Arts and Well-Being: The Arts as Positive Interventions

The relation between arts and wellbeing has been recognised in different research studies, including those undertaken in the fields of health, therapy or education. From music to visual arts to cinema or photography, arts have been, and are, essential tools not only for healing but above all, to health and psychological wellbeing prevention and promotion. In this paper, taking into account the therapeutic value of arts, we identify the connections between arts and the five elements included in Seligman’s theoretical model of wellbeing, PERMA. We suggest that arts should be recognised as positive interventions under the broad umbrella of Positive Psychology

An AI powered system to enhance self-reflection practice in coaching

Self-reflection practice in coaching can help with time management by promoting self-awareness. Through this process, a coach can identify habits, tendencies and behaviours that may be causing distraction or make them less productive. This insight can be used to make changes in behaviour and establish new habits that promote effective use of time. This can also help the coach to prioritise goals and create a clear roadmap. An AI powered system has been proposed that maps the conversion onto topics and relations that could help the coach with note-taking and progress identification throughout the session. This system enables the coach to actively self-reflect on time management and make sure the conversation follows the target framework. This will help the coach to better understand the goal setting, breakthrough moment, and client accountability. The proposed end-to-end system is capable of identifying coaching segments (Goal, Option, Reality, and Way forward) across a session with 85% accuracy. Experimental evaluation has also been conducted on the coaching dataset which includes over 1k one-to-one English coaching sessions. In regards to the novelty, there are no datasets of such nor study of this kind to enable self-reflection actively and evaluate in-session performance of the coach

Using artificial intelligence-enhanced video feedback for reflective practice in coach development: benefits and potential drawbacks

Sports coaching has used video feedback for decades to improve athlete and coach performance. More recently, artificial intelligence (AI) and machine-learning technologies have enabled analytics alongside visual review to accelerate development further. So too in coaching conversations, software allows the implementation of behavioural analytics, tracking speech patterns, body language and facial expressions to deliver performance data measured against core coaching competencies. In this study, we interviewed 15 coaches who used AI-enhanced video review software in coaching sessions with clients over several weeks and reflected on those sessions using the recordings and AI-generated data. Our aim was to discover the benefits and drawbacks of using such an approach in reflective practice. Clear benefits emerged: insights gained from video and data analysis drove deeper reflection and heightened self-awareness; coaches focused on skills development, made specific changes to their practice, developed over time and gained in confidence. Challenges included coaches’ nervousness around using new technology, viewing and analysing their own performance, and a sense that the software does not understand the subtle nuances and context of conversations. Limitations are discussed as well as the implications for coach training, reflective practice and supervision. We suggest possibilities for further study in this area

Who is a coach and who is a coaching psychologist? Professionalising coaching psychology in the United Kingdom

As the British Psychological Society establishes a new Division of Coaching Psychology and routes to chartered membership for coaching psychologists, we revisit the ongoing dialogue into the professionalisation of coaching psychology, with a specific focus on practice in the United Kingdom (U.K.). We attempt to make distinctions between the practice of a coaching psychologist and a professionally qualified coach. First, we offer an overview of the development of coaching psychology over recent years, contemplating the need to regulate it as a profession. Following that, we consider some of the main coaching and coaching psychology definitions in an attempt to delineate the practice of coaching psychologists from that of non-psychologist coaches. Next, we compare approaches to training and some of the differences between coaching and coaching psychology, as well as the need for an ethical framework and supervision for coaching psychologists. Finally, we conclude by offering a final thought about who is a coaching psychologist

Musical revitalisation of the schoolyard: results of a service-learning project

This research presents and discusses the results of a Service-Learning project developed by student teachers of Primary Education at the University of Valladolid during the academic years 2016/17, 2017/18, 2018/19, and 2019/20. The project aimed to revitalize recess through musical activities for children aged 6 to 12 in seven schools in Segovia (Spain). The results of the qualitative analysis show that the project has promoted the musical development of the children through singing, the experience of rhythm, and expression through movement, using a selected repertoire of popular children folk songs. In the university students, it helped foster commitment to primary school students through the promotion of co-education and socio-cultural diversity—values which have fostered the development of social and civic competences. The student teachers also achieved professional growth by obtaining through this project skills typical of Music Education teachers

Methotrexate Pharmacokinetics and Survival in Osteosarcomat

The aim of this study was to analyze the relationship between exposure to high-dose methotrexate (HDMTX) and tumor response in terms of survival in children with osteosarcoma. PROCEDURE: This study included 44 patients (479 courses) who received a median dose of 5.92 g/m2 of MTX (interquartile range (IQR) 2.37 g/m2) in a 4-hr infusion. The mean area under the concentration-time curve (AUC) estimated by parametric methods (non-parametric expectation maximization, NPEM), and the mean concentration at the end of the infusion were considered to be the exposure parameters. Tumor response was recorded as disease-free survival (DFS), overall survival (OS), and histologic tumor response. The relationship between MTX exposure and survival parameters was analyzed by Cox regression. RESULTS: The group of 11 patients who were the least exposed to MTX (AUC <2,400 micromol/L hr) presented a high DFS, probably due to the shorter interval of time between MTX courses that led to a higher dose density. In patients with AUC >2,400 micromol/L hr, an increase in the AUC was related to an increase in the DFS. Significant differences were observed in the DFS between patients whose mean AUC was below or above 4,000 micromol/L hr (P=0.024), such that 4,000 micromol/L hr was considered as the minimum AUC to be aimed at for future patients. CONCLUSIONS: Dose density seems to be an important factor in osteosarcoma response, but this must be confirmed in further studies. In order to improve the response to osteosarcoma in children, it is recommended that the dose of MTX to be increased such as to obtain an AUC higher than 4,000 micromol/L hr

Mapping of QTLs for morpho-agronomic and seed quality traits in a RIL population of common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.)

The objective of this research was to determine the quantitative trait loci (QTLs) controlling phenological traits (days to Xowering, days to end of Xowering, days to harvest as green pod, and days to maturity), seed size traits (seed length, seed height, seed width, and seed weight), and seed quality traits (water absorption, and coat proportion), in common bean. A population of 104 F7 recombinant inbred lines (RILs) derived from an inter-gene pool cross between Xana, and Cornell 49242, was used to develop a genetic linkage map including 175 AFLPs, 27 microsatellites, 30 SCARs, 33 ISSRs, 12 RAPDs, 13 loci codifying for seed proteins, and the four genes Fin,Wn (growth habit); Asp,asp (seed coat shininess); P,p (seed color); and I,i (resistance to bean common mosaic virus). The map has a total length of 1,042 cM distributed across 11 linkage groups aligned to those of the core linkage map of bean using common molecular markers as anchor points. The QTL analyses were carried out over three environments using the mean environment data with composite interval mapping. Thirty-one QTLs for ten traits were found to be signiWcant in at least one environment and in the mean environment data, the number of signiWcant QTLs identi- Wed per trait ranging from two to Wve. Twenty-seven of these QTLs mapped forming clusters in eight diVerent chromosomal regions. The rationale for this clustered mapping and the possible relationship between some QTLs for phenological traits and the genes Fin and I are discussed

Nonlinear interaction between the diurnal and semidiurnal tides: Terdiurnal and diurnal secondary waves

Many years of measurements obtained using French meteor radars at Garchy (latitude 47 N) and Montpazier (latitude 44 N) are used to show the existence of an 8 hour oscillation. Some examples of the structure of this wave are displayed and compared with measurements performed at Saskatoon (latitude 52 N) and Budrio (latitude 45 N). This wave can be interpreted as the solar driven terdiurnal tide, or as the result of the nonlinear interaction between the diurnal and semidiurnal tides. Both hypotheses are tested with numerical models. Incidentally, the possible existence of a 24 hour wave resulting from this interaction is also studied

Multi-targeted priming for genome-wide gene expression assays

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Complementary approaches to assaying global gene expression are needed to assess gene expression in regions that are poorly assayed by current methodologies. A key component of nearly all gene expression assays is the reverse transcription of transcribed sequences that has traditionally been performed by priming the poly-A tails on many of the transcribed genes in eukaryotes with oligo-dT, or by priming RNA indiscriminately with random hexamers. We designed an algorithm to find common sequence motifs that were present within most protein-coding genes of <it>Saccharomyces cerevisiae </it>and of <it>Neurospora crassa</it>, but that were not present within their ribosomal RNA or transfer RNA genes. We then experimentally tested whether degenerately priming these motifs with multi-targeted primers improved the accuracy and completeness of transcriptomic assays.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We discovered two multi-targeted primers that would prime a preponderance of genes in the genomes of <it>Saccharomyces cerevisiae </it>and <it>Neurospora crassa </it>while avoiding priming ribosomal RNA or transfer RNA. Examining the response of <it>Saccharomyces cerevisiae </it>to nitrogen deficiency and profiling <it>Neurospora crassa </it>early sexual development, we demonstrated that using multi-targeted primers in reverse transcription led to superior performance of microarray profiling and next-generation RNA tag sequencing. Priming with multi-targeted primers in addition to oligo-dT resulted in higher sensitivity, a larger number of well-measured genes and greater power to detect differences in gene expression.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Our results provide the most complete and detailed expression profiles of the yeast nitrogen starvation response and <it>N. crassa </it>early sexual development to date. Furthermore, our multi-targeting priming methodology for genome-wide gene expression assays provides selective targeting of multiple sequences and counter-selection against undesirable sequences, facilitating a more complete and precise assay of the transcribed sequences within the genome.</p