Brief report : Academic amotivation in light of the dark side of identity formation

The study intended to determine motivational profiles of first-year undergraduates and aimed their characterization in terms of identity processes. First, a cluster analysis revealed five motivational profiles: combined (i.e., high quantity of motivation, low amotivation); intrinsic (i.e., high intrinsic, low introjected and external regulation, low amotivation); "demotivated" (i.e., very low quantity of motivation and amotivation); extrinsic (i.e., high extrinsic and identified regulation and low intrinsic and amotivation); and "amotivated" (i.e., low intrinsic and identified, very high amotivation). Second, using Lebart's (2000) methodology, the most characteristic identity processes were listed for each motivational cluster. Demotivated and amotivated profiles were refined in terms of adaptive and maladaptive forms of exploration. Notably, exploration in breadth and in depth were underrepresented in demotivated students compared to the total sample; commitment and ruminative exploration were under and overrepresented respectively in amotivated students. Educational and clinical implications are proposedand future research is suggested.

A cognitive hierarchy model of behavior in the action commitment game

We apply the cognitive hierarchy model of Camerer et al. (Q J Econ 119(3):861-898, 2004)-where players have different levels of reasoning-to Huck et al. (Games Econ Behav 38:240-264, 2002) discrete version of Hamilton and Slutsky (Games Econ Behav 2:29-46, 1990) action commitment game-a duopoly with endogenous timing of entry. We show that, for an empirically reasonable average number of thinking steps, the model rules out Stackelberg equilibria, generates Cournot outcomes including delay, and outcomes where the first mover commits to a quantity higher than Cournot but lower than Stackelberg leader. We show that a cognitive hierarchy model with quantal responses can explain the most important features of the experimental data on the action commitment game in (2002). In order to gauge the success of the model in fitting the data, we compare it to a noisy Nash model. We find that the cognitive hierarchy model with quantal responses fits the data better than the noisy Nash model.

Predicted decrease in global climate suitability masks regional complexity of invasive fruit fly species response to climate change

Climate change affects the rate of insect invasions as well as the abundance, distribution and impacts of such invasions on a global scale. Among the principal analytical approaches to predicting and understanding future impacts of biological invasions are Species Distribution Models (SDMs), typically in the form of correlative Ecological Niche Models (ENMs). An underlying assumption of ENMs is that species-environment relationships remain preserved during extrapolations in space and time, although this is widely criticised. The semi-mechanistic modelling platform, CLIMEX, employs a top-down approach using species ecophysiological traits and is able to avoid some of the issues of extrapolation, making it highly applicable to investigating biological invasions in the context of climate change. The tephritid fruit flies (Diptera: Tephritidae) comprise some of the most successful invasive species and serious economic pests around the world. Here we project 12 tephritid species CLIMEX models into future climate scenarios to examine overall patterns of climate suitability and forecast potential distributional changes for this group. We further compare the aggregate response of the group against species-specific responses. We then consider additional drivers of biological invasions to examine how invasion potential is influenced by climate, fruit production and trade indices. Considering the group of tephritid species examined here, climate change is predicted to decrease global climate suitability and to shift the cumulative distribution poleward. However, when examining species-level patterns, the predominant directionality of range shifts for 11 of the 12 species is eastward. Most notably, management will need to consider regional changes in fruit fly species invasion potential where high fruit production, trade indices and predicted distributions of these flies overlap.

Contenidos educativos en abierto

Peer-reviewed

La búsqueda de factores protectores del fracaso escolar en niños en situación de riesgo mediante un estudio de casos

The aim of this article is to introduce one of the approaches of research that we consider may contribute to find useful knowledge for prevention of school failure. This approach is in some studies called the study of risk and resilience. The word resilience refers to the capacity of individuals to endure adverse events in their vital experience, without long-term negative or disrupting consequences in their development or socialisation. We present a review of studies that have been carried out with this approach. Then it will be exemplified with a research that intended to identify protective factors of the risk of school failure in at risk adolescents. By means of a qualitative case study approach, this research has allowed us to approach some personal, educational and social factors that seem to have a certain relevance as protective factors of the risk of school failure

Research of wood fuel market in North-West of Russia

The main purposes of this study are analyzing of forest sector of North-West and research of potentials of wood fuel market in this region. Research is focused on definition of the most perspective areas for export of wood fuel: logging residues, industrial wood processing residues, pellets and briquettes. Russian wood energy industry is very young in comparison with European countries. Nowadays there are no support and serious attention from the government to this sector. Hence almost all wood fuel market is oriented to the Western Europe. Export of wood fuel is dominated over the internal consumption. Pellet production in North –West is rapidly growing. Despite internal market has been developed the lion's share of pellets goes to export. Part of industrial wood processing residues is used by producers for their own goals, part goes to the export and rest of them is not used at all. Logging residues as raw materials for fuel have great potentials; most of them are left in a forest. Special techniques for their processing are too expensive for Russian entrepreneur. Some parts of North –West, which are situated close to the border with European countries, are potential for export. Political, economical and logistical challenges are complicated facilities for foreign customer to purchase wood fuel in remote parts of North-West. However some decisions for solving this problem exist and Russian manufactures are still interested in export of their products.

Esport extraescolar i la utilització de les TIC i els jocs electrònics modifiquen la força de prensió de la mà?

L'objectiu del nostre estudi va ser conèixer si l'esport extraescolar i el temps dedicat setmanalment a les tecnologies de la informació i la comunicació (TIC) i jocs electrònics, tenen influència en el desenvolupament de la força de prensió de la mà i avantbraç en nens entre els 14 i 16 anys. Es va realitzar un estudi observacional de disseny transversal. La població objecte d'estudi van ser 39 nens de segon cicle de l'ESO. L'activitat física extraescolar i el temps dedicat setmanalment a les TIC i als jocs electrònics es van recollir mitjançant qüestionaris. Es va utilitzar el test d'handgrip per a la valoració de la força màxima voluntària de la mà i avantbraç del costat dominant. L'edat i la força de la mà dominant estan associades de forma estadísticament significativa, la força màxima voluntària (F=5,86; p=0,006) i el valor mig de la força sostinguda per sobre del 60% (F=4,5; p=0,02). A l'analitzar el grau d'activitat física (Kcal/setmana) respecte a la força màxima voluntària (r= 0,07; p= 0,716) i força sostinguda per sobre del 60% (r= 0,30; p= 0,09) observem una associació feble positiva i no estadísticament significativa. Si analitzem les hores setmanes TIC en relació a la força màxima voluntària observem una associació molt feble i no estadísticament significativa. La força de prensió de la mà en escolars està relacionada de forma positiva i estadísticament significativa amb l'edat i el pes corporal. No es relaciona amb el nivell d'activitat física i les hores dedicades a les TIC.

Avaliação da composição química de águas do Sistema Guarapiranga: estudo de caso nos anos de 2002 e 2003

The supply of drinking water in the Metropolitan Area of São Paulo City has been a great and serious challenge in the latest years. This work demonstrates the viability of the evaluation of the degree of contamination of the water reservoirs using analytical procedures, which allow the analysis of several compounds at relatively low cost: stripping square wave voltammetry (SSWV) and capillary zone electrophoresis with contactless conductivity detection (CZE-CCD). The results of ionic composition indicated significant contamination of the Guarapiranga water system by human activities on the reservoir banks. In fact, the Guavirutuba and Itupu streams presented high concentrations of phosphate and ammonium ions. This can be directly related to misuse and unruled occupation of the soil and precarious sanitary infrastructure.

Desenvolupament d'un joc per torns parametritzable amb possibilitat multijugador i I.A.

Els jocs són una de les indústries de software més gran del món de la informàtica. Des dels primers jocs en blanc i negre que simulaven raquetes i una pilota, fins avui en dia, en que el desenvolupament d’un joc porta darrere un equip de professionals tant o més gran que el major dels projectes informàtics del món de les indústries, els jocs han evolucionat més que la majoria de programes. La possibilitat d’elaborar un joc és, a part d’una proposta temptadora (ja que difereix enormement de qualsevol pràctica feta durant la carrera), un repte de caire personal per algú que sempre ha estat en contacte amb videojocs i que, després d’adquirir una sèrie de coneixements indispensables, s’ha proposat d’intentar desenvolupar-ne un des de l’arrel. L’objectiu d’aquest treball és doncs això, aprendre com neix un joc partint de res, i veure totes les complicacions que sorgeixen a l’hora de desenvolupar-lo. Els resultats delt projecte mostren generosament el gran nombre de problemes que sorgeixen en un procés com aquest, però com a conclusions importants cal destacar la satisfacció envers els resultats obtinguts, així com els coneixements que s’han guanyat mitjançant el desenvolupament del programa.

Escacs, un sistema intel·ligent

Des dels inicis dels ordinadors com a màquines programables, l’home ha intentat dotar-los de certa intel•ligència per tal de pensar o raonar el més semblant possible als humans. Un d’aquests intents ha sigut fer que la màquina sigui capaç de pensar de tal manera que estudiï jugades i guanyi partides d’escacs. En l’actualitat amb els actuals sistemes multi tasca, orientat a objectes i accés a memòria i gràcies al potent hardware del que disposem, comptem amb una gran varietat de programes que es dediquen a jugar a escacs. Però no hi ha només programes petits, hi ha fins i tot màquines senceres dedicades a calcular i estudiar jugades per tal de guanyar als millors jugadors del món. L’objectiu del meu treball és dur a terme un estudi i implementació d’un d’aquests programes, per això es divideix en dues parts. La part teòrica o de l’estudi, consta d’un estudi dels sistemes d’intel•ligència artificial que es dediquen a jugar a escacs, estudi i cerca d’una funció d’avaluació vàlida i estudi dels algorismes de cerca. La part pràctica del treball es basa en la implementació d’un sistema intel•ligent capaç de jugar a escacs amb certa lògica. Aquesta implementació es porta a terme amb l’ajuda de les llibreries SDL, utilitzant l’algorisme minimax amb poda alfa-beta i codi c++. Com a conclusió del projecte m’agradaria remarcar que l’estudi realitzat m’ha deixat veure que crear un joc d’escacs no era tan fàcil com jo pensava però m’ha aportat la satisfacció d’aplicar tot el que he après durant la carrera i de descobrir moltes altres coses noves.

¿Qué coincidencias y discrepancias tienen los jóvenes y sus padres ante los medios?

The results presented in this paper are from a research using a questionnaire about activities and evaluations of boys and girls in relation to different audio-visual media (television, computer, videoconsole, educative CD-Roms, Internet and computer and console games). Results show us that children information about any audio-visual media is systematically overestimated by parents. Generally, the media with more negative concordances is video-games, the one with more positive concordances is the computer and the one with more discrepancies between generations is TV

Gestão integrada de resíduos químicos em instituições de ensino superior

Since chemical residues management must be seriously considered at institutions of higher education and due to the relevance of this subject for students, this work proposes the involvement of the scientific community in the establishment of a program for management of chemical residues at universities, starting with a committee, to coordinate the process. The program should integrate the entire scientific community in an organized effort. The program involves legislative, educational and environmental management aspects, with environmental education as an important tool to integrate all the administrative areas of a chemistry department.

Quimioterapia da doença de Chagas: estado da arte e perspectivas no desenvolvimento de novos fármacos

Neglected diseases are a major global cause of illness, long-term disability and death. Chagas' disease is a parasitic infection widely distributed throughout Latin America, with devastating consequences in terms of human morbidity and mortality. The existing drug therapy suffers from a combination of drawbacks including poor efficacy, resistance and serious side effects. In 2009, we celebrate the 100th anniversary of the discovery of Chagas' disease, facing the challenges of developing new, safe and effective drugs for the treatment of this disease. This brief review attempts to highlight the state of the art, limitations and perspectives of Chagas' disease drug development.

Aspectos históricos dos cursos de licenciatura em química no Brasil nas décadas de 1930 a 1980

This article describes some historical moments in the establishment and development of chemistry teacher's training courses since 1930, with the creation of universities in Brazil, until 1980. Correlations between educational and political questions that influenced the directions taken for the formation of chemistry teachers in Brazil are discussed. From a review of the bibliographical sources available, we revisited stances of discussions on public policies related to science teacher's formation in general and in chemistry, particularly, in order to provoke a reflection on what challenges and prospects exist in the current scenario of undergraduate chemistry education in Brazilian universities and colleges.

Desmistificando a proteção por patentes nas universidades

Brazilian universities and research institutions still fail to protect the knowledge and technology produced by their community of students, staff and professors while Intellectual Property (IP) issues along with the role of patents and their strategic management in educational and research institutions remain taboo or misunderstood. The focus of this work was to demystify these subjects, including IP, patents and their requirements, the decision to patent as well as tips for successful patenting. Any student, professor or researcher of an educational or research institution can invent and protect their technology. This paper shows how to make such a patent application.