An empirical examination of the relation between attention and motivation in computer-based education: a modeling approach

Attention is considered a pre-requisite to achieve greater motivation in the classroom. However, empirical evidence of this relationship in educational setting is scarce since the measurement of attention requires specialized equipment such as clinical electroencephalograms (EEG) or fMR1. With the advent of portable, consumer-oriented EEG it is now possible to estimate levels of attention and shed light onto this relationship in the context of a computer-based educational setting. To that end, students (N=40) interacted for an average of 9.48 minutes (SD = .0018) with an assessment exercise in a virtual world. Participants' attention levels were monitored via a portable EEG and incorporated into an attention model capable of deciding on strategies to correct low levels of attention. The participants' motivation was assessed using a self-reported motivation questionnaire at pre-test and post-test times. The results indicated that students with higher self-reported motivation and self-reported attention answered significantly more correct answers. However, no direct evidence was found of a relation between EEG readings and self-reported attention or self-reported motivation. This suggests student's own perceptions of motivation and attention influence performance. Future work consists of defining new models of attention considering self-perceived attention and motivation as baseline as well as improving the model of attention combining EEG reading with an indication of the students' gaze

Uma nota didáctica breve no uso esclarecido de procedimentos estatísticos em análise de dados repetidos no tempo. Um estudo guiado para investigadores em Ciências do Desporto

Este texto pretende ser um auxiliar didáctico no uso esclarecido de procedimentos estatísticos relativos à análise longitudinal de dados. Servir-nos-emos de um exemplo ilustrativo de complexidade crescente para introduzir a estrutura de um delineamento de grupo único e da essência do ensaio de hipóteses estatísticas. De seguida apresentamos os principais resultados do uso de teste t e da análise de variância de medidas repetidas. Os resultados são interpretados de modo formal e substantivo, introduzindo um pensamento alternativo à estrutura binária do resultado do ensaio de hipóteses. O recurso a procedimentos gráficos é fortemente explorado. Finalmente, recorremos à modelação hierárquica para salientar a sua riqueza e flexibilidade interpretativa no estudo de dados longitudinais

Dados longitudinais e modelação hierárquica. Um tutorial para investigadores das Ciências do Desporto

Este texto pretende ser um auxiliar didáctico sobre modos de olhar informação de natureza longitudinal. O seu propósito fundamental é auxiliar os investigadores a recorrerem à Modelação Hierárquica ou Multinível (MHMN) para extraírem dos dados toda a sua riqueza. Na primeira parte apresentaremos as ideias fundamentais da MHMN aplicadas a dados longitudinais. De seguida recorreremos a um exemplo complexo para apresentar todos os passos da MHMN, interpretando de modo substantivo as principais estatísticas produzidas pelo software HLM 6.0

Análise e interpretação dos níveis de actividade física de crianças: um tutorial baseado na modelação hierárquica ou multinível

Este tutorial pretende apresentar, de modo didáctico, uma forma alternativa de análise de dados sobre os níveis de actividade física de crianças a partir da modelação hierárquica ou multinível. São mencionadas as diferentes etapas da modelação, os resultados são interpretados com base nos output's do software utilizado – o HLM 6.02. Em cada etapa do percurso são lançadas as hipóteses mais importantes em grau de complexidade crescente. A sua importância é referida a partir dos resultados disponíveis

Geometrical pinning of magnetic vortices induced by a deficit angle on a surface: anisotropic spins on a conic space background

We study magnetic vortex-like excitations lying on a conic space background. Two types of them are obtained. Their energies appear to be linearly dependent on the conical aperture parameter, besides of being logarithmically divergent with the sample size. In addition, we realize a geometrical-like pinning of the vortex, say, it is energetically favorable for it to nucleate around the conical apex. We also study the problem of two vortices on the cone and obtain an interesting effect on such a geometry: excitations of the same charge, then repealing each other, may nucleate around the apex for suitable cone apertures. We also pay attention to the problem of the vortex pair and how its dissociation temperature depends upon conical geometry.Comment: 13 pages, 06 figures, Latex. Version accepted for PHYSICS LETTERS

Corpo, maturação biológica e actividade física: um olhar interactivo em crianças e jovens madeirenses

Cada vez mais a sociedade moderna é olhada através da sua condição física, enquanto factor de bem-estar, saúde, qualidade de vida e longevidade dos seus membros. Os indicadores demográficos actuais da população madeirense apontam no sentido de uma considerável componente juvenil, adolescente e jovem. No entanto, a evolução demográfica prevista, decorrente de um acentuado decréscimo da natalidade, leva a prever um comportamento diverso da pirâmide de idades, assumindo particular ênfase as questões relacionadas com o estudo e a investigação do corpo, a procura de padrões, a descrição normativa, a interpretação das mudanças e o espaço morfológico externo, que se vem enquadrar no território de investigação reservado à somatotipologia

Pet food safety: emerging bacterial hazards and implications for public health

Bacterial hazards in pet food, especially in raw diets, are a current public health issue to both pets and humans. The most substantial body of evidence and consequent risk stems from food-borne pathogens such as Salmonella and bacteria resistant to last-resort antibiotics (e.g. colistin, third generation of cephalosporins, linezolid). State-of-the-art methods, particularly whole-genome sequencing, have been fundamental to link bacterial pathogens from pet food to human cases across different countries. While there are limited data on antimicrobial resistance, it is becoming increasingly evident that pet food can harbor multidrug-resistant bacteria, calling for increased vigilance within a One Health perspective, namely, by identifying transmission routes of pathogens and antimicrobial-resistant bacteria to pet food. A concerted action involving veterinarians, regulatory agencies, pet food industry, and other stakeholders is required to promote the awareness of pet food potential hazards to mitigate public health risks

Current insights into the effects of cationic biocides exposure on Enterococcus spp.

Cationic biocides (CBs), such as quaternary ammonium compounds and biguanides, are critical for controlling the spread of bacterial pathogens like Enterococcus spp., a leading cause of multidrug-resistant healthcare-associated infections. The widespread use of CBs in recent decades has prompted concerns about the potential emergence of Enterococcus spp. populations exhibiting resistance to both biocides and antibiotics. Such concerns arise from their frequent exposure to subinhibitory concentrations of CBs in clinical, food chain and diverse environmental settings. This comprehensive narrative review aimed to explore the complexity of the Enterococcus response to CBs and of their possible evolution toward resistance. To that end, CBs activity against diverse Enterococcus spp. collections, the prevalence and roles of genes associated with decreased susceptibility to CBs, and the potential for co- and cross-resistance between CBs and antibiotics are reviewed. Significant methodological and knowledge gaps are identified, highlighting areas that future studies should address to enhance our comprehension of the impact of exposure to CBs on Enterococcus spp. populations epidemiology. This knowledge is essential for developing effective One Health strategies that ensure the continued efficacy of these critical agents in safeguarding Public Health.</jats:p