Effects of fixed vs. self-suggested rest between sets in upper and lower body exercises performance

In its last position stand about strength training, the American College of Sports Medicine recommends a rest interval (RI) between sets ranging between 1 and 3?min, varying in accordance with the objective. However, there is no consensus regarding the optimal recovery between sets, and most studies have investigated fixed intervals. Therefore, the aim of this study was to analyse the effects of fixed versus self-suggested RI between sets in lower and upper body exercises performance. Twenty-seven healthy subjects (26?±?1.5; 75?±?15?kg; 175?±?12?cm) were randomly assigned into two groups: G1: lower body exercises and G2: upper body exercises. Squat and leg press 1 repetition maximum (1RM) were tested for the G1 and bench press and biceps curl 1RM for G2. After the 1RM tests, both groups performed three sets to concentric failure with 75% of 1RM in combination with different RIs (2?min or self-suggested) on separate days and the exercises performance was evaluated by the number of repetitions. The results demonstrated no significant differences in the number of repetitions between 2?min and self-suggested RIs that presented similar reductions with the sets progression. It was also shown that the self-suggested RI spent less time recovering than the 2?min RI group on average. This suggests that for individuals with previous experience, the self-suggested RI can be an effective option when using workloads commonly prescribed aiming hypertrophy. Also, the self-suggested RI can reduce the total training session duration, which can be a more time-effective strategy.     

Framing equity through a closer examination of critical science agency

Cultural Studies of Science Education - Science for all has been touted as the primary path to equity in science education in the USA. We argue that without attention to the power imbalances that...     

Father-child and mother-child speech: A perspective on parental roles

An analysis of the existing research on parents' speech to young children suggests that the differences between mothers' and fathers' speech appear especially in the nature of their vocabulary and in certain functional and conversational aspects of their speech when addressing their children. The findings suggest that the father is a more demanding or challenging conversational partner for the young child than the mother, who tends to be more sensitive to the child's abilities and requires less of the child as a conversational partner. We interpret these differences as reflecting parental roles which are in part different and complementary. The mother's specific role is to provide a feeling of security by avoiding situations where the child's established acquisitions would be challenged, while still stimulating the child. The father's specific roles is to prompt the child to attain higher levels of success, even if it means momentarily destabilizing the child. Literature on children's communicative behaviors with each parent was also examined. The sparse amount of research in this field reveals that children may communicate differently with mothers and fathers. The conclusions of this literature review are discussed in terms of different perspectives open for future research.     

Components of attack response inhibition in fencing: Components of attack response inhibition in fencing

Applying the Go/No-Go paradigm to fencing, we investigated the relationship between the moment at which the No-Go signal appeared after a movement had been initiated and the time required by fencers to suppress the motor execution of a step-lunge. Secondarily, we determined a time threshold from which movement inhibition results in an error. The No-Go stimulus was represented by a real attack movement. 18 elite fencers and a fencing master were included in the study. Four force plates measured the horizontal components of the fencer's and master's reaction forces, which were used to calculate the time components of the attack and the response inhibition process. Also, the velocity and displacement of the master's and fencer's respective centres of mass were estimated using inverse dynamics. In all cases, cognitive inhibition processes were completed after the onset of movement. Movement time was calculated using four time components (muscle activation, muscle deactivation, transition and braking time). The results obtained revealed that cognitive processes were not significantly affected by the timing of the appearance of the No-Go signal. In contrast, movement time and its time components tended to decrease when the time delay between the No-Go stimulus and the onset of the fencer's movement increased. In conclusion, any attempt to withhold an attack movement when it has already started leads to an error that increases the risk of being hit by the opponent, especially when attack is inhibited within 150?ms after the movement has started.     

A polymeric micro-optical interface for flow monitoring in biomicrofluidics

We describe design and miniaturization of a polymeric optical interface for flow monitoring in biomicrofluidics applications based on polydimethylsiloxane technology, providing optical transparency and compatibility with biological tissues. Design and ray tracing simulation are presented as well as device realization and optical analysis of flow dynamics in microscopic blood vessels. Optics characterization of this polymeric microinterface in dynamic experimental conditions provides a proof of concept for the application of the device to two-phase flow monitoring in both in vitro experiments and in vivo microcirculation investigations. This technology supports the study of in vitro and in vivo microfluidic systems. It yields simultaneous optical measurements, allowing for continuous monitoring of flow. This development, integrating a well-known and widely used optical flow monitoring systems, provides a disposable interface between live mammalian tissues and microfluidic devices making them accessible to detection∕processing technology, in support or replacing standard intravital microscopy.     

A case analysis of semantic technologies for R&D intermediation information management

It is evident that companies and research centres can find a myriad of instruments to fund their R&D (Research & Development) activities. Due to the dynamics of the information management in these circumstances there is a need for intermediary businesses intervention. Consequently, intermediary companies are thus involved in a complex process that needs to be managed and controlled. Within this scenario an Information Technology (IT) platform, named RDi-Advise, was developed by EgeoIT using semantic technologies to support R&D process decisions. This case analysis describes the development and implementation of the platform including the lessons learned during the activity period.     

Information Privacy in the Marketspace: Implications for the Commercial Uses of Anonymity on the Web

While there is no question that the commercial development of the World Wide Web is still in its infancy and growing rapidly, this development faces a serious barrier to ultimate commercialization. In this article we develop the argument that the primary barrier to the successful commercial development of the Web is the current lack of consumer trust in this new commercial medium. This lack of trust is engendered primarily by the industry's documented failure to respond satisfactorily to mounting consumer concerns over information privacy in electronic, networked environments. We examine how such concerns are affecting the growth and development of consumer-oriented commercial activity on the World Wide Web and investigate the implications of these concerns for potential industry response. In the short run, the commercial development of the Web depends on giving consumers the opportunity to be anonymous when engaging in information exchanges and online transactions. Ultimately, however, commercial Web providers must come to realize that the Internet dramatically shifts the balance of power between a business and its customers, and therefore, radical new business strategies will be required for long-term success. Because the Web offers unprecedented opportunities for interacting with customers, strategies that take advantage of the medium's unique features are likely to reap important rewards in customer satisfaction, loyalty, and retention. Therefore, in the long run, the most effective way for commercial Web providers to develop profitable exchange relationships with online customers is to gain consumer trust by allowing the balance of power to shift toward more cooperative interactions between firms and their customers.     

Help requests in tutoring at 30 months: Adaptation to the social situation

This study lies at the crossroads between the study of tutoring interactions and the study of communicative skills in young children. Our goal was to show that in a tutor-novice problem solving situation, the frequency and the nature of the novice’s requests vary with the type of tutor. Three groups of twelve 30 months-old children (novices) were observed in interaction with a child tutor, their mother, and a female experimenter as they performed two assembly tasks. We examined the frequency, form, and content of the children’s requests for help, and their connection with some of the tutor’s actions. The main results showed that the children made more requests of adult tutors, and that direct forms were more frequent with the mother than with a child tutor. The results also indicated that these differences were not due to request-inducing or inhibiting actions on the part of the tutor. It is concluded that young novices are capable of adapting their help requests to the characteristics of their tutors.     

A methodological approach for object-relational database design using UML

The most common way of designing databases is by means of a conceptual model, such as E/R, without taking into account other views of the system. New object-oriented design languages, such as UML (Unified Modelling Language), allow the whole system, including the database schema, to be modelled in a uniform way. Moreover, as UML is an extendable language, it allows for any necessary introduction of new stereotypes for specific applications. Proposals exist to extend UML with stereotypes for database design but, unfortunately, they are focused on relational databases. However, new applications require complex objects to be represented in complex relationships, object-relational databases being more appropriate for these requirements. The framework of this paper is an Object-Relational Database Design Methodology, which defines new UML stereotypes for Object-Relational Database Design and proposes some guidelines to translate a UML conceptual schema into an object-relational schema. The guidelines are based on the SQL: 1999 object-relational model and on Oracle8i as a product example.