Repositorio Universidad Europea del Atlántico
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The role of subjective risk perception and self-esteem in the relationship between sensation seeking and aberrant behaviors on the road: A moderated-moderation model
No full textIntroduction: Road crashes are still one of the main causes of death around the world. Risky behavior has been proposed as one of the foremost predictors, with the theoretical framework of aberrant behavior emerging as a predominant approach for its examination. Sensation seeking has been pointed out as one of the main personality predictors of aberrant behavior. The current research aimed to investigate the moderated-moderation effect of both risk perception and self-esteem in the relationship between sensation seeking and aberrant behavior. Method: Two studies were conducted. The first study aimed to analyze the psychometric properties of the Spanish version of the Risk Perception Scale (RPS), a 10-item self-report to assess risk perception. A sample composed of 471 Spanish drivers (319 female, Mage = 29.75) completed the RPS. In the second study, a different sample of 236 Spanish drivers (129 female, Mage = 38.49) completed a set of self-reports aiming both to analyze the concurrent and divergent validity of the RPS, and to test the main moderated-moderation hypothesis. Results: With respect to the first study, the confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) supported a 7-item version which fitted in a single reliable factor (α = .74). Regarding the second study, the results supported both the concurrent and divergent validity of the RPS. Likewise, it was verified the moderated-moderation effect in the case of ordinary violations (R2 = .34), aggressive violations (R2 = .20), and lapses (R2 = .12). Conclusions: The RPS is a useful self-report to assess subjective risk perception in Spanish drivers. Both self-esteem and risk perception affect the relationship between sensation seeking and aberrant driving behavior. Practical implications: Intervention programs aiming to reduce aberrant driving behavior should be focused on reducing sensation seeking tendencies while simultaneously enhancing both risk perception skills and self-esteem
Facial and Emotion Recognition Deficits in Myasthenia Gravis
No full textMyasthenia gravis (MG) is a neuromuscular disease of autoimmune etiology and chronic evolution. In addition to the muscle weakness and fatigue that characterize MG, in some studies patients show an inferior performance in cognitive tasks and difficulties in recognizing basic emotions from facial expressions. However, it remains unclear if these difficulties are due to anxious–depressive symptoms that these patients present or related to cognitive abilities, such as facial recognition. This study had a descriptive cross-sectional design with a sample of 92 participants, 52 patients with MG and 40 healthy controls. The data collection protocol included measures to assess recognition of facial expressions (BRFT), facial emotional expression (FEEL), and levels of anxiety and depression (HADS). The MG group had worse performance than the control group in recognizing “fear” (p = 0.001; r = 0.344), “happiness” (p = 0.000; r = 0.580), “disgust” (p = 0.000; r = 0.399), “surprise” (p = 0.000; r = 0.602), and “anger” (p = 0.007; r = 0.284). Likewise, the MG group also underperformed in facial recognition (p = 0.001; r = 0.338). These difficulties were not related to their levels of anxiety and depression. Alterations were observed both in the recognition of facial emotions and in facial recognition, without being mediated by emotional variables. These difficulties can influence the interpersonal interaction of patients with MG
MLS Pedagogy, Culture and Innovation
No full textLa revista MLS Pedagogy, Culture and Innovation (MLSPCI) nace como una publicación interdisciplinar en la que tienen cabida todo tipo de trabajos procedentes del ámbito académico, social o cultural en los que prime el carácter innovador de las aportaciones. Abarca un gran número de temáticas actuales como pueden ser la tecnología educativa, interculturalidad e inclusión, desarrollo curricular, formación docente, tutoría, organización de centros, entre otras.
La revista está abierta a recibir estudios y experiencias sobre las mismas de ámbito europeo e iberoamericano preferentemente. Los artículos se publican en español, portugués e inglés. A partir de esta misma página, podrá acceder a los índices de todas las ediciones de la revista, los resúmenes del artículo y los textos completos. Asimismo, en la sección "Sobre la revista" encontrará toda la información sobre nuestra revista, su equipo editorial, sistema de publicación y envíos en línea
Democracia em curso: A integração da Educação Midiática na capacitação profissional no Itaim Paulista
No full textInvestigamos a necessidade premente de integrar a educação midiática na capacitação profissional de jovens e adultos, particularmente em contextos periféricos como o distrito do Itaim Paulista, em São Paulo, Brasil. Esta pesquisa parte da premissa de que a proliferação da desinformação, fake news e a crescente influência das mídias digitais na sociedade contemporânea exigem o desenvolvimento de habilidades críticas para o consumo e produção consciente de mídia, visando fortalecer a democracia e a participação cidadã. Trata-se de uma pesquisa aplicada, de natureza qualitativa e delineada como pesquisa participante, com objetivo descritivo. A coleta de dados foi realizada através de levantamento documental, observação participante e grupos focais com 21 estudantes do Centro Municipal de Capacitação e Treinamento Professor Lenine Soares de Jesus (CMCT Itaim Paulista). A análise dos dados coletados foi realizada utilizando a técnica de análise de conteúdo proposta por Laurence Bardin (2016), com auxílio do software Atlas.Ti®. Os resultados revelam uma lacuna significativa na educação midiática formal entre os participantes, com a maioria relatando nunca ter participado de cursos ou formações específicas sobre o tema. A pesquisa identificou uma forte dependência de plataformas digitais como fontes de informação, com destaque para o Google® e as redes sociais. Embora muitos participantes demonstrem confiança em sua capacidade de identificar notícias falsas, a análise das respostas indica a necessidade de aprimorar as habilidades de verificação de informações e de desenvolver um senso crítico mais apurado em relação aos conteúdos midiáticos. Observou-se, ainda, uma baixa participação em discussões políticas online e uma preocupação generalizada com os riscos da desinformação e da manipulação midiática. Os resultados apontam para a urgência de integrar a educação midiática nos currículos de capacitação profissional, especialmente em contextos de vulnerabilidade social. A pesquisa sugere a criação de um curso de qualificação profissional em educação midiática, com foco no desenvolvimento de habilidades críticas de análise de mídia, na promoção da alfabetização digital, no ensino de técnicas de identificação de fake news e na produção de conteúdo consciente. O desenho do curso proposto considera as necessidades específicas do público-alvo, utilizando metodologias ativas e participativas, com ênfase na prática reflexiva e na construção colaborativa do conhecimento. A pesquisa abre caminhos para futuras investigações sobre o impacto da educação midiática na participação cidadã e no fortalecimento da democracia, além de oferecer um modelo replicável para outras comunidades
Performance of the 4C and SEIMC scoring systems in predicting mortality from onset to current COVID-19 pandemic in emergency departments
No full textThe evolution of the COVID-19 pandemic has been associated with variations in clinical presentation and severity. Similarly, prediction scores may suffer changes in their diagnostic accuracy. The aim of this study was to test the 30-day mortality predictive validity of the 4C and SEIMC scores during the sixth wave of the pandemic and to compare them with those of validation studies. This was a longitudinal retrospective observational study. COVID-19 patients who were admitted to the Emergency Department of a Spanish hospital from December 15, 2021, to January 31, 2022, were selected. A side-by-side comparison with the pivotal validation studies was subsequently performed. The main measures were 30-day mortality and the 4C and SEIMC scores. A total of 27,614 patients were considered in the study, including 22,361 from the 4C, 4,627 from the SEIMC and 626 from our hospital. The 30-day mortality rate was significantly lower than that reported in the validation studies. The AUCs were 0.931 (95% CI: 0.90–0.95) for 4C and 0.903 (95% CI: 086–0.93) for SEIMC, which were significantly greater than those obtained in the first wave. Despite the changes that have occurred during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, with a reduction in lethality, scorecard systems are currently still useful tools for detecting patients with poor disease risk, with better prognostic capacity
Smart agriculture: utilizing machine learning and deep learning for drought stress identification in crops
No full textPlant stress reduction research has advanced significantly with the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) techniques, such as machine learning and deep learning. This is a significant step toward sustainable agriculture. Innovative insights into the physiological responses of plants mostly crops to drought stress have been revealed through the use of complex algorithms like gradient boosting, support vector machines (SVM), recurrent neural network (RNN), and long short-term memory (LSTM), combined with a thorough examination of the TYRKC and RBR-E3 domains in stress-associated signaling proteins across a range of crop species. Modern resources were used in this study, including the UniProt protein database for crop physiochemical properties associated with specific signaling domains and the SMART database for signaling protein domains. These insights were then applied to deep learning and machine learning techniques after careful data processing. The rigorous metric evaluations and ablation analysis that typified the study’s approach highlighted the algorithms’ effectiveness and dependability in recognizing and classifying stress events. Notably, the accuracy of SVM was 82%, while gradient boosting and RNN showed 96%, and 94%, respectively and LSTM obtained an astounding 97% accuracy. The study observed these successes but also highlights the ongoing obstacles to AI adoption in agriculture, emphasizing the need for creative thinking and interdisciplinary cooperation. In addition to its scholarly value, the collected data has significant implications for improving resource efficiency, directing precision agricultural methods, and supporting global food security programs. Notably, the gradient boosting and LSTM algorithm outperformed the others with an exceptional accuracy of 96% and 97%, demonstrating their potential for accurate stress categorization. This work highlights the revolutionary potential of AI to completely disrupt the agricultural industry while simultaneously advancing our understanding of plant stress responses
The anti-metastatic effect of Manuka honey on colonspheres enriched with cancer stem cells: how does it influence the epithelial-mesenchymal transition process, angiogenesis, and telomere length?
No full textColorectal cancer often leads to metastasis, with cancer stem cells (CSCs) playing a pivotal role in this process. Two closely linked mechanisms, epithelial-mesenchymal transition and angiogenesis, contribute to metastasis and recent research has also highlighted the impact of telomere replication on this harmful tumor progression. Standard chemotherapy alone can inadvertently promote drug-resistant CSCs, posing a challenge. Combining chemotherapy with other compounds, including natural ones, shows promise in enhancing effectiveness while minimizing side effects. This study investigated the anti-metastatic potential of Manuka honey, both alone and in combination with 5-Fluorouracil, using a 3D model of colon spheres enriched with CSCs-like cells. In summary, it was observed that the treatment reduced migration ability by increasing the expression of E-cadherin through the downregulation of transcription factors Slug, Snail, and Twist. Additionally, it downregulated pro-angiogenic factors and shortened CSC telomeres by downregulating c-Myc, demonstrating an effective anti-metastatic potential. This study suggests new research opportunities for studying the impact of natural compounds when combined with pharmaceuticals, with the potential to enhance effectiveness and reduce side effects
Side effects associated with homogenous and heterogenous doses of Oxford–AstraZeneca vaccine among adults in Bangladesh: an observational study
No full textAssessment of side effects associated with COVID-19 vaccination is required to monitor safety issues and acceptance of vaccines in the long term. We found a significant knowledge gap in the safety profile of COVID-19 vaccines in Bangladesh. We enrolled 1805 vaccine recipients from May 5, 2021, to April 4, 2023. Kruskal-Wallis test and χ2 test were performed. Multivariable logistic regression was also performed. First, second and third doses were administered among 1805, 1341, and 923 participants, respectively. Oxford–AstraZeneca (2946 doses) was the highest administered followed by Sinopharm BIBP (551 doses), Sinovac (214 doses), Pfizer-BioNTech (198 doses), and Moderna (160 doses), respectively. Pain at the injection site (80-90%, 3200–3600), swelling (85%, 3458), redness (78%, 3168), and heaviness in hand (65%, 2645) were the most common local effects, and fever (85%, 3458), headache (82%, 3336), myalgia (70%, 2848), chills (67%, 2726), muscle pain (60%, 2441) were the most prevalent systemic side effects reported within 48 h of vaccination. Thrombosis was only reported among the Oxford–AstraZeneca recipients (3.5-5.7%). Both local and systemic effects were significantly associated with the Oxford–AstraZeneca (p-value < 0.05), Pfizer–BioNTech (p-value < 0.05), and Moderna (p-value < 0.05) vaccination. Chronic urticaria and psoriasis were reported by 55-60% of the recipients after six months or later. The highest percentage of local and systemic effects after 2nd and 3rd dose were found among recipients of Moderna followed by Pfizer-BioNTech and Oxford–AstraZeneca. Homogenous doses of Oxford–AstraZeneca and heterogenous doses of Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech were significantly associated with elevated adverse effects. Females, aged above 60 years with preexisting health conditions had higher risks. Vaccination with Pfizer-BioNTech (OR 4.34, 95% CI 3.95–4.58) had the highest odds of severe and long-term effects followed by Moderna (OR 4.15, 95% CI 3.92–4.69) and Oxford–AstraZeneca (OR 3.89, 95% CI 3.45–4.06), respectively. This study will provide an integrated insight into the safety profile of COVID-19 vaccines
Lifestyle Factors Associated with Children’s and Adolescents’ Adherence to the Mediterranean Diet Living in Mediterranean Countries: The DELICIOUS Project
No full textBackground/Objectives. Traditional dietary patterns are being abandoned in Mediterranean countries, especially among younger generations. This study aimed to investigate the potential lifestyle determinants that can increase adherence to the Mediterranean diet in children and adolescents. Methods. This study is a cross-sectional analysis of data from five Mediterranean countries (Italy, Spain, Portugal, Egypt, and Lebanon) within the context of the EU-funded project DELICIOUS (UnDErstanding consumer food choices & promotion of healthy and sustainable Mediterranean Diet and LIfestyle in Children and adolescents through behavIOUral change actionS). This study comprised information on 2011 children and adolescents aged 6–17 years old collected during 2023. The main background characteristics of both children and parents, including age, sex, education, and family situation, were collected. Children’s eating (i.e., breakfast, place of eating, etc.) and lifestyle habits (i.e., physical activity level, sleep, and screen time) were also investigated. The level of adherence to the Mediterranean diet was assessed using the KIDMED index. Logistic regression analyses were performed to test for likelihood of higher adherence to the Mediterranean diet. Results. Major determinants of higher adherence to the Mediterranean diet were younger age, higher physical activity level, adequate sleep duration, and, among dietary habits, having breakfast and eating with family members and at school. Parents’ younger age and higher education were also determinants of higher adherence. Multivariate adjusted analyses showed that an overall healthier lifestyle and parents’ education were the factors independently associated with higher adherence to the Mediterranean diet. Conclusions. Higher adherence to the Mediterranean diet in children and adolescents living in the Mediterranean area is part of an overall healthy lifestyle possibly depending on parents’ cultural background
Detecting Pragmatic Ambiguity in Requirement Specification Using Novel Concept Maximum Matching Approach Based on Graph Network
No full textRequirements specifications written in natural language enable us to understand a program’s intended functionality, which we can then translate into operational software. At varying stages of requirement specification, multiple ambiguities emerge. Ambiguities may appear at several levels including the syntactic, semantic, domain, lexical, and pragmatic levels. The primary objective of this study is to identify requirements’ pragmatic ambiguity. Pragmatic ambiguity occurs when the same set of circumstances can be interpreted in multiple ways. It requires consideration of the context statement of the requirements. Prior research has developed methods for obtaining concepts based on individual nodes, so there is room for improvement in the requirements interpretation procedure. This research aims to develop a more effective model for identifying pragmatic ambiguity in requirement definition. To better interpret requirements, we introduced the Concept Maximum Matching (CMM) technique, which extracts concepts based on edges. The CMM technique significantly improves precision because it permits a more accurate interpretation of requirements based on the relative weight of their edges. Obtaining an F-measure score of 0.754 as opposed to 0.563 in existing models, the evaluation results demonstrate that CMM is a substantial improvement over the previous method