The influence of gender-related beliefs and conceptions of ability on women learning the hockey wrist shot

The purpose of this study was to determine the influence of beliefs about gender appropriateness and conceptions of ability on perceived and actual competene and patterns of behavior during practice of the hockey wrist shot. Sixty-eight undergraduate women formed four treatment conditions based on their beliefs about gender appropriateness and conceptions of ability. Four teachers taught across the treatment conditions for a total of 16 learning groups. Data were collected through a three-part questionnaire and from audio-video taping of the entire episode to ascertain the paticipants' competency beliefs, effort, and performance. Gender appropriateness impacted the participants' perceptions of competence and actual performance in the study, while beliefs about conceptions of ability did not produce a significant difference. This study reaffirms that educators must work diligently to combat the stereotypical beliefs many hold with respect to the gender appropriateness of physical activities.     

The Sporting Lives of Sir Shenton Thomas and the Male European Internees at Changi Prison Camp During the Japanese Occupation of Singapore, 1942–1945

During the Japanese occupation of British Malaya and Southeast Asia from the years 1942 to 1945 there were reports of POWs being allowed to play cricket, football, rugby and basketball, as told by Kevin Blackburn in The Sportsmen of Changi published in 2012. This research about the sporting lives of a Governor and male European internees at Singapore's Changi prison is likely to be first detailed research on this topic. The authors depended mainly on four published diaries and 262 issues of the men's camp newspaper, Changi Guardian, to account for the male internees' casual and competitive cricket, football, hockey, volleyball, badminton, tennis and boxing matches that were played during internment. The Japanese Military Administration allowed the male internees to organize their daily lives and play games that they indulged in during the pre-War period as the British dominated the Singapore Cricket Club, Penang Cricket Club and Perak Club. The internees were able to play the various games and matches in spite of the limited food and sparse facilities. Many of the cricket and football games that were played were organized as inter-state, inter-club or league matches. These games were played with improvized equipment and rules.     

Antioxidants in aqueous extract of Myristica fragrans (Houtt.) suppress mitosis and cyclophosphamide-induced chromosomal aberrations in Allium cepa L. cells

In this study, freeze-dried water extract from the leaves of Myristica fragrans (Houtt.) was tested for mutagenic and antimutagenic potentials using the Allium cepa assay. Freeze-dried water extract alone and its combination with cyclophosphamide (CP) (50 mg/kg) were separately dissolved in tap water at 500, 1000, 2000, and 4000 mg/kg. Onions (A. cepa) were suspended in the solutions and controls for 48 h in the dark. Root tips were prepared for microscopic evaluation. 2,2-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radicals’ scavenging power of the extract was tested using butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) and butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) as standards. Water extract of Myristica fragrans scavenged free radicals better than BHA, but worse than BHT. The extract alone, as well as in combination with CP suppressed cell division, and induced chromosomal aberrations that were insignificantly different from the negative control (P≤0.05). However, cytotoxic and mutagenic actions of CP were considerably suppressed. The observed effects on cell division and chromosomes of A. cepa may be principally connected to the antioxidant properties of the extract. The obtained results suggest mitodepressive and antimutagenic potentials of water extract of the leaves of M. fragrans as desirable properties of a promising anticancer agent.     

The New Empire of Capital: The Pedagogy of the Streets

In every generation, some event serves to remind us that the exercise of power is always in part a function of control over geography.