Assessment of aerobic endurance: a comparison between CD-ROM and laboratory-based instruction

Traditional approaches to teaching exercise physiology are costly in terms of staff time and consumable expenses. Ethical considerations, large student numbers and availability of technical expertise magnify the delivery problems. In an attempt to overcome these problems, a CD-ROM version of a basic course in exercise physiology was designed and delivered to a group of undergraduate sport and exercise science students. It simulated five tests of aerobic endurance which are traditionally taught using laboratory methods. A controlled experiment was conducted to compare the two delivery methods, as part of an independent, formative evaluation. Although there were equal knowledge gains and the CD-ROM design and content were well rated by students who used it, this approach has engendered less student interaction, commitment to wider reading and in-depth understanding. Tutorials and other approaches designed to promote more active learning are now being introduced to accompany the use of the CD-ROM.     

Pulling and Pushing Forces for ICT Use in Initial Teacher Preparation for Secondary Schools

The transformative use of ICT （information and communication technology） in the educational setting is demanding continually assessing bottlenecks and conducive conditions with the aim of consolidating the pre-conditions and to dry the drawbacks from their root. As a result, this qualitative research approach employed to explore enablers and barriers of using ICT in initial teacher preparation in the context of JU （Jimma University）, Ethiopia. The study employed in-depth interviews with student teachers and teacher educators. Participants＇ perception of ICT as a vehicle for quality learning and multiple access to ICT use pointed as supportive conditions. Whereas, mismatch of methodologies being used in teacher education and schools, resource constraints, marginalizing teacher education program, unsuccessful experience of learning via ICT, and lack of clear directive and expertise on the use of ICT were some of the major issues forwarded by the participants. Redesigning of the teacher education program in the way of using ICT is clearly indicated, the system that forces and reinforces the use of ICT in place is among the recommendations forwarded.     

Intercultural practices and inclusive education in Europe: can migration be a resource for individual and societal development?

European Journal of Psychology of Education - This is an introductory paper to the special section “Multilingual learning and social inclusion of children: The development of educational...     

Children’s interethnic relationships in multiethnic primary school: results of an inclusive language learning intervention on children with native and immigrant background in Italy

European Journal of Psychology of Education - The increasing multicultural character of European society and the growing presence of children from immigrant families in European schools represent a...     

Introduction to the Special Issue “Beyond Industrial Robotics: Social Robots Entering Public and Domestic Spheres”

Industrial and domestic robotics provide fascinating and relevant perspective insights into current and possible trajectories for the development of contemporary societies. While industrial robotics has found its place since the 1960s, domestic robotics wherein humans interact with social robots is still an unsettled area. After reviewing data on the diffusion of social robots and on their use, the historical tradition from which social robots come is discussed. This discussion is followed by an analysis of the penetration of social robots in everyday life and the importance of interdisciplinary research is highlighted.     

New strategies for doping control

Doping in sports is commonplace. The prevention of harm to the athlete, the guarantee of fair play, and a level playing field for all competitors are the basis of the current anti-doping strategies. As healthcare systems are forced to allocate increasing resources to prevent and treat the prevailing pathologies worldwide, funding for anti-doping campaigns will necessarily be restricted. Ideally, additional resources should be devoted to increasing the number of athletes tested, the panels of tests used, and the frequency of out-of-competition controls. Since doping prevention cannot be considered a priority for most healthcare systems, such an approach is unaffordable and an alternative framework should be devised, focused primarily on harm reduction rather than fair play. The identification of abnormal deviations from reference values, regardless of pathological or artificial causes, would allow the athlete to be followed and tested using conventional laboratory tests, which are affordable to governments and healthcare systems and available to clinical laboratories. Although this strategy would not detect cheating, it would safeguard athletes' health.     

Black limestone used in Lombard architecture

Black limestone samples from the quarries of Varenna (Lecco, I), Cene (Bergamo, I) and Riva di Solto (Bergamo, I) and widely used in Lombard architecture have been studied in terms of mineralogical, petrographic and chemical properties in order to provide a detailed characterisation and allow an unambiguous determination of their provenance. The inorganic and organic fractions have been separated from each other, and investigated using X-ray powder diffraction, atomic absorption, Hg-porosimetry, high performance liquid chromatography, gas chromatography, nuclear magnetic resonance and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The occurrence of specific mineral phases, some binary chemical patterns (Fe/Mn, Zn/Sr, Zn/Co and Na/Cd) and the carbon chain relative molecular masses has proven to be useful markers to characterise unequivocally the materials studied.     

Cardiac troponins and physical exercise. It's time to make a point

The timely diagnosis of acute coronary syndrome (ACS), in particular myocardial infarction (MI), is still one of the most challenging issues in medicine. The introduction into routine laboratory practice of assays for measuring the cardiospecific troponins has dramatically revolutionized the diagnostic approach and the recent development of methods with improved analytical sensibility (i.e., highly sensitivity [HS] assays), has further contributed to improve the negative predictive value of troponin testing but, contextually, has substantially lowered the clinical specificity of these markers. In particular, clinical studies have demonstrated the existence of an exercise-related increase of HS-troponins, with measurable values detectable in up to 94% of athletes undergoing endurance sports. This measurable amount oftroponin in blood would mirror an increased membrane permeability and early troponin release rather than reflecting a clinically threatening myocardial injury. As such, the measurable amount of cardiac troponins as assessed with the novel HS assays requires major clinical focus (i.e., serial measurement of cardiac biomarkers, detailed clinical history-taking, integration with ECG and imaging findings) to prevent misdiagnosis of ACS and/or MI in otherwise healthy persons.