Peer tutoring of computer programming increases exploratory behavior in children

There is growing interest in teaching computer science and programming skills in schools. Here we investigated the efficacy of peer tutoring, which is known to be a useful educational resource in other domains but never before has been examined in such a core aspect of applied logical thinking in children. We compared (a) how children (N = 42, age range = 7 years 1 month to 8 years 4 months) learn computer programming from an adult versus learning from a peer and (b) the effect of teaching a peer versus simply revising what has been learned. Our results indicate that children taught by a peer showed comparable overall performance—a combination of accuracy and response times—to their classmates taught by an adult. However, there was a speed–accuracy trade-off, and peer-taught children showed more exploratory behavior, with shorter response times at the expense of lower accuracy. In contrast, no tutor effects (i.e., resulting from teaching a peer) were found. Thus, our results provide empirical evidence in support of peer tutoring as a way to help teach computer programming to children. This could contribute to the promotion of a widespread understanding of how computers operate and how to shape them, which is essential to our values of democracy, plurality, and freedom.Fil: de la Hera, Diego Pablo. Universidad Torcuato Di Tella; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Zanoni Saad, María Belén. Universidad Torcuato Di Tella; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Sigman, Mariano. Universidad Torcuato Di Tella; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Calero, Cecilia Ines. Universidad Torcuato Di Tella; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentin

Comparative Characterization Study of a LaBr3(Ce) Scintillation Crystal in Two Surface Wrapping Scenarios: Absorptive and Reflective

The properties of a 50 mm x 50 mm x 30 mm monolithic LaBr3:Ce scintillator crystal coupled to a position-sensitive multi-anode photomultiplier (PMT, Hamamatsu H9500),representing the absorbing detector of a Compton camera under study for online ion (proton) beam range verification in hadron therapy, was evaluated in combination with either absorptive or reflective crystal surface coating. This study covered an assessment of the energy and position-dependent energy resolution, exhibiting a factor of 2.5-3.5 improvement for the reflectively wrapped crystal at 662 keV. The spatial dependency was investigated using a collimated Cs-137 source, showing a steep degradation of the energy resolution at the edges and corners of the absorptively wrapped crystal. Furthermore, the time resolution was determined to be 273 ps (FWHM) and 536 ps (FWHM) with reflective and absorptive coating, respectively, using a Co-60 source. In contrast, the light spread function (LSF) of the light amplitude distribution on the PMT segments improved for the absorptively wrapped detector. Both wrapping modalities showed almost no differences in the energy-dependent photopeak detection efficiency

Scaling test for Wilson twisted mass QCD

We present a first scaling test of twisted mass QCD with pure Wilson quarks for a twisting angle of pi/2. We have computed the vector meson mass and the pseudoscalar decay constant for different values of beta at fixed value of r_0 m_PS. The results obtained in the quenched approximation are compared with data for pure Wilson and non-perturbatively O(a) improved Wilson computations. We show that our results from Wilson twisted mass QCD show clearly reduced lattice spacing errors, consistent with O(a) improvement and without the need of any improvement terms added. These results thus provide numerical evidence of the prediction in ref. [1].Comment: 15 pages, 4 figures; v2: two typos corrected, accepted for publication in Phys. Lett.

Performance of pepper seedlings developed from seeds pretreated with algal aqueous extracts

This study aims to evaluate the effect of seed priming for two pepper varieties by extracts of two algae thalli on the performance of growth at vegetative stage.The seeds were soaked in thalli aqueous extracts (at 20, 40, 60, 80 and 100 g/L), for 24 h at 28±2°C, rinsed thoroughly with distilled water and then dried to their initial weight as a first batch (SD), a second batch of seeds was considered, corresponding to seeds placed in Petri dishes to germinate directly after washing (SND). Untreated seeds were the control. The results showed than the priming has improved seedlings growth for both varieties. Seed priming with algae aqueous extracts has improved roots and shoots length. The best stimulations were 220% and 70%, respectively, recorded for seedlings of Baklouti and Chargui varieties, following the priming with the extract of Padina pavonica at 40 g/L concentration. These improvements appear to be related to a better photosynthetic intensity, an increase in the number of leaves and the water content, which were noted in plants from pretreated seeds. Finally, the results indicate that, generally, the plantlets from SND were more vigorous. The results of this work show that algae could be an inexhaustible resource of substances, that can be used as an alternative to chemicals used in the pretreatment of seeds, reducing the risk of pollution and preserving the biological material

Patient and Provider Perspectives on How Trust Influences Maternal Vaccine Acceptance Among Pregnant Women in Kenya

Background Pregnant women and newborns are at high risk for infectious diseases. Altered immunity status during pregnancy and challenges fully vaccinating newborns contribute to this medical reality. Maternal immunization is a strategy to protect pregnant women and their newborns. This study aimed to find out how patient-provider relationships affect maternal vaccine uptake, particularly in the context of a lower middle- income country where limited research in this area exists. Methods We conducted semi-structured, in-depth narrative interviews of both providers and pregnant women from four sites in Kenya: Siaya, Nairobi, Mombasa, and Marsabit. Interviews were conducted in either English or one of the local regional languages. Results We found that patient trust in health care providers (HCPs) is integral to vaccine acceptance among pregnant women in Kenya. The HCP-patient relationship is a fiduciary one, whereby the patients’ trusts is primarily rooted in the provider’s social position as a person who is highly educated in matters of health. Furthermore, patient health education and provider attitudes are crucial for reinstating and fostering that trust, especially in cases where trust was impeded by rumors, community myths and misperceptions, and religious and cultural factors. Conclusion Patient trust in providers is a strong facilitator contributing to vaccine acceptance among pregnant women in Kenya. To maintain and increase immunization trust, providers have a critical role in cultivating a positive environment that allows for favorable interactions and patient health education. This includes educating providers on maternal immunizations and enhancing knowledge of effective risk communication tactics in clinical encounters

Influence of fish introduction and water level decrease on lakes of the arid Patagonian plateaus with importance for biodiversity conservation

Biodiversity loss in shallow lakes is associated to several factors among which water level decrease and fish introduction are indicated as potential stressors. The Patagonian basaltic plateaus, located in one of the most arid regions of South America, hold thousands of shallow lakes and ponds and some large lakes, where vegetated lakes are the prime habitat for waterbirds, including endemic threatened species. We studied 31different lakes at the two main Patagonian plateaus (Strobel and Buenos Aires) during successive spring-summer field trips from 2007 to 2016. We focused on the differences between fishless and stocked lakes under contrasting hydrologic regimes (relatively stable waters and decreasing water level. Our survey evidenced the effect of fish introduction and water level decrease on the limnological features of the lakes and their phyto and zooplankton communities. Arheic shallow lakes showed a decreased water level accompanied by an increased conductivity, and several shifted from a clear-vegetated state to a more turbid condition, with increased algal biomass and demise in submerged macrophytes. Fishless lakes presented higher total zooplankton and macrozooplankton biomass and lower phytoplankton biomass than fish stocked lakes. Our findings provide evidence that under a scenario of climate change, the effect of the decrease in water level may enhance the adverse effects of fish introduction.Fil: Izaguirre, Irina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Ecología, Genética y Evolución de Buenos Aires. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Ecología, Genética y Evolución de Buenos Aires; ArgentinaFil: Lancelotti, Julio Lucio. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Centro Nacional Patagónico. Instituto Patagónico para el Estudio de los Ecosistemas Continentales; ArgentinaFil: Saad, Juan Francisco. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Ecología, Genética y Evolución de Buenos Aires. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Ecología, Genética y Evolución de Buenos Aires; ArgentinaFil: Porcel, Elisa María Sol. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Ecología, Genética y Evolución de Buenos Aires. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Ecología, Genética y Evolución de Buenos Aires; ArgentinaFil: O'farrell, Ines. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Ecología, Genética y Evolución de Buenos Aires. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Ecología, Genética y Evolución de Buenos Aires; ArgentinaFil: Marinone, María Cristina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Departamento de Biodiversidad y Biología Experimental; Argentina. Asociación Ornitológica del Plata; ArgentinaFil: Roesler, Carlos Ignacio. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Ecología, Genética y Evolución de Buenos Aires. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Ecología, Genética y Evolución de Buenos Aires; ArgentinaFil: Dieguez, Maria del Carmen. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Patagonia Norte. Instituto de Investigaciones en Biodiversidad y Medioambiente. Universidad Nacional del Comahue. Centro Regional Universidad Bariloche. Instituto de Investigaciones en Biodiversidad y Medioambiente; Argentina. Universidad Nacional del Comahue. Centro Regional Universitario Bariloche. Laboratorio de Fotobiología; Argentin

Pregnant women's perspectives about maternal immunization in Latin America

Background: Maternal immunization rates and vaccine uptake in Latin America vary from country to country. This variability stems from factors related to pregnant women, vaccine recommendations from healthcare providers and the health system. The aim of this paper is to describe women's knowledge and attitudes to maternal immunziation, and barriers to access and vaccination related decision-making processes in Latin American countries. Methods: We conducted focus group discussions (FGD) with pregnant women in five middle-income countries: Argentina, Brazil, Honduras, Mexico and Peru, between July 2016 and July 2018. The FGDs were conducted by trained qualitative researchers in diverse clinics located in the capital cities of these countries. Results: A total of 162 pregnant women participated in the FGDs. In general, participants were aware of the recommendation to receive vaccines during pregnancy but lacked knowledge regarding the diseases prevented by these vaccines. Pregnant women expressed a desire for clearer and more detailed communication on maternal vaccines by their healthcare professionals instead of relying on other sources of information such as the internet. Overall, participants had positive attitudes towards maternal immunization and were open to receiving vaccines in pregnancy based on general trust they have in recommendations made by their healthcare providers. The main obstacles pregnant women said they encounter were mainly centered around their clinical experience: long waiting times, vaccine shortages, and impolite behavior of healthcare providers or clinical staff. Conclusion: Important advances have been made in Latin America to promote maternal immunization. Results from this study show that an important aspect that remains to be addressed, and is crucial in improving vaccine uptake in pregnancy, is women's clinical experience. We recommend pregnant women to be treated as a priority population for providing immunization and related healthcare education. It is imperative to train healthcare providers in health communication so they can effectively communicate with pregnant women regarding maternal vaccines and can fill knowledge gaps that otherwise might be covered by unreliable sources dispensing inaccurate information.Fil: Fauzia Malik, A.. University of Yale. School of Medicine; Estados UnidosFil: Belizan, María. Instituto de Efectividad Clínica y Sanitaria; ArgentinaFil: Gutierrez, Mariana. University of Emory; Estados UnidosFil: Vilajeliu, Alba. Pan American Health Organization; Estados UnidosFil: Sanclemente, Lauren N.. University of Emory; Estados UnidosFil: Gonzalez Casanova, Ines. Indiana University; Estados Unidos. University of Emory; Estados UnidosFil: Jones, Daniel Eduardo. Instituto de Efectividad Clínica y Sanitaria; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Omer, Saad. University of Yale; Estados Unidos. University of Yale. School of Medicine; Estados UnidosFil: Maria Ropero, Alba. Pan American Health Organization; Estados UnidosFil: Alonso, Juan Pedro. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Instituto de Efectividad Clínica y Sanitaria; Argentin

Health care providers perspectives about maternal immunization in Latin America

Background: Antenatal care providers have a key role in providing appropriate information and immunization recommendations to improve pregnant women's vaccine uptake. The objective of this study is to describe health care providers' perspectives and experience regarding the implementation of maternal immunization programs in Latin America. Methods: We conducted 33 in-depth interviews of health care providers from Argentina, Brazil, Honduras, Mexico, and Peru (6–7 per country). Qualitative data analysis was conducted using a combination of both manual techniques and the computer software program NVivo. We identified and coded main themes related to maternal immunization. Results: The main themes identified in this analysis were practices related to maternal immunization, knowledge and training, resource availability and interactions with pregnant women. Healthcare providers knew that recommendations exists but some did not know their content; they expressed concerns about insufficient training. Providers from all five countries expressed the need for additional human resources and supplies. They also expressed a desire for women to be more proactive and ask more questions during the health visits. Conclusion: This is the first multi-country study assessing the perspectives of health care providers about maternal immunization practices at the facility level in Latin America. Recommendations based on the results from this study include implementing additional trainings around maternal immunization, especially targeting obstetricians and midwives. These trainings should be conducted in coordination with improvements to supply chain and other structural issues.Fil: Malik, Fauzia A.. University of Yale; Estados UnidosFil: Alonso, Juan Pedro. Instituto de Efectividad Clínica y Sanitaria; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Sanclemente, Lauren N.. University of Emory; Estados UnidosFil: Vilajeliu, Alba. Organización Panamericana de la Salud; Estados UnidosFil: Gutierrez, Mariana. University of Emory; Estados UnidosFil: Gonzalez Casanova, Ines. University of Emory; Estados Unidos. Indiana University; Estados UnidosFil: Jones, Daniel Eduardo. Instituto de Efectividad Clínica y Sanitaria; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Omer, Saad. University of Yale; Estados UnidosFil: Ropero, Alba-Maria. Organización Panamericana de la Salud; Estados UnidosFil: Belizán, María Melina Eleonora. Instituto de Efectividad Clínica y Sanitaria; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentin