Academic success, engagement and self-efficacy of first-year university students:personal variables and first-semester performance / Éxito académico, compromiso y autoeficacia de los estudiantes universitarios de primer año: variables personales y desempeño del primer semestre

La educación superior puede ser extremadamente transformadora para los estudiantes y tiene un papel importante en la formación del capital humano, en la innovación y en el desarrollo social, cultural y ambiental de la sociedad. La expansión de la educación superior promovió el acceso de una mezcla de estudiantes más heterogénea, pero garantizar el acceso no garantiza el éxito académico. Este artículo tiene como objetivo analizar los predictores de desempeño académico en 447 estudiantes de primer año en el 1er y 2do semestre, considerando variables como sexo, edad, nivel educativo de los padres y calificaciones al ingresar a la educación superior, junto con los niveles de compromiso académico e autoeficacia de los estudiantes tras algunas semanas en la universidad. Los resultados muestran trayectorias estadísticamente significativas para sexo, edad y GPA hasta el desempeño del primer semestre, para los niveles educativos de los padres hasta la autoeficacia percibida, para la implicación académica de los estudiantes hasta el desempeño del primer semestre y el desempeño del primer semestre hasta el desempeño del segundo semestre La participación académica de los estudiantes también tuvo un efecto indirecto en el desempeño del segundo semestre. La correlación entre compromiso académica y autoeficacia fue positiva, fuerte y estadísticamente significativa. El modelo explicó el 35.2% de la varianza del rendimiento académico en el segundo semestre y el 15.0% de la varianza del rendimiento académico en el primer semestre. El conocimiento sobre los predictores del rendimiento académico y la importancia del compromiso y la autoeficacia respaldará las intervenciones oportunas, promoviendo el éxito y previniendo el fracaso y el abandono.(AU)

Higher education can be hugely transformative for students and has an important role in empowering human capital, innovation, and socie-ty’s social, cultural, and environmental development. The expansion of higher education has promoted access for a more heterogeneous mix of students, but ensuring access does not guarantee academic success. This paper aims to analyse predictors of academic achievement in 447 first-year students in their 1stand 2ndsemesters, considering variables including sex, age, parents’ educational level and grades on entering higher education, along with levels of students’ academic engagement and self-efficacy after some weeks at university. Results show statistically significant paths for sex, age, and GPA to 1st-semester achievement, for parent’s educational levels to perceived self-efficacy, for students’ academic engagement to 1st-semester achievement, and 1st-semester achievement to 2nd-semester achievement. Students’ academic engagement also had an indirect effect on the 2nd-semester achievement. The correlation between academic engage-ment and self-efficacy was positive, strong, and statistically significant. The model explained 35.2% of the variance in 2nd-semester achievement and 15.0% of the variance in 1st-semester achievement. Knowledge about pre-dictors of academic achievement and the importance of engagement and self-efficacy will support timely interventions, promoting success and pre-venting failure and dropout.(AU)

Breaking barriers in Candida spp. detection with Electronic Noses and artificial intelligence.

The timely and accurate diagnosis of candidemia, a severe bloodstream infection caused by Candida spp., remains challenging in clinical practice. Blood culture, the current gold standard technique, suffers from lengthy turnaround times and limited sensitivity. To address these limitations, we propose a novel approach utilizing an Electronic Nose (E-nose) combined with Time Series-based classification techniques to analyze and identify Candida spp. rapidly, using culture species of C. albicans, C.kodamaea ohmeri, C. glabrara, C. haemulonii, C. parapsilosis and C. krusei as control samples. This innovative method not only enhances diagnostic accuracy and reduces decision time for healthcare professionals in selecting appropriate treatments but also offers the potential for expanded usage and cost reduction due to the E-nose's low production costs. Our proof-of-concept experimental results, carried out with culture samples, demonstrate promising outcomes, with the Inception Time classifier achieving an impressive average accuracy of 97.46% during the test phase. This paper presents a groundbreaking advancement in the field, empowering medical practitioners with an efficient and reliable tool for early and precise identification of candidemia, ultimately leading to improved patient outcomes.

Indicadores del éxito académico en la educación universitaria: análisis naturaleza de los cursos / Indicadores do sucesso acadêmico na educação superior: análise segundo natureza dos cursos / Indicators of academic success in higher education: analysis in function of courses nature

O sucesso acadêmico na Educação Superior é um construto multidimensional, influenciado por diferentes variáveis da trajetória estudantil. Assim, analisamos o rendimento acadêmico (CRE) de estudantes ingressantes da ES, tomando variáveis pessoais/sociais, adaptativas e relacionadas à aprendizagem, diferenciando as análises de acordo com a natureza dos cursos. Participaram 715 estudantes (M = 22.10 anos, DP = 6.92), oriundos de 26 cursos superiores do Instituto Federal da Paraíba (Brasil), cujos dados foram coletados de forma documental e usando um questionário aplicado online. Os resultados apontam que o conjunto das variáveis do estudo explicam 89% do CRE de estudantes do bacharelado, 85% da licenciatura e 84% do rendimento de cursos tecnológicos, com destaque para as variáveis renda familiar, opção na escolha do curso, contato extraclasse com professor e atividades extracurriculares, faltas e disciplinas aprovadas versus disciplinas cursadas. Apontam-se implicações desses resultados para futuras intervenções com foco no sucesso acadêmico e conclusão dos cursos.

El éxito académico en la Educación Universitaria es un constructo multidimensional, influenciado por distintas variables de la trayectoria estudiantil. Así, analizamos el rendimiento académico (CRE) de estudiantes ingresantes de la ES, tomando variables personales/sociales, adaptativas y relacionadas al aprendizaje, diferenciando los análisis de acuerdo con la naturaleza de los cursos. Participaron 715 estudiantes (M = 22.10 años, DP = 6.92), provenientes de 26 cursos universitarios del Instituto Federal de Paraíba (Brasil), cuyos datos se recolectaron de forma documental y utilizando un cuestionario aplicado online. Los resultados apuntan que el conjunto de las variables del estudio explica el 89% del CRE de estudiantes de bachillerato, el 85% da licenciatura y el 84% del rendimiento de cursos tecnológicos, con destaque para las variables renta familiar, opción en la escoja del curso, contacto extra-aula con profesor y actividades extracurriculares, faltas y asignaturas aprobadas versus asignaturas cursadas. Se apuntan implicaciones de estos resultados para futuras intervenciones con enfoque en el éxito académico y conclusión de los cursos.

Academic success in Higher Education is a multidimensional construct, influenced by different variables in the student trajectory. Thus, we assessed the academic performance (CRE) of incoming Higher Education students, taking personal/social, adaptive, and learning-related variables, differentiating the analysis according to the nature of the courses. In this way, 715 students participated (age: M = 22.10 years, SD = 6.92), from 26 Higher Education courses at a Federal Institute of Paraíba (Brazil), whose data were collected in a documentary form and using an online questionnaire. The results indicate that the set of variables in the study explain 89% of the CRE of bachelor students, 85% of undergraduate students, and 84% of the performance of technological courses, with the following variables: emphasis on family income, option in choosing the course, extra-class contact with teacher and extracurricular activities, absences and discipline approvals versus completed disciplines. Implications of these results are highlighted for future interventions focusing on academic success and course completion.

Ruthenium-Picolylamine-Incorporated Mixed-Linker MOFs: Highly Active Heterogeneous Catalysts for Olefin and Aldehyde Hydrogenation.

The selective hydrogenation of aldehydes and olefins plays a crucial role in the synthesis of various industrial products. Immobilizing noble metal catalysts on solid supports has been pursued to overcome the challenges associated with catalyst separation and recovery. In this study, we explore the use of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) as supports for the immobilization of molecular ruthenium catalysts in the hydrogenation of olefins and aldehydes. We designed a mixed-linker MOF by incorporating the picolylamine moiety, which is a ligand known for its excellent catalytic activity. The ruthenium catalysts were prepared via a simple metal-ligand coordination process without the need for additional treatments. The resulting catalysts exhibit high catalytic activity and a uniform distribution of ruthenium sites on the MOF crystals. The choice of ruthenium precursor has a significant influence on the catalytic performance, with even lower metal content resulting in higher activity. The catalysts achieve high conversion rates and selectivities in the hydrogenation of various olefins. However, in the hydrogenation of aldehydes, due to the harsher conditions required, the formation of small nanoparticles is observed after the reaction. Overall, our findings highlight the potential of picolylamine-modified MOFs as effective supports for the development of highly active heterogeneous catalysts for selective hydrogenation reactions.

Assessing higher education students' critical thinking with the PENCRISAL test - Portuguese short version: a psychometric study.

The development of critical thinking in higher education is fundamental, preparing students to think well, find explanations, make decisions and solve problems. Given the importance of its promotion, its assessment is crucial, since the two are inseparable. Moreover, the number of instruments that are validated to assess critical thinking in the Portuguese language and culture are scarce. We present the validation psychometric study of the PENCRISAL test (short version) to the Portuguese language, a critical thinking assessment test for higher education students, designed and validated in Spain (full and short version), which presents adequate reliability and validity psychometric characteristics to assess key-dimensions of critical thinking. A sample of 225 Portuguese higher education students from three universities (two public and one private) performed a reduced version of the PANCRISAL test. The results obtained allowed replicating the Spanish reduced version in Portugal (only changing one of the six items), and the confirmatory factorial analysis permits to identify two factors intercorrelated, legitimizing the combination of the six items in a global score. This short version can be used as a screening test, and its potential is pointed out to assess students critical thinking to support teaching and research in higher education.

Multi-center Integrating Radiomics, Structured Reports, and Machine Learning Algorithms for Assisted Classification of COVID-19 in Lung Computed Tomography.

Purpose: To evaluate the classification performance of structured report features, radiomics, and machine learning (ML) models to differentiate between Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) and other types of pneumonia using chest computed tomography (CT) scans. Methods: Sixty-four COVID-19 subjects and 64 subjects with non-COVID-19 pneumonia were selected. The data was split into two independent cohorts: one for the structured report, radiomic feature selection and model building (n = 73), and another for model validation (n = 55). Physicians performed readings with and without machine learning support. The model's sensitivity and specificity were calculated, and inter-rater reliability was assessed using Cohen's Kappa agreement coefficient. Results: Physicians performed with mean sensitivity and specificity of 83.4 and 64.3%, respectively. When assisted with machine learning, the mean sensitivity and specificity increased to 87.1 and 91.1%, respectively. In addition, machine learning improved the inter-rater reliability from moderate to substantial. Conclusion: Integrating structured reports and radiomics promises assisted classification of COVID-19 in CT chest scans.

Spatial characterization of factors inherent in the microendemism of the dwarf pequi tree (Caryocar brasiliense subsp. intermedium (Wittm.) PRANCE & M. F. Silva).

The dwarf pequi tree, Caryocar brasiliense subsp. intermedium, is extremely restricted to ecological niches in the Cerrado biome. Thus, understanding the conditioning factors of the micro-endemism of this sub-species through its spatial distribution and the physical-chemical attributes of the soil was the objective of this research. The research was carried out in a fragment of rupestrian field. The area was divided into quadrants in which the number of pequi trees was quantified and the physicochemical characteristics of the soil were determined. The modeling of semivariograms was performed using semivariances, and ordinary kriging was used for spatial interpolation of variables with spatial dependence. The number of pequi trees, the altitude, the remaining phosphorus and the humidity showed a strong degree of spatial dependence, unlike the pH, the calcium and the magnesium, all of which had a pure nugget effect. The other variables showed a moderate degree of spatial dependence. The greater availability of bases (SB > 0.1 cmolc dm-3) and phosphorus (> 1.05 mg dm-3), the reduced percentage of moisture (< 5%) and low potential acidity (< 4.0 cmolc dm-3) were the factors positively related to the establishment and development of the dwarf pequi tree in the area.

Perceived satisfaction of university students with the use of chatbots as a tool for self-regulated learning.

Chatbots are a promising resource for giving students feedback and helping them deploy metacognitive strategies in their learning processes. In this study we worked with a sample of 57 university students, 42 undergraduate and 15 Master's degree students in Health Sciences. A mixed research methodology was applied. The quantitative study analysed the influence of the variables educational level (undergraduate vs. master's degree) and level of prior knowledge on the frequency of chatbot use (low vs. average), learning outcomes, and satisfaction with the chatbot's usefulness. In addition, we examined whether the frequency of chatbot use depended on students' metacognitive strategies. The qualitative study analysed the students' suggestions for improvement to the chatbot and the type of questions it used. The results indicated that the level of degree being studied influenced the frequency of chatbot use and learning outcomes, with Master's students exhibiting higher levels of both, but levels of prior knowledge only influenced learning outcomes. Significant differences were also found in students' perceived satisfaction with the use of the chatbot, with Master's students scoring higher, but not with respect to the level of prior knowledge. No conclusive results were found regarding frequency of chatbot use and the levels of students' metacognitive strategies. Further studies are needed to guide this research based on the students' suggestions for improvement.

Psychometric Properties of the Causal Attributions Scale for Reading Comprehension / Propiedades psicométricas de la Escala de Atribuciones Causales para la Comprensión Lectora / Propriedades psicométricas da Escala Atribuições de Causas para a Compreensão de Leitura

Causal attributions, achievement goals, and self-efficacy comprise the motivational dimension of self-regulated learning. Due to the absence of scales to assess the causal attributions of Brazilian middle school students, this study aimed to investigate the psychometric properties of the Causal Attributions Scale for Reading Com-prehension. The study involved three samples: one of the expert judges and two composed of students. Evidence of content validity was found through theo-retical and practical representativeness and the intel-ligibility of the scale items. The associations between the attributional causes and psychological dimensions proved validity based on the scale's internal structure. The effects identified in the comparisons between the scale and achievement goals, and the scale and self-efficacy indicated validity based on the relationship with other variables. This instrument can be recom-mended for use by professionals in psychology and education. We also suggest the performance of further studies with the scale.

Las atribuciones causales, los objetivos de logro y la autoeficacia constituyen la dimensión motivacional del aprendizaje autorregulado. Debido a la ausencia de escalas para evaluar las atribuciones causales de estudiantes brasileños de enseñanza fundamental, en este estudio investigamos las propiedades psicométricas de la Escala de Atribuciones Causales para la Comprensión Lectora. Este análisis involucró tres muestras: una de jueces expertos y dos formadas por estudiantes. Se encontró evidencia de validez de contenido a través de la representatividad teórica y práctica, y por medio de la inteligibilidad de los ítems de la escala. Los resultados de las asociaciones entre las causas atribucionales y las dimensiones psicológicas proporcionaron evidencia de validez basada en la estructura interna. Los efectos identificados en las comparaciones entre la escala y metas de logro, y la escala y autoeficacia, indicaron evidencia de validez basada en la relación con otras variables. Este instrumento puede ser recomendado para su uso por profesionales en psicología y educación. También se sugiere la realización de más estudios con la escala

Atribuições causais, metas de realização e autoeficácia constituem a dimensão motivacional da aprendizagem autorregulada. Devido à ausência de escalas para avaliar as atribuições causais de estudantes brasileiros do ensino fundamental, neste estudo investigamos as propriedades psicométricas da Escala Atribuições de Causas para a Compreensão de Leitura. Este estudo envolveu três amostras: uma amostra de juízes especialistas e duas amostras compostas por estudantes. Encontrouse evidência de validade de conteúdo através da represen-tatividade teórica e prática e por meio da inteligibilidade dos itens da escala. Os resultados das associações entre as causas atribuídas e as dimensões psicológicas forneceram evidências de validade com base na estru-tura interna. Os efeitos identificados nas comparações entre a escala e os objetivos de realização, e a escala e autoeficácia indicaram evidências de validade com base na relação com outras variáveis. Recomendamos que este instrumento seja utilizado por profissionais da psicologia e da educação. Outros estudos com a escala também são sugeridos.

Escala de percepções de universitários sobre os efeitos do álcool: adaptação e validação no Brasil / Scale of university students' perceptions of the effects of alcohol: adaptation and validation in Brazil / Escala de percepciones de los universitarios sobre los efectos del alcohol: adaptación y validación en Brasil

O consumo de álcool por estudantes do ensino superior tem assumido proporções preocupantes, afetando negativamente o seu envolvimento e sucesso acadêmico. Este artigo teve como objetivo descrever os procedimentos e os resultados da adaptação e validação de uma Escala de Percepções de Universitários sobre os Efeitos do Álcool para o Brasil. O instrumento foi aplicado em uma amostra de 202 estudantes brasileiros. A análise fatorial confirmatória mostrou a existência de duas dimensões, em conformidade com a versão original portuguesa, agrupando itens de percepções positivas e de percepções negativas sobre os efeitos do álcool. Foram encontrados níveis elevados de consistência interna dos itens para cada dimensão (percepções positivas α=0,80 e percepções negativas α=0,80) e índices de validade de critério, igualmente promissores à utilização da escala no Brasil

The consumption of alcoholic drinks by students of higher education has reached worrying numbers, affecting negatively their engagement and academic achievement. This article aimed to describe the procedures and results of the adaptation and validation of a Scale of University Students' Perceptions on the Effects of Alcohol Consumption in Brazil. The instrument was applied to a sample of 202 Brazilian students. Confirmatory factor analysis showed the existence of two dimensions, in accordance with the original Portuguese version, grouping items of positive and negative perceptions about the effects on the alcohol consumption. There were found high levels of internal consistency of items for each dimension (positive perceptions α=0,80 and negative perceptions α=0,80) and criteria validity indexes, equally promising for using the scale in Brazil

El consumo de alcohol entre estudiantes de Educación Superior ha adoptado proporciones preocupantes, afectando negativamente a su implicación y éxito académico. Este artículo tuvo como objetivo describir los procedimientos y resultados de la adaptación y validación de la Escala de Percepciones de Estudiantes Universitarios sobre los Efectos del Alcohol en Brasil. El instrumiento se aplicó a una muestra de 202 estudiantes brasileños. El análisis factorial confirmatorio mostró la existencia de dos dimensiones, de acuerdo con la versión original en portugués, agrupando ítems de percepciones positivas y percepciones negativas sobre los efectos del alcohol. Se encontraron altos niveles de consistencia interna de los ítems en cada dimensión (percepciones positivas α=0,80 y percepciones negativas α=0,80) e índices de validez de criterio, igualmente prometedores para el uso de la escala en Brasil

School Psychologists Practice and Profile Indicators Scale / Escala de Indicadores de Perfil e Atuação de Psicólogos Escolares

The purpose of this article is to describe the development process of a research instrument, in the format of a self-report scale, to investigate the school psychologists' profile, their competencies and professional activities indicators. It is based on the historical-cultural psychology, critical school psychology, and competence approach. Method The method used a review of evidence of theoretical and semantic validity of a scale for profile and competencies contains three guiding lines: (a) instructions and sociodemographic characterization of the participant, (b) profile and competencies of the school psychologist (40 items), and (c) school psychology practices (30 items). Several procedures were carried out for the development and validation of the instrument. The initial version was reviewed by two groups of expert judges, from Brazil and Portugal. The judges' review led to the removal of some items. The new version was submitted to pilot studies for theoretical and semantic validation. Results As a result of these validations, the most recent version of the scale was obtained for use in Brazil and Portugal. Conclusion It is expected that the instrument will contribute to the theoretical-conceptual and methodological expansion of the psychologist's profile, affecting how interventions will be carried out in educational and academic spaces from an institutional and collective perspective.

O objetivo deste artigo é descrever o processo de elaboração de um instrumento de pesquisa, no formato de uma escala de autorrelato, para levantamento de indicadores de perfil, competências e principais atividades profissionais do psicólogo escolar. O estudo está fundamentado na psicologia histórico-cultural, na psicologia escolar crítica e na abordagem de competências. Método O método utilizou uma revisão das evidências de validade teórica e semântica de uma escala para perfil e competências contendo três eixos orientadores: (a) instruções e caracterização sociodemográfica do participante, (b) perfil e competências do psicólogo escolar (40 itens) e (c) atuação em psicologia escolar (30 itens). Diversos procedimentos foram realizados para o desenvolvimento e validação do instrumento. A versão inicial foi revisada por dois grupos de juízes especialistas, do Brasil e de Portugal. A revisão dos juízes levou à retirada de alguns itens. A nova versão foi submetida a estudos pilotos para validação teórica e semântica. Resultados Como resultado dessas validações, obteve-se a versão mais recente da escala para uso no Brasil e em Portugal. Conclusão Espera-se que o instrumento contribua para a ampliação teórico-conceitual e metodológica acerca do perfil do psicólogo, impactando no olhar sobre intervenções realizadas nos espaços educativos e acadêmicos em uma perspectiva institucional e coletiva.

Confirmatory factor analysis of Intellectual Styles Inventory - Revised 2: High School Sample / Análise fatorial confirmatória do Inventário de Estilos Intelectuais - Revisado 2: amostra do Ensino Médio

Objective: This study aimed to test, using the Confirmatory Factor Analysis model, the factor structure proposed in the Intellectual Styles Inventory - Revised 2. Methods: The study involved the participation of 1,556 High School students with a mean age of 16 years and 4 months (SD = 1.17). Results: Confirmatory Factor Analysis was used and the model was based on the structure of 46 items distributed in nine dimensions, having demonstrated good rates of fit and accuracy. It was verified that the model originally indicated by the scientific literature was not confirmed in the Brazilian context, being proposed modifications that bring the current model closer to the national reality. Conclusion: There was an adjustment in the estimates of the parameters used, and stability and generality can be considered in the way the model was organized.

Objetivo: Este estudo teve por objetivo testar, por meio do modelo da Análise Fatorial Confirmatória, a estrutura fatorial proposta no Inventário de Estilos Intelectuais - Revisado 2. Método: O estudo envolveu a participação de 1.556 alunos do Ensino Médio, com média de idade de 16 anos e 4 meses (DP = 1,17). Resultados: A Análise Fatorial Confirmatória foi empregada e o modelo foi baseado na estrutura de 46 itens distribuídos em nove dimensões, tendo demonstrado bons índices de ajustes e de precisão. Verificou-se que o modelo indicado originalmente pela literatura científica não se confirmou no contexto brasileiro, sendo propostas modificações que aproximem o modelo vigente da realidade nacional. Conclusão: Houve uma adequação nas estimativas dos parâmetros empregados, podendo-se considerar estabilidade e generabilidade na forma como o modelo ficou organizado.

Academic Expectations, Gender and Working Status: Comparing Two Cohorts of University Students / Expectativas Acadêmicas, Gênero e Situação Profissional: Comparando Duas Coortes de Estudantes Universitários

ABSTRACT The expansion of higher education is associated with the progressive diversification of student's profiles, such as the increasing number of older, working and female students. The transition to higher education poses challenges for students entering it, generating expectations that can impact academic adaptation. This study compared academic expectations by gender and work situation in two cohorts of first-year students from a Brazilian public university, involving 13,336 participants. The Brazilian Scale of Academic Expectations for First-Year University Students was administered. Non-working and female students had higher academic expectations in both cohorts. The findings provide subsidies to higher education institutions to develop support programs and policies targeting first-year students.

RESUMO A expansão da educação superior está associada à progressiva diversificação dos perfis discentes, tais como aumento do número de estudantes mais velhos, trabalhadores e mulheres. A transição para o ensino superior comporta desafios para os estudantes que nele ingressam, gerando expectativas que podem impactar a adaptação acadêmica. Este estudo comparou as expectativas acadêmicas por gênero e situação de trabalho em dois coortes de estudantes ingressantes em uma universidade pública brasileira, envolvendo 13.336 participantes. Utilizou-se a Escala Brasileira de Expectativas Acadêmicas para Estudantes Ingressantes na Educação Superior. Estudantes mulheres e não trabalhadores apresentaram maiores expectativas acadêmicas em ambas as coortes. Os resultados fornecem subsídios às instituições de ensino superior para desenvolvimento de programas de apoio e políticas voltadas aos estudantes ingressantes.

Cyberbullying and Motivation to Learn with Digital Technologies: Identification and Correlation / Cyberbullying e Motivação para Aprender com as Tecnologias Digitais: Identificação e Correlação

Abstract This article investigates the relationship of cyberbullying to motivation to learn and the use of digital information and communication technologies (DTIC). The survey included 529 high school and 293 higher education students who answered the Motivation to Learn Scale with the use of DITC Scale and the Cyberbullying Assessment Scale. Statistically significant correlations were identified between the constructs, especially in high school. The relationships had a positive direction, weak and high magnitude. Cyberbullying and educational levels predicted controlled (28%) and autonomous (5%) motivation. Motivation and cyberbullying levels stood out in high school. This research contributes to pedagogical practices and the conduct of further studies on this theme.

Resumo Neste artigo investigaram-se as relações do cyberbullying para a motivação para aprender e o uso de tecnologias digitais de informação e comunicação (TDIC). Participaram da pesquisa 529 alunos do ensino médio e 293 do ensino superior que responderam a Escala de Motivação para Aprender com o uso das TDIC e a Escala de Avaliação do Cyberbullying. Identificaram-se correlações estatisticamente significativas entre os construtos, sobretudo no ensino médio. As relações tiveram uma direção positiva, de fraca e alta magnitude. O cyberbullying e os níveis de ensino predisseram a motivação controlada (28%) e autônoma (5%). Os níveis de motivação e cyberbullying se sobressaíram no ensino médio. Esta pesquisa contribui para as práticas pedagógicas e a condução de novos estudos sobre esta temática.

On the use of Hirshfeld surfaces for estimating atomic charges in ionic species: crystal structure of the natural ilmenite (Mg0.4168Fe0.5832)TiO3.

We performed an analysis by single-crystal X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), aiming to solve and refine the structure of an ilmenite single crystal [(Fe0.5832Mg04168)TiO3] from the city of Ouvidor (Goiás, Brazil). Hirshfeld partition was used to explore the values of w(r), dnorm and curvedness that achieve complementary surfaces for neighbouring atoms in this ionic system, and the subsequent impact on the charge distribution, allowing the ionic radius and the charges of the ilmenite sample to be modelled.

Quantifying political influence on COVID-19 fatality in Brazil.

The COVID-19 pandemic was severely aggravated in Brazil due to its politicization by the country's federal government. However, the impact of diffuse political forces on the fatality of an epidemic is notoriously difficult to quantify. Here we introduce a method to measure this effect in the Brazilian case, based on the inhomogeneous distribution throughout the national territory of political support for the federal government. This political support is quantified by the voting rates in the last general election in Brazil. This data is correlated with the fatality rates by COVID-19 in each Brazilian state as the number of deaths grows over time. We show that the correlation between fatality rate and political support grows as the government's misinformation campaign is developed. This led to the dominance of such political factor for the pandemic impact in Brazil in 2021. Once this dominance is established, this correlation allows for an estimation of the total number of deaths due to political influence as 350±70 thousand up to the end of 2021, corresponding to (57±11)% of the total number of deaths.

Normatização da Bateria de Provas de Raciocínio (BPR-5) usando a Teoria de Resposta ao Item / Standardization of the Reasoning Tests Battery (BPR-5) using Item Response Theory / Estandarización de la Batería de Pruebas de Razonamiento (BPR-5) usando la teoría de respuesta al ítem

A Bateria de Provas de Raciocínio (BPR-5) é um instrumento bastante utilizado para avaliação da inteligência no Brasil, possuindo três formas: infantil (1º ao 6º ano do Ensino Fundamental), Forma A (7º ao 9º ano do Ensino Fundamental) e Forma B (Ensino Médio e Superior). Visando a possibilidade de comparar os resultados entre sujeitos que respondem a formas diferentes, o presente estudo objetivou: (a) calibrar os itens das três formas pelo modelo de Rasch, realizando a equalização por itens comuns de modo a obter uma escala equiparável para as três formas, (b) atualizar as normas expandindo a representatividade das amostras e produzindo-se normas para diferentes combinações de idade, escolaridade e sexo, (c) descrever padrões de desenvolvimento da inteligência a partir da escala, comum, produzida entre 6 e 52 anos. Dois estudos foram relatados, o primeiro sobre a calibração dos parâmetros segundo o modelo de Rasch indicando um bom ajuste ao modelo. O segundo estudo exemplificou a utilização de regressão múltipla para criação de normas para testes psicológicos, considerando as variáveis idade, escolaridade e sexo como preditoras dos escores na BPR-5. Essas três variáveis tiveram efeitos significativos explicando 8% (Raciocínio Abstrato), 13% (Raciocínio Verbal), 12% (Raciocínio Espacial), 8% (Raciocínio Numérico) e 22% (Raciocínio Mecânico).(AU)

The Reasoning Tests Battery (BPR-5) is widely used in Brazil for the assessment of intelligence. It has three different forms: children (1st to 6th grade of elementary school), Form A (7th to 9th grade of elementary school) and Form B (high school and higher education). This study describes the steps followed to create a common metric across the forms. It aimed to: (a) calibrate the items of the three forms using Rasch model, link items and equate subjects' scores across forms using the anchoring of common items method, (b) update the norms by expanding the representativeness of the samples by producing norms for different combinations of age, education and sex, and (c) describe the developmental patterns of the BPR-5 subtests across a wide age range, from 6 to 52 years. We present two studies, the first reporting the calibration of item and person parameters with the Rasch model and a good fit to the model. The second illustrated the use of multiple regression analysis to create norms for the psychological tests considering the variables age, education and gender as predictors of the BPR-5 scores. These three variables had significant effects explaining 8% (Abstract Reasoning), 13% (Verbal Reasoning), 12% (Spatial Reasoning), 8% (Numerical Reasoning) and 22% (Mechanical Reasoning) of the variance. (AU)

La Batería de Pruebas de Razonamiento (BPR-5) es un instrumento muy utilizado para la evaluación de la inteligencia en Brasil, disponiendo de tres formas: infantil (1° al 6° año de la Enseñanza Fundamental), Forma A (7° al 9° año de la Enseñanza Fundamental) y Forma B (Bachillerato y Educación Superior). Teniendo como finalidad la posibilidad de comparar los resultados entre sujetos que responden a diferentes versiones, el presente estudio tuvo como objetivo: (a) calibrar los ítems de las tres formas por el modelo de Rasch, realizando la igualación por ítems comunes a fin de obtener una escala equiparable para las tres formas, (b) actualizar las normas ampliando la representatividad de las muestras y produciendo normas para diferentes combinaciones de edad, escolarización y sexo, (c) describir patrones de desarrollo de la inteligencia a partir de la escala, común, producida entre los 6 y los 52 años. Dos estudios fueron reportados, el primer sobre la calibración de los parámetros de acuerdo con el modelo de Rasch, indicando un buen ajuste al modelo. El segundo estudio ejemplificó la utilización de regresión múltiple para crear normas para tests psicológicos, considerando las variables edad, educación y sexo como predictivos de los escores en el BPR-5. Esas tres variables tuvieron efectos significativos explicando 8% (Razonamiento Abstracto), 13% (Razonamiento Verbal), 12% (Razonamiento Espacial), 8% (Razonamiento Numérico), y 22% (Razonamiento Mecánico).(AU)

Design, synthesis and in vivo evaluation of 1,4-dioxo-2-butenyl aryl amine derivatives as a promising anti-inflammatory drug prototype.

Inflammation is a natural response of the organism to an infection, trauma, or cellular stress. Pain is the first symptom of acute and chronic inflammation. The standard class of medication to treat inflammatory pain is the nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID). These drugs are associated with severe side effects such as gastric ulcers, gastritis, or internal bleeding. One of NSAIDs, Dipyrone® (metamizole) is largely used in many European and South American countries despite its dubious effectivity and its withdrawal from the market of several countries. Here, aiming to identify a new anti-inflammatory drug prototype based on Dipyrone® structure, a set of 27 molecules were virtually screened, and 4 compounds containing the active metabolite 4-aminoantipyrine and 1,4-dioxo-2-butenyl fragment were selected for docking, synthesis, and biological evaluation. The selection was based on the number of H-bonds and π- π stacking interactions between the inhibitor and the amino acids within the binding site of the enzyme. Carrageenan-induced paw edema, acetic acid-induced writhing, and formalin assays were used to evaluate inflammation and pain response. The selected compounds 1-4 inhibited the involvement of biogenic amines in the formation of paw edema. Compounds 1-4 also reduced pain in the inflammatory response phase. It has to be noted that 4-AA may cause agranulocytosis, which should be borne in mind when developing drug candidates of similar structure. Our new drug prototypes based on 4-aminoantipyrine and 1,4-dioxo-2-butenyl moieties open a gate for developing a prototype of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.

Self-handicapping strategies in educational context: construction and validation of the Brazilian Self-Handicapping Strategies Scale (EEAPREJ).

Self-handicapping strategies refer to the set of choices and attitudes adopted to minimize blame for failure and increase the value of success in achievement situations. This paper aims to describe the stages of construction and the psychometric analysis of a scale to measure the self-handicapping strategies of university students. In study 1, the major steps for the construction of the scales and initial results are reported. The internal consistency indices were acceptable and the principal component analysis revealed factors with little explanation of data variance. In study 2, data from a sample of 834 students from several undergraduate courses of different Brazilian universities were subjected to exploratory factor analysis using the minimum rank factor analysis (MRFA) method and the matrix of polychoric correlations. The parallel analysis criterion for factor retention indicated the one-factor solution as the best fit to data. The importance of having a valid and reliable measure to assess self-handicapping strategies in educational contexts and the promising use of the scale in actions to improve learning in higher education are discussed.

Teacher Training Effectiveness in Self-Regulation in Virtual Environments.

Higher education in the 21st century faces the challenge of changing the way in which knowledge is conveyed and how teachers and students interact in the teaching-learning process. The current pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2 has hastened the need to face up to this challenge and has furthered the need to approach the issue from the perspective of digitalisation. To achieve this, it is necessary to design training programmes geared towards teaching staff and which address both the use of technology and instructional design aimed at promoting the development of self-regulated learning (SRL) and automatic feedback systems. In this study, work was carried out with 23 teachers (8 inexperienced and 15 experienced teachers) in a training programme conducted through Moodle. The aims were: (1) to test whether there were any significant differences between the behaviour patterns of new teachers compared to experienced teachers, (2) to determine whether clusters of behaviour patterns corresponded to the type of teacher and (3) to ascertain whether the level of teacher satisfaction with the training activity in digital teaching will depend on the type of teacher. A quantitative as well as a qualitative design was applied. Differences were found in the behaviour patterns in the training activities for the development of rubrics and use of learning analytics systems in virtual learning environments. It was also found that the type of teacher did not correspond exactly to the behaviour cluster in the learning platform. In addition, no significant differences were found in the level of satisfaction between the two kinds of teacher. The main contribution this study makes is to provide a detailed description of the training stage as well as the materials required for its repetition. Further analytical studies are required on teacher perception of training programmes in digital teaching in order to provide personalised training proposals that lead to an effective use of teaching in digital environments.