Role of objectively measured sedentary behaviour in physical performance,frailty and mortality among older adults: A short systematic review

Sedentary behaviour (SB) has recently emerged as an independent risk factor for different health outcomes. Older adults accumulate long time in SB. Understanding the role that SB plays on health is crucial for a successful aging. This short systematic review summarizes the current evidence related to the effects of objectively measured SB on frailty, physical performance and mortality in adults ≥60?years old. The literature search produced 271 records for physical performance (n?=?119), frailty (n?=?31), and mortality (n?=?121). Finally, only 13 articles fulfilled the inclusion criteria and were included in this review. All articles but one included in the physical performance section (n?=?9) showed a negative association between longer time spent in SB and physical performance. A significant association of SB with higher odds of frailty was found, however this association disappeared after adjusting for cognitive status. Lastly, two of the three included studies showed positive associations between SB and mortality, but this effect decreased or even disappeared in the more adjusted models. In conclusion, there is consistency that SB is negatively associated with physical performance. However, the relationship between objectively measured SB and frailty incidence and mortality rates remains unclear and deserves further research. The use of homogenous criteria to assess SB and the inclusion of more robust research designs will help clarifying the independent effects that SB could have on physical performance, frailty, and mortality. This will ultimately help designing more efficient and comprehensive physical activity guidelines for older adults.     

English-Spanish Cognates and the Pura Belpré Children's Award Books: Reading the Word and the World

English-Spanish cognates are an important subset of words in both the English and Spanish languages. Cognates are words that possess identical or nearly identical spellings and meanings in both languages as a result of being derived from Latin and Greek. Of major importance is the fact that many of the more than 20,000 cognates in English are academic vocabulary words, terms essential for comprehending school texts.

?The Pura Belpré Children's Book Award has been given since 1996 to outstanding children's and young adult literature that represents, affirms, and celebrates the Latino cultural experience. The books are judged for their literary and artistic quality.

?There are many English-Spanish cognates in each of the Pura Belpré picture books. The purpose of this article is to introduce the Pura Belpré Cognate Database, which lists all of the English-Spanish cognates for each of the children's picture books that have won the award or have been designated as honor books. Ideas for vocabulary, spelling, and morphology lessons or mini-lessons are also presented.     

Imagen especular e imagen antiespecular

RESUMEN

Para afirmarse como sujeto el niño debe ser capaz de percibirse como objeto. El reconocimiento del otro precede a la identificación de sí mismo. La imagen de sí mismo en el espejo se identifica antes de que el niño se reconozca en foto o en filme. Hacia los 2,5 años se produce este reconocimiento en foto o en filme sin ambigüedad, mientras que la identificación de la imagen especular continúa siendo “frágil”, posiblemente debido a la perplejidad o incertidumbre que suscita. A partir de la observación de las reacciones de niños ante un espejo y en un video de sí mismos, se investiga cómo y cuándo el niño construye su propia imagen. Hasta el tercer año de vida, la reacción del niño ante la imagen especular es como si viera a otro niño, dándose intercambios sociales. La reacción de perplejidad desaparece cuando se consigue la plena apropiación de la imagen.     

Conflict as a catalyst for learning

Rashné R. Jehangir challenges her students and herself to engage with tough issues like class, race, gender, disability, and homophobia. How does she help them learn from, and even embrace, the confict that inevitably arises? Read on to find out.