Physiological Responses to Maximal Treadmill and Handweighted Exercise

Abstract

The purpose of this investigation was to compare the peak physiological responses among four protocols that employed different amounts of handweighted exercise in 16 males (aged 26.3 ± 4.1 years). The four protocols were (a) uphill treadmill running (UR; 3.36 m-s¹, 2.5% grade increase-3 min¹); (b) uphill treadmill walking while pumping 1.36kg handweights (HW) (UWHW; 1.79ms¹, 5.0% grade increase-3 min¹; (c) treadmill walking while pumping .91-kg HW (WHW; 1.79 m-s¹, 0% grade, .91kg HW increase-3 min¹); and (d) standing in place and pumping HW (SHW; arm work as described in WHW). It was hypothesized that the peak responses would be inversely proportional to the estimated muscle mass activated (i.e., UR = UWHW > WHW > SHW). Dependent variables included peak oxygen uptake (VO₂ peak), peak heart rate (HRpeak), peak ventilation (V_epeak), and peak respiratory exchange ratio (RERpeak). No differences were noted between UR and UWHW with respect to any of the dependent variables. All variables (except RERpeak) were greater (p < .01) in UR and UWHW than either WHW or SHW. RERpeak was greater (p < .01) in UR and UWHW than in WHW. VO₂peak and HRpeak were greater (p < .01) in WHW when compared to SHW. Mean VO₂peak was 97.5, 69.7, and 60% of UR for UWHW, WHW, and SHW, respectively. Therefore, walking and pumping handweights provides a maximal stimulus to the oxygen transport system.     

A case study on the experiences of university-based Muslim women in physical activity during their studies at one UK higher education institution

The case study explores the experiences of Muslim women in the area of physical activity participation conducted whilst they were studying at one UK University. Previous research in the field indicated that Muslim women can be denied opportunities to participate in areas of sport-related physical activity through multiple factors such as socio-cultural, familial, religious or sporting structural constraints. Despite increased knowledge about the inclusion of Muslim girls in school-based physical education and sport, there is a dearth of literature on Muslim women's experiences post their school years. Informed by socio-cultural theories of the body, identity and embodied cultures, the study focuses on Muslim women's early physical activity experiences, university-based participation patterns and reflections on the influences that shaped their attitudes and beliefs towards such participation. Open-ended questionnaires, 34/50 returned (68%), and 6 in-depth interviews were conducted with volunteers studying a wide range of programmes. Content analysis revealed that values, attitudes and behaviours were largely influenced by the family; prior to university, the women's physical activity experiences were mixed and dependent on family activity patterns and school-based opportunities; university recreational sport-related provision did not cater for the women's Islamic needs denying them opportunities to participate. Religious belief and cultural expectations made a significant contribution to the women's preferences for participation environments that respected their Islamic beliefs.     

Accelerating knowledge production on educational leadership and management in East Asia: a strategic analysis

This paper discusses a strategy for accelerating the development of a regionally grounded knowledge base on educational leadership and management in East Asia. The study reviews data on patterns of knowledge production in East Asia, and employs the findings in the development of a strategy for increasing knowledge production. The study concludes that a suitable coordination strategy for the region should incorporate formal and informal strategies, be intermediate in scale and organised around a common research agenda. The authors propose that the substantive findings and the method of strategy analysis may also be relevant for academic leaders in other developing regions of the world.     

The role and contribution of Nurture Groups in secondary schools: perceptions of children,parents and staff

Many secondary schools are now establishing Nurture Groups, an intervention primarily designed for infant school-aged children. However, there is little research indicating that this intervention can be applied effectively to secondary settings. The main aim of this research was to explore how Nurture Groups are implemented into the secondary sector and whether they can be a beneficial intervention for children with social, emotional and behavioural difficulties. The implementation of three secondary school Nurture Groups was examined through the views of 17 secondary school staff and eight parents using focus groups, and six children who had attended the Nurture Groups through individual interviews. Findings indicated that secondary school Nurture Groups can be a valued resource and have benefits for young people. However, they often have a different emphasis from those originally devised by Boxall, because of the developmental differences between sectors. Recommendations for secondary school Nurture Group practitioners are provided.     

Principles and Practice of Scaled Difference Chi-Square Testing

We highlight critical conceptual and statistical issues and how to resolve them in conducting Satorra–Bentler (SB) scaled difference chi-square tests. Concerning the original (Satorra & Bentler, 2001 Satorra, A. and Bentler, P. M. 2001. A scaled difference chi-square test statistic for moment structure analysis. Psychometrika, 66: 507–514. [Crossref], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]) and new (Satorra & Bentler, 2010 Satorra, A. and Bentler, P. M. 2010. Ensuring positiveness of the scaled chi-square test statistic. Psychometrika, 75: 243–248. [Crossref], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]) scaled difference tests, a fundamental difference exists in how to compute properly a model's scaling correction factor (c), depending on the particular structural equation modeling software used. Because of how LISREL 8 defines the SB scaled chi-square, LISREL users should compute c for each model by dividing the model's normal theory weighted least-squares (NTWLS) chi-square by its SB chi-square, to recover c accurately with both tests. EQS and Mplus users, in contrast, should divide the model's maximum likelihood (ML) chi-square by its SB chi-square to recover c. Because ML estimation does not minimize the NTWLS chi-square, however, it can produce a negative difference in nested NTWLS chi-square values. Thus, we recommend the standard practice of testing the scaled difference in ML chi-square values for models M ₁ and M ₀ (after properly recovering c for each model), to avoid an inadmissible test numerator. We illustrate the difference in computations across software programs for the original and new scaled tests and provide LISREL, EQS, and Mplus syntax in both single- and multiple-group form for specifying the model M ₁₀ that is involved in the new test.     

Quality in Kindergarten Classrooms: Observational Evidence for the Need to Increase Children's Learning Opportunities in Early Education Classrooms

Research Findings: Using observational data gathered in 730 kindergarten classrooms in 6 states, the present study focuses on the quality of children's learning opportunities in kindergarten classrooms. Findings show that overall, children experience moderate to low levels of quality in the areas of classroom organization and instructional support in kindergarten. Results are also presented in comparison to children's experiences in the pre-kindergarten year. These comparisons indicate that kindergarten children spend a greater proportion of the school day in language arts, math, and whole-group instruction and less time in centers than they do in pre-kindergarten. An examination of predictors of kindergarten classroom quality indicated that program characteristics (i.e., adult–child ratio, length of school day) and teacher psychological variables (i.e., beliefs and depressive symptoms) were stronger predictors of classroom quality than were teacher experience and educational background. Practice or Policy: Findings are discussed in terms of implications for children's academic and social development in kindergarten as well as for kindergarten teacher preparation and development.     

Treatment Fidelity Challenges in a Five-State Consultation Study

Consultation is a promising approach to creating change in early childhood programs, from innovations in instructional strategies to the enhancement of global program quality. Studies of consultation effectiveness have been hampered by limited reports of implementation fidelity related to consultation procedures. This article describes the challenges of supporting and measuring implementation fidelity in a 5-state study in which community consultants followed a collaborative consultation model to enhance global quality in childcare programs. The authors consider the limitations of using a randomized experimental design to study the effectiveness of consultation and share lessons learned in their efforts to enhance treatment fidelity without compromising the basic tenets of the model or the rigorous design.