Individual pathways in the development of forceful throwing

Halverson, Roberton, and Langendorfer (1982) reported the development of children ages 6-13 years filmed longitudinally performing the forceful overarm throw. These authors described the children's progress through developmental sequences for trunk, humerus, and forearm actions; however, they did not study developmental relationships ("profiles") across these components. This paper reports how the profiles changed in the same children across trials within filming sessions and over time. The data revealed both common and individual developmental pathways. The frequencies of some pathways were not chance occurrences (p < or = .01), suggesting that within-person constraints eliminated certain movement relationships while encouraging others. The authors hypothesize that the kinematics of trunk rotation may serve as a control parameter for pattern change.     

Comparing the pre- and post-impact ball and racquet kinematics of elite tennis players' first and second serves: a preliminary study

The aim of this study was to compare the pre- and post-impact three-dimensional kinematics of the ball and racquet during first and second serves performed by elite tennis players. Data were collected from four male and four female right-handed professional players during competition using two high-speed cameras (200 Hz). For each player, one first serve and one second serve from the 'deuce' or right service court that landed within the specified target area were analysed. To test for significant differences between the first and second serves, Wilcoxon tests (P < or = 0.05) were performed on selected parameters. The results indicate that the ball travelled forward and to the left during the flight phase of the toss in all but one trial. The average pre-impact ball forward location for the first serve was significantly more in front and had a higher associated forward ball velocity than the corresponding values for the second serve. On average, the decrease in post-impact ball speed from the first to the second serve was 24.1%. No significant differences between the first and second serves were found in the pre-impact racquet head speed and orientation, which was represented as a unit vector perpendicular to the racquet face. The major adjustments made by the players when going from the first to second serve were a decrease in pre-impact ball forward location (P < or = 0.01) and an increase in the pre-impact racquet vertical and lateral velocities (both P < or = 0.05). This implies that the players tossed the ball closer to the body and imparted topspin and sidespin on the ball by changing the racquet vertical and lateral velocities when going from the first to the second serve.     

Hermann-Altrock-Stipendium Ausschreibung 2003

Deutscher Sportbund

Hermann-Altrock-Stipendium Ausschreibung 2003     

Measurement precision of body composition variables in elite wheelchair athletes,using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry

The purpose of this study was to assess the reproducibility of body composition measurements by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) in 12 elite male wheelchair basketball players (age 31 ± 7 years, BMI 21 ± 2 kg/m² and onset of disability 25 ± 9 years). Two whole body scans were performed on each participant in the supine position on the same day, using Lunar Prodigy Advance DXA (GE Lunar, Madison, WI, USA). Participants dismounted from the scanning table and were repositioned in-between the first and second scan. Whole body coefficient of variation (CV) values for bone mineral content (BMC), fat mass (FM) and soft tissue lean mass (LTM) were all <2.0%. With the exclusion of arm FM (CV = 7.8%), CV values ranged from 0.1 to 3.7% for all total body and segmental measurements of BMC, FM and LTM. The least significant change that can be attributed to the effect of treatment intervention in an individual is 1.0 kg, 1.1 kg, 0.12 kg for FM, LTM, and BMC, respectively. This information can be used to determine meaningful changes in body composition when assessed using the same methods longitudinally. Whilst there may be challenges in the correct positioning of an individual with disability that can introduce greater measurement error, DXA is a highly reproducible technique in the estimation of total and regional body composition of elite wheelchair basketball athletes.     

Background issues relating to the proposed Mass Literacy Campaign in Nigeria

Literacy education in Nigerian history finds its roots in the efforts of missionary endeavour. Subsequent work in the field has always been piecemeal and unco-ordinated, even though a degree of success has been achieved and valuable experience gained. The Federal Government's decision to launch a Mass Literacy Campaign in 1982 is primarily a political response to the needs and exigencies of a developing country rich both in natural and manpower resources. The campaign is seen not only as a necessary means of creating a permanently literate society within ten years but also as an assertion of the nation's unity. The problems of undertaking such a project are immensely complicated by the plethora of local languages and cultures, the preservation of which is seen to be imperative. But the campaign can succeed if the crucial issues identified in the article — functionality, personnel, training and materials, motivation, and above all the language to be used as the medium of literacy education — are resolved; if assistance from national development organisations and international bodies is matched by the determination of the government to create an environment capable of sustaining and reinforcing literacy and conducive to the use of the skills acquired; and if the illiterate respond with initiative and perseverence to the opportunity offered them.

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Zusammenfassung Die Alphabetisierung in Nigeria hat ihre historischen Wurzeln in missionarischen Bemühungen. Alle spätere Arbeit auf diesem Gebiet war stückenhaft und unkoordiniert, wenn ihr auch ein gewisses Maß von Erfolg beschieden war und wertvolle Erfahrungen gemacht wurden. Der Beschluß der nigerianischen Regierung, im Jahre 1982 eine Massen-Alphabetisierungskampagne durchzuführen, ist vor allem eine politische Antwort auf die Bedürfnisse und Erfordernisse eines an natürlichen und menschlichen Ressource reichen Entwicklungslandes. Die Kampagne wird nicht nur als notwendiges Mittel angesehen, innerhalb von zehn Jahren eine bleibend alphabetisierte Gesellschaft zu schaffen, sondern auch als eine Bestätigung der Einheit der Nation. Die einem solchen Projekt anhaftenden Probleme werden durch die Vielfalt einheimischer Sprachen und Kulturen, deren Erhaltung als unerläßlich betrachtet wird, außerordentlich kompliziert. Dennoch kann das Unternehmen zum Erfolg führen, wenn die wichtigsten, in diesem Artikel herausgearbeiteten Fragen — Funktionalität, Personal, Ausbildung und Materialien, Motivation und besonders die für die Alphabetisierung benutzte Sprache — gelöst werden; wenn der Unterstützung durch nationale Entwicklungsstellen und internationale Organisationen eine entsprechende Entschlossenheit der Regierung gegenübersteht, eine Umgebung herzustellen, die die Alphabetisierung aufrechterhalten und konsolidieren kann und zum Gebrauch der erworbenen Fähigkeiten herausfordert; und wenn die Analphabeten die ihnen gebotene Gelegenheit mit Initiative und Ausdauer nutzen.

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Résumé L'alphabétisation dans l'histoire nigériane prend sa source dans les efforts des missions religieuses. Le travail postérieur dans ce domaine a toujours été fragmentaire et sans coordination, bien qu'on ait atteint un certain degré de succès et qu'on ait acquis une expérience précieuse. La décision du Gouvernement Fédéral de lancer une Campagne d'Alphabétisation Massive en 1982 est avant tout une réponse politique aux besoins et aux exigences d'un pays en développement riche en ressources tant naturelles qu'humaines. Cette campagne est considérée non seulement comme un moyen nécessaire de créer une société définitivement alphabète en dix ans mais aussi comme une assertion de l'unité de la nation. Les problèmes soulevés par l'entreprise d'un tel projet sont énormément compliqués par la pléthore des langues et des cultures indigènes, dont la préservation est regardée comme impérative. Néanmoins, cette campagne a des chances de réussir si les points critiques identifiés dans cet article — fonctionnalité, personnel, formation et matériel, motivation, et par dessus tout la langue à employer comme véhicule de l'alphabétisation — sont résolus; si l'assistance accordée par les organisations pour le développement national et par les organismes internationaux rencontre sur le même niveau la détermination du gouvernment de créer un environment capable de maintenir et de renforcer l'alphabétisation qui soit aussi favorable à l'utilisation des connaissances et de l'expérience acquises; et si les illettrés répondent par la persévérance et par l'initiative aux occasions qui leur sont offertes.

     

Olfaction and emotion: The quest for olfactory restoration in two speech communities

ABSTRACT

Olfaction has been described as one of the least studied of the senses. This has certainly proven true in Communication. This project applies Ethnography of Communication and Cultural Discourse Analysis to examine the role that olfaction plays in the cultural meaning systems of two speech communities: residents surrounding the Gowanus Canal and bereaved parents. The cultural hub used to explore the cultural significance of olfaction in both speech communities is feeling. The analyses illustrate how emotions are tied to associated sensations and further become activated through radiants of dwelling, relating and acting. The analysis also shows how olfaction may serve to unify and separate members of a community. The significance of this research encourages stretching the boundaries of communication studies by examining the less studied physical senses and the boundaries of Cultural Discourse Analysis by providing distinctions that others can incorporate when examining feelings.