Affiliative Subgroups in Preschool Classrooms: Integrating Constructs and Methods from Social Ethology and Sociometric Traditions

Recent studies of school-age children and adolescents have used social network analyses to characterize selection and socialization aspects of peer groups. Fewer network studies have been reported for preschool classrooms and many of those have focused on structural descriptions of peer networks, and/or, on selection processes rather than on social functions of subgroup membership. In this study we started by identifying and describing different types of affiliative subgroups (HMP- high mutual proximity, LMP- low mutual proximity, and ungrouped children) in a sample of 240 Portuguese preschool children using nearest neighbor observations. Next, we used additional behavioral observations and sociometric data to show that HMP and LMP subgroups are functionally distinct: HMP subgroups appear to reflect friendship relations, whereas LMP subgroups appear to reflect common social goals, but without strong, within-subgroup dyadic ties. Finally, we examined the longitudinal implications of subgroup membership and show that children classified as HMP in consecutive years had more reciprocated friendships than did children whose subgroup classification changed from LMP or ungrouped to HMP. These results extend previous findings reported for North American peer groups

Affiliative Subgroups in Preschool Classrooms: Integrating Constructs and Methods from Social Ethology and Sociometric Traditions

Recent studies of school-age children and adolescents have used social network analyses to characterize selection and socialization aspects of peer groups. Fewer network studies have been reported for preschool classrooms and many of those have focused on structural descriptions of peer networks, and/or, on selection processes rather than on social functions of subgroup membership. In this study we started by identifying and describing different types of affiliative subgroups (HMP- high mutual proximity, LMP- low mutual proximity, and ungrouped children) in a sample of 240 Portuguese preschool children using nearest neighbor observations. Next, we used additional behavioral observations and sociometric data to show that HMP and LMP subgroups are functionally distinct: HMP subgroups appear to reflect friendship relations, whereas LMP subgroups appear to reflect common social goals, but without strong, within-subgroup dyadic ties. Finally, we examined the longitudinal implications of subgroup membership and show that children classified as HMP in consecutive years had more reciprocated friendships than did children whose subgroup classification changed from LMP or ungrouped to HMP. These results extend previous findings reported for North American peer groups

Goal Content for the practice of physical activity and the impact on subjective well-being in older adults

The main goal of this study consisted in an analysis of the impact that the goal content that leads to the practice of physical activity in the elderly population can play on the variables that constitute subjective well-being, as well as to analyze the differences in these variables’ levels according to the amount of physical activity practiced. A total of 300 individuals participated in this study (n=300), including 238 females and 62 males, aged between 60 and 90 years old (M = 68.59; DP = 6.54), who practice differing levels of physical activity. The results enable us to conclude that the goal content for the practice of physical activity has positive effects on the perception of satisfaction with life and on affect. To the same extent, they verify that health is the motivation that has the greatest weight on the practice of physical activity. We also concluded that elderly people who practice more physical activity perceive higher levels of satisfaction with life and positive affect, and lower levels of negative affectinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Validação de método experimental para medição do potencial de corrosão de liga metálica em sangue humano in vivo

Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Centro de Ciências da Saúde, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Médicas, Florianópolis, 2011Justificativa: Ligas metálicas são utilizadas em dispositivos médicos para uso intravascular, principalmente na forma de stents, endopróteses, filtro de veia cava e coils. Todos os implantes metálicos sofrem corrosão após serem implantados no corpo humano. As propriedades físicas e de superfície desses materiais como seu comportamento corrosivo ainda não foram totalmente elucidadas, sendo este conhecimento fundamental para que seja possível evitar complicações destas ligas metálicas. Objetivo: Descrever um modelo experimental para medição do potencial de corrosão (Ecorr) de uma liga metálica no sangue humano em circulação e in vivo e realizar a medição do Ecorr da liga de NiTi. Desenho do Estudo: Estudo experimental, não controlado, analítico do tipo longitudinal. Métodos: Foi mensurado o Ecorr em seis pacientes submetidos à cirurgia arterial direta onde a aorta abdominal, artéria ilíaca ou artéria femoral foram expostas. Antes de se proceder o clampeamento arterial e a arteriotomia, foi mensurada a diferença de potencial de corrosão do NiTi através de um dispositivo constituído por eletrodos de NiTi e pseudo-eletrodo de Pt, que permanecia em contato com o sangue circulante durante um período de 12 minutos fazendo a medição do Ecorr. Para o uso do pseudo-eletrodo de Pt o dispositivo foi previamente validado em testes in vitro. Resultados: Ecorr da liga de NiTi em sangue humano in vivo e em circulação foi de -227,94 (± 27,76)mV. A medida do coeficiente de correlação intraclasse entre os 6 pacientes apresentaram-se compatíveis entre si. Conclusão: O método descrito para medição do Ecorr mostrou-se reprodutível e confiável, podendo servir de modelo experimental para futuros trabalhos com outras ligas metálicasBackground: Metal alloys are used in the manufacturing of intravascular devices such as stents, endoprosthesis, vena cava filters, and coils. All metallic implants are prone to corrosion after placement into the human body. Since the physical and surface properties of metal alloys are not entirely clear, this knowledge becomes essential to reduce clinical complications related to these implants. Objectives: Describe an experimental model to measure the corrosion potential (Ecorr) of a metal alloy in human blood in circulation and in vivo and perform the measurement of Ecorr NiTi alloy. Study design: Experimental, noncontrolled, analytical, longitudinal study. Methods: The Ecorr was measured in 6 patients who underwent open vascular surgery with exposition of the abdominal aorta, iliac artery, or the femoral artery. Before the arterial clamping and arteriotomy, the NiTi Ecorr was measured by the use of a dispositive constituted of NiTi electrodes and a Platinum (Pt) pseudo-reference electrode which were placed into the human circulation during 12 minutes. The Pt pseudo-reference electrode has been previously validated in vitro testing. Results: The measure of the NiTi Ecorr in the human circulation was -227.94 (± 27.76) mV. The correlation coefficient was compatible among the 6 patients. Conclusion: The reported method to measure the Ecorr was shown to be reproducible and reliable, and it may be used in future research with other metal alloy