Understanding the gendered coaching workforce in Spanish sport

The present study focuses on the demographic and labor characteristics of coaches in Spain. Kanter’s theory on occupational sex segregation will be used as a guiding framework. The study was conducted with 1685 coaches (82.3% men and 17.7% women) from different sports and performance domains. The results show that there is an underrepresentation of women as coaches in Spain and data highlight that coaches’ gender is related to three structural factors: opportunity, power, and proportion. The present data reveal that women are younger, less likely to be in a marriage-like relationship, less likely to have children, and more likely to have competed at a high level as an athlete when compared to their male counterparts. However, fewer women than men access and participate in coach education in Catalonia and the working status of women was different to that of men. To expand, women worked less hours, were more likely to be assistant coaches, and had less years of coaching experience. Understanding of how gender influences women’s access, progression, and retention in coaching in Spain illustrates the need for gender sport policies and practices in sport organizations. This approach can benefit not only women, but the diversity and enrichment of the coaching system

Assessing Psychosocial Work Environments of Coaches in Spain and Their Relationships With Mental Health, Behavioral Stress Symptoms, and Burnout

The purpose of this study was to assess the psychosocial work environments (PWE) among a sample of coaches in comparison to the reference values of the Spanish general workforce, as well as to explore the relationship between PWE and mental health, behavioral stress symptoms, and burnout. A representative sample (n=1481) of Spanish coaches (18.1% women, Mage=32.98, SD=11.60) completed a battery of questionnaires. Results showed that, in comparison to the general workforce, coaches showed statistically significant differences in most of the PWE areas assessed. The emotional demands experienced by coaches are a risk for health, while trust regarding management and recognition are positive features in their PWE. Coaches’ emotional demands were associated with low mental health scores and higher levels of behavioral stress symptoms and burnout, whereas social community at work and role clarity were protective factors for health. Practical implications to provide more favorable work environments for coaches are discussed

Laredo, Texas: Gateway Community on the Texas Borderlands, Archaeological and Historical Investigations for the Laredo City Toll Plaza

In July 1980, the Center for Archaeological Research, The University of Texas at San Antonio, conducted archaeological and historical investigations at sites designated as 41 WB 36,41 WB 37, and 41 WB 38, which are located in a residential district on the east side of the town of Laredo, Texas. These sites are represented by late historic foundations which were uncovered after a group of houses were razed to make way for a new toll bridge complex to facilitate international travel between the United States and the Republic of Mexico. A short history of Laredo and of the four house foundations excavated by the Center for Archaeological Research is presented in this report. The archaeological investigations of the structures and their associated artifacts are described and interpreted to provide a better understanding of sociocultural activities in Laredo from early historic times to the present

Diseño del puente Abbas Ibn Firnás sobre el río Guadalquivir en Córdoba

The work for the New Access to the Cordoba Airport includes the construction of the Abbas Ibn Firnas Bridge to cross the Guadalquivir River. This cable-stayed bridge has two spans of 132.50 m each, and three approach spans on the right bank that add 100 meters to its length. The most important and singular aspect of the structure is the design of the mixed concrete and steel arches that open into two hexagonal tubes braced from the central pier to the abutments and the arrangement of the struts made up of closed cables in the form of a “Y” creating a spatial structure of great slenderness and stiffness, a three-dimensional structure that contains the traffic within, and dignifies the urban space over the Guadalquivir River.Las obras del Nuevo Acceso al Aeropuerto de Córdoba incluyen la construcción del Puente Abbas Ibn Firnás para salvar el cauce del río Guadalquivir. Se trata de un puente arco atirantado de dos vanos, con 132,50 m de luz cada uno con tres vanos de aproximación por la margen derecha que suman una longitud de 100 metros. El aspecto más relevante y singular de la estructura es el diseño de los arcos mixtos, que se abren en dos tubos hexagonales arriostrados, desde la pila central hacia los estribos, y la disposición de tirantes constituidos por cables cerrados en forma de “Y” que permite que se consiga una estructura espacial, un objeto tridimensional de gran esbeltez y rigidez, que acoge en su interior la circulación viaria, y dignifica el espacio urbano sobre el Guadalquivir

Physiological role of hormone ouabain

Ouabain, a substance obtained from plant extracts, has been long known as cardiotonic, as well as by its high affinity to the Na-K- ATPase pump. The recent finding that ouabain is endogenously expressed in mammals has prompted research to determine its role as a hormone. We have shown that, in a physiological level (10 nM), it influences on three important features of epithelial physiology related to cell to cell contacts: (1) It modifies the Tight Junction integrity, as reflected by an increase in the Transepithelial Electrical Resistance (TER) of mature monolayers of MDCK cells. (2) It speeds up ciliogenesis, a feature closely related to epithelial (Apical/Basolateral) polarity and (3) It triggers Gap Junctional Intercellular Communication (GJIC). Since lack of GJIC has been associated to cancer, ouabain may be an interesting player on this issue.Sociedad Argentina de Fisiologí

Photoionization of Metastable O^+ Ions: Experiment and Theory

Relevant data is available at: http://www.astronomy.ohio-state.edu/~nahar/nahar_radiativeatomicdata/index.htmlHigh-resolution absolute experimental measurements and two independent theoretical calculations were performed for photoionization of O^+ ions from the ^2 P° and ^2 D° metastable levels and from the ^4 S° ground state in the photon energy range 30–35.5 eV. This is believed to be the first comparison of experiment and theory to be reported for photoionization from metastable states of ions. While there is correspondence between the predicted and measured positions and relative strengths of the resonances, the cross-section magnitudes and fine structure are sensitive to the choice of basis states.The experimental work was supported in part by the DOE Divisions of Chemical Sciences, Geosciences and Biosciences, and Materials Sciences, by the DOE Facilities Initiative, by Nevada DOE/EPSCoR, by CONACyT and DGAPA (Mexico), and by CNPq (Brazil). The theoretical work was supported in part by NSF, by the Ohio Supercomputer Center, by ITAMP/Harvard-Smithsonian, and by EPSRC (UK)

Balancing Sport Coaching with Personal Life. Is That Possible?

The sport coaching profession is characterized by demanding environments that affect work-life balance. Accordingly, there is a need to examine the challenges coaches face in balancing their professional duties with their family and/or personal interests. This study aimed to gain a better understanding of the different experiences of work-life conflict that Spanish coaches face and how they perceive the support provided by their sport organizations in terms of work-life balance. The study was based on semi-structured interviews with a sample of seven male and eight female coaches in Spain. The results showed that the coaching profession had a negative impact on their personal and social lives, and coaches often prioritized their work. Family and friends’ support (mainly wives for men and friends and grandparents for women) allowed coaches to continue in the profession. Organizations also implement actions to balance work and family/personal spheres, such as offering personal and financial support, adjusting schedules, and condensing training sessions. These results can help professionals better identify strategies to reduce work-life conflict among sport coaches