An examination of the photographic coverage of sportswomen in the Irish print media: a study of an Irish broadsheet newspaper

Building on a large body of extant international research, which has consistently found that sportswomen are underrepresented and marginalized in media reporting, this article presents a study examining the coverage of sportswomen over a four-month period in a major Irish broadsheet newspaper, The Irish Times. The findings, which are based on a data-set of 471 pages, reveal that less than 4% of photographs were of sportswomen. These findings indicate that the Irish situation mirrors international research on the topic and reflects a continuation of the status quo in terms of how sportswomen and women’s sports are (under)valued and (under)reported in the media. The implications of these findings are discussed as well as directions for further study. The article makes a useful contribution to the field given the dearth of research conducted on this topic in Ireland to date.     

Differences in the utilisation of active power in squat and countermovement jumps

The aim of this article was to understand how active power is used in squat and countermovement jumps. A simple empirical model comprising a mass, a spring, an active element and a damper, together with an optimisation principle, was used to identify the mechanical factors that maximise performance of jumps without countermovement (squat jumps, SJ) and with countermovement (CMJ). Twelve amateur volleyball players performed SJ from two initial positions and CMJ with two degrees of counterbalancing, while kinematic data were collected (jump height, push-off duration and position of the centre of mass). The model adjusted well to real data of SJ through all the impulse phase, and slightly less adequately at the end of this phase for CMJ. Nevertheless, it provides a satisfactory explanation for the generation and utilisation of active power for both type of jumps. On average, the estimated power of the active elements, the spring, and the damper were greater in the SJ. Based upon the result obtained with this model, we suggest that active power is best evaluated with SJ. The reason for this is that, during this kind of jump, the elements associated with the damper consume much of the energy produced by the active elements. The participation of the elements that consume the energy generated by the active elements is less in CMJ than in SJ, allowing for a better utilisation of this energy. In this way it is possible to achieve a better performance in CMJ with less active power.     

Assessment of leg muscles mechanical capacities: Which jump,loading, and variable type provide the most reliable outcomes?

This study aimed to explore the strength of the force–velocity (F–V) relationship of lower limb muscles and the reliability of its parameters (maximum force [F₀], slope [a], maximum velocity [V₀], and maximum power [P₀]). Twenty-three men were tested in two different jump types (squat and countermovement jump: SJ and CMJ), performed under two different loading conditions (free weight and Smith machine: Free and Smith) with 0, 17, 30, 45, 60, and 75?kg loads. The maximum and averaged values of F and V were obtained for the F–V relationship modelling. All F–V relationships were strong and linear independently whether observed from the averaged across the participants (r?≥?0.98) or individual data (r?=?0.94–0.98), while their parameters were generally highly reliable (F₀ [CV: 4.85%, ICC: 0.87], V₀ [CV: 6.10%, ICC: 0.82], a [CV: 10.5%, ICC: 0.81], and P₀ [CV: 3.5%, ICC: 0.93]). Both the strength of the F–V relationships and the reliability of their parameters were significantly higher for (1) the CMJ over the SJ, (2) the Free over the Smith loading type, and (3) the maximum over the averaged F and V variables. In conclusion, although the F–V relationships obtained from all the jumps tested were linear and generally highly reliable, the less appropriate choice for testing the F–V relationship could be through the averaged F and V data obtained from the SJ performed either in a Free weight or in a Smith machine. Insubstantial differences exist among the other combinations tested.     

Role of objectively measured sedentary behaviour in physical performance,frailty and mortality among older adults: A short systematic review

Sedentary behaviour (SB) has recently emerged as an independent risk factor for different health outcomes. Older adults accumulate long time in SB. Understanding the role that SB plays on health is crucial for a successful aging. This short systematic review summarizes the current evidence related to the effects of objectively measured SB on frailty, physical performance and mortality in adults ≥60?years old. The literature search produced 271 records for physical performance (n?=?119), frailty (n?=?31), and mortality (n?=?121). Finally, only 13 articles fulfilled the inclusion criteria and were included in this review. All articles but one included in the physical performance section (n?=?9) showed a negative association between longer time spent in SB and physical performance. A significant association of SB with higher odds of frailty was found, however this association disappeared after adjusting for cognitive status. Lastly, two of the three included studies showed positive associations between SB and mortality, but this effect decreased or even disappeared in the more adjusted models. In conclusion, there is consistency that SB is negatively associated with physical performance. However, the relationship between objectively measured SB and frailty incidence and mortality rates remains unclear and deserves further research. The use of homogenous criteria to assess SB and the inclusion of more robust research designs will help clarifying the independent effects that SB could have on physical performance, frailty, and mortality. This will ultimately help designing more efficient and comprehensive physical activity guidelines for older adults.     

Acerca del hielo en el islam medieval

The history of ice in medieval Arab societies is obscured behind a mosaic of a variety of references and scholarly citations. Beyond al-Qalqashandī's reference to organised ice trafficking in fourteenth-century Mamluk Egypt, we do not have conclusive evidence on the origin and use of ice as a consumer product. In this paper we trace its presence based on three genres of references: historical and literary quotations, medicine and literature pertaining to food. These references allow us to consider the extent of ice consumption in the Arab world before the ninth century, as well as the existence of an organised trade throughout the Middle Ages from that time. However, contrary to the Persian world, with its well-documented Iranian yakhchals, we still know virtually nothing about ice-houses in medieval Arab societies. We also know very little about the profession of the thallāj or ice-seller, or whether the widespread consumption of ice that originated in Spain in the sixteenth century was in fact a legacy of an earlier trade in al-Andalus.     

Moving Beyond Test-Prep Pedagogy: Dialoguing With Multicultural Preservice Teachers for a Quality Education

In a “post-NCLB era,” the schooling experiences of mostly low-income students of color continue to be consumed by a test-prep pedagogy—narrowed curriculum, low expectations, and ignored relationships. In this article the author describes a pedagogical approach using educational dialogues to engage preservice teachers to critically define a quality education.     

Facilitating Intercultural Communication in Parent–Teacher Conferences: Lessons From Child Translators

In this article Abraham Lincoln is considered as an alternative to the usual type of patriot's hero. He reminds us of our great historical failings. He remains a figure of controversy, a national hero in only some corners of society. He is the heroic President who serves as the first compassionate defender of the downtrodden, and he is a hero in those subcultures as well. Lincoln's treatment in the movies is discussed, focusing particularly on the recent movie Lincoln. Lincoln is seen as a match for the usual movie hero. His famous immunity to casual treatment in popular culture is discussed as well.     

Color characterization of roofing slates from the Iberian Peninsula for restoration purposes

Substitution of slate roofing tiles is a conventional operation during building restoration, since tiles are very difficult to restore or clean because of the high degree of alteration they suffer. Criteria for replacement of historical building stones must be based on geological, geotechnical and esthetic parameters, among which color is of great importance. In this sense, this paper constitutes a comprehensive and useful colorimetric study of roofing slates from the Iberian Peninsula, for the purposes of restoration. The color of 50 commercial varieties of roofing slate mined in quarries from the 12 mining districts in the Iberian Peninsula was analyzed with a spectrophotometer device, by considering the CIELAB color space. The results of the study were used to develop a protocol for characterizing the color of roofing slate and to define the color range of roofing slate from the Iberian Peninsula. In addition, the similarities and differences in the color and microstructure of the different commercial varieties of Iberian roofing slate were established and the limit of acceptability of replacement of one type of slate by another was determined. Parameter h_ab was found to be the most important CIELAB color coordinate as regards the formation of homogeneous color groups, and the specular component excluded (SCE) mode was most sensitive as regards detecting color differences between two samples.     

The evidence for the impact of policy on physical activity outcomes within the school setting: A systematic review

BackgroundDespite the well-established health benefits of physical activity (PA) for young people (aged 4–19 years), most do not meet PA guidelines. Policies that support PA in schools may be promising, but their impact on PA behavior is poorly understood. The aim of this systematic review was to ascertain the level and type of evidence reported in the international scientific literature for policies within the school setting that contribute directly or indirectly to increasing PA.MethodsThis systematic review is compliant with Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis guidelines. Six databases were searched using key concepts of policy, school, evaluation, and PA. Following title and abstract screening of 2323 studies, 25 progressed to data synthesis. Methodological quality was assessed using standardized tools, and the strength of the evidence of policy impact was described based on pre-determined codes: positive, negative, inconclusive, or untested statistically.ResultsEvidence emerged for 9 policy areas that had a direct or indirect effect on PA within the school setting. These were whole school PA policy, physical education, sport/extracurricular PA, classroom-based PA, active breaks/recess, physical environment, shared use agreements, active school transport, and surveillance. The bulk of the evidence was significantly positive (54%), 27% was inconclusive, 9% was significantly negative, and 11% was untested (due to rounding, some numbers add to 99% or 101%). Frequency of evidence was highest in the primary setting (41%), 34% in the secondary setting, and 24% in primary/secondary combined school settings. By policy area, frequency of evidence was highest for sport/extracurricular PA (35%), 17% for physical education, and 12% for whole school PA policy, with evidence for shared use agreements between schools and local communities rarely reported (2%). Comparing relative strength of evidence, the evidence for shared use agreements, though sparse, was 100% positive, while 60% of the evidence for whole school PA policy, 59% of the evidence for sport/extracurricular PA, 57% of the evidence for physical education, 50% of the evidence for PA in classroom, and 50% of the evidence for active breaks/recess were positive.ConclusionThe current evidence base supports the effectiveness of PA policy actions within the school setting but cautions against a “one-size-fits-all” approach and emphasizes the need to examine policy implementation to maximize translation into practice. Greater clarity regarding terminology, measurement, and methods for evaluation of policy interventions is needed.