Cooling interventions for athletes: An overview of effectiveness, physiological mechanisms, and practical considerations.

Exercise-induced increases in core body temperature could negative impact performance and may lead to development of heat-related illnesses. The use of cooling techniques prior (pre-cooling), during (per-cooling) or directly after (post-cooling) exercise may limit the increase in core body temperature and therefore improve exercise performance. The aim of the present review is to provide a comprehensive overview of current scientific knowledge in the field of pre-cooling, per-cooling and post-cooling. Based on existing studies, we will discuss 1) the effectiveness of cooling interventions, 2) the underlying physiological mechanisms and 3) practical considerations regarding the use of different cooling techniques. Furthermore, we tried to identify the optimal cooling technique and compared whether cooling-induced performance benefits are different between cool, moderate and hot ambient conditions. This article provides researchers, physicians, athletes and coaches with important information regarding the implementation of cooling techniques to maintain exercise performance and to successfully compete in thermally stressful conditions

Pre-cooling for endurance exercise performance in the heat: a systematic review.

PMCID: PMC3568721The electronic version of this article is the complete one and can be found online at: http://www.biomedcentral.com/1741-7015/10/166. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.Endurance exercise capacity diminishes under hot environmental conditions. Time to exhaustion can be increased by lowering body temperature prior to exercise (pre-cooling). This systematic literature review synthesizes the current findings of the effects of pre-cooling on endurance exercise performance, providing guidance for clinical practice and further research

Accuracy of the new Icare rebound tonometer vs. other portable tonometers in healthy eyes

PURPOSE: The ICare (Tiolat Oy, Helsinki, Finland) is a new portable tonometer that measures intraocular pressure (IOP) with a new rebound method, in which a very light probe is used to make momentary contact with the cornea in slow motion. The purpose of this study is to assess the accuracy of the ICare IOP measurements by comparing them against other portable tonometers: Perkins applanation tonometer and Tono-Pen XL digital tonometer (Medtronic Solan, Jacksonville, FL). METHODS: Sixty-five young subjects were assessed with each of the tonometers. ICare tonometry was performed first, followed by Perkins applanation tonometry and Tono-Pen XL in a random order. Regression analysis was used to evaluate the relationship between the Perkins tonometer and the remaining tonometers used in this study. Tonometers were also compared by plotting the difference between the methods against the mean. The hypothesis of zero bias was examined by a paired t test and the 95% limits of agreement (LoA) were calculated. RESULTS: ICare and Tono-Pen XL significantly overestimate IOP when compared with Perkins applanation tonometry. The mean of the difference between Perkins and ICare and Perkins and Tono-Pen XL was (mean +/- standard deviation) -3.35 +/- 2.28 mm Hg and -2.78 +/- 2.53 mm Hg, respectively. The 95% LoA between Perkins tonometry and ICare tonometry were between -7.81 and +1.12 and between Perkins tonometry and Tono-Pen XL tonometry between -7.74 and +2.18. CONCLUSIONS: Compared with Perkins tonometry, the ICare tonometer allows clinicians to estimate IOP with a portable, rapid, and noninvasive method with similar reliability to that offered by Tono-Pen XL. Clinicians should be aware of the systematic overestimation of IOP with the ICare. Further research is needed to evaluate the performance of rebound tonometry in populations with higher IOP and assess the reliability of this technique in the early detection and follow up of glaucomatous patients

Effectiveness of short term heat acclimation on intermittent sprint performance with moderately trained females controlling for menstrual cycle phase

YesIntroduction: Investigate the effectiveness of short-term heat acclimation (STHA), over 5-days (permissive dehydration), on an intermittent sprint exercise protocol (HST) with females. Controlling for menstrual cycle phase. Materials and Methods: Ten, moderately trained, females (Mean [SD]; age 22.6 [2.7] y; stature 165.3 [6.2] cm; body mass 61.5 [8.7] kg; VO˙ 2 peak 43.9 [8.6] mL·kg−1 ·min−1 ) participated. The HST (31.0◦C; 50%RH) was 9 × 5 min (45-min) of intermittent exercise, based on exercise intensities of female soccer players, using a motorized treadmill and Wattbike. Participants completed HST1 vs. HST2 as a control (C) trial. Followed by 90 min, STHA (no fluid intake), for five consecutive days in 39.5◦C; 60%RH, using controlled-hyperthermia (∼rectal temperature [Tre] 38.5◦C). The HST3 occurred within 1 week after STHA. The HST2 vs HST3 trials were in the luteal phase, using self-reported menstrual questionnaire and plasma 17β-estradiol. Results: Pre (HST2) vs post (HST3) STHA there was a reduction at 45-min in Tre by 0.20◦C (95%CI −0.30 to −0.10◦C; d = 0.77); Tsk (−0.50; −0.90 to −0.10◦C; d = 0.80); and Tb (−0.25; −0.35 to −0.15◦C; d = 0.92). Cardiac frequency reduced at 45-min (−8; −16 to −1 b·min−1 ; d = 1.11) and %PV increased (7.0; −0.4 to 14.5%: d = 1.27). Mean power output increased across all nine maximal sprints by 56W (−26 to 139W; d = 0.69; n = 9). There was limited difference (P > 0.05) for these measures in HST1 vs HST2 C trial. Discussion: Short-term heat acclimation (5-days) using controlled-hyperthermia, leads to physiological adaptation during intermittent exercise in the heat, in moderately trained females when controlling for menstrual cycle phase

Cooling athletes with a spinal cord injury

Cooling strategies that help prevent a reduction in exercise capacity whilst exercising in the heat have received considerable research interest over the past 3 decades, especially in the lead up to a relatively hot Olympic and Paralympic Games. Progressing into the next Olympic/Paralympic cycle, the host, Rio de Janeiro, could again present an environmental challenge for competing athletes. Despite the interest and vast array of research into cooling strategies for the able-bodied athlete, less is known regarding the application of these cooling strategies in the thermoregulatory impaired spinal cord injured (SCI) athletic population. Individuals with a spinal cord injury (SCI) have a reduced afferent input to the thermoregulatory centre and a loss of both sweating capacity and vasomotor control below the level of the spinal cord lesion. The magnitude of this thermoregulatory impairment is proportional to the level of the lesion. For instance, individuals with high-level lesions (tetraplegia) are at a greater risk of heat illness than individuals with lower-level lesions (paraplegia) at a given exercise intensity. Therefore, cooling strategies may be highly beneficial in this population group, even in moderate ambient conditions (~21 °C). This review was undertaken to examine the scientific literature that addresses the application of cooling strategies in individuals with an SCI. Each method is discussed in regards to the practical issues associated with the method and the potential underlying mechanism. For instance, site-specific cooling would be more suitable for an athlete with an SCI than whole body water immersion, due to the practical difficulties of administering this method in this population group. From the studies reviewed, wearing an ice vest during intermittent sprint exercise has been shown to decrease thermal strain and improve performance. These garments have also been shown to be effective during exercise in the able-bodied. Drawing on additional findings from the able-bodied literature, the combination of methods used prior to and during exercise and/or during rest periods/half-time may increase the effectiveness of a strategy. However, due to the paucity of research involving athletes with an SCI, it is difficult to establish an optimal cooling strategy. Future studies are needed to ensure that research outcomes can be translated into meaningful performance enhancements by investigating cooling strategies under the constraints of actual competition. Cooling strategies that meet the demands of intermittent wheelchair sports need to be identified, with particular attention to the logistics of the sport

Thanatologische Narrative bei den Heiligen der Letzten Tage

Christentumsforschung ist in der Religionswissenschaft ein noch junges Feld. Vorliegende Arbeit beschäftigt sich mit der Religionsgemeinschaft der Kirche Jesu Christi der Heiligen der Letzten Tage. Die Religionsgemeinschaft der Heiligen der Letzten Tage besitzt das größte genealogische Archiv der Welt. Der Grund der Ahnenforschung ist eng mit der Theologie, Dogmen und Traditionen der Religionsgemeinschaft verknüpft. Vor allem prä- wie postmortale Narrative erklären die Bedeutung für die Suche nach den Ahnen. Ein komplexes Konstrukt aus unterschiedlichen Narrativen beschreibt eine prä- bzw. postmortale Existenz des Menschen mit Rechten und Pflichten. Dieses Modell, von den Mitgliedern der Kirche als Erlösungsplan bezeichnet, beantwortet Fragen des menschlichen Lebens. Der Grundsatz der anhaltenden Offenbarungen verleiht der Religion der Heiligen der Letzten eine gewisse Dynamik. Vorliegende Dissertation untersucht wie die Prä- und Postmortalitätsvorstellungen der Heiligen der Letzten Tage konstruiert werden und welche Veränderungen durch die einzelnen Präsidenten hervor treten

THE EFFECT OF COMPUTER-ASSISTED INSTRUCTION ON MOTIVATION AND ACHIEVEMENT IN FOURTH-GRADE MATHEMATICS

Statement of Problem. Computer usage in schools is becoming widespread, and it is considered to be an influential learning tool. However, there is controversy over effective usage. A paucity of empirical research exists concerning how computer-assisted instruction (CAI) drill and practice affects motivation and achievement of school children. Procedures and Methods. This study investigated the processes by which variation in format for presenting multiplication problems (CAI versus paper-and-pencil) may influence children\u27s motivation and achievement. A sample of 69 fourth-grade children was classified in one of two groups, labelled achiever or underachiever. Group assignment was based on a comparison of each student\u27s standard score on the mathematics subtest of the Comprehensive Tests of Basic Skills with that on the Test of Cognitive Skills. The students were randomly assigned to one of three instructional methods: (1) CAI multiplication drill and practice with a reward game (CAIm), (2) CAI multiplication drill and practice without a reward game (CAI), and (3) an equivalent multiplication paper-and-pencil drill and practice without a reward (Pap&pen). Motivation was defined as the number of problems attempted. Achievement was defined as the number of problems completed correctly. The instruction lasted for one month. Repeated measures analyses of covariance were performed on the achievement and motivation dependent variables. Achievement was measured also by a pretest and posttest comparison, using the pretest as a covariate. Results. Results indicated that both achievement and motivation were related to instructional method. When motivation was defined as amount of time the student participated in the study, the CAI and CAIm students were more motivated than the Pap&pen students. When achievement was defined as the number of multiplication problems completed correctly, the CAI students achieved more than the CAIm students, followed by the Pap&pen students. When achievement was measured by pre- and post- achievement test comparison, there were no significant effects. There were no significant interactions between method of instruction and type of achiever. Conclusions. This research suggests various approaches to further study the effect of CAI on motivation and achievement. In addition, computer technology needs to be integrated with sound curriculum theory of instruction in mathematics