Effects of concurrent training on interleukin-6, tumour necrosis factor-alpha and C-reactive protein in middle-aged men

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of moderate- to high-intensity resistance and concurrent training on inflammatory biomarkers and functional capacity in sedentary middle-aged healthy men. Participants were selected on a random basis for resistance training (n = 12), concurrent training (n = 11) and a control group (n = 13). They performed three weekly sessions for 16 weeks (resistance training: 10 exercises with 3 × 8-10 repetition maximum; concurrent training: 6 exercises with 3 × 8-10 repetition maximum, followed by 30 minutes of walking or running at 55-85% [Vdot]O(2peak)). Maximal strength was tested in bench press and leg press. The peak oxygen uptake ([Vdot]O(2peak)) was measured by an incremental exercise test. Tumour necrosis factor-α, interleukin-6 and C-reactive protein were determined. The upper- and lower-body maximal strength increase for both resistance (+42.52%; +20.9%, respectively) and concurrent training (+28.35%; +21.5%, respectively) groups (P = 0.0001).[Vdot]O(2peak) increased in concurrent training when comparing pre- and post-training (P = 0.0001; +15.6%). No differences were found in tumour necrosis factor-α and interleukin-6 for both groups after the exercise. C-reactive protein increased in resistance training (P = 0.004). These findings demonstrated that 16 weeks of moderate- to high-intensity training could improve functional capacity, but did not decrease inflammatory biomarkers in middle-aged men.     

Ageing of brazilwood dye in wool – a chromatographic and spectrometric study

Brazilwood was used in this work to dye wool mordanted with different amounts of copper(II) sulfate, alum and iron(II) sulfate. Two different dyeing methods were used: premordanting (MD) and simultaneous mordanting (M+D) procedures. In order to evaluate the influence of the mordant ion in the brazilein chromophore photodegradation, samples were subjected to artificial light ageing. Color measurements were made and, for the first time, LC-DAD-ESI-MS was used for chromophore analysis of the dyed fibers before and after light exposure. Mordant ion quantification was done after fiber acid digestion, by inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES) and flame atomic absorption spectroscopy (FAAS). Mordant metal ion, mordant bath concentration and dyeing procedure were found to have strong influence in the wool fiber hues. Color variation was more pronounced in the alum dyed samples. Overall, mordant quantification showed that the amount of metal ions found in the fibers is very small when compared to the original concentrations of the dyeing bath, being Cu the ion with greater affinity for the wool fibers. MD dyeing procedure yielded fibers with larger amounts of mordant metal ions and higher chromophore peak areas. Higher amounts of brazilein were extracted from wool mordanted with copper(II) sulfate. Finally, chromatographic analysis of the brazilwood dyed samples before and after light exposure resulted in the detection of Type C compound as an outcome of the photodegradation process.     

Riding the Wave to Reach the Masses: Natural Events in Early Twentieth Century Portuguese Daily Press

This paper brings together science communicated in newspapers in Portugal by looking at how news on natural events were communicated in two different newspapers—the capital newspaper Diário de Notícias (Daily News) and the Diário dos A?ores (Azores Daily). In particular, we look at how the 1900 solar eclipse, a hot topic throughout Europe, was reported by the capital newspaper, and how news on seismology were conveyed in the period 1907–1910 in the newspaper published in Azores, an archipelago with a significant seismic and volcanic activity. We argue that the importance conceded to these scientific news was related to their overwhelming features, that their dissimilar presentation stemmed from their local relevance allied to their different nature, predictable in the case of eclipses, and unpredictable in the case of earthquakes, and that behind these two instances of science journalism laid an attempt by the scientific and political communities to gain the support of the general public to such an extent that these two specific instances of science journalism transcended their usual features to become successful forms of expository science.     

Science curricula design: analysis of authors’ ideological and pedagogical principles

The study analyses the extent to which the sociological message transmitted by the Official Pedagogic Discourse of the curriculum for Portuguese middle schools contains the ideological and pedagogical principles of its authors. The research is epistemologically and sociologically grounded, placing particular emphasis on Bernstein theory of pedagogic discourse. The ideological principles underlie broad educational aims and the pedagogical principles underlie characteristics of the pedagogic practice. Data was obtained through a semi‐structured interview with the authors and documental analysis of their publications. The results suggest that the authors were distinct in the ideological and pedagogical principles they valued and that discontinuities were evident between those principles and the curriculum message. These results are discussed and their consequences in terms of scientific learning are explored.     

Knowledge,Belief, and Science Education

This article intends to show that the defense of “understanding” as one of the major goals of science education can be grounded on an anti-reductionist perspective on testimony as a source of knowledge. To do so, we critically revisit the discussion between Harvey Siegel and Alvin Goldman about the goals of science education, especially where it involves arguments based on the epistemology of testimony. Subsequently, we come back to a discussion between Charbel N. El-Hani and Eduardo Mortimer, on the one hand, and Michael Hoffmann, on the other, striving to strengthen the claim that rather than students’ belief change, understanding should have epistemic priority as a goal of science education. Based on these two lines of discussion, we conclude that the reliance on testimony as a source of knowledge is necessary to the development of a more large and comprehensive scientific understanding by science students.     

Continental Drift: A Discussion Strategy for Secondary School

The paper describes a discussion strategy for secondary schoolstudents. The strategy focus the various dimensions of Science, especially the internal sociological and philosophicaldimensions. Students are expected to learn more about Science, namely the role of controversy for scientific progress.The article contains key questions for the students and guidelines for the teacher and also an analysis of the strategyin terms of the construction of Science and of learning processes.     

Scoring mode and age-related effects on youth soccer teams’ defensive performance during small-sided games

ABSTRACT

This study aimed to examine the scoring mode (line goal, double goal or central goal) and age-related effects on the defensive performance of youth soccer players during 4v4 small-sided games (SSGs). Altogether, 16 male players from 2 age groups (U13, n = 8, mean age: 12.61 ± 0.65 years; U15, n = 8, 14.86 ± 0.47 years) were selected as participants. In six independent sessions, participants performed the three SSGs each during 10-min periods. Teams’ defensive performance was analysed at every instant ball possession was regained through the variables: ball-recovery type, ball-recovery sector, configuration of play and defence state. Multinomial logistic regression analysis used in this study revealed the following significant main effects of scoring mode and age: (1) line goal (vs. central goal) increased the odds of regaining possession through tackle and in the defensive midfield sector, and decreased the odds of successful interceptions; (2) double goal (vs. central goal) decreased the odds of regaining possession through turnover won and with elongated playing shapes; (3) the probability of regaining possession through interception significantly decreased with age. Moreover, as youth players move forward in age groups, teams tend to structurally evolve from elongated playing shapes to flattened shapes and, at a behavioural level, from defending in depth to more risky flattened configurations. Overall, by manipulating the scoring mode in SSGs, coaches can promote functional and coadaptive behaviours between teams not only in terms of configurations of play, but also on the pitch locations that teams explore to regain possession.     

Role of technology in the design of learning environments

Learning Environments Research - The design of learning environments is being increasingly investigated, largely as a result of higher-education providers being challenged by both societal and...