Recovery of dialysis patients with COVID-19 : health outcomes 3 months after diagnosis in ERACODA

Background. Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)-related short-term mortality is high in dialysis patients, but longer-term outcomes are largely unknown. We therefore assessed patient recovery in a large cohort of dialysis patients 3 months after their COVID-19 diagnosis. Methods. We analyzed data on dialysis patients diagnosed with COVID-19 from 1 February 2020 to 31 March 2021 from the European Renal Association COVID-19 Database (ERACODA). The outcomes studied were patient survival, residence and functional and mental health status (estimated by their treating physician) 3 months after COVID-19 diagnosis. Complete follow-up data were available for 854 surviving patients. Patient characteristics associated with recovery were analyzed using logistic regression. Results. In 2449 hemodialysis patients (mean ± SD age 67.5 ± 14.4 years, 62% male), survival probabilities at 3 months after COVID-19 diagnosis were 90% for nonhospitalized patients (n = 1087), 73% for patients admitted to the hospital but not to an intensive care unit (ICU) (n = 1165) and 40% for those admitted to an ICU (n = 197). Patient survival hardly decreased between 28 days and 3 months after COVID-19 diagnosis. At 3 months, 87% functioned at their pre-existent functional and 94% at their pre-existent mental level. Only few of the surviving patients were still admitted to the hospital (0.8-6.3%) or a nursing home (∼5%). A higher age and frailty score at presentation and ICU admission were associated with worse functional outcome. Conclusions. Mortality between 28 days and 3 months after COVID-19 diagnosis was low and the majority of patients who survived COVID-19 recovered to their pre-existent functional and mental health level at 3 months after diagnosis

Adolescent's Willingness to Adopt a More Plant-Based Diet: A Theory-Based Interview Study

A plant-based diet is more sustainable, and research suggests that adolescents obtain health benefits from adopting a more plant-based diet (e.g., improved weight control, increased cardiovascular health). However, it is still unclear what factors promote/hinder their intention to attain such a dietary habit. The aim of the present study was to examine factors affecting adolescents' willingness to consume more plant-based foods. In a theory-based interview study, using the Reasoned Action Approach as framework, adolescents were interviewed concerning their reasons for their (un)willingness to adopt a more plant-based diet. A total of 11 adolescents (15/16 years old; 7 girls, 4 boys) were recruited and interviewed at two secondary schools in the Dutch Province of Limburg, the Netherlands. None of the interviewees reported being vegan/vegetarian/flexitarian. The interviewed adolescents overall expressed little interest in adopting a more plant-based diet. They appeared to have little knowledge of what would comprise a more plant-based diet and showed a lack of awareness of the benefits for personal and planet health. Further, most participants indicated lacking skills to prepare plant-based meals. Despite that, they felt confident they would be able to consume a much more plant-based diet for a definite period. Most importantly, the low intention to consume more plant-based food options was explained by the perceived (or expected) poor taste of these foods. We conclude that education on the plant-based diet (i.e., increasing awareness of the benefits, and skills to procure or prepare a plant-based meal) might increase both knowledge and plant-based food familiarity. The latter being important as food familiarity is key in promoting its acceptance

Cognitive subtypes of mathematics learning difficulties in primary education

It has been asserted that children with mathematics learning difficulties (MLD) constitute a heterogeneous group. To date, most researchers have investigated differences between predefined MLD subtypes. Specifically MLD children are frequently categorized a priori into groups based on the presence or absence of an additional disorder, such as a reading disorder, to examine cognitive differences between MLD subtypes. In the current study 226 third to six grade children (M age=131 months) with MLD completed a selection of number specific and general cognitive measures. The data driven approach was used to identify the extent to which performance of the MLD children on these measures could be clustered into distinct groups. In particular, after conducting a factor analysis, a 200 times repeated K-means clustering approach was used to classify the children's performance. Results revealed six distinguishable clusters of MLD children, specifically (a) a weak mental number line group, (b) weak ANS group, (c) spatial difficulties group, (d) access deficit group, (e) no numerical cognitive deficit group and (f) a garden-variety group. These findings imply that different cognitive subtypes of MLD exist and that these can be derived from data-driven approaches to classification. These findings strengthen the notion that MLD is a heterogeneous disorder, which has implications for the way in which intervention may be tailored for individuals within the different subtypes

The variability in the effect of additional education on different mathematics skills in primary school - A regression discontinuity analysis

This paper explores the variability in the effect of an additional year of education on different basic mathematical skills, which are taught to children and explicitly repeated at different points in time during elementary school. In addition, the role of child specific characteristics and the role of the school is addressed. Using a regression discontinuity approach, we estimate the local education effect for a range of successive elementary school grade cohorts at six schools in the Netherlands, while including child specific characteristics and school fixed effects. The results indicate that the effect of education is contingent upon the mathematical skills and grade levels studied. A significant education effect is observed the year after children have first learned a mathematical skill and in the last year of primary school, which can be explained by the additional focus that is being put on elementary mathematics skills in these years. Furthermore, the outcomes suggest that children’s multiplication skills are significantly lower if their school emphasizes child centered, natural learning and multigrade teaching instead of traditional classroom learning

The differential effect of a non-compulsory basic mathematics skills practice tool across achievement subgroups and mathematical skills practice tools across achievement subgroups and mathematics domains - a randomized field experiment

This paper examines the differential effect of a computerized, non-compulsory supplementary practice tool in a sample of first-year secondary students (N = 355) using an experimental design. Additionally, students’ practice behavior and its association with teacher factors were investigated. The results show that the practice tool was variably effective across the skill distribution of children and distinct mathematics domains (numbers, proportions and measurement). The practice tool proved particularly effective for low-achievers, who significantly benefited from the practice tool in all mathematics domains. For middle-achievers benefits were only observed in the domain of proportions. Furthermore, it is shown that a significant part of the variance in students’ practice behavior is explained by teacher factors. Therefore, the results indicate that for maximum efficiency students may be given selective access to domains and teachers need to incentivize the students to practice on a regular basis

The differential effect of basic mathematics skills homework via a web-based intelligent tutoring system across achievement subgroups and mathematics domains: a randomized field experiment

This article examines an educational experiment with a unique combination of 3 elements: homework, the use of information and communication technology and a large degree of freedom of choice (student autonomy). More particularly, we study the effectiveness of a web-based intelligent tutoring system (ITS) that a school offers to its students as optional homework, in a sample of 355 first-year secondary students, using an experimental design. The results show that whether students make this noncompulsory homework in the web-based ITS is dependent on their prior achievement and their teacher, and if they practice, they tend to choose easier modules. Students thus do not seem to optimize learning gains, but rather balance their perceived value of practicing and their "expectancy," as found previously for regular (compulsory, non-ITS) homework. Regarding the value of choice, findings suggest that students may be poor judges of their most beneficial exercises pattern. Differentiation in ITS does not guarantee learning, unless scaffolding is tightly linked to it. In line with previous research, this research shows that practice does matter, though at varying intensities. Yet it also clarifies that motivation to make an effort is required, which adds to the lessons learned from homework research; both the perceived value and expectancy are at play and can be enhanced, for example, by teachers

The impact of the nutri-score on food choice: A choice experiment in a Dutch supermarket

Front-of-package (FOP) nutrition labels are placed on products to help consumers make healthy food choices. A lab-in-field experiment was conducted to test the effectiveness of two FOP labels in promoting healthy food choices among Dutch consumers, and to examine whether dieters and health conscious shoppers are more likely to use the FOP labels. In addition, it was examined whether the placement of relatively "good" FOP label scores on products might inadvertently lead to increases in serving sizes. Participants (N = 300) consisted of Dutch consumers shopping for groceries in a local supermarket. They were randomly assigned to one of three conditions (Nutri-score, Multiple Traffic Light (MTL) label, or no label control condition), presented with six different (labeled) cereals, and asked to make a choice. Next, participants were shown a product with a relatively good label score and selected their desired serving size. The results show that the Nutri-score promotes choice of the healthiest cereal. Dieting behaviour and health conscious shopping did not moderate this effect, and the labels did not affect serving size selection. Overall, the study provides evidence for the Nutri-score to promote healthy food choices among Dutch consumers

Mathematical Learning Difficulties and Dyscalculia

Terms such as “Mathematical Learning Disability,” “Developmental Dyscalculia (DD),” but also “Mathematical Learning Disorder” and “Mathematical Learning Difficulty”1 are originated in the field of cognitive psychology in order to investigate the development of basic number processing. These terms are introduced referring to atypical situations, defined as a presence of various cognitive deficits in a student’s processing of numerical information that lead to persistent and pervasive difficulties with mathematics. The issues of diagnosis of a Mathematical Learning Disorder and instruction for the students with a positive diagnosis are getting increasing research attention; however research in this area is still lagging behind compared with other academic subjects such as reading. Generally, the clinical context lacks attention toward the important theoretical perspectives that should guide any form of educational support aimed at prevention or remediation of MLD. In the following sections, we will introduce the main perspectives, other than the purely cognitive ones, taken in mathematics education to study MLD, focusing in particular on findings on prevention and remediation. We will conclude with considerations on the possibility of fostering more constructive collaboration across the research communities studying MLD

Using digital environments to address students\u2019 mathematical learning difficulties

The need to deal with different cognitive necessities of students in the mathematical classroom, and in particular of students who persistently fail in mathematics, frequently referred to as "having mathematical learning difficulties or disabilities" (MLD), has become an important topic of research in mathematics education and in cognitive psychology. Though frameworks for analyzing students' difficulties and/or for designing inclusive activities are still quite fragmentary, the literature rather consistently suggests that technology can support the learning of students with different learning characteristics. The focus of this chapter is on providing insight into this issue by proposing analyses of specific software with a double perspective. We will analyze design features of the selected software, based on the potential support these can provide to students' learning processes, in particular those of students classified as having MLD. We will also analyze some interactions that actually occurred between students and the software, highlighting important qualitative results from recent studies in which we have been involved