Influence of body composition on physiological responses to post-exercise hydrotherapy

This study examined the influence of body composition on temperature and blood flow responses to post-exercise cold water immersion (CWI), hot water immersion (HWI) and control (CON). Twenty-seven male participants were stratified into three groups: 1) low mass and low fat (LM-LF); 2) high mass and low fat (HM-LF); or 3) high mass and high fat (HM-HF). Experimental trials involved a standardised bout of cycling, maintained until core temperature reached 38.5°C. Participants subsequently completed one of three 15-min recovery interventions (CWI, HWI, or CON). Core, skin and muscle temperatures, and limb blood flow were recorded at baseline, post-exercise, and every 30 min following recovery for 240 min. During CON and HWI there were no differences in core or muscle temperature between body composition groups. The rate of fall in core temperature following CWI was greater in the LM-LF (0.03 ± 0.01°C/min) group compared to the HM-HF (0.01 ± 0.001°C/min) group (P = 0.002). Muscle temperature decreased to a greater extent during CWI in the LM-LF and HM-LF groups (8.6 ± 3.0°C) compared with HM-HF (5.1 ± 2.0°C, P < 0.05). Blood flow responses did not differ between groups. Differences in body composition alter the thermal response to post-exercise CWI, which may explain some of the variance in the responses to CWI recovery.     

The psychomotor vigilance test: a comparison of different test durations in elite athletes

The 10-min Psychomotor Vigilance Test (PVT-10) is regarded as the gold-standard for assessing vigilant attention following sleep loss; however, other studies have investigated whether shorter versions of the test elicit similar results to the PVT-10. The present study compared the PVT-10 with 3-min (PVT-3) and 5-min (PVT-5) versions of the test in elite female basketball players. Athletes performed all three tests in the morning and evening for seven consecutive days. Response speed (mean reciprocal reaction time; mean 1/RT), number of errors and number of lapses were determined for each test and time point. The PVT-3 elicited significantly faster response speeds than the other two tests (p < 0.01), while the PVT-5 and PVT-10 were not different. The PVT-10 resulted in more lapses than the PVT-5, followed by the PVT-3, with all tests being significantly different to each other (p < 0.01). In conclusion, while the PVT-5 and PVT-10 were generally similar for response speed, the PVT-3 did not produce results comparable with the PVT-10 for response speed, lapses or errors, and should therefore not be used interchangeably. Further research is required to determine whether the shorter tests are a suitable replacement for the PVT-10 in professional basketball players.     

Sleep/wake behaviour of endurance cyclists before and during competition

Good sleep is critical for optimising recovery and athletic performance. Yet, few studies have investigated how athletes sleep before and during competition. The aim of this study was to determine whether such sleep is poorer than that before a usual training day. Twenty-one male endurance cyclists’ (age: 19.9 ± 1.7 years) sleep/wake behaviour was assessed using wrist activity monitors for 11 nights, including a six-night baseline training phase, three nights before competition and two nights during competition. Cyclists had less sleep on the night before competition (6.5 ± 0.9 h) and during the first night of competition (6.8 ± 0.8 h) than at baseline (7.4 ± 0.6 h). Cyclists also went to bed and woke up earlier during competition than at baseline. Competition schedules and competition itself can disrupt the sleep/wake behaviour of athletes during competition. Future investigations should examine sleep during three stages of competition (i.e. before, during and after competition). This will help coaches develop a greater understanding of how sleep changes during different phases of competition and enable them to plan post-competition training programmes to ensure appropriate rest and recovery is obtained.     

Learning and Metamemory Failures Despite Extensive Experience

A number of studies has shown excellent recognition memory for pictures when participants are asked to remember what has been presented. This study explored unpractised memory for the English 5 note-an everyday item containing a great deal of pictorial information. Forty participants were asked to study a copy of the etching of the Rocket locomotive from the reverse side of the note. Of the participants 75% claimed never to have seen the image before, and were confident in their judgements. Further, participants were confident that experimenter claims about bank-note details were wrong. Results point to both dramatic memory failure, and to misrepresentations in memory. They provide a vivid demonstration of the failure of passive learning to encode information reliably, and the need for active learner engagement for effective recall.     

Practical precooling: Effect on cycling time trial performance in warm conditions

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of two practical precooling techniques (skin cooling vs. skin + core cooling) on cycling time trial performance in warm conditions. Six trained cyclists completed one maximal graded exercise test ([Vdot]O_2peak 71.4 ± 3.2 ml · kg^?1 · min^?1) and four ～40 min laboratory cycling time trials in a heat chamber (34.3°C ± 1.1°C; 41.2% ± 3.0% rh) using a fixed-power/variable-power format. Cyclists prepared for the time trial using three techniques administered in a randomised order prior to the warm-up: (1) no cooling (control), (2) cooling jacket for 40 min (jacket) or (3) 30-min water immersion followed by a cooling jacket application for 40 min (combined). Rectal temperature prior to the time trial was 37.8°C ± 0.1°C in control, similar in jacket (37.8°C ± 0.3°C) and lower in combined (37.1°C ± 0.2°C, P < 0.01). Compared with the control trial, time trial performance was not different for jacket precooling (?16 ± 36 s, ?0.7%; P = 0.35) but was faster for combined precooling (?42 ± 25 s, ?1.8%; P = 0.009). In conclusion, a practical combined precooling strategy that involves immersion in cool water followed by the use of a cooling jacket can produce decrease in rectal temperature that persist throughout a warm-up and improve laboratory cycling time trial performance in warm conditions.     

Evidencing learning outcomes: a multi-level,multi-dimensional course alignment model

This conceptual framework proposes a multi-level, multi-dimensional course alignment model to implement a contextualised constructive alignment of rubric design that authentically evidences and assesses learning outcomes. By embedding quality control mechanisms at each level for each dimension, this model facilitates the development of an aligned curriculum. The use of rubrics is a crucial theme for many higher education institutions owing to the binding requirement by universities to provide evidence to quality assurance agencies. The success of evidencing learning outcomes through rubrics, however, is only one piece of the puzzle. The other is the contextualised constructive alignment of intertwined factors. Despite the significance of embedding these factors, there has been little, if any, systematic framework in this area. The two key instrumental forces underpinning the conception of this model are: seeking external accreditation and the implementation of programme enhancement thus realising the strategic agenda for an Australian university.     

Below-average, average, and above-average readers engage different and similar brain regions while reading

Event-related potentials (ERPs) were recorded from 27 children (14 girls, 13 boys) who varied in their reading skill levels. Both behavior performance measures recorded during the ERP word classification task and the ERP responses themselves discriminated between children with above-average, average, and below-average reading skills. ERP amplitudes and peak latencies decreased as reading skills increased. Furthermore, hemisphere differences increased with higher reading skill levels. Sex differences were also related to ERP amplitude variations across the scalp. However, ERPs recorded from boys and girls did not differ as a function of differences in the children's reading levels.     

Relationships of personality,affect, emotional intelligence and coping with student stress and academic success: Different patterns of association for stress and success

The associations of personality, affect, trait emotional intelligence (EI) and coping style measured at the start of the academic year with later academic performance were examined in a group of undergraduate students at the University of Edinburgh. The associations of the dispositional and affect measures with concurrent stress and life satisfaction were also examined. The survey was completed by 238 students, of whom 163 gave permission for their end-of-year marks to be accessed. Complete data for modelling stress and academic success were available for 216 and 156 students respectively. The associations of academic success and stress differed, and high stress was not a risk factor for poor academic performance. Further analyses were based on the extraction of three composite factors (Emotional Regulation, Avoidance and Task Focus) from the EI and coping subscales. Structural equation modelling showed that academic performance was predicted by Conscientiousness, Agreeableness, positive affect and the Task Focus factor. Modelling for stress and life satisfaction showed relationships with personality, affect, and the Task Focus and Emotion Regulation factors. The Task Focus factor played a mediating role in both models, and the Emotion Regulation factor acted as a mediator in the model for stress and life satisfaction. The theoretical interpretation of these results, and their potential applications in interventions targeting at-risk students, are discussed.     

RECORDING BROADCASTS OFF‐AIR:THE LEGAL AND PRACTICAL ASPECTS

Broadcast programmes have been a valuable teaching resource since the British Broadcasting Company started transmitting radio programmes for schools in the 1920's. Although of outstanding quality, broadcasts suffer from two inherent drawbacks as resource material: namely the inability to preview and the problem of matching time‐tables to transmission times.