The effect of unilateral balance training on postural control of the contralateral limb

To investigate the impact of unilateral balance training on postural control of the trained and contralateral limb in healthy elderly. Fifty-one healthy old adults were randomly assigned into training group (TG) and control group (CG). Participants of the TG performed unilateral balance training (dominant (DOM) leg) over 4 weeks (4×/week). Centre of pressure analysis was performed at baseline, 5 weeks follow-up and 9 weeks follow-up under the following conditions: (1) one-leg stance without additional task, (2) one-leg stance with motor task and (3) one-leg stance with cognitive task. From baseline to 5 weeks follow-up, a mixed analysis of variance detected a significant time × group interaction for the DOM leg (P < 0.05), indicating higher improvement of the TG in comparison to CG. No significant interaction effect was found for the non-DOM leg. Within the TG, the non-DOM leg significantly improved in mean velocity (P = 0.001) and anterior–posterior range (P < 0.001). Unilateral balance training was effective to improve postural control of the trained leg. The effect on the contralateral leg was small and not significant within this study design. Improvements were retained after 4 weeks without training. A tendency is given that unilateral balance training might be beneficial to improve postural control of the contralateral leg.     

Pacing during a cross-country mountain bike mass-participation event according to race performance,experience, age and sex

This study describes pacing strategies adopted in an 86-km mass-participation cross-country marathon mountain bike race (the ‘Birkebeinerrittet’). Absolute (km·h^?1) and relative speed (% average race speed) and speed coefficient of variation (%CV) in five race sections (15.1, 31.4, 52.3, 74.4 and 100% of total distance) were calculated for 8182 participants. Data were grouped and analysed according to race performance, age, sex and race experience. The highest average speed was observed in males (21.8?±?3.7?km/h), 16–24?yr olds (23.0?±?4.8?km/h) and those that had previously completed >4 Birkebeinerrittet races (22.5?±?3.4?km/h). Independent of these factors, the fastest performers exhibited faster speeds across all race sections, whilst their relative speed was higher in early and late climbing sections (Cohen's d?=?0.45–1.15) and slower in the final descending race section (d?=?0.64–0.98). Similar trends were observed in the quicker age, sex and race experience groups, who tended to have a higher average speed in earlier race sections and a lower average speed during the final race section compared to slower groups. In all comparisons, faster groups also had a lower %CV for speed than slower groups (fastest %CV?=?24.02%, slowest %CV?=?32.03%), indicating a lower variation in speed across the race. Pacing in a cross-country mountain bike marathon is related to performance, age, sex and race experience. Better performance appears to be associated with higher relative speed during climbing sections, resulting in a more consistent overall race speed.     

Catégories et fonctions dans l’appareil de l’état au temps des Barmécides: un sondage sur le glissement entre les rôles

This essay is part of a wider research project aiming to define the components of the élite in power during the first ?Abbāsid period. Our present purpose is to verify if, and to what extent, the sliding among different public roles must be related with the “arbitraire” of the caliph or rather if it would be reasonable to discern in it some automatisms, some unregulated, although already applied paths. For this purpose, we carried out a survey of the figures who had offices in the administration of the ?Abbāsid state during the second half of the 2nd/8th century, i.e. the Barmakids and those who evolved with them on the political scene. In the initial stage, we confined our survey to the figures appearing in the Kitāb al-wuzarā’ wa'l-kuttāb by al-Jahshiyārī (d. 331/942), that is, with al-?ūlī's one, the most ancient collection of akhbār devoted to the vizirs. We actually think that this work has a historical as well as a symbolic significance. In our opinion the fact of having been produced inside the official milieu of the 4th/10th century increases its value as a source for the social history of the first ?Abbāsid period. Facing the problem of the sliding among different public roles, we tried to fix some criteria for the statistical analysis of this phenomenon, as well as to deduce how this could be used for the study of the social components of the ?Abbāsid élite.     

pH controlled staining of CD4+ and CD19+ cells within functionalized microfluidic channel

Herein proposed is a simple system to realize hands-free labeling and simultaneous detection of two human cell lines within a microfluidic device. This system was realized by novel covalent immobilization of pH-responsive poly(methacrylic acid) microgels onto the inner glass surface of an assembled polydimethylsiloxane/glass microfluidic channel. Afterwards, selected thiophene labeled monoclonal antibodies, specific for recognition of CD4 antigens on T helper/inducer cells and CD19 antigens on B lymphocytes cell lines, were encapsulated in their active state by the immobilized microgels. When the lymphocytes suspension, containing the two target subpopulations, was flowed through the microchannel, the physiological pH of the cellular suspension induced the release of the labeled antibodies from the microgels and thus the selective cellular staining. The selective pH-triggered staining of the CD4- and CD19-positive cells was investigated in this preliminary experimental study by laser scanning confocal microscopy. This approach represents an interesting and versatile tool to realize cellular staining in a defined module of lab-on-a-chip devices for subsequent detection and counting.     

From departure to arrival: Re-engaging students who have withdrawn from university

Despite institutional strategies to prevent student withdrawal, attrition remains a concern across higher education sectors in the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia. In the case of Australian universities, attrition rates have remained consistently high since 2002. Some level of attrition is inevitable, but universities can influence the circumstances and the consequences of departure. This article draws on two research projects conducted within an Australian institution. The studies confirm that withdrawing students: often leave for personal reasons; are typically young and from under-represented backgrounds; generally remain positive about higher education; and are relatively likely to return to the sector in future. Despite our findings, institutional strategies around the point of departure remain variable and, contrary to their stated intentions, departing students are rarely seen as future students by the institutions from which they withdraw. Preventive strategies need to be combined with broader institutional policies designed to re-engage and re-recruit the cohort of departed students.     

Holistic or analytic rubrics? Grading information literacy instruction

Abstract

Studies about the assessment of information literacy instruction have reported the use of specific grading criteria, also known as rubrics, to evaluate students’ responses. Rubrics can be divided into two general categories: (1) holistic, where one score is assigned for evaluating the successful completion of a task; and (2) analytic, where a grade is subdivided into discrete components needed to complete the task and each component is given its own score for achievement. This article will investigate which scoring method—employing holistic versus analytic rubrics—is the most effective for evaluating students’ search strategies in terms of providing constructive feedback to students and informing the librarian’s future teaching practices.     

Prepping for class: A practical approach for teaching librarians

Successful teaching requires careful preparation. This article presents steps for designing information literacy sessions, including strategies for dealing with technology failures and human issues during the actual delivery of the class.     

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.     

An extention of the school moral atmosphere construct, and its association with aggressive behaviours in secondary school

The first aim of this research is to introduce and to validate the new concept of School Normative Context, that revisits the concept of School Moral Atmosphere studied by Brugman and his colleagues through the SMAQ (1999) and validated also in the Italian context (Mancini & Fruggeri, 2005). The School Normative Context entails two new aspects: The first one concerns the interactive dimension of each specific school context and the second one concerns the perception of responsibility (internal vs, external) in the implementation of the norm. The second aim is to study the relation among adolescents perception of School Normative Context, adolescents’ orientation towards social rules and their aggressive behaviours against classmates at school. 268 students (mean age 17,01) attending three Italian high schools of three different educational levels (Lyceum, technical and professional) participated in this research. They filled a questionnaire composed of three parts: School Normative Context Questionnaire (SNC), Normative Orientation Scale (NOS) and Aggression Scale (Orpinas, Frankowski, 2001). School Normative Context has shown an acceptable degree of conceptual and predictive validity. The research has shown that the School Normative Context has an influence on the aggressive behaviours against classmates. Furthermore, it is a mediating factor between the adolescents’ orientation towards social norms and their aggressive behaviours at school.