Gender and motor competence affects perceived likelihood and importance of physical activity outcomes among 14 year olds

Little is understood about the impact of level of motor competence on self-perceptions in adolescence, in particular how this may differentially affect girls and boys. A sample of 1,568 14-year-old participants (766 girls and 802 boys) were grouped into four motor competence levels (very low to high) based on the McCarron Assessment of Neuromuscular Development (MAND). Self-perceptions were assessed using the Self-Perception Profile for Adolescents. Boys had higher self-perceptions of global self-worth, athletic competence, and physical appearance, whereas girls had higher scores for close friendships and behavioral conduct. Main effects in the predicted direction were found for motor competence for self-perceptions of global self-worth, athletic competence, physical appearance, close friendships, social acceptance, and romantic appeal. These findings indicate that level of motor competence is important in many aspects of self-perceptions, affecting girls and boys differently. Higher motor competence has a protective effect on psychosocial health, particularly for girls

Australian adolescents\u27 motor competence and perceptions of physical activity outcomes

Benefits that are generally associated with physical activity include enjoyment of the activity, expectation of positive benefits, intention to exercise, perceived fitness or health self-efficacy, intrinsic motivation, and positive physical self-perceptions (Sallis & Owen, 1999). In the Australian context where motor skill is highly valued, the ability to participate in play, games, and sports is likely to be particularly important in the socialization process of adolescents, such as their opportunity for reaffirming friendships and gaining social support from significant others. To be competent at movement would seem a clear advantage in order to experience quality of life through physical activity. However for adolescents who have poor motor competence, whose past experiences in sporting contexts have been less positive, future engagement in physical activity may not be viewed as so worthwhile. From a theoretical perspective motor competence has been closely linked to positive self-perceptions (Harter, 1999; Nicholls, 1990) and feelings of self-efficacy (Bandura, 1997). Furthermore, the choices individuals make are directly related to their expectancies for success, and subjective values they place on the options they perceive to be available (Eccles, Barber, & Jozefowicz, 1999). Empirical findings with adolescents (Cantell, Smyth, & Ahonen, 2003; Poulsen, Ziviani, Cuskelly, & Smith, 2007) suggest that level of motor competence is associated with psycho-social outcomes that in turn influence the intrinsic motivation to engage in physical activity. Even with marginal motor difficulties, adolescents perceive greater barriers to exercise (Rose, Larkin, Hands, & Parker, 2008) but there is little known of how adolescents with low motor competence perceive outcomes of future engagement in physical activity differently to their better coordinated peers. Their difficulties are not only frequently overlooked but are compounded by not experiencing the joy of participation and benefit from the healthy outcomes of physical activity so important to quality of life. Furthermore, there is evidence that movement difficulties experienced in childhood do not go away and there are often physical and psycho-social difficulties extending into adulthood (Cantell, Smyth, & Ahonen, 2003). In our study we proposed that adolescent girls and boys who differ in level of motor competence will also differ in their perceptions of benefits gained from any future engagement in sports and physical recreation. These proposed differences especially may be evident in physical and social evaluative settings where according to Harter (1999) adolescents are particularly vulnerable. She found that subgroups experiencing motor difficulties are likely to have a diminished view of their physical selves and be unwilling to participate in physical activities. If little positive benefit is perceived from participation there are strong implications for physical health associated with low energy expenditure and for overall quality of life. Considering that gender is linked to academic, occupational and recreational choice (Eccles et al., 1999) and that socialization for girls in sport often differs from that of boys (Coakley, 2007), girls may view their future in physical activity as less rewarding. This might have implications not only for girls but particularly for those girls who also lack competence in movement. Boys also may experience disadvantage if their motor competence does not reach the expectations of a sport oriented society (Poulsen et al., 2007). Our purpose here was to examine the likelihood of experiencing positive or negative outcomes from engaging in physical activity in adolescent boys and girls who differed in level of motor competence

Henrik Ibsen, and His Influence on English Drama

There are a great number of dramatic critics who claim that all the most important dramatic work that is being done in the world or has been done in the last quarter of a century, bears the unmistakable impress of Ibsen\u27s influence. The poetic change that Wordsworth and Coleridge inaugurated in 1798, was nothing they say, compared with the revolution in dramatic art that began when Ibsen produced his Pillars of Society, the first of his purely sociological plays

The digestion and utilisation of food fibre by growing pigs

A series of investigations were undertaken to provide information for compounders to consider when including fibrous foods in diets for growing pigs. The work involved measurements of nutrient digestibilities, growth trials and calorimetric studies.The digestibility of the neutral detergent fibre (NDF) fraction of a food was dependent on a number of factors including the source of fibre, the adaptation period and liveweight of the pig, and the protein and lipid contents of the diet.The level of addition of food fibre was not important in determining the digestibility of the NDF component of a fibre source, whereas an inverse relationship was found between the digestibility of nitrogen and energy, and the level of added food fibre. It was concluded that increasing the level of addition of food fibre is more important in determining the depressive effect on the digestibility of non-fibre components than its own.Rapid growth was achieved when young, weaned and growing pigs were given diets containing wheatfeed and sugar-beet pulp. A substantial part of the energy supplied was in the form of VFA produced by the fermentation of non-starch polysaccharides in the wheatfeed and sugar-beet pulp.A growth trial with diets containing sugar-beet pulp and maize revealed that fermented energy from beet pulp was used with an efficiency of 0.72 that of the energy of maize. The apparently digested energy arising from the fermentation of non-starch polysaccharides, therefore, does not correspond directly in terms of potential use to the animal with that obtained by the enzymic digestion of maize starch. A net energy value for sugar-beet pulp was also calculated.This work has shown that wheatfeed and sugar-beet pulp may be useful as dietary ingredients for growing pigs. However, growth rates may be slightly depressed due to a lower efficiency of utilisation of apparently digested energy from the fibrous fraction of the diet. This could lead to on farm problems associated with a decreased throughput eg overstocking. However, the use of a corrected digestible energy value and ileal digestibilities of amino acids for a fibrous food, when formulating rations, could lead to an improvement in the prediction in performance.As well as the nutritional aspects of feeding fibrous foods, there are also a number of non-nutritional factors which will influence the use of fibrous materials and these are discussed in the light of their practical implications for the feeding of fibrous foods to pigs

Sellafield-derived 14C and 129I in the UK West Coast intertidal environment

The Sellafield nuclear fuel reprocessing plant, situated on the west coast of the UK, releases both liquid and airborne discharges of radionuclides to the environment. Liquid discharges from Sellafield have been shown to travel up the west coast of the UK and out of the Irish Sea. The focus of this study was to investigate two long-lived radionuclides, 14C and 129I. 14C has a half-life of 5,730 years and is incorporated into the marine carbon cycle where it is readily bioavailable and thus becomes part of the entire food chain. It has a large impact on human populations as, in a global context, the collective dose from 14C, integrated over 10,000 years, comprises about 25% of the collective dose from the complete nuclear fuel cycle. 129I is of radiological importance as it is highly mobile and has a half-life of 15.7 million years. 95% of global anthropogenic 129I is discharged from Sellafield and AREVA NC (La Hague). Recent studies have been undertaken to understand 14C uptake by biota in the Irish Sea and west coast of Scotland but focussed on offshore samples while this study focussed on the intertidal environment. The principle aims of this research were to improve our understanding of the distribution and geochemical behaviour of long-lived Sellafield-derived radionuclides, 14C and 129I, mainly in the organic carbon reservoir of a range of intertidal sites situated between the Irish Sea and the Firth of Lorne, NW Scotland. Specifically, this research has compared the 14C in seaweeds collected from low tide and high tide areas of the intertidal environment, measured the 14C in a range of intertidal biota and measured the 129I in seawater. The main findings of this research were that both 14C and 129I show approximately exponential decreases in activity in the intertidal environment of the west coast of the UK with increasing distance from the Sellafield site. The halving distance for the dispersion of 14C was found to be between 68 km and 89 km while the halving distance for 129I was 64 km. In addition, there is a higher 14C activity in seaweed inhabiting the area of the intertidal environment near the low water mark when compared with seaweed inhabiting the area at the high water mark. It was also found that when seaweed samples from this study were compared to samples collected from 1988/1989, the 14C activities had decreased, despite the fact that the aqueous discharges are now higher, although a large difference in 14C activities was also observed in seaweed samples collected from the same site at different points in time throughout this study. All samples measured were found to have 14C activities above the UK background value (249 ± 1 Bq kg-1 C) and that the organic fraction of biota had predominantly higher 14C activities than the inorganic fraction. When comparing the 14C activity in biota collected from different sites; at Parton, the site closest to Sellafield, a pattern of decreasing activity was found in the biota as follows; seaweed > starfish > mussels > whelks > crabs > winkles ≈ limpets > sea anemones, whereas at Garlieston, the mid-range site, mussels had the highest activity and all other biota sampled were of similar 14C activities while at Port Appin, the site furthest from Sellafield, there was no discernible difference between 14C activities in biota. Finally, there appeared to be a relationship between diet and 14C activity in biota, with biota with a similar diet having similar 14C activities and similar 14C activities between organisms and their food source

The Agathinai Components in Thirukkural

Based on the lives of the Sangam people, they created literature by distinguishing between love-genre literature and heroic-genre literature. The ambrosial Thirukkural, written by the world-famous Valluvar, is a universal holy verse and is a beacon to guide life and refresh literature that gives new meaning every time it is read. It is a book about life. Thirukkural is said to be suitable for all religions, all nations, and all times. In this book, Valluvar clearly explains the principles of the individual's life and how a mature man should be. Agam is a love feeling related to people's inner selves. Thinai is a discipline. So, love is an emotional discipline that can be called Agam. Kamathuppal (Love) is the third section of Thirukkural. This outlines the merits of the love-genre tradition. It has a literary flavour to it, and love reflects the lively character of chastity. It is Valluvar's 'Kamathuppal' that leads to the highest way of life, one-to-one. In this, the expression of love, commitment, and emotional values of the lovers are seen deliciously. Also, the characteristics, duties, and rights common to both sexes are explained. The agathinai components express love and pleasure. He has laid the foundation of love life in twenty-five chapters, divided into two parts: illicit courtship and chastity, which is the agam life. Ancient Tamils considered virtue as a way of life. If one lives a life of charity, one will get happiness. That pleasure is permanent. This article examines the agam components of domesticity as a virtue

The application of the Practitioners in Applied Practice Model during breaking bad news communication training for medical students : a case study

Background and Aims Breaking bad news is a key skill within clinical communication and one which can impact outcomes for both the patient and practitioner. The evidence base for effective clinical communication training in breaking bad news is scarce. Frameworks have been found to assist the practitioner, such as SPIKES, however the pedagogical approach used alongside such frameworks can vary. This study sought to examine the impact of utilising the Practitioners in Applied Practice Model (PAPM) alongside the SPIKES framework for training undergraduate medical students in breaking bad news. Methods and Results A case study approach is used to highlight the impact of training based on the PAPM and SPIKES on patient-centred communication and simulated patient satisfaction with the clinical communication behaviour. Results showed that following training, both patient-centred behaviour and patient satisfaction improved. With detailed communication behaviour changes a balance was established between rapport building behaviour, lifestyle and psychosocial talk alongside biomedical information. Conclusion This case study shows how the PAPM could be utilised alongside the SPIKES framework to improve breaking bad news communication in medical undergraduate students and describes the behavioural basis of the improvement. Further research is required to show the generalisability of this training intervention.PostprintPeer reviewe

A study of the effectiveness of a phonetic and activity approach to the teaching of spelling in grade four,

Includes appendices. Thesis (M.A.)--Boston Universit

O Papel Moderador do Apoio Social na Relação entre Demanda de Trabalho e Presenteísmo

As pressões da contemporaneidade e o aumento do desemprego fazem com que os empregados compareçam ao trabalho quando doentes, tornando-se presenteístas. O objetivo deste estudo foi investigar a influência das demandas psicológicas sobre o presenteísmo, considerando o apoio da chefia e o controle do trabalho como moderadores dessa relação. Desenvolveu-se um estudo quantitativo de corte transversal em uma Instituição de Educação Superior pública. Participaram do estudo 204 servidores técnicoadministrativos que responderam à Escala de Presenteísmo de Stanford – SPS6 e ao Job Content Questionnaire – JCQ. Os dados foram analisados por meio de análise fatorial confirmatória e regressões múltiplas. Os resultados indicam que quanto maior for o apoio da chefia e o controle que o empregado tem do seu trabalho menor é o presenteísmo, mesmo diante de altas demandas psicológicas do trabalho. Este estudo contribui para a investigação dos antecedentes organizacionais (demandas do trabalho e apoio social) e pessoais (controle) do presenteísmo.Las presiones de la contemporaneidad y el aumento del desempleo hacen que los empleados asistan al trabajo cuando enfermos, haciéndose presentistas. El objetivo de este estudio fue investigar la influencia de las demandas psicológicas sobre el presentismo, considerando el apoyo de la jefatura y el control del trabajo como moderadores de esa relación. Se desarrolló un estudio cuantitativo de corte transversal en una Institución de Educación Superior pública. Participaron del estudio 204 servidores técnicoadministrativos que respondieron a la Escala de Presentismo de Stanford - SPS6 y al Job Content Questionnaire - JCQ. Los datos fueron analizados por medio de análisis factorial confirmatorio y regresiones múltiples. Los resultados indican que cuanto mayor sea el apoyo de la jefatura y el control que el empleado tiene de su trabajo, menor es el presentismo, incluso ante altas demandas psicológicas del trabajo. Este estudio contribuye a la investigación de los antecedentes organizacionales (demandas del trabajo y apoyo social) y personales (control) del presentismo.The pressures of contemporaneity and the increase of unemployment cause employees to attend work when sick, becoming presenteeist. The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of psychological demands on presenteeism, considering the support of the bosses and the control of work as moderators of this relationship. A quantitative cross-sectional study was developed at a Public Institution of Higher Education. 204 technical-administrative servants who responded to the Stanford Presenteeism Scale - SPS6 and the Job Content Questionnaire - JCQ participated in the study. The results indicate that the greater the support of the boss and the control that the employee has of his/her work the less the presenteeism, even in the face of high psychological demands of the work. This study contributes to the investigation of organizational antecedents (demands of work and social support) and personal (control) of presenteeism

Spot Landing: Determining the Light and Solar Properties of Fritted and Coated Glass

The use of ceramic fritted architectural glazing is becoming increasingly popular. “Fritted glass”, which is also known as “enamelled glass”, is defined as glass with a surface covering made of glass frit[1] that is applied by a printing method and fused to the glass substrate at elevated temperatures. The enamel coating may be continuous or consist of a discontinuous pattern such as spots or stripes. Functional thin-film coatings on glass have been used in standard glazing units for many years to improve thermal insulation or for solar control.  Specification of light and solar properties for these standard glazing types is well-defined and can be calculated on the basis of the algorithms specified in EN 410:2011 or ISO 9050:2003.  This is not the case for glazing that incorporates fritted glass, alone or in combination with functional thin-film coatings.  The paper initially describes the different printing options for fritted glass and the fundamental principles of functional thin-film coatings. When glass surfaces are coated with glass frit, it is essential to note that the light-scattering coatings transmit and reflect incident radiation not only directly but also diffusely. The same applies when functional thin-film coatings are combined with frit coatings. Suitable measurement methods to collect the scattered radiation, measured transmittance and reflectance spectra, and the calculation of light and solar properties on the basis of the EN 410:2011 standard are presented. At the same time, the limits of this standard and the need for its extension are demonstrated.   [1] Frit: a durable mixture of glass and ceramic particles, which may act as pigments