The Health Related Components of Physical Fitness in People with Visual Impairment: A Systematic Review

Visual impairment is becoming progressively more common in America’s aging society. Physical inactivity contributes to the development of chronic health conditions. Therefore, it is important to understand the relationship between visual impairment and its impact on health related physical activity and fitness. The purpose of this systematic review is to examine the prevalence of physical activity and the five components of physical fitness in the visually impaired population. This review was limited to articles addressing individuals with “visual impairment,” as defined by the National Eye Institute. The data abstracted included documentation of visual impairment, physical activity rates, physical fitness measures, gender, age, number of participants, and sample size. Results confirm that persons with visual impairment tend to participate in physical activity significantly less than their sighted counterparts and are often less physically fit, especially in regards to body composition, cardiovascular endurance, and muscular strength. Consensus within the research attributes this decreased physical fitness to the lack of sufficient physical activity within the population. The observed lack of physical activity warrants intentionally improving upon the many physiopsychological and social factors which prevent visually impaired children and adults from having equal access to opportunities to engage regularly in physical fitness activities

Energy and Macronutrient Intake of First-Year Football Players: A Pilot Study

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the energy intake and macronutrient breakdown of first-year football players at a Division III school. A secondary purpose was to examine the relationship of dietary intake to clinical measures. Methods: Seventeen first-year football players completed a 24-Hour Diet Recall interview. Players had their height, weight, body composition, fasting blood glucose and cholesterol measured. Researchers provided measuring devices to help participants recall their food and liquid intake for the previous 24 hours. Independent T-tests were performed to examine the differences between skilled and lineman football players. Results: The athletes consumed an average of 4,103 kcals (range 1,283.4 kcals – 8,347.3 kcals) with the following macronutrient breakdown: 48% Carbohydrate, 35% Fat and 17% protein. Lineman were heavier, had higher Body Mass Index (BMI), larger waist circumferences (WC), higher percent body fat (BF), and higher fasting blood glucoses (p \u3e 0.05) than the skilled players. There were no differences in total kcals consumed, macronutrient composition, or water intake between two groups. Conclusion: Skilled and lineman football players had similar energy intakes; lineman had higher BMIs, WC, and BF. This would suggest that lineman expend lower amounts of energy than skilled players. This information combined with the higher blood glucose levels can be an indicator for a football player’s future health

Genetic and environmental risk factors for sexual distress and its association with female sexual dysfunction

A. Burri, Q. Rahman and T. Spector (2011). Genetic and environmental risk factors for sexual distress and its association with female sexual dysfunction. Psychological Medicine, 41, pp 2435-2445. Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2011. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S003329171100049

Sensing circuits for multiwire proportional chambers

Integrated sensing circuits were designed, fabricated, and packaged for use in determining the direction and fluence of ionizing radiation passing through a multiwire proportional chamber. CMOS on sapphire was selected because of its high speed and low power capabilities. The design of the proposed circuits is described and the results of computer simulations are presented. The fabrication processes for the CMOS on sapphire sensing circuits and hybrid substrates are outlined. Several design options are described and the cost implications of each discussed. To be most effective, each chip should handle not more than 32 inputs, and should be mounted on its own hybrid substrate

Development of aircraft brake materials

The requirements of brake materials were outlined and a survey made to select materials to meet the needs of high temperature brakes. A number of metals and ceramic materials were selected and evaluated in sliding tests which simulated aircraft braking. Nickel, molybdenum tungsten, Zr02, high temperature cements and carbons were tested. Additives were then incorporated into these materials to optimize their wear or strength behavior with particular emphasis on nickel and molybdenum base materials and a high temperature potassium silicate cement. Optimum materials were developed which improved wear behavior over conventional brake materials in the simulated test. The best materials are a nickel, aluminum oxide, lead tungstate composition containing graphite or molybdenum disulphite; a molybdenum base material containing LPA100 (an intermetallic compound of cobalt, molybdenum, and silicon); and a carbon material (P5)

Volume-reflecting dielectric heat shield

White, volume-reflecting dielectric material absorbs essentially none of the incident radiant energy, and continues to reflect even though in severe environment its surface is melted and is being vaporized. Process of overall reflectance in dielectric material, involving internal refractions and reflections, is similar to process of reflection in paints

Meteoroid detector

A meteoroid detector is described which uses, a cold cathode discharge tube with a gas-pressurized cell in space for recording a meteoroid puncture of the cell and for determining the size of the puncture