The relationship between listening styles and conversational sensitivity

This study examines the relationship between the listening styles people tend to employ habitually and related levels of conversational sensitivity. Conversational sensitivity deals with the extent to which people enjoy listening in social interaction, can identify hidden meaning in conversations, and generally are highly aware of implicit messages that may be gained from conversations. One way in which conversational sensitivity might be apparent is in the listening styles which people rely on habitually. Conversationally sensitive receivers may favor one or two listening styles over others. The results indicate a positive relationship between the People listening style and conversational sensitivity, as well as weaker positive relationships between the Content and Action styles and sensitivity. Conversationally sensitive people are most likely to employ the People listening style. The results illustrate the conversational advantages of employing a People listening style.     

The multi-stage fitness test as a predictor of endurance fitness in wheelchair athletes

Abstract

The aims of this study were two-fold: (1) to consider the criterion-related validity of the multi-stage fitness test (MSFT) by comparing the predicted maximal oxygen uptake ([Vdot]O_2max) and distance travelled with peak oxygen uptake ([Vdot]O_2peak) measured using a wheelchair ergometer (n = 24); and (2) to assess the reliability of the MSFT in a sub-sample of wheelchair athletes (n = 10) measured on two occasions. Twenty-four trained male wheelchair basketball players (mean age 29 years, s = 6) took part in the study. All participants performed a continuous incremental wheelchair ergometer test to volitional exhaustion to determine [Vdot]O_2peak, and the MSFT on an indoor wooden basketball court. Mean ergometer [Vdot]O_2peak was 2.66 litres · min^?1 (s = 0.49) and peak heart rate was 188 beats · min^?1 (s = 10). The group mean MSFT distance travelled was 2056 m (s = 272) and mean peak heart rate was 186 beats · min^?1 (s = 11). Low to moderate correlations (ρ = 0.39 to 0.58; 95% confidence interval [CI]: ?0.02 to 0.69 and 0.23 to 0.80) were found between distance travelled in the MSFT and different expressions of wheelchair ergometer [Vdot]O_2peak. There was a mean bias of ?1.9 beats · min^?1 (95% CI: ?5.9 to 2.0) and standard error of measurement of 6.6 beats · min^?1 (95% CI: 5.4 to 8.8) between the ergometer and MSFT peak heart rates. A similar comparison of ergometer and predicted MSFT [Vdot]O_2peak values revealed a large mean systematic bias of 15.3 ml · kg^?1 · min^?1 (95% CI: 13.2 to 17.4) and standard error of measurement of 3.5 ml · kg^?1 · min^?1 (95% CI: 2.8 to 4.6). Small standard errors of measurement for MSFT distance travelled (86 m; 95% CI: 59 to 157) and MSFT peak heart rate (2.4 beats · min^?1; 95% CI: 1.7 to 4.5) suggest that these variables can be measured reliably. The results suggest that the multi-stage fitness test provides reliable data with this population, but does not fully reflect the aerobic capacity of wheelchair athletes directly.     

High-intensity interval running is perceived to be more enjoyable than moderate-intensity continuous exercise: Implications for exercise adherence

Abstract

The aim of this study was to objectively quantify ratings of perceived enjoyment using the Physical Activity Enjoyment Scale following high-intensity interval running versus moderate-intensity continuous running. Eight recreationally active men performed two running protocols consisting of high-intensity interval running (6×3 min at 90% [Vdot]O_2max interspersed with 6×3 min active recovery at 50% [Vdot]O_2max with a 7-min warm-up and cool down at 70% [Vdot]O_2max) or 50 min moderate-intensity continuous running at 70% [Vdot]O_2max. Ratings of perceived enjoyment after exercise were higher (P < 0.05) following interval running compared with continuous running (88 ± 6 vs. 61 ± 12) despite higher (P < 0.05) ratings of perceived exertion (14 ± 1 vs. 13 ± 1). There was no difference (P < 0.05) in average heart rate (88 ± 3 vs. 87 ± 3% maximum heart rate), average [Vdot]O₂ (71 ± 6 vs. 73 ± 4%[Vdot]O_2max), total [Vdot]O₂ (162 ± 16 vs. 166 ± 27 L) or energy expenditure (811 ± 83 vs. 832 ± 136 kcal) between protocols. The greater enjoyment associated with high-intensity interval running may be relevant for improving exercise adherence, since running is a low-cost exercise intervention requiring no exercise equipment and similar relative exercise intensities have previously induced health benefits in patient populations.     

Alterations in Body Size and Composition Consequent to Astro-Trimmer and Slim-Skins Training Programs

Tennis is an activity requiring both endurance and anaerobic components, which could have immunosuppressive effects postexercise.

Purpose

The purpose of this investigation was to determine the effect of a simulated tennis match on apoptotic and migratory markers on lymphocyte subsets.

Method

Male high school (n = 5) and college (n = 3) tennis players (M _age = 18.9 ± 3.3 years) completed 10 sets of a tennis protocol including serves, forehand strokes, and backhand groundstrokes with 1-min rest periods between sets. Apoptosis antigen 1 receptor (CD95) and chemokine receptor fractalkine (CX₃CR1) expression was analyzed on helper T lymphocytes (CD4+), cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CD8+), and B lymphocytes (CD19+) twice, at resting baseline and immediately after all 10 sets of the tennis protocol.

Results

An increase was observed in each lymphocyte subtype (p < .02, effect size = .41), and comparison of absolute changes revealed increases in CD4+/CD95+, CD8+/CD95+, and CD8+/CX₃CR1 lymphocytes following the tennis protocol (p < .01, effect size = .43), but not in CD19+ cells.

Conclusions

A simulated tennis match has adequate intensity to induce immune modulations in terms of increased cell death and cellular migration in T lymphocyte subsets. Lymphocytopenia following tennis play is influenced by both apoptotic and migratory mechanisms.     

The unintended consequences of school inspection: the prevalence of inspection side-effects in Austria,the Czech Republic,England, Ireland,the Netherlands,Sweden, and Switzerland

It has been widely documented that accountability systems, including school inspections, bring with them unintended side effects. These unintended effects are often negative and have the potential to undo the intended positive effects. However the empirical evidence is limited. Through a European comparative study we have had the rare opportunity to collect empirical evidence and study the effects (both intended and unintended) of school inspections (a key system of accountability) in a systematic way, across seven countries. We present the findings of the unintended effects in this paper. Survey self-report responses from school principals in each country, with differing school inspection systems, are analysed to measure the prevalence of these unintended effects and to investigate the part played by pressure to do well in inspections. A key finding is that increasing pressure in school inspection systems is associated with the undesired effect of the narrowing and refocusing of the curriculum and instructional strategies. We also show that a proportion of school principals admit to misrepresenting the school in data sent to the inspectorate and show evidence for formalisation/proceduralisation (excessive focus on records) and ossification (fear of experimentation in teaching), although these factors are less related to changes in pressure.     

Science studies in Russia and the role of information resources of INION RAS in the effective support of scientific research

This paper describes the features of the problem-thematic structure of the Science Studies Database, which was created at the Institute of Scientific Information on Social Sciences (INION) of the Russian Academy of Sciences. A complex of linguistic tools for science studies, which was developed for analytical and synthetic processing of documents and queries, is described. The features of the formation of information search strategies are considered.     

Child abuse potential in parents with histories of substance use disorder

OBJECTIVE: To examine the relationship between parental history of substances use disorders (SUDs) and abuse potential. METHOD: Milner's (1986) Child Abuse Potential Inventory (CAPI) was administered to fathers and mothers (with and without histories of SUDs) of 10- to 12-year-old boys. RESULTS: Fathers and mothers with lifetime histories of SUDs had higher Abuse Scale scores and were more likely to score in the Elevated range (as determined by clinically significant cutoff scores) than parents without such histories. No differences were found between parents with current diagnoses of SUD and those with past (but not current) histories of SUD. Fathers and mothers with a partner who had a history of SUD were more likely to score in the Elevated range, regardless of their own SUD histories. Separate regression models revealed that, for both fathers and mothers, emotional dysregulation (positive and negative affectivity) predicted Abuse Scale scores. Additional contributors to Abuse Scale scores were SUD status in fathers, and lack of involvement with the child in mothers. CONCLUSIONS: History of SUDs in both fathers and mothers increases abuse potential. Contributors to abuse potential differed in fathers and mothers, underscoring the importance of examining parents separately in child maltreatment research.