¿Cuándo es la Agresión entre Iguales Bullying”? Un análisis del Discurso de Estudiantes Educación Primaria y Secundaría sobre Acoso Escolar

Many forms of peer aggression are referred to as "bullying" by students, parents and adults, and this can be a source of confusion in schools. The main purpose of this study is to explore the circumstances under which students characterize peer aggression as “bullying” incidents. A secondary goal is to examine the feelings students have about the effectiveness of reporting peer aggression to adults. Both objectives are intended to reveal information that will enhance communication about peer aggression and bullying between students and adults. Six focus groups with 54 students in grades three through eight were conducted. The groups were organized in patterns based on grade level and gender, and qualitative methods were used to analyze the results. The findings showed that although the students defined bullying in ways that are similar to the criteria in the literature, they chose different words to describe them. Younger students also expressed greater faith in the ability of adults to respond effectively to bullying situations. Older students preferred to confront a bully with equal force or to reason with a bully to stop the aggression.Algunas formas de agresión entre iguales son llamadas de “acoso escolar” por estudiantes, familias y adultos, y esto puede ser una fuente de confusión en las instituciones educativas. El principal propósito de este estudio es explorar las circunstancias en las cuales los estudiantes caracterizan la agresión entre iguales como casos de acoso escolar. Una meta secundaria es examinar los sentimientos que los estudiantes tienen sobre la eficacia de denunciar la agresión entre iguales a los adultos. Ambos objetivos intentan revelar información que permita mejorar la comunicación entre adultos y estudiantes sobre la agresión entre iguales y el acoso escolar. Se realizaron seis grupos de discusión con 54 estudiantes entre los cursos de tercero a octavo en el sistema educativo de Estados Unidos de América. Los grupos fueron organizados basados en el patrón del nivel del curso, el género, y el método cualitativo usado para el análisis. Los hallazgos muestran que aunque los estudiantes definen el acoso escolar con criterios similares a la literatura científica, ellos lo describen con un vocabulario diferente. Los estudiantes jóvenes también expresan mayor fe en la habilidad de los adultos para responder efectivamente a las situaciones de acoso escolar. Los estudiantes mayores prefieren confrontar al abusón con la fuerza de los iguales o razonando para que el acosador detenga la agresión

Oxide ceramic electrolytes for all-solid-state lithium batteries – cost-cutting cell design and environmental impact

All-solid-state batteries are a hot research topic due to the prospect of high energy density and higher intrinsic safety, compared to conventional lithium-ion batteries. Of the wide variety of solid-state electrolytes currently researched, oxide ceramic lithium-ion conductors are considered the most difficult to implement in industrial cells. Although their high lithium-ion conductivity combined with a high chemical and thermal stability make them a very attractive class of materials, cost-cutting synthesis and scalable processing into full batteries remain to be demonstrated. Additionally, they are Fluorine-free and can be processed in air but require one or more high temperature treatment steps during processing counteracting their ecological benefits. Thus, a viable cell design and corresponding assessment of its ecological impact is still missing. To close this gap, we define a target cell combining the advantages of the two most promising oxidic electrolytes, lithium lanthanum zirconium oxide (LLZO) and lithium aluminium titanium phosphate (LATP). Even though it has not been demonstrated so far, the individual components are feasible to produce with state-of-the-art industrial manufacturing processes. This model cell then allows us to assess the environmental impact of the ceramic electrolyte synthesis and cell component manufacturing not just on an abstract level (per kg of material) but also with respect to their contributions to the final cell. The in-depth life cycle assessment (LCA) analysis revealed surprising similarities between oxide-based all-solid-state batteries and conventional Li-ion batteries. The overall LCA inventory on the material level is still dominated by the cathode active material, while the fabrication through ceramic manufacturing processes is a major contributor to the energy uptake. A clear path that identifies relevant research and development directions in terms of economic benefits and environmental sustainability could thus be developed to promote the competitiveness of oxide based all-solid-state batteries in the market

An Orphan CpG Island Drives Expression of a let-7 miRNA Precursor with an Important Role in Mouse Development.

Most human genes are associated with promoters embedded in non-methylated, G + C-rich CpG islands (CGIs). Not all CGIs are found at annotated promoters, however, raising the possibility that many serve as promoters for transcripts that do not code for proteins. To test this hypothesis, we searched for novel transcripts in embryonic stem cells (ESCs) that originate within orphan CGIs. Among several candidates, we detected a transcript that included three members of the let-7 micro-RNA family: Let-7a-1, let-7f-1, and let-7d. Deletion of the CGI prevented expression of the precursor RNA and depleted the included miRNAs. Mice homozygous for this mutation were sub-viable and showed growth and other defects. The results suggest that despite the identity of their seed sequences, members of the let-7 miRNA family exert distinct functions that cannot be complemented by other members

The fitness for the Ageing Brain Study II (FABS II): protocol for a randomized controlled clinical trial evaluating the effect of physical activity on cognitive function in patients with Alzheimer's disease

Background: Observational studies have documented a potential protective effect of physical exercise in older adults who are at risk for developing Alzheimer's disease. The Fitness for the Ageing Brain II (FABS II) study is a multicentre randomized controlled clinical trial (RCT) aiming to determine whether physical activity reduces the rate of cognitive decline among individuals with Alzheimer's disease. This paper describes the background, objectives of the study, and an overview of the protocol including design, organization and data collection methods

DNAAF1 links heart laterality with the AAA+ ATPase RUVBL1 and ciliary intraflagellar transport

DNAAF1 (LRRC50) is a cytoplasmic protein required for dynein heavy chain assembly and cilia motility, and DNAAF1 mutations cause primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD; MIM 613193). We describe four families with DNAAF1 mutations and complex congenital heart disease (CHD). In three families, all affected individuals have typical PCD phenotypes. However, an additional family demonstrates isolated CHD (heterotaxy) in two affected siblings, but no clinical evidence of PCD. We identified a homozygous DNAAF1 missense mutation, p.Leu191Phe, as causative for heterotaxy in this family. Genetic complementation in dnaaf1-null zebrafish embryos demonstrated the rescue of normal heart looping with wild-type human DNAAF1, but not the p.Leu191Phe variant, supporting the conserved pathogenicity of this DNAAF1 missense mutation. This observation points to a phenotypic continuum between CHD and PCD, providing new insights into the pathogenesis of isolated CHD. In further investigations of the function of DNAAF1 in dynein arm assembly, we identified interactions with members of a putative dynein arm assembly complex. These include the ciliary intraflagellar transport protein IFT88 and the AAA+ (ATPases Associated with various cellular Activities) family proteins RUVBL1 (Pontin) and RUVBL2 (Reptin). Co-localization studies support these findings, with the loss of RUVBL1 perturbing the co-localization of DNAAF1 with IFT88. We show that RUVBL1 orthologues have an asymmetric left-sided distribution at both the mouse embryonic node and the Kupffer’s vesicle in zebrafish embryos, with the latter asymmetry dependent on DNAAF1. These results suggest that DNAAF1-RUVBL1 biochemical and genetic interactions have a novel functional role in symmetry breaking and cardiac development

Exploration of Shared Genetic Architecture Between Subcortical Brain Volumes and Anorexia Nervosa

In MRI scans of patients with anorexia nervosa (AN), reductions in brain volume are often apparent. However, it is unknown whether such brain abnormalities are influenced by genetic determinants that partially overlap with those underlying AN. Here, we used a battery of methods (LD score regression, genetic risk scores, sign test, SNP effect concordance analysis, and Mendelian randomization) to investigate the genetic covariation between subcortical brain volumes and risk for AN based on summary measures retrieved from genome-wide association studies of regional brain volumes (ENIGMA consortium, n = 13,170) and genetic risk for AN (PGC-ED consortium, n = 14,477). Genetic correlations ranged from − 0.10 to 0.23 (all p > 0.05). There were some signs of an inverse concordance between greater thalamus volume and risk for AN (permuted p = 0.009, 95% CI: [0.005, 0.017]). A genetic variant in the vicinity of ZW10, a gene involved in cell division, and neurotransmitter and immune system relevant genes, in particular DRD2, was significantly associated with AN only after conditioning on its association with caudate volume (pFDR = 0.025). Another genetic variant linked to LRRC4C, important in axonal and synaptic development, reached significance after conditioning on hippocampal volume (pFDR = 0.021). In this comprehensive set of analyses and based on the largest available sample sizes to date, there was weak evidence for associations between risk for AN and risk for abnormal subcortical brain volumes at a global level (that is, common variant genetic architecture), but suggestive evidence for effects of single genetic markers. Highly powered multimodal brain- and disorder-related genome-wide studies are needed to further dissect the shared genetic influences on brain structure and risk for AN

Impact of Case-Based Instruction on Student Teachers\u27 Reflection on Facilitating Children\u27s Learning

The purpose of this original quasi-experimental research was to investigate the potential for using case-based instruction during the student teaching seminar as a means for promoting practicum student teachers\u27 critical reflection about facilitating children\u27s learning. In addition, the study explored the impact of varied modes for delivering case-based instruction on the quality of student teachers\u27 reflective narratives. Sixty-eight undergraduate students who were enrolled in the teacher certification program participated in the study as a member of one of three groups. During the 6-week instructional period, two groups learned using case-based instruction plus traditional instruction, and one group studied the same curriculum using traditional instruction only, without case-based instruction. Overall, trend analyses suggest that case-based instruction results in improved reflection about facilitating children\u27s learning. Furthermore, there is evidence that computer-based cases that offer video vignettes and interactive discussion questions have greater impact on the quality of student teachers\u27 reflection about children\u27s learning than do paper-based cases

Web 2.0: A new generation of learners and education

New social-sharing applications are transforming the Internet from a read-only (Web 1.0) environment to a read-write ecology that many are calling Web 2.0. These tools (e.g., weblogs and wikis) enable Internet users to publish information online almost as easily as they can read online, and they have tremendous potential for learning. This article provides illustrative comparisons of Web 1.0 and Web 2.0 tools to illuminate three key characteristics of the Web 2.0 platform: (a) user-initiated publishing of information without significant technical knowledge, (b) social networking, and (c) online communities formed around specific content. Key concepts, terms, and technologies central to Web 2.0, including Education 2.0, Web 2.0 students, Web 2.0 platforms and tools, and collective wisdom, are considered, along with implications for education and future research. © 2008 by The Haworth Press. All rights reserved