Adverse effects of energy restriction on myogenic enzymes in judoists

In this study, we examined the effects of weight reduction by restricting energy intake on muscle function and serum concentrations of myogenic enzymes in judoists. Twenty-seven male judoists aged 19.3 +/- 0.6 years (mean +/- s) were divided into three groups based on the extent of body weight reduction: high weight reduction (height 1.70 +/- 0.05 m, body mass 78.5 +/- 13.6 kg), low weight reduction (height 1.70 +/- 0.05 m, body mass 80.7 +/- 13.1 kg) and a group that maintained body weight while continuing to perform exercise training (height 1.78 +/- 0.07 m, body mass 78.7 +/- 8.8 kg). Body composition, blood biochemistry, energy intake and anaerobic power were assessed on four occasions: 20 days (baseline data), 4 days and 1 day before and 7 days after competition. Compared with baseline, body mass and fat-free mass were significantly lower 1 day before competition in the high and low weight reduction groups (both P < 0.01); these changes persisted for 7 days after competition in the high weight reduction group. Serum creatine kinase was significantly elevated 1 day before competition in all groups (all P < 0.05), and remained higher 7 days after competition in both the high and low weight reduction groups. Compared with baseline, maximal anaerobic power was significantly lower 1 day before competition only in the high weight reduction group (P < 0.01). Our results suggest that energy restriction in addition to intense exercise training before major competition has an adverse effect on anaerobic power and elevates serum creatine kinase concentration, leading to an impairment of muscular function and an increased susceptibility of muscle tissue to injury.     

Collaborative filtering for expansion of learner’s background knowledge in online language learning: does “top-down” processing improve vocabulary proficiency?

In recent years, collaborative filtering, a recommendation algorithm that incorporates a user’s data such as interest, has received worldwide attention as an advanced learning support system. However, accurate recommendations along with a user’s interest cannot be ideal as an effective learning environment. This study aims to develop and evaluate an online English vocabulary learning system using collaborative filtering that allows learners to learn English vocabulary while expanding their interests. The online learning environment recommends English news articles using information obtained from other users with similar interests. The learner then studies these recommended articles as a method of learning English. The results of a two-month experiment that compared this system to an earlier collaborative filtering system called “GroupLens” reveal that learners who used the collaborative filtering system developed in this study read various news articles and had significantly higher scores on topic-specific vocabulary tests than did those who used the previous system.     

Decentralisation and Educational Reform in Siberia and the Russian Far East

Based on field research in Irkutsk and Khabarovsk, this paper examines the consequences of the diversification policy in education and culture after the collapse of the Soviet regime in 1991. It reports on work conducted by a team of Japanese researchers. The paper investigates the nature of decentralisation in education, giving particular attention to the rise of the private sector and the education of ethnic minorities. Highlighting the similarities and differences between the two regions within the national framework, it shows the value of intra-national as opposed to cross-national comparative studies.     

Decentralisation and Educational Reform in Siberia and the Russian Far East

Based on field research in Irkutsk and Khabarovsk, this paper examines the consequences of the diversification policy in education and culture after the collapse of the Soviet regime in 1991. It reports on work conducted by a team of Japanese researchers. The paper investigates the nature of decentralisation in education, giving particular attention to the rise of the private sector and the education of ethnic minorities. Highlighting the similarities and differences between the two regions within the national framework, it shows the value of intra-national as opposed to cross-national comparative studies.     

Combined effects of pre-cooling and water ingestion on thermoregulation and physical capacity during exercise in a hot environment

The aim of the present study was to determine the combined effects of pre-cooling and water ingestion on thermoregulatory responses and exercise capacity at 32 degrees C and 80% relative humidity. Nine untrained males exercised for 60 min on a cycle ergometer at 60% maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max) (first exercise bout) under four separate conditions: No Water intake, Pre-cooling, Water ingestion, and a combination of pre-cooling and water ingestion (Combined). To evaluate the efficacy of these conditions on exercise capacity, the participants exercised to exhaustion at 80% VO2max (second exercise bout) following the first exercise bout. Rectal and mean skin temperatures before the first exercise bout in the Pre-cooling and Combined conditions were significantly lower than in the No Water and Water conditions. At the end of the first exercise bout, rectal temperature was lower in the Combined condition (38.5 +/- 0.1 degrees C) than in the other conditions (No Water: 39.1 +/- 0.1 degrees C; Pre-cooling: 38.7 +/- 0.1 degrees C; Water: 38.8 +/- 0.1 degrees C) (P < 0.05). Heat storage was higher following pre-cooling than when there was no pre-cooling (P < 0.05). The final rectal temperature in the second exercise bout was similar between the four conditions (39.1 +/- 0.1 degrees C). However, exercise time to exhaustion was longer (P < 0.05) in the Combined condition than in the other conditions. Total sweat loss was less following pre-cooling than when there was no pre-cooling (P < 0.001). Evaporative sweat loss in the Water and Combined conditions was greater (P < 0.01) than in the No Water and Pre-cooling conditions. Our results suggest that the combination of pre-cooling and water ingestion increases exercise endurance in a hot environment through enhanced heat storage and decreased thermoregulatory and cardiovascular strain.     

Adverse effects of energy restriction on myogenic enzymes in judoists

In this study, we examined the effects of weight reduction by restricting energy intake on muscle function and serum concentrations of myogenic enzymes in judoists. Twenty-seven male judoists aged 19.3±0.6 years (mean±s) were divided into three groups based on the extent of body weight reduction: high weight reduction (height 1.70±0.05?m, body mass 78.5 ±13.6?kg), low weight reduction (height 1.70±0.05?m, body mass 80.7±13.1?kg) and a group that maintained body weight while continuing to perform exercise training (height 1.78± 0.07?m, body mass 78.7±8.8?kg). Body composition, blood biochemistry, energy intake and anaerobic power were assessed on four occasions: 20 days (baseline data), 4 days and 1 day before and 7 days after competition. Compared with baseline, body mass and fat-free mass were significantly lower 1 day before competition in the high and low weight reduction groups (both P?<0.01); these changes persisted for 7 days after competition in the high weight reduction group. Serum creatine kinase was significantly elevated 1 day before competition in all groups (all P?<0.05), and remained higher 7 days after competition in both the high and low weight reduction groups. Compared with baseline, maximal anaerobic power was significantly lower 1 day before competition only in the high weight reduction group (P?<0.01). Our results suggest that energy restriction in addition to intense exercise training before major competition has an adverse effect on anaerobic power and elevates serum creatine kinase concentration, leading to an impairment of muscular function and an increased susceptibility of muscle tissue to injury.     

A Curriculum and Pedagogy of Prison Abolition: Transforming the Civics Classroom Through an Abolitionist Framework

The Urban Review - Recent research on the school-to-prison pipeline has exposed the disciplining and punishment of Black and Brown youth in today’s school system. Given the convergence of...     

Does ankle joint flexibility affect underwater kicking efficiency and three-dimensional kinematics?

ABSTRACT

Ankle flexibility is critical to obtain a high swimming velocity in undulatory underwater swimming (UUS). The present study investigated the Froude (propelling) efficiency and three-dimensional (3D) kinematics of human UUS following the extrinsic restriction of the ankle by tape application. In Experiment 1, swimmers (9 male and 8 female college swimmers) performed UUS trials involving normal swimming (Normal) and swimming with tape application at the ankle (Tape). Kicking frequency was controlled in both settings. UUS kinematics were obtained with a two-dimensional motion analysis. Swimming velocity significantly decreased during swimming with tape application compared with that during normal swimming (Normal, 1.33 m·s^?1; Tape, 1.26 m·s^?1, p < 0.05). The Froude efficiency was not affected (Normal, 0.77; Tape, 0.76), and ankle plantar angle did not decrease during swimming (Normal, 159.02°; Tape, 160.38°). In Experiment 2, lower limb rotations of a male swimmer were analysed using 3D motion analysis under the same conditions as Experiment 1. An insufficient forefoot rotation was observed during downstroke kicks (the phase of the highest acceleration to forward direction). These findings suggest that UUS velocity is affected by the mobility of end effector.     

Does installation of the backstroke start device reduce 15-m start time in swimming?

The purpose of this study was to determine the installation of the backstroke start device reduces 15-m time. Thirteen college swimmers participated in this study. The aerial start and underwater motions were recorded with two digital video cameras. The center of mass (CM) of the swimmer, angular displacements and velocities of the shoulder, hip and knee joints were calculated. As an indicator of performance, the 5- and 15-m times were measured. The 5- and 15-m times in the backstroke start device condition were significantly shorter than in the non-backstroke start device condition. The vertical velocities of the CM at hand-off and toe-off in the backstroke start device condition were significantly greater than in the non-backstroke start device condition, while there was no significant difference in the CM horizontal velocity at toe-off. As a result, the height of the great trochanter at entry of the fingertips, with the backstroke start device, was 15 cm higher than in the non-backstroke start device condition. In addition, the CM horizontal velocities at 5 m in the backstroke start device condition were significantly greater than those of the non-backstroke start device. Thus, the use of the backstroke start device may reduce the 15-m time by diminution of the entry area.