Temporal aspects of the VO2 response at the power output associated with VO2peak in well trained cyclists--implications for interval training prescription

The power output achieved at peak oxygen consumption (VO2peak) and the time this power can be maintained (i.e., Tmax) have been used in prescribing high-intensity interval training. In this context, the present study examined temporal aspects of the VO2 response to exercise at the cycling power that output well trained cyclists achieve their VO2peak (i.e., Pmax). Following a progressive exercise test to determine VO2peak, 43 well trained male cyclists (M age = 25 years, SD = 6; M mass = 75 kg, SD = 7; M VO2peak = 64.8 ml x kg(-1) x min(-1), SD = 5.2) performed two Tmax tests 1 week apart. Values expressed for each participant are means and standard deviations of these two tests. Participants achieved a mean VO2peak during the Tmax test after 176 s (SD = 40; M = 74% of Tmax, SD = 12) and maintained it for 66 s (SD = 39; M = 26% of Tmax, SD = 12). Additionally, they obtained mean 95% of VO2peak after 147 s (SD = 31; M = 62% of Tmax, SD = 8) and maintained it for 95 s (SD = 38; M = 38% of Tmax, SD = 8). These results suggest that 60-70% of Tmax is an appropriate exercise duration for a population of well trained cyclists to attain VO2peak during exercise at Pmax. However, due to intraparticipant variability in the temporal aspects of the VO2 response to exercise at Pmax, future research is needed to examine whether individual high-intensity interval training programs for well trained endurance athletes might best be prescribed according to an athlete's individual VO2 response to exercise at Pmax.     

Meaning of life as a protective factor of positive affect in acculturation: A resilience framework and a cross-cultural comparison

Although research has demonstrated a strong linkage between meaning of life and positive emotion, few studies have examined this association in the context of acculturation. The purpose of this study was to investigate the predictive effects of meaning of life and acculturative stressor on positive affect in a sample of Chinese international students in Australia and Hong Kong, and to compare these effects between the two groups. Four hundred mainland Chinese postgraduate students at six universities in Hong Kong and 227 Chinese international students at the University of Melbourne in Australia completed a questionnaire that included measures of acculturative stressor, meaning of life, positive affect, and demographic information. The analyses revealed that (1) meaning of life had a strong positive contribution to predict positive affect in acculturation, and acculturative stress had a negative impact on positive affect within both samples; (2) social interaction had a significant negative predictive effect on positive affect in both samples, and academic work served as a significant negative predictor of positive affect in the Hong Kong sample; and (3) meaning of life was found to mediate the relationship between acculturative stress and positive affect in both samples. The theoretical and practical implications of the study are discussed.     

Relationship between laboratory-measured variables and heart rate during an ultra-endurance triathlon

The aim of the present study was to examine the relationship between the performance heart rate during an ultra-endurance triathlon and the heart rate corresponding to several demarcation points measured during laboratory-based progressive cycle ergometry and treadmill running. Less than one month before an ultra-endurance triathlon, 21 well-trained ultra-endurance triathletes (mean +/- s: age 35 +/- 6 years, height 1.77 +/- 0.05 m, mass 74.0 +/- 6.9 kg, = 4.75 +/- 0.42 l x min(-1)) performed progressive exercise tests of cycle ergometry and treadmill running for the determination of peak oxygen uptake (VO2peak), heart rate corresponding to the first and second ventilatory thresholds, as well as the heart rate deflection point. Portable telemetry units recorded heart rate at 60 s increments throughout the ultra-endurance triathlon. Heart rate during the cycle and run phases of the ultra-endurance triathlon (148 +/- 9 and 143 +/- 13 beats x min(-1) respectively) were significantly (P < 0.05) less than the second ventilatory thresholds (160 +/- 13 and 165 +/- 14 beats x min(-1) respectively) and heart rate deflection points (170 +/- 13 and 179 +/- 9 beats x min(-1) respectively). However, mean heart rate during the cycle and run phases of the ultra-endurance triathlon were significantly related to (r = 0.76 and 0.66; P < 0.01), and not significantly different from, the first ventilatory thresholds (146 +/- 12 and 148 +/- 15 beats x min(-1) respectively). Furthermore, the difference between heart rate during the cycle phase of the ultra-endurance triathlon and heart rate at the first ventilatory threshold was related to marathon run time (r = 0.61; P < 0.01) and overall ultra-endurance triathlon time (r = 0.45; P < 0.05). The results suggest that triathletes perform the cycle and run phases of the ultra-endurance triathlon at an exercise intensity near their first ventilatory threshold.     

Development and implementation of a three-dimensional (3D) printing elective course for health science students

Three-dimensional (3D) printing technology has become more affordable, accessible, and relevant in healthcare, however, the knowledge of transforming medical images to physical prints still requires some level of training. Anatomy educators can play a pivotal role in introducing learners to 3D printing due to the spatial context inherent to learning anatomy. To bridge this knowledge gap and decrease the intimidation associated with learning 3D printing technology, an elective was developed through a collaboration between the Department of Anatomy and the Makers Lab at the University of California, San Francisco. A self-directed digital resource was created for the elective to guide learners through the 3D printing workflow, which begins with a patient's computed tomography digital imaging and communication in medicine (DICOM) file to a physical 3D printed model. In addition to practicing the 3D printing workflow during the elective, a series of guest speakers presented on 3D printing applications they utilize in their clinical practice and/or research laboratories. Student evaluations indicated that their intimidation associated with 3D printing decreased, the clinical and research topics were directly applicable to their intended careers, and they enjoyed the autonomy associated with the elective format. The elective and the associated digital resource provided students with the foundational knowledge of 3D printing, including the ability to extract, edit, manipulate, and 3D print from DICOM files, making 3D printing more accessible. The aim of disseminating this work is to help other anatomy educators adopt this curriculum at their institution.     

Learning from education to communicate science as a good story

Science communicators must learn from science educators in their crusade to counteract the traditional boring and inefficient approaches to convey science. Educators encounter a need for methods of teaching that portray science as 'hard fun' and resources that encourage students' minds to burst into action. Narratives are considered by several authors as highly valuable resources for science education. However, little research has been undertaken to measure the efficiency of narratives in the context of science communication to the general public. Recent work however, suggests that narratives are indeed an alternative and an important means for science communication to convey information in an accurate, attractive, imaginative and memorable way. To present scientific information through stories, novels, comics and plays should be regarded as an important means to transmit information in the repertoire of both science teachers and science communicators.     

Determinants of Research Productivity in Spanish Academia

This article aims to widen the empirical evidence about the determinants of Spanish academics’ publication productivity across fields of study. We use the Spanish Survey on Human Resources in Science and Technology addressed to Spanish resident PhDs employed in Spanish universities as academics. Productivity is measured as the total number of publications in a three‐year period. We show how personal and academic variables explain differences in productivity within universities and fields of studies and across fields of research. Female workers report lower productivity than their male counterparts, but family responsibilities do not explain this gender gap. The type of contract and tenure or rank do not seem to have any influence on productivity. Researchers seeking professional promotion rather than altruism or personal satisfaction are more productive and young scholars publish more than their older counterparts. Additionally, we find a certain research‐teaching trade‐off and some nuances in the predictors of publication productivity across birth cohorts and fields of study. Finally, international cooperation is one of the most relevant determinants of the number of publications, regardless of the birth cohort. The institutional context in the Spanish research system as regards requirements for promotion and the assessment of research outcomes may contribute to the understanding and interpretation of our results.     

Cross-lagged cross-subject bidirectional predictions among achievements in mathematics,English language and Chinese language of school children

This study aimed to explore the cross-lagged association of achievements in mathematics and languages. While the effect of language on achievements in mathematics is well-documented, few studies have examined the reciprocal relationships among mathematics, the Chinese language and the English language in the same study. This study conducted a secondary analysis of longitudinal achievement data collected through the Territory-wide System Assessment (TSA) in Hong Kong. The sample comprised 48,547 third-grade, unbalanced bilingual students who were measured three times over six years: in 2007 (in Grade 3), 2010 (Grade 6) and 2013 (Grade 9). Multilevel cross-lagged analysis found prior achievement in a subject was the strongest predictor of achievement in that subject three years later. Furthermore, cross-subject bidirectional prediction was found among achievements in mathematics, Chinese language and English language for students from Grade 3 to Grade 6 and from Grade 6 to Grade 9.