Intensity and physiological strain of competitive ultra-endurance exercise in humans

The aim of this study was to determine the magnitude and pattern of intensity, and physiological strain, of competitive exercise performed across several days, as in adventure racing. Data were obtained from three teams of four athletes (7 males, 5 females; mean age 36 years, s = 11; cycling .VO(2 peak) 53.9 ml . kg(-1) . min(-1), s = 6.3) in an international race (2003 Southern Traverse; 96 - 116 h). Heart rates (HR) averaged 64% (95% confidence interval: +/- 4%) of heart rate range [%HRR = (HR - HR(min))/(HR(max) - HR(min)) x 100] during the first 12 h of racing, fell to 41% (+/-4%) by 24 h, and remained so thereafter. The level and pattern of heart rate were similar across teams, despite one leading and one trailing all other teams. Core temperature remained between 36.0 and 39.2 degrees C despite widely varying thermal stress. Venous samples, obtained before, during, and after the race, revealed increased neutrophil, monocyte and lymphocyte concentrations (P < 0.01), and increased plasma volume (25 +/- 10%; P < 0.01) with a stable sodium concentration. Standardized exercise tests, performed pre and post race, showed little change in the heart rate-work rate relationship (P = 0.53), but a higher perception of effort post race (P < 0.01). These results provide the first comprehensive report of physiological strain associated with adventure racing.     

The use of Wechsler Scales in the assessment of Native Americans of the Columbia River Basin

Native American secondary students from the Columbia Basin were found to have significant Verbal-Performance discrepancies on the WISC-R and WAIS. Mean Verbal scores were significantly below the normative mean, while Performance scores were at, or above, the normative means. These findings substantiated research with other Native American groups. Also, the Verbal and Performance scales correlated so low as to preclude the Full Scale from being an accurate representation of the “g” factor of intelligence. Further, the predictive validity of the WISC-R and the WAIS for reading and math achievement was found to be at variance with the standardization group.     

Issues in the Management of Social Science Research Centres1

Recent years have seen a marked increase in the number, size and importance of social science research centres. The Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), government departments and the universities have variously been responsible for this development, which has accompanied a greater emphasis on applied and multi-disciplinary research. The business-orientation of the centres has encouraged a new, managerial approach to research activity. Here, issues are discussed which relate to corporate development and performance control, finance, personnel, strategy and development, external relations, dissemination and utilisation. It is concluded that centres need to consolidate their role, and that this can only be achieved with the assistance of the sponsoring institutions.     

The Time Is Now

To supply our economy with the professional man-power it must have to meet the political, economic, and military challenges of the Soviet Union and to harvest for the benefit of all people the tremendous potential of the scientific age, America must provide an education that will permit all young people to realize their full potential for mental and intellectual development. These are challenges to man's capacity to know and to understand and to his capacity for disciplined and responsible intelligence. To meet these challenges, America must 1) devise a diverse, multilevel collegiate structure aimed at the development of individual talents and abilities rather than at the inculcation of a fixed body of knowledge; 2) conduct basic research into the educative process to find ways of improving our instruction while increasing its efficiency; 3) re-examine our methods of teaching to find means of emphasizing the development of creativity; 4) establish systematic methods of identifying our talented youth early in their school programs; 5) effect a change in general attitude toward scholarship in our country; and 6) find an equitable and satisfactory means of financing education in proportion to its value for America.