When teaching style matches students’ epistemic (in)dependence: The moderating effect of perceived epistemic gap

In a 2×2×2 factorial design, 3rd year Romanian psychology students (N=94) were assigned into 2 groups according to the extent to which they acknowledged an epistemic dependence (lowvs. high) toward their professor. They then compared the competence of 3rd year students to that of 1st year or 5th year students. Finally, they were exposed to a persuasive counter-attitudinal message from an epistemic authority, framed in an authoritarian vs. democratic style. The main dependent variable was the influence of the counter-attitudinal message. Results show an interaction between the three variables. No effects were found among students in the upward social comparison condition in which they felt particularly incompetent. The expected interaction between style and dependence was significant in the down ward comparison condition where participants felt more competent than 1st year students. Students high in perceived epistemic dependence were more influenced by the authoritarian style than those low in epistemic dependence. The reverse tended to be true for participants exposed to the democratic style.     

A Good Story: Children With Imaginary Companions Create Richer Narratives

In line with theories that children's pretend play reflects and extends their narrative skills, children with imaginary companions were predicted to have better narrative skills than children without imaginary companions. Forty-eight 5½-year-old children and their mothers participated in interviews about children's imaginary companions. Children also completed language and narrative assessments. Twenty-three of the children (48%) were deemed to have engaged in imaginary companion play. Children with and without imaginary companions were similar in their vocabulary skills, but children with imaginary companions told richer narratives about a storybook and a personal experience compared to children without imaginary companions. This finding supports theories of a connection between pretend play and storytelling by the end of early childhood.     

Rotational and linear head accelerations from taekwondo kicks and punches

The purpose was to compare rotational and linear head accelerations as a result of taekwondo kicks and punches. Taekwondo athletes executed five repetitions of the turning kick, spinning hook kick, hook punch, straight punch, and jab punch to a Hybrid III Crash Test Dummy head-neck complex. A tri-axial accelerometer and an angular rate sensor were mounted inside the Hybrid III head to measure resultant linear (RLA) and rotational accelerations. The Hybrid III was fixed to a height-adjustable frame and fitted with protective taekwondo headgear. Dummy head height was positioned to each participant’s standing height. Acceleration data were processed in accordance with SAE J211-1.There was no significant multivariate difference in RLA but the effect was not clear. Univariate follow-up analysis showed a significant difference in RLA but the effect was also not clear. There was no difference in rotational acceleration. The highest RLA and rotational acceleration were produced, in order, by the turning kick, hook kick, hook punch, straight punch, and jab. These data are clinically important as they provide a better understanding of the biomechanical injury measures and support for improved headgear testing methodology.     

Seasonal variation in sports participation

This study explores indicators describing socio-demographics, sports participation characteristics and motives which are associated with variation in sports participation across seasons. Data were drawn from the German Socio-Economic Panel which contains detailed information on the sports behaviour of adults in Germany. Overall, two different measures of seasonal variation are developed and used as dependent variables in our regression models. The first variable measures the coefficient of (seasonal) variation in sport-related energy expenditure per week. The second variable measures whether activity drops below the threshold as defined by the World Health Organization (WHO). Results suggest that the organisational setting, the intensity and number of sports practised, and the motive for participation are strongly correlated with the variation measures used. For example, both, participation in a sports club and a commercial facility, are associated with reduced seasonal variation and a significantly higher probability of participating at a volume above the WHO threshold across all seasons. These findings give some impetus for policymaking and the planning of sports programmes as well as future research directions.     

Aerobic exercise training performed by parents reduces mice offspring adiposity

The present study aimed to determine the effects of physical training performed by parents on mice offspring adiposity. Male and female parents underwent an aerobic training protocol for 7 weeks. The trained and sedentary parents were allowed to mate and the resultant offspring divided in: S (Offspring from Sedentary Parents), T (Offspring from Trained Parents), ST (Offspring from Sedentary Father and Trained Mother) and TS (Offspring from Trained Father and Sedentary Mother). After weaning, offspring was euthanized, blood collected and samples of mesenteric and inguinal fat pads used to isolate adipocytes for morphologic and histological analyses. Lee index, mesenteric fat pad, sum of visceral fat and total fat weight of female T was reduced in comparison to the other groups (p < 0.05). Periepididymal and sum of visceral fat in male T group was also reduced when compared to the other groups (p < 0.05). The diameter of mesenteric and inguinal adipocytes of T group was smaller compared to all groups comparisons for both sexes (p < 0.05). In summary, exercise training performed by parents reduced visceral offspring adiposity, the diameter of subcutaneous adipocytes and improved metabolic parameters associated to metabolic syndrome.     

A model for the effective engagement of all stakeholders in engineering education and its pilot implementation

Methodologies for engineering learning and teaching (MELT) approach aims to enhance the attractiveness of education through science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) among young people, while promoting awareness of future careers in these areas. To this end, students’ expectations are considered within university programmes, aiming to an increased engagement in STEM careers. To accomplish these goals, a new and integrated approach (MELT) is presented, involving the main stakeholders in both scientific education and society. An education framework is presented, providing guidelines for an improved collaborative approach to STEM education in the future. Results from the pilot implementation of MELT are presented, from a small-scale education parliament prototype. From these initial stage and results, it is seen that there is a need for a proper alignment of expectations from all involved stakeholders, concerning the engineering education towards society’s demands.     

A novel μ-fluidic whole blood coagulation assay based on Rayleigh surface-acoustic waves as a point-of-care method to detect anticoagulants

A universal coagulation test that reliably detects prolonged coagulation time in patients, irrespective of the anticoagulant administered, has not been available to date. An easily miniaturised, novel μ-fluidic universal coagulation test employing surface acoustic waves (SAW) is presented here. SAW was employed to instantly mix and recalcify 6 μl citrated whole blood and image correlation analysis was used to quantify clot formation kinetics. The detection of clinically relevant anticoagulant dosing with old anticoagulants (unfractionated heparin, argatroban) and new anticoagulants (dabigatran, rivaroxaban) has been tested and compared to standard plasma coagulation assays. The applicability of this novel method has been confirmed in a small patient population. Coagulation was dose-proportionally prolonged with heparin, argatroban, dabigatran, and rivaroxaban, comparable to standard tests. Aspirin and clopidogrel did not interfere with the SAW-induced clotting time (SAW-CT), whereas the strong GPIIb/IIIa-inhibitor abciximab did interfere. Preliminary clinical data prove the suitability of the SAW-CT in patients being treated with warfarin, rivaroxaban, or dabigatran. The system principally allows assessment of whole blood coagulation in humans in a point-of-care setting. This method could be used in stroke units, emergency vehicles, general and intensive care wards, as well as for laboratory and home testing of coagulation.     

Extending Previous cG×I Findings on 5‐HTTLPR's Moderation of Intervention Effects on Adolescent Substance Misuse Initiation

This study addresses replication in candidate gene × environment interaction (cG×E) research by investigating if the key findings from Brody, Beach, Philibert, Chen, and Murry (2009) can be detected using data (N = 1,809) from the PROSPER substance use preventive intervention delivery system. Parallel to Brody et al., this study tested the hypotheses that substance misuse initiation would increase faster from age 11 to age 14 and be higher at age 14 among: (a) 5‐HTTLPR short carrier adolescents versus long homozygotes, (b) control versus intervention adolescents, and (c) 5‐HTTLPR short carriers in the control condition versus all other participants. The hypotheses were generally supported and results were consistent with Brody et al.'s cG×I finding. Results are discussed in light of replication issues in cG×E research and implications for intervention.     

Remote Teaching with Digital Video: A Trans-national Experience

This paper analyses the psychological, technical, administrative, organisational, institutional and general pedagogical problems encountered during Phase 1 (the trial phase) of a trans-European distance-learning project. Using basic-rate ISDN videoconferencing for remote interactive tutorials, Phase 1 involved the University of Wales Swansea and HEC Liège (Belgium), and provided practice in business English for Belgian students and business French for UK students of French and Business. The difficulties which have arisen during the phase have been many and varied, and not all could have been easily predicted from a review of the research literature. Solutions to some of them are suggested.