The impact of retrieval processes, age, general achievement level, and test scoring scheme for children's metacognitive monitoring and controlling

This multi-phase study examined the influence of retrieval processes on children’s metacognitive processes in relation to and in interaction with achievement level and age. First, N = 150 9/10- and 11/12-year old high and low achievers watched an educational film and predicted their test performance. Children then solved a cloze test regarding the film content including answerable and unanswerable items and gave confidence judgments to every answer. Finally, children withdrew answers that they believed to be incorrect. All children showed adequate metacognitive processes before and during test taking with 11/12- year-olds outperforming 9/10-year-olds when considering characteristics of on-going retrieval processes. As to the influence of achievement level, high compared to low achievers proved to be more accurate in their metacognitive monitoring and controlling. Results suggest that both cognitive resources (operationalized through achievement level) and mnemonic experience (assessed through age) fuel metacognitive development. Nevertheless, when facing higher demands regarding retrieval processes, experience seems to play the more important role.

Entorno informático de aprendizaje y autoevaluación de la lengua inglesa.

El propósito del material docente elaborado es el de que los estudiantes de primer curso de Filología Inglesa adquieran un mayor conocimiento en la asignatura de Lengua Inglesa y sean más diestros en el uso del inglés. Se pretende que disminuya el fracaso académico detectado en el aprendizaje del inglés como lengua extranjera. Para ello, se han diseñado una serie de ejercicios interactivos de diversa índole dependiendo del aspecto gramatical o léxico que se quiere reforzar en cada momento. Así, a lo largo de las 14 unidades de las que consta este trabajo se emplean ejercicios variados (emparejar, opción múltiple, completar, transformaciones, cloze, test, etc.). Con ellos se conseguirá elicitar un tipo de conocimiento dependiendo del propósito específico que se persigue. Este material ha sido desarrollado por 2 profesores de la Universidad de Salamanca del Departamento de Filología Inglesa y es un material no publicado que esta a disposición de los alumnos en la red.

Contextual Reading and Metalinguistic Processing in Brazilian Portuguese: A Longitudinal Study

Metalinguistic skill is the ability to reflect upon language as an object of thought. Amongst metalinguistic skills, two seem to be associated with reading and spelling: morphological awareness and phonological awareness. Phonological awareness is the ability of reflecting upon the phonemes that compose words, and morphological awareness is the ability of reflecting upon the morphemes that compose the words. The latter seems to be particularly important for reading comprehension and contextual reading, as beyond phonological information, syntactic and semantic information are required. This study is set to investigate - with a longitudinal design - the relation between those abilities and contextual reading measured by the Cloze test. The first part of the study explores the relationship between morphological awareness tasks and Cloze scores through simple correlations and, in the second part, the specificity of such relationship was inquired using multiple regressions. The results give some support to the hypothesis that morphological awareness offers an independent contribution regarding phonological awareness to contextual reading in Brazilian Portuguese.

Leitura contextual e processamento metalingüístico no português do Brasil: um estudo longitudinal

Habilidade metalingüística é a habilidade de refletir sobre a linguagem como objeto do pensamento. Dentre as habilidades metalingüísticas duas parecem estar associadas à leitura e a escrita: a consciência morfológica e consciência fonológica. Consciência fonológica é a habilidade de refletir sobre os fonemas que compõem a fala e a consciência morfológica é a habilidade de refletir sobre os morfemas que compõem as palavras. Esta última parece ser particularmente importante para compreensão de texto e leitura contextual, visto que além das informações fonológicas, informações sintático-semânticas devem ser utilizadas. Este estudo se propôs a investigar a relação entre essas habilidades e a compreensão de texto medida pelo Cloze em um estudo longitudinal. Na primeira parte foi explorada a relação entre as tarefas de consciência morfológica e os escores no Cloze através de correlações simples e, na segunda, averiguou-se a especificidade desta relação utilizando-se regressões múltiplas. Os resultados dão certo apoio à hipótese de que a consciência morfológica contribui independentemente da fonológica para leitura contextual no português.

El test Cloze y la valoración de la comprensión lectora en EGB.

Diseñar una prueba lo suficientemente válida para medir la comprensión lectora de los alumnos de EGB mediante la técnica 'Cloze'. Cincuenta alumnos de quinto de EGB del Colegio Público Santa Teresa, de Alba de Tormes, Salamanca. Se ha partido de la hipótesis que el test 'cloze' sería suficientemente fiable y válido para valorar la comprensión lectora de los alumnos de EGB. El proceso seguido en la investigación ha sido el siguiente: selección del muestra, selección de los textos de lectura, adaptación de los textos a la técnica 'Cloze', selección de las pruebas tradicionales de comprensión lectora, aplicación de las pruebas, establecimiento de los criterios de evaluación, corrección de los protocolos, elaboración del cuadro de resultados con especificación de las variables, tratamiento estadístico de los datos, estudio de la fiabilidad y validez de los textos 'Cloze', tipificación de las pruebas 'Cloze' y valoración de resultados y contrastación de hipótesis. Pruebas tradicionales de comprensión lectora y 10 textos 'Cloze' confeccionados para la investigación. Análisis de contenido, categorización de los textos, distribución de frecuencias, análisis estadístico. Una vez analizados los datos obtenidos se puede afirmar que los textos 'Cloze' confeccionados al efecto sirvieron para medir la comprensión lectora de los alumnos de EGB, será conveniente realizar algunas precisiones respecto a su fiabilidad y validez; respecto a la fiabilidad, se afirma que todos los textos 'Cloze' utilizados pueden ser usados con la seguridad de que tienen un grado óptimo de precisión. Respecto a los criterios utilizados para la validación de las pruebas, el que consigue mayor coeficiente en todos los textos es el juicio del profesor, mientras que los criterios referidos al recuento de ideas y ponderación de las mismas son los que obtienen coeficientes de validez más bajos. Los valores de recuento de redacción y ponderación de redacción, aunque inferiores a los juicios del profesor, son significativos en todos los textos; el simple recuento no es suficiente y se obtienen resultados más significativos cuando se asignan coeficientes ponderales. Los resultados obtenidos en la investigación confirman plenamente la hipótesis inicial en cinco de los diez textos seleccionados, por poseer valores de fiabilidad y validez altamente significativos; en el resto de los textos la fiabilidad es suficiente, la validez no se produce en todos los criterios elegidos. Existen indicios para considerar que dicha circunstancia no se debe a defectos en los textos 'Cloze' sino a posibles deficiencias en la elección de los criterios y en las características específicas de algunos sujetos de la muestra. Se considera que dichos factores sean tenidos en cuenta en futuras investigaciones y se diseñen modelos en los que los criterios de validez no adolezcan de las posibles deficiencias señaladas en la presente investigación.

Validación del test Cloze como medida de comprensión lectora.

Estudiar la validez del test 'Cloze' como técnica evaluativa de la comprensión lectora. Analizar las diferencias y semejanzas en la utilización del test 'Cloze' como técnica evaluativa de la comprensión lectora. Muestra obtenida al azar de centros públicos y privados de Salamanca, formada por 560 alumnos de sexto de EGB. Cada uno de los documentos elaborados del test Cloze fue aplicado a diez sujetos diferentes. Variables dependientes: a) Prueba de redacción, criterio personal con diez sujetos de muestra b) Prueba de redacción, criterio personal con ocho sujetos de muestra (eliminación de las puntuaciones extremas), c) Prueba de redacción, criterio de jueces, con diez sujetos de muestra d) Prueba de redacción, criterio de jueces, eliminando puntuaciones extremas e)Prueba Cloze con diez sujetos de muestra f) Prueba Cloze eliminando las puntuaciones extremas. Variable independiente: Coeficiente de lecturabilidad de cada fragmento. Test Cloze. Prueba de redacción. Análisis de correlacción múltiple. La investigación analiza el test 'Cloze' como técnica válida de la medida de la comprensión lectora. Consta de cuatro apartados. En un primer momento, la autora aborda las características del texto impreso y su lectura. Comienza destacando la importancia del libro de texto en las distintas épocas y culturas para analizar posteriormente las posibilidades del texto escrito como elemento de comunicación. A continuación aborda el estudio de la lectura, los principales objetivos de la instrucción lectora y de la comprensión lectora, desde diferentes investigaciones. Analiza las características de las pruebas de comprensión lectora y de los diferentes test, justificando la elección del test Cloze en esta investigación. La autora también analiza las condiciones de lecturabilidad y legibilidad de los textos, presentando diferentes ecuaciones de lecturabilidad de autores tanto en lengua inglesa como castellana, explicando la fórmula utilizada en esta investigación de D. José Luis Rodríguez Diéguez. Analiza el test Cloze realizando una descripción del mismo e indicando el procedimiento a seguir para su confección, y los estudios de validez efectuados, siguiendo las pautas de las investigaciones de Dña. Natividad López en la Universidad de Valencia. Analiza el proceso seguido en la aplicación de la prueba a escolares salmantinos, explicitando detalladamente las fases seguidas en la implementación de la prueba. Describe el proceso de corrección de la prueba de redacción y del test Cloze, analizando los resultados obtenidos mediante tres criterios: Personal, jueces externos y el porcentaje obtenido en la prueba Cloze. Realiza el tratamiento estadístico de los datos cuyos resultados podrían sintetizarse en: 'El test Cloze correlaciona de forma significativa con las pruebas de redacción, dando por válida la hipótesis inicial de la investigación'. Los valores obtenidos en el test Cloze en las medias con las puntauaciones de diez sujetos y las obtenidas eliminando las puntuaciones extremas correlacionan con las otras pruebas prácticamente con el mismo valor, no siendo relevante la eliminación de los valores extremos. La investigación concluye con la obtención del coeficiente de correlación múltiple entre las variables de comprensión analizadas y el índice de lecturabilidad como criterio. La obtención de un índice de correlación múltiple significativamente alto entre los test 'Cloze' y los resultados obtenidos en la prueba de redacción, permite validar la hipótesis planteada: El test Cloze tras la lectura del texto completo y en la modalidad de supresión de la quinta palabra aplicado a escolares de sexto de EGB, es un instrumento válido para la evaluación de la comprensión lectora en lengua castellana. El test Cloze llevado al ámbito escolar constituye una técnica de fácil construcción, económica, para medir la comprensión lectora de forma similar a como la realizan otras pruebas tradicionales. El valor del índice de correlación múltiple obtenido entre las medias de las pruebas de comprensión con diez y con ocho alumnos respectivamente y los valores obtenidos contrastando las pruebas corregidas por jueces y por la autora, utilizando el coeficiente de lecturabilidad como criterio, se obtiene un valor indicativo de una correlación moderada apreciable(.412). Los resultados indican que es insignificante la diferencia obtenida en el análisis de correlacción múltiple con ocho o con diez puntuaciones en el test de Cloze y tomando como variables predictoras las pruebas de comprensión.

Adapting The Sniffin' Sticks Olfactory Test To Diagnose Parkinson's Disease In Estonia.

The aim of the study was to develop a culturally adapted translation of the 12-item smell identification test from Sniffin' Sticks (SS-12) for the Estonian population in order to help diagnose Parkinson's disease (PD). A standard translation of the SS-12 was created and 150 healthy Estonians were questioned about the smells used as response options in the test. Unfamiliar smells were replaced by culturally familiar options. The adapted SS-12 was applied to 70 controls in all age groups, and thereafter to 50 PD patients and 50 age- and sex-matched controls. 14 response options from 48 used in the SS-12 were replaced with familiar smells in an adapted version, in which the mean rate of correct response was 87% (range 73-99) compared to 83% with the literal translation (range 50-98). In PD patients, the average adapted SS-12 score (5.4/12) was significantly lower than in controls (average score 8.9/12), p < 0.0001. A multiple linear regression using the score in the SS-12 as the outcome measure showed that diagnosis and age independently influenced the result of the SS-12. A logistic regression using the SS-12 and age as covariates showed that the SS-12 (but not age) correctly classified 79.0% of subjects into the PD and control category, using a cut-off of <7 gave a sensitivity of 76% and specificity of 86% for the diagnosis of PD. The developed SS-12 cultural adaption is appropriate for testing olfaction in Estonia for the purpose of PD diagnosis.

Effect Of Exercise Test On Pulmonary Function Of Obese Adolescents.

to investigate the pulmonary response to exercise of non-morbidly obese adolescents, considering the gender. a prospective cross-sectional study was conducted with 92 adolescents (47 obese and 45 eutrophic), divided in four groups according to obesity and gender. Anthropometric parameters, pulmonary function (spirometry and oxygen saturation [SatO2]), heart rate (HR), blood pressure (BP), respiratory rate (RR), and respiratory muscle strength were measured. Pulmonary function parameters were measured before, during, and after the exercise test. BP and HR were higher in obese individuals during the exercise test (p = 0.0001). SatO2 values decreased during exercise in obese adolescents (p = 0.0001). Obese males had higher levels of maximum inspiratory and expiratory pressures (p = 0.0002) when compared to obese and eutrophic females. Obese males showed lower values of maximum voluntary ventilation, forced vital capacity, and forced expiratory volume in the first second when compared to eutrophic males, before and after exercise (p = 0.0005). Obese females had greater inspiratory capacity compared to eutrophic females (p = 0.0001). Expiratory reserve volume was lower in obese subjects when compared to controls (p ≤ 0,05). obese adolescents presented changes in pulmonary function at rest and these changes remained present during exercise. The spirometric and cardiorespiratory values were different in the four study groups. The present data demonstrated that, in spite of differences in lung growth, the model of fat distribution alters pulmonary function differently in obese female and male adolescents.

The Lea Grating Test In Assessing Detection Grating Acuity In Normal Infants Less Than 4 Months Of Age.

To assess binocular detection grating acuity using the LEA GRATINGS test to establish age-related norms in healthy infants during their first 3 months of life. In this prospective, longitudinal study of healthy infants with clear red reflex at birth, responses to gratings were measured at 1, 2, and 3 months of age using LEA gratings at a distance of 28 cm. The results were recorded as detection grating acuity values, which were arranged in frequency tables and converted to a one-octave scale for statistical analysis. For the repeated measurements, analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to compare the detection grating acuity results between ages. A total of 133 infants were included. The binocular responses to gratings showed development toward higher mean values and spatial frequencies, ranging from 0.55 ± 0.70 cycles per degree (cpd), or 1.74 ± 0.21 logMAR, in month 1 to 3.11 ± 0.54 cpd, or 0.98 ± 0.16 logMAR, in month 3. Repeated ANOVA indicated differences among grating acuity values in the three age groups. The LEA GRATINGS test allowed assessment of detection grating acuity and its development in a cohort of healthy infants during their first 3 months of life.

The Geometric Curvature Of The Spine Of Runners During Maximal Incremental Effort Test.

This study sought to analyse the behaviour of the average spinal posture using a novel investigative procedure in a maximal incremental effort test performed on a treadmill. Spine motion was collected via stereo-photogrammetric analysis in thirteen amateur athletes. At each time percentage of the gait cycle, the reconstructed spine points were projected onto the sagittal and frontal planes of the trunk. On each plane, a polynomial was fitted to the data, and the two-dimensional geometric curvature along the longitudinal axis of the trunk was calculated to quantify the geometric shape of the spine. The average posture presented at the gait cycle defined the spine Neutral Curve. This method enabled the lateral deviations, lordosis, and kyphosis of the spine to be quantified noninvasively and in detail. The similarity between each two volunteers was a maximum of 19% on the sagittal plane and 13% on the frontal (p<0.01). The data collected in this study can be considered preliminary evidence that there are subject-specific characteristics in spinal curvatures during running. Changes induced by increases in speed were not sufficient for the Neutral Curve to lose its individual characteristics, instead behaving like a postural signature. The data showed the descriptive capability of a new method to analyse spinal postures during locomotion; however, additional studies, and with larger sample sizes, are necessary for extracting more general information from this novel methodology.

Twin-twin Transfusion Syndrome: Neurodevelopmental Screening Test.

Objective To assess the neurodevelopmental functions (cognition, language and motor function) of survivors of twin-twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS). Method Observational cross-sectional study of a total of 67 monochorionic diamniotic twins who underwent fetoscopic laser coagulation (FLC) for treatment of TTTS. The study was conducted at the Center for Investigation in Pediatrics (CIPED), Universidade Estadual de Campinas. Ages ranged from one month and four days to two years four months. Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development Screening Test-III, were used for evaluation. Results Most children reached the competent category and were classified as having appropriate performance. The preterm children scored worse than term infants for gross motor subtest (p = 0.036). Conclusion The majority of children reached the expected development according to their age. Despite the good neurodevelopment, children classified at risk should be monitored for development throughout childhood.

Evaluation of the cytotoxic and genotoxic potential of water from the River Paraíba do Sul, in Brazil, with the Allium cepa L. test

This work investigated the cytotoxic and genotoxic potential of water from the River Paraíba do Sul (Brazil) using Allium cepa roots. An anatomo-morphological parameter (root length), mitotic indices, and frequency of micronuclei were analysed. Eight bulbs were chosen at random for treatment for 24 to 120 hours with the River water collected in the years of 2005 and 2006 from sites in the cities of Tremembé and Aparecida (São Paulo state, Brazil). Daily measurements of the length of the roots grown from each bulb were carried out throughout the experiment. Mitotic index (MI) and frequency of micronuclei (MN) were determined for 2000 cells per root, using 3-5 root tips from other bulbs (7-10). Only in the roots treated with samples of the River water collected in 2005 in Tremembé city was there a decrease in the root length growth compared to the respective control. However, a reduction in MI values was verified for both sites analysed for that year. Considering the data involving root length growth and especially MI values, a cytotoxic potential is suggested for the water of the River Paraíba do Sul at Tremembé and Aparecida, in the year of 2005. On the other hand, since in this year the MN frequency was not affected with the river water treatments, genotoxicity is not assumed for the river water sampled at the aforementioned places.

Comparison between the 1% and 2% ibopamine provocative test in primary open-angle glaucoma patients: sensitivity, specificity and tolerability

PURPOSE: To compare intraocular pressure (IOP) rise in normal individuals and primary open-angle glaucoma patients and the safety and efficacy of ibopamine eye drops in different concentrations as a provocative test for glaucoma. METHODS: Glaucoma patients underwent (same eye) the ibopamine provocative test with two concentrations, 1% and 2%, in a random sequence at least 3 weeks apart, but not more than 3 months. The normal individuals were randomly submitted to one of the concentrations of ibopamine (1% and 2%). The test was considered positive if there was an IOP rise greater than 3 or 4 mmHg at 30 or 45 minutes to test which subset of the test has the best sensitivity (Se)/specificity (Sp). RESULTS: There was no statistically significant difference in any of the IOP measurements, comparing 1% with 2% ibopamine. The IOP was significantly higher at 30 and 45 minutes with both concentrations (p<0.001). The best sensitivity/specificity ratio was achieved with the cutoff point set as greater than 3 mmHg at 45 minutes with 2% ibopamine (area under the ROC curve: 0.864, Se: 84.6%; Sp:73.3%). All patients described a slight burning after ibopamine's instillation. CONCLUSION: 2% ibopamine is recommended as a provocative test for glaucoma. Because both concentrations have similar ability to rise IOP, 1% ibopamine may be used to treat ocular hypotony.

Applying a new version of the Brazilian-Portuguese UPSIT smell test in Brazil

Standardized olfactory tests are now available to quantitatively assess disorders of olfaction. A Brazilian-Portuguese version of the University of Pennsylvania Smell Identification Test (UPSIT) is currently being developed specifically for the Brazilian population. The most recent Brazilian-Portuguese version of the UPSIT (UPSIT-Br2) was administered to 88 Brazilian subjects who had no history of neurological or otorhinolaryngological disease. UPSIT-Br2 scores decreased with age, were lower in men than in women, and were lower in subjects with lower income. The degree to which the poorer performance of subjects with lower socio-economic status reflects lack of familiarity with test items is not known. Although this version of the UPSIT provides a sensitive and useful test of smell function for the Brazilian population, a revision of some test items is needed to achieve comparable norms to those found using the North American UPSIT in the United States.