Integrity and Integration: An Exploration of the Personal, Professional, and Pedagogical in the Professoriate

This paper seeks to explore the connections between the concepts of integrity and integration within the professoriate in Christian higher education. Specifically, it examines commonalities and intersections in the definitions of terms, the gaps between rhetoric and reality, and the reasons for those gaps. Implications for a professor’s inner life, scholarship, and teaching are also discussed, and suggestions for closing the gaps are offered

The Effects of a Duathlon Simulation on Ventilatory Threshold and Running Economy

Multisport events continue to grow in popularity among recreational, amateur, and professional athletes around the world. This study aimed to determine the compounding effects of the initial run and cycling legs of an International Triathlon Union (ITU) Duathlon simulation on maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max), ventilatory threshold (VT) and running economy (RE) within a thermoneutral, laboratory controlled setting. Seven highly trained multisport athletes completed three trials; Trial-1 consisted of a speed only VO2max treadmill protocol (SOVO2max) to determine VO2max, VT, and RE during a single-bout run; Trial-2 consisted of a 10 km run at 98% of VT followed by an incremental VO2max test on the cycle ergometer; Trial-3 consisted of a 10 km run and 30 km cycling bout at 98% of VT followed by a speed only treadmill test to determine the compounding effects of the initial legs of a duathlon on VO2max, VT, and RE. A repeated measures ANOVA was performed to determine differences between variables across trials. No difference in VO2max, VT (%VO2max), maximal HR, or maximal RPE was observed across trials. Oxygen consumption at VT was significantly lower during Trial-3 compared to Trial-1 (p = 0.01). This decrease was coupled with a significant reduction in running speed at VT (p = 0.015). A significant interaction between trial and running speed indicate that RE was significantly altered during Trial-3 compared to Trial-1 (p < 0.001). The first two legs of a laboratory based duathlon simulation negatively impact VT and RE. Our findings may provide a useful method to evaluate multisport athletes since a single-bout incremental treadmill test fails to reveal important alterations in physiological thresholds

Attitudes toward physical activity in adolescents with Cystic Fibrosis: Gender differences with exercise training

This study compared the attitudes of 16 adolescents (8 males and 8 females) with cystic fibrosis (CF) toward exercise and physical activity (PA) before and after a 6-week exercise program. Although the boys and girls had similar ages (12–18 years), the boys were fitter and leaner and had higher pulmonary function. Subjects reported both positive exercise attitudes of self and perceived attitudes of parents/friends that remained essentially unchanged after strenuous training. Boys reported higher vigorous activities at baseline than girls, but all subjects increased participation in very hard PAs after training. Girls had small but nonsignificant increases in PA at each (mild–vigorous) level. Results emphasize that adolescents with a mild to moderate lung disease can significantly increase PA in a nursing intervention

Assessment of the Aerosport TEEM 100 portable metabolic measurement system.

The present study evaluated the utility of a portable metabolic measurement system, the Aerosport TEEM 100. A total of 505 data points [242 from incremental (INC) and 263 from constant load (CL) exercise] were collected on 12 subjects (age = 25 ± 4 yr), by placing the Aerosport TEEM 100 medium flow pneumotach and mouthpiece in-line with a validated system, the Rayfield system. When ·VO2 values were separated into categories (3.0 l·min-1), there was a small but statistically significant difference between the two metabolic measurement systems for ·VO2, ·VCO2, ·VE, RER,%ECO2, and%EO2 during both INC and CL exercise and measurement error for ·VO2 ranged between 2% and 11%. Correlations for ·VO2 values during INC and CL exercise between the two systems were r = 0.95 (SEest ± 0.18 l·min-1) and r = 0.96 (SEest ± 0.29 l·min-1), respectively. Correlations for RER were r = 0.82 (SEest ± 0.08) and r = 0.47(SEest ± 0.11), for INC and CL, respectively. Results from the present investigation indicate that the Aerosport TEEM 100 has utility for the assessment of ·VO2, but the estimation of carbohydrate and fat utilization from RER should be used with caution

Synergy of L-arginine and growth hormone (GH)-releasing peptide (GHRP-2) stimulation of GH in men and women: Modulation by exercise

We investigated the ability of exercise, a multipathway, potent, physiological stimulus for GH release, to alter the synergistic interaction of l-arginine (A) and GH-related peptide (GHRP)-2 (G) observed at rest and the ability of gender to further modulate this putative interaction. Subjects (9 men and 9 early follicular phase women) completed 30 min of constant load aerobic exercise in combination with intravenous infusions of saline (S), A (30 g over 30 min), G (1 µg/kg bolus), or both (AG) in separate study sessions in randomly assigned order. Measures of GH release were logarithmically transformed for statistical analysis. Similar to rest, exercise maintained the rank order (AG &gt; G &gt; A &gt; S) of effective stimulation of GH release for the key response measures in men or women, a gender disparity in the time to reach the maximal serum GH concentration, the calculated endogenous GH half-life, and the observed effect of preinfusion (basal) serum GH concentrations on determining secretagogue responsiveness. Exercise potentiated the individual stimulatory actions of A and G, while blunting the relative magnitude of the synergistic (supra-additive) interaction observed at rest. We infer from the present data that 1) exercise is likely to induce release of both GHRH and somatostatin, 2)l-arginine may facilitate the effect of exercise by limiting somatostatin release, 3) GHRP-2 could further enhance the stimulatory impact of exercise by opposing central actions of somatostatin and/or heightening endogenous GHRH release, and4) gender strongly controls the relative but not absolute magnitude of A/G synergy both at rest and after exercise

High Intensity Interval Training in Healthy Males Does not Improve Markers of Insulin Sensitivity

Purpose: Determine if three weeks of HIT (high-intensity interval training) improves fasting insulin sensitivity in healthy males. Methods: Participants were recreationally active ( = 10 hours per week) men between 18 and 35 years of age (Ht: 180 ± 1.44 cm; Wt: 85 ± 2.95 kg; BMI: 26.1 ± 0.59 kg/m2; body fat: 19.7 ± 1.76%). HIT training occurred 3 days weekly for 3 weeks, at intensities equivalent to 7.5% of body mass. Training volume increased weekly as follows: three sprints per session (week 1), four sprints per session (week 2), and five sprints per session (week 3). Fasting blood samples were collected at baseline and after each week and tested for glucose and insulin. A repeated measures ANOVA was used to measure changes in both fasting glucose and insulin concentrations as well as HOMA(IR) (homeostatic model assessment) and QUICKI (quantitative insulin sensitivity check index). Results: Values were in the normal range throughout the study and there were no significant improvements in glucose (P = 0.346), insulin (P = 0.680), HOMA (P = 0.567), or QUICKI (P = 0.186), as a result of HIT. Conclusion: While HIT may be useful in maintaining insulin sensitivity in healthy males, 3-weeks of HIT did not further improve insulin sensitivity in this group

Validity of methods of body composition assessment in young and older men and women

We examined the validity of percent body fat (%Fat) estimation by two-compartment (2-Comp) hydrostatic weighing (Siri 2-Comp), 3-Comp dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA 3-Comp), 3-Comp hydrostatic weighing corrected for the total body water (Siri 3-Comp), and anthropometric methods in young and older individuals (n = 78). A 4-Comp model of body composition served as the criterion measure of %Fat (Heymsfield 4-Comp; S. B. Heymsfield, S. Lichtman, R. N. Baumgartner, J. Wang, Y. Kamen, A. Aliprantis, and R. N. Pierson Jr., Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 52: 52–58, 1990.). Comparison of the Siri 3-Comp with the Heymsfield 4-Comp model revealed mean differences of =0.4 %Fat, r values = r = 0.997, total error values = 0.85 %Fat, and 95% confidence intervals (Bland-Altman analysis) of =1.7 %Fat. Comparison of Siri 2-Comp, DEXA, and anthropometric models with the Heymsfield 4-Comp revealed that total error scores ranged from ±4.0 to ±10.7 %Fat, and 95% confidence intervals associated with the Bland-Altman analysis ranged from ±5.1 to ±15.0 %Fat. We conclude that the Siri 3-Comp model provides valid and accurate body composition data when compared with a 4-Comp criterion model. However, the individual variability associated with the Siri 2-Comp, DEXA 3-Comp, and anthropometric models may limit their use in research settings. The use of anthropometric estimation methods resulted in large mean differences and a considerable amount of interindividual variability. These data suggest that the use of these techniques should be viewed with caution

Work organization, sleep and metabolic syndrome among long-haul truck drivers

Background: The work organization of long-haul truck drivers in the USA contains factors that have been shown to degrade sleep. In combination, these factors generate elevated cardiometabolic risk by inducing components of the metabolic syndrome (MetS). However, the prevalence and severity of MetS and the degree to which such factors differentially influence MetS among these drivers are unknown.Aims: To determine the prevalence and severity of MetS among US long-haul truck drivers and to determine the predictive value of demographic, work organization and sleep variables in MetS diagnosis and severity.Methods: A non-experimental, descriptive, cross-sectional study, designed to collect survey, anthropometric and biometric data from US long-haul truck drivers. Descriptive analyses were performed for demographic, work organization, sleep and MetS measures. Logistic and linear regression analyses examined potential predictive relationships between demographic, work organization and sleep variables and MetS diagnosis and severity.Results: The study population was 262. Nearly 60% of drivers met MetS diagnosis criteria. Over 80% had a waist circumference &gt;102 cm, 50% had triglyceride levels of =150 mg/dl, 66% had an high-density lipoprotein of Conclusions: The prevalence and severity of MetS among this sample of US long-haul truck drivers were high. Preventive efforts should focus on experienced drivers and work day sleep quality

Estradiol supplementation selectively relieves growth hormone (GH)'s autonegative feedback on GH-releasing peptide-2 (GHRP-2)-stimulated GH secretion

Female gender confers resistance to GH autonegative feedback in the adult rat, thereby suggesting gonadal or estrogenic modulation of autoregulation of the somatotropic axis. Here we test the clinical hypothesis that short-term E2 replacement in ovariprival women reduces GH’s repression of spontaneous, GHRH-, and GH-releasing peptide (GHRP)-stimulated GH secretion. To this end, we appraised GH autoinhibition in nine healthy postmenopausal volunteers during a prospective, randomly ordered supplementation with placebo vs. E [1 mg micronized 17ß-E2 orally twice daily for 6–23 d]. The GH autofeedback paradigm consisted of a 6-min pulsed iv infusion of recombinant human GH (10 µg/kg square-wave injection) or saline (control) followed by iv bolus GHRH (1 µg/kg), GHRP-2 (1µ g/kg), or saline 2 h later. Blood was sampled every 10 min and serum GH concentrations were measured by chemiluminescence. Poststimulus GH release was quantitated by multiparameter deconvolution analysis using published biexponential kinetics and by the incremental peak serum GH concentration response (maximal poststimulus value minus prepeak nadir). Outcomes were analyzed on the logarithmic scale by mixed-effects ANOVA at a multiple-comparison type I error rate of 0.05. E2 supplementation increased the (mean ± SEM) serum E2 concentration from 43 ± 1.8 (control) to 121 ± 4 pg/ml (E2) (158 ± 6.6 to 440 ± 15 pmol/liter; P &lt; 0.001), lowered the 0800 h (preinfusion) serum IGF-I concentration from 127 ± 7.7 to 73 ± 3.6µ g/liter (P &lt; 0.01), and amplified spontaneous pulsatile GH production from 7.5 ± 1.1 to 13 ± 2.3µ g/liter per 6 h (P = 0.020). In the absence of exogenously imposed GH autofeedback, E2 replacement enhanced the stimulatory effect of GHRP-2 on incremental peak GH release by 1.58-fold [95% confidence interval, 1.2- to 2.1-fold] (P = 0.0034) but did not alter the action of GHRH (0.83-fold [0.62- to 1.1-fold]). In the E2-deficient state, bolus GH infusion significantly inhibited subsequent spontaneous, GHRH-, and GHRP-induced incremental peak GH responses by, respectively, 33% (1–55%; P = 0.044 vs. saline), 79% (68–86%; P &lt; 0.0001), and 54% (32–69%; P = 0.0002). E2 repletion failed to influence GH autofeedback on either spontaneous or GHRH-stimulated incremental peak GH output. In contrast, E2 replenishment augmented the GHRP-2-stimulated incremental peak GH response in the face of GH autoinhibition by 1.7-fold (1.2- to 2.5-fold; P = 0.009). Mechanistically, the latter effect of E2 mirrored its enhancement of GH-repressed/GHRP-2-stimulated GH secretory pulse mass, which rose by 1.5-fold (0.95- to 2.5-fold over placebo; P = 0.078). In summary, the present clinical investigation documents the ability of short-term oral E2 supplementation in postmenopausal women to selectively rescue GHRP-2 (but not spontaneous or GHRH)-stimulated GH secretion from autonegative feedback. The secretagogue specificity of E’s relief of GH autoinhibition suggests that this sex steroid may enhance activity of the hypothalamopituitary GHRP-receptor/effector pathway

The effect of exercise type on immunofunctional and traditional growth hormone.

The purpose of this study was to compare the growth hormone (GH) response, including the immunfunctional (IF) GH response, between an acute bout of aerobic and resistance exercise in the same subjects. Ten cross-trained males (24.3 ± 1.2 years) performed both 30 min of continuous cycling at 70% of VO2max, and intermittent free weight squatting at 70% of 1-RM, in a randomly assigned crossover design, separated by at least 1 week. Blood samples were collected at 10-min intervals for 2 h (30 min rest, 30 min exercise, 60 min recovery) and analyzed for total human and IF GH. After adjusting for the amount of work performed per minute of exercise, integrated GH AUC was significantly greater during the resistance session than the aerobic session as measured by both the total and IF GH assays (P = 0.008 and P = 0.014, respectively). Peak GH concentrations were significantly greater during the resistance session than the aerobic session (P = 0.05). A similar overall GH pattern was observed in response to both types of exercise, with peak values occurring at the end of exercise, regardless of the GH assay used. These data demonstrate that in young, cross-trained males, intermittent resistance exercise elicits a greater response of GH, including IF GH, compared to a continuous aerobic session, when controlling for the work performed per minute, intersubject variability, relative exercise intensity and session duration