Comment on Dissociation between running economy and running performance in elite Kenyan distance runners

Mooses and colleagues suggest that running economy alone does not explain superior distance running performance in elite Kenyan runners. Whilst we agree with the multi-factorial hypothesis for Kenyan running success, we do not believe that running economy can be overlooked to the extent that it was based on this particular study. Based on the methods used and the range of athletes tested, in this response letter we question whether this study provides any basis for downplaying the influence of running economy or suggesting that other factors compensate for it to enable superior performance.     

“武、巫、舞”的融合与分解：非洲武技与中国武术差异性释例

从非洲文化的角度介绍“非洲武技”（或“非洲武艺”）的概念,描述非洲人对格斗术的理解并提出“非洲武技”的“武、巫、舞”概念,即将格斗、巫术和舞蹈的三位一体视为“非洲武技”的核心。另外,简要对比非洲武技与中国武术两个概念,以显出二者的相似与差异之处,便于促进中非文化理解。最后简单介绍了“非洲武技”中比较为有代表性的格斗术如Engolo、Dambe、Laamb、Donga以及 Zulu Stick Fighting（祖鲁棍法）。     

《日用家当》——美国黑人文学双重文化的反映

美国黑人文学既继承了非洲的文化传统又成长于美国文明的土壤中,有着双重文化的特点,本文通过对美国黑人文学《日用家当》的分析,透视了黑人文学中双重文化的特点.     

“They Even Speak Tsotsitaal with Their Teachers at School”: The Use (and Abuse) of African Urban Youth Languages in Educational Contexts

Abstract

African Urban Youth Languages (AUYLs) are increasingly coming under the spotlight of linguists and sociolinguists across the continent, who are investigating their relationship to standard and/or vernacular varieties. Simultaneously, they are being discussed by educators and education researchers, although little has yet been published in this critical area. The difficulties for educators posed by students speaking “non-standard” varieties has been highlighted by recent studies investigating literacy and language in the classroom. This article presents an overview of some of the challenges posed to education by AUYLs. It considers recent studies of AUYLs in educational contexts from around the continent. It then presents data from South Africa which highlights different orientations towards the South African AUYL “Tsotsitaal” in educational domains. The argument is made that the position of both teachers and pupils is vulnerable, and that the legitimacy of the distinction between standard language and urban vernacular language needs to be reconsidered.     

中非文化交流困境及中国对非教育的使命

在中非友好交流进程中,文化的战略性地位日益凸显。然而,中非文化是两种不同的文化型式,由于文化型式间发展的不平衡,它们在交流过程中必然会产生一些困境与障碍。教育是文化交流的重桥梁和纽带,在消解中非文化交流困境中,中国对非教育负有重的使命。     

中国进口非洲石油面临的机遇与挑战

非洲的石油储量巨大，被祢为“第二个海湾地区”。近年来，非洲石油工业发展迅速，成为全球石油勘探活动最活跃的一个新区。在非洲发掘新的市场空间，不仅是西方大国重视非洲的因素，也是中国外交不可忽视的因素。中国进口非洲石油面临着前所未有的机遇，也面临着前所未有的挑战，总的来说机遇大于挑战。     

治疗美国黑人两性关系:对《吃盐的人》的文化解读

本论文以小说《吃盐的人》中的薇尔玛和两位男性人物詹姆斯及弗莱德在黑人性别话语中的表现为研究对象,运用文化剖析的策略细读文本,旨在揭示美国黑人男女两性关系存在着严重的危机,以及白人统治的社会语境所造成的社会偏见与文化创伤。本文认为通过“文化治疗”实现黑人的两性和谐已成为整个黑人群体无法回避的现实选项。     

Describing students of the African Diaspora: Understanding micro and meso level science learning as gateways to standards based discourse

In much of the educational literature, researchers make little distinction between African-American students and students of the African Diaspora who immigrated to the United States. Failing to describe these salient student differences serves to perpetuate an inaccurate view of African-American school life. In today’s large cities, students of the African Diaspora are frequently learning science in settings that are devoid of the resources and tools to fully support their success. While much of the scholarship unites these disparate groups, this article details the distinctive learning culture created when students from several groups of the African Diaspora learn biology together in a Brooklyn Suspension Center. Specifically this work explains how one student, Gabriel, functions in a biology class. A self-described black-Panamanian, Gabriel had tacitly resigned to not learning science, which then, in effect, precluded him from any further associated courses of study in science, and may have excluded him from the possibility of a science related career. This ethnography follows Gabriel’s science learning as he engaged in cogenerative dialogue with teachers to create aligned learning and teaching practices. During the 5 months of this research, Gabriel drew upon his unique lifeworld and the depth of his hybridized cultural identity to produce limited, but nonetheless important demonstrations of science. Coexistent with his involvement in cogenerative dialogue, Gabriel helped to construct many classroom practices that supported a dynamic learning environment which produced small yet concrete examples of standards based biology. This study supports further investigation by the science education community to consider ways that students’ lifeworld experiences can serve to structure and transform the urban science classroom.

Kinship,Camaraderie and Contestation: Fāṭimid Relations with the Ashrāf in the Fourth/Tenth Century.

The founding of the Fā?imid caliphate across the southern Mediterranean, and then in Egypt, Syria and the ?ijāz at the turn of the fourth/tenth century, necessitated its negotiation with the ashrāf, those who claimed lineal descent from the Prophet Mu?ammad, and who by this time had gained significant influence as a social class based on their charismatic descent. While other dynastic powers fostered relationships with various members of the ashrāf, the Fā?imid–ashrāf dynamics were distinctive in that the Fā?imids legitimised their rule as Ismā?īlī Shī?ī imām-caliphs, based on their claim of descent from the Prophet Mu?ammad, and as the sole successors to his authority and leadership over the Islamic world. Consequently, Fā?imid–ashrāf relations were permeated by fraternal camaraderie as well as by competing contestations based on their shared claim to Prophetic lineage.     

Are gait characteristics and ground reaction forces related to energy cost of running in elite Kenyan runners?

The aim of this study was to determine whether gait cycle characteristics are associated with running economy in elite Kenyan runners. Fifteen elite Kenyan male runners completed two constant-speed running sets on a treadmill (12 km ·h^?1 and 20 km ·h^?1). VO₂ and respiratory exchange ratio values were measured to calculate steady-state oxygen and energy cost of running. Gait cycle characteristics and ground contact forces were measured at each speed. Oxygen cost of running at different velocities was 192.2 ± 14.7 ml· kg^?1· km^?1 at 12 km· h^?1 and 184.8 ± 9.9 ml· kg^?1· km^?1 at 20 km· h^?1, which corresponded to a caloric cost of running of 0.94 ± 0.07 kcal ·kg^?1·km^?1 and 0.93 ± 0.07 kcal· kg^?1· km^?1. We found no significant correlations between oxygen and energy cost of running and biomechanical variables and ground reaction forces at either 12 or 20 km· h^?1. However, ground contact times were ~10.0% shorter (very large effect) than in previously published literature in elite runners at similar speeds, alongside an 8.9% lower oxygen cost (very large effect). These results provide evidence to hypothesise that the short ground contact times may contribute to the exceptional running economy of Kenyan runners.