101,881 research outputs found
Heuristic Learning as a Method for Improving Students’ Teamwork Skills in Physical Education
No full textTransversal skills are the knowledge, skills, and personal qualities that are currently needed to meet the demands of the working world and everyday life. Schools have the task of equipping students with these skills, working not only on disciplinary goals but also on operational–behavioral goals. In 2018, the European Union adopted new recommendations on eight key competencies for lifelong learning and asked schools to implement new methods to develop these recommendations. To be successful, it is necessary to stimulate students’ development of these competences, which are also called soft skills, from the earliest years of the school experience. Physical education (PE) is called upon to make its contribution. In Italy, the two teaching methods used during PE classes are prescriptive teaching and heuristic learning. It is not clear which of the two methods is the most effective in improving soft skills, especially the skills involved in teamwork. The objective of this article was to compare the effects of these two teaching methods on students’ teamwork skills during PE classes in primary schools. After verifying the normality of the data, a Student’s t-test for dependent samples was performed to assess pre-test and post-test differences in each of two groups, while a Student’s t-test for independent samples was performed to compare the two groups after 3 months. Heuristic learning proved to be the most effective method for improving teamwork skills. The results may make an important contribution to future teacher training on the most effective teaching methods for developing students’ soft skill
A comparison between ecological-dynamic and cognitive approach to improve accuracy in basketball shot
No full textThe shot is a fundamental skill in basketball that requires high accuracy, because is the
tool by which players translate their team’s offensive actions into points. Basketball is one of the most
practiced situational sports in physical education hours in schools. However, it is still mostly teaching
according to a traditional, prescriptive-based model. The aim of the study was to compare prescriptive
teaching with ecological-dynamic learning for improving shooting accuracy in a group of 3rd year high
school students. Methods The sample is made up of 32 students (16 ± 0.72) divided into 2 groups:
Group A, consisting of 16 students who were administered a training protocol based on the ecological-
-dynamic approach, and Group B, consisting of 16 students, who followed a cognitive approach. The
undershot test was administered in and out to test the students’ level of shooting accuracy. A t test for
paired dependent samples and for independent samples were performed to compare two groups and
to verify which of them had the greater improvement. Data were analyzed using SPSS. Results The
results were statistically significant in group A (p < 0.05); infact, group A had a greater improvement in
shooting accuracy than group B. Conclusion The ecological-dynamic approach was able to improve
accuracy in shot more than the cognitive approach in a group of high school students
A comparative study of university training of sports and physical activity kinesiologist
No full textBackgroundIn Italy, Legislative Decree No. 36/2021 and Ministerial Decree (MD) No. 1649/2023 have redefined the professional landscape of the physical activity and health sectors, emphasizing interdisciplinary and wellness-oriented education. The current disparity in the weighting of formative elements among the biomedical, psycho-pedagogical, and Exercise and Sport Sciences (ESS) fields in the configuration of degree courses in ESS has led to a need for reform. MD No. 1649/2023 offers an opportunity to reform these courses to emphasize interdisciplinary and wellness-oriented objectives, including at least 20 ECTS credits of practical activities in ESS disciplines. However, the impact of practical and laboratory activities on future kinesiologists has never been studied. This study aims to evaluate the impact of physical activity habits on the performance and self-assessment of ESS students.MethodA sample of 56 students enrolled in the Master of Science in Sport Science and Techniques at the University of Salerno was divided into "active" and "inactive" groups based on their physical activity levels, according to WHO guidelines. Both groups underwent anthropometric and functional tests, including the Squat Jump (SJ) and Countermovement Jump (CMJ). Descriptive statistics and t-tests assessed the differences between and within groups.ResultsThe "active" group exhibited significantly higher performance in SJ (15.7% higher) and CMJ (18.5% higher) compared to the "inactive" group. Both groups showed significant improvements in jump height from SJ to CMJ, with the "active" group improving by 11.04% and the 'non-active' group by 7.38%.ConclusionContinuous physical activity enhances functional efficiency, with significant gains in explosive and reactive strength. Practical, evidence-based training is crucial for future kinesiologists to provide specialized services and promote health, underscoring the importance of integrating substantial practical activities in ESS degree courses
Letter, [Author unclear] to Paulina T. Merritt
No full textHandwritten letter to Paulina Merritt from an unknown author, October 1, 1876.
Dendritic cells transfected with cytopathic self-replicating RNA induce crosspriming of HCV-specific CD8+ T cells and antiviral immunity.
No full textDendritic cells transfected with cytopathic self-replicating RNA induce crosspriming of HCV-specific CD8 T cells and antiviral immunity
Effects of Line Dancing on Mental Health in Seniors after COVID-19 Pandemic
No full textLine dancing is one of the most practiced dance styles by adults and seniors due to the ease of execution of choreography. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic prolonging the restrictions of physical and sports activities, the elderly population has been forced into increased sedentariness and social isolation, resulting in the development of symptoms of depression. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of line dancing practice on the mental state of late second- and third-age dancers. The sample consisted of 14 Italian female dancers with an average age of 65 years old. The Geriatric Depression Scale was used to verify whether 3 months of LD classes were able to produce improvements. Paired Samples T-Test and effect size were performed to test the difference between pre- and post-training protocol. The result was statistically significant (p < 0.05). Dancers improved their state of depression; in particular, they felt a better satisfaction in their life (d = 0.6), a greater interest in activities (d = 1), less boredom (d = 0.8), a good mood most of the time (d = 0.8), greater happiness throughout the day (d = 0.7), and the perception of a wonderful life (d = 0.5). Line dancing has proven to be an effective physical activity for improving the state of depression in late second- and third-age dancers
Dendritic cells transfected with cytopathic self-replicating RNA induce crosspriming of CD8+ T cells and antiviral immunity
No full textA potential shortcoming of non-live vaccines is their relative inefficiency in generating T cell responses, thus limiting their application in infections requiring cellular immunity. Here, we present a novel system to induce cellular immunity and to study the immunological implications of time-delayed dendritic cell (DC) apoptosis and antigen reprocessing in vivo. We generated a self-replicating cytopathic pestivirus RNA to enhance production and presentation of hepatitis C virus (HCV) antigens and to induce apoptosis in DC 24-48 hours after transfection. Replicon-transfected H-2b DCs used to immunize HLA-A2 transgenic mice induced protection upon challenge with a vaccinia virus expressing HCV antigens. Induction of cell death enhanced the immunogenicity of DC-associated antigen. Transfer of cellular material from vaccine DCs to endogenous antigen presenting cells was visualized in lymph nodes and spleen and crossprimed CD8+ T cells were characterized. The findings are relevant for the rational design of vaccines against noncytopathic pathogens like HCV
Selection of Candidates for Lung Transplantation: The First Italian Consensus Statement
No full textLung transplantation is a well-established treatment for selected patients with advanced chronic respiratory insufficiency. Recognizing those patients with end-stage lung disease who might benefit from lung transplantation is a crucial task. Considering the presence of inadequate evidence-based practice, international and national scientific societies provided consensus opinions regarding the appropriate timing of listing. The Study Group for Thoracic Organs Transplantation (branch of the Italian Society for Organs Transplantation) promoted and realized a Delphi conference among the Italian lung transplantation centers to provide guidance to clinical practice based on international recommendations. The experts from the nine Italian centers completed two rounds of standardized questionnaires (answer rate, 100%): 42 statements received a consensus >= 80%. The selected statements presented in this article are intended to assist Italian clinicians in selecting patients for lung transplantation
A comparison between ecological-dynamic and cognitive approach to improve accuracy in basketball shot
No full textDisability and inclusion: swimming to overcome social barriers
No full textNowadays all people can and must practice physical activity and engage themselves in various sports specialties. Among the various sports, swimming is ideal in all situations where the weight of the body is a problem, such as in cases of lower limbs disability (amputations, paralysis, etc.). The objective of this study is to investigate if disabled and not-disabled athletes can derive performance benefits and if it is possible to reduce the gap between the competition times between athletes, through a single, performance and training activity. The sample is made up of 12 athletes, including 6 disabled, belonging to the S2 category, and 6 not-disabled athletes skilled in the back. After an anamnesis and a careful initial valuation, it was proposed to all the athletes to do the HIIT method (for 4 weeks), Tabata method (for 4 weeks), and Pilates one (for 8 weeks). Moreover, to the disabled athletes were given physiotherapy sessions to increase joint ROM for 8 weeks. The aim is to promote social inclusion for disabled athletes, often marginalized by the group, to break down those who are the pillars of difference
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