Purification of Starch Granules from Arabidopsis Leaves and Determination of Granule-Bound Starch Synthase Activity

Starch constitutes the most important carbon reserve in plants and is composed of branched amylopectin and linear amylose. The latter is synthesized exclusively by the Granule-Bound Starch Synthase (GBSS, EC 2.4.1.21). Here we report a readily reproducible, specific and highly sensitive protocol, which includes the isolation of intact starch granules from Arabidopsis thaliana leaves and the subsequent determination of GBSS activity. We have applied this method to study GBSS activity in diurnal cycles in vegetative growth and during the photoperiodic transition to flowering in Arabidopsis (Tenorio et al., 2003; Ortiz-Marchena et al., 2014).España,MINECO CSD2007-00057, BIO2008-02292, and BIO2011-28847-C02-00España, Junta de Andalucía P06-CVI-01450 and P08-AGR-0358

¿Apoyan los entrenadores la motivación de sus deportistas? Diferencias en la percepción del comportamiento

El objetivo de este trabajo era valorar la influencia de la percepción de apoyo a las necesidades psicológicas básicas (NPB) sobre la motivación intrínseca, disfrute, aburrimiento e intención de persistencia en el contexto deportivo de base, y como podía incidir la diferencia entre lo que los entrenadores creían proporcionar y lo que los deportistas percibían, en relación a dicho apoyo. Para ello, se llevaron a cabo 2 estudios diferentes. En el estudio 1 participaron 985 deportistas (M = 14,34; DT = 2,52) y se realizó un análisis de regresión, en el que se demostró la importancia de las percepciones de apoyo a las NPB sobre las variables analizadas. En función de estos resultados, se llevó a cabo el estudio 2, en el que participaron 91 entrenadores (M = 32,41; DT = 6,51) y 432 deportistas (M = 13,44; DT = 2,92), realizándose un análisis de diferencias entre grupos de entrenadores creados en función de la percepción de apoyo proporcionado y el apoyo percibido por los deportistas. Los resultados demostraron diferencias en la motivación intrínseca, aburrimiento e intención de persistencia entre los deportistas cuyos entrenadores creían proporcionar más apoyo a las NPB que el percibido por los atletas, respecto a aquellos cuyos entrenadores consideraban realizar un apoyo similar o inferior al percibido. Por tanto, los resultados hallados tienen implicaciones relevantes para explicar la adherencia deportiva en etapas de formación y en la consideración de los antecedentes motivacionales en el contexto deportivo.The aim of this study was focused on assessing the influence of perception of support for basic psychological needs (BPN) on variables such as intrinsic motivation, enjoyment, boredom, and intention to persist in the training sport context; and how this can affect the difference between what is provided and what coaches believe athletes perceive in relation to such support. To achieve this aim, two different studies were conducted. In the 1st study, 985 athletes participated (M = 14.34; SD = 2.52), and a regression analysis was performed, where the results showed the importance of perception of support for BPN in the variables analyzed. Regarding the outcomes found in the former section, the 2nd study was carried out, where 91 coaches (M = 32.41; SD = 6.51) and 432 athletes (M = 13.44; SD = 2.92) were involved, and an analysis of differences was conducted after the creation of groups of coaches formed with respect to the support given and the support perceived by athletes. The results show differences in intrinsic motivation, boredom and intention to persist between athletes whose coaches were believed to give more support for BPN than perceived by athletes, with respect to participants whose coaches were considered to give support similar to or lower than the perceived. Therefore, the outcomes found have relevant implications to explain sport adherence in training stages, as well as the consideration of motivational background in a sport context.O principal objectivo do presente estudo foi avaliar a influência da percepção de apoio às necessidades psicológicas básicas (NPB) em variáveis como a motivação intrínseca, divertimento, aborrecimento e intenção para persistir no treino desportivo, e como isso pode afectar as diferenças entre o que fornecem e o que pensam os treinadores que os atletas percepcionam no que concerne a esse apoio. Para alcançar este objectivo, foram desenvolvidos dois trabalhos. No primeiro estudo participaram 985 atletas (M = 14.34; DP = 2.52), e foi realizada uma análise de regressão sendo que os resultados demonstraram a importância da percepção de apoio às NPB nas variáveis analisadas. Tendo em conta os resultados obtidos no estudo anterior, o segundo estudo foi levado a cabo com a participação de 91 treinadores (M = 32.41; DP = 6.51) e 432 atletas (M = 13.44; DP = 2.92), e uma análise de diferenças efectuada após a criação de grupos de treinadores formados com base no critério de apoio prestado e o apoio percebido pelos atletas. Os resultados revelam diferenças na motivação intrínseca, aborrecimento e intenção de persistir entre atletas cujos treinadores acreditavam fornecer mais apoio pa as as NPB que o percepcionado pelos atletas, relativamente aos participantes cujos treinadores consideravam fornecer igual ou inferior apoio ao percepcionado. Contudo, os resultados obtidos apresentam implicações relevantes na explicação da adesão às etapas do treino desportivo, bem como relativamente à consideração de antecedentes motivacionais no contexto desportivo

Assessment of Fear of COVID-19 in Older Adults: Validation of the Fear of COVID-19 Scale

There is no information in Peru on the prevalence of mental health problems associated with COVID-19 in older adults. In this sense, the aim of the study was to gather evidence on the factor structure, criterion-related validity, and reliability of the Spanish version of the Fear of COVID-19 Scale (FCV-19S) in this population. The participants were 400 older adults (mean age = 68.04, SD = 6.41), who were administered the Fear of COVID-19 Scale, Revised Mental Health Inventory-5, Patient Health Questionnaire-2 items, and Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale 2 items. Structural equation models were estimated, specifically confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), bifactor CFA, and structural models with latent variables (SEM). Internal consistency was estimated with composite reliability indexes (CRI) and omega coefficients. A bifactor model with both a general factor underlying all items plus a specific factor underlying items 1, 2, 4, and 5 representing the emotional response to COVID better represents the factor structure of the scale. This structure had adequate fit and good reliability, and additionally fear of COVID had a large effect on mental health. In general, women had more fear than men, having more information on COVID was associated to more fear, while having family or friends affected by COVID did not related to fear of the virus. The Spanish version of the Fear of COVID-19 Scale presents evidence of validity and reliability to assess fear of COVID-19 in the Peruvian older adult population

The Effect of the Launch of Bitcoin Futures on the Cryptocurrency Market: An Economic Efficiency Approach

We analyze the economic efficiency of the cryptocurrency market after the launch of Bitcoin futures by means of the Data Envelopment Analysis and Malmquist Indexes. Our results show that the introduction of Bitcoin futures did not affect the economic efficiency of the cryptocurrency market. However, we observe that Bitcoin obtained the highest risk-return trade-off due to its liquidity compared to the rest of cryptocurrencies. Therefore, our paper underlines the support of investors on Bitcoin to the detriment of the rest of cryptocurrencies

Social support, self-efficacy and academic satisfaction of university students during the COVID-19 lockdown

This work aimed to analyze the relationships between the students perceived institutional support, teachers’ support, peers’ support, and their academic satisfaction, mediated by their self-efficacy in information and comunication technologies (ICT). Participants were 157 students who were studying from first to fourth year in different disciplines of the Valencia University. Structural equation models with latent factors were tested. A final model had satisfactory fit indices to the observed data. It is worth highlighting the strong direct effect of the teaching staff support on student’ academic satisfaction, with less weight, although significant, being the effect of institutional support. In conclusion, teacher’s figure is of paramount importance for student’s academic satisfaction.Este trabajo tuvo como objetivo analizar las relaciones entre el apoyo institucional percibido por los estudiantes, el apoyo de los profesores, el apoyo de los compañeros y su satisfacción académica, mediada por su autoeficacia en las tecnologías de la información y la comunicación (TIC). Participaron 157 estudiantes que cursaban de primero a cuarto año en diferentes disciplinas de la Universidad de Valencia. Se probaron modelos de ecuaciones estructurales con factores latentes. El modelo final aportó índices de ajuste satisfactorios a los datos observados. Cabe destacar el fuerte efecto directo del apoyo del profesorado sobre la satisfacción académica de los estudiantes, mientras que tuvo menor peso, aunque también significativo, el efecto del apoyo institucional. En conclusión, la figura del docente es de suma importancia para la satisfacción académica de los estudiantes

Human stress during driving: correlation with road traffic externalities

The evaluation of vehicle occupants (VO) stress level is a research topic with recent and increasing interest as researchers pursue to understand its correlation with other road traffic-related externalities (RTE), i.e., pollutants and noise emissions, road safety and traffic congestion, and ultimately design a framework able to optimize road networks while considering road stress. Road singularities (e.g., roundabouts, traffic signal lights, and junctions) and even different road types (e.g., urban, rural, highways) may introduce distinct impacts on vehicle occupants (VO), i.e., regarding their emotional state and stress level. VO heart rate variability (HRV) presents a correlation with human stress and is usually applied to infer stress levels. It has been demonstrated the connection between driving styles and pollutants emissions as well as the likelihood of road crash occurrence, which in turn are associated with traffic congestion. The doctoral research main objective is to provide a framework to develop empirical multi-objective optimization and/or analysis of RTE considering stress based on vehicle and engine activity empirical data acquired through real-world driving or simulation. The main contributions from this research will be: 1) the study of the correlation of human stress with pollutant and noise emissions, road safety and traffic congestion through an integrated approach; 2) deliver an indicator, in the form of an equivalent monetary cost, accounting for human stress, pollutants and noise emissions, road safety and traffic congestion; 3) provide a method to assess human stress during driving without using any physiological equipment or data. These contributions will allow future road infrastructures and networks, and vehicle technology to be planned considering their human stress-related performance and consequently improve VO quality of life.publishe