Richard D. Tandy

The effect of plyometric training on power and kicking distance in female adolescent soccer players.

Rubley, MD, Haase, AC, Holcomb, WR, Girouard, TJ, and Tandy, RD. The effect of plyometric training on power and kicking distance in female adolescent soccer players. J Strength Cond Res 25(1): 129-134, 2011-The purpose of this study was to measure the effects of low-frequency, low-impact plyometric training on vertical jump (VJ) and kicking distance in female adolescent soccer players. Sixteen adolescent soccer players were studied (age 13.4 ± 0.5 years) across 14 weeks. The control group (general soccer training only) had 6 subjects, and the plyometric training (general soccer training plus plyometric exercise) group had 10 subjects. All subjects were tested for VJ and kicking distance on 3 occasions: pre-test, 7 weeks, and 14 weeks. Data were analyzed using a 2 (Training) × 3 (Test) analysis of variance (ANOVA) with repeated measures on the factor test. No significant difference in kicking distance was found between groups at pre-test (p = 0.688) or 7 weeks (p = 0.117). The plyometric group had significantly greater kicking distance after 14 weeks (p < 0.001). No significant difference in VJ height was found between groups at pre-test (p = 0.837) or 7 weeks (p = 0.108). The plyometric group had a significantly higher VJ after 14 weeks (p = 0.014). These results provide strength coaches with a safe and effective alternative to high-intensity plyometric training. Based on these findings, to increase lower-body power resulting in increased VJ and kicking distance, strength coaches should implement once-weekly, low-impact plyometric training programs with their adolescent athletes.

The Effects of Adding Leucine to Pre and Postexercise Carbohydrate Beverages on Acute Muscle Recovery From Resistance Training

Stock, MS, Young, JC, Golding, LA, Kruskall, LJ, Tandy, RD, Conway-Klaassen, JM, and Beck, TW. The effects of adding leucine to pre and postexercise carbohydrate beverages on acute muscle recovery from resistance training. J Strength Cond Res 24(8): 2211-2219, 2010-The present study examined the effects of adding leucine to pre and postexercise carbohydrate beverages on selected markers of muscle damage, delayed-onset muscle soreness (DOMS), and squat performance for up to 72 hours after lower-body resistance training. Seventeen resistance trained men (mean ± SD age 22.9 ± 2.9 years) and 3 resistance trained women (mean ± SD age 21.6 ± 2.6 years) performed 6 sets of squats to fatigue using 75% of the 1 repetition maximum. Each subject consumed a carbohydrate beverage 30 minutes before and immediately after exercise with or without the addition of 22.5 mg·kg−1 (45 mg·kg−1 total) of leucine in a randomized, double-blind fashion. Serum creatine kinase (CK), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), and DOMS were analyzed immediately before (TIME1), 24 (TIME2), 48 (TIME3), and 72 (TIME4) hours after exercise. The subjects repeated the squat protocol at TIME4 to test recovery. No differences were observed between groups for squat performance, defined as the total number of repetitions performed during 6 sets of squats, for both TIME1 and TIME4. The addition of leucine did not significantly decrease CK and LDH activity or DOMS. These results suggested that adding leucine to carbohydrate beverages did not affect acute muscle recovery and squat performance during both initial testing and during a subsequent exercise bout 72 hours later in resistance trained subjects.

An Exploration of the Alienation Experienced by African American Parents From Their Children’s Educational Environment

Current research suggests that parents are a key component to the school success of their children. However, in today’s world, parents often work long hours, have more than one job, and participate in multiple responsibilities that may limit their participation. Because of the variety of factors that impinge on parents, educators often criticize them for their nonparticipation or limited participation in the school environment. The purpose of this study was to determine the degree of alienation, if any, that African American parents feel toward public education. A modified version of the Barriers to School Involvement Survey was administered to 421 African American parents. The questionnaire was factored into five problem categories for analysis (e.g., personal concerns, work, lack of interest, logistics, teacher/parent relationships). Although significance was found among the five problem categories and across the six research questions (e.g., problem categories, employment status, economics, special education vs. general education, family composition, and parent education levels), the findings indicate that parents did not view the five problem categories as a concern impacting their school involvement.

An Analysis of Social Skills Instruction Provided in Teacher Education and In-Service Training Programs for General and Special Educators

An adapted version of the Teacher/Staff Skillstreaming Checklist was used to determine the level, type, and area of social skills instruction provided to general and special education teachers. Nine universities participated in the study in which facilitators advertised the adapted questionnaire to licensed general and special education teachers enrolled in university-based degree programs over a 6-month period. A total of 237 participants completed the questionnaire. Results indicate that general and special education teachers receive a limited amount of direct and incidental social skills instruction in their preservice and/or in-service training programs. The general and special education teachers reported receiving more instruction in particular areas of social skills within their in-service training. Special education teachers who teach in self-contained settings did not receive more social skills instruction than did resource room teachers in preservice or in-service training programs. However, special education teachers who teach in resource rooms did receive more social skills instruction than did general education teachers, but only in their preservice training programs.

In vivo interaction of Cis-platinum and fosfomycin on squamous cell carcinoma

Objectives/Hypothesis Cis‐platinum is the most frequently used chemotherapeutic agent for the treatment of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (SCCA). Ototoxicity and nephrotoxicity continue to be the primary dose‐limiting toxicities encountered. Fosfomycin, a broad‐spectrum antibiotic, has been previously shown to be both otoprotective and nephroprotective against cis‐platinum toxicity. Previous in vitro work demonstrated that fosfomycin does not inhibit the tumoricidal actions of cis‐platinum. This study tests whether fosfomycin inhibits cis‐platinum in vivo.

Teaching Online Social Skills to Students with Emotional and Behavioral Disorders

Students with emotional and behavioral disorders (EBDs) often lack appropriate social skills. Participation in direct and explicit instruction related to social skills is common in their educational programming. For these interventions to be effective, it is important that students have the opportunity to apply them in the natural environment. Increases in the use of technology have created new natural environments for social participation, with their own specific rules for social interaction. Although not specifically studied, it has been theorized that students with EBD will display social deficits in online environments. This study focused on teaching eight online social skills (OSS) to students with EBD. Two instructional conditions were compared: traditionally based OSS instruction (OSSI) involving paper-and-pencil and OSSI involving practice in an online social environment. Twenty-three culturally and linguistically diverse adolescent students with EBD (mean age of 13.35) participated in this intervention. Findings indicated that both interventions were effective at increasing students’ identification of problem behaviors in an online environment and that students believed learning about OSS was important at the end of instruction. Based on overall knowledge acquisition scores, however, neither intervention produced significant results. Implications for the incorporation of this instruction into social skills interventions are discussed.

The effect of acute endurance exercise on lipoproteins: a comparison of the nuclear magnetic resonance technique with the conventional lipid profile in healthy men.

Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) of lipoprotein particle size and number may provide greater sensitivity to detecting cardiovascular disease risk compared with the conventional lipid profile in some individuals. The salubrious effect of cardiovascular exercise on blood lipids using the conventional profile is well documented; however, NMR analysis is lacking. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of a 60-min bout of dynamic exercise on lipoprotein particle size and number as measured by NMR and compare it with the conventional blood lipid profile. Eight active, healthy men (26 ± 5.17 years) ran for 60 min at 70% maximal oxygen uptake on a motor-driven treadmill. Fasting blood samples were drawn at pre-exercise and 5-10 min and 24 h postexercise. The conventional lipid profile showed a significant change in triglycerides (p = 0.019) immediately after exercise with an increase of 22% and a nonsignificant decrease of 13% from baseline after 24 h. The NMR profile showed a significant change in the large high-density lipoprotein particle concentration (p = 0.046) with an increase of 5.8% immediately after exercise, and a decrease of 6.7% at 24 h after exercise. None of the NMR profile changes were significantly different from the baseline value. These data suggest that sensitivity differences between techniques depend on the variable considered; however, they do not warrant concomitant analysis in future studies using this population. Finally, no appreciable favorable or adverse effect was observed in the overall cardiovascular disease risk profile in active, normolipidemic males.

Cognitively Accessible Academic Lessons for Students With Intellectual Disabilities Using the iPad

The purpose of this study was to improve access to general education curricula, through the use of an iPad, for students with intellectual disabilities (IDs). The participants were 72 students (kindergarten through eighth grade) identified as having an ID. During the 6-week study, the 41 students in the experimental iPad group received academic instruction and completed work via the iPad, while the 31 students in the control group received the same instruction via paper-and-pencil materials. Data were compared to determine the effects of the intervention on the academic content knowledge, work completion, and teacher perceptions of the engagement of students with IDs. Student perceptions concerning the use of the iPad as a learning tool were collected and evaluated. Analyses indicate that academic student achievement increased with both the iPad and traditional teaching methods and that performance was maintained. Additionally, the iPad usage had a significant effect on the work completion and engagement of students with IDs as indicated by work completion data and teacher perceptions of engagement. Moreover, students participating in the study responded favorably about using the iPad. Implications from these findings indicate that the iPad may be an effective learning tool for students with IDs.

THE EFFECT OF ELECTRICALLY INDUCED STRENGTH TRAINING ON TRICEPS BRACHII STRENGTH IN UNTRAINED FEMALES

Twenty‐seven apparently healthy females volunteered for a study to compare the effect of neuro‐muscular electrical stimulation (NMES) (N = 7), traditional isotonic weight training (N =9) and NMES combined with isotonic weight training (N =11) on triceps brachii strength. Strength was measured isotonically (1‐RM) and isometrically (MVIC). The NMES group received NMES 3 times per week. The Weight and Weight/NMES groups performed 3 sets of 8 to 10 repetitions at 60% of 1‐RM, 3 times per week. All groups were pre‐ and post‐tested to determine 1‐RM and MVIC. Strength was also tested after four weeks, in order to ensure the Weight and NMES/Weight groups were training at a minimum of 60% of 1‐RM. Two mixed factor design ANOVAs (Group x Time x Arm) found no significant difference between groups in a pretest (p ≤ 0.05). All three groups demonstrated a significant absolute increase in strength, both isometrically and isotonically. A statistical difference was not found between the three training methods in their ef...