Elite Interaction

While a good deal of research has examined the uses of Twitter in journalism, comparably few research projects employ comparative research designs in order to provide new insights. The present study details Twitter use by public service broadcasters (PSBs) during recent national elections in Norway and Sweden. Utilizing quantitative analysis of social media content in tandem with qualitative interviews with key PSB journalists, the main results indicate that while the PSB organizations—the Norwegian NRK and the Swedish SVT—are both frequently contacted by “regular” citizens on Twitter, they seem to prefer to retweet and interact with journalists, politicians or other “elite” users. Compared with the interviews performed, the study uncovers an interesting tension as journalists often talk about the need to engage with “regular” users—a practice that is arguably in line with PSB regulations, but that is seldom adhered to in the contexts studied here.     

Football with Friends? How the German Sporting Press Covered the German–Danish Sports Collaboration, 1939–1944

Abstract

This paper concludes that a number of different discourses marked the coverage of Danish–German sports collaboration during the Second World War in German newspapers, sports magazines and newsreels. From the outbreak of the Second World War to the German occupation of Denmark on 9 April 1940, the discourses cover neutrality and friendship with Germany. After the invasion of Denmark, a discourse of Nordic sentiments became very important in the communications of the press, with Danish athletes portrayed as Nordic citizens, which some circles of German society could interpret as a euphemism for the Nazi idea of a strong Aryan Scandinavia. During the autumn of 1941, the rising strain on Germany’s resources made the sports media a supplier of success. The discourse of a strong Germany replaced the previous discourses. As German–Danish sporting events ceased in 1942, Danish sport alone would still make occasional appearances in the German media until 1944, providing a German audience with entertainment and distraction.     

Evaluating a Multidimensional Reading Comprehension Program and Reconsidering the Lowly Reputation of Tests of Near‐Transfer

We conducted a 14‐week experimental study of 2 versions of a relatively comprehensive RC intervention that involved 50 classroom teachers, 15 tutors, and 116 children drawn in equal proportions from grades 3 and 5 in 13 schools in a large urban school district. Students were randomly assigned in equal numbers to the two tutoring conditions and a control group. Results indicated that students in the two tutored groups tended to perform comparably on all tests and to outperform controls (more so in grade 5 than grade 3) on near‐transfer but not far‐transfer measures of RC. This differential pattern of program effects for near‐ versus far‐transfer measures raises questions about how tests of near‐transfer and far‐transfer are conventionally understood.     

Hyperhydration using different hydration agents does not affect the haematological markers of the athlete biological passport in euhydrated volunteers

ABSTRACT

Athlete Biological Passport (ABP) is an indirect approach, implemented by WADA, aimed at detecting blood manipulation based on abnormal changes in haematological markers. Cases report the use of hyperhydration as masking method during anti-doping urine sample collection which could potentially mask suspicious fluctuations on ABP profiles. This study investigated the hyperhydration effect on haemoglobin concentration, reticulocyte percentage and OFF-hr score (an algorithm based on haemoglobin concentration and reticulocyte percentage), with and without recombinant human erythropoietin (rHuEPO) administration. A five-week clinical study performed; Baseline and rHuEPO Phase. Water and a sports drink were used as hyperhydration agents. To examine the hyperhydration effect on the normal ABP profile per volunteer, hyperhydration was implemented at 0, 24 and 48 hours during the baseline. During the rHuEPO phase, volunteers received Epoetin beta (3000 IU) with hyperhydration to be implemented at 0, 24 and 48 hours after drug administration. Blood and urine samples were collected and analysed according to WADA guidelines. No significant effect on ABP markers was observed due to hyperhydration at any time during the study. Pre- and post-hyperhydration data were not statistically different compared to individual baseline data. In conclusion, hyperhydration does not affect the ABP haematological markers under the examined conditions.     

Implementing Research‐Based Instruction to Prevent Reading Problems Among Low‐Income Students: Is Earlier Better?

It is currently considered imperative to introduce reading instruction as early as possible. This proposition was tested by assigning groups of kindergarteners (N = 256) to two conditions differing in their emphasis on prevention. In the first, teacher‐implemented research‐based interventions were implemented during kindergarten and first grade. In the second, only the first‐grade intervention was implemented. Analyses were conducted separately for students not at risk, at low risk, and at high risk of reading problems. In the short term, the kindergarten intervention was highly effective for both low‐risk and high‐risk students, but it is only for the latter group that early gains translated into better reading skills at the end of first grade. Not‐at‐risk students did not benefit from the early introduction of reading instruction.     

Metadata Collaboration between the Swiss National Library and Research Institutions in the Field of Swiss Historiography

Abstract

This article presents examples of metadata collaborations between the Swiss National Library (NL) and research institutions in the field of Swiss historiography. The NL publishes the Bibliography on Swiss History (BSH). In order to meet the demands of its research community, the NL has improved the accessibility and interoperability of the BSH database. Moreover, the BSH takes part in metadata projects such as Metagrid, a web service linking different historical databases. Other metadata collaborations with partners in the historical field such as the Law Sources Foundation (LSF) will position the BSH as an indispensable literature hub for publications on Swiss history.