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Self-efficacy is associated with both academic performance and attrition in higher education. Whether it is possible to measure students' academic self-efficacy after admission and prior to commencing higher education (i.e. pre-academic self-efficacy) in a valid and reliable way has hardly been studied. Aims: 1) to evaluate the construct validity and psychometric properties of two short scales to measure Pre-Academic Learning Self-Efficacy (PAL-SE) and Pre-Academic Exam Self-Efficacy (PAE-SE) using Rasch measurement models, 2) to investigate whether pre-academic self-efficacy was associated with half-year attrition across degree programs and institutions. Data consisted of 2686 Danish students admitted to nine different university degree programs across two institutions. Item analyses showed both scales to be essentially objective and construct valid, however, all items from the PAE-SE and two from the PAL-SE were locally dependent. Differential item functioning was found for the PAL-SE relative to degree programs. Reliability of the PAE-SE was 0.77, and varied for the PAL-SE from 0.79 to 0.86 across degree programs. Targeting was good only for the PAL-SE, thus we proceeded with the PAL-SE. PAL-SE was found to be associated with half-year attrition: A difference in PAL-SE from minimum to maximum was associated with a difference in half-year attrition of approximately 7%. This association was found both in the bivariate model and in the multivariate models with control of degree program, and with control of degree program and individual covariates such as earlier educational achievement and social background variables. Results thus also indicate that PAL-SE has a causal effect on half-year attrition.

The relevance of academic self-efficacy for educational outcomes is well documented. Pre-academic self-efficacy has hardly been studied, and only one study was found to include an assessment of the measurement invariance of the scale used. The aims were to validate the Pre-Academic Learning Self-Efficacy (PAL-SE) scale in a non-university higher education context, and assess the psychometric properties of the scale using Rasch measurement models, and to determine whether PAL-SE differs across groups of students admitted to multiple degree programs. Data consisted of 3757 students admitted to 22 different Academy Profession Degree programs in the Danish higher education context. The PAL-SE scale was found to have locally dependent items and to be affected by differential item functioning relative to age groups and degree programs. Reliability and targeting varied across degree programs. PAL-SE scores adjusted for differential item functioning differed across degree programs.

In 2018, Nielsen and Kreiner provided evidence that the Attitudes and Relationship to Statistics--Revised (HFS-R) questionnaire provides essentially valid, objective, and reliable measurement of three statistical anxiety constructs and one statistical attitude construct among students of sociology and public health. The purpose of the study described in this paper was to revisit the HFS-R instrument to assess the degree to which the properties of the instrument and its subscales extends to students of psychology. The study confirmed that this was largely the case. HFS-R is again found to provide essentially valid, objective and reliable measures of a three-dimensional construct related to Statistical Anxiety and a unidimensional construct associated with attitudes towards statistics. This paper provides the documentation supporting these claims.

Given the importance of competencies in functional behavior assessment (FBA) and behavioral interventions among teachers for managing problem behaviors among children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and other developmental disabilities, a previously reported ability in behavior assessment and interventions for teachers (ABAIT) needed improvements in the multiple-choices by adding a 'don't know' option. This study reports on the psychometric properties of this revised scale (ABAIT-R) among 102 special educators assessed using Rasch models. It was found that the model had good fit and a wide spread of difficulties (3.63 to - 2.60). ABAIT-R had good targeting (over 85%) and high reliability (0.79). The assumptions of the model were met recommending sufficiency for the use of summated score from ABAIT-R among teachers.

Academic self-efficacy is mostly construed as specific; task-specific, course-specific or domain-specific. Previous research in the Danish university context has shown that the self-efficacy subscale in the Motivated Strategies for Leaning Questionnaire is not a single scale, but consists of two separate course- and activity-specific scales; the Specific Academic Learning Self-Efficacy Scale (SAL-SE) and the Specific Academic Exam Self-efficacy scale (SAE-SE). The SAL-SE and the SAE-SE subscales have previously been found to fit the Rasch model, have excellent reliability, and initial evidence of criterion validity has been established. The aim of this study was to conduct a new validity study of the SAL-SE and SAE-SE scales in the Danish university context. Specifically, whether the original findings of fit to the Rasch model, as well as the other psychometric properties of the scales could be replicated for a sample enrolled in another course context, as well as additional criterion validity. The sample consisted of 341 Psychology students enrolled in a first-semester statistics course. Results showed that the SAL-SE scale fit the Rasch model, while the SAE-SE scale did not as two items were locally dependent, reliability was excellent, and both SAL-SE and SAE-SE levels were positively related to final statistics grades.

Haemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) is a syndrome with an abnormal activation of the immune system and is associated with a high mortality even with treatment. We present a case of a woman in her mid-50s who developed HLH triggered by miliary tuberculosis (TB) while receiving a tumour necrosis factor alpha inhibitor. The patient was admitted with a high fever and respiratory pain. Her condition deteriorated despite empirical treatment. Diagnosis of HLH was established based on clinical presentation, H-score and HLH-04 criteria. Concurrently, miliary TB was identified as the trigger. She was treated with anti-tuberculous therapy and HLH-directed treatment with dexamethasone, etoposide and anakinra. Initial improvement was observed, leading to the withholding of HLH-orientated treatment. However, several relapses occurred, necessitating prolonged HLH treatment. A literature review corroborated the importance of combined anti-tuberculous and immunosuppressive therapy for managing HLH. This case underscores the necessity of timely and comprehensive management of HLH-oriented treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Humanised Care Assessment Tool (HCAT) was collaboratively developed in the UK with input from theory, patients, relatives, and staff. HCAT contains 109 items providing an in-depth understanding of the values considered when assessing whether care is practiced in a humane manner. This study's objective was to provide a linguistically valid and reliable Danish version of the HCAT suitable for primary healthcare settings. We report on the process of translation and adaptation, resulting in the Danish pilot version with 83 items within the eight original dimensions. The Danish pilot HCAT is the first Danish questionnaire intended to serve as both a reflective tool and a measurement instrument for assessing how workplace culture fosters or impedes humane caregiving behavior. The next step is to investigate the validity, reliability and responsiveness of the instrument as well as its value as a tool for reflection in primary healthcare. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study is a first validity study investigating the psychometric properties of the Danish translation of the intrinsic and extrinsic motivation subscales of the Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire in a higher education context. Rasch family measurement models were employed emphasizing unidimensionality, local independence of items, and differential item functioning (DIF). The sample consisted of three consecutive year-cohorts of BA psychology students in a second semester course on personality psychology (N = 590). Results showed Intrinsic Motivation (IM) and Extrinsic Motivation (EM) to be separate subscales, weakly and negatively correlated. Neither subscale fit the pure Rasch model, but departures could be adjusted for in graphical loglinear Rasch models (GLLRMs): the IM fit a GLLRM adjusted for age-DIF on one item and local dependence between two items; the EM fit a GLLRM with local dependence between two items. Targeting of the subscales was good. Reliability was good for the EM subscale and, for the oldest students, on the IM subscale. Failure to adjust the IM score for the DIF discovered would lead to a Type I error, and future research should address this issue, as the other studies located showed (possibly spurious) age differences in the same direction as the unadjusted results in this study.

Motivated by experience with students' psychological barriers to learning statistics, we modified and extended the Statistical Anxiety Rating Scale (STARS) to develop a contemporary and valid (face, content, criterion and construct) Danish measure of attitudes and relationship towards statistics for use with higher education students taking statistics within another discipline. Two subscales were excluded because of lack of conceptual unidimensionality or derogatory content, and single items were modified for face and content validity enhancement in the remaining subscales. Following a pilot study and main study, the resulting 26-item Danish instrument (HFS-R for "holdninger og forhold til statistik - Revideret", in English "Attitudes and Relationship to Statistics - Revised") consists of four subscales: Test and Class Anxiety (TCA), Interpretation Anxiety (IA), Fear of Asking for Help (FAH), and Worth of Statistics (WS). Each scale was analyzed using Rasch and graphical log-linear Rasch models. The FAH subscale fits the Rasch model, whereas the TCA, IA, and WS subscales each fit graphical log-linear Rasch models (GLLRMs) each with evidence of differential item functioning (DIF). One TCA item functioned differentially relative to age, one WS item relative to statistics course (first or second), and two IA items relative to statistics course and academic discipline (sociology, public health). The IA and TCA subscales were well targeted to the study population, while targeting of FAH and WS was poorer. Unidimensionality across the three anxiety subscales (FAH, TCA, and IA) was tested and clearly rejected. The HFS-R was found to be of sufficient psychometric quality to warrant its use in higher education research and teaching. We recommend that unidimensionality should be formally tested before using composite scores across anxiety subscales in the original STARS.

The metabolism of gluconate is well characterized in prokaryotes where it is known to be degraded following phosphorylation by gluconokinase. Less is known of gluconate metabolism in humans. Human gluconokinase activity was recently identified proposing questions about the metabolic role of gluconate in humans. Here we report the recombinant expression, purification and biochemical characterization of isoform I of human gluconokinase alongside substrate specificity and kinetic assays of the enzyme catalyzed reaction. The enzyme, shown to be a dimer, had ATP dependent phosphorylation activity and strict specificity towards gluconate out of 122 substrates tested. In order to evaluate the metabolic impact of gluconate in humans we modeled gluconate metabolism using steady state metabolic network analysis. The results indicate that significant metabolic flux changes in anabolic pathways linked to the hexose monophosphate shunt (HMS) are induced through a small increase in gluconate concentration. We argue that the enzyme takes part in a context specific carbon flux route into the HMS that, in humans, remains incompletely explored. Apart from the biochemical description of human gluconokinase, the results highlight that little is known of the mechanism of gluconate metabolism in humans despite its widespread use in medicine and consumer products.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the predictive validity of a two-step admissions procedure that included a cognitive ability test followed by multiple mini-interviews (MMIs) used to assess non-cognitive skills, compared to grade-based admissions relative to subsequent drop-out rates and academic achievement after one and two years of study. The participants consisted of the entire population of 422 psychology students who were admitted to the University of Southern Denmark between 2010 and 2013. The results showed significantly lower drop-out rates after the first year of study, and non-significant lower drop-out rates after the second year of study for the admission procedure that included the assessment of non-cognitive skills though the MMI and the admissions test. Furthermore, this admission procedure resulted in a significant lower risk of failing the final exam after the first and second year of study, compared to the grade-based admissions procedure. Finally, students admitted through the MMI and the admissions test scored significantly higher on academic learning self-efficacy and critical thinking compared to students selected by grades. The implications for higher education admissions are discussed.

Field practice placement is a crucial part of teacher education, as it affords a real-life context, where teacher and teacher-related skills can be enacted and trained. The present study examined the associations between student teacher opportunities to learn through observation, own practice and the receiving of feedback of said practice, while in field practice placements through a teacher education programme. Chain graph models were used to analyse data from 560 Danish student teachers who had just completed field practice at one of three levels. Results showed that opportunities to learn through observation of fellow students and other teachers was negatively associated with level of field practice, and thus was reported less and less the further along students were in the programme, while opportunities to learn through own practice was positively associated with level of field practice. Opportunities to learn through receiving feedback on own practice was associated with level of field practice only via opportunities to learn through own practice. Results did not reveal gender or age-wise inequity in the opportunities to learn afforded in the field practice. Teacher education programmes could benefit from placing additional focus on opportunities to learn through observation in the later field practice placements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]