Costs and Benefits of Undergraduates Revealing Depression to Online Science Instructors.

Depression is one of the leading mental health concerns among science undergraduates, and rates of student depression increased during the COVID-19 pandemic. Revealing one's depression in an academic science environment can be helpful, because it can result in increased support from others. However, depression is considered a concealable stigmatized identity, meaning that it can be kept hidden and may carry a stigma. A national pivot to online learning owing to COVID-19 not only increased the need to bolster student mental health, but also presented a novel learning environment. However, it is unclear to what extent students revealed their depression in science courses and why. We surveyed 1179 undergraduates with depression at a research-intensive institution about whether they had revealed their depression to an online college science instructor. Very few undergraduates (5.9%) had revealed their depression to online science instructors; students who identify as LGBTQ+, have lower grade point averages, or experience more severe depression were more likely to reveal their depression to an instructor. Undergraduates reported potential benefits from doing so, including building a connection with the instructor and receiving accommodations. This work provides insight into steps science instructors can take to foster inclusive course environments for students with depression.

Aspects of Large-Enrollment Online College Science Courses That Exacerbate and Alleviate Student Anxiety.

Anxiety is the top mental health concern for undergraduates. While researchers have identified ways that in-person science courses can affect anxiety, little is known about how online science courses affect anxiety. In this study, 2111 undergraduates at a large research-intensive institution completed survey questions about their anxiety in large-enrollment online science courses. Specifically, we assessed students' anxiety in the context of online science courses and asked what aspects of online science courses increase and decrease their anxiety. Students also identified what instructors can do to lessen anxiety in online classrooms. We used open coding and logistic regression to analyze student responses. More than 50% of students reported at least moderate anxiety in the context of online college science courses. Students commonly reported that the potential for personal technology issues (69.8%) and proctored exams (68.0%) increased their anxiety, while being able to access content at a later time (79.0%) and attending class from where they want (74.2%) decreased their anxiety. The most common ways that students suggested that instructors could decrease student anxiety is to increase test-taking flexibility (25.0%) and be understanding (23.1%). This study provides insight into how instructors can create more inclusive online learning environments for students with anxiety.

An Exploration across Institution Types of Undergraduate Life Sciences Student Decisions to Stay in or Leave an Academic-Year Research Experience.

Undergraduate research is one of the most valuable activities an undergraduate can engage in because of its benefits, and studies have shown that longer experiences are more beneficial. However, prior research has illuminated that undergraduates encounter challenges that may cause them to exit research prematurely. These studies have been almost exclusively conducted at research-intensive (R1) institutions, and it is unclear whether such challenges are generalizable to other institution types. To address this, we extended a study previously conducted at public R1 institutions. In the current study, we analyze data from 1262 students across 25 public R1s, 12 private R1s, 30 master's-granting institutions, and 20 primarily undergraduate institutions (PUIs) to assess 1) to what extent institution type predicts students' decisions to persist in undergraduate research and 2) what factors affect students' decisions to either stay in or consider leaving their undergraduate research experiences (UREs) at different institution types. We found students at public R1s are more likely to leave their UREs compared with students at master's-granting institutions and PUIs. However, there are few differences in why students enrolled at different institution types consider leaving or choose to stay in their UREs. This work highlights the importance of studying undergraduate research across institutions.

Factors that predict life sciences student persistence in undergraduate research experiences.

Undergraduate research experiences (UREs) have the potential to benefit undergraduates and longer UREs have been shown to lead to greater benefits for students. However, no studies have examined what causes students to stay in or consider leaving their UREs. In this study, we examined what factors cause students to stay in their UREs, what factors cause students to consider leaving their UREs, and what factors cause students to leave their UREs. We sampled from 25 research-intensive (R1) public universities across the United States and surveyed 768 life sciences undergraduates who were currently participating in or had previously participated in a URE. Students answered closed-ended and open-ended questions about factors that they perceived influenced their persistence in UREs. We used logistic regression to explore to what extent student demographics predicted what factors influenced students to stay in or consider leaving their UREs. We applied open-coding methods to probe the student-reported reasons why students chose to stay in and leave their UREs. Fifty percent of survey respondents considered leaving their URE, and 53.1% of those students actually left their URE. Students who reported having a positive lab environment and students who indicated enjoying their everyday research tasks were more likely to not consider leaving their UREs. In contrast, students who reported a negative lab environment or that they were not gaining important knowledge or skills were more likely to leave their UREs. Further, we identified that gender, race/ethnicity, college generation status, and GPA predicted which factors influenced students' decisions to persist in their UREs. This research provides important insight into how research mentors can create UREs that undergraduates are willing and able to participate in for as long as possible.

Biomimetic Mineralization of the Alginate/Gelatin/Calcium Oxalate Matrix for Immobilization of Pectinase: Influence of Matrix on the Pectinolytic Activity.

Pectinases catalyze the degradation of pectic substances and are used in several processes, mainly in food and textile industries. In this study, a biomimetic matrix of alginate/gelatin/calcium oxalate (AGOCa) was synthesized for the in situ immobilization via encapsulation of crude pectinase from Aspergillus niger ATCC 9642, obtaining an immobilization efficiency of about 61.7 %. To determine the performance of AGOCa matrix, this was compared to control matrices of alginate/calcium oxalate (AOxal) and alginate/water (ACa). By the evaluation of pH and temperature effects on the enzyme activity, it was observed an increase on pectinolytic activity for both three tested matrices with an increase on pH and temperature. The kinetic parameters for pectinase immobilized in the three matrices were determined using citric pectin as substrate. Values of K m of 0.003, 0.0013, and 0.0022 g mL(-1) and V max of 3.85, 4.32, and 3.17 µmol min(-1) g(-1) for AGOCa, AOxal, and ACa matrices were obtained, respectively. After 33 days of storage, the pectinase immobilized in the three different matrices kept its initial activity, but that immobilized in AGOCa presented high stability to the storage with a relative activity of about 160 %. The enzyme immobilized in AGOCa, AOxal, and ACa could be used in 10, 8, and 7 cycles, respectively, keeping 40 % of its initial activity.

Modeling and simulation of fructooligosaccharides synthesis in a batch basket reactor.

Fructooligosaccharides (FOS) production was carried out in a batch basket reactor with immobilized fructosyltransferase from Rhodotorula sp. from 500×10(3) g m(-3) of sucrose in 50 mM sodium acetate buffer at pH 6.0, 48 °C at 85 rpm and with an activity of 22.44×10(3) U m(-3). The experimental data were well adjusted to the mathematical model for FOS production using SIMULINK(®) (MATLAB(®)). The highest regression coefficient (R(2)>90%) and the lowest percentual residual standard deviation (%RSD<4.0) and chi-square (χ(2) <1.0) were obtained for sucrose (GF), kestose (GF2) and total FOS. The mass transfer coefficient (kL) was determined as 5.6×10(-5) m h(-1) and the diffusivity (DS) was 2.11×10(-11) m(2) s(-1). The best predicted FOS yield (after 96 h) was 60.62%, with an equivalent productivity of 3.16×10(3) g m(-3) h(-1). These results reaffirm the good potential of this enzyme for industrial application and, in addition, are in conformation to other studies conducted with the same enzyme from the same and different microbial sources.

Algunos factores de riesgo asociados a la mortalidad neonatal en el Hospital Central de Maracay, 2012 / Some risk factors associated with neonatal mortality in the Hospital Central of Maracay, 2012

El propósito de esta investigación fue analizar algunos factores de riesgo asociados a la mortalidad neonatal ocurrida en el Hospital Central de Maracay estado Aragua - Venezuela, durante el año 2012. Para lograr este propósito se realizó un estudio epidemiológico de casos y controles (no pareados), incluyó 70 historias clínicas de recién nacidos fallecidos (casos) y 140 de recién nacidos vivos que no fallecieron durante el lapso de estudio (controles) de Enero a Diciembre del 2012. Para el análisis estadístico se utilizó la prueba de X² o prueba exacta de Fisher, la razón de productos cruzados y límites de confianza al 95%. Resultados: los factores de riesgo estadísticamente significativos fueron: edad materna de 31 - 36 años, educación primaria completa, estado civil casada y unión estable, ocupación del hogar; mal control prenatal, peso del recién nacido menor de 2499 g., edad gestacional pretérmino, APGAR (depresión moderada y severa), relación peso/edad gestacional pequeño para edad gestacional, presentación podálica, patologías del recién nacido, condiciones al nacer (malas) y presencia de complicaciones. Conclusión: Se debe dar a conocer la información de los factores asociados a muertes neonatales que ocurran en el país por territorio social a los actores sociales y políticos para la toma de decisiones eficaces, eficientes y oportunas para disminuir las muertes neonatales.

The objective of this research was to analyze risk factors associated with neonatal mortality occurred in the Central Hospital of Maracay Aragua - Venezuela, during the year 2012. In order to achieve this aim a epidemiological study case was conducted and controls (unpaired), included 70 case histories of newborn deaths (cases) and 140 live births that did not die during the study period (controls) from January to December 2012. the statistical analysis test was used X² or Fisher exact test, the reason of sired products and range of confidence at 95%. Results: Statistically significant risk factors were: maternal age of 31-36 years complete primary education, married and stable union, home occupation; poor prenatal care, birth weight less than 2499 g., preterm gestational age, APGAR (moderate and severe depression), weight / small for gestational age gestational age, breech presentation, newborn diseases, conditions at birth (bad) and the presence of complications. Conclusion: Whereby information should still be disclosed about factors associated with neonatal deaths occur at home by social territory to the social and political actors forma king effective, efficient and timely decisions to reduce neonatal deaths.

Synthesis of a hybrid polymer-inorganic biomimetic support incorporating in situ pectinase from Aspergillus niger ATCC 9642.

The hybrid alginate/gelatin/calcium oxalate (AGOCa) support was successfully synthesized through the biomimetic mineralization method for immobilization in situ of a pectinolytic extract from Aspergillus niger ATCC 9642 via entrapment technique. The efficiency of immobilization reached 72.7%. Sodium oxalate buffer (100 mM, pH 5.5) was selected as adjuvant of the immobilization process by allowing the formation of a calcified shell around the calcium alginate capsule, significantly increasing the stability to storage, thermal and recycling of the enzymatic immobilized pectinolytic extract. The pH and temperature for maximum activity were from 5.0 to 6.0 and 60 to 80 °C, respectively. The new hybrid support can be a potential alternative to obtain immobilized pectinases with properties for advantageous industrial applications.

Efecto del maneoo agroecológico y convencional obre la fluctuación de babosa een cultivos de lechuga en tenjo cunDiammarca / Effecs of agroeccological and conventonal handling in slug populatioons in lettuce in tenjo cunDinamarca

En una finca ecológica (FE) y una convencional (FC) se comparó el comportamiento de poblaciones de babosas y su relación con algunos carábidos predadores, la presencia de arvenses, prácticas agrícolas y la productividad de cuatro variedades de lechuga (Lactuca sativa. L.). Semanalmente se realizaron capturas de babosas, conteos de nivel de daño, altura y número de hojas en 10 plantas. Se recolectaron arvenses y coleópteros en las dos fincas. Los conteos totales de babosas en la FE fueron estadísticamente superiores. Se colectaron cuatro especies (Deroceras. reticulatum, Milax gagates, Deroceras. laeve y Limax. maximux) frente a dos encontradas en FC. Con excepción de la variedad "Morada Lisa", no se encontraron diferencias significativas en el nivel de daño en las otras variedades entre las dos fincas, pero sí en la variable peso seco de FE. En FE se presentaron 5 especies de carábidos y 25 de arvenses frente a ninguna y 6 en FC, respectivamente. Los datos anteriores se explican en función de las prácticas agronómicas de cada sistema de manejo.

In an organic (FE) and a conventional (FC) farm system the population behavior of slugs and their relationship with some carabids predators was compared, as well as, the presence of weeds, agricultural practices and productivity of four varieties of lettuce. Weekly catches of slugs were made and the damage level, height and the number of leaves in ten plants was measured. Weeds and carabids were collected in both farms. The total number of slugs in the FE was statistically higher and four species (D. reticulatum, Milax gagates, D. and L. laev maximux) were collected compared with two found in FC. With the exception of the variety "Morada Lisa", there were no significant differences in the level of damage in the other varieties between the two farms. There were significant differences in the dry weight variable in favour of the organic farm. In FE, 5 carabids species and 25 weeds were presented compared to none in FC and 6, respectively. The data above are explained in terms of the agronomic practices of each management system.