The effect of intense gymnastic training on bone mineral density was investigated in 16 elite prepubertal (9.82 ± 0.89 years) (mean ± SD) gymnasts (GYM) and 16 normoactive (9.87 ± 0.75 years) controls (CON). Pubertal status was determined according to the criteria of Tanner. Additionally the mother of each subject was recruited, and was included in all measurements as an estimate of hereditability. GYM were in elite pre-competitive or competitive programs for at least two years, and trained on average 18 hr per week. Areal bone mineral density (BMD) and body composition (%BF) was measured for the whole body, and BMD for the left hip and lumbar spine (L1-L4) by dual energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA), and volumetric BMD for the distal radius by peripheral QCT (pQCT). There were no significant differences between groups for age, pubertal status or body mass; however GYM were significantly shorter (129.3 ± 5.7 vs. 136.7 ± 4.4 cm; P<0.01) and leaner (15.12 + 1.95 vs. 19.58 + 4.29 %BF) than CON. In an attempt to account for inter-group height differences, areal DXA measurements were converted to apparent bone mineral density (BMAD). GYM had significantly (P<0.05) greater femoral neck (0.698 ± 0.058 vs. 0.648 + 0.064 g.cm⁻²) and trochanteric (0.616 ± 0.060 vs. 0.530 + 0.084 g.cm⁻²) BMD. Additionally GYM had significantly greater whole body (0.101 ± 0.009 vs 0.094 ± 0.007 g.cm⁻³) BMAD than CON. GYM also had significantly greater total 367.75 ± 51.61 vs 307.37 ± 27.59 mg.cm⁻³), trabecular (207.93 ± 45.35 vs 163.76 ± 31.41 mg.cm⁻³) and cortical (496.94 ± 67.51 vs 429.80 ± 33.78 mg.cm⁻³) volumetric BMD than CON at the distal radius. There were no significant differences between mothers of GYM or CON for any of the variables studied. Significant daughter mother correlations existed only for lumbar spine BMD (r=0.55). These results suggest that participation in elite gymnastics prior to puberty elicits favourable whole body adaptations in bone mineral density, and also that striking regional differences are observed at the wrist, a site subjected to repetitive high impact loading during training. / Thesis / Master of Science (MSc)

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Nineteen elite (E) gymnasts (>15hours/week gymnastic training), 14 high recreation (HR) gymnasts (8-15hours/week), and 15 low recreation (LR) gymnasts (1-7. 9 hours/week) were investigated to determine the effects of varying volumes of gymnastic training on bone mineral density (BMD) in prepubescent girls. Two normoactive control groups were additionally investigated to determine whether there was a magnitude effect of mechanical loading on BMD: 16 controls (C) and 15 height-and weight-matched controls (M). The mother of each daughter was measured in order to control and investigate the familial component of bone mass. Areal bone mineral density at the left proximal femur, lumbar spine (LS), and whole body (WB) and % body fat were measured by dual energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA), and volumetric BMD was measured at the distal radius by peripheral QCT (pQCT). DXA BMD measures were corrected for bone size and expressed as bone mineral apparent density (BMAD). The HR group was significantly younger (8.68 ± 0.844 y, mean± SD) than both the E (10.02 ± 0.776 y) and C (9.96 ± 0.898 y) groups. The C group was significantly heavier (38.88 ± 4.868 kg) than the E (27.15 ± 2.819 kg), HR. (25.44 ± 3.564 kg), LR (32.98 ± 5.786 kg), and M (26.95 ± 3.301 kg) groups. Additionally, the LR group was significantly heavier than all other groups, with the exception of the C group. Femoral neck (FN) BMD was only significantly different between the E (0.706 ± 0.051 g•cm⁻²) and LR (0.649 ± 0.069 g•cm⁻²) groups. FNBMAD was only greater in the E (0.232 ± 0.048 g•cm⁻³) group compared to the C (0.191 ± 0.052 g•cm⁻³) group. LSBMAD and WBBMAD were significantly greater in both E (0.233 ± 0.019 and 0.100 ± 0.008 g•cm⁻³) and HR (0.239 ± 0.038 and 0.100 ± 0.006 g•cm⁻³) groups when compared to the LR (0.212 ± 0.022 and 0.090 ± 0.008 g•cm⁻³) and C (0.219 ± 0.020 and 0.085 ± 0.004 g•cm⁻³) groups, respectively. Total radial and cortical radial BMD was greater in both E (360.50 ± 51.569 and 484.28 ± 70.179 mg•cm⁻³) and HR (373.10 ± 45.318 and 480.66 ± 46.720 mg•cm⁻³) groups compared to the C (296.61 ± 29.677 and 426.144 ± 37.652 mg•cm⁻³) and M (306.42 ± 24.430 and 414.571 ± 25.194 mg•cm⁻³) groups, respectively. Radial trabecular BMD was greater in both E (211. 19 ± 38. 202 mg•cm⁻³) and HR (212. 61 ± 44.299 mg•cm⁻³) groups compared to the LR (175.89 ± 29.191 mg•cm⁻³), C (162.68 ± 27.304 mg•cm⁻³), and M (171.05 ± 30.639 mg•cm⁻³) groups. There were no significant differences for any bone measure among the groups of mothers. Mother-daughter correlations were relatively weak, and often insignificant, for BMD measures (r = 0.10-0.37), but strong for radial morphometric measures (r = 0.43-0.55). Radial trabecular BMD (r = 0.37; p<0.01) was more significantly correlated with gymnastic training volume (hours/week) than radial cortical BMD (0.30; p<0.05). These results suggest that there is a volume of training effect on BMD and a magnitude effect of mechanical loading on BMD. It appears that trabecular bone at the distal radius may adapt more rapidly or be more sensitive than cortical BMD to the strains imposed by impact loading. Additionally, it appears that, during prepubescence in females, bone morphometric properties may be more genetically regulated than bone mineralization. / Thesis / Master of Science (MSc)

The purpose of this study was to compare depressive symptoms reported by boys who were either pre- or postpubescent and who were legally designated delinquent or had no legal histories. A self-report puberty scale and a semi-structured interview (the Child Assessment Schedule-CAS) were administered to 48 boys. Results were analyzed using analysis of variance (ANOVA). Significance levels between groups were examined with Duncan's range test. No significant differences were found between pre- and postpubescent boys for reporting depressive symptoms, but delinquent youths were found to report significantly more depressive symptoms than nondelinquent youths. The implications of these results are discussed in relation to the measures used and recommendations for future research.

The aim of this diploma thesis is mapping options of the use of the interactive whiteboard in the introductory part of Literature lesson called the evocation, based on formulated findings of needs and interests of the prepubescent reader summarized in the theoretical part. The practical part consists in comparison of teaching with and without the use of the interactive whiteboard, while the lesson plans are conceived in E-U-R model. The undertaken research shows that work with the interactive whiteboard in Literary lessons increase pupils'motivation to predict, makes modelling of reading literacy methods easier, improve vizualization of problematic places in the text and offers unconventional effective way of sharing pupils'ideas and artefacts. The benefit of this work is finding effective ways of the use of the interactive whiteboard in Literature lessons especially in the evocation part of lesson.