Students' academic engagement during COVID-19 times: a mixed-methods study into relatedness and loneliness during the pandemic.

The COVID-19 outbreak forced higher education students to study online-only. Previous research indicates that forced solitude or loneliness can cause a variety of problems for students, among which is reduced academic engagement. The Basic Psychological Needs Theory, a sub-theory of Self-Determination Theory, relates academic engagement to three basic psychological needs (autonomy, competence and relatedness), whereas varying theories on loneliness highlight the complexities of engaging in a learning environment whilst feeling lonely.

Bar, stripe and spot development in sand-dwelling cichlids from Lake Malawi.

Background: Melanic patterns such as horizontal stripes, vertical bars and spots are common among teleost fishes and often serve roles in camouflage or mimicry. Extensive research in the zebrafish model has shown that the development of horizontal stripes depends on complex cellular interactions between melanophores, xanthophores and iridophores. Little is known about the development of horizontal stripes in other teleosts, and even less is known about bar or spot development.