Objective sleep duration and health in elderly Russians

Objectives - We examine the relationship between sleep duration and health in the high mortality context of Russia. Methods - Night and daytime sleep durations are based on self-reports and 24-hour heart rate trends (Holter monitoring). The sample of 201 individuals (Holter data for 185) is drawn from the Moscow Lipid Research Clinics cohort, followed up since 1975-77. Field-work occurred in 2002-03. Results - Although objective and reported mean sleep are similar, there are significant intra-individual differences. Significant associations are found between objective sleep and health: longer sleep corresponds to lower grip strength, poorer self-rated health and immediate recall, and higher mortality risk score. No significant relationships are found for subjective sleep. Conclusions - We provide the first evidence of an association between long sleep and worse health outcomes among elderly Russians. Predictive power increases if objective sleep measures are used, a consideration which is especially important in small studies.

The principle of situated practice in literacy learning: students’ perspectives

O artigo resulta de uma investigação realizada no âmbito de uma iniciativa governamental destinada a melhorar os níveis de literacia nas séries iniciais do ensino fundamental em Portugal. A investigadora estudou as representações dos alunos sobre essa experiência por meio da realização de entrevistas em grupo. Este artigo analisa os dados referentes às representações dos alunos sobre uma das dimensões pedagógicas centrais da aprendizagem da literacia, nomeadamente a constituída pela prática situada. A análise qualitativa revela representações muito positivas sobre a prática que situou a aprendizagem, tendo os alunos expressado opiniões e sentimentos extremamente favoráveis sobre a prática de aprendizagem de literacia que experimentaram. A análise dos dados desvelou ainda que o contexto que situou a aprendizagem foi ativo, lúdico, colaborativo e mediado pelas TIC. Esses resultados fundamentam, do ponto de vista único dos próprios aprendentes, uma redefinição do entendimento atual do princípio da prática situada da literacia nas séries iniciais do ensino fundamental, no sentido do reconhecimento da centralidade da ludicidade nessa aprendizagem.This article derives from research developed in the context of the implementation of a governmental initiative aimed to enhance literacy learning in primary education in Portugal. The researcher studied students’ representations about their learning experience through group interviews. This article focuses on data concerning students’ representations about one of the central pedagogical dimensions of literacy learning, namely situated practice. Qualitative analysis revealed students’ very positive representations about the practice which situated their learning, as they expressed extremely favourable opinions and feelings. Data analysis further unveiled that the context of learning was active, playful, collaborative, and mediated by ICT. Such results provide foundations for a theoretical redefinition of current conceptions of situated practice by evidencing the centrality of playfulness as learning practice in the education of the first grades of primary education. This is an original contribution made from the perspectives of learners themselves(undefined)info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

The proteasome controls presynaptic differentiation through modulation of an on-site pool of polyubiquitinated conjugates

Differentiation of the presynaptic terminal is a complex and rapid event that normally occurs in spatially specific axonal regions distant from the soma; thus, it is believed to be dependent on intra-axonal mechanisms. However, the full nature of the local events governing presynaptic assembly remains unknown. Herein, we investigated the involvement of the ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS), the major degradative pathway, in the local modulation of presynaptic differentiation. We found that proteasome inhibition has a synaptogenic effect on isolated axons. In addition, formation of a stable cluster of synaptic vesicles onto a postsynaptic partner occurs in parallel to an on-site decrease in proteasome degradation. Accumulation of ubiquitinated proteins at nascent sites is a local trigger for presynaptic clustering. Finally, proteasome-related ubiquitin chains (K11 and K48) function as signals for the assembly of presynaptic terminals. Collectively, we propose a new axon-intrinsic mechanism for presynaptic assembly through local UPS inhibition. Subsequent on-site accumulation of proteins in their polyubiquitinated state triggers formation of presynapses.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

The shadow of the family: Historical roots of social trust in Europe.

This study provides new evidence on how historical patterns of household formation shape the present-day level of trust. We test two distinct features of historical family arrangements that might be harmful to trust towards out-groups: (a) family extendedness in terms of the number of household members, and (b) generational hierarchy and gender relations within the household. To conduct our study, we compiled a historical database that reflects family structure and socio-economic development, mostly in the 19th century. The analysis was performed on a sample of 94 historical subnational units within eight contemporary Western and Eastern European countries that participated in the Life in Transition Survey in 2010. We find that cohabitation of several generations within the historical family and power of older generations over the younger are detrimental for out-group trust today. By contrast, family extendedness per se was revealed to have no impact on trust

Data sources and additional sample description.

This study provides new evidence on how historical patterns of household formation shape the present-day level of trust. We test two distinct features of historical family arrangements that might be harmful to trust towards out-groups: (a) family extendedness in terms of the number of household members, and (b) generational hierarchy and gender relations within the household. To conduct our study, we compiled a historical database that reflects family structure and socio-economic development, mostly in the 19th century. The analysis was performed on a sample of 94 historical subnational units within eight contemporary Western and Eastern European countries that participated in the Life in Transition Survey in 2010. We find that cohabitation of several generations within the historical family and power of older generations over the younger are detrimental for out-group trust today. By contrast, family extendedness per se was revealed to have no impact on trust.</div

Incidence of generational hierarchy and lateral extensions across 170 regions of Western and Eastern Europe.

Note: Both variables were rescaled so that 0 is the mean value. On the x-axis is shown the percentage of historical households that have lateral (horizontal) extensions. On the y-axis is shown the generational hierarchy index scores.</p

Validation of LiTS regional measure of out-group trust.

Validation of LiTS regional measure of out-group trust.</p

OLS regression of contemporary out-group trust on generational hierarchy index, controlling for additional geographical and historical factors.

OLS regression of contemporary out-group trust on generational hierarchy index, controlling for additional geographical and historical factors.</p

Principal components analysis results.

This study provides new evidence on how historical patterns of household formation shape the present-day level of trust. We test two distinct features of historical family arrangements that might be harmful to trust towards out-groups: (a) family extendedness in terms of the number of household members, and (b) generational hierarchy and gender relations within the household. To conduct our study, we compiled a historical database that reflects family structure and socio-economic development, mostly in the 19th century. The analysis was performed on a sample of 94 historical subnational units within eight contemporary Western and Eastern European countries that participated in the Life in Transition Survey in 2010. We find that cohabitation of several generations within the historical family and power of older generations over the younger are detrimental for out-group trust today. By contrast, family extendedness per se was revealed to have no impact on trust.</div

The geographical composition and the number of subnational units in the core and extended samples.

The geographical composition and the number of subnational units in the core and extended samples.</p