Motivation to learn: an international multilevel study on student autonomy and teacher emphasis on content usefulness / Motivación para aprender: un estudio internacional multinivel sobre la autonomía de los estudiantes y el énfasis de los docentes en la utilidad del contenido

En la educación superior, pocos estudios relacionan factores contextuales en la clase, como el énfasis del profesor en la utilidad del contenido y las características motivacionales de los estudiantes. El objetivo fue probar un modelo multinivel sobre la relación entre el énfasis del docente en la utilidad del contenido durante la clase, la autonomía de los estudiantes y, a su vez, la motivación para aprender. Participaron 3033 estudiantes universitarios matriculados de 1º a 4º grado de Ciencias de la Actividad Física y del Deporte, de universidades de España (N = 602), Portugal (N = 469), México (N = 1177), Chile (N = 372), y Brasil (N = 413). Se realizó un modelo de ecuaciones estructurales multinivel, en el que los participantes respondieron preguntas sobre el énfasis del profesor en la utilidad del contenido de la clase, la autonomía y la motivación para aprender. Se hipotetizó que el énfasis del profesor en la utilidad del contenido predecía la autonomía del estudiante que, por su vez, predecía la motivación para aprender. Los resultados, a nivel grupal e individual, indican que el énfasis del docente en la utilidad del contenido predijo la autonomía del estudiante, y la autonomía predijo la motivación para aprender.(AU)

Teacher autonomy support is related to improved student learn-ing. In higher education, few studies relate classroom contextual factors, such as teacher emphasis on content usefulness, and students' motivational characteristics. The aim was to test a multilevel model about the relation between the extent of teachers’ emphasis on the usefulness of class con-tent with student autonomy, and, in turn, on motivation to learn. The par-ticipants were 3033 university students enrolled from 1st to 4th grade of Sciences of the Physical Activity and Sport, from universities in Spain (N = 602), Portugal (N = 469), Mexico (N = 1177), Chile (N = 372), and Brazil (N = 413). A multilevel structural equation model was performed, in which participants answered questions about the teacher's emphasis on the use-fulness of class content, basic psychological need for autonomy, and moti-vation to learn. At the group and individual levels, the hypothesis is that the teacher's emphasis on the usefulness of class content predict the stu-dent autonomy, in turn, student autonomy predicts student motivation to learn. Results found at the group level and at the individual level the strength of teacher emphasis on class content predicted student autonomy; student autonomy predicted student motivation to learn.(AU)

0D/2D Co-Doping Network Enhancing Thermal Conductivity of Radiative Cooling Film for Electronic Device Thermal Management.

The radiative cooling has great potential for electronic device cooling without requiring any energy consumption. However, a low thermal conductivity of most radiative cooling materials limits their application. Herein, a multishape codoping strategy was proposed to achieve collaborative enhancement of thermal conductivity and radiative properties. The hBN-coated hollow SiO2 particles were prepared based on electrostatic self-assembly technology, which were then mixed with hBN platelets and doped into a poly(vinylidene fluoride-co-hexafluoropropylene) substrate. Discrete dipole approximation theory was employed to reveal the mechanism and optimize the particle size. The results showed that the multishape codoping method can significantly improve the radiative performance, with 94.9% reflectivity and 91.2% emissivity. In addition, this zero-dimensional and two-dimensional composite doping structure facilitated the formation of a thermal conduction network, which enhanced the thermal conductivity of the film up to 1.32 W m-1 K-1. The high thermal conductivity radiative cooling film can decrease the heater temperature from 58.8 to 31.3 °C, with a further reduction of temperature by 7.2 °C compared to the radiative cooling substrates with low thermal conductivity. The net cooling power of the film can reach 102.5 W m-2 under direct sunlight. This work provides a novel strategy for high-efficiency electronic device cooling.

Word Forms Reflect Trade-Offs Between Speaker Effort and Robust Listener Recognition.

How do cognitive pressures shape the lexicons of natural languages? Here, we reframe George Kingsley Zipf's proposed "law of abbreviation" within a more general framework that relates it to cognitive pressures that affect speakers and listeners. In this new framework, speakers' drive to reduce effort (Zipf's proposal) is counteracted by the need for low-frequency words to have word forms that are sufficiently distinctive to allow for accurate recognition by listeners. To support this framework, we replicate and extend recent work using the prevalence of subword phonemic sequences (phonotactic probability) to measure speakers' production effort in place of Zipf's measure of length. Across languages and corpora, phonotactic probability is more strongly correlated with word frequency than word length. We also show this measure of ease of speech production (phonotactic probability) is strongly correlated with a measure of perceptual difficulty that indexes the degree of competition from alternative interpretations in word recognition. This is consistent with the claim that there must be trade-offs between these two factors, and is inconsistent with a recent proposal that phonotactic probability facilitates both perception and production. To our knowledge, this is the first work to offer an explanation why long, phonotactically improbable word forms remain in the lexicons of natural languages.

A Hierarchical Bayesian Model of Adaptive Teaching.

How do teachers learn about what learners already know? How do learners aid teachers by providing them with information about their background knowledge and what they find confusing? We formalize this collaborative reasoning process using a hierarchical Bayesian model of pedagogy. We then evaluate this model in two online behavioral experiments (N = 312 adults). In Experiment 1, we show that teachers select examples that account for learners' background knowledge, and adjust their examples based on learners' feedback. In Experiment 2, we show that learners strategically provide more feedback when teachers' examples deviate from their background knowledge. These findings provide a foundation for extending computational accounts of pedagogy to richer interactive settings.

Hot and cool executive function and theory of mind in children with and without specific learning disorders.

Executive function (EF) in specific learning disorders (SLD) has been investigated using mainly cool EF tasks, whilst less is known about hot EF and theory of mind (ToM) in this population. The aim of this study was to examine group differences in hot and cool EF and ToM in school-aged children with SLD relative to typically developing peers. It also attempted to investigate whether EF measures are significant predictors of ToM in SLD and typical development. Cross-sectional data were collected from 135 school-aged children with and without SLD (8-10 years old), tested on measures of cool & hot EF and ToM. Significant group differences were observed in EFs inhibition (p= .04), working memory (p= .04) and delay of gratification (p < .001), as well as ToM mental state/emotion recognition (p = .019). Inhibition and planning contributed to 22% of the explained variance of ToM mental state/emotion recognition, but not false belief overall. Results suggest that cool EF may be a crucial predictor of ToM in children with and without SLD. Finally, stepwise logistic regression analysis identified specific hot EF and ToM measures contributing to group differentiation, specifically delay of gratification (odds ratio=.995, 95% CI [.993-.998]) and mental state/emotion recognition (odds ratio= .89, 95% CI [.796-.995]). This study contributes to our understanding of cognitive deficits and socio-cognitive impairment in children with SLD, which hold promise for informing interventions aimed at addressing these cognitive challenges.

A systematic first-principles investigation of the structural, electronic, mechanical, optical, and thermodynamic properties of Half-Heusler ANiX (ASc, Ti, Y, Zr, Hf; XBi, Sn) for spintronics and optoelectronics applications.

This paper is the first to look at the structural, electronic, mechanical, optical, and thermodynamic properties of the ANiX (ASc, Ti, Y, Zr, Hf; XBi, Sn) half-Heusler (HH) using DFT based first principles method. The lattice parameters that we have calculated are very similar to those obtained in prior investigations with theoretical and experimental data. The positive phonon dispersion curve confirm the dynamical stability of ANiX (ASc, Ti, Y, Zr, Hf; XBi, Sn). The electronic band structure and DOS confirmed that the studied materials ANiX (ASc, Ti, Y, Zr, Hf; XBi, Sn) are direct band gap semiconductors. The investigation also determined significant constants, including dielectric function, absorption, conductivity, reflectivity, refractive index, and loss function. These optical observations unveiled our compounds potential utilization in various electronic and optoelectronic device applications. The elastic constants were used to fulfill the Born criteria, confirming the mechanical stability and ductility of the solids ANiX (ASc, Ti, Y, Zr, Hf; XBi, Sn). The calculated elastic modulus revealed that our studied compounds are elastically anisotropic. Moreover, ANiX (ASc, Ti, Y, Zr, Hf; XBi, Sn) has a very low minimum thermal conductivity (Kmin), and a low Debye temperature (θD), which indicating their appropriateness for utilization in thermal barrier coating (TBC) applications. The Helmholtz free energy (F), internal energy (E), entropy (S), and specific heat capacity (Cv) are determined by calculations derived from the phonon density of states.

The motivations and reputational consequences of spreading conspiracy theories.

Some people deliberately spread conspiracy theories. What are the reputational benefits and costs of doing so? The Adaptive-Conspiracism hypothesis proposes that it pays to be vigilant against possible conspiracies, especially in case of intergroup threat. Those who spread conspiracy theories may therefore be seen as valuable group members. Few studies have focused on the reputational impact of spreading a conspiracy theory. We conducted five studies (NPilot = 303; NStudy1 = 388; NStudy2 = 560; NStudy3 = 391; NStudy4 = 373) where participants rated a conspiracy spreader (vs. a neutral person) on a range of personality traits in different intergroup contexts. The results indicated that conspiracy spreaders were consistently perceived as more dominant and less warm than people making non-conspiratorial claims about certain events. Moreover, intergroup conflict attenuated the negative effects of spreading conspiracy theories on competence and warmth. These findings support the notion that besides drawbacks, spreading conspiracy theories can have benefits for the spreader's reputation, particularly during an intergroup conflict.

Exploring crystal structure-physical property relationships with pressure.

From its conception, X-ray crystallography has provided a unique understanding of the structure, bonding and electronic state of materials, which, in turn, unlocks a means of examining the properties and function of crystalline systems. Using state-of-the-art single-crystal X-ray diffraction, along with UV-Vis spectroscopy and DFT calculations, Zwolenik et al. [(2024). IUCrJ, 11, 519-527] have provided a comprehensive study of the structure-optical property relationship of 1,3-diacetylpyrene with methodologies that are increasingly accessible to non-specialist laboratories.

A crisis of exhaustion in the game of escalation: a qualitative exploration of the consequences of occupational burnout among addiction therapists.

Purpose: Research shows that occupational burnout can affect health, the quality of personal relationships, and levels of job satisfaction and engagement. At the same time, the impact of individual burnout at the group and organisational levels has tended to be neglected. We aim to provide theoretical insights into the multidimensionality of burnout consequences at the individual, interpersonal and societal levels. Methods: A theory-driven, computer-assisted qualitative data analysis was conducted, comprising a thematic analysis of 40 semi- structured telephone interviews with therapists working in alcohol treatment facilities in Poland. Maximum variation sampling was used to ensure the representation of participants with different characteristics. Results: To theorise the implications of the collected data, the different viewpoints of addiction therapists on burnout and its consequences were interpreted through the lens of Rosa's resonance theory. Four interrelated sets of consequences were identified in the data: they related to (a) the therapists themselves, (b) their patients and the therapeutic process, and - in a broader sense - (c) the therapeutic team and (d) the treatment facility. Conclusions: Occupational burnout in individual therapists has serious implications for their patients and colleagues. It can also lead to a reduction in the quality and ultimately the effectiveness of the treatment of alcohol use disorders leading to a negative social image of the treatment facility and thus creating a further barrier to treatment for people with alcohol-related problems. Furthermore, the complexity of the individual experience of occupational burnout and a cause-and-effect chain forms a loop, deepening the severity of its consequences.

Response inhibition in premotor cortex corresponds to a complex reshuffle of the mesoscopic information network.

Recent studies have explored functional and effective neural networks in animal models; however, the dynamics of information propagation among functional modules under cognitive control remain largely unknown. Here, we addressed the issue using transfer entropy and graph theory methods on mesoscopic neural activities recorded in the dorsal premotor cortex of rhesus monkeys. We focused our study on the decision time of a Stop-signal task, looking for patterns in the network configuration that could influence motor plan maturation when the Stop signal is provided. When comparing trials with successful inhibition to those with generated movement, the nodes of the network resulted organized into four clusters, hierarchically arranged, and distinctly involved in information transfer. Interestingly, the hierarchies and the strength of information transmission between clusters varied throughout the task, distinguishing between generated movements and canceled ones and corresponding to measurable levels of network complexity. Our results suggest a putative mechanism for motor inhibition in premotor cortex: a topological reshuffle of the information exchanged among ensembles of neurons.

In this study, we investigated the dynamics of information transfer among functionally identified neural modules during cognitive motor control. Our focus was on mesoscopic neural activities in the dorsal premotor cortex of rhesus monkeys engaged in a Stop-signal task. Leveraging multivariate transfer entropy and graph theory, we uncovered insights on how behavioral control shapes the topology of information transmission in a local brain network. Task phases modulated the strength and hierarchy of information exchange between modules, revealing the nuanced interplay between neural populations during generated and canceled movements. Notably, during successful inhibition, the network displayed a distinctive configuration, unveiling a novel mechanism for motor inhibition in the premotor cortex: a topological reshuffle of information among neuronal ensembles.

Effect of empowering leadership on employees' workplace loneliness: a moderated mediation model.

Background: Workplace loneliness has become a prevalent experience among employees in organizations; however, there is limited empirical research on how leaders can address and mitigate this issue. Drawing upon self-determination theory and empowering leadership theory, this study examines the impact of empowering leadership on workplace loneliness by exploring the mediator of role breadth self-efficacy and the moderator of leader-member conversational quality. Methods: A time-lagged research design was used, collecting data through a two-wave online survey involving 531 employees in Chinese public sectors. The participants consisted of 321 males and 210 females, with an average age of 35 years (SD = 7.36). Results: Our findings indicate that empowering leadership positively influences employees' role breadth self-efficacy, reducing their workplace loneliness. Moreover, leader-member conversational quality strengthens this indirect effect, suggesting that empowering leadership is more effective in reducing workplace loneliness when leader-member conversational quality is high. Conclusion: This study expands and enriches research on the antecedents of workplace loneliness from the leadership approach, providing valuable insights for organizations to implement interventions that effectively alleviate employees' workplace loneliness.

Perspective: the evolution of hormones and person perception-a quantitative genetic framework.

Evolutionary biology provides a unifying theory for testing hypotheses about the relationship between hormones and person perception. Person perception usually receives attention from the perspective of sexual selection. However, because person perception is one trait in a suite regulated by hormones, univariate approaches are insufficient. In this Perspectives article, quantitative genetics is presented as an important but underutilized framework for testing evolutionary hypotheses within this literature. We note tacit assumptions within the current literature on psychiatric genetics, which imperil the interpretation of findings thus far. As regulators of a diverse manifold of traits, hormones mediate tradeoffs among an array of functions. Hormonal pleiotropy also provides the basis of correlational selection, a process whereby selection on one trait in a hormone-mediated suite generates selection on the others. This architecture provides the basis for conflicts between sexual and natural selection within hormone-mediated suites. Due to its role in person perception, psychiatric disorders, and reproductive physiology, the sex hormone estrogen is highlighted as an exemplar here. The implications of this framework for the evolution of person perception are discussed. Empirical quantification of selection on traits within hormone-mediated suites remains an important gap in this literature with great potential to illuminate the fundamental nature of psychiatric disorders.

Unlocking the biochemical secrets of longevity: balancing healthspan and lifespan.

In an era of rising global life expectancies, research focuses on enhancing the quality of extended years. This review examines the link between mitochondrial function and aging, highlighting the importance of healthspan alongside lifespan. This involves significant human and economic challenges, with longer lifespans often accompanied by reduced well-being. Addressing mitochondrial decline, exploring targeted interventions, and understanding the complexities of research models are vital for advancing our knowledge in this field. Additionally, promoting physical exercise and adopting personalized supplementation strategies based on individual needs can contribute to healthy aging. The insights from this Perspective article offer a hopeful outlook for future advances in extending both lifespan and healthspan, aiming to improve the overall quality of life in aging populations.

Mind reading dysfunctions in patients with obstructive sleep apnoea: A neuropsychological approach.

Obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome (OSAS) is a prevalent sleep-related breathing disorder that has been extensively studied for its effects on cognitive functions. However, little attention has been given to investigating Mind Reading (MR) skills in patients with OSAS. In this study, we employed a neuropsychological approach to thoroughly assess various facets of MR skills in patients with OSAS. Forty-two patients with untreated moderate or severe OSAS (AHI ≥15; 30 men, 12 women) and 16 healthy controls (7 men and 9 women), matched by age, were enrolled. To assess MR skills, we used: (i) The Story-based Empathy Task (SET), which includes three experimental conditions: identifying intentions (SET-IA), emotional states (SET-EA), and a control condition for inferring causality reactions (SET-CI); (ii) the Ekman 60 Faces Test (Ek60), which measures emotion recognition from facial expressions. Our findings revealed that patients with OSAS exhibit deficits in emotion-related MR skills, while their ability to make inferences about the cognitive states of social partners remains largely preserved. This finding corroborates previous evidence indicating that social cognition, particularly MR skills, may be one of the cognitive domains affected by OSAS. It emphasizes the significance of investigating social cognition and the relationship between MR skills and social functioning as a new and intriguing area of research in patients with OSAS.

Diagnosing and managing prescription opioid use disorder in patients prescribed opioids for chronic pain in Australian general practice settings: a qualitative study using the theory of Planned Behaviour.

BACKGROUND: Chronic pain is a debilitating and common health issue. General Practitioners (GPs) often prescribe opioids to treat chronic pain, despite limited evidence of benefit and increasing evidence of harms, including prescription Opioid Use Disorder (pOUD). Australian GPs are worried about the harms of long-term opioids, but few are involved in the treatment of pOUD. There is little research on GPs' experiences diagnosing and managing pOUD in their chronic pain patients. METHODS: This qualitative research used semi-structured interviews and a case study to investigate GPs' experiences through the lens of the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB). TPB describes three factors, an individual's perceived beliefs/attitudes, perceived social norms and perceived behavioural controls. Participants were interviewed via an online video conferencing platform. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and thematically analysed. RESULTS: Twenty-four GPs took part. Participants were aware of the complex presentations for chronic pain patients and concerned about long-term opioid use. Their approach was holistic, but they had limited understanding of pOUD diagnosis and suggested that pOUD had only one treatment: Opioid Agonist Treatment (OAT). Participants felt uncomfortable prescribing opioids and were fearful of difficult, conflictual conversations with patients about the possibility of pOUD. This led to avoidance and negative attitudes towards diagnosing pOUD. There were few positive social norms, few colleagues diagnosed or managed pOUD. Participants reported that their colleagues only offered positive support as this would allow them to avoid managing pOUD themselves, while patients and other staff were often unsupportive. Negative behavioural controls were common with low levels of knowledge, skill, professional supports, inadequate time and remuneration described by many participants. They felt OAT was not core general practice and required specialist management. This dichotomous approach was reflected in their views that the health system only supported treatment for chronic pain or pOUD, not both conditions. CONCLUSIONS: Negative beliefs, negative social norms and negative behavioural controls decreased individual behavioural intention for this group of GPs. Diagnosing and managing pOUD in chronic pain patients prescribed opioids was perceived as difficult and unsupported. Interventions to change behaviour must address negative perceptions in order to lead to more positive intentions to engage in the management of pOUD.

Emergency triage nurses' perceptions of caring behaviors and the safety of the patient during triage encounters: a grounded theory study.

BACKGROUND: Triage is a dynamic process prioritising the patient coming to the emergency department. Caring behaviour and patient safety during the triage process are essential for ensuring a good care experience and treatment outcome. OBJECTIVE: To describe triage nurses' perceptions on caring behaviors and patient safety in the triage area. DESIGN: Strauss and Corbin's Grounded theory method was used to develop the model. METHODS: The study was conducted in the emergency department in northeastern Slovenia. Semi-structured interviews were used for data collection, and 19 triage nurses were selected by theoretical sampling, guided by emerging categories between November 2021 and July 2022. The data analysis was conducted according to Strauss and Corbin's coding framework. RESULTS: The analysis of the interviews generated one category: The process of creating a caring and safe triage encounter for the patient, together with two categories that explain the key phenomenon: (1) Triage caring and (2) Safety in the triage process. Within the category "Triage caring", four subcategories were developed: (1) Assurance of triage nurses' presence, (2) Connectedness, (3) Respectful attitude, and (4) Knowledge and skills. The category Safety in the triage process consists of three identified subcategories: (1) Conception and perception of safety, (2) Factors influencing patient safety, and (3) Improving the triage safety. CONCLUSIONS: The triage nurses' perceptions about caring for the patient and his safety in the triage area show that caring and safety are inseparably linked and coincide when triaging a patient. Namely, caring for the patient means ensuring the patient's safety at the same time. IMPLICATIONS FOR THE NURSING FIELD: A better understanding of the importance of triage nurses' caring behavior and patient safety emerges from the findings, highlighting the challenges faced in a busy emergency department where nurses must balance providing care and responding to patients' needs while ensuring safety. Findings in the study show that patient care and safety are inseparably linked and coincide when triaging a patient. Moreover, applying caring behaviour during triage encounter results in greater patient safety. NO PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION: The study's design, evaluation of the findings, and execution did not need the involvement of patients or the general public. Participants were triage nurses working in the emergency department. Triage nurses were interviewed about their perceptions of triage nurses on caring behaviors and patient safety during triage encounter.

Responsibility endowing power: A theoretical framework of health empowerment for Chinese older people with chronic illness.

AIM: To construct a health empowerment framework for the Chinese older people with chronic conditions. DESIGN: A Strussian grounded theory design was selected to generate the theoretical framework. METHODS: Data were collected from 53 community-dwelling older people with chronic conditions in China between November 2017 and August 2019, via semi-structured interviews and with participating observation. The constant comparative method identified the key categories. RESULTS: 'Responsibility endowing power', the health empowerment core theme, was defined as initiating, performing and realizing responsibility towards health through the interaction between the self, family and society. The framework enriches the meaning of health empowerment, changing older people's nursing practice.

A robust triphenylamine-based monolithic polymer network for selective sieving of CO2 and PM from flue gas.

The increasingly urgent issue of climate change is driving the development of carbon dioxide (CO2) capture and separation technologies in flue gas after combustion. The monolithic adsorbent stands out in practical adsorption applications for its simplified powder compaction process while maintaining the inherent balance between energy consumption for regeneration and selectivity for adsorption. However, optimizing the adsorption capacity and selectivity of CO2 separation materials remains a significant challenge. Herein, we synthesized monolithic polymer networks (N-CMPs) with triphenylamine adsorption sites, acid-base environment tolerance, and precise narrow microchannel pore systems for the selective sieving of CO2 and particulate matter (PM) in flue gas. The inherent continuous covalent bonding of N-CMPs, along with their highly delocalized π-π conjugated porous framework, ensures the stability of the monolithic polymer network's adsorption and separation capabilities under wet and acid-base conditions. Specifically, under the conditions of 1 bar at 273 K, the CO2 adsorption capacity of N-CMP-1 is 3.35 mmol/g. Attributed to the highly polar environment generated by triphenylamine and the inherent high micropore/mesopore ratio, N-CMPs exhibit an excellent ideal adsorbed solution theory (IAST) selectivity for CO2/N2 under simulated flue gas conditions (CO2/N2 = 15:85). Dynamic breakthrough experiments further visualize the high separation efficiency of N-CMPs in practical adsorption applications. Moreover, under acid-base conditions, N-CMPs achieve a capture efficiency exceeding 99.76 % for PM0.3, enabling the selective separation of CO2 and PM in flue gas. In fact, the combined capture of hazardous PM and CO2 from the exhaust gases produced by the combustion of fossil fuels will play a pivotal role in mitigating climate change and environmental issues until low-carbon and alternative energy technologies are widely adopted.