Exploring the Correlation between Cognitive Awareness of Body Composition and Perceived Ventilatory Threshold

Purpose Seventeen subjects were selected from The University of Akron Women\u27s Soccer team to participate in a study that assessed the correlation between body composition and perceived ventilatory threshold. Methods All resting measurements were taken on the subjects. These measurements included height, weight, waist circumference, and neck circumference. Body composition was then estimated by using the BodPod. Subjects were fitted with a Polar heart rate monitor and a mask for the VO2max test was appropriately fitted and assembled for each participant. Each participant were then read a script to explain to them what a ventilatory threshold (VT) is, and were told to raise their hand during the maximal testing when they believed they had reached their VT. After the completion of the maximal testing and cool-down, the participants were asked to fill out the Preference for and Tolerance of Intensity of Exercise Questionnaire (PRETIE-Q) to garner more personal information about their exercise preferences. Results Data showed close to no statistically significant correlation between the two sets of data. Correlation value =0.012 (r=0.0833, p=0.966). Conclusion Therefore, we cannot say that body composition regardless of lean mass or fat mass has a physiological effect on ventilatory thresholds. Subsequently, this data disproves our hypothesis that body composition effects perceived ventilatory threshold

Exploring the Correlation between Cognitive Awareness of Body Composition and Perceived Ventilatory Threshold

Purpose Seventeen subjects from The University of Akron Women\u27s Soccer team were selected to participate in a study that assessed the correlation between body composition and perceived ventilatory threshold (VT). We compared several anthropometric measurements with results from a VO2max test. Methods Each participant was taken through a set of resting measurements such as height, weight, waist and neck circumference. Body composition was then estimated using the air displacement method or BodPod. Subjects were fitted with heart rate monitors and masks for a VO2max test. Subjects were read a script explaining them what a VT is, and was told to raise their hand during the maximal testing when they believed they had reached their VT. Subjects also filled out a PRETIE-Q questionnaire to asses their preference for intensity and tolerance of high intensity exercise. Results Data showed a low positive correlation (0.012) between body fat percentage and perceived ventilatory threshold. Conclusion Within the scope of this study, it can be concluded that body composition does not have an effect on perceived ventilatory threshold

Comparison of aluminum mordants on colorfastness of natural dyes on cotton and bamboo fabrics

Master of ScienceDepartment of Apparel, Textiles, and Interior DesignSherry J. HaarThe recent green movement has created strong interest in sustainable practices in the apparel and textile industry. Accordingly, natural dye usage has increased in popularity over the recent years, as well as alternative fiber sources such as bamboo. Because of the inherently poorer fastness properties of natural dyes compared to synthetic dyes, additional research on natural dyes and mordant agents is necessary to obtain the best colorfastness results. Many salts, called mordants, are used to help affix natural dyes to fabrics, called mordants, but the most common is potassium aluminum sulfate. However, it has been suggested that aluminum acetate can be a substitute, if not a better mordant than potassium aluminum sulfate for cellulose fibers. This study compared the colorfastness of these two mordants in three different amounts including 5%, 10%, and 20% per weight of fiber (WOF). Three natural dye extracts (madder, weld, and coreopsis), were used to dye seven test fabrics, including a bamboo rayon jersey, two bamboo rayon woven fabrics, a cotton interlock knit, two woven cottons, and a bamboo rayon and cotton blend interlock knit. Lightfastness and colorfastness to laundering tests were conducted, and Gray Scale ratings were analyzed using ANOVA statistical analysis. This analysis showed significant four-way interaction between all variables. Results supported aluminum acetate as a more colorfast mordant for cellulose fibers. This research was supported in part by Agricultural Research Experiment Station at the Kansas State University

Comparison of aluminum mordants on the colorfastness of natural dyes on cotton

Two mordanting agents, aluminum potassium sulfate and aluminum acetate, in three concentrations (5%, 10%, and 20% owf) were evaluated for colorfastness to laundering and light of natural dye extracts (madder, weld, and coreopsis) on cotton print cloth. The type of aluminum mordant had a greater influence on colorfastness to laundering, whereas dye type had a greater influence on fastness to light. Aluminum acetate at 5% owf concentration gave slightly higher Gray Scale ratings for colorfastness to laundering of coreopsis and weld. All treatments had negligible to no staining on cotton. Weld had slightly better colorfastness to light ratings than the other dye types with 20% aluminum potassium sulfate rating highest. Even though the aluminum acetate mordant improved the colorfastness to laundering on weld and coreopsis at the 5% and 10% owf concentrations, it did not improve fastness to light and resulted in slightly lower fastness to light grades on coreopsis

Faculty Perceptions of the Factors Influencing Success in STEM fields

The recent decline in the number of graduates in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) has significant implications for the nation’s economic and societal well-being (PCAST, 2012). Because university faculty members’ interactions with students—both in and out of the classroom—have a significant impact on student recruitment and retention and because faculty beliefs have a significant impact on faculty practices (Astin & Astin, 1992), we have interviewed university faculty members in order to examine their perceptions of successful STEM students. Here, we report faculty members’ perceptions of the characteristics of successful tertiary STEM students, as well as their perceptions of the major obstacle to student success in STEM courses and programs of study. While faculty perceptions of the characteristics of successful STEM students generally align with the research literature, faculty did not mention experiences or instructional strategies they could implement in their classrooms to help students develop these characteristics. The results of the current study could inform the design of faculty professional development to ensure that faculty are aware of the various ways they can support student success in STEM fields

Faculty Perceptions of Student Recruitment and Retention in STEM Fields

According to the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST, 2012), there is a need to produce one million more STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) graduates in the U.S. over the next decade. Thus, more students must be recruited into and retained in STEM degrees of study. Because faculty are considered influential in students' choices to pursue and remain in STEM disciplines, we interviewed university STEM faculty in order to identify their perceptions of student recruitment and retention in STEM fields. Our data indicate that faculty are generally unaware of or not worried about the need to produce additional STEM graduates. Additionally, faculty seem to be unaware of the actions they might take to positively influence STEM recruitment and retention at the post-secondary level. Here, we specifically discuss faculty perceptions of (1) the gap between the number of STEM graduates and the number of STEM workers available for STEM-related jobs, (2) why students may not be going into or remaining in STEM fields, and (3) their own roles in recruiting and retaining students in STEM fields

Homologous recombination deficiency signatures in gastrointestinal and thoracic cancers correlate with platinum therapy duration

Abstract There is emerging evidence about the predictive role of homologous recombination deficiency (HRD), but this is less defined in gastrointestinal (GI) and thoracic malignancies. We reviewed whole genome (WGS) and transcriptomic (RNA-Seq) data from advanced GI and thoracic cancers in the Personalized OncoGenomics trial (NCT02155621) to evaluate HRD scores and single base substitution (SBS)3, which is associated with BRCA1/2 mutations and potentially predictive of defective HRD. HRD scores were calculated by sum of loss of heterozygosity, telomeric allelic imbalance, and large-scale state transitions scores. Regression analyses examined the association between HRD and time to progression on platinum (TTPp). We included 223 patients with GI (n = 154) or thoracic (n = 69) malignancies. TTPp was associated with SBS3 (p < 0.01) but not HRD score in patients with GI malignancies, whereas neither was associated with TTPp in thoracic malignancies. Tumors with gBRCA1/2 mutations and a somatic second alteration exhibited high SBS3 and HRD scores, but these signatures were also present in several tumors with germline but no somatic second alterations, suggesting silencing of the wild-type allele or BRCA1/2 haploinsufficiency. Biallelic inactivation of an HR gene, including loss of XRCC2 and BARD1, was identified in BRCA1/2 wild-type HRD tumors and these patients had prolonged response to platinum. Thoracic cases with high HRD score were associated with high RECQL5 expression (p ≤ 0.025), indicating another potential mechanism of HRD. SBS3 was more strongly associated with TTPp in patients with GI malignancies and may be complementary to using HRD and BRCA status in identifying patients who benefit from platinum therapy