Immersive learning environments for delf-regulation of learning: a literature review

Self-regulation of learning (SRL) plays a decisive role in learning success but characterizing learning environments that facilitate development of SRL skills constitutes a great challenge. Given the growing interest in Immersive Learning Environments (ILE), we sought to understand how ILE are built with attention to SRL, via a literature review of pedagogical uses, practices and strategies with ILE that have an explicit focus on SRL. From a final corpus of 25 papers, we collected 134 extracts attesting use of ILE for SRL. We classified and mapped them using the Beck, Morgado & O’Shea framework and its three dimensions of the immersion phenomenon: system, narrative and challenge. There is a predominance of uses of ILE for SRL aligned with Challenge-based immersion: Skill Training, Collaboration, Engagement, and Interactive Manipulation and Exploration. In contrast, uses aligned with System-based immersion (Emphasis, Accessibility, Seeing the Invisible) were not identified. There were few cases of use of Narrative-based immersion. Uses combining the three dimensions of immersive had residual prevalence. We concluded that there is greater tendency in studies of SRL in ILE to enact active roles (aligned with the Challenge dimension of immersion). The low prevalence of Narrative immersion and System immersion evidence gaps in the diversity of pedagogical uses of ILE to develop SRL, which indicate opportunities for research and creation of innovative educational practices.N/

Improving the Therapeutic Relationship When Prescribing Antidepressants: A Pilot Study.

Studies indicate that the quality of the doctor-patient relationship moderates the effect of pharmacotherapy. To enhance the quality of the therapeutic relationship in the pharmacotherapy of depression, we developed a brief manual with interactive materials for residents in psychiatry and their patients. In a pilot study at a psychiatric university hospital's outpatient department, we compared patient-centered treatment parameters of a first patient group treated as usual and a second patient group treated using the manual. The study had no influence on the choice of medication. In the manual group, patient satisfaction with the doctor-patient relationship increased significantly at the three-month follow-up. Depression parameters declined in both groups, without group differences. Continuation of antidepressant medication at six months was higher in the manual group. In conclusion, a simple intervention using written materials for doctors prescribing antidepressants improved doctors' and patients' satisfaction with treatment

Indução de apoptose pelo extrato e frações de Lafoensia pacari A. St-Hill, Lythraceae, em células tumorais

Orientador: Prof. Tit. Cid Aimbiré de Moraes SantosCo-orientadora: Profª Drª Almeriane M. Weffort SantosDissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Federal do Paraná, Setor de Ciências da Saúde, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Farmacêuticas. Defesa: Curitiba, 25/02/2013Inclui referênciasÁrea de concentração: Insumos, medicamentos e correlatosResumo: Este trabalho propôs-se a avaliar a influência do extrato metanólico das cascas do caule de Lafoensia pacari A. St.-Hil., Lythraceae, conhecida popularmente como dedal e com a indicação de seu uso para tratamento de câncer, primeiramente, sobre o comportamento das linhagens celulares leucêmicas humanas, U-937, Daudi e Jurkat, em sistemas de cultura in vitro. Os ensaios realizados com essas linhagens demonstraram claramente que o extrato e as frações preparados dessa planta exercem efeitos citostático e citotóxico significativos para as linhagens U-937, Daudi e Jurkat, os quais são independentes da presença do ácido elágico, marcador fitoquímico da espécie. Na avaliação do efeito tóxico pelo método de quantificação da lactato desidrogenase (LDH), o extrato e as frações hidrofóbica (F1) e ActOEt (F2) apresentaram toxicidade significativa a 100 ?g/mL, enquanto que as frações n- BuOH (F3) e aquosa (F4) em 1000 ?g/mL. O extrato de L. pacari foi capaz de inibir a formação de colônias de progenitores leucêmicos de células U-937 em meio semissólido. Citocentrifugados das mesmas linhagens tratadas com 1000 ?g/mL de extrato mostraram características típicas de apoptose, com a presença de vacúolos citoplasmáticos, condensação da cromatina, fragmentação do núcleo e formação de corpos apoptóticos. A exposição de células U-937, assim como outras representativas de câncer de colo do útero (HeLa), de cólon (HRT-18) e de neuroblastoma (SY5Y), além de células mononucleares (MNC) ao extrato de L. pacari levou à alterações características de apoptose no ciclo celular, bem como co-expressão da Anexina V e do 7-AAD. Interessante ressaltar que, em contraste com os resultados descritos para as linhagens tumorais, o extrato de L. pacari pouco interferiu na viabilidade ou influenciou na proliferação de células MNC de medula óssea de camundongos, como também apresentou maior indução de apoptose em células MNC isoladas do sangue periférico de voluntários sadios quando estimuladas com fitohemaglutinina, o que sugere que o efeito indutor de apoptose parece repousar sobre células que estão em atividade metabólica intensa e/ou que estejam em ciclo celular. Embora mais estudos sejam necessários, o conjunto de resultados apresentados revelou alguns aspectos interessantes e ainda não relatados com relação às atividades biológicas dessa espécie brasileira, sugerindo investigações futuras para assegurar seu uso com fins terapêuticos.Abstract: The aim of this work was to evaluate the influence of the methanolic extract and its fractions prepared from the stem barks of Lafoensia pacari A. St.-Hil., Lythraceae, popularly known as "dedal" and used for treating cancer, on the behavior of the human U-937, Daudi, and Jurkat leukemic cell lines, in in vitro culture systems. The assays conducted with these leukemic lineages have clearly shown their cytostatic and cytotoxic effects, which were independent of the presence of ellagic acid, the phytochemical marker of the species. Significant toxicity, determined by the quantification of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), has been shown for the extract as well as for its hydrophobic (F1) and EtOAc (F2) fractions only at a 100 ?g/mL along with the n-BuOH (F3) and the aquous (F4) fractions at 1000 ?g/mL. The extract was also able to inhibit the formation of colonies by U-937 cells in clonogenic assays. Cytospun preparations of cells treated with 1000 ?g/mL of extract showed typical characteristics of apoptosis, with the presence of cytoplasmic vacuoli, chromatin condensation, nuclear fragmentation, and formation of apoptotic bodies. Exposition of U-937 cells as well as other cell lines representatives of cervical (HeLa), colon (HRT-18), and neuroblastoma (SY5Y) cancers, along with human mononuclear cells to L. pacari extract led to changes characteristics of apoptosis induction, including morphological aspects, alteration of the cell cycle status, and co-expression levels of Annexin V and 7-AAD. Interesting to note that, in contrast with the results described for the tumor cell lines, the extract has little interfered on the viability or influenced the proliferation of mice bone marrow mononuclear cells. Higher induction of apoptosis in peripheral blood mononuclear cells isolated from healthy volunteers was observed when these cells were stimulated to proliferate with phytohemagglutinin, suggesting that the effect of inducing apoptosis seems to rest on cells that are under intense metabolic activity or cycling. Although further studies are needed, the findings herein described revealed some interesting aspects not yet reported with respect to the biological activities of this species, suggesting future investigations to ensure its use for therapeutic purposes

Is the dolphin a fish? ERP evidence for the impact of typicality during early visual processing in ultra-rapid semantic categorization in autism spectrum disorder

Funding Open Access funding enabled and organized by Projekt DEAL. JCC was fnanced by national funding through FCT — Fundação para a Ciência e a Tec nologia and I. P. on the scope of Norma Transitória DL57/2016/CP1439/CT02 and through the Research Center for Psychological Science of the Faculty of Psychology, University of Lisbon (UIDB/04527/2020; UIDP/04527/2020). A-KB was supported by the Rhineland-Palatinate Research Initiative (Potentialbere ich Cognitive Science) of the Federal Ministry of Science, Further Education and Culture (MWWK).BACKGROUND: Neurotypical individuals categorize items even during ultra-rapid presentations (20 ms; see Thorpe et al. Nature 381: 520, 1996). In cognitively able autistic adults, these semantic categorization processes may be impaired and/or may require additional time, specifically for the categorization of atypical compared to typical items. Here, we investigated how typicality structures influence ultra-rapid categorization in cognitively able autistic and neurotypical male adults. METHODS: Images representing typical or atypical exemplars of two different categories (food/animals) were presented for 23.5 vs. 82.3 ms (short/long). We analyzed detection rates, reaction times, and the event-related potential components dN150, N1, P2, N2, and P3 for each group. RESULTS: Behavioral results suggest slower and less correct responses to atypical compared to typical images. This typicality effect was larger for the category with less distinct boundaries (food) and observed in both groups. However, electrophysiological data indicate a different time course of typicality effects, suggesting that neurotypical adults categorize atypical images based on simple features (P2), whereas cognitively able autistic adults categorize later, based on arbitrary features of atypical images (P3). CONCLUSIONS: We found evidence that all three factors under investigation - category, typicality, and presentation time - modulated specific aspects of semantic categorization. Additionally, we observed a qualitatively different pattern in the autistic adults, which suggests that they relied on different cognitive processes to complete the task.publishersversionpublishe

CXCR-4 expression by circulating endothelial progenitor cells and SDF-1 serum levels are elevated in septic patients

Background: Endothelial progenitor cell (EPC) numbers are increased in septic patients and correlate with survival. In this study, we investigated, whether surface expression of chemokine receptors and other receptors important for EPC homing is upregulated by EPC from septic patients and if this is associated with clinical outcome. Methods: Peripheral blood mononuclear cells from septic patients (n = 30), ICU control patients (n = 11) and healthy volunteers (n = 15) were isolated by Ficoll density gradient centrifugation. FACS-analysis was used to measure the expression of the CXC motif chemokine receptors (CXCR)-2 and − 4, the receptor for advanced glycation endproducts (RAGE) and the stem cell factor receptor c-Kit. Disease severity was assessed via the Simplified Acute Physiology Score (SAPS) II. The serum concentrations of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), stromal cell-derived factor (SDF)-1α and angiopoietin (Ang)-2 were determined with Enzyme linked Immunosorbent Assays. Results: EPC from septic patients expressed significantly more CXCR-4, c-Kit and RAGE compared to controls and were associated with survival-probability. Significantly higher serum concentrations of VEGF, SDF-1α and Ang-2 were found in septic patients. SDF-1α showed a significant association with survival. Conclusions: Our data suggest that SDF-1α and CXCR-4 signaling could play a crucial role in EPC homing in the course of sepsis

CXCR-4 expression by circulating endothelial progenitor cells and SDF-1 serum levels are elevated in septic patients

Background: Endothelial progenitor cell (EPC) numbers are increased in septic patients and correlate with survival. In this study, we investigated, whether surface expression of chemokine receptors and other receptors important for EPC homing is upregulated by EPC from septic patients and if this is associated with clinical outcome. Methods: Peripheral blood mononuclear cells from septic patients (n = 30), ICU control patients (n = 11) and healthy volunteers (n = 15) were isolated by Ficoll density gradient centrifugation. FACS-analysis was used to measure the expression of the CXC motif chemokine receptors (CXCR)-2 and − 4, the receptor for advanced glycation endproducts (RAGE) and the stem cell factor receptor c-Kit. Disease severity was assessed via the Simplified Acute Physiology Score (SAPS) II. The serum concentrations of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), stromal cell-derived factor (SDF)-1α and angiopoietin (Ang)-2 were determined with Enzyme linked Immunosorbent Assays. Results: EPC from septic patients expressed significantly more CXCR-4, c-Kit and RAGE compared to controls and were associated with survival-probability. Significantly higher serum concentrations of VEGF, SDF-1α and Ang-2 were found in septic patients. SDF-1α showed a significant association with survival. Conclusions: Our data suggest that SDF-1α and CXCR-4 signaling could play a crucial role in EPC homing in the course of sepsis

Environmental Sustainability Post-COVID-19: Scrutinizing Popular Hypotheses from a Social Science Perspective

There is an increasingly vocal debate on potential long-term changes in environmental sustainability spurred by the global COVID-19 pandemic. This article scrutinizes the social science basis of selected popular hypotheses regarding the nexus between the COVID-19 pandemic and the societal transitions towards environmental sustainability. It presents results that were derived through an interdisciplinary dialogue among social scientists. First, it is confirmed that the COVID-19 crisis has likely created a potential window of opportunity for societal change. Yet, to ensure that societal change is enduring and actually supporting the transition towards environmental sustainability, a clear and well-targeted political framework guiding private investments and behavior is required. Second, it is emphasized that there are important structural differences between the COVID-19 crisis and environmental crises, like time scales. Consequently, many strategies used to address the COVID-19 crisis are hardly suitable for long-term transitions towards environmental sustainability. Third, it is argued that transitions towards environmental sustainability—building both on reducing environmental degradation and building socio-techno-ecological resilience—may create co-benefits in terms of preventing and coping with potential future pandemics. However, research still needs to explore how big these synergies are (and whether trade-offs are also possible), and what type of governance framework they require to materialize

Diretrizes para a medição de desempenho de processo logístico em uma empresa de sistemas pré-fabricados que adota a filosofia Lean Production

O crescimento acelerado do setor da construção civil em relação ao resto da economia brasileira tende a manter seu ritmo de desenvolvimento em constante evolução. Contudo, o nível de maturidade dos sistemas de gestão deste setor não acompanha o mesmo ritmo da elevada demanda de empreendimentos presente no mercado brasileiro. O aumento da competitividade também contribui para a especialização das empresas em processos que viabilizem produtos específicos que atendam às necessidades dos clientes. Neste contexto, surgem as empresas engineer-to-order (ETO) que projetam, fabricam e montam estruturas pré-fabricadas em obra. Este trabalho busca propor diretrizes para o sistema de medição de desempenho do processo logístico para empresas ETO de sistemas construtivos. O estudo foi realizado em parceria com uma empresa focada no desenvolvimento de sistemas construtivos de estrutura metálica, incluso em um projeto de pesquisa mais amplo que visa o desenvolvimento do seu processo logístico. A análise realizada dos indicadores permitiu a compreensão de alguns pressupostos do sistema de gestão. A falta de conexão entre os indicadores e os objetivos estratégicos demonstrava a falta de transparência, causando um viés no desenvolvimento de ações de melhoria. Desta forma, foram propostas cinco diretrizes que buscam facilitar a relação dos indicadores com os objetivos estratégicos genéricos da empresa.The Brazilian construction industry have had an accelerated growing if compared to other economic sectors, this rhythm tends to keep the pace of increasing. However, the level of maturity of the management system from this industry does not follow the growing demand for construction projects of Brazilian market. This emergent competitive also contributes to the development of companies specialized in products that attend exactly the customer needs. In this context, engineered-to-order companies which design, fabricate and assemble building systems on construction sites arise. This paper is an attempt to propose a set of guidelines for the development of performance measurement system for the logistic process for ETO building systems companies. It has been carried out in partnership with a Steel Fabricator focused on building systems. This study is part of an ongoing research project that seeks to develop the logistic process, as a mean to better connect the site installation and the plant. Through the analysis of the performance measurement system of the company it was possible to understand some of the basic management assumptions. There was a lack of connection between the metrics and the strategic goals of the company, which reveals a lack of transparency and that could cause a strong bias in the definition of improvement plans. As a result, five guidelines were proposed seeking to facilitate the relation of the metrics with the generic strategic goals of the company