Interferential therapy effect on mechanical pain threshold and isometric torque after delayed onset muscle soreness induction in human hamstrings

This study was undertaken to examine the acute effect of interferential current on mechanical pain threshold and isometric peak torque after delayed onset muscle soreness induction in human hamstrings. Forty-one physically active healthy male volunteers aged 18-33 years were randomly assigned to one of two experimental groups: interferential current group (n = 21) or placebo group (n = 20). Both groups performed a bout of 100 isokinetic eccentric maximal voluntary contractions (10 sets of 10 repetitions) at an angular velocity of 1.05 rad · s(-1) (60° · s(-1)) to induce muscle soreness. On the next day, volunteers received either an interferential current or a placebo application. Treatment was applied for 30 minutes (4 kHz frequency; 125 μs pulse duration; 80-150 Hz bursts). Mechanical pain threshold and isometric peak torque were measured at four different time intervals: prior to induction of muscle soreness, immediately following muscle soreness induction, on the next day after muscle soreness induction, and immediately after the interferential current and placebo application. Both groups showed a reduction in isometric torque (P < 0.001) and pain threshold (P < 0.001) after the eccentric exercise. After treatment, only the interferential current group showed a significant increase in pain threshold (P = 0.002) with no changes in isometric torque. The results indicate that interferential current was effective in increasing hamstrings mechanical pain threshold after eccentric exercise, with no effect on isometric peak torque after treatment.     

‘Knowledge Workers’ as the New Apprentices: The Influence of Organisational Autonomy, Goals and Values on the Nurturing of Expertise

This paper explores the concept of apprenticeship in the context of the professional formation of knowledge workers. It draws on evidence from research conducted in two knowledge intensive organizations: a research-intensive, elite university; and a ‘cutting edge’ software engineering company. In the former, we investigated the learning environments of contract researchers, whilst in the latter, we focused on the learning environments of software engineers. Both organisations have ‘global’ reach in that they operate within international marketplaces and see themselves as international players. The paper asks to what extent the important role of maturation with regard to the formation of expertise is being undermined by the pressurised nature of contemporary workplaces (in both the public and private sectors). It argues that conceiving the professional formation of knowledge workers as apprenticeship provides a way forward to improve the way employers construct and support that formation.     

语言、技术和学习综述

随着现代信息技术的发展以及外语学习群体的变化,国家现有的课程以及教材、教学方法等需要进行调整和改革。语言教材、包括基于技术的语言教材的开发应该有坚实的理论基础,要遵循语言描述、语言学习、语言教学的主要方法,考虑学习者的个体差异,关注技术应用于语言教学的利弊,以符合语言教材评价的原则,满足学习者多样化的需求,使技术在语言教学中得到有效地利用,促进语言学习。