Response of males and females to high-force eccentric exercise

It has previously been shown that females incur less muscle damage than males after strenuous exercise, but limited data are available for humans. To determine possible differences between the sexes in humans, the response to high-force eccentric exercise was examined in a large sample of women (n = 83) and men (n = 82). The participants performed a bout of eccentric exercise of the elbow flexors consisting of 70 maximal repetitions. Isometric strength, resting elbow angle and muscle soreness were measured before, immediately after (except soreness) and then daily for 7 days after exercise. There was a significant loss in strength among both groups (69% for women and 63% for men) (P < 0.01) immediately after exercise; at 168 h post-exercise, women still had a 27% strength loss and men had a 24% strength loss. No significant difference in strength loss or recovery rate was found between men and women. Soreness reached peak values 32-48 h post-exercise (P < 0.01), with no significant difference between men and women. Range of motion decreased significantly until 3 days after exercise (14.6 degrees or 0.255 rad loss for women; 12.2 degrees or 0.213 rad loss for men) (P < 0.01); at 168 h post-exercise, the women and men still showed a loss of 4.8 degrees (0.084 rad) and 4.0 degrees (0.07 rad), respectively. There was a significant interaction of sex x time (P < 0.01); a post-hoc test indicated that the women experienced a greater loss in range of motion at 72 h than men and this difference was maintained to 168 h post-exercise (P < 0.01). Thus, our results do not support the contention that women have a lower response to eccentric exercise than men.     

Controversy and the state: lord ARPA and intelligent computing

This is a study of a well-known controversy in computer science, between artificial intelligence and neural networks researchers. It examines claims made by participants in the field that the controversy was triggered, shaped and finally resolved in connection to activities of state research agencies, particularly the US Department of Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA). In contrast to these claims, this account concludes that, although ARPA's relations to the controversy among researchers were important, they were indirect. This study thus beings the analytical resources of studies of scientific controversy to bear on a domain which has so far gone largely unexamined in studies of 20th-century controversies - namely, state research policy and management. The account is based on contemporary documents, historical literatuare, and interviews with researchers and ARPA officials.     

夜登西奈山追赶摩西

在星夜打着手电筒重踏摩西走过的路,想象当年垂老的他怎样克服艰险登上西奈山,在熊熊烈火中谛听上帝的诫命,接受上帝与以色列人的约定——这种经历,对基督徒和非基督徒都一样终身难忘。西奈山壮丽的日出,更让登临极顶的旅人遐想无限……     

科学与反科学：一个古老的故事

近来,由于察觉到科学不仅带来进步,而且也带来危险和各种战争技术,所以科学正在受到非难。当代一些哲学家谴责科学尤为激烈,因为在他们看来,科学反生命。这种‘保守的’观点了无新意。法国大革命刚过,一个新冒出的空想派别早已发表过这种看法。本文目的在于从历史角度说明科学是文化的一个组成部分,而用狭隘的或教条的文化观去批评或赞扬科学是无益的。