University of Wisconsin–La Crosse

Carbohydrate availability and caffeine ingestion have been shown to elicit improvements in performance independently of one another. The purpose of the study was to examine the effect of a carbohydrate + caffeine beverage on performance and perceived effort in soccer players. Forty-three collegiate women’s soccer athletes were recruited to participate during a single day of simulated match play, in which each team played once. Athletes consumed either a carbohydrate + caffeine (Experimental) beverage or a control (Control) beverage (flavored water) during half-time in a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized control trial design. Prior to and after each game, Ratings of Perceived Exertion (RPE) and blood glucose levels were assessed. Heart rate, training impulse (TRIMP), total distance covered, high-speed distance, and velocity were recorded. Blood glucose levels after the match simulation were positively associated with total distance (r = 0.434; p = 0.01), distance per minute (r = 0.439; p < 0.01), average velocity (r = 0.438; p = 0.01), and TRIMP (r = 0.404; p = 0.018) during the second half. There was a significant main effect for half regarding blood glucose (p < 0.001), total distance (p < 0.001), high-speed distance (p < 0.001), and TRIMP (p = 0.046). There was a significant half × condition effect for blood glucose (p = 0.05). Pairwise comparisons indicated the Experimental beverage condition resulted in a +27 mg/dL (95% CI: −3.6, 58.8) difference compared to the Control beverage following the 2nd Half. In the current study, consumption of the carbohydrate + caffeine beverage during half-time resulted in higher blood glucose levels post-game compared to placebo; however, the experimental beverage did not influence the total distance covered, average velocities, average heart rate, or TRIMP values during the second half of simulated match play.

ABSTRACT Outdoor pursuits and adventure education (OAE) orientation programs can help students develop resilience skills as they transition to college but the role of risk remains unclear. The purpose of this mixed method study was to examine risk within an OAE program. Sixteen first-year college studentswho were enrolled in an OAE orientation program participants. Quantitative data was collected using the Brief Resilience Scale to estimate participants’ resilience. A repeated measures ANOVA analyzed resilience across time but was not statistically significant (p = 0.13) although it showed medium-large effect size. Qualitative data was collected via interviews and reflections. Themes were as follows: (1) When perceiving risk, feeling safe promoted self-confidence; (2) Social support impacted students’ perceptions of resilience; (3) Intrinsic motivation promoted growth when facing adversity. This study suggests that OAE orientation programs continue to be a promising avenue for building resilience skills in first-year students.

This article identifies an emerging genre of police body camera content that we term “participatory policing”: social media videos composed from official police footage, obtained through Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests, and transformed into viral entertainment by amateur content creators who add narration, sound, and visual effects. Through an analysis of videos, viewer comments, and the broader media ecosystem surrounding the YouTube channel Code Blue Cam (2021–present), we demonstrate how this genre valorizes law enforcement while stigmatizing criminalized “others.” We argue that three key features—the “the body cam gaze” (our term for the first-person perspective from police body-worn cameras), creator editing and commentary, and active viewer participation—work together to extend police surveillance and disciplinary power beyond traditional law enforcement. By inviting audiences to surveil, categorize, and judge police targets, this genre inculcates viewers into the disciplinary apparatus of surveillance culture.

ABSTRACT The purpose of the present research was to compare the acute physiological and psychological responses to three different high-intensity training methodologies commonly used in elite handball. Fourteen elite male handball players completed three randomised training protocols during the competitive season: high-intensity intermittent training (HIIT; 15-s work and 15-s rest intervals), 3 vs 3 small-sided games (SSG3), and 6 vs 6 full-sided games (FSG6). All protocols consisted of 4 × 6-min bouts with 3-min passive recovery. Heart rate (HR) and heart rate variability (HRV) were monitored throughout sessions. Subjective measures included the Multi-component Training Distress Scale (MTDS), CR10 RPE scale, and NASA-TLX questionnaires. Significant main effects of training type were found for mean HR (p < 0.001) and peak HR (p < 0.001). FSG6 elicited significantly lower physiological demands than both HIIT and SSG3. Conversely, FSG6 generated the highest mental demand and lowest perceived exertion. HIIT produced the highest physical perception despite similar physiological loads to SSG3. MTDS revealed greater fatigue and stress responses following HIIT compared to game-based protocols. In conclusion, training modality significantly impacts both physiological and perceptual responses. While HIIT and SSG3 produce similar cardiovascular strain, SSG3 is perceived as less demanding. FSG6 provides the highest cognitive challenge with the lowest physical perception.

Mountain treelines are among the most climate-sensitive ecosystems on Earth, yet their fine-scale structural and species level dynamics remain poorly resolved in the Himalayas. In particular, the absence of three-dimensional, crown level measurements have hindered the detection of structural thresholds and species turnover that often precede treeline shifts. To bridge this gap, we introduce UAV LiDAR—applied for the first time in the Hindu Kush Himalayas—to quantify canopy structure and tree species distributions across a steep treeline ecotone in the Manang Valley of central Nepal. High-density UAV-LiDAR data acquired over elevations of 3504–4119 m was used to quantify elevation-dependent changes in canopy stature and cover from a canopy height model derived from the 3D point cloud, while individual tree segmentation and species classification were performed directly on the 3D, height-normalized point cloud at the crown level. Individual trees were delineated using a watershed-based segmentation algorithm while tree species were classified using a random forest model trained on LiDAR-derived structural and intensity metrics, supported by field-validated reference data. Results reveal a sharply defined treeline characterized by an abrupt collapse in canopy height and cover within a narrow ~60–80 m vertical interval. Treeline “threshold” was quantified as a breakpoint elevation from a piecewise model of tree cover versus elevation, and the elevation span over which modeled cover and height distributions rapidly declined from forest values to near-zero. Segmented regression identified a distinct structural breakpoint near 3995 m elevation. Crown-level species predictions aggregated by elevation quantified an ordered turnover in dominance, with Pinus wallichiana most frequent at lower elevations, Abies spectabilis peaking mid-slope, and Betula utilis concentrated near the upper treeline. Species classification achieved high overall accuracy (&gt;85%), although performance varied among taxa, with broadleaf Betula more difficult to discriminate than conifers. These findings underscore UAV LiDAR’s value for resolving sharp ecological thresholds, identifying elevation-driven simplification in forest structure, and bridging observation gaps in remote, rugged mountain ecosystems.

Building on insights from a previously conducted, collection-wide diversity analysis of a university’s children’s literature collection, this study investigated how structured instruction introduced preservice teachers to similar analytic frameworks and supported their critical examination of representation in children’s picture books. The study examined how a diverse book analysis of the main and secondary characters in picture books held at a university library influenced how preservice teachers think about and view diversity in children's picture books. Through a literacy course, 27 preservice teachers were introduced to notions of diversity in children’s books and learned about how to classify main and secondary characters in children's books according to a pre-determined list of diversity classifications. They also learned how to evaluate these books including the content and illustrations and how to effectively use reliable, professional resources for their teaching. They practiced analyzing picture books while using the classification system they learned, completed a diverse book project, and reflected on their learning experiences. Data collected in this study included their pre- and post-surveys, a diversity project, and a reflection paper. Results showed that toward the end of the semester, preservice teachers broadened their understanding of diversity, realized the important role of diverse books for children, and committed to incorporate high-quality diverse children's books in their teaching. Keywords: Content Analysis, Preservice Teachers, Diverse Children’s Books, Picture Books, Classroom Applications DOI: 10.7176/JEP/17-1-05 Publication date: January 30th 2026

Purpose : This study explored how adventure education (AE) can promote social emotional learning (SEL) outcomes in middle school physical education. Method : One hundred forty-four middle school students participated in a 5-day AE unit targeting SEL competencies: social awareness, self-management, and relationship skills. Data were collected via formative and summative assessments, student reflections, and classroom observations then analyzed using collaborative thematic analysis. Results : Findings were categorized by SEL competencies based on the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning framework. Students demonstrated growth in social awareness, self-management, and relationship skills. Subcompetencies included empathy, respect, impulse control, social engagement, and teamwork. Students often connected AE experiences to broader life contexts. Discussion/Conclusion : The study supports that SEL can be intentionally taught and assessed in physical education. When integrated with AE, SEL fosters meaningful learning and student engagement. Embedding SEL across instructional models may support holistic, long-term development in physical education.

Running-related Achilles tendon injuries have been observed more frequently in males, which may reflect sex differences in tendon morphology or mechanics during running. Males exhibit a larger Achilles tendon cross-sectional area and some measures of Achilles tendon loading in running, but sex differences in measures of tendon loading have not been thoroughly characterized. This study examines sex differences in the Achilles tendon cross-sectional area and Achilles tendon loading variables associated with running kinetics and kinematics. Cross-sectional. Recruited from a university population, 26 female and 23 male healthy recreational runners ran at 3.35m/s on an instrumented treadmill and were assessed using 3-dimensional motion capture, musculoskeletal modeling, and diagnostic ultrasound. A multivariate analysis examined differences between sexes in Achilles tendon loading and additional running variables with alpha set to .05. Mean differences (MD) and confidence intervals (CIs) were reported. Males displayed greater peak Achilles tendon force (MD = 0.94 body weight [BW]; 95% CI, -1.48 to -0.33), peak gastrocnemius force (MD = 0.52 BW; 95% CI, -0.75 to -0.29), and Achilles tendon cross-sectional area (MD = 0.1cm2; 95% CI, -0.15 to 0.04) compared with females (P < .05). No group differences were observed in peak Achilles tendon stress (MD = 4.13 kPa; 95% CI, -16.25 to 7.98), peak Achilles tendon strain (MD = 0.41; 95% CI, -1.60 to 0.78), peak soleus force (MD = 0.34 BW; 95% CI, -0.76 to 0.078), foot strike angle (MD = 3.1; 95% CI, -1.65 to 7.85), or peak vertical ground reaction force (MD = 0.106; 95% CI, -0.24 to 0.03) (P > .05). Male runners produced greater peak Achilles tendon force when running at the same speed, but similar peak Achilles tendon stress was observed between male and female recreation runners. Male runners had a greater Achilles tendon cross-sectional area. These findings may have implications to running-related injury based on sex.