The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between aerobic activity and academic performance through stress reduction using a student recreational facility. Research indicated that learning in college tends to focus on the academic aspects of the undergraduate experience - the classroom, laboratory, and the library - not other factors potentially affecting academic performance (Kuh et al., 1991). Forty women were randomly selected from the undergraduate population at Texas A&M University in order to analyze the relationship between aerobic activity and academic performance by measuring perceived stress levels. All participants completed an on-line stress questionnaire, the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), every three weeks. Exam scores from an introductory sociology course and an educational statistics course were used for data analysis also. The experimental group (exercise group) used twelve weeks of regular aerobic exercise, while the control group (non-exercise) remained sedentary. During the twelve-week period, all participants self-reported data for additional qualitative data. Research findings of this study included: 1. The main benefit from aerobic activity was that women who exercised regularly felt more positive about academics and non-academic activities than women who did not exercise regularly. 2. There was no statistical significant difference between exam scores and academic performance of women who exercised regularly and those who did not exercise regularly. 3. There was no statistical significant difference between stress levels of women who exercised regularly and women who did not exercise regularly. Based on the findings of the study, researcher recommendations include: 1. Continue to investigate the changing demographics of college students - namely, age, sex, and non-traditional students. This study was limited to fulltime women between the ages of 18-24. Men and part-time students need to be included in a comparable study, providing campuses with more data that reflects the entire student population. 2. Explore additional areas in sociology and psychology that address exercise behavior trends in college students. Results from this study indicated that there are many variables, including stress, that affect college students in the behavioral sciences that can be attributed to differences in physical activity between sedentary and non-sedentary people. 3. Analyze health factors, which include amount of exercise, nutrition, and sleep patterns.

Agri-leisure is a new type of farm operation model. It is a service that well utilizes the natural resources and the local characteristics to let the visitors experience rural life, and to get spiritual satisfaction. Since most of the farms¡¦ products and activities are not innovative and entertain enough, the objective of this project is to help the farms owner in Kaohsiung and Pingtung counties to breakthrough this dilemma. We evaluate each farm¡¦s SWOT analysis, holding conferences with industrial, governmental and academic experts, and adopts Delphi rule as a tool for the objective perspective. Finally, we conclude 20 strategies regarding to 3 perspectives, which are ¡§The overall development¡¨, ¡§Experience activities¡¨ and ¡§Related products¡¨

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri--Columbia, 2003. / "December 2003." Typescript. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 146-165). Also issued on the Internet.

Thesis (M.S.)--Florida State University, 2003. / Advisor: Dr. Lisa Eckel, Florida State University, College of Arts and Sciences, Dept. of Psychology. Title and description from dissertation home page (viewed Apr. 7, 2004). Includes bibliographical references.

Ph.D.

Ph.D.

The outset of the thesis was in answer to an underdevelopment in the research on integrated digital technologies in schools. The purpose of the thesis was to understand the activity system of using an integrated digital technology in a municipality’s school organization. The research questions regarded different perceptions between organizational levels, as well as contradictions in the activity system and the consequences of these contradictions. A qualitative approach was chosen, where interviews were conducted with seven personnel in the municipal school organization, both principals and development workers. In analyzes, an activity theoretical approach was used to expand the understanding of the activity system. Main findings included a detailed representation of perceptions of informants, as well as contradictions in the activity system. The contradictions were related to many components of the activity system with varying consequences to both organization and individual. Specifically, findings indicate that integrated digital technologies require certain institutional assumptions, and many difficulties and challenges are related to the intent of having many stakeholders of school organizations interacting in the same integrated technology.

Syfte: Syftet med denna litteraturstudie var att genom en litteraturgranskning undersöka om ökad fysisk aktivitet har något samband med inlärningen och skolprestationerna hos barn i åldrarna 6-12 år. Metod: Litteratursökningen i databaserna CINAHL och Academic Search Elite resulterade i 15 artiklar som publicerats de senaste fem åren. Artiklarna har kvalitetsgranskats och därefter sammanställts. Resultat: Fysisk aktivitet i samband med inlärning har i ett flertal studier visat sig leda till positiva resultat genom snabbare svarstid, noggrannhet och uppmärksamhet. Barnen som deltog i aeroba aktiviteter blev mer uthålliga och kunde behålla fokus längre vid de kognitiva testerna. Det skolämne som en signifikant skillnad kunde utläsas i var matematik följt av stavning och läsning. Olika interventionsprogram för att främja barns fysiska aktivitet har visat en positiv effekt i skolresultat och kognitiva tester. Slutsats: Föreliggande litteraturstudie visar att en ökad fysisk aktivitet har en positiv inverkan på barns inlärning och skolresultat genom förbättrad koncentrationsförmåga och noggrannhet.

Le principal apport de cette thèse est de contribuer à la compréhension d’une dimension de la professionnalisation du dirigeant de santé, l’activité. Une bonne partie de la formation des dirigeants peut reposer sur une analyse, par eux-mêmes, de leurs propres activités en situation.Cette recherche est un apport de la Formation des Adultes pour les Sciences de Gestion : comprendre l’activité de qualification, activité faite par les dirigeants dans leur quotidien de travail.Les activités de qualification des dirigeants sont des activités discursives et sociales. À travers l’activité de qualification l’environnement professionnel se trouve modifié ou reconstitué. Pour atteindre les objectifs de l’organisation, le dirigeant cherche à influencer autrui, ses collaborateurs, au travers des «jugements de valeur » qu’il formule. L’activité de qualification du dirigeant de santé est comprise à partir d’une entrée complémentaire de celle de la Théorie Managériale. Elle est comprise du point de vue microsocial, spécifiquement de la Théorie de l’Activité et de la Théorie Cognitive de l’Apprentissage. Elle s’appuie méthodologiquement sur la courante théorique de la pragmatique discursive, dans une démarche de la pragmatique du discours, c’est-à-dire, sur des observations détaillées du terrain de ce que les dirigeants disons en interaction avec leurs collaborateurs, dans un contexte, taille et type d'organisations déterminés : l’hôpital de la ville de Curicó ou Chili.Nous avons conclu que les activités de qualification sont des requalifications pour les autres. C’est une façon de prendre le pouvoir sur l'environnement du travail et une appropriation dudit environnement pour la proposer aux autres, en permettant au dirigeant de construire « d’apprentissage interprétatif ».Les activités de qualification sont comprises comme des «propositions explicites» faite par le dirigeant, qui a l’intension d’influencer et d’agir sur la construction du sens d’autrui, avec trois fonctions dominant, en rapport avec : la réduction de l’incertitude, la préservation de l’image de l’organisation et de soi et l’enjeu de pouvoir. / The main contribution of this thesis is to enrich the understanding of an aspect in the professionalization of health managers, the activity. Much of the leadership training can be based on an analysis, made by themselves, about their own working situations. This research is a contribution from Adult Education to Management Science: understanding the qualifying activities undertaken by leaders in their daily work. Qualification activities undertaken by leaders are social and discursive activities. Through the qualifying activity, the working context is modified or reconstructed. To achieve the objectives of the organization, the leader seeks to influence others, the employees, through the "value judgments" that he expresses.The qualifying activity of health managers is understood from an additional matter from that of managerial theories. It ranges from the micro perspective, specifically according to the Activity Theory and Cognitive Learning Theory of Learning. It draws methodologically on the discursive pragmatic theory trend in an ethnomethodological approach. That is to say, on detailed observations of the context including what the leaders say in interaction with their colleagues in a specific context, as well as the size and the type of organizations identified: the hospital in the city of Curicó or Chile. We concluded that the qualifying activities are re-qualifications for others. It is a way to take power on the working environment and the ownership of that environment to propose it to others, allowing the manager to build an "interpretive learning."Qualifying activities are understood as "explicit proposals" made by the manager, who intends to influence and to act on the construction of meaning of others, with three dominant functions in relation to: the reduction of uncertainty, the preservation of the image of the organization and of the actors and the issue of power.

Preliminary studies have shown that manuka honey affects the cell cycle of MRSA by impeding cell division, but mode of action was unknown. Cell division depends on the formation of septa and cleavage of peptidoglycan at cytokinesis. This study investigated how manuka honey might alter the cell cycle of EMRSA-15. Physiological and chemical changes in the bacteria exposed to manuka honey were determined using time to kill studies, confocal and electron microscopy. Data indicated that honey had a bactericidal effect on MRSA, inhibiting the cell cycle cytokinesis. Increased septum formation was noted in honey treated cells by transmission electron microscopy. Cell division components including FtsZ and Endo-B-N-Acetylglucosaminidase were investigated using cell wall turbidity assays, zymography, immunofluorescence and immuno gold labelling. Manuka honey treated MRSA cells showed a marked reduction in hydrolase activity after 12 hours compared to untreated cells. The immunofluorescence indicated an initial increase in FtsZ production followed by a significant decrease by 24 hours. PCR of FtsZ showed a 10% increase in production after 1 and 4 hours. Localization by gold labelling gave inconclusive results. Immunofluorescence of Endo-B-N-Acetylglucosaminidase showed a decrease in the amount of enzyme over 24 hours and localization by gold labelling indicated altered distribution of this enzyme. PCR showed no significant difference in expression. 2-D electrophoresis showed a differing proteomic profile between control cells and those treated with honey, with a potential target protein being identified. Methylglyoxal (an antibacterial component of manuka honey) was investigated after a report named this as potentially the active component of manuka honey. Results showed it has an effect but is not wholly responsible for the effects induced by manuka honey. It was concluded that increased numbers of cells with septa were formed and alteration in production of proteins and enzymes resulted in MRSA cells exposed to bactericidal concentrations of manuka honey. The work was also carried out with artificial honey controls, indicating that effects seen were not due to sugar content within honey or methylglyoxal content.