title: The use of upper-body intermittent, sequential pneumatic compression arm-sleeves on recovery from exercise in wheelchair athletes

authors: Oliver, Alison Eilidh

subjects: Wheelchair

abstract: Wheelchair basketball and wheelchair rugby are two of the most popular sports for athletes with a disability. Despite this, recovery-based research is sparse in the disability sport sector, as most studies have concentrated on the recovery needs of able-bodied athletes. Existing research has investigated several recovery methods, which the first part of this thesis discusses in a literature review. One of the recovery methods included in this review is a relatively new recovery tool known as intermittent sequential pneumatic compression (ISPC). Initially developed for use in medical settings, ISPC is believed to increase blood flow, therefore limiting inflammation/swelling and enhancing the removal of metabolic by-products associated with exercise. The second part of this thesis includes an original study investigating the influence of ISPC on recovery in wheelchair team sport athletes. Eleven wheelchair basketball and rugby players volunteered to participate in this study and were required to take part in two trials (either passive control or ISPC recovery) separated by one week. During ISPC recovery, participants wore the sleeves on both arms for 20 minutes. Grip strength, pressureto-pain threshold (PPT), medicine ball throw, wheelchair sprints, repeated sprints and blood lactate (BLa) were measured pre-exercise, post-exercise, and post-recovery. Subjective muscle soreness and fatigue were also assessed at these time points, as well as 24 hours post-exercise. The exercise session consisted of 20 minutes of high intensity drills, designed to simulate the physiological demands of wheelchair team sport. Analysis revealed ISPC to positively influence subjective measures of muscle soreness and fatigue, with negligible effects on performance recovery and physiological measures when compared to a control trial. The final section of this thesis summarises the overall findings of the thesis, as well as providing practical applications and future research.

text: The use of upper-body intermittent, sequential pneumatic compression arm-sleeves on recovery from exercise in wheelchair athletes Wheelchair basketball and wheelchair rugby are two of the most popular sports for athletes with a disability. Despite this, recovery-based research is sparse in the disability sport sector, as most studies have concentrated on the recovery needs of able-bodied athletes. Existing research has investigated several recovery methods, which the first part of this thesis discusses in a literature review. One of the recovery methods included in this review is a relatively new recovery tool known as intermittent sequential pneumatic compression (ISPC). Initially developed for use in medical settings, ISPC is believed to increase blood flow, therefore limiting inflammation/swelling and enhancing the removal of metabolic by-products associated with exercise. The second part of this thesis includes an original study investigating the influence of ISPC on recovery in wheelchair team sport athletes. Eleven wheelchair basketball and rugby players volunteered to participate in this study and were required to take part in two trials (either passive control or ISPC recovery) separated by one week. During ISPC recovery, participants wore the sleeves on both arms for 20 minutes. Grip strength, pressureto-pain threshold (PPT), medicine ball throw, wheelchair sprints, repeated sprints and blood lactate (BLa) were measured pre-exercise, post-exercise, and post-recovery. Subjective muscle soreness and fatigue were also assessed at these time points, as well as 24 hours post-exercise. The exercise session consisted of 20 minutes of high intensity drills, designed to simulate the physiological demands of wheelchair team sport. Analysis revealed ISPC to positively influence subjective measures of muscle soreness and fatigue, with negligible effects on performance recovery and physiological measures when compared to a control trial. The final section of this thesis summarises the overall findings of the thesis, as well as providing practical applications and future research.

year: 2020

title: Structural changes as a result of processing in thermoplastic bloodmeal

authors: Verbeek, Casparus Johan R.

subjects: extrusion

abstract: Bloodmeal (BM) can be thermoplastically processed resulting in a material with good mechanical properties by using a correct combination of additives. In this article, combinations of water, sodium sulfite (SS), sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), and urea were compounded with BM, and water absorption, solubility, thermal stability, and protein secondary structure were assessed. Thermal stability of processed plastics was reduced when using 2 or 3 pphbm (parts per hundred parts BM) SS and 20 pphbm urea, mostly indicative of a reduction in covalent crosslinking. SS was required for chain mobility during processing, however, without sufficient plasticization degradation will occur instead of melt formation. SDS further improved processability and consolidation leading to increased water absorption and solubility, indicative of a reduction in chain interactions. It was found that BM proteins are highly denatured and thermoplastic processing reduced ordered structures further. Additional minor structural changes occurred as a result of reduced covalent and noncovalent interactions after processing. It was concluded that the increase in water absorption and solubility was due to changes in intermolecular and intramolecular interactions, rather than substantial structural changes.

text: Structural changes as a result of processing in thermoplastic bloodmeal Bloodmeal (BM) can be thermoplastically processed resulting in a material with good mechanical properties by using a correct combination of additives. In this article, combinations of water, sodium sulfite (SS), sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), and urea were compounded with BM, and water absorption, solubility, thermal stability, and protein secondary structure were assessed. Thermal stability of processed plastics was reduced when using 2 or 3 pphbm (parts per hundred parts BM) SS and 20 pphbm urea, mostly indicative of a reduction in covalent crosslinking. SS was required for chain mobility during processing, however, without sufficient plasticization degradation will occur instead of melt formation. SDS further improved processability and consolidation leading to increased water absorption and solubility, indicative of a reduction in chain interactions. It was found that BM proteins are highly denatured and thermoplastic processing reduced ordered structures further. Additional minor structural changes occurred as a result of reduced covalent and noncovalent interactions after processing. It was concluded that the increase in water absorption and solubility was due to changes in intermolecular and intramolecular interactions, rather than substantial structural changes.

year: 2012

title: Hōmai te Waiora ki Ahau: te ara whakamua - towards the establishment of construct validity

authors: Palmer, Stephanie

abstract: Hōmai te Waiora ki Ahau: te ara
whakamua, is about the development of a
tool to measure psychological wellbeing
among Māori. Why is it relevant? Because
a quick look at the June 2002 edition of
New Zealand’s Journal of Psychology will
show you that the wellbeing measures
being used in this country are not responsive to the needs of
Māori, are not based on Māori concepts or
Constructs, do not facilitate Māori participation in
te ao Māori and do not provide pathways through
which Māori can develop a positive Māori
identity.
It is highly unlikely that the tools
which psychologists use to measure
wellbeing among Māori will help Māori to
experience whānau ora and that, as we all
know, is the paramount health objective for
Māori (Ministry of Health, 2002). In this
regard, it would seem that the powers that
be in psychology are failing to meet their
Treaty obligations to Māori. Therefore,
Hōmai te Waiora ki Ahau simply aims to assist change. This presentation will briefly
describe the context of the development of
this measure, the methodologies used to
develop this tool, the outcomes of a small
pilot-study, and current challenges and
future directions for Hōmai te Waiora ki
Ahau.

text: Hōmai te Waiora ki Ahau: te ara whakamua - towards the establishment of construct validity Hōmai te Waiora ki Ahau: te ara
whakamua, is about the development of a
tool to measure psychological wellbeing
among Māori. Why is it relevant? Because
a quick look at the June 2002 edition of
New Zealand’s Journal of Psychology will
show you that the wellbeing measures
being used in this country are not responsive to the needs of
Māori, are not based on Māori concepts or
Constructs, do not facilitate Māori participation in
te ao Māori and do not provide pathways through
which Māori can develop a positive Māori
identity.
It is highly unlikely that the tools
which psychologists use to measure
wellbeing among Māori will help Māori to
experience whānau ora and that, as we all
know, is the paramount health objective for
Māori (Ministry of Health, 2002). In this
regard, it would seem that the powers that
be in psychology are failing to meet their
Treaty obligations to Māori. Therefore,
Hōmai te Waiora ki Ahau simply aims to assist change. This presentation will briefly
describe the context of the development of
this measure, the methodologies used to
develop this tool, the outcomes of a small
pilot-study, and current challenges and
future directions for Hōmai te Waiora ki
Ahau.

year: 2003