Ethnic‐Racial Identity and Friendships in Early Adolescence

The current study examined how adolescents' ethnic‐racial identity (ERI) informed the demographic diversity of their friendship network (Goal 1) and the extent of similarity between adolescents' and their friends' ERI (Goal 2). Participants were sixth and seventh grade students (N = 353; M_age = 11.88, SD = .73; 50% girls; 29% African American, 31% White, 13% Latino) in the Midwestern U.S. Results from longitudinal cross‐lagged models (Goal 1) indicated that having more diverse friendships at T2 was associated with greater T3 ERI exploration among all youth. In addition, boys who reported higher ERI resolution at T1 had more diverse friendships at T2. Furthermore, findings from longitudinal social network analyses (SNA; Goal 2) suggested that influence drove similarity between adolescents and their friends in ERI exploration and resolution.     

Clustering performances in the NBA according to players’ anthropometric attributes and playing experience

The aim of this study was: (i) to group basketball players into similar clusters based on a combination of anthropometric characteristics and playing experience; and (ii) explore the distribution of players (included starters and non-starters) from different levels of teams within the obtained clusters. The game-related statistics from 699 regular season balanced games were analyzed using a two-step cluster model and a discriminant analysis. The clustering process allowed identifying five different player profiles: Top height and weight (HW) with low experience, TopHW-LowE; Middle HW with middle experience, MiddleHW-MiddleE; Middle HW with top experience, MiddleHW-TopE; Low HW with low experience, LowHW-LowE; Low HW with middle experience, LowHW-MiddleE. Discriminant analysis showed that TopHW-LowE group was highlighted by two-point field goals made and missed, offensive and defensive rebounds, blocks, and personal fouls; whereas the LowHW-LowE group made fewest passes and touches. The players from weaker teams were mostly distributed in LowHW-LowE group, whereas players from stronger teams were mainly grouped in LowHW-MiddleE group; and players that participated in the finals were allocated in the MiddleHW-MiddleE group. These results provide alternative references for basketball staff concerning the process of evaluating performance.     

Towards the use of multidimensional performance indicators in football small-sided games: the effects of pitch orientation

This study aimed to compare youth football players’ performance during two small-sided games with different pitch orientation: i) 40x30m and ii) 30x40m formats. Twenty under-15 players (age = 14.1 ± 0.5 years) participated in nine GK+4vs4+GK situations in each format, with the duration of six minutes each. Positional data were collected using individual GPS units, and computed for tactical and physical performance indicators. The SSG were video recorded, using notational analysis for collecting technical indicators. A novel method that incorporates time dependent notational information with spatiotemporal data was used to compute multidimensional parameters. Standardised effect sizes and non-clinical magnitude-based inferences were used to compare formats. Results showed that players covered more distance at higher intensities, presented more passes and dribbles and were more synchronised in the longitudinal axis while playing in the 40x30m pitch. In the 30x40m pitch, results showed a lower distance between team centroids, higher number of shots, more lateral passes and a wider team positioning. Multidimensional indicators, as players position and distance to the closest defender while shooting, revealed a more constant distance between attacker and defender in the 40x30m pitch. These results highlight the importance of integrating information from different indicators for a contextually valid information.     

Verification policies in Croatian medical biochemistry laboratories: a survey of the practice

IntroductionThe aim of this study was to screen practices used in verification procedures for methods/analysers among medical biochemistry laboratories (MBLs) in Croatia. We hypothesized that these procedures differ widely from laboratory to laboratory and wanted to gather specific data on steps used in the verification workflow.Materials and methodsIn order to obtain data, an online survey was conducted. The survey, divided in two sections, contained 29 questions and statements addressing general characteristics and specific steps of the verification workflow of each individual MBL. The survey was disseminated among managers of all MBLs in Croatia.ResultsA total of 108/196 (55%) laboratories participated in the survey. Forty nine MBLs were excluded from the second part of the survey: 14 have not implemented verification procedures, and 35 MBLs due to the absence of answers. The most relevant results of the second part of the survey showed that: 18/59 (0.31) of the responding MBLs have difficulties when defining acceptance criteria, 27/59 (0.46) used the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute protocol for precision estimation; the majority of MBLs used a median of 20 samples for method/analyser comparisons and estimated bias using internal quality control samples; reference intervals provided by external sources are mainly adopted; 60% of MBLs do not include linearity verification in their protocol and do not use the national document for the estimation of measurement uncertainty.ConclusionsHeterogeneous verification protocols are routinely utilized across Croatian MBLs which clearly confirms that a national document might help in the harmonization of verification procedures.     

The impact of heating, lighting and people in re-using historical buildings: a case study

The impact of lighting, heating and people in re-using historical buildings are discussed for the case study concerning the ceremony room (i.e. the Giant Hall) of a mediaeval palace in Padova. The Hall has substantially four major problems for conservation: (i) the impact of heating, lighting and people when the room is used; (ii) many cracks on the oak panels of the coffered ceiling; (iii) the soiling by dust and soot particles deposited on the frescoes; (iv) the stained glass windows. A microclimate study was performed to know the impact of the environmental variables, and the use of the room, on the artworks preserved inside. The study has proved the impact of the lamps (both incandescence and compact fluorescent lamps) on the ceiling, the penetration of external air in the room, the heat and the moisture released by people, the impact of sunshine through windows and the scatter diagram of the daily cycles in temperature (T) and relative humidity (RH). During winter concerts, the strips of lead which are wrapped round the edge of the cut glass pieces in stained glass windows easily drop below the dew point and form condensation, starting corrosion. A discussion concerns the allowed variability, which should not exceed risk thresholds. A safe interval can be established within the area determined by the most frequent T and RH natural cycles. In fact, both of the cycles were compatible with the artefacts, or the artefacts were already damaged to allow the exceeding dimensional changes. Attention should be paid in the variability external to this area, especially approaching or exceeding a limit equal to twice the mode of the natural variability.     

Boosting vocabulary learning through self-assessment in an English language teaching context

This study explores the influence of self-assessment of vocabulary competence on a group of students’ oral fluency. Twenty-four young adult learners participated in a learning process that promoted their oral skills and vocabulary development. Self-assessment was mainly examined through the analysis of students’ learning logs, field notes and artefacts in the form of audio recordings. By contrasting and analysing data sources, and the results obtained from pre- and post-speaking tasks, through a mixed method design approach, it was found that when students self-assess, they are able to acknowledge their learning strengths and drawbacks. This practice enabled students to set learning commitments, use learning strategies that also allow them to raise awareness and take further actions, while self-monitoring them. Consequently, initial improvements in students’ oral fluency development were evinced through the implementation of a systematic cycle that applies self-assessment as a formative assessment source. Thus, the students entered a process in which they gradually become more able to self-monitor, judge and react towards their own gains in language and learning. Findings highlighted the value of goal setting as an essential component in self-assessment. Further longitudinal studies may well support the long-lasting effects of this strategy in similar educational contexts.     

Science,Politics/Policy and the Cold War in Argentina: From Concepts to Institutional Models in the 1950s and ’60s

Minerva - This paper analyses how the Cold War influenced the discourses on basic research and on Science and Technology Policies (STPs) of some leaders of the Argentine research community. It...     

The proper name as starting point for basic reading skills

Does alphabetic-phonetic writing start with the proper name and how does the name affect reading and writing skills? Sixty 4- to 5½-year-old children from middle SES families with Dutch as their first language wrote their proper name and named letters. For each child we created unique sets of words with and without the child’s first letter of the name to test spelling skills and phonemic sensitivity. Name writing correlated with children’s knowledge of the first letter of the name and phonemic sensitivity for the sound of the first letter of the name. Hierarchical regression analysis makes plausible that both knowledge of the first letter’s name and phonemic sensitivity for this letter explain why name writing results in phonetic spelling with the name letter. Practical implications of the findings are discussed.     

Improving early phoneme skills with a computer program: Differential effects of regulatory skills

Research findingsThe study focused on 90 five-year-olds from fifteen Dutch schools. The children scored among the 30% lowest on literacy tests. Half were randomly assigned to a phonological skills program on the computer, the other half to a book program. Both programs consisted of 15 ten-minute sessions. During the phonological skills program children's mouse behavior was registered every tenth of a second. Intelligence, phoneme skills, and regulatory skills were tested. Children scoring average on regulatory skills benefited from teacher-free encounters with the phonological skills program, children scoring low or high did not. Typically, the lowest-scoring children showed more meaningless mouse activity and more random clicking.Practice or policyComputer programs can be used to stimulate early phoneme skills of poorly performing kindergarten children, but not for all children. Children with poor regulatory skills did not benefit from the intervention program.