Promozione di comportamenti prosociali e competenze trasversali attraverso l'educazione fisica. Sviluppo e valutazione di una risorsa didattica per insegnanti.

School, as the main institution in terms of citizens education, is required to provide people with both theoretical knowledge and practical skills (how to live in the world). However, school community has to face an extremely complex and changing educational phase in which young people have to cope with a situation of great vulnerability, which often leads to antisocial behaviours, e.g. lack of interest, violent and destructive behaviours, drugs abuse, isolation, rejection of personal responsibilities and disconnection from educational services. School is therefore entrusted with an important educational task, as it is the place where prosocial behaviours are promoted and transversal competences are learnt, i.e. the competences which are not related to specific subjects and are necessary for people's personal development, active citizenship, social involvement and employment. The problem of antisocial behaviours, together with the commitment in the promotion of prosocial behaviours among school-age children, are nowadays topics of great interest for research. The analysis of literature regarding the study of the causes of prosocial and antisocial behaviours leads to focus on two crucial factors: empathy and caring climate. Most of researchers agree to say that empathy plays a key role in encouraging prosocial behaviours and curbing the antisocial ones, and also that both depend on the development and enhancement of peopleâs emphatic skills. In the same way, there is important evidence showing that the quality of relationships among people living at school has an important influence on antisocial and prosocial behaviours. This relationships system constitutes the school or class climate, the quality of which determines the sense of an atmosphere oriented towards people caring. Empathy and caring climate are supposed to be bound because, when someone has caring behaviours towards another person, a certain receptiveness is shown and people's needs are met. An interesting study and policy area, where empathy, positive relationships and prosocial behaviours are promoted, is Physical Education (PE), which is the most suitable context, both because of the possibility of creating plenty of relationship opportunities and because of a body-based communication. There are numerous studies emphasizing significant changes in empathy, caring climate and prosocial or antisocial behaviours thanks to specific PE programs. Moreover, numerous PE-based policies and response actions against antisocial behaviours are spreading internationally. One of the most noteworthy projects has been promoted recently by a partnership of international Agencies, such as WADA, UNESO and IOC, and has been developed by a group of European Universities belonging to the Association Internationale des Ecoles Superieures d'Education Physique (AIESEP), and has been coordinated by the University of Padua. The project provides the development of a toolkit to support teachers in promoting educational aspects such as fairness, equity, respect and inclusion through PE. This research includes the preparation and experimentation of an instructional design based on the above-mentioned Toolkit, the construction of which has been an integral part of the research project. The instructional design and, by extension, the Toolkit, are based on some effectiveness features highlighted in literature, which are mainly represented by a play-based learning and by the use of active learning strategies. The experimental phase of the research was conducted at a middle school in the province of Verona, involving 87 pupils from four second-year classes, divided into two experimental classes and two control classes. The experimental groups participated in a cycle of 11 workshops, taking place once or twice a week. The experimentation had three aims: (a) looking into the effectiveness and the impact of the intervention on empathy, caring climate and prosocial behaviours and on the construction of an equity concept related to the development of transversal competences; (b) analysing the validity and effectiveness of the instructional design based on the Toolkit; (c) assessing the methods, procedures and instrument which characterize this pilot projects, in order to support and improve the following research steps. The data were collected at baseline (T0), post-intervention (T1) and follow-up, and analysed combining a quantitative and qualitative approach. An intervention fidelity measuring instrument was also used. Analyses reveal a close connection between empathy, prosocial behaviours and sense of caring climate, although with a significant difference in gender considering the three measurement phases. Significant positive effects were highlighted regarding the intervention on empathy and prosocial behaviours, mainly in boys from the experimental groups. There was also a significant decrease in the prosocial behaviour assessment gap between pupils and teachers. By means of quantitative analyses, T1 shows a more complex and developed equity concept, closer to the definition of equity itself, compared to T0. The emerged codes and topics serve to identify the presence of critical thinking, argumentative, transfer and generalizing skills, and also to detect an increasing awareness of personal responsibility within a context of equity, in terms of respecting people's needs and feeling. The improvement in critical and reasoning skills seem to be connected to the changes in empathy, prosocial behaviour and caring climate, which has a weaker influence in an experimental group compared to control groups in T1. Validity and effectiveness analyses show numerous strong and weak points of the project: on one hand, it is viewed positively because of its flexibility and cross-curricularity, on the other hand, it was noticed that teachers have to be trained in order to work using active learning strategies. Finally, the project is becoming increasingly important in the advancement of research, as it aims at filling a relevant gap, which is highlighted in literature, and regards a generalized lack of validity and effects assessment in projects designed to develop educational aspects through PE and school sports

Shoaling Waves Interacting with an Orthogonal Current

In the present work, an experimental investigation on the hydrodynamics of shoaling waves superposed on a steady orthogonal current is carried out. An experimental campaign in a wave tank has been performed, with waves and current interacting at a right angle over a sloping planar beach. Velocity data have been gathered during the experiments in order to investigate mean, phase and turbulent flow. A detailed preliminary analysis of the time- and space-variability of the experiments is presented. Results show that a complex interaction between waves and current occurs as the wave shoals, in terms of sheer production, momentum transfer and turbulent mixing. Superposition of waves determines a shear increase at the bottom due to an enhanced turbulence mixing, nonetheless as depth decreases and the current velocity consequently increases, shoaling waves may be less efficient in enhancing shear at the bottom. Moreover, the superposition of waves determines the current to oscillate around its mean velocity value. Nevertheless, as wave shoals and simultaneously current velocity increases with decreasing depth, waves and current oscillatory motion experience a phase lag, as a response of the larger momentum of the current to the changing of the shoaling waves acceleration distribution along the wave phase. Moreover, the turbulent bursting events of the combined flow in proximity of the bed have been investigated by means of quadrant analysis, showing an increase of the turbulent ejections and sweeps due to the superposition of the shoaling waves

Is it Really Nature That Restores People? A Comparison With Historical Sites With High Restorative Potential

Research on restorative environments has showed the healthy outcomes of nature experience, though often by comparing attractive natural to unattractive built environments. Some studies indeed showed the restorative value of artistic/historical settings. In a quasi-experimental study involving 125 participants in Rome, Italy, a natural and a built/historical environment, both scoring high in restorative properties, were evaluated in a natural, built/historical, or neutral setting. In accordance with the Biophilia hypothesis and the Attention Restoration Theory (ART), we hypothesized: a higher restorative potential of nature also when compared to built/historical environments; a moderation effect of on-site experience on perceived restorative potential (PRP) of both environmental typologies; higher levels of restorative properties of the environment for on-site vs. not on-site respondents; and a mediation effect of the restorative properties of the environment in the relationship between time spent on-site and PRP. Results supported the hypotheses. In addition, different psychological processes leading to restoration emerged for the natural and the built/historical environment. Theoretical implications for ART and practical applications for an integrative urban design with natural and historical elements are discussed

Turbulent features of nearshore wave–current flow

Waves and currents influence nearly all nearshore physical processes. Their complex interaction gives birth to complex turbulence features that are far from being completely understood. In this regard, previous studies mainly focused on mean flow or inferred turbulent features from averaged velocities, seldom examining turbulent fluctuations. Moreover, the dynamics of wave–current flow have mostly been replicated in experimental channel setups, i.e., overlooking the natural occurrence of waves and longshore currents intersecting at a near-orthogonal angle. In the present work, the hydrodynamics of near-orthogonal wave–current interaction are investigated through a physical model study. Experiments were carried out in a laboratory basin in the presence of fixed sand and gravel beds, where current-only, wave-only, and combined flow tests were performed. Flow velocities were measured by means of acoustic Doppler velocimeters, through which time-averaged, phase-averaged, and turbulent velocities were obtained. Results revealed two main features of the wave–current flow. First, we observed that the superposition of waves does not necessarily induce an increase in the current bed shear stresses. Indeed, depending on bed roughness, current freestream velocity and wave orbital velocity, enhancements or reductions of the current bed shear were observed. Moreover, application of quadrant analysis revealed a periodic evolution of the current turbulent bursts. Specifically, the number of current turbulent ejections and sweeps is reduced or increased as the wave phase progresses from antinodes to nodes and from nodes to antinodes, respectively.</p

Lo sport che educa: tra miti e realtà

It is widely sustained the notion that sport is a powerful tool to generate apeaceful society and to promote positive values. However, the diffusion ofillegal and anti-social behaviours (e.g. substance abuse, financial scandals,bullying, harassment, social exclusion) related to sport practice suggeststhat sport can play an ambivalent role in promoting values. It is necessaryto think cautiously the educative role of sport. The analysis of the main pedagogical approaches, good practices and international projects highlightshow sport can be effective in promoting values only when the educationalapproach is student-centred, based on active learning and focused on lifeskills promotion. Starting from these premises, a group of international Organizations in collaboration with researchers at the University of Padua developed a research programme for the promotion of education throughsport in schools, obtaining positive preliminary results related to students’prosocial behaviours.La nozione che lo sport sia uno strumento per la promozione di una societàpacifica e sia portatore di valori positivi trasmissibili tramite la praticastessa è radicata e diffusa. Tuttavia, il diffondersi di pratiche illegali e diepisodi antisociali (ad esempio abuso di sostanze, scandali finanziari, bullismo,maltrattamenti, esclusione sociale) legati a molti contesti della praticasportiva suggerisce come lo sport giochi un ruolo quantomeno ambivalentenella trasmissione di valori. È necessario considerare con cautela ilruolo dello sport come strumento educativo. L’analisi dei principali approccipedagogici, delle buone pratiche e dei progetti internazionali porta adevidenziare come lo sport possa promuovere valori positivi solo quando viè una progettazione consapevole di un percorso allievo-centrico ed un usoattento di strategie di apprendimento attivo per la promozione di life skills.Sulla base di queste considerazioni, un gruppo di Organizzazioni Internazionaliin collaborazione con ricercatori dell’Università di Padova hasviluppato un programma per la promozione dell’educazione attraverso losport nella scuola, che ha portato risultati positivi nell’ambito dei comportamentipro-sociali degli studenti coinvolti

improved solubility and increased biological activity of neosol rcl40 a novel red clover isoflavone aglycones extract preparation

Abstract Red clover (Trifolium pratense L., Fabaceae; RCL), a perennial plant rich in isoflavones, is a natural alternative for menopausal symptoms, as well as antiaging and antioxidant. Isoflavone preparations usually contain aglycones and β-glycosides. Aglycones, the active moieties, are absorbed slowly and unevenly due to reduced water solubility and biotransformation from β-glycosides. NeoSol™RCL40 is a novel RCL isoflavone aglycones preparation based on active solubilization technologies. In the present study, NeoSol™RCL40 was shown to induce solubilization of isoflavones and to increase estrogenic and antioxidative effects in comparison to a standard RCL extract (RCLE). NeoSol™RCL40 was prepared from RCLE using as host molecules either 2-pyrrolidone, 1-ethenyl homopolymer (PVP), γ-cyclodextrin, or maltodextrin. Solubilisation assays, performed by means of HPLC-UV, showed that solubilization of isoflavone aglycones was highest with RCLE processed with PVP, which was therefore selected for functional assays. In comparison to RCLE, NeoSol™RCL40 containing the same amount of isoflavone aglycones displayed 3.4 times higher estrogenicity in MCF-7 cell, 1.9–2.0 higher antioxidant activity in the DPPH and in the FRAP assay, and was cytoprotective in PC12 cells. As a whole, results support the ability of NeoSol™RCL40 to promote isoflavones solubilization leading to increased biological activity. NeoSol™RCL40 is therefore an interesting novel preparation providing improved availability of active isoflavones aglycones

The counterintuitive effect of multiple injuries in severity scoring: a simple variable improves the predictive ability of NISS

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Injury scoring is important to formulate prognoses for trauma patients. Although scores based on empirical estimation allow for better prediction, those based on expert consensus, e.g. the New Injury Severity Score (NISS) are widely used. We describe how the addition of a variable quantifying the number of injuries improves the ability of NISS to predict mortality.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We analyzed 2488 injury cases included into the trauma registry of the Italian region Emilia-Romagna in 2006-2008 and assessed the ability of NISS alone, NISS plus number of injuries, and the maximum Abbreviated Injury Scale (AIS) to predict in-hospital mortality. Hierarchical logistic regression was used. We measured discrimination through the C statistics, and calibration through Hosmer-Lemeshow statistics, Akaike's information criterion (AIC) and calibration curves.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The best discrimination and calibration resulted from the model with NISS plus number of injuries, followed by NISS alone and then by the maximum AIS (C statistics 0.775, 0.755, and 0.729, respectively; AIC 1602, 1635, and 1712, respectively). The predictive ability of all the models improved after inclusion of age, gender, mechanism of injury, and the motor component of Glasgow Coma Scale (C statistics 0.889, 0.898, and 0.901; AIC 1234, 1174, and 1167). The model with NISS plus number of injuries still showed the best performances, this time with borderline statistical significance.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>In NISS, the same weight is assigned to the three worst injuries, although the contribution of the second and third to the probability of death is smaller than that of the worst one. An improvement of the predictive ability of NISS can be obtained adjusting for the number of injuries.</p

Beta-blocker initiation and adherence after hospitalization for acute myocardial infarction.

Aims: We sought to: (1) estimate the proportion of patients who initiated beta-blocker therapy after acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in Regione Emilia-Romagna (RER); (2) examine predictors of post-AMI beta-blocker initiation; and (3) assess adherence to such therapy. Methods and Results: Using healthcare claims data covering all of RER, we identified a cohort of 24,367 patients with a hospitalization for AMI between 2004 and 2007, who were discharged from the hospital alive and without contraindications to beta-blocker therapy. We estimated the proportion of eligible patients with at least one prescription for a beta-blocker following discharge and performed a multivariable logistic regression analysis to identify independent predictors of post-AMI beta-blocker initiation. We computed the proportion of days covered (PCD) as a measure of medication adherence at 6 and 12 months post-discharge. Following discharge, 16,383 (67%) cohort members initiated beta-blocker therapy. Independent predictors of beta-blocker initiation included age and receipt of invasive procedures during hospitalization, such as coronary artery bypass graft surgery (odds ratio [OR], 2.37; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.00-2.81), percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (OR, 1.42; 95% CI, 1.31-1.54), and cardiac catheterization (OR, 1.21; 95% CI, 1.11-1.32). Among initiators, adherence to beta-blocker treatment at 6 and 12 months was low and decreased in each study year. Conclusion: Overall, use of and adherence to post-AMI beta-blocker therapy was suboptimal in RER between 2004 and 2007. Older patients and those with indicators of frailty were less likely to initiate therapy. The proportion of patients adherent at 6 and 12 months decreased over time

Prognostic impact of left ventricular mass severity according to the classification proposed by the American society of echocardiography/European association of echocardiography

Background: The American Society of Echocardiography (ASE) and European Association of Echocardiography (EAE) recommend the use of quantitative estimation of left ventricular (LV) mass and defined partition values for mild, moderate, and severe hypertrophy. However, the prognostic implications associated with this categorization are unknown. Methods: In this observational cohort study of unselected adults undergoing echocardiography for any indication, LV hypertrophy was assessed using the ASE/EAE-recommended formula and measurement convention from LV linear dimensions indexed to body surface area. Mortality and incident hospitalizations for cardiovascular disease were the outcomes of this study. Results: Of 2,545 subjects (mean age, 61.9 ± 15.8 years; 56.3% women), 52.9% had normal LV mass, and 15.4% had mild, 12.1% moderate, and 19.6% severe LV hypertrophy. During a mean follow-up period of 2.5 ± 1.2 years, 121 deaths and 292 incident hospitalizations for cardiovascular disease occurred. In multivariate models including age, gender, LV ejection fraction, wall motion score index, significant valvular disease, and atrial fibrillation, the adjusted hazard ratios for death were 1.81 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.03-3.20; P =.041) for mild, 2.31 (95% CI, 1.33-4.01; P =.003) for moderate, and 2.30 (95% CI, 1.39-3.79, P =.001) for severe LV hypertrophy. The adjusted hazard ratios for incident cardiovascular hospitalizations were 1.24 (95% CI, 0.84-1.82; P =.277) for mild, 2.02 (95% CI, 1.42-2.88; P =.0001) for moderate, and 2.38 (95% CI, 1.75-3.22, P <.0001) for severe LV hypertrophy. After adjustment for known risk predictors, there was a 1.3-fold risk for death and cardiovascular disease events per category of LV mass (P =.001). Conclusions: In a cohort study of unselected adult outpatients, the categorization of LV mass according to the ASE/EAE recommendations offered prognostic information independently of age, gender, and other known predictors. Copyright 2011 by the American Society of Echocardiography