Protective effects of photobiomodulation against resistance exercise-induced muscle damage and inflammation in rats

We investigated whether low-level laser therapy (LLLT) prior to or post resistance exercise could attenuate muscle damage and inflammation. Female Wistar rats were assigned to non-LLLT or LLLT groups. An 830-nm DMC Laser Photon III was used to irradiate their hind legs with 2J, 4J, and 8J doses. Irradiations were performed prior to or post (4J) resistance exercise bouts. Resistance exercise consisted of four maximum load climbs. The load work during a resistance exercise bout was similar between Control (non-LLLT, 225 ± 10 g), 2J (215 ± 8 g), 4J (210 ± 9 g), and 8J (226 ± 9 g) groups. Prior LLLT did not induce climbing performance improvement, but exposure to 4J irradiation resulted in lower blood lactate levels post-exercise. The 4J dose decreased creatine kinase and lactic dehydrogenase levels post-exercise regardless of the time of application. Moreover, 4-J irradiation exposure significantly attenuated tumor necrosis factor alpha, interleukin-6, interleukin-1β, cytokine-induced neutrophil chemoattractant-1, and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1. There was minor macrophage muscle infiltration in 4J-exposed rats. These data indicate that LLLT prior to or post resistance exercise can reduce muscle damage and inflammation, resulting in muscle recovery improvement. We attempted to determine an ideal LLLT dose for suitable results, wherein 4J irradiation exposure showed a significant protective role.     

Effect of 6-weeks WBVT on the behaviour of the lower limb muscle fibres during vertical jumping

The purpose of the current study was to examine the effect of 6 weeks of whole body vibration training (WBVT) on body composition, muscle activity of the gastrocnemius and vastus lateralis, gastrocnemius muscle architecture (static and dynamic) and ground reaction forces (performance jump) during the take-off phase of a countermovement jump in young healthy adult males. A total of 33 men (23.31 ± 5.62 years) were randomly assigned to a whole body vibration group (experimental group, EG_WBVT: n = 17; 22.11 ± 4.97 years) or a control group (CG: n = 16; 24.5 ± 6.27 years). The total duration of the intervention phase (WBVT) was 6 weeks with a frequency of 3 sessions per week. Statistically significant differences were observed (P ≤ 0.05) between pre- and post-test in the power peak (Δ 1.91 W · kg^?1; P = 0.001), take-off velocity (0.1 cm · s^?1; P = 0.002) and jump height (Δ 0.4 cm; P = 0.002) for EG_WBVT. There were no statistically significant differences in any of the body composition and muscle architecture variables. Moreover, no significant differences were found between EG_WBVT and CG nor changes in muscle activity during take-off phase of the gastrocnemius and vastus lateralis pre- versus post-training. This study suggests that a 6-week WBVT programme with increasing intensity improves jump performance but does not alter muscle activity nor muscle architecture in healthy young men.     

Effect of Dehydration on Passing Decision Making in Soccer Athletes

It seems that dehydration may impair decision-making performance in athletes. Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the influence of dehydration on passing decision-making performance in soccer players. Method: Participants were 40 male soccer players (M_age = 22.3 ± 2.3 years) who agreed to participate in the study and were randomly assigned to the following conditions: control (CON), dehydration (DEH), and euhydration (EUH). The players played in 2 games of 90 min in duration (2 45-min halves) followed by 2 15-min halves (overtime) with and without proper hydration. The Game Performance Assessment Instrument (GPAI) was considered for the analysis of passing decision making. Results: The GPAI analysis indicated effective reduction in the decision-making index in the DEH condition compared with the EUH and CON conditions, F(2, 38) = 31.4, p < .05, ES = 0.8. Conclusions: In conclusion, dehydration may be considered a mediating factor in the passing decision-making performance of male soccer athletes.     

Contribution of uncertainty in estimation of active drag using assisted towing method in front crawl swimming

Active drag force in swimming can be calculated from a function of five different variables: swim velocity, tow velocity, belt force, power output and exponent of velocity. The accuracy of the drag force value is dependent on the accuracy of each variable, and on the contribution of each variable to drag estimation. To calculate uncertainty in drag value, first the derivatives of the active drag equation with respect to each variable were obtained. Second, these were multiplied by the uncertainty of that variable. Twelve national age and open level swimmers were recruited to complete four free swimming and five active drag trials. The uncertainties for the free and the tow swim velocities, and for the belt force, contributed approximately 5–6% and 2–3% error, respectively, in calculation of drag. The result of the uncertainty of the velocity exponent (1.8–2.6) indicated a contribution of about 6% error in active drag. The contribution of unequal power output showed that if a power changed 7.5% between conditions, it would lead to about 30% error in calculated drag. Consequently, if a swimmer did not maintain constant power output between conditions, there would be substantial errors in the calculation of active drag.     

Effects of inspiratory muscle training in professional women football players: a randomized sham-controlled trial

This study was conducted to determine the effects of inspiratory muscle training (IMT) on respiratory and peripheral muscles oxygenation during a maximal exercise tolerance test and on repeated-sprint ability (RSA) performance in professional women football players. Eighteen athletes were randomly assigned to one of the following groups: SHAM (n = 8) or IMT (n = 10). After a maximal incremental exercise test, all participants performed (on a different day) a time-to-exhaustion (Tlim) test. Peripheral and respiratory muscles oxygenation by near-infrared spectroscopy, breath-by-breath ventilatory and metabolic variables, and blood lactate concentration were measured. The RSA test was performed on a grass field. After a 6 week intervention, all athletes were reevaluated. Both groups showed increases in inspiratory muscles strength, exercise tolerance and RSA performance, however only the IMT group presented lower deoxyhemoglobin and total hemoglobin blood concentrations on intercostal muscles concomitantly to an increased oxyhemoglobin and total hemoglobin blood concentrations on vastus lateralis muscle during Tlim. In conclusion, these results may indicate the potential role of IMT to attenuate inspiratory muscles metaboreflex and consequently improve oxygen and blood supply to limb muscles during high-intensity exercise, with a potential impact on inspiratory muscle strength, exercise tolerance and sprints performance in professional women football players.     

The use of hypermedia in collaborative learning. An approach to the problem of complex systems in the teaching of urban planning / El uso de hipermedia en el aprendizaje colaborativo. Una aproximación al problema de los sistemas complejos en la docencia del urbanismo

The counterpart to the open access to information facilitated by the Internet is the problem of the over-saturation of data and sources. A collaborative model of hypermedia is proposed as a pedagogical approach to the teaching of urban planning in which students organize and construct information from the possibilities provided by hypertext language. The methodology is structured in three phases: organization when searching for information; presentation of information using hypermedia; and assessment of the work. The results show that organization of information in the form of websites obtained the highest scores, although collaborative assessment should be restricted to subjective aspects of communication, while objective aspects should be assessed by the teacher and by groups of experts.     

Navigating Postsecondary Pathways: The College Choice Experiences of First-Generation Latina/o Transfer Students

The purpose of this study was to explore the college choice and transfer decision-making processes of six high-achieving first-generation Latina/o transfer students who began their postsecondary studies at a community college and later transferred to a four-year Hispanic Serving Institution. Utilizing interpretative phenomenological analysis, four themes emerged from data analysis to explain the factors that influenced participants’ decisions to enroll in community college: (a) Inadequate Guidance from School Personnel, (b) Financial Concerns, (c) Familial Factors, and (d) Community College as an Appropriate Match. Additionally, two themes related to the decision to transfer to a four-year institution emerged: (a) Access to Greater Opportunities, and (b) Support and Motivation. The findings of this study will aid researchers and educators alike in understanding and supporting the college choice decisions of high-achieving first-generation Latina/o students.     

Physical exercises for preventing injuries among adult male football players: A systematic review

Background:Football is the most practised sport in the world and is associated with the risk of injuries in the players.Some studies have been published that identify injury prevention programs,but there is no review of the full body of evidence on injury prevention programs for use by football coaches.The aim of this article was to carry out a systematic review of published studies on injury prevention programs for adult male footballers,identify points of common understanding and establish recommendations that should be considered in the design of injury prevention strategies.Methods:PubMed and EMBASE databases were used to identify relevant published articles using the following keywords:"soccer"AND"injury"AND"prevention".Results:A total of 2512 studies were identified initially,but only 11 studies met the inclusion criteria,and their outcomes are presented.Results revealed that injury prevention programs in football have focused on strength training,proprioceptive training,multicomponent programs(balance,core stability,and functional strength and mobility),and warm-up programs.Conclusion:Based on results from the studies analyzed,football players can lower the incidence of match and training injuries by participating in dynamic warm-up programs that include preventive exercises before games or during training sessions,and by adding strength,balance,and mobility training to the training sessions.     

A distributional analysis of the effect of physical exercise on a choice reaction time task

Abstract

The aim of this study was to examine the facilitating effects of physical exercise on the reaction process. Eleven participants with specific expertise in decision-making sports performed a choice reaction time task during moderate sub-maximal exercise (90% of their ventilatory threshold power). Participants were tested at rest and while cycling. During exercise, the participants were faster, without being more variable. We suggest that the effect of exercise on cognitive performance was due to a major generalized improvement of the whole distribution of response time and, although the benefit effect was small, it was consistent throughout the entire range of reaction times.     

Linking human,technological, and relational assets to technological innovation: exploring a new approach

In a knowledge-based economy, firms' technological innovations represent one of the best ways in order to survive and to achieve firm success. Nonaka and Takeuchi stated that technological innovation is close to firms' intellectual or knowledge asset management, and additional efforts are needed to understand these complex causal relationships. If we can assume that technological innovation causation rarely has a single cause, and that these causes rarely operate in isolation from each other, empirical research needs a new configurational perspective, where the integrity of firms' technological innovations as complex configurations of causal factors are preserved. This way, using a configurational approach, and primary data of 251 technology-based firms based in Spain, this paper explores firms' human, technological, and relational assets configurations and product innovations.