Heart Rate Response to a Modified Harvard Step Test: Males and Females,Age 10–69

Abstract

The residents of an entire community are being examined periodically in an effort to determine the etiologic factors which lead to impaired health. As a part of this study, a submaximal test consisting of stepping onto an 8-inch bench at the rate of 24 steps/ minute for three minutes was administered to 2696 males and 2568 females, aged 10–69. The ECG, from which heart rate (HR) was measured, was recorded before, during, and after the exercise. Resting, exercise, and postexercise HR's are significantly higher for females at all ages. Pre-exercise HR decreases from age 10 to about age 25 in males and females, and shows little age change thereafter. In both males and females the terminal (3 minute) HR decreases from age 10 to 35, remains fairly constant to age 55, and decreases thereafter. The postexercise HR decreases again at age 65 in males and females. Reclining pre-exercise HR is moderately correlated with the exercise and postexercise HR at all ages in males and females. However, there is only a low correlation between either sitting or standing anticipatory HR and exercise and postexercise HR's. The HR's at 2′30” and 3′ during exercise are highly correlated as are the various postexercise HR's with each other at all ages and in both males and females. The correlation of the exercise HR and postexercise HR is moderately high. Percentile ranks for males and females (age 10–69) are given for the 1-minute postexercise HR's.     

Efficiency of neutron tomography in visualizing the internal structure of metal artefacts from Mapungubwe museum collection with the aim of conservation

AimEstimating physical stability as well as revealing signs of fabrication in metal artefacts via two complementary nondestructive methods, neutron- and X-ray tomography were the main goals of this study.AbstractTo aid conservation management of metal artefacts improved knowledge of the internal structure and degree of corrosion therein is highly desired. In this study, neutron- and X-ray tomography were chosen as two complementary noninvasive visualization techniques to study internal structure and corrosion of five representative examples of archaeological metal artefacts from the Mapungubwe museum collection. Tomography was performed at the Neutron Radiography (SANRAD) facility of the South African Nuclear Energy Corporation where thermal neutrons as well as complementary X-rays are conveniently available under one roof. Comparative studies revealed neutron tomography to be generally superior to X-ray tomography due to the enhanced penetration properties of neutrons through the metal objects. In this paper the rich capability of neutron tomography as a nondestructive visualization aid for scientific conservation purposes is introduced and supported by results achieved for the five selected real artefacts.     

Evaluation of Education for the Professions

All who educate for the professions share certain common problems: (a) defining the professional's role in precise terms, (b) identifying the essential components to prepare him to function in that role, (c) developing these into an adequate program, (d) selecting good prospects for the profession, (e) appraising the adequacy of the program, and (f) encouraging the growth of professionals in practice. Because instruments available for screening prospective professionals are far from perfect, and using the data obtained from them tends to involve tough decisions, too many who educate for the professions tend to rely primarily on candidates' earlier academic records and measures of scholastic aptitude. Instead, they must continue to try to identify those unique factors which contribute to success in practice and develop measuring instruments, observation techniques, and/or standard interviews which can be used to predict success prior to admission to professional preparation programs. Finally, there can be no substitute for committed staff members who can teach, who care about their students as persons, who can encourage and excite learning, and who can do the necessary research to improve the quality of professional services.     

Publishing public performance results on the Internet: Do stakeholders use the Internet to hold Dutch public service organizations to account?

This paper analyzes the relation between publishing public performance results on the Internet, stakeholder accountability, and the effectiveness and legitimacy of Dutch public service organizations. The empirical research focuses on Web sites with performance results of schools and hospitals. These results are published on the Internet by ‘third parties’ (government organizations, associations of public service organizations, and newspapers). Publications of performance results stimulate schools and hospitals to score better on performance indicators because they feel the ‘public eyes’ on them. However, the risk of a ‘performance paradox’ and adverse effects is great since strategic behavior may lead to higher scores but not improve the effectiveness of these organizations. The research provides moderate support for negative effects on the legitimacy of schools and hospitals which may be attributed to the sole use of the Internet as a medium for access to information and negligence of its communicative potential.     

From higher education to work patterns of labor market entry in Germany and the US

Comparative studies describing the transition from higher education to work have often simplified the complex transition processes involved. In this paper we extend previous research by taking into account several steps that comprise labor market entry, e.g., recurrent education leading to more than one instance of labor market entry. By comparing Germany and the United States we also examine how the tertiary education systems influence these transitions via the mode of stratification (parallel tracks in Germany vs. consecutive tracks in the US), the coordination mechanism (state-controlled vs. market-based) and the degree of standardization in educational programs. In our empirical analyses using large-scale longitudinal survey data we find that transitions in the US are less standardized and regulated than in Germany. Furthermore, differences between students from lower- and higher-tier institutions are less marked than expected, both within and between the two countries.     

三片羽毛

从前有个国王,他有三个儿子。老大和老二聪明伶俐,小儿子却很单纯,不爱说话,他们管他叫缺心眼。国王年纪大了,身体虚弱,想到身后之事,觉得难以确定究竟由哪个儿子来继承     

An investigation of the construct validity of the personality trait of self-directed learning

Based on samples of 398 middle school students, 568 high school students, and 1159 college students, self-directed learning was found to be related to cumulative grade-point-average at all levels as well as to Big Five personality traits (Openness, Conscientiousness, Emotional Stability, and Extraversion), narrow personality traits (Optimism, Career-Decidedness, Work Drive, and Self-Actualization), vocational interests (Realistic, Investigative, Artistic, and Conventional, as well as Science, Medicine, and Mathematics), cognitive aptitudes, and life as well as college satisfaction. Based on an additional sample of 4125 college students, a confirmatory factor analysis was used to verify a single factor structure for our 10-item measure of self-directed learning. Results were discussed in terms of personality characteristics of self-directed learners, the trans-situational validity of self-directed learning in academic settings, multiple forms of evidence of the construct validity of self-directed learning, and implications for future research and practice.