Propriétés psychométriques de l’échelle de satisfaction des cours académiques (ESCA) chez les étudiants universitaires brésiliens

Academic satisfaction has been studied from different perspectives that considerate distinct ways of measurement. However, the plurality of evaluated facets prevents a more parsimonious assessment of the general students’ academic satisfaction. In the article, we aimed to provide psychometric evidence of the validity and reliability for the AMSS in Brazil in two studies (N = 893). In Study 1, an exploratory factor analysis and item parameters (Item Response Theory) support the one-factor solution and the suitability of the six items. Moreover, evidence for factorial invariance across gender and convergent validity with the PANAS and with the SWLS was also presented in Study 2. In conclusion, the present paper provides evidence of the adequacy of the AMSS to evaluate global satisfaction with the academics course in Brazil.Propiedades psicométricas de la Escala de Satisfacción del Curso Académico (ESCA) en estudiantes universitarios brasileños La satisfacción académica ha sido estudiada bajo diferentes perspectivas, produciendo dife- rentes formas de medición. Sin embargo, la pluralidad de facetas evaluadas impide una evaluación más parsimoniosa de la satisfacción académica de los estudiantes en general. En este artículo, objetivamos proporcionar evidencias psicométricas de la validez y con- fiabilidad para el ESCA en Brasil en dos estudios (N = 893). En el Estudio 1, un análisis factorial exploratorio y los parámetros de los ítems (Teoría de Respuesta al Item) soportan la solución unifatorial y la adecuación de los seis ítems. Además, se presentaron evidencias de invariancia factorial entre género y validez convergente con el PANAS y con el ESV en el Estudio 2. En conclusión, este estudio proporciona evidencias de la adecuación de la ESCA para evaluar la satisfacción global con el curso académico en Brasil.A satisfação acadêmica tem sido estudada sob diferentes perspectivas que contemplam formas distintas de mensuração. Entretanto, a pluralidade de facetas avaliadas impede uma avaliação mais parcimoniosa da satisfação acadêmica dos estudantes em geral. O presente estudo tem por objetivo fornecer evidências psicométricas da validade e confiabilidade para o ESCA no Brasil em dois estudos (N = 893). No Estudo 1, uma análise fatorial exploratória e os parâmetros dos itens (Teoria de Resposta ao Item) suportam a solução unifatorial e a adequação dos seis itens. Além disso, foram apresentadas evidências de invariância fatorial entre gênero e validade convergente com o PANAS e com o ESV no Estudo 2. Em con- clusão, este estudo fornece evidências da adequação da ESCA para avaliar a satisfação global com o curso acadêmico na versão em português.La satisfaction académique a été étudiée sous différentes perspectives qui envisagent différentes formes de mesure. Cependant, la pluralité des facettes évaluées empêche une évaluation plus parcimonieuse de la satisfaction académique des étudiants en général. La pré- sente étude vise à fournir des preuves psychométriques de validité et de fiabilité pour ESCA au Brésil dans deux études (N = 893). Dans l’étude 1, une analyse factorielle exploratoire et les paramètres d’item (Théorie de la réponse à l’item) corroborent la solution à un facteur et l’adéquation des six items. En outre, nous avons présenté des preuves d’invariance factorielle entre le sexe et la validité convergentes avec PANAS et ESV dans l’étude 2. En conclusion, cette étude fournit des preuves de l’aptitude de l’ESCA à évaluer la satisfaction générale à l’égard du cours universitaire dans la version portugaise

Mitochondrial echoes of first settlement and genetic continuity in El Salvador

Background: From Paleo-Indian times to recent historical episodes, the Mesoamerican isthmus played an important role in the distribution and patterns of variability all around the double American continent. However, the amount of genetic information currently available on Central American continental populations is very scarce. In order to shed light on the role of Mesoamerica in the peopling of the New World, the present study focuses on the analysis of the mtDNA variation in a population sample from El Salvador. Methodology/Principal Findings: We have carried out DNA sequencing of the entire control region of the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) genome in 90 individuals from El Salvador. We have also compiled more than 3,985 control region profiles from the public domain and the literature in order to carry out inter-population comparisons. The results reveal a predominant Native American component in this region: by far, the most prevalent mtDNA haplogroup in this country (at ~90%) is A2, in contrast with other North, Meso- and South American populations. Haplogroup A2 shows a star-like phylogeny and is very diverse with a substantial proportion of mtDNAs (45%; sequence range 16090–16365) still unobserved in other American populations. Two different Bayesian approaches used to estimate admixture proportions in El Salvador shows that the majority of the mtDNAs observed come from North America. A preliminary founder analysis indicates that the settlement of El Salvador occurred about 13,400±5,200 Y.B.P.. The founder age of A2 in El Salvador is close to the overall age of A2 in America, which suggests that the colonization of this region occurred within a few thousand years of the initial expansion into the Americas. Conclusions/Significance: As a whole, the results are compatible with the hypothesis that today's A2 variability in El Salvador represents to a large extent the indigenous component of the region. Concordant with this hypothesis is also the observation of a very limited contribution from European and African women (~5%). This implies that the Atlantic slave trade had a very small demographic impact in El Salvador in contrast to its transformation of the gene pool in neighbouring populations from the Caribbean facade

Impact of Continuous Axenic Cultivation in Leishmania infantum Virulence

Experimental infections with visceral Leishmania spp. are frequently performed referring to stationary parasite cultures that are comprised of a mixture of metacyclic and non-metacyclic parasites often with little regard to time of culture and metacyclic purification. This may lead to misleading or irreproducible experimental data. It is known that the maintenance of Leishmania spp. in vitro results in a progressive loss of virulence that can be reverted by passage in a mammalian host. In the present study, we aimed to characterize the loss of virulence in culture comparing the in vitro and in vivo infection and immunological profile of L. infantum stationary promastigotes submitted to successive periods of in vitro cultivation. To evaluate the effect of axenic in vitro culture in parasite virulence, we submitted L. infantum promastigotes to 4, 21 or 31 successive in vitro passages. Our results demonstrated a rapid and significant loss of parasite virulence when parasites are sustained in axenic culture. Strikingly, the parasite capacity to modulate macrophage activation decreased significantly with the augmentation of the number of in vitro passages. We validated these in vitro observations using an experimental murine model of infection. A significant correlation was found between higher parasite burdens and lower number of in vitro passages in infected Balb/c mice. Furthermore, we have demonstrated that the virulence deficit caused by successive in vitro passages results from an inadequate capacity to differentiate into amastigote forms. In conclusion, our data demonstrated that the use of parasites with distinct periods of axenic in vitro culture induce distinct infection rates and immunological responses and correlated this phenotype with a rapid loss of promastigote differentiation capacity. These results highlight the need for a standard operating protocol (SOP) when studying Leishmania species

A short version of the big five inventory (Bfi-20): Evidence on construct validity

Several measures were developed in the past decades to measure personality, focusing on the Big Five Factor Model (BFFM; Openness, Conscientiousness, Extraversion, Agreeableness, and Neuroticism). Despite the relevance of their findings in different countries, a shared limitation of such measures is their length, demanding time from researchers and participants, which might cause boredom or fatigue, biasing the final results. This research aimed to provide a shorter version for the 44-Item Big Five Inventory (BFI), through two studies (NTotal = 8,119). The structure was assessed using a range of techniques (e.g., PAF analysis, Procrustes rotation). The best 20 items (4 per factor) were chosen to compose the final version of the BFI-20, which presented suitable psychometric evidences across the samples. Thus, due the growing need for shorter measures without losing their psychometric quality, our findings indicate the adequacy of the 20-item BFI and its potential applicability in research context

Performance of CMS muon reconstruction in pp collision events at sqrt(s) = 7 TeV

The performance of muon reconstruction, identification, and triggering in CMS has been studied using 40 inverse picobarns of data collected in pp collisions at sqrt(s) = 7 TeV at the LHC in 2010. A few benchmark sets of selection criteria covering a wide range of physics analysis needs have been examined. For all considered selections, the efficiency to reconstruct and identify a muon with a transverse momentum pT larger than a few GeV is above 95% over the whole region of pseudorapidity covered by the CMS muon system, abs(eta) < 2.4, while the probability to misidentify a hadron as a muon is well below 1%. The efficiency to trigger on single muons with pT above a few GeV is higher than 90% over the full eta range, and typically substantially better. The overall momentum scale is measured to a precision of 0.2% with muons from Z decays. The transverse momentum resolution varies from 1% to 6% depending on pseudorapidity for muons with pT below 100 GeV and, using cosmic rays, it is shown to be better than 10% in the central region up to pT = 1 TeV. Observed distributions of all quantities are well reproduced by the Monte Carlo simulation.Comment: Replaced with published version. Added journal reference and DO