The role of preparatory heart rate deceleration on balance beam performance

Preparatory heart rate deceleration occurs in tasks with an external focus of attention and is often assumed to facilitate balance performance. However, its effects upon sport-related complex balance movements have not been studied. Heart rate patterns during the preparation period of an acrobatic element (flic-flac) on the balance beam were studied in 14 female gymnasts (M age 13.2 years). A significant heart rate deceleration was found in attempts with a fall in the consecutive acrobatic element, but not in attempts without a fall. These data suggest that preparatory heart rate deceleration may be detrimental to the performance of complex movements on the balance beam.     

Does eccentric exercise stimulate sarcomerogenesis?

Eccentric exercise has been associated with an increase in serial sarcomere number in some studies,1 but not in others.2 Similarly,increasing excursion of muscles resulted in sarcomerogenesis in some studies using growing animals,3 but not in others using skeletally mature animals.4 However,chronic elongation and chronic shortening appears to be a strong regulator of sarcomere number increase5,6 and decrease,5,7 respectively,in animal models.Despite an abundance of research on the regulation of sarcomerogenesis under a variety of conditions,the mechanisms underlying in series sarcomere number adaptations in skeletal muscles remain a puzzle,especially in non-invasive human studies where measurements of sarcomerogenesis following interventions have not been possible to date.     

Improved children’s motor learning of the basketball free shooting pattern by associating subjective error estimation and extrinsic feedback

This study aimed at assessing the interaction between subjective error estimation and frequency of extrinsic feedback in the learning of the basketball free shooting pattern by children. 10- to 12-year olds were assigned to 1 of 4 groups combining subjective error estimation and relative frequency of extrinsic feedback (33% × 100%). Analysis of performance was based on quality of movement pattern. Analysis showed superior learning of the group combining error estimation and 100% feedback frequency, both groups receiving feedback on 33% of trials achieved intermediate results, and the group combining no requirement of error estimation and 100% feedback frequency had the poorest learning. Our results show the benefit of subjective error estimation in association with high frequency of extrinsic feedback in children’s motor learning of a sport motor pattern.     

Optimal sampling frequency in recording of resistance training exercises

The purpose of this study was to analyse the raw lifting speed collected during four different resistance training exercises to assess the optimal sampling frequency. Eight physically active participants performed sets of Squat Jumps, Countermovement Jumps, Squats and Bench Presses at a maximal lifting speed. A linear encoder was used to measure the instantaneous speed at a 200 Hz sampling rate. Subsequently, the power spectrum of the signal was computed by evaluating its Discrete Fourier Transform. The sampling frequency needed to reconstruct the signals with an error of less than 0.1% was f_99.9 = 11.615 ± 2.680 Hz for the exercise exhibiting the largest bandwidth, with the absolute highest individual value being 17.467 Hz. There was no difference between sets in any of the exercises. Using the closest integer sampling frequency value (25 Hz) yielded a reconstruction of the signal up to 99.975 ± 0.025% of its total in the worst case. In conclusion, a sampling rate of 25 Hz or above is more than adequate to record raw speed data and compute power during resistance training exercises, even under the most extreme circumstances during explosive exercises. Higher sampling frequencies provide no increase in the recording precision and may instead have adverse effects on the overall data quality.     

How does education have an impact on ethnocentrism? A structural equation analysis of cognitive,occupational status and network mechanisms

Previous studies have distinguished cognitive, occupational status and network mechanisms in the relation between education and ethnocentrism. Hypotheses on these mediating mechanisms are derived from socialization theory, realistic group threat and contact theory. In the current study we use structural equation modeling to investigate the explanatory power of these three mechanisms simultaneously. The analysis is based on a representative population survey from the Netherlands (NELLS 2009, n = 1910). The results show that more than half of the initial association between education and ethnocentrism can be attributed to cognitive ability and occupational status mechanisms. The remaining part of the overall association, however, still has to be modeled as a direct relationship between education and ethnocentrism. This direct association can be attributed either to social desirability or to a direct liberalizing effect of education on social and political attitudes. Our analysis tentatively suggests that the rise of average education levels in Western societies might lead to less ethnocentric attitudes via the cognitive sophistication mechanism.     

Geological risk assessment for cultural heritage conservation in karstic caves

The increasing awareness of some local and international authorities has promoted the appearance of new legislation and the rising of research works focused in the prevention of damage to the cultural heritage in karstic caves. Nevertheless, karstic areas usually imply complex studies, and a universal methodology is very difficult to establish. This work exposes the basic methodology for the geological risk assessment in archaeological site and/or rock art bearing karstic caves getting a strategy that provides flexibility to adjust specific methods according to the conditions of different cases. The integrated use of basic geological (mapping, petrology, stratigraphy…) and geotechnical (rock mass quality analytical methods and indexes) techniques used in engineering geology is proposed. Those techniques permit the geological characterization of the rock mass, the hazard identification and the analysis and the geological risk assessment of the research area. Obtained geological risk areas could be included in protection areas that could be used as the basis for the selection of the areas where further investigations and the application of prevention/mitigation measures would have a better cost/benefit ratio. The geological risk should be considered together with other type risk evaluations in order to define effective protection areas.