What Qualifications and Skills are Important for Digital Librarian Positions in Academic Libraries? A Job Advertisement Analysis

As academic library functions and activities continue to evolve, libraries have broadened the traditional library model, which focuses on management of physical resources and activities, to include a digital library model, transforming resources and services into digital formats to support teaching, learning, and research. This transition has affected professionals' roles and activities due to new required skills. This study examines qualifications and skills required of professional positions involved in digital resources, services, and technologies as changing aspects in academic libraries. Data was collected from job advertisements for digital library positions posted in College and Research Libraries News during the nine years from 1999 to 2007. The study verifies shifts in staffing needs and required qualifications with digital focus on collections, services, and technology applications in academic libraries. The results confirm that a digital librarian is an emerging position in academic libraries. LIS educational implications and further investigations to validate the results are suggested.     

Impaired pulmonary and cardiac function after maximal exercise

The cardiopulmonary response to maximal rowing exercise of short duration was studied in six healthy well-trained oarsmen. The lung diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide was significantly decreased below the pre-exercise value for 2.5 days post-exercise (P less than 0.05). Residual volume (RV) showed a significantly increased value at 30 min of recovery (P less than 0.01) with no change in total lung capacity. There was no significant change in transthoracic electrical impedance following exercise but a decrease may have been masked by the increased RV. The changes in the pulmonary parameters may reflect the occurrence of a transient interstitial lung oedema. Exercise-induced bronchoconstriction may be a part of the cardiopulmonary response as peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR) was significantly reduced at 30 min of recovery. The reason for the increase in pulmonary extravascular water volume may be a marked distension of the lung capillaries due to increased blood volume in the lungs and as a consequence increased vascular permeability. The changes may also be caused by impaired myocardial contractility indicated by a split impedance dZ/dt waveform, not previously described in healthy persons, which occurred in all six subjects immediately following exercise.     

‘Alternative’ universities revisited: A study of the distinctiveness of universities established in the spirit of 1968

Abstract

In the late 60s and early 70s, several universities were set up in various European countries with the intention of providing an alternative to established institutions of higher education. The new universities were expected, amongst other things, to experiment with new forms of leadership and management internally, give teaching and learning higher priority, and to be regional relevant institutions for the area in which they were located. The paper analyses to what extent three such university establishments: Aalborg University in Denmark, Maastricht University in the Netherlands and Troms?University in Norway have managed to maintain and develop their alternative profile during the last thirty years. The study suggests that even though the universities in some areas have adapted to environmental pressure, they have managed to keep their profile as innovative and alternative.     

Measuring Children's Age Stereotyping Using a Modified Piagetian Conservation Task

We examined five-year-old-children's age stereotyping using a modified Piagetian conservation task. Children were asked if two lines of objects were the “same” after one line had been made longer (transformed). A conversational account posits that children's answers reflect assumptions about the asker's motivation for the question (Schwarz, 1996 Schwarz , N. ( 1996 ). Cognition and communication: Judgmental biases, research methods, and the logic of conversation . Mahwah , NJ : Lawrence Erlbaum . [Google Scholar]). We reasoned that when asked by a young adult (puppet Experiment 1, experimenter Experiment 2) children would assume the question is to ascertain if they have noted a perceptual change and would provide answers focused on the change (length). If older adults are assumed to be in decline because of negative age stereotyping, however, children may assume an older adult (puppet, experimenter) is seeking clarification about line equality and would, therefore, give responses focused on the similarity of the lines (number). The expectation that a focus on length or number should differ across puppet/experimenter conditions was supported in both experiments and provides behavioral evidence for children's old age stereotyping.     

The importance of being elastic: Deflection of a badminton racket during a stroke

Abstract

The deflection profiles of a badminton racket during strokes performed by elite and world-class badminton players were recorded by strain gauges and subsequently analysed to determine the role of shaft stiffness in racket performance. Deflection behaviour was consistent in all strokes across all players, suggesting a controlled use of racket elasticity. In addition, all impacts occurred within 100 ms of each other, a duration in which deflection velocity provides an increase in racket velocity, indicating that the players were able to use racket elasticity to their advantage. Since deflection behaviour is a product of the racket–player interaction, further work is required to determine the effects of different racket properties and player techniques on the elastic response of rackets during strokes.     

Effects of Training on the Estimation of Muscular Moment in Submaximal Exercise

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to observe the effects of a submaximal isometric training program on estimation capacity at 25, 50, and 75% of maximal contraction in isometric action and at two angular velocities. The second purpose was to study the variability of isometric action. To achieve these purposes, participants carried out an isokinetic extension movement of the dominant lower limb during six test sessions and nine training sessions. Following the training program, estimation capacity in the different actions did not improve. However, an improvement in performance was observed with a reduction in the variability of submaximal isometric actions. The proprioceptors activated in isometric action seemed to adapt to the training program itself, which would promote better adaptation by a greater solicitation of internal feedback.     

The Relative Age Effect in Elite Sport

The relative age effect (RAE) is considered a common phenomenon in elite sport. However, it has not been examined systematically in previous research, and the mechanisms likely to generate or to limit such an effect are little understood. This paper investigates the prevalence of the RAE in French professional championship-level players, taking into account the potential influence of gender. Among all investigated sports, no statistically significant RAE was found, except for male ice hockey. For male handball and rugby union a trend was detected, but the RAE did not appear statistically significant. In line with previous studies, no significant RAEs were found in female elite sports. The results are discussed with regard to the potential mechanisms underlying RAE.     

Electromyographic Patterns During Level and Inclined Treadmill Running and Their Relationship to Step Cycle Measures

Abstract

Eight highly skilled male distance runners were filmed while running on level and inclined treadmills. During the filming sequence, EMG measurements were collected on vastus medialis (VM) and semimembranosus (SM) of the right thigh. The initiation and duration of electrical activity of the two muscles was extracted from the recordings relative to the step cycle events. Analysis of covariance for repeated measures was utilized as a statistical treatment to examine the effect of treadmill grade (– 10%, 0%, and + 10%) upon step cycle and EMG data. Results indicate that treadmill grade had a significant effect on the relative duration of both stance and swing phases of the running step cycle and total step cycle duration. Total step cycle time and relative swing phase duration decreased as the treadmill grade was changed from a negative grade to a zero grade to a positive grade while the duration of the stance phase increased. EMG measures indicated decreases in relative duration of SM activity during the stance phase progressing from negative grade to zero grade to positive grade while an increase in SM activity was noted during the swing phase. VM activity during stance was longest in negative grade running, decreased in level grade running, and increased again in positive grade running.