title: Investigation of glucose and energy metabolism in eumenorrheic female ultra-runners across the menstrual cycle

authors: Dole, Andrew

subjects: blood glucose

abstract: Female athletes, ultra-running, and the utilization of continuous glucose sensors in endurance sports are each individually underrepresented in current literature. When these areas are examined collectively, a substantial gap in knowledge becomes evident. Therefore, the purpose of this PhD study was to collect glucose and energy metabolism data in regularly menstruating female athletes within the complex sporting environment of ultra-running. Initially, a narrative review of the current study methodologies in female performance research was completed. The narrative review aided in the identification of gaps in study design and validation methodologies within female performance research, put forth a suggestive framework for standardizing terminology, and provides a comprehensive list of options for a combined methods approach to menstrual tracking. Subsequently, a randomized, cross-over experimental design was performed with twelve experienced female ultra-runners (age 39 ± 6 y) acting as their own control across menstrual cycle phases during an ultra-marathon simulation. Participants completed a 3-hour fasted outdoor run (FASTED) followed by a one-hour treadmill run (TREAD) where three standardized oral glucose doses were provided, in the mid-follicular (FOL) and mid-luteal phases (LUT). Using a mixed linear model, the menstrual phase was identified as being statistically significant for differences in glucose measurements between CGM and capillary glucose during TREAD (p = 0.02) but not FASTED. Also, the CGM reported glucose levels an average of -0.43 mmol·L-1 (95% CI -0.86, -0.005) and -1.02 mmol·L-1 (95% CI -1.63, -0.42) lower in fasted and fed scenarios respectively when compared to capillary glucose. Median glucose was higher in the LUT (Capillary 0.25-0.29 mmol·L-1, CGM 0.38-0.4 mmol·L-1) both when fasted or supplemented with carbohydrate. Of note, this is the first study to show that glucose is on average higher in the mid-luteal phase as well as observe the avoidance of clinically significant non-diabetic hypoglycemia (< 3.0 mmol·L-1) during 3-hours of fasted running following an 8-hour fast among female ultra-runners. Additionally, higher individual responses of low blood sugar were observed in the follicular phase. Further, there were no significant differences in the respiratory exchange ratio (RER) between the FOL (0.805 ± 0.028) and LUT phases (0.809 ± .035); t (10) -0.401, p = 0.697 during comparable submaximal running intensity (57% ± 7.3% and 57.3% ±7.9% VO2MAX respectively). Post-hoc analysis revealed no significant main effect of RER on glucose levels.

text: Investigation of glucose and energy metabolism in eumenorrheic female ultra-runners across the menstrual cycle Female athletes, ultra-running, and the utilization of continuous glucose sensors in endurance sports are each individually underrepresented in current literature. When these areas are examined collectively, a substantial gap in knowledge becomes evident. Therefore, the purpose of this PhD study was to collect glucose and energy metabolism data in regularly menstruating female athletes within the complex sporting environment of ultra-running. Initially, a narrative review of the current study methodologies in female performance research was completed. The narrative review aided in the identification of gaps in study design and validation methodologies within female performance research, put forth a suggestive framework for standardizing terminology, and provides a comprehensive list of options for a combined methods approach to menstrual tracking. Subsequently, a randomized, cross-over experimental design was performed with twelve experienced female ultra-runners (age 39 ± 6 y) acting as their own control across menstrual cycle phases during an ultra-marathon simulation. Participants completed a 3-hour fasted outdoor run (FASTED) followed by a one-hour treadmill run (TREAD) where three standardized oral glucose doses were provided, in the mid-follicular (FOL) and mid-luteal phases (LUT). Using a mixed linear model, the menstrual phase was identified as being statistically significant for differences in glucose measurements between CGM and capillary glucose during TREAD (p = 0.02) but not FASTED. Also, the CGM reported glucose levels an average of -0.43 mmol·L-1 (95% CI -0.86, -0.005) and -1.02 mmol·L-1 (95% CI -1.63, -0.42) lower in fasted and fed scenarios respectively when compared to capillary glucose. Median glucose was higher in the LUT (Capillary 0.25-0.29 mmol·L-1, CGM 0.38-0.4 mmol·L-1) both when fasted or supplemented with carbohydrate. Of note, this is the first study to show that glucose is on average higher in the mid-luteal phase as well as observe the avoidance of clinically significant non-diabetic hypoglycemia (< 3.0 mmol·L-1) during 3-hours of fasted running following an 8-hour fast among female ultra-runners. Additionally, higher individual responses of low blood sugar were observed in the follicular phase. Further, there were no significant differences in the respiratory exchange ratio (RER) between the FOL (0.805 ± 0.028) and LUT phases (0.809 ± .035); t (10) -0.401, p = 0.697 during comparable submaximal running intensity (57% ± 7.3% and 57.3% ±7.9% VO2MAX respectively). Post-hoc analysis revealed no significant main effect of RER on glucose levels.

year: 2024-12-20

title: Birthing a mother: the surrogate body and the pregnant self - By Elly Teman

authors: Longhurst, Robyn

abstract: BOOK Review - Elly Teman begins Birthing a mother with a prologue about a woman, Yael, whom she met in Haifa, Israel. Yael had been married for fifteen years and was ‘completely focused on having her own genetic child, created from an egg harvested from her ovaries and gestated in another woman's womb’ (p. xvii). Yael's story about the emotional highs and lows that she faced in the process provides a powerful opening to this highly accessible yet intellectually rigorous ethnography of gestational surrogates and intended parents in Israel.

text: Birthing a mother: the surrogate body and the pregnant self - By Elly Teman BOOK Review - Elly Teman begins Birthing a mother with a prologue about a woman, Yael, whom she met in Haifa, Israel. Yael had been married for fifteen years and was ‘completely focused on having her own genetic child, created from an egg harvested from her ovaries and gestated in another woman's womb’ (p. xvii). Yael's story about the emotional highs and lows that she faced in the process provides a powerful opening to this highly accessible yet intellectually rigorous ethnography of gestational surrogates and intended parents in Israel.

year: 2011

title: The Effects of a Shared Reading Intervention on the English Reading Skills of Year One Students in a Level Two Māori-medium Educational Context

authors: Te Arihi, Kylie

subjects: English Reading Skills

abstract: One of the biggest challenges confronting literacy education in Aotearoa  New Zealand is accommodating the differences in English reading-related variables at school entry to produce equitable outcomes in later reading achievement (Wilkinson, Freebody, & Elkins, 2000).  English-medium schools in Aotearoa struggle to negotiate effective literacy practices that validate and cater for the cognitive, cultural, and linguistic differences children bring to the process of learning to read in English.  Whereas, the role of English reading instruction in Māori-medium schools has been an under-researched and controversial issue.  How to accommodate for these differences to achieve equitable English reading outcomes in a year 1 level 2 Māori-medium context is the theme that this research seeks to explore.
	This Masters thesis reports on a shared reading intervention that explicitly teaches phonological awareness and alphabet knowledge to examine its effects on the English reading skills of year 1 students in a level 2 Māori-medium setting.  The research implemented a Kaupapa Māori framework and used interviews, surveys, reliable literacy measures, and research-based literacy instruction to explore reading acquisition for this particular cohort.  Thus, the purposes of the study were (a) to glean an in-depth understanding of the literacy and language practices that potentially shaped the participants English reading–related variables, (b) to examine the range of English reading-related skills for this cohort, and (c) to determine the effects of the intervention on their English reading skills.
	Eight students were divided and matched with a pair according to their reported pre-test phonemic awareness and alphabet knowledge scores, and then randomly assigned to either an intervention (n = 4) or treatment control (n = 4) group.  The intervention programme was carried out over a six week period and comprised 12, 30 minute lessons that integrated phonological and alphabetic based decoding skills within the shared reading approach.  The duration of the treatment control programme was also carried out over a six week period and comprised 12, 30 minutes lessons that integrated semantic, syntactic, and visual graphophonic sources of information to recognise words.  The results indicated the breadth and depth of English reading skills in year 1 level 2 Māori-medium contexts are diverse and the children had a positive attitude and sense of efficacy towards reading.  A comparison of the test results between the intervention and treatment control group demonstrated that a shared reading intervention that focused explicitly on phonological awareness and alphabet knowledge is effective in raising letter-naming knowledge, pseudoword decoding, phonemic awareness, and invented spelling.  The results are discussed in light of theoretical assumptions about reading acquisition that underlie word-base and text-base approaches to word recognition.
	Overall, this study supports the development and reform of training and professional development opportunities in phonological awareness and alphabet knowledge to better support, inform, and educate Aotearoa reading teachers.  This study contributes to the knowledge of English reading acquisition that validate the depth and breadth of early cognitive and linguistic differences to increase equitable English reading outcomes in level 2 Māori-medium contexts.

text: The Effects of a Shared Reading Intervention on the English Reading Skills of Year One Students in a Level Two Māori-medium Educational Context One of the biggest challenges confronting literacy education in Aotearoa  New Zealand is accommodating the differences in English reading-related variables at school entry to produce equitable outcomes in later reading achievement (Wilkinson, Freebody, & Elkins, 2000).  English-medium schools in Aotearoa struggle to negotiate effective literacy practices that validate and cater for the cognitive, cultural, and linguistic differences children bring to the process of learning to read in English.  Whereas, the role of English reading instruction in Māori-medium schools has been an under-researched and controversial issue.  How to accommodate for these differences to achieve equitable English reading outcomes in a year 1 level 2 Māori-medium context is the theme that this research seeks to explore.
	This Masters thesis reports on a shared reading intervention that explicitly teaches phonological awareness and alphabet knowledge to examine its effects on the English reading skills of year 1 students in a level 2 Māori-medium setting.  The research implemented a Kaupapa Māori framework and used interviews, surveys, reliable literacy measures, and research-based literacy instruction to explore reading acquisition for this particular cohort.  Thus, the purposes of the study were (a) to glean an in-depth understanding of the literacy and language practices that potentially shaped the participants English reading–related variables, (b) to examine the range of English reading-related skills for this cohort, and (c) to determine the effects of the intervention on their English reading skills.
	Eight students were divided and matched with a pair according to their reported pre-test phonemic awareness and alphabet knowledge scores, and then randomly assigned to either an intervention (n = 4) or treatment control (n = 4) group.  The intervention programme was carried out over a six week period and comprised 12, 30 minute lessons that integrated phonological and alphabetic based decoding skills within the shared reading approach.  The duration of the treatment control programme was also carried out over a six week period and comprised 12, 30 minutes lessons that integrated semantic, syntactic, and visual graphophonic sources of information to recognise words.  The results indicated the breadth and depth of English reading skills in year 1 level 2 Māori-medium contexts are diverse and the children had a positive attitude and sense of efficacy towards reading.  A comparison of the test results between the intervention and treatment control group demonstrated that a shared reading intervention that focused explicitly on phonological awareness and alphabet knowledge is effective in raising letter-naming knowledge, pseudoword decoding, phonemic awareness, and invented spelling.  The results are discussed in light of theoretical assumptions about reading acquisition that underlie word-base and text-base approaches to word recognition.
	Overall, this study supports the development and reform of training and professional development opportunities in phonological awareness and alphabet knowledge to better support, inform, and educate Aotearoa reading teachers.  This study contributes to the knowledge of English reading acquisition that validate the depth and breadth of early cognitive and linguistic differences to increase equitable English reading outcomes in level 2 Māori-medium contexts.

year: 2014