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The Impact Of Exercise In Spaceflight And Microgravity Environments, William Bybee

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

Since mankind’s first spaceflight, a significant barricade in reaching distant planets has been the damaging effects of microgravity upon the human body. Effects range from loss in bone mineral density and severe muscle atrophy to autoimmune disorders. The most effective countermeasure of these effects to date is exercise. Implementation of exercise in microgravity is not an easy task, so various specialized equipment must be utilized to effectively administer it. Even with this equipment, exercise as it is currently used does not entirely prevent body systems from undergoing detrimental changes. New modalities and implementations are currently being investigated that may significantly …

Where Do We Go From Here? A Forward-Thinking Vision For Physiology Undergraduate Education, Nancy M. Aguilar-Roca, Lisa C. Anderson, Anne R. Crecelius, Michelle B. French, Katie Johnson, Jenny L. Mcfarland, Jennifer Rogers, Claudia I. Stanescu, Erica A. Wehrwein

Health and Sport Science Faculty Publications

This paper is a summary of the special collection of papers in Advances in Physiology Education dedicated to the Physiology Majors Interest Group (P-MIG). P-MIG is a new and vibrant community (1, 2) of educators and administrators who are united by the common goal of creating physiology courses, curricula and programs that will prepare our students for the future. It is an independent consortium that welcomes anyone interested in physiology education at the level of the undergraduate degree in physiology and physiology-related fields. As demonstrated by this special collection of papers of Advances in Physiology Education, P-MIG has already made …

The Acute Effects Of Warm-Up With And Without Blood Flow Restriction Cuffs On Lower Body Temperature, Flexibility, And Vertical Jump Power, Phillipe Thomas Lopez

Theses and Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of blood flow restriction warmups (BFR-WU) on skin temperature (ST), range of motion (ROM), and vertical jump (VJ) performance.

Methods: Forty-seven participants performed WU’s with unilateral BFR application. Each participant took part in five different WU durations. Measurements of ST, ROM, VJ were taken at baseline, post-WU, and post-8min.

Results: Significant conditions main effect (p<0.05), condition*time (p<0.05), WUduration*condition (p<0.01), and conditions*time*sex interactions (p<0.05) were found by repeated measures ANOVA.

Conclusion: The current findings reveal that BFR-WU’s react differently throughout time, when compared to NBFR-WU, for ST and VJ performance, but not ROM. The length of duration was only significant …

The Effect Of Barefoot Running On Emg Activity In The Gastrocnemius And Tibialis Anterior In Active College-Aged Females, Ryan Beierle, Phoebe Burton, Hayden Smith, Michael Smith, Stephen J. Ives

International Journal of Exercise Science

International Journal of Exercise Science 12(1): 1110-1120, 2019. Running is one of the most popular forms of exercise, thus overuse injuries such as plantar fasciitis, shin splints, and tibial stress fractures are also common. Barefoot/forefoot running has shown promise to reduce overuse injuries by decreasing the impact upon contact with the ground. The arch of the foot utilizes a ‘spring’ system that simultaneously reduces impact and propels the stride forward. Increased muscle activity in a particular location is indicative of greater impact forces, suggesting a larger risk for overuse injuries. The current study investigated the role of the barefoot condition …

Measures Of Fluid Loss During Surfing: A Preliminary Analysis In Recreational Surfers, Rudi A. Meir, Zachary James Crowley-Mchattan Dr, Lyndon O. Brooks, Blake Duncan, Christian Gorrie, Jeremy Sheppard

International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education

Surfing is a popular sport, but little is known about the extent to which recreational surfers experience fluid loss from this activity. The principal objective of this research was to estimate fluid loss during a surfing session through changes in pre- to post-session urine color (Ucol), urine osmolality (Uosm), and body mass (BM). Data were collected from 11 recreational surfers across 14 surf sessions conducted under various environmental (mean water temperature = 22.1 SD ± 2.3; range = 20-26^oC; air temperature range = 13.1-31.5^oC; relative humidity range = 37.5-88.1%) and surfing conditions (e.g. winter/summer, wave type, …

Influence Of Hydration Status On Running Performance And Makers Of Psychological And Physiological Stress In High School Cross Country Runners, Joshua Granger

LSU Master's Theses

Adequate hydration is an important attribute to an individual’s health and wellbeing. This is highlighted in athletic populations, who are at great risk for hypohydration, regardless of age, sex, and sport. The rampant hypohydration observed in athletes is present at all levels of competition, from professional athletes, with access to substantial monetary and nutrition support to division 3 and recreational athletes who often face monetary challenges. This trend continues to trickle down to lower levels of competition, such as high school, where athletes often practice and compete in dehydrated states. Practicing in these hypohydrated states can cause health issues such …

International Comparison Of The Levels And Potential Correlates Of Objectively Measured Sedentary Time And Physical Activity Among Three-To-Four-Year-Old Children, Kaiseree I. Dias, James White, Russell Jago, Greet Cardon, Rachel Davey, Kathleen F. Janz, Russell R. Pate, Jardena J. Puder, John J. Reilly, Ruth Kipping

Faculty Publications

Physical activity (PA) patterns track from childhood through to adulthood. The study aimed to determine the levels and correlates of sedentary time (ST), total PA (TPA), and moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA) in preschool-aged children. We conducted cross-sectional analyses of 1052 children aged three-to-four-years-old from six studies included in the International Children’s Accelerometry Database. Multilevel linear regression models adjusting for age, gender, season, minutes of wear time, and study clustering effects were used to estimate associations between age, gender, country, season, ethnicity, parental education, day of the week, time of sunrise, time of sunset, and hours of daylight and the daily minutes …

Measurement Of Strength Gains Using A Fascial System Exercise Program, Michele M. Bond, Richard Lloyd, Robyn A. Braun, James A. Eldridge

International Journal of Exercise Science

International Journal of Exercise Science 12(1): 825-838, 2019. Current fascia research is allowing for an interdisciplinary understanding of the body’s anatomical, biomechanical, and neurological connectivity via the fascial network. Fascial research and its application has been validated and established in various clinical areas of research. The purpose of this study was to apply the current knowledge of the fascial system to general exercise protocols. This study involved 20 women, ages 30-60 years, who were novice weight trainers, mostly sedentary, and with no injuries, excessive pain or disease. The 10-week study compared strength gain changes between a strength training regimen control …

Wearable Technology Devices: Heart Rate And Step Count Analysis, Jeffrey Montes

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The overarching purpose of this dissertation was to evaluate and analyze heart rate and/or step count measurements for six popular wearable technology devices: the Samsung Gear 2, FitBit Surge, Polar A360, Garmin Vivosmart HR+, Leaf Health Tracker, and the Scosche Rhythm+ in four separate conditions: free motion walking, free motion jogging, treadmill walking, and treadmill jogging. The four studies presented here utilized one test design and data collection protocol in which many measurements could be addressed simultaneously. Currently, there is no accepted standardized protocol to evaluate wearable technology devices. The test design utilized for this research series was introduced as …

Follicle-Stimulating Hormone, But Not Cardiorespiratory Fitness, Is Associated With Flow-Mediated Dilation With Advancing Menopausal Stage, Corinna Serviente, Sarah Witkowski

Exercise and Sport Studies: Faculty Publications

Objective:The aim of the study was to evaluate if there are differences in endothelial function before and after acute exercise in women at different menopausal stages with high and low cardiorespiratory fitness.Methods:Participants were healthy high-fit premenopausal (n = 11), perimenopausal (n = 12), and postmenopausal women (n = 13) and low-fit perimenopausal (n = 7) and postmenopausal women (n = 8). Brachial artery flow-mediated dilation (FMD) was measured before and after acute moderate intensity exercise. FMD was calculated as (Diameterpeak-Diameterbaseline)/ Diameterbaseline) × 100. Differences between high-fit women and between high- and low-fit perimenopausal and postmenopausal women were assessed with repeated-measure …

Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors And Physical Fitness In Volunteer Firefighters, Zachary T. Martin, Rebecca A. Schlaff, Jade K. Hemenway, Jillian R. Coulter, Jeremy L. Knous, John E. Lowry, Joshua J. Ode

International Journal of Exercise Science

International Journal of Exercise Science 12(2): 764-776, 2019. Forty-seven percent of volunteer firefighter line of duty deaths are caused by cardiovascular events. Aggressive cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factor reduction and improved physical fitness could reduce CVD mortality within this population. We assessed CVD risk factors and physical fitness in a large cohort of volunteer firefighters to help establish a health and fitness profile of this population, which may serve as evidence for the need to initiate programs aimed at reducing morbidity and mortality caused by CVD in the volunteer fire service. Seventy-four male volunteer firefighters were assessed for eight CVD …

Cardiorespiratory Responses To Shallow Water Exercise: A Sex Comparison, Mitchell Garant Fisher, Laura Jean Miller, Jerusalem Tesfaye, Karen Roemer, Debra Mary D'Acquisto, Leo Joseph D'Acquisto

International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education

This investigation examined physiological responses to shallow water exercise (SWE) and to a high-intensity interval SWE workout (HIISWE) in males (M, n=9) and females (F, n=9). Participants performed 5 X 5 min. SWE bouts (bts.) at ratings of perceived exertion (RPE) 9, 11, 13, 15 and 17 (Borg scale) and a maximal bout of SWE with metabolic, heart rate (HR), and blood lactate (BLa) responses monitored. The same measurements were performed during HIISWE (4 X 4-min bts., alternating 20-s “all-out” and 10-s rest). Peak oxygen uptake (V̇O₂) and BLa were greater in M (3.6 ± 0.4 vs. 2.7 …

Stride-Time Variability Is Related To Sensorimotor Cortical Activation During Forward And Backward Walking, Boman Groff, Prokopios Antonellis, Kendra K. Schmid, Brian Knarr, Nicholas Stergiou

Journal Articles

Previous research has used functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) to show that motor areas of the cortex are activated more while walking backward compared to walking forward. It is also known that head movement creates motion artifacts in fNIRS data. The aim of this study was to investigate cortical activation during forward and backward walking, while also measuring head movement. We hypothesized that greater activation in motor areas while walking backward would be concurrent with increased head movement. Participants performed forward and backward walking on a treadmill. Participants wore motion capture markers on their head to quantify head movement and pressure …

Beyond Peak, A Simple Approach To Assess Rowing Power And The Impact Of Training: A Technical Report, Julian D. Egan-Shuttler, Rohan Edmonds, Cassandra Eddy, Veronica O’Neill, Stephen Ives

International Journal of Exercise Science

International Journal of Exercise Science 12(6): 233-244, 2019. Recently, rowing power has been shown to be a key determinant of rowing performance. However, rowing power testing can vary greatly, and is not standardized. Here we sought to evaluate rowing power over a 15 sec rowing test utilizing a stroke-by-stroke analysis before and after 4 weeks of training in youth rowers. Methods: 18 adolescent male rowers were assigned to complete either 4 weeks of plyometric training (PLYO, n=9), or steady state cycling (Control, n=9), for 30 minutes before on water training three days/week. Each group was matched for training volume. Peak …

Reliability Of The Polar T31 Uncoded Heart Rate Monitor In Free Motion And Treadmill Activities, Jeffrey Montes, James W. Navalta

International Journal of Exercise Science

International Journal of Exercise Science 12(4): 69-76, 2019. The Polar T31 uncoded heart rate monitor (T31) is currently accepted as a precision measurement device that can be used in lieu of electrocardiography. However, minimal literature exists to verify reliability when used for this purpose. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the reliability of heart rate (HR) measurements obtained from the T31. Forty volunteers participated in a three-day test-retest protocol. Participants gave anthropometric data on the first day. On the second day, they performed two 5-minute self-paced free motion walks (FMW) and two 5-minute self-paced free motion jogs (FMJ). …

University Of Nebraska At Omaha Department Of Biomechanics Annual Report Spring 2019, Department Of Biomechanics, University Of Nebraska At Omaha

Biomechanics Annual Report

This report contains:

A letter from the Director: Dr. Nick Stergiou

Articles about Updates: Center for Research in Human Movement Variability

Articles about the Updates: Department of Biomechanics

Articles on Exciting News

Article about Beyond the Boarders

Articles on Outreach

and Highlights

The Influence Of Time Spent In Beginning And End-State Postures On Grasp Choice, Rachel Modersitzki

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

The choice to end comfortably often requires adoption of uncomfortable beginning states, demonstrating that a sequence of movement is planned in advance of movement onset. Many factors may influence the choice of comfortable end-state postures including the greater precision and speed afforded by postures at joint angle mid-ranges (Short & Cauraugh, 1999). There has been no evaluation of the hypothesis that postures are chosen based on minimizing time spent in postures. Typically, the time spent in beginning and end-states are not explicitly constrained, but the end-state posture is likely held for the longer amount of time due to greater precision …

The Effect Of Midsole Cushioning On The Kinetics, Kinematics, And Control Of Running, Brian Joseph Prejean

Kinesiology Dissertations - Archive

The incidence of musculoskeletal injuries associated with the stress of running, known as running-related injuries (RRIs), has risen in conjunction with the resurgence of running as a health-related physical activity approximately half a century ago, with some reports giving an annual prevalence as high as 79% of practitioners surveyed. Running shoes with increased amounts of midsole cushioning have been promoted to reduce the risk of sustaining RRIs by absorbing some of the high magnitude and frequency ground reaction forces (GRFs) imposed on the leg with every stride. However, individual variability, as well as the ability of the motor system to …

Hematological Changes In Response To A Drastic Increase In Training Volume In Recreational Cyclists, Jessie Axsom

James Madison Undergraduate Research Journal (JMURJ)

Changes in blood volume contribute to improvement in oxygen utilization (VO2max) with chronic endurance exercise training. Although hematological changes resulting from long-term endurance training have been well documented, it has not been well established whether an increased volume of endurance training preferentially affects plasma volume or red blood cell volume. To answer this question, I studied seven female and four male recreational cyclists before and after exposure to drastic increases (632%) in training volume. Following the 10-week training period, the mean hematocrit (Hct) of the 11 subjects who completed the study significantly (p0.05) correlated with the change in self-reported weekly …

Brief, High-Intensity Interval Exercise Improves Selective Attention In University Students, Jeremy J. Walsh, Charlotte Dunlap, Jonathan Miranda, David B. Thorp, Derek S. Kimmerly, Michael Tschakovsky, B J. Gurd

International Journal of Exercise Science

International Journal of Exercise Science 11(5): 152-167, 2018. This study aimed to investigate the effect of very brief, high-intensity interval exercise (HIIE) on selective attention in university students. As a follow-up, we investigated whether HIIE performed prior to a university lecture improves retention of lecture material. A single-group counterbalanced post-test only design was used for this study. 22 university students (19 females; age = 20.0 ±1.0 years) performed a HIIE and control visit on separate days. During the HIIE session, participants performed 4 separate body-weight exercises for 1 set each, consisting of eight 20 s intervals interspersed with 10 s …

The Effects Of Exercise Training On Cardiovascular-Related Circulating Micrornas, Jacob Luther Barber

Theses and Dissertations

PURPOSE: MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small regulatory RNAs that post transcriptionally modify mRNAs and control gene expression. Circulating miRNAs are significantly altered following a single session of exercise, however the effects of exercise training on the circulating miRNA profile is unclear. Therefore, the purpose of the present study was to determine the effects of endurance exercise training on the abundance of targeted circulating miRNAs and the association of changes in miRNA levels with concomitant changes in cardiometabolic traits, in a subsample of adults from the HERITAGE Family Study.

METHODS: This exploratory analysis examined 20 previously sedentary adults from the HERITAGE Family …

The Body Mass Index Of San Francisco Cold Water Swimmers - Comparisons To U.S. National And Local Populations, And Pool Swimmers, Brendan T. Crow, Ellicott C. Matthay, Stephen P. Schatz, Mark D. Debeliso, Thomas J. Nuckton

International Journal of Exercise Science

International Journal of Exercise Science 10(8): 1250-1262, 2017. To determine if cold-water swimmers have substantial differences in BMI, which might have a protective effect against heat loss during swims in cold water without wetsuits, and to determine if obesity is more or less prevalent in cold-water swimmers, we compared the body mass index (BMI) values of 103 recreational open-water swimmers (mean age 54.3 ±10.8 years) to data from various population groups. Swimmers swam consistently throughout the winter months, in the San Francisco Bay (water temperature range: 9.6° C [49.3 ° F] to 12.6° C [54.7 ° F]), without wetsuits. After …

The Effect Of Blinded Hydration State On Thermoregulation And Performance In Male Cyclists, Jon David Adams

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of these studies was to observe the effect of dehydration on exercise performance while subjects were blinded to their hydration status. Methods: Study 1: Seven male cyclists (weight: 71±8 kg, body fat: 14±6%, VO2peak: 59.4±6 ml∙kg-1·min-1) exercised for 2 hours on a cycle ergometer at 55% VO2peak, in a hot-dry environment (35°C, 30% rh), with a nasogastric (NG) tube under euhydrated (EUH-NT) and hypohydrated (DEH-NT) conditions. In both trials, thirst was matched by drinking 25 mL every 5 min. In the EUH-NT trial sweat losses were fully replaced via the NG tube. Following the 2 hours of …

Weather And Children’S Physical Activity; How And Why Do Relationships Vary Between Countries?, Flo Harrison, Anna Goodman, Ester M.F. Van Sluijs, Lars Bo Carson, Greet Cardon, Rachel Davey, Kathleen F. Janz, Susi Kriemler, Lynn Molly, Angie S. Page, Russell R. Pate, Jardena J. Puder, Luis B. Sardinha, Anna Timperio, Niels Wedderkopp, Andy P. Jones

Faculty Publications

Background

Globally most children do not engage in enough physical activity. Day length and weather conditions have been identified as determinants of physical activity, although how they may be overcome as barriers is not clear. We aim to examine if and how relationships between children’s physical activity and weather and day length vary between countries and identify settings in which children were better able to maintain activity levels given the weather conditions they experienced.

Methods

In this repeated measures study, we used data from 23,451 participants in the International Children’s Accelerometry Database (ICAD). Daily accelerometer-measured physical activity (counts per minute; …

Validity Of Daytime Urinary Frequency As A Tool For Assessing Hydration, Monica Ziebart

Health, Human Performance and Recreation Undergraduate Honors Theses

Introduction: It is known that 24-h void number is a valid way to assess hydration status. However, no studies have examined if urinary frequency just during the waking hours (~18 h) is a valid indicator of hydration status. Purpose: This study was conducted in order to determine if void number during only the waking hours was a valid indicator of hydration status compared to total voids over a 24-hour period. Methods: The subjects in this study consisted of 14 males and 18 females 18-80 yrs old who were healthy and not currently taking any body fluid altering medications. This study …

Superhero Physiology: The Case For Captain America, Stanley P. Brown, Johneric W. Smith, Matthew Mcallister, Leeann Joe

Publications

Using pop icons in the science classroom represents a creative way to engage often-distracted students in a relevant and, perhaps more importantly, fun way. When the pop icon is as universally known as Captain America, the pedagogical stage is set. However, when the movies can also be employed to link dramatic references to the science concepts at hand, we may have a very powerful tool by which linkages between fiction and science can be forged. In this regard, Captain America’s performances in several movies to date can be used to explain actual science. Granted, script writers and movie directors may …

Forced Exercise Increases Muscle Mass In Eae Despite Early Onset Of Disability, D. I. Patel, L. J. White, V. A. Lira, D. S. Criswell

Health & Kinesiology Faculty Publications and Presentations

We aimed to determine whether 10 days of treadmill exercise can increase skeletal muscle mass and intramuscular concentrations of brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and nerve growth factor (NGF) in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE). Forty female Lewis rats were randomly assigned to either EAE sedentary (EAE-Sed), EAE exercise (EAE-Ex), Control sedentary (Con-Sed) and Control exercise (Con-Ex). Exercising animals completed a 10 day forced exercising training program. Hind limb skeletal muscles were excised and weighed with soleus muscle used for BDNF and NGF quantification. Statistical analysis was done using a one-way analysis of variance. Disability was more pronounced in the EAE-Ex …

The Influence Of Prior Motor Actions On Motor Planning In Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Daisha Lynn Cummins

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

Studies have found children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) have a rigidity of motor plans and difficulties planning and executing movements. Children with ASD also exhibit repetitive behaviors such as nail biting and rocking back and forth. When planning for movements, repetitive behaviors might manifest as difficulty in formulating new or switching between different motor plans. In typically developing individuals, actions are often influence by recently performed motor actions. We sought to determine if this influence was stronger in children with ASD.

A rotation motor task was created to evaluate the rigidity of motor planning of five children with ASD …

University Of Nebraska At Omaha Biomechanics Annual Report, Fall 2015, Biomechanics Research Building

Biomechanics Annual Report

This annual report includes:

Letter from the Director; B.S. in Biomechanics; QLI Partnership

Center for Research in Human Movement Variability: Formation of the Center; Breathing and Walking Coupling Variability in COPD; Gait Variability in Patients with Peripheral Arterial Disease; Development of Postural Control Variability in Autism; The Effects of Virtual Reality on Gait Variability After Stroke; Pilot Grants; COBRE Research Day; New Hires in the Center

Updates: Why Choose the BRB? Where Are They Now? From the Bench to the Market: New Partnership Paves the way to Pre-Symptomatic Disease Detection; Fun Facts; New Quipment

Other Projects: Space Navigation; Neuroscience; Prosthetics; …

Biomechanical Comparisons Of The Power Clean And Power Hang Clean Exercises At Different Relative Intensities, Jacob Troy Caldwell

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to compare normalized peak power (PP) and peak barbell acceleration (BA) between the power clean (PC) and power hang clean (PHC) exercises among eight male weightlifters (25.5 ℗ł 2.86 yr; 85.25 ℗ł 11 kg). Biomechanical comparisons were made between both exercises at 60%, 70%, and 80% of each subject⁰́₉s one repetition maximum (1RM). When comparing both exercises for normalized PP, there was no significant difference at 60% and 70% of 1RM. At 80% 1RM, the PHC demonstrated significance (p = 0.016) with higher normalized PP when compared to the PC. When comparing both exercises …