The Pattern of Affective Responses to Dance-Based Group Exercise Differs According to Physical Fitness, as Measured by a Smartwatch

The present study investigated the effect of a dance-based aerobic exercise, on the affective experiences of participants with different fitness levels. Thirty-two college students were enrolled in the same dance fitness course, tested using a physical fitness test (the National Fitness Project 100) and grouped accordingly to 15 sports majors (high-fit group) and 17 non-sports majors (low-fit group). Together, they participated in a single-session dance fitness program using 11 basic dance steps incorporated in Zumba rhythms of merengue and reggaeton for 47 min including warm-up and cool-down. Pre- and post-exercise affects were measured using the PANAS-X transmitted to each participant’s smartphone. During exercise, participants’ heart rate (HR) and their responses to the felt arousal scale (FAS) and the feeling scale (FS) by exercise section were measured using tailor-made applications on a smartwatch. Results showed that the intensity of exercise for the same exercise program was lower in the high-fit group than in the low-fit group, as evidenced by %HRmax. In addition, the pattern of affective change throughout the exercise sections was different according to the groups’ fitness levels, while the affective improvement was greater in the high-fit group. This study confirmed that physical fitness is a major variable influencing the relationship between exercise and affect.

Predicting the Flow Velocity at the Toe of a Labyrinth Stepped Spillway

The velocity at the toe of a spillway is a major variable when designing a stilling basin. Reducing this velocity leads to reduce the size of the basin as well as the required appurtenances which needs for dissipating the surplus kinetic energy of the flow. If the spillway chute is able to dissipate more kinetic energy, then the resulting flow velocity at the toe of spillway will be reduced. Typically, stepped spillway is able to dissipate more kinetic energy than that of a smooth surface. In the present study, the typical uniform shape of the steps has been modified to a labyrinth shape. It is postulated that a labyrinth shape can increase the dissipation of kinetic energy through increasing the overlap between the forests of nappe will circulating the flow that in turns leading to further turbulence. This action can reduce the jet velocities near the surfaces, thus minimizing cavitation. At the same time the increasing of circulation regions will maximize the opportunity for air entrainment which also helps to dissipate more kinetic energy. The undertaken physical models were consisted of three labyrinth stepped spillways with magnification ratios (width of labyrinth to width of conventional step) WL/W are 1.1, 1.2, and 1.3 as well as testing a conventional stepped spillway (WL/W=1). It is concluded that the spillway chute coefficient is directly proportional to the labyrinth ratio and its value decreases as this ratio increases.

Investigations by AFM of Ageing Mechanisms in PLA-Flax Fibre Composites during Garden Composting

PLA-flax non-woven composites are promising materials, coupling high performance and possible degradation at their end of life. To explore their ageing mechanisms during garden composting, microstructural investigations were carried out through scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). We observe that flax fibres preferentially degrade ‘inwards’ from the edge to the core of the composite. In addition, progressive erosion of the cell walls occurs within the fibres themselves, ‘outwards’ from the central lumen to the periphery primary wall. This preferential degradation is reflected in the decrease in indentation modulus from around 23 GPa for fibres located in the preserved core of the composite to 3–4 GPa for the remaining outer-most cell wall crowns located at the edge of the sample that is in contact with the compost. Ageing of the PLA matrix is less drastic with a relatively stable indentation modulus. Nevertheless, a change in the PLA morphology, a significant decrease in its roughness and increase of porosity, can be observed towards the edge of the sample, in comparison to the core. This work highlights the important role of intrinsic fibre porosity, called lumen, which is suspected to be a major variable of the compost ageing process, providing pathways of entry for moisture and microorganisms that are involved in cell wall degradation.

On ‘Nostalgia for the Empire: The Politics of Neo-Ottomanism’ by M. Hakan Yavuz

Summary Four international scholars have individually reflected critically on M. Hakan Yavuz’s new book Nostalgia for the Empire: The Politics of Neo-Ottomanism. The book recognizes nostalgia as a major variable in articulating and analyzing the current spectrum of Turkish politics by exploring neo-Ottomanism which has, in many respects, become an instrumental frontal display for Islam and Islamism.

Factorial Design of Concrete Production in Hot and Warm Humid Zones in South East Nigeria

This study narrates the quality of concrete production as slump wet in warm and hot zones. The quality of concrete mixture is of inevitable concern to all stakeholders in the construction industry in the zones when the climatic conditions of the zones are considered. Absence of National standards, environmental and climatic conditions and other factors are the main factors that affect the quality of concrete produced in the area. The affected mix ratio is examined and all the prevailing construction/production practices are considered. All necessary measures for improving the quality of concrete produced are surveyed considering the relationships between various variables used in the mixture. Three major factors (variables) that are found to be influencing the quality of concrete in the south east, Nigeria. The absence or lack of implementing the existing building code, climatic conditions in the zones and types of construction materials available, all remain the major variable influencing the quality of present concrete production in the zones of south east, Nigeria.

Factors Influencing the Dementia-Preventive Behaviors among Middle-Aged Persons with Chronic Diseases in Korea

The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of dementia literacy, internal health locus of control, and fear of dementia on dementia-preventive behaviors among middle-aged people with chronic diseases. The participants were middle-aged individuals with chronic diseases who had been taking medications for at least three months, recruited using convenience sampling. A total of 123 participants were recruited between 13 and 31 March 2020, using self-reported questionnaires. Data were then analyzed through independent t-test, one-way ANOVA, Pearson’s correlation coefficient, and multiple linear regression using the SPSS/WIN 25.0. The results showed that health condition perceived as healthy and dementia literacy were the leading factors influencing dementia-preventive behaviors. These variables showed a 16% explanatory power for dementia-preventive behaviors. Therefore, when the participants’ perceived health condition was healthy and the dementia literacy score was higher, the level of dementia-preventive behaviors was also higher. It is necessary to develop educational programs to increase dementia literacy as a major variable in dementia-preventive behaviors, and further research on its efficacy should be conducted. When providing dementia-preventive education programs to middle-aged people who have been exposed to chronic diseases, it is necessary to consider their level of perceived health condition and dementia literacy.

Resistance training exercise selection: efficiency, safety and comfort analysis method

Manipulation of resistance training variables has been shown to have a substantial effect on muscular adaptations. A major variable in this process is exercise selection. In addition to the effectiveness of a given exercise to recruit the target muscle groups, safety considerations and individual comfort during execution of a lift should be considered. The correct biomechanics of the chosen exercise will assist in promoting desired muscle adaptations, while proper safety procedures will reduce risk of injury. Lifting comfort will facilitate enjoyment and foster adherence to the program. Therefore, the purpose of this paper was to offer guidelines for selection of resistance training exercises based on the Efficiency, Safety, and Comfort Analysis Method (ESCAM).

The Corona Pandemic in Central Asia

The Covid-19 pandemic has proved to be a stress test in nearly all policy areas in Central Asian states since 2020. While healthcare, education and economics were some of the early targets, the novel coronavirus also upended nations’ international agendas. Leaders’ summits, now in an online format, focused on the pandemic. More broadly, Covid-19 has turned into a major variable in debates on globalisation, institutions or global inequality that can also be illustrated by looking at cases in Central Asian countries. The pandemic has exposed the pre-existing conditions of international relations in the region, hampering regional cooperation and significantly impacting Central Asia’s relations with key extra-regional powers.

Cross-Cultural Neuropsychology: History and Prospects

It is proposed that cross-cultural neuropsychology analyzes the influence of cultural variables on cognition from a neurological perspective. It includes three major questions: 1. How are current neuropsychological tests affected by the cultural conditions? (2) Are there differences in the brain organization of cognition depending upon the culture? (3) How is brain pathology manifested in different cultural contexts? A history of cross-cultural neuropsychology is presented emphasizing that the interest in cultural issues is observed since the very beginning of neuropsychology. An analysis of culture is introduced, explaining how culture has been interpreted in different ways, but can be understood as the specific way of living of a human group. Further, it is discussed why culture is important in neuropsychology, followed by an analysis of some cultural variables. Special emphasis in schooling, considering that education represents a major variable affecting the performance in diverse cognitive tests. Several illustrative examples of research in cross-cultural neuropsychology are finally presented.