Heart rate and perceived muscle pain responses to a functional walking test in McArdle disease

Abstract

The aim of this study was to assess a 12-min self-paced walking test in patients with McArdle disease. Twenty patients (44.7 ±11 years; 11 female) performed the walking test where walking speed, distance walked, heart rate (HR) and perceived muscle pain (Borg CR10 scale) were measured. Median (interquartile range) distance walked was 890 m (470–935). From 1 to 6 min, median walking speed decreased (from 75.0 to 71.4 m?min^–1) while muscle pain and %HR reserve increased (from 0.3 to 3.0 and 37% to 48%, respectively). From 7 to 12 min, walking speed increased to 74.2 m?min^–1, muscle pain decreased to 1.6 and %HR reserve remained between 45% and 48%. To make relative comparisons, HR and muscle pain were divided by walking speed and expressed as ratios. These ratios rose significantly between 1 and 6 min (HR:walking speed P = .001 and pain:walking speed P < .001) and similarly decreased between 6 and 11 min (P = .002 and P = .001, respectively). Peak ratios of HR:walking speed and pain:walking speed were inversely correlated to distance walked: r_s (HR) = ?.82 (P < .0001) and r_s (pain) = ?.55 (P = .012). Largest peak ratios were found in patients who walked < 650 m. A 12-min walking test can be used to assess exercise capacity and detect the second wind in McArdle disease.     

Teacher factors and perceived assessment practices needs of social studies teachers in Cross River State, Nigeria

This study evaluated perceived assessment practices needs among social studies teachers in Cross River State, Nigeria, in relation to some teacher factors (attitude towards social studies, sex, teaching experience and educational qualification). Subjects who participated in this study were 297 social studies teachers (144 males and 153 females) from 116 secondary schools in the state. Teacher Classroom Assessment Practices Needs Questionnaire (TCANQ) and Teacher Attitude towards social studies Inventory were used for data collection in the study. Cronbach coefficient alpha of .81 and .93 were obtained as estimate of construct validity and internal consistency reliability for the Teacher Classroom Assessment Practices Needs Questionnaire and the Teacher Attitude towards social studies Inventory respectively. Independent t-test, one way analysis of variance and Pearson Product Moment correlation were used to test the hypotheses. Results indicated that gender and teacher qualification significantly influence perceived assessment practices needs of social studies teachers. Significant positive relationship was observed between years of teaching experience and expressed assessment practices needs; and between attitude towards social studies and assessment needs. It was concluded that factors such as years of teaching experience, attitude towards social studies, gender and educational qualification significantly influence social studies teachers perceive priority needs in assessment practices.     

Functional color components used in reading instruction

One hundred ninety third through sixth graders were given either 6, 16, or 26 months of reading instruction with functional color components (FCC) of parts of words. Another 160 children in the same schools did not receive FCC instruction. The results showed that: (a) FCC brought about improvement in reading scores for disability and nondisability children, (b) increasing months of FCC did not bring accelerated improvement in rate of reading, and (c) nondisability children showed greater improvement than did disability children from FCC.     

Interpersonal problem solving and children's social competence: Are current measures valid?

Ninety-four first- and second-grade students participated in a study designed to determine whether a measure of interpersonal problem-solving skill would predict the social competence of children with no clinical history. The social competence measures used in the study included peer ratings (sociometric scores) and teacher ratings. The interpersonal problem-solving measure used yielded three separate scores obtained from ratings of open-ended responses to hypothetical peer problems. To enable control of other variables known to affect social competence, measures of IQ, academic achievement, and SES also were included. Results did not confirm a prior expectation that problem-solving scores would correlate well with competence measures. Correlations between the three problem-solving scores and both peer and teacher ratings all were in the range between .04 and .20. On the other hand, intelligence, achievement, and SES had moderate to high correlations with competence measures (range = .04–.77). In stepwise multiple regressions, only achievement and SES predicted peer and teacher ratings when other variables were controlled.     

Educational policy and the courts: The case of Washington,D. C.

Since 1954, the courts have assumed a great deal of leadership in setting educational policy. In each instance, citizen dissatisfaction with the educational process has led to court suits, often resulting in massive or disruptive changes. However, the blame cannot and should not be leveled on the courts. The problems and solutions have clearly rested with boards of education, local and state legislative bodies, and executives. Their failure to respond affirmatively to various issues is clearly the problem.The District of Columbia presents a marvelous example of governmental inaction and what can result. This paper provides a brief judicial history of education in the District and what the implications have been. The reader must keep in mind that although the District is a city, its government, especially the Board of Education, functions as though on a state level. Thus, court decrees concerning education in Washington, D. C. may give other states the incentive to improve the education of all students, regardless of ethnic or economic background.[/p]Julius Hobson, Jr. is a Member of the District of Columbia Board of Education Washington, D. C.