that performance in non-symbolic comparison plays an important role in explaining MA at initial stages, but that its influence is no longer significant by the time children reach formal instruction in second grade. By contrast, as children’s formal educational experience in mathematics increases, MA becomes linked primarily to symbolic numerical tasks. In sum, SES affects MA and this is due in part to the effect of SES on the development of numerical learning in pre-school, which in turn has an impact on subsequent, more complex learning, ultimately leading to differences in MA. We discuss the implications of these findings for preventing and acting upon the emergence of MA.
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16641078
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PSYCHOLOGY
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10.3389/frai.2021.556848
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Artificial Intelligence and Telehealth may Provide Early Warning of Epidemics
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The COVID-19 pandemic produced a very sudden and serious impact on public health around the world, greatly adding to the burden of overloaded professionals and national medical systems. Recent medical research has demonstrated the value of using online systems to predict emerging spatial distributions of transmittable diseases. Concerned internet users often resort to online sources in an effort to explain their medical symptoms. This raises the prospect that incidence of COVID-19 may be tracked online by search queries and social media posts analyzed by advanced methods in data science, such as Artificial Intelligence. Online queries can provide early warning of an impending epidemic, which is valuable information needed to support planning timely interventions. Identification of the location of clusters geographically helps to support containment measures by providing information for decision-making and modeling.
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26248212
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AI
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10.3389/fonc.2021.582277
|
DNAJC12 as a Mediator Between ESR1 and ERBB4 in Breast Carcinoma Cells
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Mutation of the DNAJC12 gene is typically associated with non-progressive Parkinsonism, but is also detectable in breast carcinoma where its contribution and mechanisms are unexplored. In breast carcinoma, ESR1 was positively correlated with DNAJC12 and ERBB4, and DNAJC12 was positively correlated with ERBB4. We used the GEO2R tool to compare differential gene expression of MCF-7 cells, following ESR1 knockdown (GEO database, E-GEOD-27473 array), and found decreased expression of DNAJC12 and ERBB4 in ESR1-silenced MCF-7 cells. The number of identical genes having correlativity with ESR1, DNAJC12, or ERBB4 was 12,165 (66.41%). These results suggest that ESR1 can promote the expression of DNAJC12 and ERBB4, and DNAJC12 can enhance the expression of ERBB4 in MCF-7 cells, implying that there may be a regulatory network among these three genes.
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2234943X
|
ONCOLOGY
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10.3389/fonc.2021.631007
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Non-Genomic Actions of Estrogens on the DNA Repair Pathways Are Associated With Chemotherapy Resistance in Breast Cancer
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Estrogens have been implicated in the etiology of breast cancer for a long time. It has been stated that long-term exposure to estrogens is associated with a higher incidence of breast cancer, since estradiol (E2) stimulates breast cell growth; however, its effect on DNA damage/repair is only starting to be investigated. Recent studies have documented that estrogens are able to modify the DNA damage response (DDR) and DNA repair mechanisms. On the other hand, it has been proposed that DDR machinery can be altered by estrogen signaling pathways, that can be related to cancer progression and chemoresistance. We have demonstrated that E2 promotes c-Src activation and breast cancer cell motility, through a non-genomic pathway. This review discusses scientific evidence supporting this non-genomic mechanism where estrogen modifies the DNA repair pathways, and its relationship to potential causes of chemoresistance.
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2234943X
|
ONCOLOGY
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10.3389/feduc.2021.658973
|
Teacher and Student Practices Associated with Performance in the PISA Reading Literacy Evaluation
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This article aims at finding teacher’s and student’s practices that relate to performance in PISA reading literacy evaluations and that are feasible to intervene in order to assist the improvement of reading competency. To achieve this purpose, the study was developed with data collected from the population of Costa Rica that took the PISA evaluation in 2018 (n = 4691, 2340 men, and 2351 women). A linear regression of the reading score was performed utilizing plausible values and sampling weights. The predictors of the regression were contextual factors, teacher practices, and student habits. Time spent and interest in reading showed a positive and relevant association with student’s performance in reading, controlling important background aspects like economic resources and parents' education. Moreover, 28.19% to the obtained variance explanation of the reading literacy (27%) was only due to the teacher’s and student’s practices. These results provide favorable information to design interventions for the improvement of reading competency.
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2504284X
|
EDUCATION
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10.3389/fonc.2021.624240
|
A Combined Long Noncoding RNA Signature as a Candidate Prognostic Biomarker for Ovarian Cancer
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Aims: Dysregulated long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) contributing to ovarian cancer (OC) development may serve as prognostic biomarker. We aimed to explore a lncRNA signature to serve as prognostic biomarker of OC. Methods: Univariate Cox regression was conducted on the lncRNA expression dataset from the TCGA cohort, and 246 genes significantly associated with survival were retained for building a model. A random forest survival model was carried out, and a model was developed using 6 genes with the highest frequency. The selected genes were applied in a Cox multivariate regression model for prognostic prediction by calculating the risk score. We also used CCK-8, EdU, and colony formation assays to validate the function of these lncRNAs in OC cells. Results: This study confirmed that the 6-lncRNA combined signature was related to OC prognosis. Systematic analysis demonstrated that lncRNA-associated genes were enriched in oncogenic signalling pathways. Five out of the 6 lncRNAs participated in OC proliferation. Conclusion: We established a 6-lncRNA combined signature for OC prognosis, which may serve as powerful prognostic biomarker for OC after further validation.
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2234943X
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ONCOLOGY
|
10.3389/frai.2021.647999
|
Machine Learning-Based Modeling of Spatio-Temporally Varying Responses of Rainfed Corn Yield to Climate, Soil, and Management in the U.S. Corn Belt
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Better understanding the variabilities in crop yield and production is critical to assessing the vulnerability and resilience of food production systems. Both environmental (climatic and edaphic) conditions and management factors affect the variabilities of crop yield. In this study, we conducted a comprehensive data-driven analysis in the U.S. Corn Belt to understand and model how rainfed corn yield is affected by climate variability and extremes, soil properties (soil available water capacity, soil organic matter), and management practices (planting date and fertilizer applications). Exploratory data analyses revealed that corn yield responds non-linearly to temperature, while the negative vapor pressure deficit (VPD) effect on corn yield is monotonic and more prominent. Higher mean yield and inter-annual yield variability are found associated with high soil available water capacity, while lower inter-annual yield variability is associated with high soil organic matter (SOM). We also identified region-dependent relationships between planting date and yield and a strong correlation between planting date and the April weather condition (temperature and rainfall). Next, we built machine learning models using the random forest and LASSO algorithms, respectively, to predict corn yield with all climatic, soil properties, and management factors. The random forest model achieved a high prediction accuracy for annual yield at county level as early as in July (R2 = 0.781) and outperformed LASSO. The gained insights from this study lead to improved understanding of how corn yield responds to climate variability and projected change in the U.S. Corn Belt and globally.
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26248212
|
AI
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10.3389/fonc.2021.670047
|
An Immune-Related Signature Predicted Survival in Patients With Kidney Papillary Cell Carcinoma
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Immune-related genes are important factors in tumor progression. The main aim of this study was to identify the immune-related genes in kidney papillary cell carcinoma (pRCC) patients. We downloaded RNAseq data and clinical information of pRCC patients from the TCGA database and retrieved the immune-related genes list from Immport. From the data, we mined out 2,468 differential expression genes (DEGs) and 183 immune-related DEGs. Four hub DEGs (NTS, BIRC5, ELN, and CHGA) were identified after conducting Cox analysis and LASSO analysis. Moreover, the prognostic value of the signature based on four hub DEGs was verified using Kaplan–Meier analysis (P = 0.0041 in the training set and p = 0.021 in the test set) and ROC analysis (AUC: 0.957 in 1 year, 0.965 in 2 years, and 0.901 in 3 years in the training set, and 0.963 in 1 year, 0.898 in 2 years, and 0.742 in 3 years in the test set). Furthermore, we found that the high-risk score group had a higher percentage of B cells in the immune component, a higher expression of immune-related genes (CTLA4, LAG3, PDCD1LG2, and TIGIT), and a better immunotherapy response.
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2234943X
|
ONCOLOGY
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10.3389/fonc.2021.665217
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Different Patient Subgroup Different Maintenance, Proteasome Inhibitors or Immunomodulators Maintenance for Newly Diagnosed Multiple Myeloma: A 7-Year Single-Center Data in China
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Introduction: We analyzed different patient subgroups to determine optimal maintenance therapy in newly diagnosed multiple myeloma (NDMM) patients.Methods: A total of 226 NDMM patients in our center were included in the study. The characteristics, survival, and adverse reactions were compared among patients who received maintenance therapy or not, and patients who received proteasome inhibitors (PIs) or immunomodulators (IMiDs) maintenance. The survival of different maintenance durations of bortezomib-based regimens was also analyzed.Results: The maintenance therapy not only upgraded more patient responses (34.3 vs 13.3%, P = 0.006), but also significantly prolonged their progression-free survival (PFS) (median PFS: 41.1 vs 10.5 months, P < 0.001) and overall survival (OS) (median OS: not reached vs 38.6 months, P < 0.001). Compared with IMiDs, the PFS (median PFS: 43.7 vs 38.5 months, P = 0.034) and OS (median OS: not reached vs 78.5 months, P = 0.041) were both enhanced by PIs maintenance. Patients younger than 65 years who received PIs had a significantly prolonged OS (P = 0.032). Patients achieving only a partial response (PR) after induction and consolidation therapy had significantly longer PFS and OS after PIs maintenance compared to IMiDs (P = 0.007, 0.002). High-risk patients (ISS 2–3, DS 2–3, and RISS 2–3) given PIs maintenance benefit from a prolonged PFS (P = 0.002, 0.02, 0.06) and OS (P = 0.059, 0.047, 0.044, respectively) compared with IMiDs therapy. OS was significantly prolonged in patients who received ≥ 12 months of bortezomib-based maintenance therapy compared to those who were treated for < 12 months (P < 0.001), but no difference was observed in OS between patients who received 12 to 24 or ≥ 24 months of bortezomib-based maintenance therapy (P = 0.292).Conclusion: PIs maintenance was superior to IMiDs in overall PFS and OS. The beneficial effect was most evident in patients achieving PR after induction and consolidation therapy, and in high-risk patients. Moreover, younger patients also benefited from PIs maintenance with an increased OS. A bortezomib-based maintenance therapy duration of 12 to 24 months after induction and consolidation therapy produced satisfactory OS.
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2234943X
|
ONCOLOGY
|
10.3389/fpsyg.2021.691755
|
Evaluating Factors Influencing Knowledge-Sharing Behavior of Students in Online Problem-Based Learning
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Adopting online problem-based learning (OPBL) to internship educational programs is an effective teaching method to stimulate self-directed and collaborative learning and knowledge-sharing behavior (KSB) of students. However, the OPBL collaboration experience is different from the traditional lecture-based learning experience for students. Integrating social identity theory and commitment-trust theory develops a formative research model that explains the KSB of students when using social media tools for the OPBL process. This process encourages social interaction and communication of students, in turn, facilitating the integration of collective intelligence or the creation, sharing, and exchange of knowledge. Data collected from 425 nursing students who studied at seven nursing colleges or medical universities in Taiwan were analyzed using the partial least squares (PLSs) technique. The results indicate that social identification is a crucial antecedent of KSB. Relationship quality plays a vital role in shaping the effects of interpersonal trust and relationship commitment (RC) on KSB during internship periods. The findings can contribute to theoretical discussions and enhance the effectiveness of KSB in the literature of internship and non-internship in the higher education field.
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16641078
|
PSYCHOLOGY
|
10.3389/feduc.2021.681873
|
Psychometric Properties of the Elementary Social Behavior Assessment in Swedish Primary School: A Teacher Rated Index of Students’ Prosocial School Behaviors
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This study examined the psychometric properties of a Swedish language adaption of the teacher-rated Elementary Social Behavior Assessment (ESBA), which provides an index of students’ prosocial school behaviors. Participants were eight teachers (two teachers per school in four schools) who rated their students (N = 143 children, M age = 8 years old). The ESBA factor structure was tested with Confirmatory Factor Analysis in a series of models. The two- and three-factor models showed better fit. ESBA showed high internal consistency at the observed level. ESBA’s psychometric properties show initial promise as a tool to help Swedish teachers to support students’ prosocial skills development.
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2504284X
|
EDUCATION
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10.3389/fonc.2021.668247
|
PI3K Promotes Basal Cell Carcinoma Growth Through Kinase-Induced p21 Degradation
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Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is a locally invasive epithelial cancer that is primarily driven by the Hedgehog (HH) pathway. Advanced BCCs are a critical subset of BCCs that frequently acquire resistance to Smoothened (SMO) inhibitors and identifying pathways that bypass SMO could provide alternative treatments for patients with advanced or metastatic BCC. Here, we use a combination of RNA-sequencing analysis of advanced human BCC tumor-normal pairs and immunostaining of human and mouse BCC samples to identify a PI3K pathway expression signature in BCC. Pharmacological inhibition of PI3K activity in BCC cells significantly reduces cell proliferation and HH signaling. However, treatment of Ptch1fl/fl; Gli1-CreERT2 mouse BCCs with the PI3K inhibitor BKM120 results in a reduction of tumor cell growth with no significant effect on HH signaling. Downstream PI3K components aPKC and Akt1 showed a reduction in active protein, whereas their substrate, cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p21, showed a concomitant increase in protein stability. Our results suggest that PI3K promotes BCC tumor growth by kinase-induced p21 degradation without altering HH signaling.
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2234943X
|
ONCOLOGY
|
10.3389/fpsyg.2021.687404
|
Past, Present, and Future of Impulse Buying Research Methods: A Systematic Literature Review
|
Impulse buying (IB) represents a pivotal subject in consumer psychology. A general agreement on its core elements and their relationship is arguably established. So far, however, there has been little discussion about how to assess impulse purchases, leading to a potential divergence of practise from theory and complexities in cross-study comparability. This systematic literature review investigates the research methods and metrics employed in high-quality literature to evaluate impulse shopping behaviours across different environments, including online, offline, and multichannel settings. Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) criteria, the literature search has been conducted on databases relevant for scientific literature, including Scopus, Web of Science, and ProQuest. Fifty-four articles were included in this systematic review. Findings show the existence of four methods to investigate IB, namely quantitative self-reports, laboratory investigations, fieldwork observations, and qualitative interviews. A comparison of the four methods in terms of fit highlights that self-reports and interviews provide a significant contribution in assessing the cognitive facet of impulse purchasing. Laboratory investigations and fieldwork observation find a better fit with the conative and visceral facets of impulsive buying. Considering the major role of affective charges occurring during impulse shopping, complementary research approaches, and metrics belonging to applied psychophysiology and consumer neuroscience are examined. Three opportunities for future research are discussed, including theory building and refinement, understanding individual differences, and honing behavioural predictions.
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16641078
|
PSYCHOLOGY
|
10.3389/feduc.2021.681952
|
Assessing the Social Validity of the SAFMEDS Strategy From the Perspective of Teachers and Children
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The Say-All-Fast-Minute-Every-Day-Shuffled (SAFMEDS) strategy promotes fluency across several skills and contexts. However, few studies have reported the social validity key stakeholders associate with using the strategy in schools. Assessing social validity may provide us with some insight into factors that may affect engagement, implementation fidelity, and persistent use of the intervention after the termination of a research study. Study 1 details the findings from a survey completed by teachers who have used the strategy in their schools (N = 55). Using thematic analysis, we identified three themes: 1) factors that promote and limit progress, 2) confidence, and 3) inherent advantages of the SAFMEDS strategy. These themes encapsulate teachers experiences of implementing the strategy under the real-word conditions of the classroom and the accompanying advantages and potential challenges they face. Within study 2, we discuss themes arising from interviews with children (N = 26) about their views and experiences of using the SAFMEDS strategy. These children had used the strategy with their teacher for one academic year to promote fast and accurate recall of arithmetic facts. Analysis of these transcripts revealed five further themes relating to children’s engagement with the strategy: 1) enjoyment, 2) data, 3) sense of achievement, 4) skills, and 5) home use. Collectively these themes have potential impact with regards to future training and support models for the SAFMEDS strategy.
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2504284X
|
EDUCATION
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10.3389/frai.2021.679459
|
Users’ Responsiveness to Persuasive Techniques in Recommender Systems
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Understanding user’s behavior and their interactions with artificial-intelligent-based systems is as important as analyzing the performance of the algorithms used in these systems. For instance, in the Recommender Systems domain, the accuracy of the recommendation algorithm was the ultimate goal for most systems designers. However, researchers and practitioners have realized that providing accurate recommendations is insufficient to enhance users’ acceptance. A recommender system needs to focus on other factors that enhance its interactions with the users. Recent researches suggest augmenting these systems with persuasive capabilities. Persuasive features lead to increasing users’ acceptance of the recommendations, which, in turn, enhances users’ experience with these systems. Nonetheless, the literature still lacks a comprehensive view of the actual effect of persuasive principles on recommender users. To fill this gap, this study diagnoses how users of different characteristics get influenced by various persuasive principles that a recommender system uses. The study considers four users’ aspects: age, gender, culture (continent), and personality traits. The paper also investigates the impact of the context (or application domain) on the influence of the persuasive principles. Two application domains (namely eCommerce and Movie recommendations) are considered. A within-subject user study was conducted. The analysis of (279) responses revealed that persuasive principles have the potential to enhance users’ experience with recommender systems. The study also shows that, among the considered factors, culture, personality traits, and the domain of recommendations have a higher impact on the influence of persuasive principles than other factors. Based on the analysis of the results, the study provides insights and guidelines for recommender systems designers. These guidelines can be used as a reference for designing recommender systems with users’ experience in mind. We suggest that considering the results presented in this paper could help to improve recommender-users interaction.
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26248212
|
AI
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10.1007/s00432-021-03735-y
|
Anti-tumour effect of neo-antigen-reactive T cells induced by RNA mutanome vaccine in mouse lung cancer
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Purpose: Mutation-specific T-cell response to epithelial cancers and T-cell-based immunotherapy has been successfully used to treat several human solid cancers. We aimed to investigate the anti-tumour effect of neo-antigen-reactive T(NRT) cells induced by RNA mutanome vaccine, which may serve as a feasible and effective therapeutic approach for lung cancer. Methods: We predicted candidate neo-antigens according to the mutant gene analysis by sequencing the mouse Lewis cells and C57BL/6 mouse tail tissue. RNA vaccine was prepared with the neo-antigens as the template. We assessed antitumor efficacy, cytokine secretion and pathological changes after adoptive transfer of NRT cells in vitro and vivo experiments. Results: We identified 10 non-synonymous somatic mutations and successfully generated NRT cells. The percentage of T-cell activation proportion was increased from 0.072% in conventional T cells to 9.96% in NRT cells. Interferon-γ secretion augmented from 17.8 to 24.2% as well. As an in vivo model, adoptive NRT cell infusion could promote active T-cell infiltration into the tumour tissue and could delay tumour progression. Conclusion: NRT cells induced by RNA mutanome vaccine exert a significant anti-tumour effect in mouse lung cancer, and adoptive NRT cell therapy might be considered a feasible, effective therapeutic approach for lung cancer.
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14321335
|
ONCOLOGY
|
10.3390/ejihpe12110111
|
Internet Risk Perception: Development and Validation of a Scale for Adults
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Despite the importance of Internet risk perception, no instrument currently exists that measures this awareness in the Spanish population. The goal of this study was to provide information on studies of the validity and reliability of the Internet Risk Perception (IRP) Scale for adult Spanish citizens. We began with a literature review and validation using a mixed panel with 20 participants. We analyzed the degree to which the subjects agreed or disagreed with the criteria evaluated, including contributions for improving the instrument, and performed a pilot test with 517 adults aged 18 to 77. Construct reliability and validity were analyzed using various statistical analyses. The results from the confirmatory factor analysis showed a sufficient accuracy of the data with parameters that indicated an excellent fit for all items. The Spanish version of the scale for adults is a reliable and valid instrument for use in studies that investigate Internet risk perception in people over 18 years of age.
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22549625
|
PSYCHOLOGY
|
10.1007/s44196-023-00259-w
|
Adaptively Directed Image Restoration Using Resilient Backpropagation Neural Network
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In this modern era, visual data transmission, processing, and analysis play a vital role in daily life. Image denoising is the process of approximately estimating the original version of a degraded image. The presence of unexpected noise (e.g., fixed, random, and Gaussian) is the root cause of degradation, which has been reduced to some extent by many linear and non-linear filters based on a median value. The real issue is developing a strategy that should be generalized enough to effectively restore an image corrupted with multi-nature noise. Many researchers have developed novel concepts, but their tactics must acquire the highest performance in this area. This article proposes a constrained strategy for this problem, i.e., an adaptively directed denoising filter (ADD filter) based on a neural network. It consists of three major stages: training, filtering, and enhancing. First, we train a feed-forward back-propagation neural network on noisy and noise-free pixels for effective differentiation. Second, we apply a one-pass selective filter to the noisy image. The objective of this one-pass filter is to minimize noise using an adaptive median or directional filter based on density. Finally, the iterative directional filter is applied to the pre-processed image to enhance its visual quality. The extensive experiments depict that the proposed system has achieved better subjective results and improved local (structural similarity) and global (peak signal-to-noise ratio or mean square error) statistical measures.
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18756883
|
AI
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10.1007/s00432-023-04779-y
|
Neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy versus neoadjuvant chemotherapy alone for patients with locally advanced rectal cancer: a propensity-score-matched analysis combined with SEER validation
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Background: Neoadjuvant therapy followed by radical surgery is recommended for locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC). But radiotherapy can cause potential adverse effects. The therapeutic outcomes, postoperative survival and relapse rates between neoadjuvant chemotherapy (N-CT) and neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (N-CRT) patients have rarely been studied. Methods: From February 2012 to April 2015, patients with LARC who underwent N-CT or N-CRT followed by radical surgery at our center were included. Pathologic response, surgical outcomes, postoperative complications and survival outcomes (including overall survival [OS], disease-free survival [DFS], cancer-specific survival [CSS] and locoregional recurrence-free survival [LRFS]) were analyzed and compared. Concurrently, the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program (SEER) database was used to compare OS in an external source. Results: A total of 256 patients were input into the propensity score-matching (PSM) analysis, and 104 pairs remained after PSM. After PSM, the baseline data were well matched and there was a significantly lower tumor regression grade (TRG) (P < 0.001), more postoperative complications (P = 0.009) (especially anastomotic fistula, P = 0.003) and a longer median hospital stay (P = 0.049) in the N-CRT group than in the N-CT group. No significant difference was observed in OS (P = 0.737), DFS (P = 0.580), CSS (P = 0.920) or LRFS (P = 0.086) between the N-CRT group and the N-CT group. In the SEER database, patients who received N-CT had similar OS in both TNM II (P = 0.315) and TNM III stages (P = 0.090) as those who received N-CRT. Conclusion: N-CT conferred similar survival benefits but caused fewer complications than N-CRT. Thus, it could be an alternative treatment of LARC.
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14321335
|
ONCOLOGY
|
10.3390/cancers15102715
|
18F-FDG PET-Derived Volume-Based Parameters to Predict Disease-Free Survival in Patients with Grade III Breast Cancer of Different Molecular Subtypes Candidates to Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy
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We investigated whether baseline [18F] Fluorodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG) positron emission tomography (PET)-derived semiquantitative parameters could predict disease-free survival (DFS) in patients with grade III breast cancer (BC) of different molecular subtypes candidate to neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC). For each 18F-FDG-PET/CT scan, the following parameters were calculated in the primary tumor (SUVmax, SUVmean, MTV, TLG) and whole-body (WB_SUVmax, WB_MTV, and WB_TLG). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was used to determine the capability to predict DFS and find the optimal threshold for each parameter. Ninety-five grade III breast cancer patients with different molecular types were retrieved from the databases of the University Hospital of Padua and the University Hospital of Ferrara (luminal A: 5; luminal B: 34; luminal B-HER2: 22; HER2-enriched: 7; triple-negative: 27). In luminal B patients, WB_MTV (AUC: 0.75; best cut-off: WB_MTV > 195.33; SS: 55.56%, SP: 100%; p = 0.002) and WB_TLG (AUC: 0.73; best cut-off: WB_TLG > 1066.21; SS: 55.56%, SP: 100%; p = 0.05) were the best predictors of DFS. In luminal B-HER2 patients, WB_SUVmax was the only predictor of DFS (AUC: 0.857; best cut-off: WB_SUVmax > 13.12; SS: 100%; SP: 71.43%; p < 0.001). No parameter significantly affected the prediction of DFS in patients with grade III triple-negative BC. Volume-based parameters, extracted from baseline 18F-FDG PET, seem promising in predicting recurrence in patients with grade III luminal B and luminal B- HER2 breast cancer undergoing NAC.
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20726694
|
ONCOLOGY
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10.1186/s40359-023-01167-6
|
From threat to challenge—Improving medical students’ stress response and communication skills performance through the combination of stress arousal reappraisal and preparatory worked example-based learning when breaking bad news to simulated patients: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial
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Background: Breaking bad news (BBN; e.g., delivering a cancer diagnosis) is perceived as one of the most demanding communication tasks in the medical field and associated with high levels of stress. Physicians’ increased stress in BBN encounters can negatively impact their communication performance, and in the long term, patient-related health outcomes. Although a growing body of literature acknowledges the stressful nature of BBN, little has been done to address this issue. Therefore, there is a need for appropriate tools to help physicians cope with their stress response, so that they can perform BBN at their best. In the present study, we implement the biopsychosocial model of challenge and threat as theoretical framework. According to this model, the balance between perceived situational demands and perceived coping resources determines whether a stressful performance situation, such as BBN, is experienced as challenge (resources > demands) or threat (resources < demands). Using two interventions, we aim to support medical students in shifting towards challenge-oriented stress responses and improved communication performance: (1) stress arousal reappraisal (SAR), which guides individuals to reinterpret their stress arousal as an adaptive and beneficial response for task performance; (2) worked examples (WE), which demonstrate how to BBN in a step-by-step manner, offering structure and promoting skill acquisition. Methods: In a randomized controlled trial with a 2 (SAR vs. control) x 2 (WE vs. control) between-subjects design, we will determine the effects of both interventions on stress response and BBN skills performance in N = 200 third-year medical students during a simulated BBN encounter. To identify students’ stress responses, we will assess their perceived coping resources and task demands, record their cardiovascular activity, and measure salivary parameters before, during, and after BBN encounters. Three trained raters will independently score students’ BBN skills performances. Discussion: Findings will provide unique insights into the psychophysiology of medical students who are tasked with BBN. Parameters can be understood more comprehensively from the challenge and threat perspective and linked to performance outcomes. If proven effective, the evaluated interventions could be incorporated into the curriculum of medical students and facilitate BBN skills acquisition. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT05037318), September 8, 2021.
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20507283
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PSYCHOLOGY
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10.1007/s44196-023-00248-z
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Swarm Exploration Mechanism-Based Distributed Water Wave Optimization
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Using sparrow search hunting mechanism to improve water wave algorithm (WWOSSA), which combines the water wave optimization (WWO) algorithm and the sparrow search algorithm (SSA), has good optimization ability and fast convergence speed. However, it still suffers from insufficient exploration ability and is easy to fall into local optimum. In this study, we propose a new algorithm for distributed population structure, called swarm exploration mechanism-based distributed water wave optimization (DWSA). In DWSA, an information exchange component and an optimal individual evolution component are designed to improve information exchange between individuals. This multi-part information interaction and distributed population structure algorithm can help the population algorithm to establish a balance between exploitation and exploration more effectively. We contrast DWSA with the original algorithms WWOSSA and other meta-heuristics in order to show the effectiveness of DWSA. The test set consists of 22 actual optimization issues from the CEC2011 set and 29 benchmark functions from the CEC2017 benchmark functions. In addition, an experimental comparison of the parameter values introduced in DWSA is included. According to experimental results, the proposed DWSA performs substantially better than its competitors. Assessments of the population diversity and landscape search trajectory also confirmed DWSA’s outstanding convergence.
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18756883
|
AI
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10.3390/cancers15102732
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Targeting Sphingosine 1-Phosphate Metabolism as a Therapeutic Avenue for Prostate Cancer
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Prostate cancer (PC) is the second most common cancer in men worldwide. More than 65% of men diagnosed with PC are above 65. Patients with localized PC show high long-term survival, however with the disease progression into a metastatic form, it becomes incurable, even after strong radio- and/or chemotherapy. Sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P) is a bioactive lipid that participates in all the steps of oncogenesis including tumor cell proliferation, survival, migration, invasion, and metastatic spread. The S1P-producing enzymes sphingosine kinases 1 and 2 (SK1 and SK2), and the S1P degrading enzyme S1P lyase (SPL), have been shown to be highly implicated in the onset, development, and therapy resistance of PC during the last 20 years. In this review, the most important studies demonstrating the role of S1P and S1P metabolic partners in PC are discussed. The different in vitro, ex vivo, and in vivo models of PC that were used to demonstrate the implication of S1P metabolism are especially highlighted. Furthermore, the most efficient molecules targeting S1P metabolism that are under preclinical and clinical development for curing PC are summarized. Finally, the possibility of targeting S1P metabolism alone or combined with other therapies in the foreseeable future as an alternative option for PC patients is discussed. Research Strategy: PubMed from INSB was used for article research. First, key words “prostate & sphingosine” were used and 144 articles were found. We also realized other combinations of key words as “prostate cancer bone metastasis” and “prostate cancer treatment”. We used the most recent reviews to illustrate prostate cancer topic and sphingolipid metabolism overview topic.
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20726694
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ONCOLOGY
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10.3390/cancers15102740
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Evaluation of Gliomas with Magnetic Resonance Fingerprinting with PET Correlation—A Comparative Study
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Objectives: Advanced MR imaging of brain tumors is still mainly based on qualitative imaging. PET imaging offers additive metabolic information, and MR fingerprinting (MRF) offers a novel approach to quantitative data acquisition. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the ability of MRF to predict tumor regions and grading in combination with PET. Methods: Seventeen patients with histologically verified infiltrating gliomas and available amino-acid PET data were enrolled. ROIs for solid tumor parts (SPo), perifocal edema (ED1), and normal-appearing white matter (NAWM) were selected on conventional MRI sequences and aligned to the MRF and PET images. The predictability of gliomas by region and grading as well as intermodal correlations were assessed. Results: For MRF, we calculated an overall predictability by region (SPo, ED1, and NAWM) for all of the MRF parameters of 76.5%, 47.1%, and 94.1%, respectively. The overall ability to distinguish low- from high-grade gliomas using MRF was 88.9% for LGG and 75% for HGG, with an accuracy of 82.4%, a ppV of 85.71%, and an npV of 80%. PET positivity was found in 13/17 patients for solid tumor parts, and in 3/17 patients for the edema region. However, there was no significant difference in region-specific MRF values between PET positive and PET negative patients. Conclusions: MRF and PET provide quantitative measurements of the tumor tissue characteristics of gliomas, with good predictability. Nonetheless, the results are dissimilar, reflecting the different underlying mechanisms of each method.
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20726694
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ONCOLOGY
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10.1186/s40594-023-00423-w
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Analyzing the associations between motivation and academic performance via the mediator variables of specific mathematic cognitive learning strategies in different subject domains of higher education
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Background: There are different teaching methods and learning content in the academic field of mathematics between school and university. Many students fail in their studies when the proportion of mathematics is high. Additionally, dropout rates, due to mathematical performance, are high. However, there are different strategies used to improve mathematical skills. Based on the process model of self-regulated learning, an analysis of the association between motivational aspects in the pre-action phase as well as seven special cognitive learning strategies for mathematics in the action phase was conducted. The variables were compared with student performance. The study drew on data from 548 retrospective interviews of cooperative students, using a cross-sectional research design.Results: The analysis via structural equation modeling shows a direct association between motivational aspects, such as academic self-concept and curiosity, and the seven learning strategies in mathematics. Furthermore, there is a direct effect of academic self-concept on performance. However, the learning strategy of practicing was the only variable with associations to performance. Additionally, the indirect effect of curiosity on performance via practicing is analyzed.Conclusion: It can be seen, that curiosity on its own is not enough to ensure a good level of performance in mathematics. The findings suggest student learning strategies focusing on harnessing their curiosity and on practicing. A high academic self-concept is also relevant to the performance level achieved. Lecturers should create a learning environment to support such student behavior.
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21967822
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EDUCATION
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10.1186/s40594-023-00421-y
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Evaluating a complex and sustained STEM engagement programme through the lens of science capital: insights from Northeast England
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Background: STEM education providers increasingly use complex intervention models to redress persistent under-representation in STEM sectors. These intervention models require robust evaluation to determine their effectiveness. The study examines a complex, sustained intervention intended to build science capital in young people aged 11–15 over 3 years, which drew on science capital theory and related research to inform intervention design and evaluation. When evaluation results differed from those anticipated, process evaluation supported authors to interpret these findings. By outlining challenges faced in the evaluation of a complex, sustained STEM outreach intervention, this paper addresses critique that outreach programmes focus too often on short-term and positive findings. Results: Intervention outcomes were assessed using a quantitative questionnaire adapted from science capital research, issued to pupils at the intervention’s baseline (2015), midpoint (2017) and endpoint (2019). Adopting a cohort-based model, the 2015 questionnaire collected a baseline for the Year 7 intervention group (children aged 11–12, N = 464), and established baseline comparator groups for Year 9 (children aged 13–14, N = 556) and Year 11 (children aged 15–16, N = 342). The Year 7 intervention group was re-evaluated again in 2017 when in Year 9 (N = 556), and in 2019 when in Year 11 (N = 349). Analysis explored differences in science capital between the intervention and comparator groups and identified lower composite science capital scores and greater proportions of low- and medium-science capital in the intervention group when compared with the two comparator groups. A rationale for this emerged from the subsequent process evaluation. Conclusions: This study’s main contribution is the provision of nuanced insight into the evaluation of STEM interventions for use by others evaluating in similar circumstances, particularly those adopting sustained or complex delivery models. This paper concludes that assessing the effectiveness of complex interventions cannot rely on quantitative evaluation of outcomes alone. Process evaluation can complement quantitative instruments and aid interventions to better understand variability and interpret results. While this study highlights the value of science capital when designing intervention models, it also illustrates the inherent challenges of using an outcome measure of ‘building science capital’, and quantifying levels over an intervention’s course.
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21967822
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EDUCATION
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10.3390/educsci13050503
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Teaching and Learning Optics in High School: From Fermat to Feynman
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In this article, we analyze the basis of a proposal that allows teaching the notions of reflection, refraction, interference and diffraction from a unified perspective, using Fermat’s variational principle, recovered by Richard Feynman in his formulation of the paths sum for quantum mechanics. This allows reconsidering the notions of geometrical and physical optics, using the probabilistic and unified model of quantum mechanics by means of mathematical notions that are accessible to high school students.
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22277102
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EDUCATION
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10.1186/s40359-023-01200-8
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The effect of marital satisfaction on the self-assessed depression of husbands and wives: investigating the moderating effects of the number of children and neurotic personality
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Background: Based on the family system theory, there is an interactive relationship in the family, especially the cognitive style and emotional changes of the husband and wife will affect the behavior, cognition and emotion of the partner. Data about the effects of marital relationships on mental health are often paired. Scholars study the effect of individual independent variables on the dependent variables and the effect of spouse independent variables on the dependent variables to explore the actor and partner effect in marital relationships. Methods: This study used the China Family Panel Studies (CFPS) 2018 dataset to collect paired data on the marital satisfaction and self-rated mental health of 9,560 couples. The Actor–Partner Interdependence Moderation Model (APIMoM) was used to analyze whether moderator variables affect the direction and strength of the effect of marital satisfaction on self-rated depression. In the robustness test part, the robustness of the APIMoM model was tested by reanalyzing the independent variables using two kinds of binary codes respectively, and the results showed that the models were robust. Results: Individuals’ marital satisfaction was significantly negatively correlated with their own depression level and with that of their spouse. The number of family members had a positive moderating effect on the results of the wife’s partner effect. Couples who lived in the environment with more family members had lower depression scores. Couples who have more children have higher depression scores. The number of children has a negative moderating effect on the results of partner effect of husbands and wives. The wife’s neurotic personality score has a negative moderating effect on the wife’s actor effect. Conclusions: In terms of measures to prevent depression, women’s mental health should be given more priority than men’s. Living in a larger family with more children is beneficial for couples’ mental health. Efforts to prevent depression in couples should take into account the neurotic character of the members, especially the wife, and design special treatment and preventive measures accordingly. These findings highlight that binary dynamics should be considered in exploring what factors influence the mental health of married couples.
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20507283
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PSYCHOLOGY
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10.1186/s40594-023-00426-7
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Face negotiation in graduate school: the decision to conceal or reveal depression among life sciences Ph.D. students in the United States
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Background: Depression is one of the top mental health concerns among biology graduate students and has contributed to the “graduate student mental health crisis” declared in 2018. Several prominent science outlets have called for interventions to improve graduate student mental health, yet it is unclear to what extent graduate students with depression discuss their mental health with others in their Ph.D. programs. While sharing one’s depression may be an integral step to seeking mental health support during graduate school, depression is considered to be a concealable stigmatized identity (CSI) and revealing one’s depression could result in loss of status or discrimination. As such, face negotiation theory, which describes a set of communicative behaviors that individuals use to regulate their social dignity, may help identify what factors influence graduate students’ decisions about whether to reveal their depression in graduate school. In this study, we interviewed 50 Ph.D. students with depression enrolled across 28 life sciences graduate programs across the United States. We examined (1) to what extent graduate students revealed their depression to faculty advisors, graduate students, and undergraduates in their research lab, (2) the reasons why they revealed or concealed their depression, and (3) the consequences and benefits they perceive are associated with revealing depression. We used a hybrid approach of deductive and inductive coding to analyze our data.Results: More than half (58%) of Ph.D. students revealed their depression to at least one faculty advisor, while 74% revealed to at least one graduate student. However, only 37% of graduate students revealed their depression to at least one undergraduate researcher. Graduate students’ decisions to reveal their depression to their peers were driven by positive mutual relationships, while their decisions to reveal to faculty were often based on maintaining dignity by performing preventative or corrective facework. Conversely, graduates performed supportive facework when interacting with undergraduate researchers by revealing their depression as a way to destigmatize struggling with mental health.Conclusions: Life sciences graduate students most commonly revealed their depression to other graduate students, and over half reported discussing depression with their faculty advisor. However, graduate students were reluctant to share their depression with undergraduate researchers. Power dynamics between graduate students and their advisors, their peers, and their undergraduate mentees influenced the reasons they chose to reveal or conceal their depression in each situation. This study provides insights into how to create more inclusive life science graduate programs where students can feel more comfortable discussing their mental health.
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21967822
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EDUCATION
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10.1186/s40359-023-01194-3
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Relationship between leadership-member exchange (LMX) and flow at work among medical workers during the COVID-19: the mediating role of job crafting
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Based on relational leadership theory and self-determination theory, this study aims to investigate the relationship between leader-member exchange (LMX), job crafting, and flow at work among medical workers in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants in the study consisted of 424 hospital employees. The results showed that: (1) the LMX positively predicted flow at work; (2) two types of job crafting (increasing structural job resources and challenging job demands) played a mediating role between the LMX and flow at work; and (3) gender did not moderate these mediating effects as suggested by previous studies. These results indicate that the LMX can not only directly predict flow at work, but also indirectly predict work-related flow through job crafting by increasing structural job resources and challenging job demands, thus providing new insights for enhancing flow experiences of medical workers.
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20507283
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PSYCHOLOGY
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10.3390/ejihpe13050067
|
Symptomatic, Alexithymic, and Suicidality-Related Features in Groups of Adolescent Self-Harmers: A Case-Control Study
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Non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) is an increasing phenomenon among both clinical and nonclinical adolescent groups and is associated with several psychopathological symptoms, in addition to being one of the main risk factors for suicidality. Nevertheless, differences between clinical and nonclinical samples of self-harmers in symptom dimensions, alexithymia, suicidality, and NSSI-related variables are still scarcely investigated. The current study aimed to fill this gap by enrolling a sample of Italian girls (age range: 12–19 years) that included 63 self-harmers admitted to mental health outpatient services (clinical group), 44 self-harmers without admission to mental health services (subclinical group), and 231 individuals without an NSSI history (control group). Questionnaires investigating psychopathological symptoms, alexithymia, and NSSI-related variables were administered. The results highlighted that all symptom-related variables and alexithymic traits were more severe in the NSSI groups than in the control group; in particular, self-depreciation, anxiety, psychoticism, and pathological interpersonal relationships were distinguished between the clinical and subclinical groups. Compared to the subclinical group, the clinical group was characterized by higher NSSI frequency, NSSI disclosure, self-punishment as the main reason for engagement in NSSI, and suicidal ideation. These findings were then discussed in terms of clinical practice and primary and secondary prevention in the adolescent population.
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22549625
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PSYCHOLOGY
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10.1186/s40594-023-00424-9
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Effectiveness of digital educational game and game design in STEM learning: a meta-analytic review
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Digital educational games exhibit substantial promise in advancing STEM education. Nevertheless, the empirical evidence on both the efficacy of digital game-based learning and its designs in STEM education is characterized by notable inconsistencies. Therefore, the current study aimed to investigate (1) the general effect of digital game-based STEM learning over STEM learning without digital game, and (2) the enhancement effect of added game-design elements against base game versions in STEM learning. Two meta-analyses were conducted in this study. Based on the 136 effect sizes extracted from 86 studies, the first meta-analysis revealed a medium to large general effect of digital game-based STEM learning over conventional STEM learning (g = 0.624, 95% CI [0.457, 0.790]). In addition, digital game-based STEM learning appeared to be differentially effective for different learning outcome, different types of game, and different subject. A total of 44 primary studies and 81 effect sizes were identified in the second meta-analysis. The results revealed a small to medium enhancement effect of added game-design elements over base game versions (g = 0.301, 95% CI [0.163, 0.438]). Furthermore, our results indicated that the game-design elements added for content learning were more effective than those added for gaming experience. Possible explanations for these findings, as well as the limitations and directions for future research were discussed.
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21967822
|
EDUCATION
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10.3390/cancers15112886
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Unraveling the Role of Epithelial–Mesenchymal Transition in Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma of the Salivary Glands: A Comprehensive Review
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Salivary adenoid cystic carcinoma (SACC) is considered a challenging malignancy; it is characterized by a slow-growing nature, yet a high risk of recurrence and distant metastasis, presenting significant hurdles in its treatment and management. At present, there are no approved targeted agents available for the management of SACC and systemic chemotherapy protocols that have demonstrated efficacy remain to be elucidated. Epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a complex process that is closely associated with tumor progression and metastasis, enabling epithelial cells to acquire mesenchymal properties, including increased mobility and invasiveness. Several molecular signaling pathways have been implicated in the regulation of EMT in SACC, and understanding these mechanisms is crucial to identifying new therapeutic targets and developing more effective treatment approaches. This manuscript aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the latest research on the role of EMT in SACC, including the molecular pathways and biomarkers involved in EMT regulation. By highlighting the most recent findings, this review offers insights into potential new therapeutic strategies that could improve the management of SACC patients, especially those with recurrent or metastatic disease.
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20726694
|
ONCOLOGY
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10.3390/educsci13060543
|
“Not Every Advisor Is for Me, but Some Are”: Black Men’s Academic Advising Experiences during COVID-19
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Contemporary research indicates that Black American men encounter multiple obstacles in higher education settings. Understanding the complexities of how Black men perceive and make sense of academic environments requires addressing a number of elements that influence their academic success. The purpose of this study is to investigate the academic advising challenges faced in virtual environments by Black men during the COVID-19 pandemic. This qualitative case study provides detailed accounts of ten Black men navigating academic advising practices in a virtual setting at large research one historically white institution using focus groups as a method of data collection. Implications and suggestions for future research highlight the significance of supporting Black men in virtual academic advising spaces to create equitable and sustainable practices.
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22277102
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EDUCATION
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10.3390/cancers15112919
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Application of Biophysical Techniques to Cellular and Molecular Oncology
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Dysregulated cellular processes drive malignant transformation, tumor progression, and metastasis, and affect responses to therapies
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20726694
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ONCOLOGY
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10.1007/s00432-023-04863-3
|
The influence of selected microRNAs on the expression profile of genes and proteins related to the tumor necrosis factor-alpha signaling pathways in endometrioid endometrial cancer
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Purpose Tumor necrosis factor exerts many adverse biological effects, from cell proliferation to cell death. Accurate diagnosis and treatment are therefore difficult due to many factors influencing tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) signaling, including microRNAs (miRNAs), especially in tumors. The aim of the study was to determine the influence of miRNAs on the expression profile of genes and proteins related to TNF-α signaling in endometrial cancer. Methods The material consisted of 45 endometrioid endometrial cancer and 45 normal endometrium tissue samples. Gene expression was determined with microarrays and then validated for TNF-α, tumor necrosis factor receptor 1 (TNFR1) and 2 (TNFR2), caveolin 1 (CAV1), nuclear factor kappa B subunit 1 (NFKB1), and TGF-beta activated kinase 1 (MAP3K7)-binding protein 2 (TAB2) using real-time quantitative reverse transcription reaction (RT-qPCR). The protein concentration was assessed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). In addition, differentiating miRNAs were identified using miRNA microarrays and their relationships with TNF-α signaling genes were evaluated using the mirDIP tool. Results TNF-α, TNFR1, TNFR2, CAV1, NFKB1, and TAB2 were upregulated both on the mRNA and protein levels. The decrease in the activity of miR-1207-5p, miR-1910-3p, and miR-940 may be related to CAV1 overexpression. Similarly for miR-572 and NFKB1 as well as miR-939-5p and TNF-α. In turn, miR-3178 may partially inhibit TNFR1 activity up to grade 2 cancer. Conclusion TNF-α signaling, especially the TNF-α/NF-κB axis, is disrupted in endometrial cancer and worsens with disease progression. The observed changes may be the result of miRNAs’ activity in the initial stage of endometrial cancer and its gradual loss in later grades.
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14321335
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ONCOLOGY
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10.3390/educsci13060554
|
Effects of Curriculum on Environmental Attitudes: A Comparative Analysis of Environmental and Non-Environmental Disciplines
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To satisfy their ever-increasing needs, humans are constantly exerting excessive pressure upon the environment, while now more than ever, the adoption of new development practices to halt environmental degradation is becoming necessary. Graduates from all disciplines should have environmental awareness, because their decisions as future professionals may affect the environment. If, however, we assume that environmental science graduates possess environmental knowledge, it is worth investigating whether this knowledge affects their environmental attitudes. Hence, the aim of this study is to compare the environmental attitudes of students attending environmental and non-environmental studies. To this end, a comparative study on environmental attitudes was conducted between students majoring in forestry and students majoring in literature studies at one of the largest universities in Greece. That is, the environmental attitudes of students whose discipline was closely related to the environment were compared to the attitudes of students whose discipline was unrelated to the environment. The results showed that students from both disciplines had positive environmental attitudes, but forestry students exhibited a discernibly higher level of environmental awareness, which can be ascribed to their participation in environmentally relevant courses. The insights gains from this study could be particularly useful to education policymakers and curriculum practitioners, since they provide evidence for the potential of curriculum content to shape pro-environmental attitudes.
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22277102
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EDUCATION
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10.3390/educsci13060556
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Managing Employee Motivation in Slovak Universities from the Perspectives of Time and Age
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Human resources refer to a special and unique field as they are the most valuable but also the most costly factor of production. The aim of the research is to analyze the level of motivation of university teachers in Slovakia in terms of time and age, and to define the motivational needs of university teachers. The method of sociological questioning is used. The collected data from 2016 university teachers from Slovak technical universities are analyzed using the Tukey HSD test. Based on the research results, it can be stated that university teachers are the most motivated by relational and financial motivational factors. There is a significant change in the level of average importance of motivational factors across time (years), but there is no change in their structure. In terms of the age factor, significant differences over time are identified. Finally, Slovak teachers display the need for a more respected social status and a better image of their profession. The research findings will help university managers in raising the level of teachers’ motivation and in designing motivation programs.
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22277102
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EDUCATION
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10.1186/s40594-023-00429-4
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Characterizing facilitation practices of learning assistants: an authoritative-to-dialogic spectrum
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Background: Learning assistants (LAs) increase accessibility to instructor–student interactions in large STEM lecture classes. In this research, we used the Formative Assessment Enactment Model developed for K-12 science teachers to characterize LA facilitation practices. The Formative Assessment Enactment Model describes instructor actions as eliciting or advancing student thinking, guided by their purposes and the perspective they center as well as by what they notice about and how they interpret student thinking. Thus, it describes facilitation practices in a holistic way, capturing the way purposes, perspectives, noticing, interpreting, and actions are intertwined and working together to characterize different LA actions. In terms of how perspectives influence actions, eliciting and advancing moves can be enacted either in authoritative ways, driven by one perspective that has authority, or in dialogic ways, driven by multiple perspectives. Dialogic practices are of particular interest because of their potential to empower students and center student thinking. Results: Our analysis of video recordings of LA–student interactions and stimulated recall interviews with 37 introductory physical science lectures’ LAs demonstrates that instead of as a dichotomy between authoritative and dialogic, LA actions exist along a spectrum of authoritative to dialogic based on the perspectives centered. Between the very authoritative perspective that centers on canonically correct science and the very dialogic perspective that centers the perspectives of the students involved in the discussion, we find two intermediary categories. The two new categories encompass a moderately authoritative perspective focused on the LA’s perspective without the claim of being correct and a moderately dialogic perspective focused on ideas from outside the current train of thought such as from students in the class that are not part of the current discussion. Conclusions: This spectrum further adds to theory around authoritative and dialogic practices as it reconsiders what perspectives can drive LA enactment of facilitation other than the perspective of canonically correct science and the perspectives of the students involved in the discussion. This emerging characterization may be used to give LAs and possibly other instructors a tool to intentionally shift between authoritative and dialogic practices. It may also be used to transition towards more student-centered practices.
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21967822
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EDUCATION
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10.1186/s40594-023-00430-x
|
Measurement in STEM education research: a systematic literature review of trends in the psychometric evidence of scales
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Background: The objective of this systematic review is to identify characteristics, trends, and gaps in measurement in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education research. Methods: We searched across several peer-reviewed sources, including a book, similar systematic reviews, conference proceedings, one online repository, and four databases that index the major STEM education research journals. We included empirical studies that reported on psychometric development of scales developed on college/university students for the context of post-secondary STEM education in the US. We excluded studies examining scales that ask about specific content knowledge and contain less than three items. Results were synthesized using descriptive statistics. Results: Our final sample included the total number of N = 82 scales across N = 72 studies. Participants in the sampled studies were majority female and White, most scales were developed in an unspecified STEM/science and engineering context, and the most frequently measured construct was attitudes. Internal structure validity emerged as the most prominent validity evidence, with exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) being the most common. Reliability evidence was dominated by internal consistency evidence in the form of Cronbach’s alpha, with other forms being scarcely reported, if at all. Discussion: Limitations include only focusing on scales developed in the United States and in post-secondary contexts, limiting the scope of the systematic review. Our findings demonstrate that when developing scales for STEM education research, many types of psychometric properties, such as differential item functioning, test–retest reliability, and discriminant validity are scarcely reported. Furthermore, many scales only report internal structure validity (EFA and/or CFA) and Cronbach’s alpha, which are not enough evidence alone. We encourage researchers to look towards the full spectrum of psychometric evidence both when choosing scales to use and when developing their own. While constructs such as attitudes and disciplines such as engineering were dominant in our sample, future work can fill in the gaps by developing scales for disciplines, such as geosciences, and examine constructs, such as engagement, self-efficacy, and perceived fit.
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21967822
|
EDUCATION
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10.3390/cancers15113056
|
Risk of Second Primary Malignancies in Melanoma Survivors: A Population-Based Study
|
(1) Introduction: The association between melanoma (MM) and the occurrence of second primary neoplasms (SPNs) has been extensively studied, with reported incidence rates ranging from 1.5% to 20%. This study aims to evaluate the occurrence of SPNs in patients with a history of primary MM and to describe the factors that make the risk higher in our population. (2) Material and Methods: We conducted a prospective cohort study and calculated the incidence rates and relative risks (RR) for the development of different SPNs in 529 MM survivors from 1 January 2005 to 1 August 2021. Survival and mortality rates were obtained, and the Cox proportional hazards model was used to determine the demographic and MM-related factors that influence the overall risk. (3) Results: Among the 529 patients included, 89 were diagnosed with SPNs (29 prior to MM diagnosis, 11 synchronous, and 49 after MM), resulting in 62 skin tumors and 37 solid organ tumors. The estimated probability of developing SPNs after MM diagnosis was 4.1% at 1 year, 11% at 5 years, and 19% at 10 years. Older age, primary MM location on the face or neck, and histologic subtype of lentigo maligna mm were significantly associated with a higher risk of SPNs. (4) Conclusions: In our population, the risk of developing SPNs was higher in patients with primary MM located on the face and neck and with the histological subtype of lentigo maligna-MM. Age also independently influences the risk. Understanding these hazard factors can aid in the development of MM guidelines with specific follow-up recommendations for individuals with the highest risk.
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20726694
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ONCOLOGY
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10.3390/cancers15123079
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Safety and Feasibility of Vulvar Cancer Treatment with Electrochemotherapy
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Electrochemotherapy is a local ablative therapy used for the treatment of various superficial and deep-seated tumors. Electrochemotherapy involves the application of electric pulses locally to tumors to destabilize cell membranes and facilitate the entry of cytotoxic drugs, thereby enhancing their cytotoxicity locally. The aim of our study is to investigate the safety and feasibility of electrochemotherapy in patients with vulvar cancer recurrence used for nonpalliative purposes. Ten patients with single local vulvar cancer recurrence were treated with intravenous bleomycin, followed by a local application of electric pulses (electrochemotherapy) to the tumor. Adverse events were determined using the National Cancer Institute’s Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE) version 5.0. The feasibility of treating vulvar cancer with electrochemotherapy was determined by an appropriate selection of electrodes based on the size and location of the tumor with safety margins included. Electrochemotherapy was feasible in all patients. No electrochemotherapy-related or other serious adverse events occurred. Our data suggest that electrochemotherapy is a feasible and safe technique for the treatment of vulvar cancer recurrence for nonpalliative purposes. Based on our results, electrochemotherapy might be a viable therapeutic tool for patients who would otherwise undergo surgery involving a mutilation of the external genitalia.
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20726694
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ONCOLOGY
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10.3390/cancers15123084
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Endoscopic Resection of Early Gastric Cancer and Pre-Malignant Gastric Lesions
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Early gastric cancer comprises gastric malignancies that are confined to the mucosa or submucosa, irrespective of lymph node metastasis. Endoscopic resection is currently pivotal for the management of such early lesions, and it is the recommended treatment for tumors presenting a very low risk of lymph node metastasis. In general, these lesions consist of two groups of differentiated mucosal adenocarcinomas: non-ulcerated lesions (regardless of their size) and small ulcerated lesions. Endoscopic submucosal dissection is the technique of choice in most cases. This procedure has high rates of complete histological resection while maintaining gastric anatomy and its functions, resulting in fewer adverse events than surgery and having a lesser impact on patient-reported quality of life. Nonetheless, approximately 20% of resected lesions do not fulfill curative criteria and demand further treatment, highlighting the importance of patient selection. Additionally, the preservation of the stomach results in a moderate risk of metachronous lesions, which underlines the need for surveillance. We review the current evidence regarding the endoscopic treatment of early gastric cancer, including the short-and long-term results and management after resection.
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20726694
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ONCOLOGY
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10.1186/s40594-023-00427-6
|
Which STEM careers are most appealing? Examining high school students’ preferences and motivational beliefs for different STEM career choices
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Background: Decades of research have examined what motivates students to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields, but STEM careers are a broad category encompassing hundreds of distinct vocations. The present study examined high school students’ relative preferences for pursuing some types of STEM careers over others and explored what motivational beliefs (defined in accordance with situated expectancy value theory) most influenced students’ relative career preferences. A secondary goal was to examine whether there were differences in any patterns as a function of students’ intersecting gender and racial/ethnic identities. A large sample of high school students (N = 526) completed an online survey during class time about their beliefs regarding fifteen different STEM career categories.Results: Students’ career preferences could be classified into four groups: appealing, unappealing, polarizing, or overlooked. The last category was the most common. Students primarily selected reasons related to utility and attainment value in influencing their choices of most- and least-preferred careers. However, within this category, beliefs about helping others were stronger influences on choosing most-preferred careers, whereas concerns about fitting in were more influential for choosing least-preferred careers. Gender and racial/ethnic comparisons suggest differentiation in how students think about the appeal of various career paths as early as high school.Implications: Findings shed light on how students come to perceive some STEM career paths as relatively more appealing than others, with attention to gender and racial/ethnic differences in these processes. Findings also point to specific and actionable ideas for how teachers, counselors, and administrators can target career education to cultivate students’ interest in STEM career paths, where there are particular needs.
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21967822
|
EDUCATION
|
10.1007/s00432-023-04958-x
|
Expression of pyroptosis-related genes are correlated with immune microenvironment and predict prognosis in ESCA
|
Objectives: Pyroptosis-related genes (PRGs) are abnormally expressed in a variety of gastrointestinal tumors, this study aimed to investigate the role of pyroptosis genes in assessing the prognosis of esophageal cancer (ESCA). Methods: Through consensus clustering, we identified two subtypes associated with PRGs. After Lasso regression and multivariate Cox regression analysis, a polygenic signature based on six prognostic PRGS was constructed. Afterwards, we combined the risk score with clinical predictors to construct and validate a PRGs-associated ESCA prognostic model. Results: Through analysis, we Successfully constructed and validated a PRGs-associated ESCA prognostic model that predicts ESCA survival and correlates with the tumor immune microenvironment. Conclusion: Based on PRGs features, we established a new ESCA hierarchical model. This model has important clinical implications for ESCA patients, both in terms of assessing prognosis and in terms of targeted and immunotherapy.
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14321335
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ONCOLOGY
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10.3390/ejihpe13060079
|
Burnout of Greek Teachers: Measurement Invariance and Differences across Individual Characteristics
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Burnout (BT) is a vital determinant of work effectiveness and a well-studied psychological construct. The dominant theoretical perspectives have defined BT via the proposed dimensional structures and have provided the corresponding instruments for measuring them. The present endeavor adopts the Oldenburg Burnout Inventory (OLBI), as its purpose is to examine the psychometric properties of a short version for the Greek teachers and to find differences across their individual characteristics. The Greek short version of OLBI comprises two dimensions: Disengagement (four items) and Exhaustion (five items), with reliability measures utilizing Cronbach’s alpha and McDonald’s omega: Exhaustion (α = 0.810/ω = 0.823) and Disengagement (α = 0.742/ω = 0.756). Confirmatory factor analysis showed an adequate fit of the measurement model: χ2 = 320.291, df = 26, p < 0.001; CFI = 0.970; TLI = 0.958; RMSEA = 0.068; 90% CI of RMSEA = [0.062; 0.075]; SRMR = 0.067; NFI = 0.967; GFI = 0.986]. The proposed model is extracted after two studies (N1 = 134, N2 = 2437). The novel aspect of this endeavor is the measurement invariance explored across selected demographic variables. The findings supporting the measurement invariance make an essential contribution to the field, and the implications for educational research are provided along with a concise presentation of theoretical issues.
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22549625
|
PSYCHOLOGY
|
10.1007/s44196-023-00282-x
|
An Efficient Multilevel Threshold Segmentation Method for Breast Cancer Imaging Based on Metaheuristics Algorithms: Analysis and Validations
|
Breast cancer is a hazardous disease that should be seriously tackled to reduce its danger in all aspects of the world. Therefore, several imaging ways to detect this disease were considered, but the produced images need to be accurately processed to effectively detect it. Image segmentation is an indispensable step in image processing to segment the homogenous regions that have similar features such as brightness, color, texture, contrast, form, and size. Several techniques like region-based, threshold-based, edge-based, and feature-based clustering have been developed for image segmentation; however, thresholding, which is divided into two classes: bilevel and multilevel, won the highest attention by the researchers due to its simplicity, ease of use and accuracy. The multilevel thresholding-based image segmentation is difficult to be tackled using traditional techniques, especially with increasing the threshold level; therefore, the researchers pay attention to the metaheuristic algorithms which could overcome several hard problems in a reasonable time. In this paper, a new hybrid metaheuristic algorithm based on integrating the jellyfish search algorithm with an effective improvement method is proposed for segmenting the color images of breast cancer, namely the hybrid jellyfish search algorithm HJSO. Experiments are extensively performed to appear the superiority of the proposed algorithm, including validating its performance using various breast cancer images and conducting an extensive comparison with several rival algorithms to explore its effectiveness. The experimental findings, including various performance metrics like fitness values, CPU time, Peak signal-to-noise ratio (PSNR), standard deviation, Features similarity index (FSIM), and Structural similarity index (SSIM), totally show the efficiency of HJSO.
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18756883
|
AI
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10.1186/s40594-023-00431-w
|
Applicant qualifications and characteristics in STEM faculty hiring: an analysis of faculty and administrator perspectives
|
Background: The lack of racial diversity in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines is perhaps one of the most challenging issues in the United States higher education system. The issue is not only concerning diverse students, but also diverse faculty members. One important contributing factor is the faculty hiring process. To make progress toward equity in hiring decisions, it is necessary to better understand how applicants are considered and evaluated. In this paper, we describe and present our study based on a survey of current STEM faculty members and administrators who examined applicant qualifications and characteristics in STEM faculty hiring decisions. Results: There are three key findings of the present research. First, we found that faculty members placed different levels of importance on characteristics and qualifications for tenure track hiring and non-tenure track hiring. For example, items related to research were more important when evaluating tenure track applicants, whereas items related to teaching and diversity were more important when evaluating non-tenure track applicants. Second, faculty members’ institutional classification, position, and personal identities (e.g., gender, race/ethnicity) had an impact on their evaluation criteria. For instance, we found men considered some diversity-related items more important than women. Third, faculty members rated the importance of qualifications with diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI)-related constructs significantly lower than qualifications that did not specify DEI-related constructs, and this trend held for both tenure track and non-tenure track faculty hiring. Conclusions: This study was an attempt to address the issue of diversity in STEM faculty hiring at institutions of higher education by examining how applicant characteristics are considered and evaluated in faculty hiring practices. Emphasizing research reputation and postdoctoral reputation while neglecting institutional diversity and equitable and inclusive teaching, research, and service stunt progress toward racial diversity because biases—both implicit and explicit, both positive and negative—still exist. Our results were consistent with research on bias in recruitment, revealing that affinity bias, confirmation bias, and halo bias exist in the faculty hiring process. These biases contribute to inequities in hiring, and need to be addressed before we can reach, sustain, and grow desired levels of diversity.
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21967822
|
EDUCATION
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10.1186/s40594-023-00425-8
|
A meta-analytic investigation of the impact of middle school STEM education: where are all the students of color?
|
Background: Integrated science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education initiatives are becoming an increasingly popular approach to narrow the opportunity gap among underrepresented minority (i.e., Black, Hispanic, and first-generation) students. However, there are limited studies on the impact of exposure to integrated STEM education on academic achievement and an even lesser amount on performance among underrepresented minority (URM) groups. Students exposed to STEM programming in middle school are more likely to pursue a STEM field in college or a STEM-related career. However, despite increases in middle school STEM programming initiatives, STEM college graduation rates have declined, particularly among URM populations. This meta-analysis aims to determine the effectiveness of STEM education in middle school, focusing on URM students. Results: A total of 20 studies containing 45 independent samples met the study criteria. The studies included were published from January 1, 2011 to May 1, 2022, and identified from the following academic databases: ERIC, Google Scholar, ProQuest Dissertations and Theses, and SCOPUS. Integrated STEM programming was most impactful when: engineering was incorporated into science courses and at full STEM integration, occurring over one academic year (d = 0.89) and occurring in 8th grade (d = 1.55). Overall, the effect size estimate demonstrated heterogeneity, with a large positive significant effect across the studies (d = 0.558, 95% CI [0.514–0.603], p < 0.001), indicating a significant impact on student achievement. The most notable finding was the lack of empirical studies involving URM groups, with only one effect size estimate reported for Black students and other minority groups and 40 effect size estimates for non-minority groups revealing a non-significant difference in effect size estimates. Conclusions: Students benefit from STEM program participation, with the average STEM student outperforming approximately 70% of their same-age, same-grade peers not participating in STEM programming. In particular, URM students benefit even more from quality integrated STEM education initiatives, given one caveat—students must be given the opportunity. We conclude that the issue is not that URM students are not academically benefiting from middle school integrated STEM education programs, based on the available research—they are merely not participating. We highlight the need and suggest interventions for providing collaborative and focused attention on the societal and cultural factors impacting URM student participation and retention in integrated STEM education programs.
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21967822
|
EDUCATION
|
10.3390/ejihpe13060080
|
Relationship between the Health Literacy and Self-Medication Behavior of Primary Health Care Clientele in the Hail Region, Saudi Arabia: Implications for Public Health
|
Background and aim: Because they are unaware of the potential adverse effects of medications, people frequently self-medicate as a form of self-care. This study aimed to investigate the factors associated with health literacy and the propensity to self-medicate among the primary healthcare clientele of the city of Hail, Saudi Arabia. Methods: This research employed a cross-sectional approach with the participation of 383 primary health center clientele of the Hail Region of Saudi Arabia. Participation was enacted via convenience sampling from December 2022 to February 2023. The data were collected using a self-administered questionnaire. The investigation utilized descriptive statistics as well as multiple linear regression and correlation for the data analysis. Results: Participants who were aged 30 years and above, single, had a college degree, were non-Saudi, had a white-collar occupation and received information from the internet/Google/YouTube had a significant relationship (p < 0.05) with health literacy. On the self-medication scale (SMS), there were significant relationships with age, marital status, educational level and occupation (p < 0.05). The nationality and source of information factors related to health had a positively significant effect on health literacy (p < 0.01), while middle age (24–29 years) had a positive effect on the self-medication scores (p < 0.01). There was a significant positive correlation between the health literacy screening scale (BRIEF) and the self-medication scale (SMS) scores (r = 421, p < 0.001). Conclusion: Age of 30 years old or above, single status, a college degree, non-Saudi status, white-collar occupation and receiving information from the internet/Google/YouTube were all significant for health literacy. There were also significant relationships with the SMS scores for age, marital status, educational level and occupation. The factors affecting health literacy were older participant age, nationality and the source of information regarding health. Conversely, among the participants, being in the middle-aged group (24–29 years) was a factor that affected their self-medication scores. There was a significant positive correlation between the health literacy screening scale (BRIEF) and the self-medication scale (SMS).
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22549625
|
PSYCHOLOGY
|
10.3390/ejihpe13060081
|
“It’s Easy to Put Oneself in the Shoes of Others.” Results of a School Study in Geography Lessons on Working with Authentic Personal Narratives in Comparison to Factual Texts
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Texts represent the most frequently used medium in geography teaching, although they do not belong to leading subject-specific media. Despite their undisputed didactic importance, they have not yet been sufficiently researched. In this article, we consider the use of authentic and personal narratives in geography lessons. We first show their theoretical potential for realistic, multi-perspective and motivating teaching. Then, we present a school study in which the use of authentic, personal narratives was investigated in comparison to a factual text. The areas of investigation were the students’ understanding of the content of a geographical topic, their memory performance and their motivation to work. The results show that authentic, personal narratives are better suited than factual texts to convey a topic to pupils in a multi-perspective and differentiated way. They also confirm their potential to empathise better with other people and to understand their actions through changes in perspective. Regarding recall performance, however, the results show no difference between the two groups. Finally, the results of the school study are considered in the context of forming suggestions for the use of authentic, personal narratives in geography lessons.
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22549625
|
PSYCHOLOGY
|
10.3390/cancers15123241
|
LIN28B and Let-7 in Diffuse Midline Glioma: A Review
|
Diffuse midline glioma (DMG) is the most lethal of all childhood cancers. DMGs are driven by histone-tail-mutation-mediated epigenetic dysregulation and partner mutations in genes controlling proliferation and migration. One result of this epigenetic and genetic landscape is the overexpression of LIN28B RNA binding protein. In other systems, LIN28B has been shown to prevent let-7 microRNA biogenesis; however, let-7, when available, faithfully suppresses tumorigenic pathways and induces cellular maturation by preventing the translation of numerous oncogenes. Here, we review the current literature on LIN28A/B and the let-7 family and describe their role in gliomagenesis. Future research is then recommended, with a focus on the mechanisms of LIN28B overexpression and localization in DMG.
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20726694
|
ONCOLOGY
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10.3390/ejihpe13070084
|
Value of Care: An Exploratory Qualitative Study with Doctors and Patients
|
The concept of value in healthcare is mainly based on economic and financial aspects. However, the literature has emphasised the need to investigate value from other perspectives. The present study aimed to explore the views of physicians and patients on the value of healthcare, and to examine in depth the psychosocial and organisational elements that have emerged but that need to be investigated more. Therefore, two qualitative studies were performed, in which 69 physicians and 111 patients participated. The data were analysed using content analysis and text mining using t-lab software. The results revealed common elements between the two healthcare actors that constitute value in healthcare, including competence, professionalism, and soft skills like communication and empathy. Furthermore, the importance of functioning health services and effective organisational culture in local healthcare and investment emerged. These findings can guide healthcare organisations to consider the potential psychosocial factors related to value in healthcare, which affect organisation in terms of costs and healthcare relationships. In addition, these findings are a first step in filling the gap found in the literature regarding the consideration of value from a non-economic perspective and the difficulty of defining and measuring it.
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22549625
|
PSYCHOLOGY
|
10.3390/cancers15133267
|
Recent Advances in Deep Learning and Medical Imaging for Head and Neck Cancer Treatment: MRI, CT, and PET Scans
|
Deep learning techniques have been developed for analyzing head and neck cancer imaging. This review covers deep learning applications in cancer imaging, emphasizing tumor detection, segmentation, classification, and response prediction. In particular, advanced deep learning techniques, such as convolutional autoencoders, generative adversarial networks (GANs), and transformer models, as well as the limitations of traditional imaging and the complementary roles of deep learning and traditional techniques in cancer management are discussed. Integration of radiomics, radiogenomics, and deep learning enables predictive models that aid in clinical decision-making. Challenges include standardization, algorithm interpretability, and clinical validation. Key gaps and controversies involve model generalizability across different imaging modalities and tumor types and the role of human expertise in the AI era. This review seeks to encourage advancements in deep learning applications for head and neck cancer management, ultimately enhancing patient care and outcomes.
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20726694
|
ONCOLOGY
|
10.1007/s00432-023-05007-3
|
The different clonal origins of metachronous and synchronous metastases
|
Background Metastases are the leading cause of mortality in cancer patients. Linear and parallel are the two prominent models of metastatic progression. Metastases can be detected synchronously along with the primary tumor or metachronously, following treatment of localized disease. The aim of the study was to determine whether synchronous metastases (SM) and metachronous metastases (MM) differ only in lead-time or stem from different biological processes. Materials and methods We retrospectively studied the chest CTs of 791 patients inflicted by eleven malignancy types that were treated in our institution in the years 2010–2020. Patient’s population included 396 with SM and 395 with MM. The diameter of 15,427 lung metastases was measured. Clonal origin was deduced from the linear/parallel ratio (LPR)-a computerized analysis of metastases diameters. LPR of 1 suggests pure linear dissemination and − 1 pure parallel. Results Patients with MM were significantly older (average of 62.9 vs 60.7 years, p = 0.02), and higher percentage of them were males (58.7% vs 51.1%, p = 0.03). Median overall survival of patients with MM and SM was remarkably similar (23 months and 26 months respectively, p = 0.774) when calculated from the time of metastases diagnosis. Parallel dissemination (LPR ≤ 0) was found in 35.4% of patients with MM compared to only 19.8% of the patients with SM (p < 0.00001). Conclusion Patients with SM and MM differ in demography and in clonal origin. Different therapeutic approaches may be considered in these two conditions.
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14321335
|
ONCOLOGY
|
10.3390/ejihpe13070085
|
The 3 × 2 Achievement Goals in the Education, Sport, and Occupation Literatures: A Systematic Review with Meta-Analysis
|
Achievement goal theory has been a dominant motivation framework since the 1980s. The 3 × 2 achievement goal framework emerged in the literature in 2011. We aimed to conduct a systematic review with meta-analysis following the PRISMA guidelines of the 3 × 2 achievement goal research in education, sport, and occupation settings. We retrieved articles from searching EBSCOhost and Google Scholar platforms. Eligible articles contained the 3 × 2 achievement goal in education, sport, or occupation, were published in a peer-reviewed journal, and provided mean data or correlate data. We tested hypotheses concerned with (1) the overall pattern of achievement goal endorsement, (2) achievement goal differences by domain (education, sport) and compulsory nature of the domains or sub-domains, and (3) achievement goal relationships with correlates (e.g., learning strategies, motivations, performance). After screening, 56 articles met all inclusion criteria, providing 58 samples across education (n = 44), sport (n = 10), and occupation (n = 4) settings with 35,031 unique participants from 15 countries. Participants endorsed the task- and self-approach goals more than the counterpart avoidance goals, other-avoidance goals more than other-approach goals, and the intercorrelations and reliability coefficients were acceptable. Minimal impact results from examining within and across study bias statistics. Of importance, the domain (i.e., education, sport) and the compulsory nature of the domain or sub-domains (i.e., primary-secondary education, sport) moderated goal endorsement (group mixed-effects p < 0.05, g values medium to very large). These groupings also moderated the other goal differences. Concerning our correlates analyses, most meta-analyzed correlations among the achievement goals and correlates were small in meaningfulness with the largest correlations (0.30–0.42) between the approach goals merged and the task- and self-approach goals and facilitative learning strategies and desired motivations. In conclusion, the 3 × 2 achievement goals literature is diverse. Furthering the study and application of this model requires overcoming inherent limitations (i.e., consistent response scale sets), teasing out differences between the task- and self-goals, measuring performance outcomes, and cross-cultural collaborations.
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22549625
|
PSYCHOLOGY
|
10.1186/s40594-023-00433-8
|
How well-intentioned white male physicists maintain ignorance of inequity and justify inaction
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Background: We present an analysis of interviews with 27 self-identified progressive white-male physics faculty and graduate students discussing race and gender in physics. White cis men dominate most STEM fields and are particularly overrepresented in positions of status and influence (i.e., full professors, chairs, deans, etc.), positioning them as a potentially powerful demographic for enacting systemic reform. Despite their proclaimed outrage at and interest in addressing inequity, they frequently engage in patterns of belief, speech and (in)action that ultimately support the status quo of white male privilege in opposition to their intentions. Results: The white male physicists we interviewed used numerous discourses which support racist and sexist norms and position them as powerless to disrupt their own privilege. We present and discuss three overarching themes, seen in our data, demonstrating how highly educated, well-intentioned people of privilege maintain their power and privilege despite their own intentions: (1) denying inequity is physically near them; (2) locating causes of inequity in large societal systems over which they have little influence; and (3) justifying inaction. Conclusions: Despite being progressively minded and highly educated, these men are frequently complicit in racism and sexism. We end with recommendations for helping cis men engage the power they hold to better work with marginalized people to disrupt inequity.
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21967822
|
EDUCATION
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10.3390/educsci13070649
|
The Gender Gap in STEM Careers: An Inter-Regional and Transgenerational Experimental Study to Identify the Low Presence of Women
|
Currently, the number of job offers in STEM careers (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) is growing up, but by contrast, the number of graduates in these fields is decreasing, particularly women graduates. Consequently, if we do not promote the training of women in STEM careers, the gender gap, far from narrowing, will continue to widen. This paper presents the research carried out in the ALAS project (Accompanying girLs towArds STEM careers), which consists of an experimental analysis based on a multi-model study to discover the possible causes of this low participation of women in STEM fields. The models used are the (1) expectancy–value theory of motivation, (2) social role theory, and (3) gender stereotypes theory. Additionally, participatory workshops have been carried out, with the aim of capturing the students’ reactions when they are introduced to STEM practices. The surveyed target groups range from primary education groups up to university graduates and enterprise employees, including both students and teachers. The obtained results show that there are still social patterns that make young people differentiate certain types of activities based on gender, especially at secondary school age. Nevertheless, the findings reveal that beyond the three studied models, a key factor in young people’s decision to be enrolled in STEM careers is their educational environment.
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22277102
|
EDUCATION
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10.3390/educsci13070654
|
‘A Different Voice’ in Peer Feedback: Gender Specificity in Students’ Willingness to Provide Peer Feedback
|
In the context of the efforts to reach equity in the classroom, peer feedback (PFB) is used, among other participative learning methods, as it is considered to minimize gender differences. Yet, recent studies have reported gender discrepancies in students’ willingness to provide feedback to their peers. Building on Gilligan’s theory of moral development, we tried to refine the source of this difference. We conducted a semi-experimental study during which education students of both genders performing a PFB activity in a face-to-face course were asked to fill out a questionnaire. This allowed us to estimate the link between, on the one hand, the comfort in providing PFB and the willingness to provide PFB, and on the other hand, personal characteristics like self-esteem, self-efficacy, and empathic concern, and intellectual characteristics like self-efficacy in the learned discipline and the proficiency to write and understand feedback. The linear regression analysis of 57 students’ answers to the questionnaire did not reveal gender differences in comfort in providing PFB and willingness to do so, but showed that the comfort in providing PFB was linked to cognitive proficiency in students of both genders, whereas the willingness to provide PFB was independent of any other variables in men and linked to self-esteem, empathic concern, and comfort in providing feedback in women. This result indicates a differential sensitivity to social factors in male and female students, aligning with Gilligan’s model of women’s ‘ethics of care’. Possible applications in education would be the use of PFB to train women in self-esteem or, inversely, the improvement of psychological safety in PFB exercises in groups including female students.
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22277102
|
EDUCATION
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10.1007/s44196-023-00288-5
|
A Hybrid Deep Learning Method to Extract Multi-features from Reviews and User–Item Relations for Rating Prediction
|
Currently, the Internet is widely used for shopping. Online reviews have become a crucial factor in helping people to make purchasing decisions. However, the large amount of data overwhelms most users, leading to the problem of information overload. To address this issue, researchers have proposed recommender systems as a solution. The most commonly used method is the collaborative filtering method, which analyzes users’ purchase history or behavior to make recommendations. In addition to user ratings, by analyzing users’ comments and the relationships between users and items more precise preferences can be obtained. In this study, the aspect-based rating prediction with a hybrid deep learning method (ARPH) is proposed. It consists of five parts: aspect detection, sentiment and semantic analysis, user preference analysis, graph attention network analysis, and rating prediction. It initially extracts the implicit aspect features and aspects’ sentiment–semantic features from user and item reviews. The convolutional neural network and matrix factorization methods are then used to generate the predicted ratings of items. Additionally, a graph attention network was built to calculate the predicted ratings based on the relationships between users and items. Finally, a multilayer perceptron was used to automatically adjust the weights for integrating these two predicted ratings. Our method utilizes user–item relationships to predict ratings when there are fewer user reviews. Conversely, the features derived from textual reviews were employed for rating prediction. The experimental results showed that extracting different features is useful in representing user and product preferences. The proposed method effectively improved the accuracy of the rating predictions.
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18756883
|
AI
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10.1186/s40594-023-00436-5
|
Pathways of opportunity in STEM: comparative investigation of degree attainment across different demographic groups at a large research institution
|
Background: We used an opportunity gap framework to analyze the pathways through which students enter into and depart from science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) degrees in an R1 higher education institution and to better understand the demographic disparities in STEM degree attainment. Results: We found disparities in 6-year STEM graduation rates on the basis of gender, race/ethnicity, and parental education level. Using mediation analysis, we showed that the gender disparity in STEM degree attainment was explained by disparities in aspiration: a gender disparity in students’ intent to pursue STEM at the beginning of college; women were less likely to graduate with STEM degrees because they were less likely to intend to pursue STEM degrees. However, disparities in STEM degree attainment across race/ethnicities and parental education level were largely explained by disparities in attrition: persons excluded because of their ethnicity or race (PEERs) and first generation students were less likely to graduate with STEM degrees due to fewer academic opportunities provided prior to college (estimated using college entrance exams scores) and more academic challenges during college as captured by first year GPAs. Conclusions: Our results reinforce the idea that patterns of departure from STEM pathways differ among marginalized groups. To promote and retain students in STEM, it is critical that we understand these differing patterns and consider structural efforts to support students at different stages in their education.
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21967822
|
EDUCATION
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10.1186/s40359-023-01234-y
|
“I wanted to hide but also to be found”: the high school experiences of young adults who grew up in the same home as a sibling with depression
|
Background: Depression is a mental health condition that can have far-reaching consequences for the entire family, not just for the affected individual. Siblings are particularly vulnerable in that the unremitting stress and guilt at home can affect multiple aspects of their lives, including relationships, added responsibilities, and health. This pressure may affect siblings’ own emotional well-being and academic success. Most studies in this field have examined the impact of depression on the affected adolescents or their parents, whereas few have examined the impact on siblings. Sibling studies have been limited by lack of sample homogeneity, especially in the context of coping in high school. This study sought to examine the retrospective experiences of young adults who lived in the same house as a sibling with depression while they were in high school. Methods: This qualitative study examined 21 young adults (aged 18–29) who grew up with a sibling with depression. In-depth, semi-structured interviews were conducted from May to September 2022. The interviews were recorded and transcribed and underwent thematic analysis. Results: Three main themes emerged from the interviews: (1) “School as a place of refuge”: The perspective of participants who grew up with a sibling with depression regarding their high school experience. (2) “I wanted the adults at school to see me”: Relations between research participants and the school educational staff. (3) “I was afraid people would relate to me as the sibling of a crazy person”: Participants’ relationships with their peers. Conclusions: This study sheds light on the experiences of adolescents who grew up with a sibling with depression. The findings point to feelings of being invisible, self-nullification, avoiding sharing with others, and transparency. The participants were afraid that if their peers found out about their sibling they would also be stigmatized and alienated. The study shows that adolescents living with a sibling with depression need support at school.
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20507283
|
PSYCHOLOGY
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10.3390/educsci13070677
|
How Co-Teaching May Contribute to Inclusion in Mathematics Education: A Systematic Literature Review
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This systematic literature review focuses on co-teaching and inclusion in mathematics education. Co-teaching, in which two or more teachers share responsibility for students’ mathematical learning, can cater to students in need of special education. Through a narrative synthesis of 15 articles found through searches in 5 databases, this study investigates what characterizes co-teaching and how it contributes to students’ inclusion in mathematics education. The review was conducted by identifying the focus, specifying review questions, determining studies to include, deciding on data to extract, and reporting the results. The findings show that co-teaching can contribute to spatial inclusion in mathematics education, implying that all students can be taught in the same classroom. Furthermore, co-teaching that contributes to social and didactical inclusion addresses all students’ mathematical learning if it is flexibly organized. Therefore, students struggling to gain access to mathematics and those requiring extra challenges in mathematics learning can benefit from this teaching model.
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22277102
|
EDUCATION
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10.1007/s44196-023-00287-6
|
SEML: Self-Supervised Information-Enhanced Meta-learning for Few-Shot Text Classification
|
Training a deep-learning text classification model usually requires a large amount of labeled data, yet labeling data are usually labor-intensive and time-consuming. Few-shot text classification focuses on predicting unknown samples using only a few labeled samples. Recently, metric-based meta-learning methods have achieved promising results in few-shot text classification. They use episodic training in labeled samples to enhance the model’s generalization ability. However, existing models only focus on learning from a few labeled samples but neglect to learn from a large number of unlabeled samples. In this paper, we exploit the knowledge learned by the model in unlabeled samples to improve the generalization performance of the meta-network. Specifically, we introduce a novel knowledge distillation method that expands and enriches the meta-learning representation with self-supervised information. Meanwhile, we design a graph aggregation method that efficiently interacts the query set information with the support set information in each task and outputs a more discriminative representation. We conducted experiments on three public few-shot text classification datasets. The experimental results show that our model performs better than the state-of-the-art models in 5-way 1-shot and 5-way 5-shot cases.
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18756883
|
AI
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10.1186/s40359-023-01243-x
|
Pros & cons: impacts of social media on mental health
|
The use of social media significantly impacts mental health. It can enhance connection, increase self-esteem, and improve a sense of belonging. But it can also lead to tremendous stress, pressure to compare oneself to others, and increased sadness and isolation. Mindful use is essential to social media consumption.
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20507283
|
PSYCHOLOGY
|
10.1186/s40359-023-01240-0
|
Media screen time use and mental health in school aged children during the pandemic
|
Children’s screen time activity has increased significantly during the pandemic. Extended school closures and heightened parent stress are associated with children’s behavioural difficulties and time spent watching screens. The primary aim of this study was to determine which school and household factors were associated with challenging behaviours in Canadian schoolchildren during the COVID-19 pandemic. This longitudinal survey study examined the association amongst screen time, internalizing and externalizing behaviours in school-aged children at two time points over the 2020–2021 academic school year. Parents completed survey measures on their parental involvement, stress levels, and their child’s screen time use as well as their emotional and behavioural difficulties. Children’s average daily screen time was 4.40 h (SE = 18.45) at baseline and 3.89 h (SE = 16.70) at 1-year follow up, with no significant change across the school year (p = .316). Increased screen time use was associated with a greater incidence of internalizing behaviours in children (p = .03). Children who spent more time on screens and who were in households with parents reporting higher stress levels had increased internalizing behaviours (p < .001). No association between screen time use and externalizing behaviours was evident; however, parent stress was positively associated with children’s externalizing behaviours (p < .001). Children’s screen time use has remained high during the pandemic and is associated with anxious and depressive symptoms. Children who spent more time on screens and who were in households with parents reporting higher stress levels had increased internalizing behaviours. Parent stress was positively associated with children’s externalizing behaviours. Targeted family intervention plans focused on reducing parent stress and screen time use may aid in improving children’s mental health during the ongoing pandemic.
|
20507283
|
PSYCHOLOGY
|
10.1186/s40359-023-01225-z
|
Savoring life during pandemic: an online intervention to promote well-being in emerging adults
|
Background: Savoring, that is the ability to create and increase positive emotions, represents a promising approach to enhance subjective well-being (SWB) in emerging adults. This controlled study aims to investigate the preliminary effects of a self-help e-savoring intervention on increasing savoring beliefs and strategies and SWB in times of the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: Forty-nine emerging adult participants were recruited using the snowball sampling method. The experimental group (n = 23) completed six online exercises (two exercises per week for three weeks) while the control group (n = 26) did not receive the intervention. Both groups filled out online questionnaires before and after the intervention. User experience and perceived usefulness of the intervention were assessed for the experimental group. Results: A repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) revealed a significant increase for the experimental group in savoring beliefs (especially toward the present and the future) and in positive emotions compared to the control group. The perspicuity, attractiveness, and efficiency of the online platform were very positively evaluated, and most participants rated the intervention as useful. Conclusions: The results of this preliminary study together with the high level of adherence and the appreciation for the intervention indicate the potential of promoting online savoring and positive emotions in emerging adults. Future research could evaluate its long-term effects and verify its results with other age groups.
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20507283
|
PSYCHOLOGY
|
10.1186/s40594-023-00434-7
|
Fostering computational thinking through unplugged activities: A systematic literature review and meta-analysis
|
Unplugged activities as a low-cost solution to foster computational thinking (CT) skills seem to be a trend in recent years. However, current evidence of the effectiveness of unplugged activities in promoting students’ CT skills has been inconsistent. To understand the potential of unplugged activities on computational thinking skills, a systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted. Our review of 49 studies examined the influence of unplugged activities to improve students’ CT skills in K–12 education between 2006 and 2022. The literature review showed that studies on CT skills were mainly (81.64%) conducted in computer science and STEM education, with board and card games being the most common unplugged activities for fostering CT skills in K–12 education. CT diagnostic tools (36.37%) were frequently used as assessment tools. A follow-up meta-analysis of 13 studies with 16 effect sizes showed a generally large overall effect size (Hedges’s g = 1.028, 95% CI [0.641, 1.415], p < 0.001) for the use of unplugged activities in promoting students’ CT skills. The analysis of several moderator variables (i.e., grade level, class size, intervention duration, and learning tools) and their possible effects on CT skills indicated that unplugged activities are a promising instructional strategy for enhancing students’ CT skills. Taken together, the results highlight the affordances of unplugged pedagogy for promoting CT skills in K–12 education. Recommendations for policies, practice, and research are provided accordingly.
|
21967822
|
EDUCATION
|
10.1007/s00432-023-05108-z
|
Effect of differences in O-RADS lexicon interpretation between senior and junior sonologists on O-RADS classification and diagnostic performance
|
Purpose To assess the consistency of Ovarian-Adnexal Reporting and Data System (O-RADS) lexicon interpretation between senior and junior sonologists and to investigate its impact on O-RADS classification and diagnostic performance. Methods We prospectively studied 620 patients with adnexal lesions, all of whom underwent transvaginal or transrectal ultrasound performed by a senior sonologist (R1) who selected the O-RADS lexicon description and O-RADS category for the lesion after the examination. Meanwhile, the junior sonologist (R2) analyzed the images retained by R1 and divided the lesion in the same way. Pathological findings were used as a reference standard. kappa (к) statistics were used to assess the interobserver agreement. Results Of the 620 adnexal lesions, 532 were benign and 88 were malignant. When using the O-RADS lexicon, R1 and R2 had almost perfect agreement regarding lesion category, external contour of solid lesions, presence of papillary inside cystic lesions, and fluid echogenicity (к: 0.81–1.00). Substantial agreement in solid components, acoustic shadow, vascularity and O-RADS categories (к: 0.61–0.80). Consistency in classifying classic benign lesions in the O-RADS category was only moderate (к = 0.535). No significant difference in diagnostic performance between them using O-RADS (P = 0.1211). Conclusion There was good agreement between senior and junior sonologists in the interpretation of the O-RADS lexicon and in the classification of O-RADS, except for a moderate agreement in the interpretation and classification of classic benign lesions. Differences in O-RADS category delineation between sonologists had no significant effect on the diagnostic performance of O-RADS.
|
14321335
|
ONCOLOGY
|
10.3390/cancers15143582
|
Study of Alternative Imaging Methods for In Vivo Boron Neutron Capture Therapy
|
Boron Neutron Capture Therapy (BNCT) is an innovative and highly selective treatment against cancer. Nowadays, in vivo boron dosimetry is an important method to carry out such therapy in clinical environments. In this work, different imaging methods were tested for dosimetry and tumor monitoring in BNCT based on a Compton camera detector. A dedicated dataset was generated through Monte Carlo tools to study the imaging capabilities. We first applied the Maximum Likelihood Expectation Maximization (MLEM) iterative method to study dosimetry tomography. As well, two methods based on morphological filtering and deep learning techniques with Convolutional Neural Networks (CNN), respectively, were studied for tumor monitoring. Furthermore, clinical aspects such as the dependence on the boron concentration ratio in image reconstruction and the stretching effect along the detector position axis were analyzed. A simulated spherical gamma source was studied in several conditions (different detector distances and boron concentration ratios) using MLEM. This approach proved the possibility of monitoring the boron dose. Tumor monitoring using the CNN method shows promising results that could be enhanced by increasing the training dataset.
|
20726694
|
ONCOLOGY
|
10.3390/ai4030026
|
Predictive Analytics with a Transdisciplinary Framework in Promoting Patient-Centric Care of Polychronic Conditions: Trends, Challenges, and Solutions
|
Context. This commentary is based on an innovative approach to the development of predictive analytics. It is centered on the development of predictive models for varying stages of chronic disease through integrating all types of datasets, adds various new features to a theoretically driven data warehousing, creates purpose-specific prediction models, and integrates multi-criteria predictions of chronic disease progression based on a biomedical evolutionary learning platform. After merging across-center databases based on the risk factors identified from modeling the predictors of chronic disease progression, the collaborative investigators could conduct multi-center verification of the predictive model and further develop a clinical decision support system coupled with visualization of a shared decision-making feature for patient care. The Study Problem. The success of health services management research is dependent upon the stability of pattern detection and the usefulness of nosological classification formulated from big-data-to-knowledge research on chronic conditions. However, longitudinal observations with multiple waves of predictors and outcomes are needed to capture the evolution of polychronic conditions. Motivation. The transitional probabilities could be estimated from big-data analysis with further verification. Simulation or predictive models could then generate a useful explanatory pathogenesis of the end-stage-disorder or outcomes. Hence, the clinical decision support system for patient-centered interventions could be systematically designed and executed. Methodology. A customized algorithm for polychronic conditions coupled with constraints-oriented reasoning approaches is suggested. Based on theoretical specifications of causal inquiries, we could mitigate the effects of multiple confounding factors in conducting evaluation research on the determinants of patient care outcomes. This is what we consider as the mechanism for avoiding the black-box expression in the formulation of predictive analytics. The remaining task is to gather new data to verify the practical utility of the proposed and validated predictive equation(s). More specifically, this includes two approaches guiding future research on chronic disease and care management: (1) To develop a biomedical evolutionary learning platform to predict the risk of polychronic conditions at various stages, especially for predicting the micro- and macro-cardiovascular complications experienced by patients with Type 2 diabetes for multidisciplinary care; and (2) to formulate appropriate prescriptive intervention services, such as patient-centered care management interventions for a high-risk group of patients with polychronic conditions. Conclusions. The commentary has identified trends, challenges, and solutions in conducting innovative AI-based healthcare research that can improve understandings of disease-state transitions from diabetes to other chronic polychronic conditions. Hence, better predictive models could be further formulated to expand from inductive (problem solving) to deductive (theory based and hypothesis testing) inquiries in care management research.
|
26732688
|
AI
|
10.3390/ejihpe13070094
|
Examining the Influence of Exploration and Parental Education Attainment on Students’ Acceptance of Collectivist Values
|
Exploration can help students access a wider range of information and make connections among values within the natural and social world. This study investigated the relationship between students’ previous exploration of their surroundings and their acceptance of collectivist values in the context of China. A sample of 343 college students was analyzed based on the Bayesian Mindsponge Framework to explore this relationship. The results revealed a positive association between students’ prior exploration of surroundings and their degree of collectivist orientation. Furthermore, parental education attainment was found to negatively moderate this association, albeit with a small effect size. These findings contribute to the understanding of how information acquisition influences students’ acceptance of collectivist values and highlight the potential role of the family infosphere in shaping this relationship.
|
22549625
|
PSYCHOLOGY
|
10.1186/s40359-023-01239-7
|
Parenting profiles: motivation toward health-oriented physical activity and intention to be physically active
|
Parents influence their sons’ and daughters’ interest in practicing and maintaining physical activity through parenting patterns. To identify perceived parenting style profiles and examine whether the participants differed in their motivation toward health-oriented physical activity and the intention to be physically active. A sample of 296 participants completed a series of self-report measures and a latent profile analysis (LPA) was performed. Two profiles emerged as the most suitable: profile (a) with average scores in parenting variables, and profile (b) with high scores in parenting variables. The results revealed significant differences in integrated regulation and in amotivation, reporting higher scores for profile (b) in the parenting variables love/affection, hostility/aggression, and indifference/neglect, and average in undifferentiated/rejection and control. The combination of perceived parenting style variables in the profiles seems to influence people’s motivation toward health-oriented physical activity. As such, it is crucial to understand parenting from a multivariate approach, mostly in interventions to adjust parenting styles to the most suitable combination.
|
20507283
|
PSYCHOLOGY
|
10.3390/cancers15143633
|
Comparative Analysis of Photon Stereotactic Radiotherapy and Carbon-Ion Radiotherapy for Elderly Patients with Stage I Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer: A Multicenter Retrospective Study
|
The emergence of an aging society and technological advances have made radiotherapy, especially stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT), a common alternative to surgery for elderly patients with early stage non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Carbon-ion radiotherapy (CIRT) is also an attractive treatment option with potentially lower toxicity for elderly patients with comorbidities. We compared the clinical outcomes of the two modalities using Japanese multicenter data. SBRT (n = 420) and single-fraction CIRT (n = 70) data for patients with stage I NSCLC from 20 centers were retrospectively analyzed. Contiguous patients ≥ 80 years of age were enrolled, and overall survival (OS), disease-specific survival (DSS), local control (LC), and adverse event rates were compared. The median age was 83 years in both groups and the median follow-up periods were 28.5 and 42.7 months for SBRT and CIRT, respectively. The 3-year OS, DSS, and LC rates were 76.0% vs. 72.3% (p = 0.21), 87.5% vs. 81.6% (p = 0.46), and 79.2% vs. 78.2% (p = 0.87), respectively, for the SBRT vs. CIRT groups. Regarding toxicity, 2.9% of the SBRT group developed grade ≥ 3 radiation pneumonitis, whereas none of the CIRT group developed grade ≥ 2 radiation pneumonitis. SBRT and CIRT in elderly patients showed similar survival and LC rates, although CIRT was associated with less severe radiation pneumonitis.
|
20726694
|
ONCOLOGY
|
10.1007/s00432-023-05046-w
|
Risk prediction of second primary malignancies after gynecological malignant neoplasms resection with and without radiation therapy: a population-based surveillance, epidemiology, and end results (SEER) analysis
|
Purpose: The association between post-resection radiotherapy for primary gynecological malignant neoplasms (GMNs) and the development of secondary primary malignancies (SPMs) remains a subject of debate. This study represents the first population-based analysis employing a multivariate competitive risk model to assess risk factors for this relationship and to develop a comprehensive competing-risk nomogram for quantitatively predicting SPM probabilities. Materials and methods: In our study, data on patients with primary GMNs were retrospectively collected from the Epidemiology, Surveillance and End Results (SEER) database from 1973 to 2015. The incidence of secondary malignant tumors diagnosed at least six months after GMN diagnosis was compared to determine potential risk factors for SPMs in GMN patients using the Fine and Gray proportional sub-distribution hazard model. A competing-risk nomogram was constructed to quantify SPM probabilities. Results: A total of 109,537 patients with GMNs were included in the study, with 76,675 and 32,862 GMN patients in the training and verification sets, respectively. The competing-risk model analysis identified age, primary tumor location, tumor grade, disease stage, chemotherapy, and radiation as risk factors for SPMs in GMN patients. Calibration curves and ROC curves in both training and verification cohorts demonstrated the predictive accuracy of the established nomogram, which exhibited a good ability to predict SPM occurrence. Conclusions: This study presents the nomogram developed for quantitatively predicting SPM probabilities in GMN patients for the first time. The constructed nomogram can assist clinicians in designing personalized treatment strategies and facilitate clinical decision-making processes.
|
14321335
|
ONCOLOGY
|
10.3390/ejihpe13070096
|
The Antecedents of the Technology Acceptance Model in Microentrepreneurs’ Intention to Use Social Networking Sites
|
Social media platforms offer significant growth opportunities for enterprises, particularly microenterprises, due to the chance to establish direct contact with customers. Drawing on the Technology-Acceptance Model (TAM), in the present study, we investigate the psychological reasons that lead microentrepreneurs to use Social Networking Sites (SNSs) for their business. In doing so, we also extend TAM by taking into account entrepreneurs’ personalities (e.g., extraversion and openness to experience) and their perceived risk. We collected data by examining 247 microentrepreneurs engaged in the production of handmade objects. Our results confirm that of all the TAM behavioral antecedents tested, perceived usefulness and attitude toward SNSs’ usage for business proved to be the best predictors of the intention to use SNSs for business activity. The results also indicate that extraversion, openness to experience, and perceived risk, as external factors, significantly affect the TAM constructs. We discuss implications and suggestions for future research.
|
22549625
|
PSYCHOLOGY
|
10.1186/s40594-023-00441-8
|
Math anxiety affects career choices during development
|
Background: Links between math anxiety and the choice of a math-intensive career might change over development and differ by gender. The study included three research populations: primary school (N = 87, 48 females, mean age = 10.2), high school (N = 107, 61 females, mean age = 15.7), and university students (N = 100, 53 females, mean age = 27.4). Students completed a math anxiety questionnaire and reported their desired career choice. Results: Findings suggest that math anxiety directly predicted the career choice math intensity for high school and university students, but not primary school students. Gender had a direct effect on younger students, as female students attending primary and high school preferred careers with a lower math intensity. The effect of gender on career choice math intensity for university students was not direct but mediated by math anxiety. Conclusions: It is crucial to identify young students with math anxiety and provide appropriate math anxiety reduction programs to reduce the cumulative effect of math anxiety on academic achievement and career choice.
|
21967822
|
EDUCATION
|
10.3390/educsci13070740
|
How Effective Is Entrepreneurship Education in Schools? An Empirical Study of the New Curriculum in Spain
|
This research analyzes the results of an entrepreneurship education program focused on knowledge and attitudes in 1036 students of secondary education, high school, and vocational training, differentiated into two groups, control and experimental. It analyzes the outcomes after incorporating entrepreneurship content into the school curriculum and participating in a program of entrepreneurial potential, which develops creativity, leadership, personal control, achievement motivation, and problem-solving. Non-parametric statistics were used to assess the influence of the acquisition of entrepreneurial knowledge on the gender, age, school ownership, and socio-educational level of the parents. This study shows that students with a positive attitude towards entrepreneurship improve their entrepreneurial knowledge and that the impact is more significant if they participate in the specific program. The results are not significant for the variables gender, school type, and parents’ level of education, but they are significant for age and school level. The effectiveness of including content on entrepreneurship in the curriculum and the specific program is ratified. It is proposed to reinforce education in entrepreneurial knowledge that strengthens the students’ identity and future entrepreneurial intention.
|
22277102
|
EDUCATION
|
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