Physiological responses in different intensities of resistance exercise – Critical load and the effects of aging process

Aim was to identify critical load (CL) in young and elderly apparently healthy male cohorts. To contrast the metabolic, cardiovascular and perceptual responses on CL according to age. We evaluated 12 young (23 ± 3 years) and 10 elderly (70 ± 2 years) apparently healthy active males, who underwent: (1) 1 repetition maximum (1RM) test on a 45° Leg Press; (2) on different days, three high-intensity resistance exercise constant load tests (60%, 75% and 90% 1RM) until fatigue (Tlim). Absolute values of both the CL asymptote and curvature constant (kg) were significantly lower in elderly subjects (P < 0.05). In contrast, elderly subjects demonstrated a significantly higher number of repetitions at CL when compared with young subjects (P < 0.05). As expected, oxygen uptake (VO₂) and heart rate (HR) during maximal aerobic exercise testing were significantly reduced in older subjects. However, percent-predicted aerobic capacity were higher in older subjects (P < 0.05). In addition, blood lactate ([La^?]) corrected to Tlim and rating of perceived exertion values were greater in younger subjects at all intensities (P < 0.05). These findings, despite reduced force production in older subjects, endurance-related parameters are well preserved according to age-adjusted percent-predicted values in apparently healthy males.     

Improving Information Literacy Skills for Psychology Majors: The Development of a Case Study Technique

This article describes the development of a faculty–librarian collaborative project that integrated discipline-specific information literacy into an upper-level psychology class. The instruction involved a case study technique in order to increase student engagement in a content area while helping students gain needed information literacy skills that meet professional guidelines. We found that employing this approach enhanced instructor ability to more fully and meaningfully engage with students within a more comfortable classroom atmosphere. This method may be easily adapted to other disciplines as it allows for much creativity and selection of course-relevant themes.     

Cross-boundary e-government systems: Determinants of performance

This study examines the performance of a cross-boundary e-government system. It draws from studies in the fields of e-government, collaborative public management, and information system success with a focus on inter-organizational information systems to develop a conceptual framework. This framework includes efficiency, effectiveness, and accountability as key performance measures; identifies technical, managerial, and inter-organizational factors for success; and develops hypotheses accordingly. Empirical investigation utilizes user-level data from an inter-organizational e-government system that provides integrated commerce and industry service. The results underscore the importance of management support, shared goals, and inter-agency trust in improving all three measures of performance. In addition, citizen-centric and innovative organizational culture enhances efficiency and accountability while administrative interdependence impacts effectiveness and accountability. The managerial and theoretical implications of these findings and future research opportunities are also explored.     

Age related changes in lipid peroxidation and antioxidants in elderly people

Advanced age is associated with an accumulation of free radical damage, which leads to physiological and clinical modifications. Age related changes resulting from free radical reactions include increasing levels of lipid peroxides, alterations in enzyme activities and greater osmotic fragility. The present study was conducted to estimate the level of lipid peroxidation product-Malondialdehyde and antioxidants Catalase and Glutathione in elderly people. An increase in lipid peroxidation and decrease in antioxidants was observed in normal elderly people. Highly significant increase in MDA and decrease in antioxidants was observed in elderly people when complicated with diabetes and hypertension. Supplementation of antioxidants may prevent further oxidative injury in elderly people.     

Learning surgically oriented anatomy in a student-run extracurricular club: an education through recreation initiative

Didactic and laboratory anatomical education have seen significant reductions in the medical school curriculum due, in part, to the current shift from basic science to more clinically based teaching in North American medical schools. In order to increase medical student exposure to anatomy, with clinical applicability, a student-run initiative called surgically oriented anatomy prosectors (SOAP) club was created within the extracurricular program at the Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, The University of Western Ontario, London, Canada. SOAP invites surgeons and residents from various surgical specialties to demonstrate, on a cadaver, a surgical procedure of their choosing. During the demonstration, the anatomy, as it relates to the surgical procedure, is discussed. The students then break into smaller groups to examine the relevant anatomy on the cadavers, during which time the discussion is broadened. The group continues the conversation in a social environment with refreshments. SOAP is one of the most popular extracurricular clubs with 65% of first and second year medical students registered as members. The high demand for SOAP, along with the positive participant feedback, may be due to its utilization of the principle of education through recreation, which seeks to provide opportunities for learning seamlessly throughout all facets of life. It also demonstrates the desire, amongst certain medical students, to learn applied anatomy, particularly within a surgical context.     

Making Space for Place: Mapping Tools and Practices to Teach for Spatial Justice

This article presents a set of spatial tools for classroom learning about spatial justice. As part of a larger team, we designed a curriculum that engaged 10 learners with 3 spatial tools: (a) an oversized floor map, (b) interactive geographic information systems (GIS) maps, and (c) participatory mapping. We analyze how these tools supported learning using notions of politicization. The floor map fed conceptual understandings of the map as a representational text and served as the terrain for an embodied activity to support proportional reasoning about inequitable distributions of resources. The data-rich GIS maps and their zoomability allowed for coordinating across multiple variables to connect patterns in inequities to other social processes. The participatory mapping enabled learners to make discoveries about, connect, and share beyond the individual classroom counterstories from people in the lived streets of their neighborhood. In aggregate, this set of spatial tools produced a complex, hybrid view of the city’s space, which contributed to learners’ political formation.     

Superoxide dismutase and catalase activities and their correlation with malondialdehyde in schizophrenic patients

Free radical mediated pathological processes may have a role in schizophrenia. Free radicals (oxy radicals, such as superoxide, hydroxyl ions and nitric oxide) cause cell injury, when they are generated in excess or when the antioxidant defense is impaired. Both these processes seem to be affected in schizophrenia. In this study we investigated erythrocyte superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) activities as antioxidant enzymes, malondialdehyde (MDA) as a sign of lipid peroxidation in schizophrenic patients. Activities of superoxide dismutase, catalase and malondialdehyde were greater in patients compared with the control group which may reflect increased oxidative stress in the brain tissue of schizophrenics. In the patient group erythrocyte SOD and CAT activities were weakly negative correlated with MDA concentration. These data reveal that antioxidant defense mechanisms might be impaired in schizophrenic patients. These findings also provide a theoretical basis for the development of novel therapeutic strategies, such as antioxidant supplementation.     

The Shadow Report for the "Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW)" with Topics on Gender Diversity Education,Sex Education,and Female Participation in Exercise and Sports

This report primarily responds to the content of the Articles 10 and 12 regarding gender equity education in the governmental report made by the Taiwanese government in 2014 for CEDA W. In order to observe the obstacles and challenges facing gender equity education in our nation today, this report focuses on three aspects: gender diversity education, sex education, and female participation in exercise and sports. In each topic, the current situation and difficulties are discussed first, followed by concrete recommendations.     

Policies for Reporting Test Results to Parents

What are the state and district policies on reporting test results to parents? How well do local districts follow state policies?     

Identifying Factors that Influence the Successful Transition of Criminal Justice Transfer Students

Higher educational institutions place a priority on the retention and timely graduation of students. Previous literature has identified transfer students to have unique concerns and that these concerns vary by major. While previous retention research has reported factors that influence students’ decision to remain in college, many of these studies treated transfer status as a homogenous group. The university in this study enrolls a high percentage of transfer students, and a large percentage of these transfers students enroll in Criminal Justice classes and become Criminal Justice majors. To determine if there are unique risk factors among Criminal Justice transfer students, this study uses multiple measures of transfer status to identify factors that might impact a students’ (1) university involvement, (2) GPA, (3) satisfaction with and sense of belonging to their university and (4) thereby influence their decision to remain in school. The proposition that transfer students as compared to native (nontransfer) students differ on how they face university challenges was also examined. While several variables were found to be important to students’ adjustment to the University, transfer status does not appear to be significant risk factor. Implications of the results are discussed.