Effects of different physical education programmes on children’s skill- and health-related outcomes: a pilot randomised controlled trial

Aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of two different 5-month physical education (PE) interventions conducted by a specialist PE teacher on primary school children’s skill- and health-related outcomes. About 230 children were randomly assigned to one of three intervention groups: experimental_1 group, experimental_2 group or control group (school curriculum given by the generalist teacher). Pre- and post-intervention tests assessed pupils’ fitness (pacer, curl-up, push-up, trunk lift, sit and reach tests) and gross motor coordination (shifting platforms, balance beam, jumping laterally, hopping on one leg over an obstacle tests). Both experimental groups significantly improved some fitness and coordinative tests after the intervention period when compared with control group. However, no differential changes on coordinative development were observed between the 2 experimental groups. Results of this study demonstrated that children benefitted from a well-structured PE intervention conducted and supervised by a specialist PE teacher improving their motor skills and fitness.     

Writing and conceptual change. What changes?

This study was focused on elementary school students'processes of scientific understanding within aclassroom environment characterized as a community ofdiscourse. In particular, it explored the role ofwritten discourse both on the plane of knowledgedevelopment and the conceptualization and evaluationof the writing activity itself. The purposes of thestudy were: (a) to see whether students could use writingas a means to express and compare ideas, reason andreflect on them in the process of scientificunderstanding; (b) to see whether writing in the serviceof learning facilitated the understanding of the newtopic through conceptual change; (c) to see whetherwriting affected the conceptualization of the writingactivity itself. Thirty-six fourth graders divided intwo groups, experimental (writing) and control(no-writing), were involved in the implementation ofcurriculum units on plants, whose target concept wasphotosynthesis. The findings show that in theexperimental group the students reached a betterconceptual understanding of the target concept andmore advanced metaconceptual awareness of the changesin their own knowledge structures. Moreover, theconceptualization of the writing activity seemed tochange as well to some extent as writing in aconceptual change process affected the ways learnersviewed some functions of it.     

Handwriting,spelling, and narrative competence in the fictional stories of Italian primary-school children

European Journal of Psychology of Education - Previous studies with English-speaking children showed that handwriting and spelling abilities played a critical role in the development of writing...     

The scientific approach to the restoration and monitoring of mural paintings at S. Girolamo Chapel – SS. Annunziata Church in Florence

The scientific approach to the restoration and monitoring of mural paintings, at S. Girolamo Chapel – SS. Annunziata Church in Florence, is reported as a fruitful example of the synergic collaboration between restorers and scientists in the planning and development of conservative interventions. Before restoration, the painting technique and the state of preservation of the pictorial cycle have been investigated firstly by close examination of the painted surfaces and then by optical and/or SEM-EDS microscopy and μFT-IR spectroscopy on appropriately selected samples. In particular, the original constituent materials and those belonging to subsequent restorations were characterized together with those originating from decay processes. In this mural painting cycle, a peculiar “fresco” technique has been used although an auxiliary binder for pigment distemper has been also employed. The use of this technique, sometimes in an improper way together with uncorrected restoration interventions, are the main responsible of the unsatisfactory state of conservation of many painted areas. Preliminary conservation trials and scientific studies were carried out to design the most convenient restoration intervention and to verify the correctness and non-invasive of the necessary operations. Special attention was devoted to cleaning procedures, continuously monitored by a physico-chemical methodology, mainly based on microinvasive, microscopic and spectroscopic investigations, to evaluate the efficiency, advantages and drawbacks of the proposed cleaning procedures and define the most appropriate ones. Finally, specific decay markers have been recognized, by a comparison of the results obtained from the detached samples with those deriving from artificially aged models, to be used for a correct future monitoring and maintenance of the wall paintings.     

Renaissance Science and Literature: Benedetti,Ovid and the Transformations of Phaeton’s Myth after Copernicus

This paper aims at showing the close ties between Renaissance literature and science as emerge from the use and the transformation, in a post-Copernican context, of the myth of Phaeton—according to Greek mythology: the boy who tried to conduct the chariot of the Sun and died in this attempt. G.B. Benedetti’s analysis and criticism of Ovid’s Metamorphoses, book two, provides an insight into this literary and scientific issue. Astronomical poems and variations of Phaeton’s myth by other illustrious Renaissance men—including T. Brahe and King James of Scotland and England—are taken into account, as well.     

Degree classification and recent graduates’ ability: Is there any signalling effect?

Research across several countries has shown that degree classification (i.e. the final grade awarded to students successfully completing university) is an important determinant of graduates’ first destination outcome. Graduates leaving university with higher degree classifications have better employment opportunities and a higher likelihood of continuing education relative to those with lower degree classifications. This article investigates whether one of the reasons for this result is that employers and higher education institutions use degree classification as a signalling device for the ability that recent graduates may possess. Given the large number of applicants and the amount of time and resources typically required to assess their skills, employers and higher education institutions may decide to rely on this measure when forming beliefs about recent graduates’ abilities. Using data on two cohorts of recent graduates from a UK university, results suggest that an Upper Second degree classification may have a signalling role.     

Validity of criteria-based content analysis (CBCA) at trial in free-narrative interviews

Objective

The reliability of child witness testimony in sexual abuse cases is often controversial, and few tools are available. Criteria-Based Content Analysis (CBCA) is a widely used instrument for evaluating psychological credibility in cases of suspected child sexual abuse. Only few studies have evaluated CBCA scores in children suspected of being sexually abused. We designed this study to investigate the reliability of CBCA in discriminating allegations of child sexual abuse during court hearings, by comparing CBCA results with the court's final, unappealable sentence. We then investigated whether CBCA scores correlated with age, and whether some criteria were better than others in distinguishing cases of confirmed and unconfirmed abuse.

Methods

From a pool of 487 child sexual abuse cases, confirmed and unconfirmed cases were selected using various criteria including child IQ ≥ 70, agreement between the final trial outcome and the opinion of 3 experts, presence of at least 1 independent validating informative component in cases of confirmed abuse, and absence of suggestive questions during the child's testimonies. This screening yielded a study sample of 60 confirmed and 49 unconfirmed cases. The 14 item version of CBCA was applied to child witness testimony by 2 expert raters.

Results

Of the 14 criteria tested, 12 achieved satisfactory inter-rater agreement (Maxwell's Random Error). Analyses of covariance, with case group (confirmed vs. unconfirmed) and gender as independent variables and age as a covariate, showed no main effect of gender. Analyses of the interaction showed that the simple effects of abuse were significant in both sex. Nine CBCA criteria were satisfied more often among confirmed than unconfirmed cases; seven criteria increased with age.

Conclusion

CBCA scores distinguish between confirmed and unconfirmed cases. The criteria that distinguish best between the 2 groups are Quantity of Details, Interactions, and Subjective Experience. CBCA scores correlate positively with age, and independently from abuse; all the criteria test except 2 (Unusual Details and Misunderstood Details) increase with age. The agreement rate could be increased by merging criteria Unusual and Superfluous details that achieve a low inter-rater agreement when investigated separately.

Practice implication

Given its ability to distinguish between confirmed and unconfirmed cases of suspected child abuse, the CBCA could be a useful tool for expert opinion. Because our strict selection criteria make it difficult to generalize our results, further studies should investigate whether the CBCA is equally useful in the cases we excluded from our study (for example mental retardation).     

Effects of fixed vs. self-suggested rest between sets in upper and lower body exercises performance

In its last position stand about strength training, the American College of Sports Medicine recommends a rest interval (RI) between sets ranging between 1 and 3?min, varying in accordance with the objective. However, there is no consensus regarding the optimal recovery between sets, and most studies have investigated fixed intervals. Therefore, the aim of this study was to analyse the effects of fixed versus self-suggested RI between sets in lower and upper body exercises performance. Twenty-seven healthy subjects (26?±?1.5; 75?±?15?kg; 175?±?12?cm) were randomly assigned into two groups: G1: lower body exercises and G2: upper body exercises. Squat and leg press 1 repetition maximum (1RM) were tested for the G1 and bench press and biceps curl 1RM for G2. After the 1RM tests, both groups performed three sets to concentric failure with 75% of 1RM in combination with different RIs (2?min or self-suggested) on separate days and the exercises performance was evaluated by the number of repetitions. The results demonstrated no significant differences in the number of repetitions between 2?min and self-suggested RIs that presented similar reductions with the sets progression. It was also shown that the self-suggested RI spent less time recovering than the 2?min RI group on average. This suggests that for individuals with previous experience, the self-suggested RI can be an effective option when using workloads commonly prescribed aiming hypertrophy. Also, the self-suggested RI can reduce the total training session duration, which can be a more time-effective strategy.     

Chemical air filtration in archives and libraries reconsidered

The implementation of chemical filtration in air-conditioning systems in archive and library repositories has become standard practice for heritage institutions in many countries. This practice is codified in official standards with general reference to a substantial body of scientific publications on the effects of air pollutants on paper materials. In this paper we report the application of a well-established decision analysis approach elaborating an integral cost-benefit perspective to provide decision support to four European national heritage institutions confronted with dilemmas in connection to chemical air filtration. Available scientific evidence for air pollution induced damage of paper material is reviewed and weighed against financial and environmental costs of air pollution control. Exposure of paper to both indoor and outdoor generated air pollutants at typical concentration levels observed within storage areas is expected to cause minimal to no additional yellowing and embrittlement, while the costs of chemical air filtration are significant. From a cost-benefit perspective the use of chemical air filtration in typical library and archive repositories is therefore discouraged.     

The terracotta modelli of Palazzo Venezia in Rome: Investigation of the constituent materials for fundamental knowledge and to aid conservation decisions

This work presents the results of the investigation carried out on a group of terracotta sculptures (modelli) (sixteenth to eighteenth century) belonging to the extraordinary collection of Palazzo Venezia in Rome. The study, the diagnostic analysis, and the conservation work, were possible thanks to the grant supplied by the Getty Foundation of Los Angeles and by the bank Intesa San Paolo. The terracotta modelli had a practical function as they were of great use as sketches to the creation of the final masterpieces or as models for restoration. As a consequence, the terracotta models allow reconstructing the creative process of artists and restorers, fundamental to outlining the ancient workshop production. X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy, micro-stratigraphic investigation, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and micro-Raman spectroscopy were chosen as useful techniques to study the morphology and composition of the surface-painted layers. Usually the surfaces were painted in order to simulate the materials of the sculpture for which the model was created, for example lead white was used to obtain a white surface simulating marble. But, often the models were re-painted to make them more attractive for the antique trade. So, several pigments have been found on the surfaces such as zinc white, Prussian blue, chrome yellow, and mono-azo pigment. In some cases, the characterization of the surface paintings was particularly important to the final decision about removing or leaving the surface paint in place.