Affective and cognitive variables involved in structural prediction of university dropout / Variables afectivas y cognitivas implicadas en la predicción estructural del abandono universitario

BACKGROUND: The aim of the study was to analyze the influence of potentially important individual variables (motivation, satisfaction with the course, self-regulation, expectations of self-efficacy and perception of academic performance) on the intention to remain on university courses. METHOD: An ex-post-facto design was used, applying the University Life Questionnaire to a sample of 2,741 first-year students from six Chilean universities. Data were analyzed by path analysis. RESULTS: The intention to remain is higher when intrinsic motivation is higher, self-efficacy expectations are higher, the perception of performance is higher and satisfaction with the course is higher. All the variables included in the model explained 26% of the intention to remain. CONCLUSIONS: The study confirms the suitability of studying this phenomenon through complex models (e.g., structural equation models, multilevel models), since it makes little sense to try to explain dropout only through direct effects (as in most previous research). Secondly, the percentage of variance explained by dropout intention means it is important to continue this kind of research (with better controls, other types of measures, etc.)

ANTECEDENTES: el objetivo del estudio fue analizar la influencia de variables individuales potencialmente importantes (motivación, satisfacción con la carrera, autorregulación, expectativas de autoeficacia y percepción del desempeño académico) sobre la intención de permanecer en los estudios universitarios. MÉTODO: se ha empleado un diseño de tipo ex post-facto, administrando el Cuestionario de Vida Universitaria a una muestra compuesta por 2.741 estudiantes de primer año de seis universidades chilenas. Los datos fueron analizados utilizando un path análisis. RESULTADOS: la intención de permanencia se incrementa cuanto mayor es la motivación intrínseca, mayores las expectativas de autoeficacia, mayor la percepción de desempeño y mayor satisfacción con la carrera. Entre todas las variables consideradas en el modelo, la intención de permanencia fue explicada en un 26%. CONCLUSIONES: en primer lugar, se constata la conveniencia del estudio de este fenómeno mediante modelos complejos (por ejemplo, modelos de ecuaciones estructurales; modelos multinivel), pues no tiene sentido intentar explicar el abandono únicamente mediante efectos directos (como se hace en la mayoría de las investigaciones previas). En segundo lugar, el porcentaje de varianza explicada de la intención de abandono aconseja insistir en este tipo de estudios (con mayor control, con otro tipo de medidas, etc.)

Affective and cognitive variables involved in structural prediction of university dropout.

BACKGROUND: The aim of the study was to analyze the influence of potentially important individual variables (motivation, satisfaction with the course, self-regulation, expectations of self-efficacy and perception of academic performance) on the intention to remain on university courses. METHOD: An ex-post-facto design was used, applying the University Life Questionnaire to a sample of 2,741 first-year students from six Chilean universities. Data were analyzed by path analysis. RESULTS: The intention to remain is higher when intrinsic motivation is higher, self-efficacy expectations are higher, the perception of performance is higher and satisfaction with the course is higher. All the variables included in the model explained 26% of the intention to remain. CONCLUSIONS: The study confirms the suitability of studying this phenomenon through complex models (e.g., structural equation models, multilevel models), since it makes little sense to try to explain dropout only through direct effects (as in most previous research). Secondly, the percentage of variance explained by dropout intention means it is important to continue this kind of research (with better controls, other types of measures, etc.).

Cannabis y trastornos psicológicos / Cannabis and psychological disorders

La literatura científica referente al uso de cannabis incluye en su corpus una extensa investigación sobre los efectos dañinos derivados de su consumo, habiéndose centrado los estudios a este respecto en la denominada psicosis cannábica. Menos se ha analizado, sin embargo, su vertiente terapéutica, a pesar de que muchos pacientes con una amplia diversidad de alteraciones reconocen en consulta consumir cannabis de forma frecuente para mejorar su estado de salud. Ante esta situación, el objetivo del presente artículo es reflexionar sobre el potencial terapéutico del cannabis en diferentes trastornos, con especial énfasis en aquellos referidos a la salud mental. Para ello, se ha realizado una breve revisión de artículos que muestran los efectos que el consumo de cannabis podría tener ante el padecimiento de ciertas patologías. En este sentido, se mencionan algunos sesgos existentes en las investigaciones sobre psicosis cannábica y se analizan los efectos, tanto positivos como negativos, que el consumo de cannabis podría producir en trastornos del estado de ánimo y en los diferentes trastornos de ansiedad, siendo especialmente relevante el caso del trastorno por estrés postraumático

The scientific literature regarding the use of cannabis includes in its corpus extensive research on the harmful effects derived from its consumption, having focused the studies in the cannabis psychosis. Less has been analyzed, however, its therapeutic side, despite the fact that many patients with a wide variety of alterations recognize in consultation to consume cannabis frequently to improve their health status. Given this situation, the objective of this article is to reflect on the therapeutic potential of cannabis in different disorders, with special emphasis on those related to mental health. For this, a brief review of articles showing the effects that cannabis use could have on the condition of certain pathologies has been carried out. In this regard, some existing biases in research on cannabis psychosis are mentioned and the effects, both positive and negative, that cannabis use can produce in mood disorders and in different anxiety disorders are analyzed, being especially relevant the case of post-traumatic stress disorder

Abandono no Ensino Superior: Impacto da autoeficácia na intenção de abandono / Dropout in higher education: Impact of self-efficacy in dropout intention / Abandono en la enseñanza superior: Impacto de la autoeficacia en la intención de abandono

As taxas crescentes do abandono no Ensino Superior acompanham a maior democratização do acesso, justificando o seu estudo. Buscou-se analisar o impacto de variáveis pessoais, percurso escolar, escolha do curso e perceções de autoeficácia na intenção de abandono. Tomando 1.085 estudantes do 1.º ano, aplicou-se a Escala de Autoeficácia na Formação Superior (Vieira, Polydoro, & Guerreiro-Casanova, 2017). Recorrendo à Modelagem de Equações Estruturais, os resultados realçam o efeito das variáveis sexo, habilitação académica dos pais, média de acesso e frequência de curso de primeira opção na intenção de abandono. A autoeficácia, para além do impacto direto na intenção de abandono, mediou o impacto da média de acesso e do curso de primeira opção. Mencionam-se medidas para minorar o problema.

The increasing rates of dropout in Higher Education follow the greater democratization of access, justifying its study. It is intended to analyze the impact of personal variables, school course, degree choice and perceptions of self-efficacy in dropout intention. The Self-efficacy Scale in Higher Education (Vieira, Polydoro, & Guerreiro-Casanova, 2017) was applied to 1,085 first year students. Applying the Structural Equation Modeling, the results highlight the effect of the variables gender, parental academic qualification, grade point average to access higher education and frequency of first choice degree in the intention of dropout. Self-efficacy, in addition to the direct impact on the intention to dropout, measured the impact of the grade point average and the first option degree. Some recommendations to reduce the problem are mentioned.

Las tasas crecientes de abandono en la enseñanza superior van en paralelo con una mayor democratización del acceso, lo que justifica su estudio. Se ha propuesto analizar el impacto de variables personales como trayectoria escolar, elección de la carrera y percepciones de autoeficacia en la intención de abandono. Tomando 1.085 estudiantes de primer año, se aplicó la Escala de Autoeficacia en la Formación Superior (Vieira, Polydoro, y Guerrero-Casanova, 2017). Apoyándonos en el Modelo de Ecuaciones Estructurales, en los resultados resalta el efecto de las variables sexo, preparación académica de los padres, media de acceso y frecuencia de la carrera universitaria solicitada en primera opción en la intención de abandono. La autoeficacia, además del impacto directo en la intención de abandono, sirvió para medir el impacto del promedio de acceso y de la carrera solicitada en primera opción. Se mencionan medidas para mitigar el problema.

Haploinsufficiency of the Sec7 guanine nucleotide exchange factor gea1 impairs septation in fission yeast.

Membrane trafficking is essential to eukaryotic life and is controlled by a complex network of proteins that regulate movement of proteins and lipids between organelles. The GBF1/GEA family of Guanine nucleotide Exchange Factors (GEFs) regulates trafficking between the endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi by catalyzing the exchange of GDP for GTP on ADP Ribosylation Factors (Arfs). Activated Arfs recruit coat protein complex 1 (COP-I) to form vesicles that ferry cargo between these organelles. To further explore the function of the GBF1/GEA family, we have characterized a fission yeast mutant lacking one copy of the essential gene gea1 (gea1+/-), the Schizosaccharomyces pombe ortholog of GBF1. The haploinsufficient gea1+/- strain was shown to be sensitive to the GBF1 inhibitor brefeldin A (BFA) and was rescued from BFA sensitivity by gea1p overexpression. No overt defects in localization of arf1p or arf6p were observed in gea1+/- cells, but the fission yeast homolog of the COP-I cargo sac1 was mislocalized, consistent with impaired COP-I trafficking. Although Golgi morphology appeared normal, a slight increase in vacuolar size was observed in the gea1+/- mutant strain. Importantly, gea1+/- cells exhibited dramatic cytokinesis-related defects, including disorganized contractile rings, an increased septation index, and alterations in septum morphology. Septation defects appear to result from altered secretion of enzymes required for septum dynamics, as decreased secretion of eng1p, a ß-glucanase required for septum breakdown, was observed in gea1+/- cells, and overexpression of eng1p suppressed the increased septation phenotype. These observations implicate gea1 in regulation of septum breakdown and establish S. pombe as a model system to explore GBF1/GEA function in cytokinesis.