Cognitive and environmental predictors of early literacy skills

Not all young children benefit from book exposure in preschool age. It is claimed that the ability to hold information in mind (short-term memory), to ignore distraction (inhibition), and to focus attention and stay focused (sustained attention) may have a moderating effect on children’s reactions to the home literacy environment. In a group of 228 junior kindergarten children with a native Dutch background, with a mean age of 54.29 months (SD = 2.12 months), we explored therefore the relationship between book exposure, cognitive control and early literacy skills. Parents filled in a HLE questionnaire (book sharing frequency and an author recognition checklist as indicator of parental leisure reading habits), and children completed several tests in individual sessions with the researcher (a book-cover recognition test, PPVT, letter knowledge test, the subtests categories and patterns of the SON, and cognitive control measures namely digit span of the KABC, a peg tapping task and sustained attention of the ANT). Main findings were: (1) Children’s storybook knowledge mediated the relationship between home literacy environment and literacy skills. (2) Both vocabulary and letter knowledge were predicted by book exposure. (3) Short-term memory predicted vocabulary over and above book exposure. (4) None of the cognitive control mechanisms moderated the beneficial effects of book exposure.     

Compression garments and cerebral blood flow: Influence on cognitive and exercise performance

This study aimed to describe the effect of compression garments on middle cerebral artery blood flow velocity (MCA_v) in relation to cognitive and exercise performance whilst cycling. In a randomised-controlled-cross-over design, 15 well-trained male cyclists were recruited to participate in three identical trials wearing loose fitting shorts (control), low-grade, or medium-grade compression garments. The protocol involved four 8?min increments of cycling at 30%, 50%, 70%, and 85% maximal power output and a 4?km time-trial. Participants undertook a cognitive Stroop task at baseline and at the midpoint of each increment. MCA_v was monitored with Transcranial Doppler Ultrasonography. Mean arterial pressure (MAP) and partial pressure of end-tidal CO₂ (P_etCO₂) were measured throughout. MCA_v, MAP, P_etCO₂, and reaction time of the complex Stroop task were influenced by exercise intensity, but not compression garments. Compression garments significantly affected cognitive accuracy in the complex Stroop task such that low-grade compression appeared to enhance cognitive accuracy in comparison to the control condition at the highest intensity (p?=?.010). Time-trial performance did not differ between the control (338.0?±?17.3 s), low-grade (338.7?±?18.7 s), or medium-grade (342.2?±?19.3 s) conditions (p?=?.114). Compression garments did not affect MCA_v during exercise or time-trial performance, but compression may be beneficial for improved cognitive accuracy during high-intensity exercise. Further research is required to elucidate the potential impact on cognitive performance.     

Three-dimensional assessment of squats and drop jumps using the Microsoft Xbox One Kinect: Reliability and validity

The Microsoft Xbox One Kinect? (Kinect V2) contains a depth camera that can be used to manually identify anatomical landmark positions in three-dimensions independent of the standard skeletal tracking, and therefore has potential for low-cost, time-efficient three-dimensional movement analysis (3DMA). This study examined inter-session reliability and concurrent validity of the Kinect V2 for the assessment of coronal and sagittal plane kinematics for the trunk, hip and knee during single leg squats (SLS) and drop vertical jumps (DVJ). Thirty young, healthy participants (age = 23 ± 5yrs, male/female = 15/15) performed a SLS and DVJ protocol that was recorded concurrently by the Kinect V2 and 3DMA during two sessions, one week apart. The Kinect V2 demonstrated good to excellent reliability for all SLS and DVJ variables (ICC ≥ 0.73). Concurrent validity ranged from poor to excellent (ICC = 0.02 to 0.98) during the SLS task, although trunk, hip and knee flexion and two-dimensional measures of knee abduction and frontal plane projection angle all demonstrated good to excellent validity (ICC ≥ 0.80). Concurrent validity for the DVJ task was typically worse, with only two variables exceeding ICC = 0.75 (trunk and hip flexion). These findings indicate that the Kinect V2 may have potential for large-scale screening for ACL injury risk, however future prospective research is required.     

External quality assessment for the RIA of thyroid related hormones: Second phase

An external quality assessment was conducted to assess the performance of various laboratories for RIA of thhyroid related hormones in two phases. In the first phase thirty five laboratories participated. At the end of first phase a meeting cum workshop was organised to discuss the results of first phase, difficultires faced by the participants and pinpoint the short oming. A second phase was then initiated with an objective of improvement in the performance, if any, where twelve samples from four pools were distributed to twenty four laboratories who participated for the second phase. The overall return of the results increased significantly from 71.8% (1586/2208) for the first phase to 92.4% (732/792) for the second phase. The inter laboratory %CV for T₃, T₄ and TSH were lower during the second phase (30.6%, 19.0% and 31.6% respectively) as compared to those observed during first phase (36.3%, 22.7% and 52.8% respectively). Similarly, there was an improvement in reproducibility of ALTM as %CV for T₃, T₄ and TSH decreased from 6.0%, 9.8% and 13.4% respectively to 4.5%, 4.6% and 8.5% respectively. The individual performances of the participating laboratories viz. bias, variability of bias and imprecision also showed a trend towards improvement as percent laboratories having desirable or acceptable results for T₃, T₄ and TSH increased from 10.7%, 60.7% and 0.0% respectively to 20.8%, 66.7% and 22.2% respectively. External quality assessment thus appears to be beneficial in assessing the performane of a laboratory in comfparison with other laboratories and indeed helps in improving the performance.     

PART VI: NUTRITION

Food intake of Kalenjin runners in Kenya: A field study.     

TEACHING READING COMPREHENSION TO LEARNERS WITH AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER: PREDICTORS OF TEACHER SELF‐EFFICACY AND OUTCOME EXPECTANCY

Learners with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) often exhibit difficulty in the area of reading comprehension. Research connecting the learning needs of individuals with ASD, existing effective practices, teacher training, and teacher perceptions of their own ability to teach reading comprehension is scarce. Quantitative survey methodology and hierarchical regression analysis were utilized to investigate teacher preparedness to use effective practices, along with the job‐related factors of experience, administrator support, learner verbal ability, and instructional setting, as predictors of (1) teacher perceived self‐efficacy and (2) teacher perceived outcome expectancy teaching reading comprehension to learners with ASD. Study findings, based on 112 teacher participants, indicate that teachers with a higher confidence in using effective practices have both a higher perception of their own ability to teach comprehension (self‐efficacy), and a higher expectation of their own ability to increase instructional outcomes in learners with ASD (outcome expectancy). Implications for practice include professional development recommendations and provision of ongoing support from principals and administrators.     

Science Learning: A path analysis of its links with reading comprehension,question-asking in class and science achievement

The purpose of this research was to build and test a conceptual model of the complex interrelationships between students' learning in science (learning approaches and self-regulation), their reading comprehension, question-asking in class and science achievement. These variables were measured by means of a test and a series of questionnaires administered to 604 ninth-grade students, and the data collected were analysed using a correlational, cross-sectional design. Results of a path analysis indicated that (a) students’ self-regulated and intentional knowledge-constructing activity (self-regulated strategy use, deep approach and knowledge-building) were what chiefly accounted for their question-asking in class; (b) question-asking (high and low levels) was related directly to reading comprehension and indirectly, through its contribution to the this, to academic achievement; (c) reading comprehension was directly and negatively associated with surface approach and indirectly and positively related to deep approach and knowledge-building; and (d) some of these variables, particularly reading comprehension, accounted for academic achievement in science. This model explained nearly 30% of the variance in academic achievement and provided a substantial and distinctive insight into the web of interrelationships among these variables. Implications for future research and science teaching and learning are discussed (e.g. the importance of supporting students' efforts to learn science in a meaningful, active and self-regulated way and of improving their reading comprehension).     

It’s About Making Surfaces Invisible

Antireflection is an essential requirement for certain optoelectronic devices. Antireflective surfaces can be generated by different methods. One method mimics the nanofeatures on the moth eye surface. This can be done by ‘soft lithography’ (SL), where nanofeatures are created on an elastomeric stamp. This stamp is then used for imprinting the pattern on other surfaces.