Interpersonal Research Articles

Prenatal weight stigma can affect relationship quality and maternal health outcomes

BackgroundWeight stigma is defined as negative misconception and stereotypes associated with weight, and it is commonly experienced during pregnancy. Weight stigma during pregnancy may be sourced from trusted close relationships including family members, partners, and friends. Social support is a necessary psychosocial factor for optimal health and wellbeing throughout pregnancy, and weight stigma sourced from these integral relationships may negatively affect health outcomes. The purpose of this study was to assess the impact of weight stigma from close others on maternal health outcomes.MethodsA survey was administered via Qualtrics to pregnant women (≥ 13 weeks, residence within the United States or Canada, ≥ 18 years old, singleton pregnancy). During pregnancy, participants completed questionnaires identifying whether they had experienced weight stigma from a close relationship (i.e., family, partners, or friends), how often, and relationship quality scales for each source. At three months postpartum, they were surveyed about their pregnancy outcomes including gestational diabetes, gestational hypertension, preeclampsia, chronic pain, anxiety/depression. They also completed the Edinburgh Postpartum Depression Scale (EPDS), and a linear regression was performed with frequency of weight stigma. Logistic regressions were performed between frequency of weight stigma and health outcomes. If significant, relationship quality was tested as a potential mediator. Significance was accepted as p < 0.05.Results463 participants completed both surveys of which 86% had experienced weight stigma from close others. Frequency of weight stigma was significantly associated with chronic pain (β = 0.689, p < 0.001), and anxiety/depression (β = 0.404, p = 0.005). The relationship between frequency of weight stigma in pregnancy and chronic pain was mediated by quality of all relationships. Family relationship quality mediated between frequency of weights stigma and anxiety/depression. Frequency of weight stigma was significantly associated with depression symptom severity measured by the EPDS (β = 0.634, p < 0.001).ConclusionThese findings underscore the issue of weight stigma and show that experiencing this from trusted close others is associated with poor health outcomes like chronic pain. Advocacy efforts to mitigate weight stigma in pregnancy and strengthen close relationships to improve maternal health and wellbeing is warranted.

The Spatiotemporal Variations in and Propagation of Meteorological, Agricultural, and Groundwater Droughts in Henan Province, China

As the global climate changes and droughts become more frequent, understanding the characteristics and propagation dynamics of drought is critical for monitoring and early warning. This study utilized the Standardized Precipitation Evapotranspiration Index (SPEI), Vegetation Condition Index (VCI), and Groundwater Drought Index (GDI) to identify meteorological drought (MD), agricultural drought (AD), and groundwater drought (GD), respectively. Sen’s slope method and Mann–Kendall trend analysis were used to examine drought trends. The Pearson correlation coefficient (PCC) and theory of run were utilized to identify the propagation times between different types of droughts. Cross-wavelet transform (XWT) and wavelet coherence (WTC) were applied to investigate the linkages among the three types of droughts. The results showed that, from 2004 to 2022, the average durations of MD, AD, and GD in Henan Province were 4.55, 8.70, and 29.03 months, respectively. MD and AD were gradually alleviated, while GD was exacerbated. The average propagation times for the different types of droughts were as follows: 6.1 months (MD-AD), 4.4 months (MD-GD), and 16.3 months (AD-GD). Drought propagation exhibited significant seasonality, being shorter in summer and autumn than in winter and spring, and there were close relationships among MD, AD, and GD. This study revealed the characteristics and propagation dynamics of different types of droughts in Henan Province, providing scientific references for alleviating regional droughts and promoting the sustainable development of agriculture and food production.

Discovery and analysis of the relationship between organic components in exhaled breath and bronchiectasis

The prevalence of patients with bronchiectasis (BE) has been rising in recent years, which increases the substantial burden on the family and society. Exploring a convenient, effective, and low-cost screening tool for the diagnosis of BE is urgent. We expect to identify the accuracy (ACC) of breath biomarkers (BBs) for the diagnosis of BE through breathomics testing and explore the association between BBs and clinical features of BE. Exhaled breath samples were collected and detected by high-pressure photon ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry in a cross-sectional study. Exhaled breath samples were from 215 patients with BE and 295 control individuals. The potential BBs were selected via the machine learning (ML) method. The overall performance was assessed for the BBs-based BE detection model. The significant BBs between different subgroups such as the severity of BE, acute or stable stage, combined with hemoptysis or not, with or without nontuberculous mycobacterium (NTM),P. aeruginosa(P.a) isolation or not, and the BBs related to the number of involved lung lobes and lung function were discovered and analyzed. The top ten BBs based ML model achieved an area under the curve of 0.940, sensitivity of 90.7%, specificity of 85%, and ACC of 87.4% in BE diagnosis. Except for the top ten BBs, other BBs were found also related to the severity, acute/stable status, hemoptysis or not, NTM infection,P.aisolation, the number of involved lobes, and three lung functional parameters in BE patients. BBs-based BE detection model showed good ACC for diagnosis. BBs have a close relationship with the clinical features of BE. The breath test method may provide a new strategy for BE screening and personalized management.

Congenital Insensitivity to Pain With Anhidrosis Is Associated With Harlequin Color Change: A Survey Study.

Congenital insensitivity to pain with anhidrosis (CIPA), also known as hereditary sensory and autonomic neuropathy (HSAN) type IV, is an extremely rare autosomal recessive congenital condition characterized by the loss of sensation to pain and absence of sweating with one case report linking this with harlequin color change. To explore the relationship further, we developed a survey using the Research Electronic Data Capture software and distributed it to families and others with close relationships and knowledge of patients with CIPA. Our results indicate that harlequin color change, characterized by unilateral flushing of the face and/or body, was significant and noted by all respondents as being present early in the condition appearing around the same time as first symptoms and around or before diagnosis of CIPA. Future clinicians should be aware of this dermatological phenomenon and its potential association with CIPA patients, especially during early disease manifestation where diagnosis can be difficult.

Prinsip Habluminallah dalam Puisi “Sajadah Panjang” Karya Taufik Ismail, dan “Tuhan, Kita Begitu Dekat” Karya Abdul Hadi WM

This study aims to describe the principle of habluminallah in poetry. The objects of study in this research are the poems "Long Sajadah" by Taufik Ismail and "God, We Are So Close" by Abdul Hadi WM. The method used in presenting the results of the analysis is a qualitative descriptive method. The researcher conducted a literature search of the two poems to collect research data which was then carried out in comparative literature. The approach taken is objective, namely finding something unique in poetry. The data discussed in this study: (1) Analysis of the intrinsic narrative elements of the two poems (2) the principle of habluminallah in both poems. The results of the study show that the poem "Long Prayer Prayer" by Taufik Ismail and the poem "God, We Are So Close" by Abdul Hadi WM have a connection, because the two poems explain religious values, namely the close relationship between humans and their gods.

Роль семейных взаимосвязей в формировании жизнеспособной и благополучной личности студента с инвалидностью и / или ограниченными возможностями здоровья

&lt;p style="text-align: justify;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Objective&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;strong&gt;.&lt;/strong&gt; To analyze the role of family relationships in the formation of a prosperous and viable personality of a student with disabilities. &lt;br&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Background. &lt;/strong&gt;Moral responsibility, mutual support and care, teaching principles, norms and values remain at all times a historically significant function of the family. The appearance of a person with a disability in the family becomes a source of uncertainty, which is a threat on the one hand, and a chal&amp;shy;lenge on the other. Creating conditions for the effective and harmonious development of the family will make it possible to raise a prosperous and resilient citizen, through the support of not just a family, but the institution of a family resiliencе. &lt;br&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Study design. &lt;/strong&gt;The paper examines the features of the formation a well-being and resilient person&amp;shy;ality of students with disabilities, depending on the degree of family support and the presence of close family ties. The interrelation of family relations with psychological well-being, resilience, and assess&amp;shy;ment of the quality of life of students with disabilities is determined. &lt;br&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Participants. &lt;/strong&gt;The study involved students with disabilities (n = 98; 37,7% of boys, 62,3% of girls; average age 21,13 &amp;plusmn; 2,68) from different faculties of FSUE IVO RSU Sotstech and conditionally healthy students (n = 116; 51,7% of the sample; 31,4% of boys, 68,6% of girls; average age 21,5 &amp;plusmn; 2,9). &lt;br&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Measurements. &lt;/strong&gt;The research is based on the following methods: questionnaire &amp;ldquo;Psychological well-being&amp;rdquo; by C. Riff in adaptation by T.D. Shevelenkova, P.P. Fesenko; questionnaire SF &amp;mdash; 36 &amp;ldquo;Assessment of quality of life&amp;rdquo;; test &amp;ldquo;Human resilience&amp;rdquo; by A.V. Makhnach; questionnaire &amp;ldquo;Human resilience&amp;rdquo; by E.A. Rylskaya; questionnaire allowing to establish the socio-psychological characteristics of students (gender, age, faculty, disability). The results were analyzed using the IBM SPSS 23.0 package. The presence of significant differences was revealed using the nonparametric Mann-Whitney U-test for two independent groups and the Kruskal-Wallis analysis for k-independent groups. The relationship of family relationships with the assessment of living standards, parameters of psychological well-being and resilience was established on the basis of Spearman&amp;rsquo;s p-criterion. The results were considered significant at p &amp;lt; 0,05. &lt;br&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Results. &lt;/strong&gt;Students with disabilities have a correlation relationship between family relationships and indicators of psychological well-being and resilience. The level of resilience of students in families with high support corresponds to a high level, in groups with weak family ties &amp;mdash; to an average level. In families with high family support, girls and boys are statistically more capable of self-regulation and self-development. The state of psychological well-being is statistically significantly higher among students with disabilities in the group with close family relationships. The analysis of the assessment of the quality of life significantly differs in the parameter of vital activity among respondents with disabilities. &lt;br&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Conclusions. &lt;/strong&gt;As a result of the study, it was found that a family with close emotional ties creates conditions for the effective use of available opportunities, self-regulation and self-development. Stu&amp;shy;dents with disabilities with high family support show higher life activity and adaptation in society. The results of the study serve as the basis for the development of a targeted trajectory of psychological and pedagogical support for students with disabilities and/or disabilities to maintain psychological well-being and resilience, improve the assessment of quality of life.&lt;/p&gt;

Emerging blaNDM-positive Salmonella enterica in Chinese pediatric infections.

Non-typhoidal Salmonella (NTS) is a common zoonotic foodborne pathogen, whose rising antimicrobial resistance has been an urgent threat to global public health. Here, we reported two carbapenem-resistant Salmonella enterica (CRSE) strains (NBFE-049 and NBFE-164) carrying the blaNDM genes, which were recovered from two Chinese children, belonged to Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium (S. Typhimurium) monophasic variant (S. 1,4,[5],12:i:-) ST34 (a sequence type) and S. Typhimurium ST19, respectively. Genes blaNDM-5 and blaNDM-13 were detected in NBFE-049 and NBFE-164, respectively. The blaNDM-5 in NBFE-049 was located in an IncHI2-type plasmid, named pNBFE-049. In NBFE-164, the blaNDM-13 was located in an IncI1-type plasmid, named pNBFE-164. The plasmid pNBFE-164 successfully transferred its resistance phenotype into the recipient strain Escherichia coli J53 with a high efficiency of 1.1 × 10-2, while no transconjugants were obtained in pNBFE-049 conjugation assays. We further elucidated the genetic relationships of globally occurring New Delhi Metallo-β-lactamase (NDM)-positive strains and locally distributed clinical strains within the same serovar. The closest relative of NBFE-049 was clinical Salmonella strain 1722, which was recovered in 2020 and differed by only three Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs). No NDM-positive ST19 could be found in the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) database, and NBFE-164 showed a close genetic relationship with the other ST19 in this area. To sum up, we suggested the potential contributions of clonal spread and plasmid-mediated blaNDM transfer in CRSE dissemination. This study reported the complete genome of two blaNDM-carrying S. Typhimurium isolates, shedding new insights into the antimicrobial resistance mechanisms and dissemination patterns of the emerging CRSE.IMPORTANCENTS is one of the most common zoonotic pathogens that causes foodborne illnesses, while S. Typhimurium is one of the most common serovars. With the rising prevalence of multi-resistant Salmonella worldwide, carbapenems have emerged as the last-line antibiotics for treating severe bacterial infections. In this study, we reported the genomic characteristics of two carbapenem-resistant S. Typhimurium strains, which were recovered from two pediatric patients, carrying blaNDM-5 and blaNDM-13, providing new insights into the antimicrobial resistance deteriminants and transmission risk of blaNDM-positive NTS in China. We suggested the potential contributions of clonal spread and plasmid-mediated blaNDM transfer in CRSE dissemination. Future enhanced surveillance policy should mitigate CRSE spreading, and more importantly, clinical antimicrobial therapeutic regimens should be adjusted accordingly.

How Late Nights Influence Brain Cortical Structures: Distinct Neuroanatomical Measures Associated With Late Chronotype in Young Adults.

Chronotype is an inherent physiological trait reflecting an individual's subjective preference for their sleep awakening time, exerting a substantial influence on both physical and mental well-being. While existing research has established a close relationship between chronotype and individual brain structure, prior studies have predominantly focused on individual measurements of brain structural scales, thereby limiting the exploration of the underlying mechanisms of structural changes. This study seeks to validate previous research findings and enhance our understanding of the correlation between circadian rhythm preference and diverse cortical indicators in healthy young individuals. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans and chronotype assessments were conducted once for all participants, comprising 49 late chronotype (LC) young adults and 49 matched early chronotype young adults. The Chronotype Questionnaire was utilized to assess morningness and eveningness preferences. Surface-based analysis of structural MRI data revealed that LC young adults exhibited thinner cortical thickness of left pars orbitalis and lower cortical mean curve of right paracentral gyrus. Overall, this study represents a significant advancement in elucidating the connection between brain structure and function within the context of chronotypes.

Physical fitness as a factor in the effectiveness of the competitive activity of 17-18-year-old football players during the transition to professional teams

The need to demonstrate high results, on which a coach's career depends, forces the latter to practically ignore the psychophysiological features of the body of athletes aged 17-21 during the educational and training process and measures to restore players after exertion. As a result, the demands of professional football for most of the talented youth become excessive, which leads to overfatigue and a high level of injuries. The most rational approach to solving the problem of training football players during the transition to professional teams should be based on a systematic training methodology that will ensure effective development of sportsmanship, systematic growth of functional capabilities and their proper implementation. It should be noted that the indicators of physical and technical fitness of football players after graduating from the children's and youth football school do not meet the requirements of professional football. The article is devoted to solving the problem of the effectiveness of the competitive activity of 17-18-year-old football players during the transition to professional teams. The work revealed that the age range from 17 to 21 years falls on the period of an athlete's life, when the formation of all functional systems, which ensure high performance and immunity of the body against adverse factors that appear during intense training, is basically completed. It was noted that the physical and technical fitness indicators of football players after graduating from the children's and youth football school do not meet the requirements of professional football. The peculiarities of physical fitness in relation to the effective competitive activity of 17-18-year-old football players at the stage of specialized basic training were analyzed. The data of the study served as indicators of the players' physical fitness. As a result of the conducted correlational analysis of the physical fitness of young football players aged 17-18 years, an average and low value of the relationship was determined, which implies a fairly close relationship between the level of physical fitness and almost all indicators of the sportsmen's motor qualities, except for the indicator that characterizes the starting speed. It has been confirmed that the preparedness of athletes in football depends on their functional indicators, which, in turn, determine the effectiveness of certain tactical and technical actions.

Sulking into Sex

Sometimes, people sulk when their partners refuse sex. For instance, they might angrily pout, initiate the silent treatment, or manifest some other form of conspicuous, blame-laden withdrawal. To avoid this sulking, those on the receiving end sometimes submit to sex that they do not want. Such sex seems wrongful, as does the sulking that induces it. But what explains this intuition? I offer a two-part answer, drawing from real stories. First, I argue that even attempting to sulk someone into sex often imposes wrongful blame. Second, I argue that succeeding at sulking someone into sex often renders that sex nonconsensual because coerced—a wrong that should be morally but not always criminally sanctioned. These conclusions extend to numerous other sexual and nonsexual pressures while avoiding the implication that all sexual pressures are consent-undermining. In this way, my arguments cut against the current literature on consent. More broadly, my arguments challenge the literature’s focus on overt sexual pressures—like threats of violence—as well as its methodological tendency towards abstraction. One major upshot is that we should attend more closely to subtle sexual pressures like sulking, especially within the distinctive dynamic of close relationships.

Краткая версия Шкалы аутентичности в отношениях: психометрическая проверка в российской культуре

&lt;p style="text-align: justify;"&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Objective&lt;/strong&gt;. Psychometric validation of the Russian-language short version of the Authenticity in Relationships Scale (AIRS), which allows you to assess the degree of authenticity in various contexts: partners, parents, friends and colleagues. &lt;br&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Background.&lt;/strong&gt; The basis of close relationships as an absolute value for different cultures is honest self-presentation, which contributes to a person&amp;rsquo;s psychological well-being and increases satisfaction with communication. Authentic relationships include unacceptability of deception and intimate risk taking. In authentic relationships, there should be no desire to produce and maintain ideas about oneself and one&amp;rsquo;s partner that do not correspond to reality. They also imply a desire for more open, close communication, i.e., revealing one&amp;rsquo;s real self to another person. To measure this quality, the Authenticity in Relationships Scale was developed in the USA and GB, which has not yet been subjected to systematic psychometric testing, although there are no analogues to this instrument in Russia, which determined the relevance of this study. &lt;strong&gt;Study design.&lt;/strong&gt; Standard psychometric validation of the methodology was carried out for each of the four contexts: partners, parents, friends, colleagues. The Cronbach coefficient alpha was analyzed on the full sample of respondents; half of the respondents&amp;rsquo; answers were selected for exploratory factor analysis, the other half for confirmatory factor analysis. &lt;br&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Participants.&lt;/strong&gt; The study involved 449 respondents aged 18 to 60 years (10% male, 90% female; average age &amp;ndash; 27 years (min = 17, max = 60)). The study participants are Russian&amp;ndash;speaking citizens of the Russian Federation, representatives of different professions. &lt;br&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Measurements.&lt;/strong&gt; The main method was a short version of the Authenticity in Relationships Scale, which included 10 statements for each context. Data were collected online using the 1ka.si service. Jamovi (v. 2.3.21.0) was used for data processing. &lt;br&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Results.&lt;/strong&gt; The scale is applicable only to the context of a romantic relationship. For other contexts, the original model has not been confirmed. &lt;br&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Conclusions.&lt;/strong&gt; The methodology can be applied in research and in psychological counseling to study the authenticity level of romantic relationships. The scale's applicability to other social contexts requires further testing.&lt;/p&gt;

Framework to enable and test conversational assistant for APIs and RPAs

AbstractIn the realm of business automation, conversational assistants are emerging as the primary method for making automation software accessible to users in various business sectors. Access to automation primarily occurs through application programming interface (APIs) and robotic process automation (RPAs). To effectively convert APIs and RPAs into chatbots on a larger scale, it is crucial to establish an automated process for generating data and training models that can recognize user intentions, identify questions for conversational slot filling, and provide recommendations for subsequent actions. In this paper, we present a technique for enhancing and generating natural language conversational artifacts from API specifications using large language models (LLMs). The goal is to utilize LLMs in the “build” phase to assist humans in creating skills for digital assistants. As a result, the system does not need to rely on LLMs during conversations with business users, leading to efficient deployment. Along with enabling digital assistants, our system employs LLMs as proxies to simulate human interaction and automatically evaluate the digital assistant's performance. Experimental results highlight the effectiveness of our proposed approach. Our system is deployed in the IBM Watson Orchestrate product for general availability.

Three-Dimensional Mapping of the Rotation of Interactive Virtual Objects with Eye-Tracking Data.

We present a method for real-time recording of human interaction with three-dimensional (3D) virtual objects. The approach consists of associating rotation data of the manipulated object with behavioral measures, such as eye tracking, to make better inferences about the underlying cognitive processes. The task consists of displaying two identical models of the same 3D object (a molecule), presented on a computer screen: a rotating, interactive object (iObj) and a static, target object (tObj). Participants must rotate iObj using the mouse until they consider its orientation to be identical to that of tObj. The computer tracks all interaction data in real time. The participant's gaze data are also recorded using an eye tracker. The measurement frequency is 10 Hz on the computer and 60 Hz on the eye tracker. The orientation data of iObj with respect to tObj are recorded in rotation quaternions. The gaze data are synchronized to the orientation of iObj and referenced using this same system. This method enables us to obtain the following visualizations of the human interaction process with iObj and tObj: (1) angular disparity synchronized with other time-dependent data; (2) 3D rotation trajectory inside what we decided to call a "ball of rotations"; (3) 3D fixation heatmap. All steps of the protocol have used free software, such as GNU Octave and Jmol, and all scripts are available as supplementary material. With this approach, we can conduct detailed quantitative studies of the task-solving process involving mental or physical rotations, rather than only the outcome reached. It is possible to measure precisely how important each part of the 3D models is for the participant in solving tasks, and thus relate the models to relevant variables such as the characteristics of the objects, cognitive abilities of the individuals, and the characteristics of human-machine interface.

The Role of Digital Technology in Social Interaction of Manembo-Nembo Village Community, Matuari District, Bitung City

The purpose of this study is to determine the role of digital technology in social interaction in the Manembo-Nembo Village, Matuari District, Bitung City using the technological determinism theory approach, believing that technology has a major influence on various aspects of human interaction, especially social and cultural life, as stated by Marshall McLuhan. Using qualitative methods based on observation and interviews by collecting data from purposive sampling, namely determining competent informants, namely 2 community informants, 2 government informants. The results of the study found that the role of digital technology in social interaction has changed according to current circumstances, such as digitalization, such as in families it is easier and faster to interact via digital media with relatives who are in different places, the quality of relationships is maintained by having direct meetings in family groups (arisan), then digital interaction with the community; the creation of virtual togetherness such as people celebrating happy moments virtually by sharing photos, videos, and stories, and sharing information about sad events experienced and becoming a means of digital marketing that can increase family economic income. Digital interaction with the government; in today's public services digitally, especially in the field of population data management (KTP, Family Card, Certificate management) has been done through applications and can be done anywhere, but if there are people who need help, the local government is ready to serve, in accordance with the policy of the Bitung city government to make the Kelurahan Hebat program (digitalization).

Compassionate engagement of communities in support of palliative and end-of-life care: challenges in post-pandemic era.

Over the years, humanity has faced various global crises of different kinds that have caused great suffering in the community, such as wars, slavery, torture or the Holocaust, but also climate change, economic crises, or sanitary disasters. The recent pandemic posed a barrier to palliative and End-of-Life (EoL) care, as the need for physical distance made it difficult to retain essential human interactions while minimizing the risk of viral transmission. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the robustness of supportive networks (i.e., family, friends, neighbors, and community members) determined whether someone experienced a calm death at home or an unnecessary hospital admission, labeled as an 'emergency'. In this vein, active establishment and strengthening of such networks are the foundation of compassionate community efforts. Firstly, providing both physical and emotional support to the entire network of caregivers enhances their ability to care for others and improves the overall experience of death, including the process of dying and the ensuing bereavement period. Furthermore, individuals can enhance their own physical and mental health by practicing compassion. The ability of networks to withstand and recover from physical and emotional challenges, while maintaining strong and supportive relationships among its members, depends on the health and overall well-being of those members. Therefore, we argue that active community participation and death education can strengthen a community's capacity to assist people facing death, dying, and bereavement.

A Human–Security Robot Interaction Literature Review

As advances in robotics continue, security robots are increasingly integrated into public and private security, enhancing protection in locations such as streets, parks, and shopping malls. To be effective, security robots must interact with civilians and security personnel, underscoring the need to enhance our knowledge of their interactions with humans. To investigate this issue, the authors systematically reviewed 47 studies on human interaction with security robots, covering 2003 to 2023. Papers in this domain have significantly increased over the last seven years. The paper provides three contributions. First, it comprehensively summarizes existing literature on human interaction with security robots. Second, it employs the Human–Robot Integrative Framework (HRIF) to categorize this literature into three main thrusts: human, robot, and context. The framework is leveraged to derive insights into the methodologies, tasks, predictors, and outcomes studied. Last, the paper synthesizes and discusses the findings from the reviewed literature, identifying avenues for future research in this domain.

Using TED talks to improve engineering students’ oral skills

This paper deals with the training of undergraduate engineering students and is interdisciplinary in nature. It brings together three distinct aspects of scientific dissemination: the content of an engineering degree; the oral transmission of this content following the effective TED talks model; and the use English as a medium of scientific transmission. The paper highlights the need for trainee Spanish engineers to be able to communicate their work to the public through oral presentations that are brief and entertaining, yet scientifically rigorous. The core of the study consists of an analysis of a particular TED talk that is relevant for a variety of engineering degrees. We conclude that while it is necessary for Spanish engineers to receive specific training at a professional level in oral communication skills, there is a close relationship between the mode of transmission and the subject specific content to be transmitted that needs to be considered carefully. Developing a mastery of English is important, but essential communication skills are the most crucial aspect, regardless of the language of communication.

Students’ perceptions of an artificially intelligent chatbot as a support tool to develop their research skills

PurposeThis research aims to evaluate students’ perception of using a chatbot to develop their understanding of the various parts of a research article, and their ability to apply what they have learned to write a new research plan.Design/methodology/approachThis research is qualitative in approach. The sample contained 10 students on a research skills course as part of the master of educational technologies program. The research instruments consisted of (1) semi-structured interviews to gather the students’ perceptions of the effectiveness of using a chatbot, and (2) observation notes to triangulate the interview results, relating to the students’ application of what they had learned from the teacher and ChatGPT, in new contexts.FindingsThis study found that the use of ChatGPT contributed to developing students’ knowledge of writing a research plan. The students were satisfied with their personalized learning experience, and believed that ChatGPT had improved their autonomy, competence and relatedness. These three variables had played a role in developing their application skill. However, there were concerns about using ChatGPT in learning, like limiting the students’ creativity, human interaction and critical thinking skills. There were also concerns over accuracy, ethics and plagiarism.Originality/valueThe originality of this study lies in its examination of how ChatGPT can help satisfy students' need for autonomy (having more knowledge to communicate with the app and control their choices), competence (feeling more capable of using artificial intelligence [AI] and possessing the necessary knowledge and skills to succeed) and relatedness (being less disappointed when failing to obtain satisfactory responses from the AI application), while improving their skills in application. According to self-determination theory (SDT), these factors affect students’ skills in applying what they have learned to new tasks. Therefore, this study extends the examination of SDT and its effect to include application skill, using qualitative methods to study the relationships between variables in depth.

The effect of macrophage-cardiomyocyte interactions on cardiovascular diseases and development of potential drugs.

The interaction between macrophages and cardiomyocytes plays an important role not only in maintaining cardiac homeostasis, but also in the development of many cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), such as myocardial infarction (MI) and heart failure (HF). In addition to supporting cardiomyocytes, macrophages and cardiomyocytes have a close and complex relationship. By studying their cross-talk, we can better understand novel mechanisms and target pathogenic mechanisms, and improve the treatment of CVDs. We review macrophage-cardiomyocyte communication through connexin 43 (Cx43)-containing gap junctions (GJs) directly, secreted protein factors indirectly, and discuss the implications of these interactions in cardiac homeostasis and the development of various CVDs, including MI, HF, arrhythmia, cardiac fibrosis and myocarditis. In this section, we review various drugs that work by modulating cytokines or other proteins to reduce inflammation in CVDs. The clinical findings from targeting inflammation in CVDs are also discussed. Additionally, we examine the challenges and opportunities for improving our understanding of macrophage-cardiomyocyte coupling as it relates to pathophysiological disease processes, extending our research scope, and helping identify new molecular targets and improve the effectiveness of existing therapies.

Evolution of Placentation in Eugongylini (Squamata: Scincidae): Ontogeny of Extraembryonic Membranes in Oviparous and Viviparous Species of New Zealand.

New Zealand scincid lizards, genus Oligosoma, represent a monophyletic radiation of a clade, Eugongylini, of species distributed geographically throughout the South Pacific with major radiations in Australia and New Caledonia. Viviparity has evolved independently on multiple occasions within these lineages. Studies of Australian species have revealed that placental specializations resulting in substantial placentotrophy have evolved in two lineages. The pattern of extraembryonic membrane development of oviparous species differs from viviparous species and identical placental architecture has evolved in both placentotrophic lineages. We analyzed extraembryonic membrane development in two New Zealand species, the sole oviparous species, Oligosoma suteri, and placental development of a representative viviparous species, Oligosoma polychroma, using histological techniques. We conclude that these two species share a basic pattern of extraembryonic membrane development with other squamates. Comparisons with Australian species indicate that morphogenesis of the yolk sac of O. suteri results in an elaborate structure previously known only in Oligosoma lichenigerum with a geographic distribution on Lord Howe Island and Norfolk Island. This finding supports a close relationship between these two taxa. We conclude also that the pattern of placental development of O. polychroma is identical to that of viviparous species of Australia. The terminal placental stage for each of these lineages includes a chorioallantoic placenta and an elaborate omphaloplacenta. This level of homoplasy in placental evolution is consistent with a hypothesis that selection favors regional differentiation of the maternal-embryonic interface and that the omphaloplacenta is an adaptation for histotrophic transport.