Career preparedness and school achievement of Portuguese children: longitudinal trend articulations

Social Cognitive Career Theory suggests that students' preparedness for the school-to-work transition is a developmental process. Middle school children explore various careers, obtain feedback about their academic progress, and develop career self-efficacy and outcome expectations. These processes advance provisional educational/occupational goals. The literature has suggested articulations between career and academic development and how both vary across demographic characteristics, but longitudinal studies linking these processes are scarce. This study tested articulations between career preparedness and academic achievement during middle school years and employed gender and geographical location as potential moderators affecting the linkage between career and school domains. Participants included 429 children (47.8% girls) from northern (69.5%) and central Portugal (30.5%) followed across four occasions of measurement (MageWave1 = 10.23, SD = 0.50). Data was collected with school records, the Multidimensional Scales of Perceived Self-Efficacy, Career Exploratory Outcome Expectations Scale, Childhood Career Exploration Inventory and Childhood Career Development Scale. Average and orthnormalized linear, quadratic and cubic trends were computed. Pearson correlation coefficients suggested positive and statistically significant associations between career exploratory outcome expectations and academic achievement average trends. Career planning and self-efficacy expectations were negatively associated with academic achievement quadratic trends. Multiple linear regression models suggested that career exploratory outcome expectations and career planning were respectively statistically significant predictors of the average and quadratic trends of academic achievement. Gender moderated the association between the career variables and academic achievement linear trends as well as the relation of career planning and self-efficacy with academic achievement cubic trends. Additionally, the geographical location moderated the association between the average trend of career exploratory outcome expectations and academic achievement as well as tended to moderate the relation between the career variables and academic achievement quadratic trends. Future research could seek to explore the role of context in shaping the trajectories and linkages between career and academic progress with a more representative sample of participants from a broader array of geographical locations. This study advances extant literature by affirming the longitudinal relationship between the school and work domains in youth, which might sustain practices aimed at fostering students' career preparedness and academic achievement.This study was funded by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology through a Doctoral grant (SFRH/BD/84162/2012), supported by national funds of the Portuguese Ministry of Education and Science and the European Social Fund through the Human Capital Operational Program. This study was conducted at the Psychology Research Centre (UID/PSI/01662/2013), University of Minho, which is supported by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology and the Portuguese Ministry of Education and Science through national funds and co-financed by FEDER through COMPETE2020 under the PT2020 Partnership Agreement (POCI-01-0145-FEDER-007653).info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Use of DNA technology in forensic dentistry

The established importance of Forensic Dentistry for human identification, mainly when there is little remaining material to perform such identification (e.g., in fires, explosions, decomposing bodies or skeletonized bodies), has led dentists working with forensic investigation to become more familiar with the new molecular biology techniques. The currently available DNA tests have high reliability and are accepted as legal proofs in courts. This article presents a literature review referring to the main studies on Forensic Dentistry that involve the use of DNA for human identification, and makes an overview of the evolution of this technology in the last years, highlighting the importance of molecular biology in forensic sciences

CMB Telescopes and Optical Systems

The cosmic microwave background radiation (CMB) is now firmly established as a fundamental and essential probe of the geometry, constituents, and birth of the Universe. The CMB is a potent observable because it can be measured with precision and accuracy. Just as importantly, theoretical models of the Universe can predict the characteristics of the CMB to high accuracy, and those predictions can be directly compared to observations. There are multiple aspects associated with making a precise measurement. In this review, we focus on optical components for the instrumentation used to measure the CMB polarization and temperature anisotropy. We begin with an overview of general considerations for CMB observations and discuss common concepts used in the community. We next consider a variety of alternatives available for a designer of a CMB telescope. Our discussion is guided by the ground and balloon-based instruments that have been implemented over the years. In the same vein, we compare the arc-minute resolution Atacama Cosmology Telescope (ACT) and the South Pole Telescope (SPT). CMB interferometers are presented briefly. We conclude with a comparison of the four CMB satellites, Relikt, COBE, WMAP, and Planck, to demonstrate a remarkable evolution in design, sensitivity, resolution, and complexity over the past thirty years.Comment: To appear in: Planets, Stars and Stellar Systems (PSSS), Volume 1: Telescopes and Instrumentatio

Enhanced hippocampal LTP but normal NMDA receptor and AMPA receptor function in a rat model of CDKL5 deficiency disorder

\ua9 The Author(s) 2024. Background: Mutations in the X-linked gene cyclin-dependent kinase-like 5 (CDKL5) cause a severe neurological disorder characterised by early-onset epileptic seizures, autism and intellectual disability (ID). Impaired hippocampal function has been implicated in other models of monogenic forms of autism spectrum disorders and ID and is often linked to epilepsy and behavioural abnormalities. Many individuals with CDKL5 deficiency disorder (CDD) have null mutations and complete loss of CDKL5 protein, therefore in the current study we used a Cdkl5−/y rat model to elucidate the impact of CDKL5 loss on cellular excitability and synaptic function of CA1 pyramidal cells (PCs). We hypothesised abnormal pre and/or post synaptic function and plasticity would be observed in the hippocampus of Cdkl5−/y rats. Methods: To allow cross-species comparisons of phenotypes associated with the loss of CDKL5, we generated a loss of function mutation in exon 8 of the rat Cdkl5 gene and assessed the impact of the loss of CDLK5 using a combination of extracellular and whole-cell electrophysiological recordings, biochemistry, and histology. Results: Our results indicate that CA1 hippocampal long-term potentiation (LTP) is enhanced in slices prepared from juvenile, but not adult, Cdkl5−/y rats. Enhanced LTP does not result from changes in NMDA receptor function or subunit expression as these remain unaltered throughout development. Furthermore, Ca2+ permeable AMPA receptor mediated currents are unchanged in Cdkl5−/y rats. We observe reduced mEPSC frequency accompanied by increased spine density in basal dendrites of CA1 PCs, however we find no evidence supporting an increase in silent synapses when assessed using a minimal stimulation protocol in slices. Additionally, we found no change in paired-pulse ratio, consistent with normal release probability at Schaffer collateral to CA1 PC synapses. Conclusions: Our data indicate a role for CDKL5 in hippocampal synaptic function and raise the possibility that altered intracellular signalling rather than synaptic deficits contribute to the altered plasticity. Limitations: This study has focussed on the electrophysiological and anatomical properties of hippocampal CA1 PCs across early postnatal development. Studies involving other brain regions, older animals and behavioural phenotypes associated with the loss of CDKL5 are needed to understand the pathophysiology of CDD

Adaptation and validation of the Inventory of family protective factors for the portuguese culture

Aim: Describe the process of cultural adaptation and validation of Inventory of Family Protective Factors (IFPF) for portuguese culture. This instrument assesses the protective factors that contribute to family resilience. Studies of resilience fall the salutogenic paradigm, which focuses on protective factors of individuals or groups, without minimizing the risk factors and vulnerability. Methods: We applied this instrument to 85 families of children with special needs and, after linguistic and conceptual equivalence, used an exploratory factor analysis with principal components analysis (with varimax rotation) and calculated the Cronbach's alpha coefficient for each dimension. Results: adequate psychometric properties to be used in Portuguese population (Cronbach´s alpha =.90). Conclusion: IFPF is an useful instrument for studies which propose assess the protective factors of family resilience, however we suggest further studies of revalidation.Objetivo: Describir el proceso de adaptación cultural y validación para la cultura portuguesa de Inventory of Family Protective Factors (IFPF). Este instrumento evalúa los factores de protección que contribuyan a la resiliencia familiar. Estudios de resiliência familiar se apoyan en el paradigma salutogénico, que se centra en los factores de protección de individuos o grupos, sin subestimar los factores de riesgo y vulnerabilidad. Metodologia: Aplicamos este instrumento a 85 familias de niños con necesidades especiales y, después de la equivalencia lingüística y conceptual, hemos llevado a cabo un análisis factorial exploratorio de componentes principales con rotación varimax y calculamos el coeficiente alfa de Cronbach. Resultados: la IFPF tiene adecuadas propiedades psicométricas para la población portuguesa (alfa de Cronbach = .90). Conclusion: Esta es una herramienta útil para evaluar los factores protectores de la resiliencia familiar, sin embargo sugerimos estudios futuros de revalidación.Objetivos: adaptar e validar o Inventory of Family Protective Factors (IFPF) para a cultura portuguesa. Este instrumento avalia os fatores protetores que contribuem para a resiliência familiar. Os estudos sobre resiliência inserem-se no paradigma salutogénico, abordando os fatores protetores dos indivíduos ou grupos, sem subestimar os fatores de risco ou vulnerabilidade. Método: para avaliar a equivalência linguística e conceitual do IFPF realizamos a tradução, retroversão e reflexão falada; para aferir as características psicométricas do instrumento verificamos a sensibilidade, confiabilidade e a validade dos resultados. Realizamos uma análise fatorial de componentes principais com rotação varimax dos itens da escala e calculamos o coeficiente Alpha de Cronbach para cada dimensão. Através de uma amostragem aleatória simples, aplicamos este instrumento a 85 famílias de crianças com necessidades especiais que o auto-preencheram. Resultados: o IFPF apresenta características psicométricas adequadas para a população portuguesa (alfa de Cronbach de .90). Conclusão: o IFPF foi adaptado e validado para a cultura portuguesa. Consideramos tratar-se de um instrumento útil para estudos que se proponham avaliar os fatores protetores da resiliência familiar

3D superimposition of craniofacial imaging—The utility of multicentre collaborations

Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/149360/1/ocr12281.pdfhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/149360/2/ocr12281_am.pd