Education Commons^™

Student Lifestyle Choices And Perceptions Of Stress Based On Majors, Nathan Robinson, Seth Andrews, Benjamin E. Yoder

Exercise Science Senior Research Projects

College students are often experience many stressors. This study was designed to look at perceived-stress and health habits with relation to academic department of undergraduate students at Cedarville University. The results of this study have implications for the Physical Activity and the Christian Life (PACL) class, offered on the Cedarville campus, in assessing its current curriculum and making potential future adjustments to the course. The objective of this study was to answer the question: “Do perceived stress levels within different academic departments affect health habits in Cedarville University undergraduate students?”

The study was conducted with a campus-wide, 27 question survey …

The Impact Of Stability Ball Seating On Behavior And Academic Achievement Among Elementary School Students In Grades 1 Through 4., Sheila R. Borders

Doctoral Dissertations

This study was designed to answer three questions: 1) What is the impact of stability ball seating on the behavior of students in grades 1 through 4? 2) What is the impact of stability ball seating on the mathematics scores of students in grades 1 through 4? and 3) What is the impact of stability ball seating on the reading scores of students in grades 1 through 4? Research has shown that stability ball seating is linked to behavior and academic achievement among students diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and/or autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This study examines the …

Barriers, Motivations, And Preferences For Physical Activity Among Female African American Older Adults, Neha P. Gothe, Bradley J. Kendall

Kinesiology, Health and Sport Studies

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, less than 11% of adults more than the age of 65 meet the 2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans. Among minority populations, only 5% of non-Hispanic Black older adults met the guidelines. Given our limited understanding of psychosocial and environmental factors that affect physical activity participation in these groups, the purpose of our focus groups was to investigate barriers, motivators, and preferences of physical activity for community-dwelling African American older adults. Three focus groups were conducted with female African American older adults (N = 20). Questions posed to each focus group …

Active Science® Pilot Study: Promoting Physical Activity And Science Learning Among Children, Kevin E. Finn, Zi Yan, Edward Martin, Kyle Mcinnis

Health Sciences Faculty Publications

Background: Afterschool programs (ASPs) have been identified as ideal settings where children can accumulate a significant portion of their total daily physical activity (PA). The purpose of the current study was to assess the effectiveness of the Active Science program in promoting PA and science learning in different site locations across the U.S. Methods: Participants were 72 children (35 females, mean age = 9.2 years, standard deviation [SD] = 0.9) from five YMCA afterschool childcare sites located in five states. The 6-week Active Science program was implemented twice/week for 60 min at a site. The participants completed 30 min of …

Evidence Of Glycolysis Up-Regulation And Pyruvate Mitochondrial Oxidation Mismatch During Mechanical Unloading Of The Failing Human Heart: Implications For Cardiac Reloading And Conditioning, Nikolaos A. Diakos, Sutip Navankasattusas, E. Dale Abel, Jared Rutter, Lauren Mccreath, Peter Ferrin, Stephen H. Mckellar, Dylan V. Miller, Song-Young Park, Russell S. Richardson, Ralph Deberardinis, James E. Cox, Abdallah G. Kfoury, Craig H. Selzman, Joseph C. Fang, Dean Y. Li, Stavros Drakos

Health and Kinesiology Faculty Publications

This study sought to investigate the effects of mechanical unloading on myocardial energetics and the metabolic perturbation of heart failure (HF) in an effort to identify potential new therapeutic targets that could enhance the unloading-induced cardiac recovery. The authors prospectively examined paired human myocardial tissue procured from 31 advanced HF patients at left ventricular assist device (LVAD) implant and at heart transplant plus tissue from 11 normal donors. They identified increased post-LVAD glycolytic metabolites without a coordinate increase in early, tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle intermediates. The increased pyruvate was not directed toward the mitochondria and the TCA cycle for complete …

Academic And Psychosocial Outcomes Of A Physical Activity Program With Fourth Graders: Variations Among Schools In Six Urban School Districts, Cheryl L. Somers, Erin E. Centeio, Noel Kulik, Alex Garn, Jeffry Martin, Bo Shen, Mariane Fahlman, Nathan A. Mccaughtry

Kinesiology, Health and Sport Studies

The purpose was to examine academic achievement, school attachment, and peer acceptance before and after a comprehensive school-based physical activity program (CSPAP) with 378 children in 12 fourth-grade classrooms across six schools in primarily low-socioeconomic status (SES) districts of a large Midwestern metropolitan area. Both personal and normative rate of academic achievement improvement metrics were used. Overall, all students showed personal math and reading growth. However, effects varied by types of achievement indicator and comparison group, revealing noteworthy school-level demographic and implementation characteristics that are inextricably intertwined with program effectiveness and student growth. Implications, especially for minimizing generalizations, are significant.

Wnt5a-Jnk Regulation Of Vascular Insulin Resistance In Human Obesity, Melissa G. Farb, Shakun Karki, Song-Young Park, Samantha M. Saggese, Brian Carmine, Donald T. Hess, Caroline Apovian, Jessica L. Fetterman, Rosa Breton-Romero, Naomi M. Hamburg, Jose J. Fuster, Maria A. Zuriaga, Kenneth Walsh, Noyan Gokce

Health and Kinesiology Faculty Publications

Obesity is associated with the development of vascular insulin resistance; however, pathophysiological mechanisms are poorly understood. We sought to investigate the role of WNT5A-JNK in the regulation of insulin-mediated vasodilator responses in human adipose tissue arterioles prone to endothelial dysfunction. In 43 severely obese (BMI 44±11 kg/m2) and five metabolically normal non-obese (BMI 26±2 kg/m2) subjects, we isolated arterioles from subcutaneous and visceral fat during planned surgeries. Using videomicroscopy, we examined insulin-mediated, endothelium-dependent vasodilator responses and characterized adipose tissue gene and protein expression using real-time polymerase chain reaction and Western blot analyses. Immunofluorescence was used to quantify endothelial nitric oxide …

Mental Toughness, Grit, And Motivational Differences In Single-Sport And Multi-Sport Athletes, Cole Justin Shewmake

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Whether it is at work, school or sports, mental toughness (MT), grit and motivation are essential to accomplishing goals. Sports can be an integral platform for developing MT, grit, and factors that increase motivation levels, and it is during childhood and adolescence that these characteristics may develop. All of this could prove beneficial into adulthood. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine MT, grit and motivational orientations of single-sport and multi-sport athletes at different levels of competition. Considering MT, a 2 x 2 ANOVA indicated no significant interaction effect between athlete type and competition level, F(1, 387) = …

Accuracy And Precision Of Quantitative 31p-Mrs Measurements Of Human Skeletal Muscle Mitochondrial Function, Gwenael Layec, J. R. Gifford, Joel D. Trinity, Corey R. Hart, Ryan S. Garten, Song-Young Park, Yann Le Fur, Eun-Kee Jeong, Russell S. Richardson

Health and Kinesiology Faculty Publications

Although theoretically sound, the accuracy and precision of 31P-magnetic resonance spectroscopy (31P-MRS) approaches to quantitatively estimate mitochondrial capacity are not well documented. Therefore, employing four differing models of respiratory control [linear, kinetic, and multipoint adenosine diphosphate (ADP) and phosphorylation potential], this study sought to determine the accuracy and precision of 31P-MRS assessments of peak mitochondrial adenosine-triphosphate (ATP) synthesis rate utilizing directly measured peak respiration (State 3) in permeabilized skeletal muscle fibers. In 23 subjects of different fitness levels, 31P-MRS during a 24-s maximal isometric knee extension and high-resolution respirometry in muscle fibers from the vastus lateralis was performed. Although significantly …

Mitochondrial Function In Heart Failure: The Impact Of Ischemic And Non-Ischemic Etiology, Song-Young Park, Joel D. Trinity, J. R. Gifford, Nikolaos A. Diakos, Lauren Mccreath, Stavros Drakos, Russell S. Richardson

Health and Kinesiology Faculty Publications

Background

Although cardiac mitochondrial dysfunction is associated with heart failure (HF), this is a complex syndrome with two predominant etiologies, ischemic HF (iHF) and non-ischemic HF (niHF), and the exact impact of mitochondrial dysfunction in these two distinct forms of HF is unknown.

Methods and results

To determine the impact of HF etiology on mitochondrial function, respiration was measured in permeabilized cardiac muscle fibers from patients with iHF (n = 17), niHF (n = 18), and healthy donor hearts (HdH). Oxidative phosphorylation capacity (OXPHOS), assessed as state 3 respiration, fell progressively from HdH to niHF, to iHF (Complex I + …

Predicting Social Responsibility And Belonging In Urban After-School Physical Activity Programs With Underserved Children, Jeffry J. Martin, Brigid Byrd, Alex Garn, Nate Mccaughtry, Noel Kulik, Erin Centeio

Kinesiology, Health and Sport Studies

The purpose of this cross sectional study was to predict feelings of belonging and social responsibility based on the motivational climate perceptions and contingent self-worth of children participating in urban after-school physical activity programs. Three-hundred and four elementary school students from a major Midwestern city participated. Based on multiple regression analyses we predicted 39 % of the variance in feelings of belonging largely due to perceptions of leadership emotional support and task climate and 31 % of the variance in feelings of social responsibility largely due to perceptions of a caring climate. Our findings support the importance of after school …

Relationship Between Health And Gpa When Comparing Traditional Undergraduate Students At The University Of Maine In Orono, Rachel A. Claussen

Honors College

Purpose: The primary relationship this research assesses is between health and academic performance. In addition, it looks at the differences in this relationship for resident students as compared to commuter students.

Methods: The participants were all UMaine undergraduate students. The inclusion criteria for the participants are as follows: 18-24 years old, never have been married, not a Division I athlete and full-time student during the spring semester of 2015. A paper- based self-reported survey was distributed using a convenience sample due to the fact that the primary investigator only asked professors she knew if she could distribute the survey during …

Impact Of Aerobic And Anaerobic Exercise Training On Oxidative Stress And Antioxidant Defense In Athletes, Song-Young Park, Yi Sub Kwak

Health and Kinesiology Faculty Publications

Exercise mediates an excessive free radical production leading to oxidative stress (OS). The body has natural antioxidant systems that help decrease OS, and these systems may be enhanced with exercise training. However, only a few studies have investigated the differences in resting OS and antioxidant capacity (AOC) between aerobically trained athletes (ET), anaerobically trained athletes (RT), and untrained individuals (UT). Therefore, this study sought to investigate the resting and postexercise OS and AOC in ET, RT, and UT. Sixty healthy young males (26.6±0.8 yr) participated in this study. Subjects were divided into three groups, ET, RT, and UT by distinct …

Factors Lnfluencing Weight Gain And Perceived Barriers Of Exercise In First Semester College Students, Noah C. Neuenfeldt

Masters Theses

College students believe that university weight management interventions impact their health habits. This suggests that universities can play a large role in encouraging students to be active. The purpose of this study was to investigate this claim and to acquire a better understanding of weight change in first year college students in the first semester. We specifically sought to identify the variables that influence weight gain, as well as determine the awareness and usage of resources available to the students. A survey was given to first year students addressing the variables of interest including change in weight and Body Mass …

Exercise Training Improves Vascular Mitochondrial Function, Song-Young Park, Matthew J. Rossman, J. R. Gifford, Leena P. Bharath, Johann Bauersachs, Russell S. Richardson, E. Dale Abel, J. David Symons, Christian Riehle

Health and Kinesiology Faculty Publications

Exercise training is recognized to improve cardiac and skeletal muscle mitochondrial respiratory capacity; however, the impact of chronic exercise on vascular mitochondrial respiratory function is unknown. We hypothesized that exercise training concomitantly increases both vascular mitochondrial respiratory capacity and vascular function. Arteries from both sedentary (SED) and swim-trained (EX, 5 wk) mice were compared in terms of mitochondrial respiratory function, mitochondrial content, markers of mitochondrial biogenesis, redox balance, nitric oxide (NO) signaling, and vessel function. Mitochondrial complex I and complex I + II state 3 respiration and the respiratory control ratio (complex I + II state 3 respiration/complex I state …

The Effects Of Fitness Level And Sex On Epoc Following High Intensity Interval And Moderate Intensity Aerobic Exercise, Rachel Lauren Simmons

Human Movement Sciences Theses & Dissertations

In the past few years, much attention has been directed toward shorter-duration vigorous intensity aerobic exercise as opposed to longer-duration moderate intensity exercise. There is conflicting evidence as to whether vigorous exercise can result in a greater excess post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC) and thus more calories burned when compared to moderate continuous exercise performed for a longer duration. In addition, the literature contains a dearth of information isolating and investigating male and female response to these exercises, as well as fit and unfit subjects. The purpose of this study was to quantify EPOC following moderate intensity aerobic exercise (MOD) and …

The Effect Of Exercise Order On Body Fat Loss During Concurrent Training, Tonya Lee Davis-Miller

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

While the benefits of both cardiovascular exercise and resistance training have been well documented, there is a lack of evidence for the order of exercise that is most effective when both are done in the same day. This study was designed to look at two groups of participants performing both resistance (R) and cardiovascular (C) training in the same day to determine if their order, resistance before cardiovascular (R-C) or cardiovascular before resistance (C-R), matter with regard to changes in body composition, maximal strength, and maximal aerobic capacity. The participants were 17 women between the ages of 30 and 55 …

Impact Of Age On The Vasodilatory Function Of Human Skeletal Muscle Feed Arteries, Song-Young Park, S. J. Ives, J. R. Gifford, R. H. I. Andtbacka, John R. Hyngstrom, Van Reese, Gwenael Layec, Leena P. Bharath, J. David Symons, Russell S. Richardson

Health and Kinesiology Faculty Publications

Although advancing age is often associated with attenuated skeletal muscle blood flow and skeletal muscle feed arteries (SMFAs) have been recognized to play a regulatory role in the vasculature, little is known about the impact of age on the vasodilatory capacity of human SMFAs. Therefore, endothelium-dependent and -independent vasodilation were assessed in SMFAs (diameter: 544 ± 63 μm) obtained from 24 (equally represented) young (33 ± 2 yr) and old (71 ± 2 yr) subjects in response to three stimuli: 1) flow-induced shear stress, 2) ACh, and 3) sodium nitropusside (SNP). Both assessments of endothelium-dependent vasodilation, flow …

How Feedback And Goal-Setting Impact Children's Recess Physical Activity, Ryann Koufoudakis, Heather Erwin, Aaron Beighle, Michelle L. Thornton

Kinesiology and Health Promotion Faculty Publications

In recent years, schools desire to promote physical activity (PA) for their students but are restricted due to resources being expended in other areas of their curriculum, including standardized testing preparation. Recess/lunch periods have potential to contribute important amounts of PA to youth’s overall levels. Interventions to maximize PA during recess are warranted. The purpose of this study was to demonstrate the impact of feedback and goal-setting on students’ PA during recess. A sample of 136 (67 females, 69 males) 4^th and 5^th grade students in the Southeast United States wore unsealed Walk4Life pedometers during recess for one …

Social Physique Anxiety And Body Image Of Middle School Youth: A Longitudinal Study (Fffa2016-Web.Pdf), Mary Jo Maccracken, Robert E. Stadulis

Dr. Mary J. MacCracken