The objective of this research was to investigate
the physiological effects of body posture on cycling.
The familiar positions of bicycle riding have been the
touring posture (hands stretched on top handlebar) and
the racing posture (hands bent at the elbow, with the
back horizontal). However, a relatively new stance...
The presence of an increased accumulation of intraabdominal fat (IAF) has been linked to dyslipidemia, hyperinsulinemia, and hyperglycemia, which precede the development of type 2 diabetes and coronary artery disease (CAD). It has been shown that IAF begins depostition during childhood. Human studies suggest that regular endurance exercise, that does...
Several behavioral studies have suggested that rarity is critical for enabling irrelevant, salient objects to capture attention. We tested this hypothesis using the event-related potential (ERP) component, N2pc, thought to reflect attentional allocation. A cue display was followed by a target display in which participants identified the letter in a...
The purpose of this study was to determine the
effect of immediate prior meditation (transcendental
meditation) and relaxation upon the pattern of physiological
response and performance of a fine motor and
gross motor task. A second purpose of this study was
to determine whether the long term regular practice of...
This study was designed to determine cardiorespiratory and energy expenditure responses elicited by recreational divers while finning at a submaximal intensity (35% max) in cold (18°C) and warm (29°C) water with and without wet suits. Male divers (15) volunteered to participate in five experimental procedures. A maximal graded exercise tethered...
Experienced runners naturally optimize stride rate in a manner that minimizes oxygen uptake at given running speeds. However, as runners become fatigued, preferred stride rate often decreases. Whether such changes with fatigue occur in parallel with changes in optimal stride rate is unknown. This study's focus was on determining whether...
The purposes of the research presented in this thesis were
to: (l) assess the nutritional status of vegetarian and nonvegetarian
Seventh-day Adventists (SDA), non-SDA non-vegetarians,
and non-vegetarian hormone dependent cancer subjects; (2) determine
the relationship of various blood and urinary biochemical
parameters to dietary intake; (3) determine hormonal status in...
Few studies have examined the acute effects of
resistive-type exercise on lipid-lipoprotein profiles. This
study examined the acute effects of a single session of
circuit weight training (CWT) on plasma lipid-lipoprotein
profiles: triglycerides (TG), total cholesterol (TC), high
density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low density
lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and the ratio...
High impact loading activities such as jumping, performed during childhood is advocated as one preventive method for increasing peak bone mass. Thus, we conducted a randomized intervention to examine the effect of high impact loading on bone mass in 34 pre-pubescent boys and girl over a seven month period. Participants...
The purpose of this study was to measure plasma B-6 vitamers, and other factors which may affect the plasma concentrations of these vitamers under extreme physical conditions. Blood samples were drawn from 8 men and 3 women (43.7 ± 8.6 years) 30 minutes prior to the start of a 50-km...
Exercise increases B-vitamin (B6, B12, folate) dependent metabolic reactions, especially those related to energy production and the rebuilding and repairing of muscle tissue. These same B-vitamins are also important in maintaining low blood levels of homocysteine (Hcy), a cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factor. Hcy levels rise when the metabolism of...
The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of power weight training and conventional weight training on forced vital capacity and forced expiratory volume in one second in college males. Sixteen college males were employed as the two experimental groups: seven subjects for a power weight training experimental...
The investigation of force attenuation and performance strategies to respond to changing mechanical constraints helps prevent injury as well as facilitates beneficial insight to provide appropriate instruction to athletes and students. The primary purpose of the study was to assess within subject variability of landing strategies when responding to additional...
Four young trained men were studied during 50 min of continuous
bicycle ergometer exercise [30 min at 60%, 15 min at 80%,
and 5 min at 90% maximal heart rate (MHR)] to elucidate changes
in fuel metabolism resulting from a glycogen depletion-repletion
regimen, and to determine the effect of supplemental...
Previous studies suggest that vitamin B-6 supplementation can alter fuel metabolism during
exercise and plasma amino acid levels at rest. To examine the effect of vitamin B-6
supplementation on plasma fuel substrates and amino acid levels during exercise, five trained
males (age: 29±7; V0₂ max: 54.7±6.2 ml/kg/min) performed two separate...
The effects of an 11-week jogging program on the plasma lipid
fractions and clotting time of 19 late adolescent males (18 to 19
years) were investigated. Total lipids, triglycerides, total and free
cholesterol, phospholipids, non-esterified fatty acids, and clotting
time of plasma were determined. Statistical analysis was applied
to the...
We evaluated anthropometric and performance measures which best predict bone
mineral density (BMD) in 54 adolescent girls (14.6±0.5y; 22.7±14.0 months past
menarche). BMD for the whole body, femoral neck, greater trochanter, lumbar spine (L2-L4), and mid-femoral shaft was assessed using dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA)
(Hologic QDR 1000/W). Whole body lean...
Glutathione (GSH) is the predominant low molecular weight thiol antioxidant
in liver tissue. GSH plays an important role in maintaining the intracellular thiol redox
ratio as well as detoxification of electrophiles and xenobiotics. Aging leads to a significant decline (35%; P ≤ 0.05) in hepatocellular GSH levels. Using young (2-4...
The purpose of this study was to identify significant differences
in body composition, body cathexis, and attitudes toward obesity
of women in various age groups involved in different levels of physical
exercise.
A total of 216 women, ranging in age from 17 to 64, took part in
this study. They...
Under certain conditions, a neural network may be trained to perform a
specific task by altering the weights of only a portion of the synapses.
Specifically, it has been noted that certain three layer feed-forward networks may
be trained to certain tasks by adjusting only the synapses to the output...
The back thrust kick is a karate technique used primarily in a
defensive setting. This research described the kinematic
variables involved in the skilled execution of the kick. Variables
examined included movement sequencing, angular position of
the trunk, thigh and leg, angular velocity of the thigh and leg,
linear velocity...
Metabolic syndrome (MetS) and abdominal obesity (AbOb) increase the risk of
developing cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Energy restriction (ER), highprotein
(PRO) intake and high-intensity interval training (HIT) can independently
improve MetS and AbOb. However, ER reduces metabolically active lean body
mass (LBM) in addition to body fat (BF). Purpose: To...
Despite dramatic changes in tennis equipment and technique, more than 30% of
recreational tennis players suffer from lateral elbow pain ("tennis elbow"). Certain
kinematic and electromyographic characteristics in backhand strokes have been
implicated as major factors responsible for lateral elbow pain. From a local tennis club,
22 recreational players who...
The treatment of certain types of cancers brings with it serious physiological and
psychological side effects in cancer survivors, including: decreased aerobic capacity,
muscle wasting, body composition changes, fatigue, and a diminished overall quality of
life. Exercise may directly influence the physiological side effects of cancer and cancer
treatment, and...
To examine the potential for exercise to build bone mass during growth, objectives of this dissertation included: 1) determine the effects of 7 months of jumping followed by 7 months of detraining on hip and spine bone mass in the prepubertal children; 2) determine variables that best predict bone mineral...
Resistance training is widely prescribed for rehabilitation of injuries and as a method to improve athletic performance. It is accepted that resistance training increases the maximal force production of whole muscle and it has been suggested that the velocity of shortening can increase as well. However, little is known about...
The purpose of this research was to examine some of
the factors which may affect body composition of
postmenopausal women. The effect of estrogen, physical
activity, diet and lifestyle were examined in 9 women
receiving estrogen replacement therapy and 11 women not
using this drug. For 3 consecutive days, the...
Eight adolescent males (14 to 18 years old) were evaluated
before and after 50 minutes of exercise on a bicycle ergometer
at 60 percent of their maximal heart rate to investigate the
relationship between blood magnesium status and the derangement
of other serum electrolytes in the etiology of "sports anemia."...
In order to develop a stimulating yet effective school-based program which elicits
a positive bone growth response, we need to understand the forces acting on the bones of
children during various high-impact activities. One activity found to promote bone
growth is drop landings from a height. We determined whether there...
Zinc is an essential mineral that is integral to many proteins and transcription factors that regulate key cellular functions. The normal prostate accumulates high concentrations of zinc; however, malignant tissues have significantly lower zinc levels. This unique relationship between zinc and the prostate has sparked interest in the role of...
Research shows that Exercise-Associated Menstrual Dysfunction (ExMD) ranges from 6-79% of active women, depending on the sport. The primary contributor to ExMD is hypothesized to be low energy availability or relative energy deficiency in sport, due to insufficient energy intake to match exercise energy expenditure. Because many active women are...
To determine if 6 weeks prior supplementation with vitamins E and C
could alleviate exercise-induced DNA damage, prevent lipid peroxidation and
inflammation, slow the rate of vitamin E utilization and/or attenuate muscle
damage, 22 subjects (11 females: 11 males) were studied during a 50 km (32
mile) ultramarathon. Subjects were...
The purpose of this study was to compare the muscular
strength and endurance of thirty-two men 51 to 79 years of age who
engage in weight training (WT), aerobic training (AT), cross training
(CT), or no training (S). The design employed in the study was a 2x2
between subjects factorial...
The purpose of this study was to determine women's perceptions of their physical activity needs and preferences, survey their evaluation of how the Intramural Sports Department accommodates those needs and preferences, and determine if and how intramural sports programming might be adjusted to serve women better. An open-ended survey was...
Low bone mineral density (BMD) and poor stability both contribute to
increased risk of fractures associated with a fall. The aim of this dissertation was
two-fold. The first study, a cross-sectional analysis, sought to determine the
anthropometric and/or performance variables that best predicted BMD and postural
stability in mature, premenopausal...
Low physical activity levels and high serum C-reactive protein (CRP) levels are risk factors for coronary artery disease (CAD) in both men and women. However, postmenopausal women who take hormone replacement therapy (HRT) may have increased risk of CAD because of HRT-related increases in serum CRP. There are two manuscripts...
Research suggests that, in individuals with carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS), low
plasma pyridoxal 5'-phosphate (PLP) concentrations are related to an increased incidence
and severity of symptoms associated with CTS. This study was designed to determine
the relationship between plasma and red blood cell PLP concentrations and the severity
and incidence...
The present study explored the effects of intranasal oxytocin (OT), a naturally occurring hormone, on the behavior of pet dogs in an attachment test. Each dog participated in two testing sessions. On one visit saline was administered nasally and on another OT was administered nasally. Condition order was counterbalanced. Following...
The present study characterized physiological responsivity during moral elevation, or elevation, a prosocial emotional state triggered by witnessing displays of altruism and moral beauty. Participants watched video stimuli that induced elevation, or amusement as a control condition, while heart rate (HR), respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA), skin conductance responses (SCR), and...
This study examined the effect of vitamin B-6 supplementation and exhaustive
submaximal exercise on plasma catecholamine concentrations, and the relationship
between plasma catecholamines and fuel use, heart rate and oxygen consumption. Five
trained men (age= 18-35 years; V0₂max=53 ml 0₂/kg/min.) participated in two controlled
dietary periods that were identical except...
Purpose:
The xanthophyll carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin are concentrated in the macula lutea of the retina. It is thought that the two plant pigments may play a role in preventing the development of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Exposure to damaging light plays a role in retinal deterioration and AMD. The...
Alcoholic liver disease (ALD) continues to be one of the major public health problems in the United States and worldwide. Complicated by factors including gender, polymorphisms of alcohol-metabolizing enzymes, immunologic factors, exposures to other substances/drugs, hepatic viral infections, nutritional deficiencies, and obesity, ALD is a complex disease that requires a...
The objectives of this study were to determine the
peritoneal clearance of vitamin B-6 and to evaluate the
vitamin B-6 and vitamin A status of children with chronic
renal failure undergoing continuous ambulatory peritoneal
dialysis (CAPD). Eight children aged 2 to 18 years
(mean 12) were included in the study....
The purpose of this study was to examine pressure at
five selected sites on the plantar surface of the foot and
adaptations in running kinematics among fourteen male
varsity collegiate distance runners on five different
surfaces--asphalt, cinders, concrete, grass, and tartan.
Pressure data were collected with an Electrodynogram system
(EDG)...
The goal of this study was to determine if the cardiorespiratory adaptations to an eight-week circuit weight training program are better measured with a biokinetic swim-bench test versus a standard treadmill test. The working hypothesis of the study was that since standard circuit weight training programs stress the upper body...
This study examined the effect that three environmental
hues had on subjects' work performance and on mood levels of
anxiety, depression, and arousal in an office work environment.
Pre-test post- test measurements of differences in work performance
and mood levels were used to test twelve hypotheses. Work
performance was measured...
The purpose of this study was to compare the myocardial structure and
function among endurance athletes (n.12), powerlifters/steroid users (n=5),
powerlifters/non-steroid users (n=6), and sedentary controls (n=4).
All subjects had a M-mode echocardiographic examination of their left
ventricles under resting conditions. The echocardiographic measurements
recorded and analyzed were of the...
As the aging population continues to grow worldwide, age-related complications are becoming more apparent within the aging population. One of the first age-related complications to become apparent is age-associated memory impairment and it can make the elderly more dependent on caregivers early on. The N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor is important to...
Study Design. This study investigated the effects of a lumbar support belt on lumbar disc deformation and joint angles. Trunk strength and endurance were also compared to disc deformation and joint angles to determine if any meaningful relationships existed.
Objective. The purpose of this study was to determine if back...
Given the high risk of relapse during the first year of exercise involvement, it is
important to determine the processes of self-motivation which enable novice exercisers to
become long-term maintainers. This study was designed to extend previous Stages of
Change (Prochaska & DiClemente, 1983) research by comparing the Possible Selves...
Fast medio-lateral movements, frequent in a number of sports activities, are associated with lower extremity injuries. These injuries may occur as a result of excessive musculoskeletal stresses on the joints and their associate structures. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of running speed and turning movement...
Background: Decades of research indicate that physical
activity is an important behavior for health promotion and
disease prevention. Despite dissemination of these
research findings, many American adults are sedentary. The
rates for sedentary behavior vary by race/ethnicity and
gender. Women and adults from minority groups are most
likely to be...
Introduction: Recent reports in exercise related bone research have shown increased bone mineral content (BMC) at the femoral neck for prepubescent children participating in exercise programs consisting of repeated drop landings from a height of 61 cm. Increases in BMC from this type of exercise are believed to be the...
Although fluoride is an important trace element in the prevention of dental caries,
it has a narrow range between beneficial and toxic effects. Excessive fluoride intake for
example can cause dental fluorosis in infants and children whose teeth are still
developing. The primary source of this unwanted fluoride has been...
Indole-3-carbinol (I3C) is a naturally occurring plant alkaloid, found in significant concentrations in cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli and Brussels sprouts. I3C is an unstable compound that undergoes rapid oligomerization in an acidic environment to form higher order condensation products (I3C-ACPs), such as 3-3'-diindolylmethane (DIM). Both I3C and DIM are...
The present study was designed to investigate the
effects of exercise on vitamin B-6 metabolism. Four groups
of subjects (intermittent, college, untrained, and high school)
consisting of nineteen male and two female individuals, participated
in the study. The subjects exercised either on a
bicycle ergometer, by running three 1500 meter...
The objectives of this study were a) to determine
if pyridoxine (PN) supplementation increases the rate at
which plasma urea and ammonia return to basal levels,
following exercise, b) to determine, by open circuit
calorimetry, the utilization of carbohydrates, and c) to
further understand vitamin B-6 metabolism during and
following...
As the aging population continues to grow the world over, age related complications become more and more apparent among the elderly population. One such complication is age associated memory impairment, which makes the elderly more dependent on caregivers early on. NMDA receptors in the brain are important for memory formation,...
The purpose of this study was to test the effects of guided imagery on cognition, depression, anxiety, quality of life, behavior symptoms, and perceptions of self and others in people with dementia. A nonequivalent control group quasi-experimental design was used to compare an attention control group to the intervention group....
Running economy (RE) is the amount of oxygen utilized (ml.kg⁻¹min⁻¹) when
running a fixed speed, and it has been demonstrated to be an important factor
determining race performance in distance runners. There is evidence that running
economy and/or maximal oxygen consumption (VO₂max) improves over the course
of a training season...
The results of a review of six decades of existing literature for 50% lethal dose data across a range of phyla are presented. The collected 50% lethal dose data is limited to adult organisms subjected to acute doses of gamma radiation. The data collected is examined to determine whether useful...
It has been previously suggested that the walking pattern of individuals with Down syndrome is inefficient. This is thought to result from increased instability, particularly in the medio-lateral direction, due to the characteristic joint laxity and muscle hypotonia of individuals with DS. Therefore, this work was an attempt to gain...
Lateral heel wedge orthotics are designed to reduce medial tibiofemoral joint loading and pain in patients with knee osteoarthritis (OA). To date, the efficacy of long-term lateral heel wedge orthotics use among OA patients has not been determined. This study evaluated the extent to which lateral heel wedge orthotics reduced...
The percentage of the American population who are 65 years old or older is
rapidly increasing, especially the proportion of women. It is becoming crucial to
encourage lifestyle behaviors that will enable senior women to remain in optimal
health. Following the 1990 Dietary Guidelines' recommendations to limit fat intake
and...
The US population over the age of 65 years is growing rapidly, with elderly
women outnumbering men by 50 percent. Studies show that aging is often
accompanied by reduced energy intake, inadequate nutrition, and the loss of lean
body mass with a subsequent increase in body fat, as well as...
Sleep is an active process that affects an individual's daily functioning and physical and mental health. It is also beneficial for an individual's overall health and well being. Children with autism often have difficulty sleeping. One common complaint from parents of children with autism is that these children lack sufficient...
Girls on the Run (GOTR) is a community-based running program that encourages social, mental, emotional and physical development in young girls through the process of training for a 5k running event. Previous reports have shown that GOTR has positive effects on self-esteem and dietary behaviors; whether GOTR influences levels of...
Female athletes exhibit three- to six-fold greater incidence of noncontact anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury relative to their male counterparts. The increased risk appears to stem from interactions between several risk factors, that can roughly be categorized as anatomic, biomechanical, hormonal, and neuromuscular. Neuromuscular risk factors have recently gained a...
Memory is essential to everyday life. As we age, deficits in memory become apparent. The toll of age-related cognitive impairment can be devastating to families and costly to society. The NMDA receptor is a molecule in the brain that is instrumental in the formation of memories. The receptor is particularly...
Depression has been one of the most prevalent psychological disorders. Its relationship with life events is reviewed in light of factors influencing the relationship such as self-esteem, attributional styles, and cognitive complexity. The mechanism of depression and its links with personality disorders are looked at in relation to anxiety. The...
Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is characterized by the accumulation of excess neutral lipids within the parenchymal cells of the liver. The primary etiology is diet-induced and most often exists as a comorbidity with obesity, metabolic syndrome, and/or Type 2 Diabetes. The development of excess liver lipid can be self-limiting...
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1.5.2 Physiological actions of DHA and EPA ..................................... 28
1.5.3
We investigated the relationship between calcium and protein intake and bone loss over a one-year period in 99 early postmenopausal women (1-36 months) aged 51.3 ± 0.31 years. Bone mineral density (g/cm²) of the left hip (total hip, femoral neck, greater trochanter) and lumbar spine (L1-L4) as well as body...
Clothing is the primary means that wilderness backpackers have to protect themselves from injuries and illnesses that can occur while hiking in the cold. The current method of layering clothing may not meet backpackers' needs for both thermal insulation and heat dissipation, particularly in areas of the body that produce...
A significant body of research demonstrates that phytochemical intake favorably influences hepatic metabolism via a number of different biological mechanisms. Other research has shown a positive effect of certain phytochemicals on kidney health, specifically in ameliorating symptoms of kidney disease. The current research used three separate studies that tested the...
The purpose of this study was to examine the validity and reliability of the 30-minute cycling time trial to estimate the heart rate at lactate threshold. Recreationally trained cyclists and triathletes (n = 47) performed 3 tests in random order: 1) One graded exercise test to directly determine lactate threshold...
Endurance riding reflects a relatively new sport among equine athletic disciplines and is growing rapidly. Of all the equine athletic disciplines, endurance riding is the most closely interrelated with veterinary assessment and control to ensure that horses are not exercised beyond their athletic capacity. As endurance riding competition has evolved,...