The validity and reliability of observational assessment tools available to measure fundamental movement skills in school-age children:A systematic review

Background Fundamental Movement Skills (FMS) play a critical role in ontogenesis. Many children have insufficient FMS, highlighting the need for universal screening in schools. There are many observational FMS assessment tools, but their psychometric properties are not readily accessible. A systematic review was therefore undertaken to compile evidence of the validity and reliability of observational FMS assessments, to evaluate their suitability for screening. Methods A pre-search of ‘fundamental movement skills’ OR ‘fundamental motor skills’ in seven online databases (PubMed, Ovid MEDLINE, Ovid Embase, EBSCO CINAHL, EBSCO SPORTDiscus, Ovid PsycINFO and Web of Science) identified 24 assessment tools for school-aged children that: (i) assess FMS; (ii) measure actual motor competence and (iii) evaluate performance on a standard battery of tasks. Studies were subsequently identified that: (a) used these tools; (b) quantified validity or reliability and (c) sampled school-aged children. Study quality was assessed using COnsensus-based Standards for the selection of health Measurement INstruments (COSMIN) checklists. Results Ninety studies were included following the screening of 1863 articles. Twenty-one assessment tools had limited or no evidence to support their psychometric properties. The Test of Gross Motor Development (TGMD, n = 34) and the Movement Assessment Battery for Children (MABC, n = 37) were the most researched tools. Studies consistently reported good evidence for validity, reliability for the TGMD, whilst only 64% of studies reported similarly promising results for the MABC. Twelve studies found good evidence for the reliability and validity of the Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency but poor study quality appeared to inflate results. Considering all assessment tools, those with promising psychometric properties often measured limited aspects of validity/reliability, and/or had limited feasibility for large scale deployment in a school-setting. Conclusion There is insufficient evidence to justify the use of any observational FMS assessment tools for universal screening in schools, in their current form.</p

Sheep Updates 2005 - Part 5

This session covers eleven papers from different authors; MARKET INFORMATION 1. Crystal Spring - Crystal clear and consistant, Geoff Duddy, Livestock Officer (Sheep & Wool) Yanco, NSW, Brent McLoud, (Product Development Officer) Cowra, NSW, John Sullivan, J.J Dresser and Co (Agent), Woodstock, NSW 2. An overview of Recent Developments in Dark and Medullated Fibre Testing, T.J. Mahar, A. Balasingam, AWTA Ltd 3. Opportunities and Implications for Wool Producers of the TEAM3 Prediction Equations, J.H. Stanton12 K.M.S. Curtis1 , 1Department of Agriculture Western Australia, 2 Curtin University, WA 4. Premiums and Discounts for Fibre Properties in Superfine Wool, Now and in the Future?, K.M.S. Curtis1, P.R. Lamb2, 1 Department of Agriculture Western Australia, 2Lambshift Consulting, Geelong VIC FEEDLOTTING 5. Manure in sheep feedlots: problem or opportunity?, Eliza Dowling, Ned Crossley Department of Agriculture , Western Australia, Surrender Mann, Chemistry Centre (WA), East Perth WA, 6. The State of Lamb Confinement Feeding in WA, Ned Crossley, Department of Agriculture, Western Australia 7. Finishing lambs in a feed lot - Is it profitable?, Lucy Anderton, Department of Agriculture, Western Australia 8. Repeated live weights can mardinally improve prediction of compliance to markey specifications, Mattew Kelly, Andrew Swan, CSIRO livestock industries, Ian McFarland, Department of Agriculture Western Australia. WELFARE 9. Mulesing accreditation - to be or not to be? Di Evans, Department of Agriculture, Western Australia. 10. The Economic and Research Implications of managing Merino Sheep with out Mulesing, K. Bell, Sheep Management and Production Consultants, North Fremantle WA, D. Sackett, Homes Sackett and Associates, Wagga Wagga NSW 11. How do lambs fare during curfew, Dr Robin Jacob, Department of Agriculture, Western Australi

Agribusiness Sheep Updates - 2004 part 2

Precision Pastures Using Species Diversity to Improve Pasture Performance Anyou Liu and Clinton Revell, Department of Agriculture, Western Australia New Annual Pasture Legumes for Sheep Graziers Phil Nichols, Angelo Loi, Brad Nutt and Darryl McClements Department of Agriculture Western Australia Pastures from Space – Can Satellite Estimates of Pasture Growth Rate be used to Increase Farm Profit? Lucy Anderton, Stephen Gherardi and Chris Oldham Department of Agriculture Western Australia Summer-active Perennial Grasses for Profitable Sheep Production Paul Sanford and John Gladman, Department of Agriculture, Western Australia Pastures From Space – Validation Of Predictions Of Pasture Growth Rates DONALD, G.E.A, EDIRISINGHE, A.A, HENRY, D.A.A, MATA, G.A, GHERARDI, S.G.B, OLDHAM, C.M.B, GITTINS, S.P.B AND SMITH, R. C. G.C ACSIRO, Livestock Industries, PMB 5, Wembley, WA, 6913. BDepartment of Agriculture Western Australia, Bentley, WA, 6983. C Department of Land Information Western Australia, Floreat, WA, 6214. Production and Management of Biserrula Pasture - Managing the Risk of Photosensitivity Dr Clinton Revell and Roy Butler, Department of Agriculture Western Australia Meat Quality of Sheep Grazed on a Saltbush-based Pasture Kelly Pearce1,2, David Masters1, David Pethick2, 1 CSIRO LIVESTOCK INDUSTRIES, WEMBLEY, WA 2 SCHOOL OF VETERINARY AND BIOMEDICAL SCIENCE, MURDOCH UNIVERSITY, MURDOCH, WA Precision Sheep Lifetime Wool – Carryover Effects on Subsequent Reproduction of the Ewe Flock Chris Oldham, Department of Agriculture Western Australia Andrew Thompson, Primary Industries Research Victoria (PIRVic), Dept of Primary Industries, Hamilton, Vic Ewe Productivity Trials - a Linked Analysis Ken Hart, Johan Greeff, Department of Agriculture Western Australia, Beth Paganoni, School of Animal Biology, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, University of Western Australia. Grain Finishing Systems For Prime Lambs Rachel Kirby, Matt Ryan, Kira Buttler, Department of Agriculture, Western Australia The Effects of Nutrition and Genotype on the Growth and Development, Muscle Biochemistry and Consumer Response to Lamb Meat David Pethick, Department of Veterinary Science, Murdoch University, WA, Roger Heggarty and David Hopkins, New South Wales Agriculture ‘Lifetime Wool’ - Effects of Nutrition During Pregnancy and Lactation on Mortality of Progeny to Hogget Shearing Samantha Giles, Beth Paganoni and Tom Plaisted, Department of Agriculture Western Australia, Mark Ferguson and Darren Gordon, Primary Industries Research Victoria (PIRVic), Dept of Primary Industries, Hamilton, Vic Lifetime Wool - Target Liveweights for the Ewe Flock J. Young, Farming Systems Analysis Service, Kojonup, C. Oldham, Department of Agriculture Western Australia, A. Thompson, Primary Industries Research Victoria (PIRVic), Hamilton, VIC Lifetime Wool - Effects of Nutrition During Pregnancy and Lactation on the Growth and Wool Production of their Progeny at Hogget Shearing B. Paganoni, University of Western Australia, Nedlands WA, C. Oldham, Department of Agriculture Western Australia, M. Ferguson, A. Thompson, Primary Industries Research Victoria (PIRVic), Hamilton, VIC RFID Technology – Esperance Experiences Sandra Brown, Department of Agriculture Western Australia The Role of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) Technology in Prime Lamb Production - a Case Study. Ian McFarland, Department of Agriculture, Western Australia. John Archer, Producer, Narrogin, Western Australia Win with Twins from Merinos John Milton, Rob Davidson, Graeme Martin and David Lindsay The University of Western Australia Precision Sheep Need Precision Wool Harvesters Jonathan England, Castle Carrock Merinos, Kingston SE, South Australia Business EBVs and Indexes – Genetic Tools for your Toolbox Sandra Brown, Department of Agriculture Western Australia Green Feed Budget Paddock Calculator Mandy Curnow, Department of Agriculture Western Australia Minimising the Impact of Drought - Evaluating Flock Recovery Options using the ImPack Model Karina P. Wood, Ashley K. White, B. Lloyd Davies, Paul M. Carberry, NSW Department of Primary Industries (NSW DPI), Lifetime Wool - Modifying GrazFeed® for WA Mike Hyder, Department of Agriculture Western Australia , Mike Freer, CSIRO Plant Industry, Canberra, A.C.T. , Andrew van Burgel, and Kazue Tanaka, Department of Agriculture Western Australia Profile Calculator – A Way to Manage Fibre Diameter Throughout the Year to Maximise Returns Andrew Peterson, Department of Agriculture, Western Australia Pasture Watch - a Farmer Friendly Tool for Downloading and Analysing Pastures from Space Data Roger Wiese,Fairport Technologies International, South Perth, WA, Stephen Gherardi, BDepartment of Agriculture Western Australia, Gonzalo Mata, CCSIRO, Livestock Industries, Wembley, Western Australia, and Chris Oldham, Department of Agriculture Western Australia Sy Sheep Cropping Systems An Analysis of a Cropping System Containing Sheep in a Low Rainfall Livestock System. Evan Burt, Amanda Miller, Anne Bennett, Department of Agriculture, Western Australia Lucerne-based Pasture for the Central Wheatbelt – is it Good Economics? Felicity FluggeA, Amir AbadiA,B and Perry DollingA,B,A CRC for Plant-based Management of Dryland Salinity: BDept. of Agriculture, WA Sheep and Biserrula can Control Annual Ryegrass Dean Thomas, John Milton, Mike Ewing and David Lindsay, The University of WA, Clinton Revell, Department of Agriculture, Western Australia Sustainable Management Pasture Utilisation, Fleece Weight and Weaning Rate are Integral to the Profitability of Dohnes and SAMMs. Emma Kopke,Department of Agriculture Western Australia, John Young, Farming Systems Analysis Service Environmental Impact of Sheep Confinement Feeding Systems E A Dowling and E K Crossley, Department of Agriculture, Western Australia Smart Grazing Management for Production and Environmental Outcomes Dr Brien E (Ben) Norton, Centre for the Management of Arid Environments, Curtin University of Technology, WA Common Causes of Plant Poisoning in the Eastern Wheatbelt of Western Australia. Roy Butler, Department of Agriculture, Western Australia Selecting Sheep for Resistance to Worms and Production Trait Responses John Karlsson, Johan Greeff, Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Geoff Pollott, Imperial College, London UK Production and Water Use of Lucerne and French Serradella in Four Soil Types, Diana Fedorenko1,4, Darryl McClements2,4 and Robert Beard3,4, 12Department of Agriculture, Western Australia; 3Farmer, Meckering; 4CRC for Plant-based Management of Dryland Salinity. Worm Burdens in Sheep at Slaughter Brown Besier, Department of Agriculture Western Australia, Una Ryan, Caroline Bath, Murdoch Universit

Effects of dry and wet N deposition on vegetation and biogeochemistry of an ombrotrophic bog

It has repeatedly been shown that increased nitrogen (N) deposition results in dramatic shifts in vegetation composition. The sources of N-deposition vary from agriculture (mainly NH3 and NH4) to industry and traffic (mainly NOx). Effects of these different N forms on the vegetation and biogeochemistry of an ombrotrophic peat bog, Whim Moss (~15km southwest of Edinburgh), have been investigated since April 2002, by employing an automate N manipulation system. This field experiment, uniquely, offers the possibility to investigate the effects of the different N forms at the same site and at application rates and deposition scenarios simulating natural variation in rainfall. Within the manipulation system there are two N manipulations: Dry, where gaseous NH3 is released over a 60 m transect at concentrations that simulate a 100,000 bird poultry unit (0.4-200 μg m-3), and Wet, as soluble nitrate or ammonium, covering the full range of UK wet N-deposition (8 – 64 kg N ha-1yr-1). The effects of dry N deposition on the vegetation and biogeochemistry at different distances from the NH3 source have been analysed. In the wet N deposition experiment, 5 treatments were followed, ranging from 8-64 kg N ha-1yr-1 and differing in N form as either oxidised or reduced N. Samples of soil water were obtained using mini-rhizon samplers and were tested for pH, NH4, NO3, P and base cations. Young (1 year old) shoots of Calluna vulgaris L. (Hull), Erica tetralix L. and Sphagnum capillifolium Ehrh. (Hedw.) were harvested and tested for chlorophyll concentrations, aminoacids and P and base cation concentrations in acid digests. The preliminary results show differences between treatment N forms and N doses and along the NH3 gradient. In this presentation we will focus on the plant responses to the changes in the biochemistry. CAPER Conferenc

Implications of acidified S inputs on the fate and consequences of N deposition: results from a field manipulation of a Sitka spruce canopy in Southern Scotland

This paper describes a field manipulation experiment where the effects of a simulated decline in acidified S inputs on the fate of N on Sitka spruce growing on an organo-mineral soil were investigated, along side those of the original treatments: ammonium nitrate, with and without sulphuric acid and sodium sulphate. Five years of treatment, at canopy height, with up to 100 kg N and S ha-1y-1 were extended for a further 3 years, for half the plots, while the remaining plots were deprived of N, sulphuric acid or S. Stem area increment was unresponsive, whereas foliar N and Mg concentrations and fine roots were sensitive to the removal of N and acidity. This recovery experiment confirmed that the presence of acidified S modifies the fate of N and suggests the reduction in acidified S deposition will increase the bioavailability of N

Effects of exercise and manual therapy on pain associated with hip osteoarthritis: a systematic review and meta-analysis

To explore the effects of exercise (water-based or land-based) and/or manual therapies on pain in adults with clinically and/or radiographically diagnosed hip osteoarthritis (OA).A systematic review and meta-analysis was performed, with patient reported pain assessed using a visual analogue scale (VAS) or the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Arthritis Index (WOMAC) pain subscale. Data were grouped by follow-up time (0-3 months=short term; 4-12 months=medium term and; >12 months=long term), and standardised mean differences (SMD) with 95% CIs were used to establish intervention effect sizes. Study quality was assessed using modified PEDro scores.19 trials were included. Four studies showed short-term benefits favouring water-based exercise over minimal control using the WOMAC pain subscale (SMD -0.53, 95% CI -0.96 to -0.10). Six studies supported a short-term benefit of land-based exercise compared to minimal control on VAS assessed pain (SMD -0.49, 95% CI -0.70 to -0.29). There were no medium (SMD -0.23, 95% CI -0.48 to 0.03) or long (SMD -0.22, 95% CI -0.51 to 0.06) term benefits of exercise therapy, or benefit of combining exercise therapy with manual therapy (SMD -0.38, 95% CI -0.88 to 0.13) when compared to minimal control.Best available evidence indicates that exercise therapy (whether land-based or water-based) is more effective than minimal control in managing pain associated with hip OA in the short term. Larger high-quality RCTs are needed to establish the effectiveness of exercise and manual therapies in the medium and long term

Stress responses of Calluna vulgaris to reduced and oxidised N applied under real world conditions

Effects and implications of reduced and oxidised N, applied under ‘real world’ conditions, since May 2002, are reported for Calluna growing on an ombrotrophic bog. Ammonia has been released from a 10 m line source generating monthly concentrations of 180e6 mg m_3, while ammonium chloride and sodium nitrate are applied in rainwater at nitrate and ammonium concentrations below 4 mM and providing up to 56 kg N ha_1 year_1 above a background deposition of 10 kg N ha_1 year_1. Ammonia concentrations, >8 mg m_3 have significantly enhanced foliar N concentrations, increased sensitivity to drought, frost and winter desiccation, spring frost damage and increased the incidence of pathogen outbreaks. The mature Calluna bushes nearest the NH3 source have turned bleached and moribund. By comparison the Calluna receiving reduced and oxidised N in rain has shown no significant visible or stress related effects with no significant increase in N status

A journey backwards: history through style in children's fiction

A & C Black's Flashbacks series invites its readers to “Read a Flashback...take a journey backwards in time”. There are several ways in which children's fiction has encouraged its readers to engage with and care about history: through the presence of ghosts, through frame stories, time travel, or simply setting the narrative in the past. However, modern critical theory has questioned the validity of traditional modes of the genre. This paper defends historical fiction for children by arguing that, whatever narrative strategy is used, such writing stands or falls through its evocation of a historical sensibility—or what Raymond Williams calls a `structure of feeling'. This is achieved through elements of style, both in the representation of dialogue and thought. Pastiche, sometimes thought of as an unsatisfactory feature of contemporary culture, can often perform a similar evocative function. The paper is based on close readings of Alan Garner's The Stone Book from 1976, and 21st century fiction by Kevin Crossley-Holland, Kate Pennington and Paul Bajoria. If these books do not overtly use the techniques of “historiographic metafiction”, it may be because awareness of historiography is implicit in the very texture of their writin