The impact of retrieval processes, age, general achievement level, and test scoring scheme for children's metacognitive monitoring and controlling

This multi-phase study examined the influence of retrieval processes on children's metacognitive processes in relation to and in interaction with achievement level and age. First, N = 150 9/10- and 11/12-year old high and low achievers watched an educational film and predicted their test performance. Children then solved a cloze test regarding the film content including answerable and unanswerable items and gave confidence judgments to every answer. Finally, children withdrew answers that they believed to be incorrect. All children showed adequate metacognitive processes before and during test taking with 11/12- year-olds outperforming 9/10-year-olds when considering characteristics of on-going retrieval processes. As to the influence of achievement level, high compared to low achievers proved to be more accurate in their metacognitive monitoring and controlling. Results suggest that both cognitive resources (operationalized through achievement level) and mnemonic experience (assessed through age) fuel metacognitive development. Nevertheless, when facing higher demands regarding retrieval processes, experience seems to play the more important rol

A Inserção no Mercado de Trabalho dos Egressos do Curso de Turismo e Hotelaria da Universidade do Vale do Itajaí

O turismo vem apresentando índices de crescimento expressivos e se desenvolvendo de maneira extremamente veloz, consolidando-se como atividade econômica, social, cultural e ambiental bastante significativa. Este artigo teve por objetivo avaliar a satisfação dos egressos do Curso de Turismo e Hotelaria da Universidade do Vale do Itajaí, Campus Balneário Camboriú – Santa Catarina, com relação a sua inserção no mercado de trabalho. Para tanto, foi utilizado questionário, sendo pesquisados os formando dos anos de 2001 e 2002. A população correspondente é de 160 (cento e sessenta) egressos, sendo a amostra de 73 (setenta e três). Os resultados obtidos demonstraram que a maioria dos entrevistados está atuando, principalmente na área de hotelaria, sendo que 88% fariam o Curso novamente. Entre as dificuldades apontadas, é relevante o fato de que o mercado turístico carece de profissionalismo. Diante disso, o ensino superior e o mercado turístico não podem mais ser conduzidos de forma empírica, por meio de improvisações ou esquemas amadorísticos

Seed germination and seedling survival of Drosera rotundifolia (L.) cultivated on Sphagnum: Influence of cultivation methods and conditions, seed density, Sphagnum species and vascular plant cover

Round-leaved sundew (Drosera rotundifolia L.) is a rare bog species that is commonly collected for the European herbal market in the wild, leading to the destruction of its natural populations. The aim of this study is to compare sundew cultivation methods on Sphagnum lawn that meet the requirements of the pharmaceutical industry and could promote a sustainable commercial cultivation. Seed germination and seedling survival of D. rotundifolia were studied in biodegradable cellulose pots, paper mesh bags or directly sown (cultivation methods) in a natural, a semi-natural Sphagnum farming and a greenhouse environment (cultivation conditions); using different seed densities. Drosera was cultivated on Sphagnum palustre or S. papillosum lawn and with or without co-occurring vascular plants. Best seed germination for all cultivation methods was recorded in the greenhouse, most successful were cellulose pots (≤ 26 %). Cellulose pots were also most successful under semi-natural (≤ 15 %) and natural (≤ 7 %) conditions. Lowest seed germination rates (< 1 %) were found for direct sowing under semi-natural and natural conditions, indicating that large-scale cultivation by direct sowing requires large quantities of seeds. High survival rates were observed for all cultivation methods in the second year of growth (mean 70 %). The removal of co-occurring vascular plants showed a positive correlation with the number of Drosera seedlings in the first year and led to a higher number of surviving Drosera plants in the second year. Cultivation of D. rotundifolia in biodegradable cellulose pots and direct seed sowing on Sphagnum lawns meet the cultivation requirements of the pharmaceutical industry and have many ecological benefits compared to collection in the wild

Expression of Integrin αvβ3 in Gliomas Correlates with Tumor Grade and Is not Restricted to Tumor Vasculature

In malignant gliomas, the integrin adhesion receptors seem to play a key role for invasive growth and angiogenesis. However, there is still a controversy about the expression and the distribution of αvβ3 integrin caused by malignancy. The aim of our study was to assess the extent and pattern of αvβ3 integrin expression within primary glioblastomas (GBMs) compared with low-grade gliomas (LGGs). Tumor samples were immunostained for the detection of αvβ3 integrin and quantified by an imaging software. The expression of αvβ3 was found to be significantly higher in GBMs than in LGGs, whereby focal strong reactivity was restricted to GBMs only. Subsequent analysis revealed that not only endothelial cells but also, to a large extent, glial tumor cells contribute to the overall amount of αvβ3 integrin in the tumors. To further analyze the integrin subunits, Western blots from histologic sections were performed, which demonstrated a significant difference in the expression of the β3 integrin subunit between GBMs and LGGs. The presented data lead to new insights in the pattern of αvβ3 integrin in gliomas and are of relevance for the inhibition of αvβ3 integrin with specific RGD peptides and interfering drugs to reduce angiogenesis and tumor growth

Penalización del aborto y la salud pública em Brasil

Objetivo: O objetivo principal do estudo é entender como a criminalização do aborto no Brasil gera consequências à saúde pública, na perspectiva da literatura. Sabendo que, mesmo o aborto sendo crime em nosso país, ele é realizado de forma a pôr em risco a vida de milhares de mulheres. Isso implica em altos custos ao sistema de saúde, danos à saúde reprodutiva individual e o óbito das mulheres. Metodologia: Este trabalho trata-se de uma revisão integrativa de literatura realizada nas bibliotecas e bases de dadosSciELO, LILACS, MEDILINE e Pubmed, nós ultimos dez anos(2010-2020), nosidiomas português, inglês e espanhol. Resultados: Dos 6 estudos selecionados para a amostra final. Constata-se que a mortalidade materna relacionada ao aborto é considerada um problema de saúde pública, apesar do aborto ser considerado crime no país, tal restrição não impede as mulheres de largarem mão dessa prática. Sendo assim elas procuram meios de procedimentos clandestinos, a interrupção ilegal da gravidez pode trazer consequências negativas para a mulher ou até mesmo levar ao óbito. Considerações Finais:No Brasil, o abortoenvolve fatores socioeconômicos, pois a ampla gama de mulheres que morrem sem recurso econômico é de maior porcentagem, quanto as privilegiadas de maior nível econômico e social. Sendo assim, não há maneira de erradicar o aborto noBrasil, e sim um plano de acolhimento dessas mulheres no Sistema Único de Saúde (SUS).Objective: The main objective of the study is to understand how the criminalization of abortion in Brazil has consequences for public health, from the perspective of the literature. Knowing that, even though abortion is a crime in our country, it is carried out in a way that endangers the lives of thousands of women. This implies highcosts to the health system, damage to individual reproductive health and the death of women. Methodology: This work is an integrative literature review carried out in the SciELO, LILACS, MEDILINE and Pubmed libraries and databases, for the last ten years(2010-2020), in Portuguese, English and Spanish.Results: Of the 6 studies selected for the final sample. It appears that abortion-related maternal mortality is considered a public health problem, although abortion is considered a crime in the country, suchrestriction does not prevent women from giving up this practice. Thus, they look for means of clandestine procedures, the illegal termination of pregnancy can have negative consequences for the woman or even lead to death.Final Considerations: In Brazil,abortion involves socioeconomic factors, as the wide range of women who die without economic resources is of greater percentage, compared to those privileged with a higher economic and social level. Thus, there is no way to eradicate abortion in Brazil,but a plan to welcome these women into the Unified Health System (SUS).Objetivo: El objetivo principal del estudio es comprender cómo la criminalización del aborto en Brasil tiene consecuencias para la salud pública, desde la perspectiva de la literatura. Sabiendo que, si bien el aborto es un delito en nuestro país, se lleva a cabo de una manera que pone en peligro la vida de miles demujeres. Esto implicaaltos costos para el sistema de salud, daños a la salud reproductiva individual y la muerte de mujeres. Metodología: Este trabajo es una revisión integradora de la literatura realizada en las bibliotecas y bases de datos SciELO, LILACS, MEDILINE y Pubmed,durante los últimos diez años (2010-2020), en portugués, inglés y español.Resultados: De los 6 estudios seleccionados para la muestra final. Parece que la mortalidad materna relacionada con el aborto se considera un problema de salud pública, aunque el aborto es considerado un delito en el país, tal restricción no impide que las mujeres abandonen esta práctica. Así, buscan medios de trámites clandestinos, la interrupción ilegal del embarazo puede tener consecuencias negativas para lamujer o incluso provocar la muerte. Consideraciones finales: En Brasil, el aborto involucra factores socioeconómicos, ya que la amplia gama de mujeres que mueren sin recursos económicos es de mayor porcentaje, en comparación con las privilegiadas con un nivel económico y social más alto. Por tanto, no hay forma de erradicar el aborto en Brasil, sino un plan para acoger a estas mujeres en el Sistema Único de Salud (SUS)

Large Proteins Have a Great Tendency to Aggregate but a Low Propensity to Form Amyloid Fibrils

The assembly of soluble proteins into ordered fibrillar aggregates with cross-β structure is an essential event of many human diseases. The polypeptides undergoing aggregation are generally small in size. To explore if the small size is a primary determinant for the formation of amyloids under pathological conditions we have created two databases of proteins, forming amyloid-related and non-amyloid deposits in human diseases, respectively. The size distributions of the two protein populations are well separated, with the systems forming non-amyloid deposits appearing significantly larger. We have then investigated the propensity of the 486-residue hexokinase-B from Saccharomyces cerevisiae (YHKB) to form amyloid-like fibrils in vitro. This size is intermediate between the size distributions of amyloid and non-amyloid forming proteins. Aggregation was induced under conditions known to be most effective for amyloid formation by normally globular proteins: (i) low pH with salts, (ii) pH 5.5 with trifluoroethanol. In both situations YHKB aggregated very rapidly into species with significant β-sheet structure, as detected using circular dichroism and X-ray diffraction, but a weak Thioflavin T and Congo red binding. Moreover, atomic force microscopy indicated a morphology distinct from typical amyloid fibrils. Both types of aggregates were cytotoxic to human neuroblastoma cells, as indicated by the MTT assay. This analysis indicates that large proteins have a high tendency to form toxic aggregates, but low propensity to form regular amyloid in vivo and that such a behavior is intrinsically determined by the size of the protein, as suggested by the in vitro analysis of our sample protein

Development of a Tetrameric Streptavidin Mutein with Reversible Biotin Binding Capability: Engineering a Mobile Loop as an Exit Door for Biotin

A novel form of tetrameric streptavidin has been engineered to have reversible biotin binding capability. In wild-type streptavidin, loop3–4 functions as a lid for the entry and exit of biotin. When biotin is bound, interactions between biotin and key residues in loop3–4 keep this lid in the closed state. In the engineered mutein, a second biotin exit door is created by changing the amino acid sequence of loop7–8. This door is mobile even in the presence of the bound biotin and can facilitate the release of biotin from the mutein. Since loop7–8 is involved in subunit interactions, alteration of this loop in the engineered mutein results in an 11° rotation between the two dimers in reference to wild-type streptavidin. The tetrameric state of the engineered mutein is stabilized by a H127C mutation, which leads to the formation of inter-subunit disulfide bonds. The biotin binding kinetic parameters (koff of 4.28×10−4 s−1 and Kd of 1.9×10−8 M) make this engineered mutein a superb affinity agent for the purification of biotinylated biomolecules. Affinity matrices can be regenerated using gentle procedures, and regenerated matrices can be reused at least ten times without any observable reduction in binding capacity. With the combination of both the engineered mutein and wild-type streptavidin, biotinylated biomolecules can easily be affinity purified to high purity and immobilized to desirable platforms without any leakage concerns. Other potential biotechnological applications, such as development of an automated high-throughput protein purification system, are feasible

Genome-wide association meta-analysis identifies 48 risk variants and highlights the role of the stria vascularis in hearing loss

Hearing loss is one of the top contributors to years lived with disability and is a risk factor for dementia. Molecular evidence on the cellular origins of hearing loss in humans is growing. Here, we performed a genome-wide association meta-analysis of clinically diagnosed and self-reported hearing impairment on 723,266 individuals and identified 48 significant loci, 10 of which are novel. A large proportion of associations comprised missense variants, half of which lie within known familial hearing loss loci. We used single-cell RNA-sequencing data from mouse cochlea and brain and mapped common-variant genomic results to spindle, root, and basal cells from the stria vascularis, a structure in the cochlea necessary for normal hearing. Our findings indicate the importance of the stria vascularis in the mechanism of hearing impairment, providing future paths for developing targets for therapeutic intervention in hearing loss

Cognitive functioning throughout adulthood and illness stages in individuals with psychotic disorders and their unaffected siblings.

Important questions remain about the profile of cognitive impairment in psychotic disorders across adulthood and illness stages. The age-associated profile of familial impairments also remains unclear, as well as the effect of factors, such as symptoms, functioning, and medication. Using cross-sectional data from the EU-GEI and GROUP studies, comprising 8455 participants aged 18 to 65, we examined cognitive functioning across adulthood in patients with psychotic disorders (n = 2883), and their unaffected siblings (n = 2271), compared to controls (n = 3301). An abbreviated WAIS-III measured verbal knowledge, working memory, visuospatial processing, processing speed, and IQ. Patients showed medium to large deficits across all functions (ES range = -0.45 to -0.73, p < 0.001), while siblings showed small deficits on IQ, verbal knowledge, and working memory (ES = -0.14 to -0.33, p < 0.001). Magnitude of impairment was not associated with participant age, such that the size of impairment in older and younger patients did not significantly differ. However, first-episode patients performed worse than prodromal patients (ES range = -0.88 to -0.60, p < 0.001). Adjusting for cannabis use, symptom severity, and global functioning attenuated impairments in siblings, while deficits in patients remained statistically significant, albeit reduced by half (ES range = -0.13 to -0.38, p < 0.01). Antipsychotic medication also accounted for around half of the impairment in patients (ES range = -0.21 to -0.43, p < 0.01). Deficits in verbal knowledge, and working memory may specifically index familial, i.e., shared genetic and/or shared environmental, liability for psychotic disorders. Nevertheless, potentially modifiable illness-related factors account for a significant portion of the cognitive impairment in psychotic disorders.The European Community’s Seventh Framework Programme under grant agreement No. HEALTH-F2-2010-241909 (EU-GEI)