Effects of transition from elementary school to junior high school on early adolescents' self-esteem and perceived competence

Early adolescents' self-esteem and perceived competence in the cognitive, social, and physical domains were examined across the transition from elementary school to junior high school. Self-esteem and perceived social and physical competence were either stable or increased for most children. Cognitive competence was unchanged. It was concluded that, in general, early adolescents' perceptions of self-esteem and competence are not adversely affected by the transition.     

Leveraging microgrants to support capacity-building workshops in low- and middle-income countries for meeting the Sustainable Development Goals

Twenty fifteen marked the year of assessment for the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). The MDGs that achieved the greatest success were those where evidence-based practice (EBP) interventions were implemented. The ability to practice evidence-based medicine is grounded in the creation of and access to medical literature that synthesizes research findings. The role that global health literature played in the success of the MDGs demonstrates that medical libraries and librarians have a role to play in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).Librarians can hold capacity-building workshops that provide instruction on how to access evidence-based literature and also train health professionals to conduct synthesis research. Research findings conducted by in-country health professionals are more likely to address issues being faced by local communities and will afford the possibility of obtaining the necessary evidence-based answers that can then be used to implement policies to resolve public health issues identified in the SDGs.This paper discusses how an international team of librarians leveraged funding from a Medical Library Association/Librarians without Borders/Elsevier Foundation/Research4Life grant to hold a capacity-building workshop in Zimbabwe and follow-up online trainings. The workshop focused on accessing evidence-based resources and conducting synthesis research. Outcomes included the creation and policy implementation of evidence-based knowledge products in alignment with local needs and galvanizing a multisectoral group of key individuals who have gone on to collaborate toward the vision of creating a Zimbabwe innovation hub. Looking ahead, such grants can be leveraged to conduct capacity-building to support knowledge translation and other local training needs.     

Creating a more inclusive journal: the Journal of the Medical Library Association's evolving process for selecting editorial board members

The Journal of the Medical Library Association (JMLA) selects new editorial board members every year. In the spring of 2021, JMLA used a new process for reviewing and selecting applicants for the limited number of open editorial board positions. This reevaluation of the selection process was spurred by a desire to create a more diverse and representative board. Changes to the procedures for selecting new editorial board members included having an open call for editorial board members, creating an application form, creating a selection committee to screen applicants, creating a form for the selection committee to extract data from applications, and creating a two-step process for screening and then selecting board members. As part of construction of this new process, areas for continued improvement were also identified, such as refining the application form to allow more specific answers to areas of interest to the selection committee. The newly created selection process for editorial board members constitutes a significant change in JMLA processes; however, more can be done to build on this work by further refining the selection process and ensuring that new members are selected in a transparent and streamlined manner.     

Mineralogy of the deep lower mantle in the presence of H2O

Understanding the mineralogy of the Earth''s interior is a prerequisite for unravelling the evolution and dynamics of our planet. Here, we conducted high pressure-temperature experiments mimicking the conditions of the deep lower mantle (DLM, 1800–2890 km in depth) and observed surprising mineralogical transformations in the presence of water. Ferropericlase, (Mg, Fe)O, which is the most abundant oxide mineral in Earth, reacts with H₂O to form a previously unknown (Mg, Fe)O₂H_x (x ≤ 1) phase. The (Mg, Fe)O₂H_x has a pyrite structure and it coexists with the dominant silicate phases, bridgmanite and post-perovskite. Depending on Mg content and geotherm temperatures, the transformation may occur at 1800 km for (Mg_0.6Fe_0.4)O or beyond 2300 km for (Mg_0.7Fe_0.3)O. The (Mg, Fe)O₂H_x is an oxygen excess phase that stores an excessive amount of oxygen beyond the charge balance of maximum cation valences (Mg²⁺, Fe³⁺ and H⁺). This important phase has a number of far-reaching implications including extreme redox inhomogeneity, deep-oxygen reservoirs in the DLM and an internal source for modulating oxygen in the atmosphere.     

The effects of a calf pump device on second half performance of a simulated soccer match in competitive youth players

During soccer matches, performance decrements have been reported that relate to both physical abilities and technical skills. To investigate the effects of low-frequency electrical stimulation LFES (VeinoplusSport®, Ad Rem Technology, France) administered during half-time recovery on performance alterations during the second half. Twenty-two highly trained young players undertook a soccer-match simulation (SAFT⁹⁰). During half-time, they were randomly assigned to LFES group or Placebo group. Each half was split into 3 bouts of 12 minutes. Following each bout, maximal strike speed (MSS), sprint test (ST), maximal sprint accelerations (MA) and metabolic power (MP) were determined in both groups. Arterial (AF) and venous flows (VF) were measured at rest and at the end of half-time. LEFS group exhibited beneficial effects on performance compared to the Placebo group with a likely effect for MSS, ST, MA, and a possible effect for MP. AF and VF increased statistically more in LEFS group compared to Placebo group. The use of specific calf-pump LFES during half-time of a youth simulated soccer match attenuated the decrease in performance during the second half compared to Placebo group. This effect is most marked at the beginning of the second half with regards to explosive parameters.     

Leg amputation side determines performance in curve sprinting: a case study on a Paralympic medalist

The lower limb kinetics of curve sprinting in amputees are not well described in the literature, particularly with respect to the effect of the side of amputation. This is an issue due to the importance of the knowledge for prosthetic design and classification of athletes. Thus, the aim of this study was to investigate the influence of side of amputation on curve sprinting performance in athletes with a unilateral leg amputation. A three-dimensional motion analysis system (Vicon), four force plates (Kistler) and a modified mathematical human model (ALASKA) were used to compare clockwise and counter clockwise curve sprinting lower limb kinematics and kinetics of a Paralympic medalist with a left-sided knee exarticular amputation. Results reveal that vertical ground reaction force application and total vertical impulse were lower when the affected limb was at the inside of the curve. The unaffected limb showed joint mechanics different to those established for non-amputee athletes and might contribute better to propulsion when being the inside limb. Curve sprinting biomechanics and the ability to attain high radial velocities are directly dependent on the side of amputation relative to the curve direction in a unilateral amputee athlete of highest performance level.