Validation of a novel multi‑exercise approach to isometric resistance training in normotensive adults:Validation of novel isometric training device

PurposeShort- to long-term isometric resistance training (IRT) can produce clinically meaningful reductions in resting blood pressure, but established methods are costly or require laboratory access. An affordable method could improve accessibility; however, there is a need to establish efficacy and safety prior to prescription as an alternative IRT method. This study aims to determine whether a novel isometric training band (ITB) can elicit cardiovascular (CV) responses (blood pressure [BP] and heart rate [HR]) comparable with those of established methods.MethodsFifteen normotensive adults (systolic [sBP]; 120 ± 3 mmHg, diastolic [dBP]; 71 ± 6 mmHg) completed a single 2-min isometric handgrip contraction (IHG) at 30% maximal voluntary contraction (MVC) followed by 2-min contractions for four individual ITB exercises at a self-determined intensity to replicate perceived exertion (CR-10) during IHG. A further 15 normotensive participants (sBP; 118 ± 6 mmHg, dBP; 68 ± 7 mmHg) completed bouts of IRT (IHG, 4 × 2 min at 30% MVC; ITB, 4 × 2 min at imposed CR-10 values [4–5]), with CV responses compared between bouts.ResultsNo differences in BP responses were detected between IHG and each ITB exercise (P > 0.05). CR-10 values and HRs were comparable between the individual IHG contraction and three ITB exercises (P > 0.05). Between bouts, regulating contraction intensity through imposed CR-10 values resulted in comparable BP responses (P > 0.05).ConclusionThese findings suggest that a novel ITB and associated protocol may serve as versatile, inclusive, and accessible alternative method for performing IRT

Children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities, Online Harms, and Stakeholder Responses

In the real world, I’m a coward. When I’m online I’m a heroThe above quote is paraphrased from a conversation with a young man with autism spectrum disorder, discussed in more detail in chapter 8. In this conversation he was expressing frustration about his teachers’ worries about what he does online, and how he felt they were overly cautious and protectionist about his use of technology. In his view, digital technology afforded him positive outcomes that did not manifest naturally in the “real” world around him. He was extremely positive about his online gaming and the communities around that. The digital world is now deeply woven into the fabric of young people’s lives. For those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), technology can be an invaluable tool—offering communication, independence, social connection, and access to education in ways that were previously unimaginable. However, alongside these opportunities lie significant risks. The online experiences of young people with SEND are shaped not only by their own digital engagement but also by the responses of those around them—parents, educators, social workers, and policymakers—who play a vital role in safeguarding and supporting them. A dearth of literature (Griffin, 2014, Katz and Amin 2018) highlights how children with SEND have been largely ignored in relation to online risk and opportunities (safeguarding), with the focus predominantly on children within mainstream schools without a learning need or disability. There are some unique challenges for children with SEND that can potentially place them at a greater risk than mainstream children and which can have a significant and long-lasting effect on mental health, self-esteem and development. <br/

Case studies of drivers of ionospheric upwellings

Electron precipitation is a phenomenon that occurs when highly energetic electrons are “rained” into the ionosphere through electromagnetic waves energisation, and as a result, ambipolar electric field is set up to accelerate particles such as O+ to higher energy in order to cause an upwelling. Similarly, Joule heating, which points to neutral atmosphere heating, can also cause the neutral gas to upwell and as a result, pull up ions along the field lines. Analysis of the EISCAT Svalbard Radar (ESR) data in this work indicates periods when (i) ambipolar electric field is set up to drive ion upflow, (ii) Joule heating is responsible to the upwelling ions, and (iii) when both drivers combined to cause the energisation of the ion for upflow. The peak upwelling during the March 15, 2007 ambipolar-electric-field-driven event indicates enhanced ion flux of up to 1.0x10^(14) m^-2 s^-1, covering up to the upper E-region. However, the September 11, 2007 event is Joule-heating-driven, and the heating is most effective in the F-region altitude, modifying the plasma pressure gradient and resulting in field-aligned ion acceleration. When strong electric field drives ion population through the neutral gas, friction heating occurs and an elevation of the plasma pressure gradient as a result. This is observed in the September 29, 2007 event, where both ambipolar electric field and the Joule heating are co-drivers, making the upwellings to cover long duration of up to 5 h. Data from Cooperative UK Twin Located Auroral Sounding System (CUTLASS) indicates cusp signature for the dayside events

Economic policies, labour unions, and voter turnout in the advanced industrial democracies

There is a large body of literature that examines the effect of labour unions on voter turnout. The empirical findings consistently point at the positive impact unions have on voter turnout. However, to the best of my knowledge no study accounts for the factors that affect union membership. Based on data from 20 advanced industrial democracies observed between 1960 and 2015, this study examined the socioeconomic factors influencing union membership that influence voter participation

Institutional Fiefdoms: The implementation of governance and new norms within an emerging strategic action field

As command economies transition toward economic liberalisation, the underdevelopment of market-supporting institutions often creates institutional voids at the microscale. Drawing on Fligstein and McAdam’s (2011) theory of strategic action fields, this paper examines the emergence of ‘Institutional Fiefdoms’: socially constructed spaces of collective action where incumbents, typically the state, rely on politically aware social actors to develop policy and provide governorship within these voids. The governance units within an institutional fiefdom are drawn from the challenger base of the strategic action field, moving into the middle position to influence and shape how the field evolves. Leveraging their social and political capital, they can design policy and processes that contradict state-held ideologies by positioning it appropriately within the legal-institutional context, and ensuring economic and political objectives are met. By developing support mechanisms that reinforce the structure and stability of the field, governance units can enforce desired behaviours among challengers, whilst maintaining their own central position and autonomy. Importantly, governance units can establish new institutional norms, influencing the wider state infrastructure, for example, through the creation of new laws. This paper is focused in two contexts, which have undergone economic liberalisation; rapidly, in the case of the Republic of Poland’s Shock Therapy, and gradually, in the case of the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam’s Doi Moi. The paper focuses specifically on the changes that impacted the nonprofit sector, in particular, social enterprises. The findings contribute to our theoretical understanding of field governance mechanisms, as well as how governance units themselves emerge, operate, and express their agency. We position institutional fiefdoms as being defined by rule complexity, new or novel institutional norms being established, and the embedding of the field’s social order

Synovial Sarcoma: The Influence of Clinicopathological Variables on Overall Survival in a UK Population

Introduction Synovial sarcoma accounts for 5%-10% of malignant soft-tissue tumours. Curative treatment includes surgery, with radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy. With no specific treatment regimen for synovial sarcoma, the primary aim of this research was to describe the characteristics of a regional synovial sarcoma population in the UK, and to investigate clinicopathological variables associated with overall survival. MethodsNinety-four patients with synovial sarcoma from the East Midlands Sarcoma Service database were pseudo anonymised and clinicopathological variables extracted. Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression statistical analyses were used to identify variables affecting overall survival. Results Mean age at diagnosis was 42 years (range 8 – 83 years). Over half (n=50, 53%) of patients had a tumour in the lower limb. Thirty-seven (39.6%) had a tumour size of &lt;5cm. Sixteen (17%) patients had local recurrence, and under half (n=40 43.5%) developed metastatic disease. Most patients (n=63, 63%) were initially treated with surgery. The majority (n=58, 61.7%) had a monophasic subtype, and the overall survival of the whole cohort was 83 months (95% CI 39.1-127.8). Increasing tumour size and distant recurrence (metastasis) had a significantly negative impact on median overall survival (p = 0.0001). Patients who underwent surgery and radiotherapy had a significantly better median overall survival (p = 0.02). Multivariable analysis identified adjuvant radiotherapy (p = 0.039), lower limb tumour (p = 0.033), and tumour size (&lt;5 cm p = 0.006, 5-10 cm p = 0.0001, &gt;10 cm p = 0.013) as significant survival predictors. Conclusion Adjuvant radiotherapy is a novel independent prognostic marker for synovial sarcoma

Prevention of violence against women/girls so as to build safe-spaces for women in educational universities in Viet Nam

The objectives of this research were to address these gaps and to support gender-sensitive teaching and awareness in teacher training within universities that can change Higher Education (HE) environments and change teaching and educational activities in schools. The project had four key aims to address:1. Conducting a detailed needs assessment and analysis of current teacher-training programmes to identify how gender sensitive they are, such as if the programme raises awareness of women’s rights and if the textbooks or curriculum promote non-traditional gender roles.2. Evaluate the environment and current situation of gender inequality and GBV in schools by engaging with officials, lecturers, staff and female students at five pedagogical universities from all three regions of Viet Nam (North, Central and South).3. Develop and implement training materials on gender-related issues and gender equality (prevention and response to GBV) for students and lecturers at pedagogical universities in Viet Nam.4. Make recommendations to the Ministry of Education and Training (MOET), as well as HEIs more widely, on the implementation of mainstreaming curricula on gender, gender equality and prevention of violence against women/girls (at all levels of education, but especially for pedagogical university students).To address these aims, and to improve the environment within universities in Viet Nam, establishing a safe-space for students, lecturers and staff’s physicality and mentality, the partners from the UK and Viet Nam had run in-person and online training workshops; and had a roundtable policy table with representatives of MOET. This research paper provides the findings from these training workshops and evaluation of the training workshops

The relationship between muscle oxygen saturation kinetics and maximal blood lactate accumulation rate across varying sprint cycle durations

This study evaluated the relationship between muscle oxygen saturation (SmO 2) and the maximal blood lactate accumulation rate (vLa max) during three test durations (10, 15 and 30 s) to validate the optimal test duration of vLa max protocol. Thirteen developmental trained males (age: 27 ± 6 years and peak power: 1133 ± 185W and 14.88 ± 1.61 W·kg -1) performed three maximal cycle tests (10, 15 and 30 s). Performance metrics were measured throughout; peak power, mean power, and cadence. vLa max was determined using blood lactate concentrations following each test. SmO 2 of the vastus lateralis was measured using a MOXY device via near-infrared spectroscopy, throughout all experimental conditions. The shortest test (10 s) produced a significantly (p = 0.005; p &lt; 0.001) higher vLa max (0.83 ± 0.15 mmol·L -1·s -1) than 15 s (0.67 ± 0.13 mmol·L -1·s -1) and 30 s (0.43 ± 0.06 mmol·L -1·s -1). Three relationships between SmO 2 kinetics and vLa max were observed: (1) a very strong inverse relationship (r = -0.994, p &lt; 0.001) between SmO 2 desaturation and vLa max time dependent kinetics, (2) a significant inverse relationship (r = -0.648, p &lt; 0.001) between SmO 2 time spent at the nadir and vLa max and (3) a moderate relationship (r = 0.508, p = 0.11) and similar time to attain the SmO 2 nadir (8.47 ± 1.50s) and vLa max (8.92 ± 0.77s). These results validate the 10-s test duration for determination of vLa max verified with mathematical modelling predicting peak vLa max occurs at ∼9 s. SmO 2 desaturation closely reflects the vLa max kinetics, with the time points of the SmO 2 nadir and peak vLa max closely corresponding. </p