Clemente-Suárez, Vicente Javier, José Juan Robles-Pérez, Ketty Herrera-Mendoza, Beliña Herrera-Tapias, and Jesús Fernández-Lucas. Psychophysiological response and fine motor skills in high-altitude parachute jumps. High Alt Med Biol 00:000–000, 2017.—We analyzed the psychophysiological response and specific fine motor skill of an experienced jumper in HALO (high altitude low opening) and HAHO (high altitude high opening) parachute jumps. Eight HALO and eight HAHO jumpers were analyzed. They jumped at 5500 m, HALO jumpers opened the parachute at 500 m and HAHO jumpers at 4300 m of altitude. Before and after the jumps, parameters of muscle strength, cortical arousal, blood creatine kinase (CK) and glucose, blood oxygen saturation, rate of perceived exertion (RPE), and specific fine motor skills of an experienced jumper were assessed; during the jump, heart rate (HR), HR variability, and speed were evaluated. HALO and HAHO jumps produced a significant increase in CK, lactate, and RPE, and a decrease in glucose. HAHO decreased cortical arousal, presented a higher sympathetic modulation, and a higher HR during the jump than HALO. HALO and HAHO produced an increase in the physiological, sympathetic modulation and muscle destruction, and a decrease in cortical arousal and a higher blood lactate concentration only in the HAHO jump. Also, somatic and cognitive anxiety correlated with higher strength manifestation and muscle destruction. This novel research could be used to improve actual training systems in both civil and military parachute jumpers.

Background: In previous studies, ultra-endurance performance has been associated with training and psychological variables. However, performance under extreme conditions is understudied, mainly due to difficulties in making field measures. Aim: The aim of this study was to analyze the role of training, hydration, nutrition, oral health status, and stress-related psychological factors in athletes’ performance in ultra-endurance mountain events. Methods: We analyzed the variables of race time and training, hydration state, nutrition, oral health status, and stress-related psychological factors in 448 ultra-endurance mountain race finishers divided into three groups according to race length (less than 45 km, 45–90 km, and greater than 90 km), using a questionnaire. Results: Higher performance in ultra-endurance mountain races was associated with better oral health status and higher accumulative altitude covered per week as well as higher positive accumulative change of altitude per week during training. In longer distance races, experience, a larger volume of training, and better hydration/nutrition prior to the competition were associated with better performance. Conclusions: Ultra-endurance mountain athletes competing in longer races (>90 km) have more experience and follow harder training schedules compared with athletes competing in shorter distances. In longer races, a larger fluid intake before the competition was the single best predictor of performance. For races between 45 and 90 km, training intensity and volume were key predictors of performance, and for races below 45 km, oral health status was a key predictor of performance. Psychological factors previously reported as ultra-endurance mountain race performance predictors were inconsistent or failed to predict the performance of athletes in the present research.

Caffeine is one of the ergogenic substances most used by warfighters in current operation areas, but the effect on the organic response and operational performed is already poor knowledge. This research aimed to study the acute effect of 400 mg of caffeine monohydrate on the psycho-physiological response and rifle marksmanship of warfighters during a close quarter combat simulation. We analysed parameter of heart rate, blood lactate, cortical arousal, state anxiety and marksmanship of 20 Spanish Army veteran warfighters before and after a close quarter combat simulation in a double-blind procedure, also a correlation analysis was conducted between all the study variables. Marksmanship of warfighters did not improve with the caffeine ingestion, but it produced an increase in blood lactate concentration (caffeine: 1.9 ± 0.5 vs. 9.2 ± 1.1 mmol.l⁻¹; placebo: 1.8 ± 0.7 vs. 6.9 ± 2.2 mmol.l⁻¹), cortical arousal (% of change: caffeine: 2.51; placebo: −1.96) and heart rate (caffeine: 80.0 ± 7.2 vs. 172.9 ± 28.2 bpm; placebo: 79.3 ± 6.4 vs. 154.0 ± 26.8 bpm). In addition, higher heart rate values correlated negatively with marksmanship in close quarter combat. We concluded that caffeine intake did not improve the warfighters rifle marksmanship in close quarter combat possibly due to the increase in the physiological response.

El objetivo de esta investigación fue examinar la descripción de los medios de comunicación para la apropiación del conocimiento en instituciones educativas del departamento de Magdalena, Colombia. Para tal fin, se realizaron diez entrevistas semiestructuradas, analizadas mediante la teoría fundamentada. Los resultados obedecen a la utilización de medios en espacios de aprendizajes para generar competencias (utilización, interacción y participación) del ser humano en sesiones de aprendizajes significativos. Los resultados muestran que el proceso de comunicación depende del perfil y labor del docente, número de participantes, herramientas didácticas disponibles y estructura de la institución, ocasionando barreras y filtros que limitan el aprendizaje. La apropiación del conocimiento está influenciada por modelos interactivos, con perspectivas emergentes sobre el saber. Se concluye que los medios de comunicación educativos se ven impactados por la cultura tecnológica del docente-estudiante, originando brechas de conocimiento para su adecuado uso.

The paper is about community-based participatory research on environmental conflicts about sand quarries in northern Bogotá. Community-based participatory research is applied to understand the environmental conflicts of mining activities. The approach was suitable for improving the relevance and acceptance of research in the local community. It invited community members to participate and uphold their views about the social conflicts and environmental impacts arising from mining activities. The findings highlight the need for participatory environmental governance, integrating local communities and power relations analysis in environmental decision-making.

Este artículo se constituye de un análisis para una adecuada categorización constitucional del derecho del consumo en Colombia y de la identificación de cada uno de los elementos, actos y relaciones que en verdad integran las relaciones de consumo; las cuales a su vez demandan por su naturaleza misma, una titularidad individual, que asegure un estándar de consumo digno, en la que la dignidad de cada sujeto exige respeto a la libertad personal y económica, satisfacer al orden social en el sentido de permitirle el dominio de un espacio vital mínimo y un estatus socioeconómico que facilite a los individuos una convivencia armoniosa y equilibrada en lo que se refiere a la producción, comercialización, distribución y adquisición de bienes y servicios.