Abstract Dawn Arlotta (The Effects of HealthMPowers on the Levels of Physical Activity among Students in 13 Georgia Public Schools) (Under the direction of Dr. Marshall Kreuter and Dr. Derek Shendell) Objectives. This study evaluated a school based health and physical education program conducted in nine elementary and four middle schools in seven Metro-Atlanta school districts in Georgia. HealthMPowers served 5,644 students last year and approximately 15,000 students over the 3 year intervention. Methods. Quantitative programmatic data were collected by HealthMPowers before the intervention started (pre, 2004) and again three years later (post, 2007). HealthMPowers worked with these schools for the entire three year period and collected post Program Design and post-intervention fitness data in spring 2007. Results. The nine participating elementary schools each demonstrated an increase in student fitness levels for the fourth and fifth grades. The four middle schools demonstrated an increase in student fitness levels in at least one grade, which varied by school. Conclusion. Our findings suggested school programs can be effective in increasing physical activity and fitness scores and supports broader implementation of known successful programs. INDEX WORDS: Physical Activity, Youth, School Health Index, Coordinated School Health Program, Obesity, FITNESSGRAM, Physical Fitness Testing, Physical Education.

This study investigated the psychobiological and pacing characteristics of the 1.5 mile run. Sixty-six males (18-27 years) performed the run, and were monitored for ratings of perceived exertion, heart rate and split times. The perceived exertion values increased in a near-linear fashion inconsistent with other measures, and thus are not considered a supportable indicator of physiological performance during the run. Pace was characterized by an initial sprint that slowed to a near-steady pace and concluded with a final sprint. The initial and final sprints were most highly related to the variance of performance time. Initially, heart rate accelerated greatly. This acceleration slowed, ending in near-maximum heart rates. The data suggested that performance may rely heavily upon anaerobic mechanisms, and that variance in previously reported correlational analyses of VO2max and 1.5 mile run performance times may be somewhat due to anaerobic mechanisms.

The problem of this study is that of comparing certain physical fitness and anthropometric measures for early adolescent Mexican-American and Anglo-American males. The purposes of the study are to determine if Mexican-American and Anglo-American males differ in physical fitness or anthropometric measures; to determine if the relationships between age and physical fitness, age and arthropometric measures, and anthropometric measures and physical fitness items are significantly different for Mexican-American and Anglo-American males; to compare the rate of maturation for pre-adolescent Mexican-American and Anglo-American males in physical fitness items and anthropometric measures.

Declining youth physical activity levels and lack of aerobic fitness have been well documented with a corresponding rise in obesity levels and health issues. Based on Bandura's social cognitive theory, healthy physical activity levels and aerobic fitness are strongly connected to positive physical activity self-efficacy beliefs. This study examined whether student physical activity self-efficacy, motivation, and effort were different for the FitnessGram-® (FG) 1-Mile Run when compared to the 15-minute Aerobic Assessment Based on Improvement (AABI). A concurrent mixed method quasi-experimental approach measured 5th grade students' physical activity self-efficacy beliefs through a pretest and posttest survey while aerobic assessment scores provided data that measured and compared student performance. Percent improvement and t-test analytic procedures found significant differences between groups and genders. The FG group (n = 131) improved 1.49% while the AABI group (n = 209) improved 22.53%; furthermore, FG girls' percent improvement decreased to -7.56% and the AABI girls' percent improvement was above the average score at 24.21%. Qualitative data collected and coded from teachers' (n = 6) found no noticeable differences in student behaviors or preparation between the FG or AABI groups. A 3-day workshop was created to initiate change in aerobic fitness assessment. Assessing student aerobic fitness based on improvement theoretically builds physical activity self-efficacy beliefs, especially for girls. Positive physical activity self-efficacy beliefs motivate greater student participation and engagement in physical education, which improves aerobic fitness. Social implications from these results indicate that students would increase their physical activity self-efficacy by assessing aerobic fitness based on individual improvement.

Made available in DSpace on 2015-03-26T13:22:04Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 text completo.pdf: 757671 bytes, checksum: 435de7db4aaa7b1bdaf1bc5260f57dd9 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2014-03-11 / O objetivo do presente estudo foi investigar os efeitos do treinamento físico sobre as propriedades morfológicas e mecânicas de cardiomiócitos de camundongos knockout (KO) para receptores os β1- e β2 adrenérgicos. Camundongos C57BL/6J, KO para os receptores β1-adrenérgicos, FVB/N e KO para os receptores β2-adrenérgicos com 4 meses de idade, foram inicialmente separados aleatoriamente em 8 grupos: C57c, C57t, KO β1c, KO β1t, FVBc, FVBt, KO β2c e KO β2t. Os animais dos grupos treinados (C57t, KO β1t, FVBt, KO β2t) foram submetidos a um protocolo de treinamento aeróbico de 8 semanas, 5 dias por semana, 1hora por dia, com intensidade de 60% da velocidade máxima de corrida. 3 a 4 animais de cada grupo foram separados para a análise de contração celular com perfusão do agonista β-adrenérgico isoproterenol (ISO) [100nM]. Após a eutanásia, os cardiomiócitos do ventrículo esquerdo foram isolados por dispersão enzimática. O comprimento e a largura dos cardiomiócitos foram medidos utilizando um sistema de captação de imagens e o volume celular foi calculado. As contrações celulares foram medidas através da técnica de alteração do comprimento dos cardiomiócitos, após estimulação elétrica a 1 Hz, em temperatura controlada à 37oC, usando-se um sistema de detecção de bordas. Os resultados mostraram que os camundongos KO β1 apresentaram menor comprimento celular comparados aos C57. O grupo KO β2t apresentou maior comprimento celular comparado ao grupo KO β2c. O protocolo de treinamento aumentou a amplitude de contração, a velocidade máxima de contração e a velocidade máxima de relaxamento dos cardiomiócitos dos animais KO β1t e KO β2t. O ISO não alterou a amplitude de contração, a velocidade máxima de contração e de relaxamento nos cardiomiócitos dos camundongos KO β1+ISO, já os animais KO β2+ISO apresentaram aumento nas mesmas propriedades mecânicas. Conclui-se que o protocolo de treinamento aeróbico: a) aumentou as propriedades mecânicas dos cardiomiócitos dos animais KO β1 e KO β2; b) aumentou o comprimento dos cardiomiócitos dos camundongos KO β2; c) associado ao ISO não alterou as propriedades mecânicas nos cardiomiócitos dos camundongos KO β1 e reduziu nos cardiomiócitos dos camundongos KO β2. / The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of endurance training on cardiovascular parameters and morphological and mechanical properties of isolated cardiomyocytes from the left ventricle of β1-and β2 adrenergic receptors knockout mice. 4 months old C57BL/6J, β1- adrenergic receptor knockout (KO 1), FVB/N and β2-adrenergic receptor knockout (KO 2) mice were randomly allocated into one of the 8 groups: C57c, C57t, KO β1c, KO β1t, FVBc, FVBt, KO β2c e KO β2t. The animals of the trained groups (C57t, KO β1t, FVBt, KO β2t) underwent a protocol of aerobic training 8 weeks, 5 days/week, 1 hour/day, intensity of 60% of maximal speed. 3 to 4 animals in each group were divided for the analysis of cellular contraction with infusion of -adrenergic agonist isoproterenol (ISO) [100nM]. At sacrifice, the heart was removed and left ventricular myocytes were enzymatically dispersed. Cell length and width were measured using an image capture system and cell volume was calculated. Myocytes were stimulated at 1 Hz at controlled temperature (37oC) and cell contractility was measured by using an edge detection system. The results showed that KO 1 mice showed lower cell length compared to C57. The KO β2t group showed higher cell length compared to the KO β2c group. The training protocol increased the contraction amplitude, maximum contraction velocity and maximum relaxation velocity of cardiomyocytes of KO β1t and KO β2t animals. The ISO did not alter the amplitude of contraction, maximum contraction velocity and maximum relaxation velocity of cardiomyocytes from KO β1+ISO animals, while the KO β2+ISO animals showed an increase in the same mechanical properties. It is concluded that the aerobic training protocol: a) increased the mechanical properties of cardiomyocytes from KO β1t and KO β2t animals; b) increased the length of cardiomyocytes from β2 KO mice; c) associated with the ISO did not alter the mechanical properties of cardiomyocytes from β2 KO 1mice and reduced of cardiomyocytes from KO β2 mice.

The present PhD thesis is compilation of various investigations for the development of a physiological profile in women’s soccer. After an extensive literature review, several literature gaps in this area were identified including: physiological demands of a women’s soccer match including simultaneous measurements with portable metabolic equipment and GPS technology; physical performance analysis of women’s soccer competitive matches of different competition levels using GPS technology; and fitness testing and fitness profiles of female soccer players of different competitive levels by means of laboratory and field tests. The investigations that are part of this thesis targeted these gaps and provided for the first time novel and objective findings in these subjects. The popularity of women’s soccer as well as the number of female soccer players worldwide has increased exponentially in the last 30 years. Furthermore, there are now multiple women’s soccer international competitions and professional leagues around the globe and they will continue to increase in the next few years. Therefore, there is currently high demand for scientific research specific to the women’s game in these topics which may aid coaches, physical trainers, and other practitioners to develop more effective fitness assessments and training programs for their female players in order to improve their fitness status and overall match performance according to their competitive level and positional role.:DEDICATION iii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS iv BIBLIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION vi ABSTRACT vii LIST OF PUBLICATIONS viii TABLE OF CONTENTS ix LIST OF TABLES xi LIST OF FIGURES xii LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS xiii 1 INTRODUCTION 1 1.1. WOMEN’S SOCCER BACKGROUND 1 1.2. PHYSICAL AND PHYSIOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF FEMALE SOCCER PLAYERS 3 1.3. PHYSICAL AND PHYSIOLOGICAL DEMANDS OF WOMEN’S SOCCER 4 2 DISSERTATION AIMS 6 3 STATE OF THE ART 8 3.1. PORTABLE METABOLIC, HEART RATE AND BLOOD LACTATE MEASUREMENTS 8 3.2. GLOBAL POSITIONING SYSTEM (GPS) MEASUREMENTS 9 3.3. TEST PROTOCOLS 10 3.3.1. ANTHROPOMETRY ASSESSMENT 10 3.3.2. AEROBIC CAPACITY TESTS 11 3.3.3. SPEED, ANAEROBIC ABILITY AND EXPLOSIVE POWER TESTS 15 4 OWN AREAS OF RESEARCH 18 4.1. PHYSIOLOGICAL DEMANDS OF A WOMEN’S FOOTBALL MATCH (ENGLISH SUMMARY FROM “PHYSIOLOGISCHE BEANSPRUCHUNG EINES FRAUENFUẞBALLSPIELS)” – (P-I) 18 4.2. GPS PERFORMANCE ANALYSIS OF WOMEN’S SOCCER COMPETITIVE MATCHES OF THE SECOND AND FOURTH GERMAN LEAGUES – (P-IV) 21 4.3. VALIDITY OF THE YO-YO INTERMITTENT RECOVERY TEST LEVEL 1 FOR DIRECT MEASUREMENT OR INDIRECT ESTIMATION OF MAXIMAL OXYGEN UPTAKE AMONG FEMALE SOCCER PLAYERS – (P-II) 25 4.4. FITNESS PROFILES OF GERMAN FEMALE SOCCER PLAYERS (UNPUBLISHED RESULTS) 26 5 CONCLUSIONS AND OUTLOOK 31 5.1. MAIN FINDINGS 31 5.2. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS 33 5.3. STRENGTHS AND LIMITATIONS 33 5.4. FUTURE DIRECTIONS 34 6 REFERENCES 36 EIGENSTÄNDIGKEITSERKLÄRUNG 39 AUTHOR’S RESUME 40 ORIGINAL PUBLICATIONS 42 PUBLICATION 1 (P-I) 43 PUBLICATION 2 (P-II) 50 PUBLICATION 3 (P-III) 58 PUBLICATION 4 (P-IV) 74

The purpose of this case study was to explore the influence of mandatory fitness testing on curriculum decision-making processes of elementary physical education teachers. The research investigated how mandatory testing influenced the teachers' planning, implementation and assessment of their lesson plans. Eight respondents currently teaching elementary physical education in northern California since the inception of the testing mandate in 1996 participated in the study. Data were collected through the use of interviews, observations, and document analysis. The teachers indicated fitness testing does not influence how they plan for lessons except for the days directly involving fitness testing. In addition, the teachers mentioned they valued fitness in their curriculum but that it was a secondary concern. Skill development and creating a more positive social environment were identified as primary learning outcomes. Furthermore, the teachers do not enjoy administering the fitness tests and suggest students feel dissatisfied as well. Reoccurring themes emerged from the results of the study: (a) planning for a lifetime, (b) allocated time to physical education, and (c) the influence of fitness testing. In essence, this study revealed a disconnect between what the teachers value versus the amount of time fitness testing takes away from other content. Contrary to what the teachers stated, the data strongly suggests that the testing does influence curricular decision-making processes.

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