mdpi-ai/citelens huggingface dataset:
How Has the Pandemic Affected Access and the Feeling of Belonging in Portuguese Higher Education?
Field: EDUCATION

This study is based on an in-depth analysis of the Portuguese reality. The main question addressed concerns the effects of the pandemic on the social profile and conditions of participation, and higher education students’ sense of belonging in Portugal. The changes resulting from the pandemic will also be considered in light of the policies that have been pursued and implemented at the national level with the aim of increasing and enhancing students’ integration within the higher education community. The application of a longitudinal approach was made possible through institutional data and data produced by the EUROSTUDENT project. The results obtained clarify some of the immediate effects that the pandemic has had on higher education and on the social and academic conditions and contexts of students in Portugal. On a more structural level, these results also emphasise the importance of political choices in the process of democratisation and extending the system to new segments of the population.
Empowering Novice Teachers: The Design and Validation of a Competence Model to Manage Verbal Aggressive Behaviour in the Classroom
Field: EDUCATION

(1) Background: Dealing with students’ maladaptive behaviour in the classroom, such as verbal aggressive behaviour, is challenging, particularly for novice teachers. They often encounter limited opportunities for training and practice in handling such incidents during their pre-service education, rendering them ill-equipped and uncertain when confronted with instances of verbal aggression during their initial teaching experiences. This article reports on the design and validation of a verbal aggression management competence model to guide and substantiate novice teachers’ immediate reactions. (2) Methods: The model’s construction and validation processes were informed by a dual-pronged approach, encompassing a literature analysis to explore theoretical concepts and semi-structured interviews involving 32 educational experts to validate its practical applicability. (3) Results: The design and validation processes resulted in a comprehensive competence model consisting of concrete steps to be taken during or immediately following an incident and overarching attitudes to be adopted throughout the incident managing process. (4) Conclusions: This study contributes a structured framework to empower novice teachers, offering tools to address verbal aggressive behaviour within the classroom environment. Furthermore, it highlights the potential of incorporating this model into teacher education programs, facilitating the competence development of future teachers, and fostering conducive learning environments.
How are primary school computer science curricular reforms contributing to equity? Impact on student learning, perception of the discipline, and gender gaps
Field: EDUCATION

Background: Early exposure to Computer Science (CS) and Computational Thinking (CT) for all is critical to broaden participation and promote equity in the field. But how does the introduction of CS and CT into primary school curricula impact learning, perception, and gaps between groups of students? Methodology: We investigate a CS-curricular reform and teacher Professional Development (PD) programme from an equity standpoint by applying hierarchical regression and structural equation modelling on student learning and perception data from three studies with, respectively, 1384, 2433 and 1644 grade 3–6 students (ages 7–11) and their 83, 142 and 95 teachers. Results: Regarding learning, exposure to CS instruction appears to contribute to closing the performance gap between low-achieving and high-achieving students, as well as pre-existing gender gaps. Despite a lack of direct influence of what was taught on student learning, there is no impact of teachers’ demographics or motivation on student learning, with teachers’ perception of the CS-PD positively influencing learning. Regarding perception, students perceive CS and its teaching tools (robotics, tablets) positively, and even more so when they perceive a role model close to them as doing CS. Nonetheless, gender differences exist all around with boys perceiving CS more positively than girls despite access to CS education. However, access to CS-education affects boys and girls differently: larger gender gaps are closing (namely those related to robotics), while smaller gaps are increasing (namely those related to CS and tablets). Conclusion: This article highlights how a CS curricular reform impacts learning, perception, and equity and supports the importance of (i) early introductions to CS for all; (ii) preparing teachers to teach CS all the while removing the influence of teacher demographics and motivation on student outcomes; and (iii) having developmentally appropriate activities that signal to all groups of students.
Psychometric properties of the Persian Gaming Disorder Test and relationships with psychological distress and insomnia in adolescents
Field: PSYCHOLOGY

Background: Gaming Disorder (GD) was recently included by the World Health Organization (WHO) as a psychiatric condition in the eleventh revision of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11) and is a concern worldwide, including in Iran. Thus, based on the ICD-11 criteria, a Persian version of the Gaming Disorder Test (GDT) was developed to facilitate assessment of GD. Methods: The present study used classical test theory and Rasch analysis to examine the psychometric properties of the Persian GDT. Iranian adolescents (n = 3837; 2171 [56.6%] males; mean [SD] age = 16.02 [1.4] years) completed the GDT and other instruments assessing disordered gaming, psychological distress, and insomnia. Results: Overall, the psychometric properties of the Persian GDT were satisfactory based on classical test theory (i.e., confirmatory factor analysis corroborated the unidimensional structure of GDT) and Rasch analysis (i.e., fit statistics suggested that all items were embedded in the concept of GD). Moreover, the Persian GDT was found to be sex-invariant, displaying no items with substantial differential item functioning across sexes. Additionally, it was found that GD mediated associations between time spent gaming and measures of psychological distress and insomnia. Conclusion: The Persian GDT is a convenient and short instrument for assessing GD among Iranian adolescents. The mediating roles of GD in the associations between time spent gaming and psychological distress and between time spent gaming and insomnia suggest that targeting features of GD may reduce psychological distress and improve sleep for Iranian adolescents.
A Lenz into the predictive power of language teacher emotion regulation and self-evaluation on L2 grit, teaching style preferences, and work engagement: a case of Chinese EFL instructors
Field: PSYCHOLOGY

An individual’s capacity to successfully control their emotional experiences and react to them requires them to engage in a number of processes, including those that are physiological, behavioral, and cognitive. When educators engage in self-evaluation, they investigate and assess the quality of their professional work. These two teacher-related conceptions have the potential to open up valuable perspectives in the course of the professional pursuits of teachers. Even though earlier research has shown their significance, the potential implications of these factors on the resiliency and teaching style preferences of language instructors have not been emphasized. As a result, the purpose of this study was to determine the extent to which a language teacher’s ability to regulate their emotions while carrying out self-evaluation procedures may accurately predict their level of resilience as well as their preferred method of instruction. To accomplish this, 399 English as a foreign language (EFL) teachers were asked to reflect on their experiences by responding to the following related questionnaires: The Language Teacher Emotion Regulation Inventory (LTERI), The Core of Self-evaluation Questionnaire (CSEQ), the L2-teacher Grit Scale (L2TGS), Grasha Teaching Style Inventory (TSI) and the Engaged Teacher Scale (ETS). The results demonstrated that those EFL teachers who maintained healthy emotional control were grittier and more engaged. They also tended to teach in a manner focused on the students. The pedagogical implications of this research are discussed further in depth.
‘Something Better than a Cure’ in Times of Mental Health Crisis
Field: EDUCATION

In this paper, I turn to Adam Phillips’ recent discussion of the vexed nature of cure in psychoanalysis to consider the structural differences between mental and physical health. I examine how psychoanalytic thinking raises questions for naturalistic ways of thinking about mental health and for broader crisis narratives that are becoming prevalent in Western modernity. In the latter half of this paper, I draw a comparison between thinking about matters of health and ways of thinking in the philosophy of education. I suggest that the lure of cure can be detected in statements of universalist aims and ends for education (which themselves have come to invoke conceptions of wellbeing and mental health in modern times). I also explore Phillps’ account of psychoanalysis as ‘something better than a cure’ and consider its implications for future thinking in the philosophy of education.
Prisoners’ Educational Experiences in Five Different Prison Sports Programmes: A Research Note
Field: PSYCHOLOGY

Organized sports programmes offer manifold opportunities for learning and personal development. Prisoners in organized sports programmes could profit from these educational opportunities, which could eventually support their process of reintegration into society. However, research on the educational experiences of imprisoned individuals during organized sports activities is scarce. Using quantitative survey data (N = 568 adult male prisoners) collected within the scope of the Hessian Prison Sports Study in Hesse, Germany, the present study examines educational experiences that are instigated through participation in five different prison sports programmes (fitness, racket, and team sports, running groups, and strength training). The results show that participants reported few educational experiences. The most common experiences reported were learning to exert effort and acquiring health-related knowledge. The findings reveal distinct patterns for specific sports programmes. For instance, team sports more frequently address cooperation skills and fairness. This paper advocates for more attention to the educational potential of sports in prison settings, where sports outcomes should be better aligned with the desired educational outcomes.
The Association between Proton Pump Inhibitors and the Effectiveness of CDK Inhibitors in HR+/HER- Advanced Breast Cancer Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Field: ONCOLOGY

There have been many clinical questions regarding whether the use of proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) could deteriorate the effects of cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors (CDKIs) in HR+/HER2- advanced breast cancer patients. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of this clinical question, including studies enrolling HR+/HER2- metastatic breast cancer patients treated with CDKIs (Palbociclib or Ribociclib) and reporting at least one comparative survival outcome, either overall survival (OS) or progression-free survival (PFS), between concomitant PPI users and non-users. Eight studies met the eligibility criteria, with a total of 2584 patients included (PPI users: 830, PPI non-users: 1754), demonstrating that concomitant PPI use was associated with significantly higher risks of all-cause mortality (HR = 2.03; 95% CI, 1.49 to 2.77; I2 = 0%) and disease progression (HR = 1.75; 95% CI, 1.26 to 2.43; I2 = 59%) in breast cancer patients taking Palbociclib. In contrast, there were no significant survival impacts of PPIs on Ribociclib (HR = 1.46; 95% CI, 0.91 to 2.34; I2 = 36%). Additionally, there was no significant difference in the risk associated with CDKI dose reduction due to drug toxicity (RR = 1.12; 95% CI, 0.97 to 1.29). Therefore, when HR+/HER2- advanced breast cancer patients require the use of PPIs, it may be reasonable to consider using Ribociclib.
Effects of COVID-19 on First-Year Undergraduate Research in Physical Geography
Field: EDUCATION

Having confirmed that including research in first-year undergraduate teaching can actually help students understand the research process, link research with concepts, and improve both their academic and professional skills, we intended to evaluate how this experiential learning component fared during the COVID-19 challenge. For a first-year three-credit physical geography class, we have included a First Year Research Experience (FYRE) project for six iterations. A cluster analysis grouped students’ perceptions obtained from survey questions into five categories, from high to low. The results showed an overall improvement in perception of the FYRE during the pandemic, driven primarily by soft-skill development related to time management and self-motivation. Students were also able to better connect the research project with the theoretical content of the course. Components of the FYRE that suffered during the pandemic include engaging with course instructors and completing the oral presentation phase of the research. Soft-skill development continued through the second year of the pandemic, although students’ dissatisfaction with continued restrictions on in-person contact was evident.
A Moderated Mediation Model of the Influence of Cynical Distrust, Medical Mistrust, and Anger on Vaccination Hesitancy in Nursing Staff
Field: PSYCHOLOGY

During the pandemic, nurses experienced anger that stemmed from a sense of threat, frustration, or even a sense of injustice. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between vaccination hesitancy, anger, cynicism, and medical mistrust among nurses, as there are no relevant studies in the literature. This study was conducted online by completing self-report questionnaires. The Dimensions of Anger Reactions-5, the 8-item “Cynical Distrust” scale, and the Medical Mistrust Multiformat Scale were used. For vaccination hesitancy, two questions with a 5-point scale were used: one question examining hesitancy to get vaccinated with the COVID-19 vaccine, and another question examining hesitancy to get vaccinated with the influenza vaccine. In total, 387 nurses (66 men and 321 women) participated in this study. Nurses showed statistically greater hesitancy toward the COVID-19 vaccine compared to hesitancy toward the influenza vaccine. The variation in vaccine hesitancy was explained by the scores in the Medical Mistrust Multiformat Scale, the Dimensions of Anger Reactions, and the Cynical Distrust Scale. The Medical Mistrust Multiformat Scale mediated the relationship between the Cynical Distrust Scale and total vaccine hesitancy. The Dimensions of Anger Reactions Scale significantly moderated the indirect effect of the Cynical Distrust Scale on total vaccine hesitancy through the Medical Mistrust Multiformat Scale. In conclusion, it is highly likely that anger is involved in reported vaccine hesitancy both by activating schemas of distrust in others and by adopting anti-systemic views of mistrust in the medical system.
Antecedents and Mediators of Academic Satisfaction in Virtual Vocational Training
Field: PSYCHOLOGY

At a time when distance vocational training is on the rise, it seems logical to investigate the variables that can affect the quality of such teaching. The usability of the virtual environment, as well as the behaviour and disposition of the teaching staff, emerge as key factors that influence burnout, engagement, and academic satisfaction. Using a cross-sectional sample of 208 distance vocational training students, the mediating role of burnout and academic engagement in the relationships established between the usability of the virtual environment, teacher support, and academic satisfaction was analysed. On the other hand, multiple regression analyses were carried out in order to investigate the relationships between the challenges and obstacles faced by distance vocational training students and their level of burnout or engagement. Our results confirm the mediating role of academic burnout and engagement in students’ academic satisfaction. Regression analyses suggest that the obstacles faced by distance vocational education and training (D-VET) students influence their level of academic burnout or engagement. Our findings are consistent with the current understanding of the role that certain variables play in the well-being of students and which, in turn, influence the quality of teaching.
An Interpretable Radiomics Model Based on Two-Dimensional Shear Wave Elastography for Predicting Symptomatic Post-Hepatectomy Liver Failure in Patients with Hepatocellular Carcinoma
Field: ONCOLOGY

Objective: The aim of this study was to develop and validate an interpretable radiomics model based on two-dimensional shear wave elastography (2D-SWE) for symptomatic post-hepatectomy liver failure (PHLF) prediction in patients undergoing liver resection for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Methods: A total of 345 consecutive patients were enrolled. A five-fold cross-validation was performed during training, and the models were evaluated in the independent test cohort. A multi-patch radiomics model was established based on the 2D-SWE images for predicting symptomatic PHLF. Clinical features were incorporated into the models to train the clinical–radiomics model. The radiomics model and the clinical–radiomics model were compared with the clinical model comprising clinical variables and other clinical predictive indices, including the model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) score and albumin–bilirubin (ALBI) score. Shapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) was used for post hoc interpretability of the radiomics model. Results: The clinical–radiomics model achieved an AUC of 0.867 (95% CI 0.787–0.947) in the five-fold cross-validation, and this score was higher than that of the clinical model (AUC: 0.809; 95% CI: 0.715–0.902) and the radiomics model (AUC: 0.746; 95% CI: 0.681–0.811). The clinical–radiomics model showed an AUC of 0.822 in the test cohort, higher than that of the clinical model (AUC: 0.684, p = 0.007), radiomics model (AUC: 0.784, p = 0.415), MELD score (AUC: 0.529, p < 0.001), and ALBI score (AUC: 0.644, p = 0.016). The SHAP analysis showed that the first-order radiomics features, including first-order maximum 64 × 64, first-order 90th percentile 64 × 64, and first-order 10th percentile 32 × 32, were the most important features for PHLF prediction. Conclusion: An interpretable clinical–radiomics model based on 2D-SWE and clinical variables can help in predicting symptomatic PHLF in HCC.
Unmanned Vehicle Fusion Positioning Technology Based on “5G + Beidou” and 3D Point Cloud Image
Field: AI

Unmanned vehicles need to know their location and direction information accurately to plan and navigate their paths. However, the positioning system is susceptible to interference from a variety of factors, which leads to increased positioning errors, thereby affecting the accuracy of unmanned vehicle positioning. An unmanned vehicle fusion positioning technology based on the "5G + Beidou" integrated positioning system was proposed. While using the "5G + Beidou" base station for positioning, the 3D point cloud image was fused, and the high-precision real-time positioning was carried out through the vehicle's autonomous navigation algorithm. This paper first analyzed the current situation and characteristics of GNSS technology and studied the key technologies and principles of the "5G + Beidou" integrated positioning system. Then, aiming at the difficulty of 5G base station deployment, the GNSS system parameter optimization scheme based on a multidimensional fusion structure was designed. Finally, in the experiment, it was verified that the fusion system could achieve higher precision positioning results compared with traditional single-dimensional GNSS and multi-dimensional GNSS. The technical advantages of "5G + Beidou" were used for data fusion processing of unmanned vehicles, and a positioning method based on the combination of 3D point cloud image and high-precision map was proposed. Through some experiments, it was concluded that the fusion location method could control the error below 0.1, which showed the accuracy of the fusion location.
The Potential of Lifestyle Medicine: Strategies to Optimize Health and Well-Being in Oncology Care with Dr. Amy Comander
Field: ONCOLOGY

The field of lifestyle medicine in cancer care and survivorship is undergoing significant transformation, presenting both challenges and opportunities. This collection of insights and reflections by an esteemed speaker aims to address critical facets of this evolving landscape and the intersection of healthcare, lifestyle, and cancer. With a focus on optimizing the health of cancer survivors, the speaker emphasizes the correlation between general population health and strategies for mitigating cancer risk. Evidence-based resources have a key role in their comprehensive insights into lifestyle changes’ role in cancer prevention and survivorship. Lifestyle interventions also have a promising role in mitigating the late effects in the pediatric context. Therefore, encouraging the early adoption of healthy practices in childhood cancer survivors emerges as a pivotal strategy. Furthermore, challenges in enhancing education and access to lifestyle medicine are addressed. This highlights the importance of patient-centered communication, motivational interviewing, and personalized guidance in facilitating lifestyle changes with patients. Finally, the role of nutritionists in advising breast cancer patients to consider calorie restriction to lower IGF-1 levels is explored. This collection underscores the multifaceted nature of lifestyle medicine in cancer care, highlighting challenges, opportunities, and the transformative power of passion and curiosity in shaping healthcare careers.
The Perth Empathy Scale: Psychometric Properties of the Polish Version and Its Mental Health Correlates
Field: PSYCHOLOGY

The Perth Empathy Scale (PES) is a 20-item self-report questionnaire that assesses people’s ability to recognize emotions in others (i.e., cognitive empathy) and vicariously experience other’s emotions (i.e., affective empathy), across positive and negative emotions. Originally developed in English, the aim of our study was to introduce the first Polish version of the PES and test its psychometric performance. Our sample was 318 people (184 females, 134 males) with ages ranging from 18 to 77. The factor structure was verified with confirmatory factor analysis. Reliability was tested in terms of internal consistency and test–retest reliability. To explore convergent, divergent, and discriminant validity, we examined relationships between the PES and measures of depression, anxiety, and emotional intelligence. It was shown that the scale was characterized by the intended four-factor solution, thus supporting factorial validity. The internal consistency reliability was also good and test–retest reliability was moderate. The convergent, divergent, and discriminant validity were strong. The clinical importance of assessing affective empathy across both positive and negative emotions was supported. Overall, our results therefore suggest that the Polish version of the PES has strong psychometric performance and clinical relevance as a measure of the multidimensional empathy construct.