Five ways of being a schoolteacher / Cinco formas de ser maestro/a de escuela

This exploratory study consists of a description of the five schoolteachers' identities that showed five different configurations of teacher's I-positions. Thirty-one participants were interviewed via a written survey, and data were analysed using qualitative and quantitative procedures. The findings revealed thirty I-positions held by the teachers, classified into nine broader institutional positions. Additionally, five broad categories of "ways of being" a school teacher were identified and labelled as follows: (1) teachers engaged mainly in instruction and collaboration with colleagues; (2) teachers engaged mainly in instruction and building a relationship with families; (3) teachers engaged mainly in instruction, improving educational practice, and collaboration with colleagues; (4) teachers engaged mainly in education and instruction, improving educational practice, collaborating with colleagues, and building a relation-ship with families; and (5) teachers engaged mainly in instruction, improving educational practice, collaboration with colleagues, building a relationship with families, and collabora-tion in the management of the school

Este estudio exploratorio describe cinco identidades de maestros de escuela con cinco configuraciones diferentes de I-posiciones. Treinta y un participantes fueron entrevistados a través de una entrevista escrita, y los datos se analizaron mediante procedimientos cualitativos y cuantitativos. Los resultados revelaron treinta tipos de I-posiciones, clasificadas en nueve posiciones institucionales. Además, se identificaron cinco categorías de "formas de ser" maestro de escuela, denominadas de la siguiente forma: (1) Dedicados principalmente a la instrucción y colaboración con colegas; (2) Dedicados principalmente a la instrucción y la relación con las familias; (3) Dedicados principalmente a la instrucción, la mejora de la práctica y la colaboración con colegas; (4) Dedicados principalmente a la educación y la instrucción, la mejora de la práctica, la colaboración con colegas y la relación con las familias; y (5) Dedicados principalmente a la instrucción, la mejora de la práctica, la colaboración con colegas, la relación con las familias y la gestión de la escuela

Gender Differences in Risk Factors for Stice's Bulimia in a Non-Clinical Sample.

Some females are at an increased risk of developing bulimia. However, etiological factors and their interplay remain controversial. The present study analyzed Sticefe Model for eating disorders in a non-clinical population by examining gender differences with respect to the following risk factors: body mass index (BMI), body dissatisfaction, perceived social pressure to be thin, body-thin internalization, and dieting behavior. A sample of 162 American college students (64 males and 91 females) was surveyed, and validated scales were used. The Sticey model was tested using Structural Equation Modeling. Our results supported Stice r Dual Pathway Model of bulimic pathology for females but not for males. Females reported significantly higher body dissatisfaction, perceived pressure to be thin and weight-loss oriented behaviors than males (p .05), a key predictor of body dissatisfaction (r = .33; p .05) although their BMI was significantly lower than males (d = 0,51). The results of this study fail to support the role of BMI as a predictor of dietary restraint in females, the main risk factor of eating disorders. Males may abstain from dietary restraint to gain muscular volume and in turn increase their BMI. Implications are discussed.

Gender differences in risk factors for stice's bulimia in a non-clinical sample

Some females are at an increased risk of developing bulimia. However, etiological factors and their interplay remain controversial. The present study analyzed Sticefe Model for eating disorders in a non-clinical population by examining gender differences with respect to the following risk factors: body mass index (BMI), body dissatisfaction, perceived social pressure to be thin, body-thin internalization, and dieting behavior. A sample of 162 American college students (64 males and 91 females) was surveyed, and validated scales were used. The Sticey model was tested using Structural Equation Modeling. Our results supported Stice r Dual Pathway Model of bulimic pathology for females but not for males. Females reported significantly higher body dissatisfaction, perceived pressure to be thin and weight-loss oriented behaviors than males (p < .05), but no gender differences were found in their degree of body thin internalization (p > .05), a key predictor of body dissatisfaction (r = .33; p < .01). Participants with higher BMI reported greater social pressure to be thin than those with lower BMI (p < .05). However, females engaged in dietary restraint, the main risk factor for eating disorders, regardless of their BMI (p > .05) although their BMI was significantly lower than males (d = 0,51). The results of this study fail to support the role of BMI as a predictor of dietary restraint in females, the main risk factor of eating disorders. Males may abstain from dietary restraint to gain muscular volume and in turn increase their BMI. Implications are discussed (AU)

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Experimental evidence for improved neuroimaging interpretation using three-dimensional graphic models.

Three-dimensional (3D) or volumetric visualization is a useful resource for learning about the anatomy of the human brain. However, the effectiveness of 3D spatial visualization has not yet been assessed systematically. This report analyzes whether 3D volumetric visualization helps learners to identify and locate subcortical structures more precisely than classical cross-sectional images based on a two dimensional (2D) approach. Eighty participants were assigned to each experimental condition: 2D cross-sectional visualization vs. 3D volumetric visualization. Both groups were matched for age, gender, visual-spatial ability, and previous knowledge of neuroanatomy. Accuracy in identifying brain structures, execution time, and level of confidence in the response were taken as outcome measures. Moreover, interactive effects between the experimental conditions (2D vs. 3D) and factors such as level of competence (novice vs. expert), image modality (morphological and functional), and difficulty of the structures were analyzed. The percentage of correct answers (hit rate) and level of confidence in responses were significantly higher in the 3D visualization condition than in the 2D. In addition, the response time was significantly lower for the 3D visualization condition in comparison with the 2D. The interaction between the experimental condition (2D vs. 3D) and difficulty was significant, and the 3D condition facilitated the location of difficult images more than the 2D condition. 3D volumetric visualization helps to identify brain structures such as the hippocampus and amygdala, more accurately and rapidly than conventional 2D visualization. This paper discusses the implications of these results with regards to the learning process involved in neuroimaging interpretation.

Percepción de autoeficacia en el afrontamiento de los problemas y su contribución en la satisfacción vital de las personas muy mayores / Perception of self-efficacy in coping with problems and its contribution to life satisfaction in very old people

Introducción y objetivos: la autoeficacia hace referencia a las creencias personales sobre la capacidad de organizar y comprometerse en acciones particulares para manejar una determinada situación. Dentro de un estudio más amplio sobre calidad de vida, hemos intentado conocer cómo es la percepción de autoeficacia en el manejo de los problemas y su contribución como modulador del estrés en la vejez avanzada. Sujetos y método: participaron 400 personas (75-104 años) no institucionalizadas de Salamanca. Medimos la percepción de autoeficacia presente y futura, además de variables sociodemográficas y de satisfacción con la vida (satisfaction with life scale; Diener et al, 1985). Resultados: la mayoría de las personas mayores de 75 años percibe como efectivo su manejo de los problemas actuales y futuros. Aparecen diferencias de edad (los de 75-84 años consideran su capacidad de afrontamiento presente y futura más efectiva que los mayores de 85 años) y de sexo (las mujeres muy mayores se perciben menos autoeficaces que los varones muy mayores). La percepción de autoeficacia futura predice la satisfacción vital de las personas muy mayores. Conclusiones: percibirse como autoeficaces en el manejo de los problemas futuros protege el bienestar de las personas muy mayores. Se comprueba el papel de la autoeficacia en el mantenimiento de la resistencia psicológica en la vejez avanzada

Introduction and objectives: self-efficacy refers to a personal belief in one's ability to organize and commit oneself to specific actions for dealing with a concrete situation. As part of a broader study on quality of life, we aimed to further our understanding of perception of self-efficacy in dealing with problems and its role as a stress modulator in advanced old age. Subjects and method: the study included 400 very elderly persons aged between 75 and 104 years from the city of Salamanca (Spain) who were residing in the community. We measured present and future perception of self-efficacy, sociodemographic variables and satisfaction with life --satisfaction with life scale-- (Diener et al, 1985). Results: most of those aged over 75 years perceived their handling of current and future problems to be effective. Differences were found according to age (those aged between 75 and 84 considered their present and future ability to cope to be more effective than those aged over 85) and according to gender (very old women perceived themselves to be less self-effective than very old men). The perception of future self-efficacy predicted satisfaction with life in very old people. Conclusions: the perception of self-efficacy in the handling of future problems protects the personal well-being of very old people. The results of the present study verify the role of self-efficacy in the maintenance of psychological resilience in advanced old age

Resveratrol inhibits gentamicin-induced mesangial cell contraction.

Gentamicin is an aminoglycoside antibiotic that is very effective in treating different gram negative infections, however, one of its main side effects is nephrotoxicity. Gentamicin-induced decreases in glomerular filtration rate could be mediated by mesangial cell contraction. Resveratrol, a natural hydroxystilbene, has been identified to be a potent antioxidant with many biological activities including protection against kidney diseases. As we have previously demonstrated that gentamicin induced a reduction of planar surface area of cultured rat mesangial cells, and that resveratrol has a protective effect on gentamicin-induced nephrotoxicity in vivo, the aim of this study was to investigate the effect of resveratrol on gentamicin-induced mesangial cell contraction. This study demonstrates that the contractile effect of gentamicin on mesangial cells can be prevented by incubation with resveratrol at an optimal dose of 10 microM, as it blunted the gentamicin-induced reduction in planar cell surface area and the number of contracted cells. Besides, the preincubation with 10(-5)M diphenylene iodinium (DPI), an inhibitor of the NADP(H) oxidase, also blunted gentamicin-induced cell contraction. This preventive effect was higher when cells were incubated with both substances together. These results strongly suggest that the protective effect resveratrol against gentamicin-induced reduction in renal function in vivo could be mediated by inhibiting gentamicin-induced mesangial cells contraction.