pupa glad: June 2012

Saturday, June 30, 2012

Italy has offensive edge

By TREVOR HUGGINS

Associated Press

Associated Press Sports

updated 4:25 p.m. ET June 29, 2012

WARSAW, Poland (AP) -Italy will head into Sunday's European Championship final with one significant advantage over a Spain side that has dominated world football for the last four years.

It can score goals.

While Spain has tried to pass its opponents to death at Euro 2012, Italy has stuck to what's almost a quaintly old-fashioned approach of making the net bulge with pinpoint headers and blistering shots. Mario Balotelli's two goals against Germany in Thursday's semifinals were superb examples of both.

"We had the determination to go and attack Germany right from the off," Italy coach Cesare Prandelli said. "We had the courage to play the ball in midfield. I have always been an advocate of this style of play because I am convinced that we have a lot of quality players."

By contrast, Spain has found it increasingly difficult to score in open play as the tournament has progressed.

Its penalty shootout victory over Portugal in the semifinals after a 0-0 draw was far from the most entertaining match of the championship to date. Its 2-0 victory over France in the quarterfinals included a penalty and its 1-0 win over Croatia in Spain's final group match needed an 88th minute winner from Jesus Navas.

That's just two goals from open play in 300 minutes of football.

Spain coach Vicente del Bosque is well aware of his team's predicament, due in part to opponents' tendency to sit back and defend.

"There are two parts to football, the offensive and defensive aspects, and we're sharper on the defensive end," he said.

By contrast, Italy has respected a national tradition stretching back decades of getting better as a tournament continues. Its best game by far was the Azzurri's 2-1 victory over hot favorite Germany in Warsaw and the margin of victory should really have been greater.

Balotelli burst into form and midfielder Andrea Pirlo continued to reproduce the outstanding form that helped Italy win the 2006 World Cup. Claudio Marchisio meanwhile missed two glaring opportunities from inside the penalty box, either of which could have settled Italian nerves well before the final whistle.

And that's the key difference between Spain's victory over Portugal and Italy's shootout win over England after a 0-0 draw in the quarterfinals.

The world and European champions never really looked like scoring against the well-drilled Portuguese, while it was a minor miracle that Italy failed to find the net against Roy Hodgson's side.

The Italians had shown their attacking intent in the third minute of that match with a swerving half-volley by Daniele De Rossi that rattled Joe Hart's post from 30 meters.

A succession of chances then fell to Balotelli, while Riccardo Montolivo sent a shot over the top with the England goal at his mercy, Antonio Nocerino had a goal ruled out for offside, and Alessandro Diamanti hit the bar.

For Spain, it was more of the grindingly familiar game that has taken it to the verge of a third consecutive major title. And it wasn't pretty.

Spain's short passing game draws heavily on the style of football played at club level by Barcelona, whose players are the heart of the national team's midfield in Xavi Hernandez, Andres Iniesta and Cesc Fabregas.

In turn, Barcelona's footballing culture is rooted in the philosophy of its former playing great and manager Johan Cruyff, who is widely quoted as having said: "If you play on possession, you don't have to defend, because there's only one ball."

While there's no arguing with the Dutchman's arithmetic, Spain's current problem is that its possession is not producing anything else except more possession. Like a cat or dog chasing its tail, Spain often appears to be turning the ball round and round in circles, without getting anywhere.

At Barcelona, there is the goalscoring phenomenon, Lionel Messi.

Spain has Fernando Torres. Not a goalscoring phenomenon.

More worrying for Spain is that Italy scored first when these two sides met for their opening game in the group stage on June 10. That time, Fabregas was able to produce a quick equalizer.

Spain may not be so lucky a second time.

More news

Italy has offensive edge

Italy will head into Sunday's European Championship final with one significant advantage over a Spain side that has dominated world football for the last four years.

Source: http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/48012461/ns/sports-soccer/

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Madoff's brother?pleads guilty to fraud charges

By msnbc.com staff, WNBC, and news wires

UPDATED 12:15 p.m. ET: Peter Madoff, the?brother of convicted scammer Bernie Madoff, pleaded guilty Friday to doctoring records to hide?the?Ponzi scheme orchestrated by his older sibling that swindled thousands of people out of billions of dollars and stunned the world?in?the throes of the financial crisis.

"I am deeply ashamed of my actions," he told a hearing in downtown Manhattan federal court on Friday morning, several hours after he was taken into custody by FBI agents at his lawyer's office in midtown Manhattan.

"I want to apologize to anyone who was harmed and my family. I'm here to take responsibility for my actions," Peter Madof

Peter Madoff, 66,?had been?arrested earlier?Friday at his lawyer's office in?midtown Manhattan and had been expected to enter the guilty plea for which he's expected to get 10 years in prison. He?entered the plea?in the same courthouse where his brother, 74, was convicted and sentenced in March 2009 to 150 years in prison for the largest Ponzi scheme ever.

"Peter Madoff enabled the largest fraud in human history. He will now be jailed well into old age, and he will forfeit virtually every penny he has. We are not yet finished calling to account everyone responsible for the epic fraud of Bernard Madoff and the epic pain of his many victims," said Manhattan U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara in a statement.

Federal prosecutors on Wednesday revealed in a letter that Peter Madoff had been criminally charged with participating in his brother's fraud. He and his brother are the only?Madoff family members to have been arrested and charged in the Ponzi scheme.

The letter, filed in federal court in Manhattan, said Peter Madoff would?plead guilty to charges of conspiracy to commit securities fraud and falsifying records as well as other charges. He agreed not to seek a sentence other than 10 years in prison, the letter said.

Peter Madoff also agreed to forfeit about $143.1 billion, including all real and personal property, the letter said. The amount is symbolic, being more than twice the estimated size of the fraud.

John Wing, a lawyer for Peter Madoff, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Peter Madoff was chief compliance officer at Bernard L. Madoff Investment Securities LLC when his brother was arrested on December 11, 2008.

Prosecutors have not said whether criminal cases are also being prepared against Bernard Madoff's son, Andrew, who was co-director of trading, or his niece, Shana, who was a compliance officer at the firm.

In May, Irving Picard, the trustee seeking money for victims of the Ponzi scheme, named members of Madoff's family in an expanded $255.3 million lawsuit, claiming they should have detected Bernard Madoff's Ponzi scheme at the firm that operated "as if it were their family piggy bank."

Besides Madoff's brother Peter, Picard sued Andrew Madoff, who was co-director of trading; the estate of son Mark, co-director of trading who committed suicide in December 2010; and Shana Madoff.

In the lawsuit, Picard described Peter Madoff as a savvy investor who once served as vice-chairman of the board of governors of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority.

Picard is seeking $90.4 million from Peter, $81.3 million from Mark Madoff's estate, $73.8 million from Andrew and $15.3 million from Shana.

Lawyers for Andrew and Shana Madoff did not immediately return calls seeking comment.

Between 1993 and 2008, Peter Madoff was paid over $36 million in salary and bonuses, Picard said, and the firm funded his lavish lifestyle, including $140,000 for a Ferrari in 1995 and a home on Manhattan's upscale Park Avenue.

Peter Madoff is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit securities fraud and mail fraud as well as making false statements about the firm's compliance program and investment advisory business.

He is also charged with falsifying records.

About a dozen people have now been implicated in criminal wrongdoing related to the Madoff firm.

Five have pleaded not guilty: Annette Bongiorno, Daniel Bonventre, Joann Crupi, Jerome O'Hara and George Perez.

Frank DiPascali, the former chief financial officer often called Bernard Madoff's right-hand man, pleaded guilty in August 2009 and has been praised by prosecutors for his cooperation. He has yet to be sentenced.

Picard has estimated customers of the Madoff firm lost about $20 billion. On Monday, the U.S. Supreme Court let stand a lower court ruling on the trustee's methods for calculating losses. That decision could help Picard repay customers faster.?

Reuters contributed to this report.???

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Source: http://bottomline.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/06/29/12478809-bernie-madoffs-brother-pleads-guilty-to-fraud-charges?lite

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Assad's fate unclear in world powers' Syria plan

GENEVA (Reuters) - World powers agreed on Saturday that a transitional government should be set up in Syria to end the conflict there but they remained at odds over what part President Bashar al-Assad might play in the process.

Peace envoy Kofi Annan said after talks in Geneva the government should include members of Assad's administration and the Syrian opposition and that it should arrange free elections.

"Time is running out. The conflict must be resolved through peaceful dialogue and negotiations," Annan told reporters.

The talks had been billed as a last-ditch effort to halt the worsening violence in Syria but hit obstacles as Russia, Assad's most powerful ally, opposed Western and Arab insistence that he must quit the scene.

The final communiqu? said the transitional government should be formed "on the basis of mutual consent".

In a victory for Russia, it omitted text in a previous draft which explicitly said the plan would exclude from government anyone whose participation would undermine the transition's credibility and jeopardize stability and reconciliation.

After the meeting, the United States and Russia contradicted each other over what that meant for Assad, who has ruled Syria for 11 years since succeeding his father Hafez and has been condemned internationally for the ferocity of his crackdown on the uprising against him.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said he was "delighted" with the result. The key point was that the deal did not attempt to impose a process on Syria, he said

It did not imply at all that Assad should step down as there were no preconditions excluding any group from the proposed national unity government, Lavrov said.

But U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said it sent a clear message to Assad that he must quit.

"Assad will still have to go," Clinton told reporters. "What we have done here is to strip away the fiction that he and those with blood on their hands can stay in power."

Annan convened the meeting at the United Nations complex on the shores of Lake Geneva to salvage a peace plan that has largely been ignored by the Assad government. He said at the opening that the conflict was in danger of growing into a regional and international crisis.

At its conclusion, the Nobel peace laureate fielded a question on whether people with blood on their hands could be part of a transitional government by saying:

"I would doubt that the Syrians who have fought so hard for their independence to be able to have a say in how they are governed and who governs them will select people with blood on their hands to lead them.

"I cannot say that I am really happy but I am content with the outcome today."

Annan's plan for a negotiated solution to the 16-month-old conflict is the only one on the table. More than 10,000 people have been killed since the anti-Assad uprising broke out and the past few weeks have been among the bloodiest.

Highlighting the deteriorating situation on the ground, Syrian government forces pushed their way into Douma on the outskirts of Damascus on Saturday after weeks of siege and shelling. Fleeing residents spoke of corpses in the streets.

Britain's ITV showed footage of clouds of black smoke over houses and said warplanes had struck at targets there.

The army also attacked pro-opposition areas in Deir al-Zor, Homs, Idlib and the outskirts of Damascus, activists said.

BRAVE FACE

The foreign ministers of the U.N. Security Council's five permanent members - Russia, the United States, China, France and Britain - all attended along with Turkey, Kuwait, Qatar, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, Arab League chief Nabil Elaraby and EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton.

Notably absent from the guest list were Iran, Syria's closest regional ally, and Saudi Arabia, a foe of both Damascus and Tehran and leading backer of the rebel forces. Nor was anyone from the Syrian government or opposition represented.

British Foreign Minister William Hague put a brave face on the Western compromise.

"These have been difficult talks as you can gather from the fact that we've spent more than nine hours discussing it. I think the result is a step forward, it is only a step forward but it is a step forward that is worth having," he said.

He welcomed the fact that Russia and China had signed up to the idea for a transitional government. But he lamented that no agreement had been reached on the question of arms sales to Syria and any future action, including sanctions, at the Security Council.

The agreement also called for people to be free to demonstrate peacefully and the release of political detainees as well as an immediate halt to the violence.

Middle East analyst Hayat Alvi of the U.S. Naval War College said he doubted the Assad government would accept the plan and enforcement of it would be almost impossible.

"The U.S. and other Western powers will not find any flexibility on the part of the Syrian regime, and its allies, namely Russia," he told Reuters from the United States.

"The proof is in the Assad regime's continuous acts of violence against the Syrian people, even while the diplomatic wheels have been turning. The wheels clearly are going in circles without moving forward."

That would likely be the scenario for months as long as Russia continued to support the Syrian government, Alvi said.

The conflict has evolved from peaceful protests against the Assad family's four-decade rule to something akin to a civil war with a sectarian dimension.

The British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said at least 56 people were killed across Syria on Saturday.

Syria's border with Turkey was also tense after a Turkish military build-up in response to Syria's shooting down of a Turkish warplane last week.

A Syrian witness said Turkish forces stationed on the border opposite the Syrian town of Jandaris fired machineguns in the air in response to Syrian army bombardment of rebel areas.

After Syrian forces re-entered Douma, troops carried out searches in hospitals for dissidents and rebel fighters, activists said.

Abo Abdullah, 50, said he and his five children left Douma fearing attacks by government forces.

"I saw at least three bodies on a street corner, some houses were destroyed, others were on fire. Only a few people remained inside the city. Those who can, leave," he said.

"I saw a body on the side of the street and dogs were gathering around it."

State news agency SANA said security forces were raiding hideouts of "armed terrorist groups" in Douma and had killed, wounded or arrested scores.

(Reporting by Andrew Quinn, Tom Miles, Stepahnie Nebehay, Robert Evans and Emma Farge in Geneva, Oliver Holmes and Mariam Karouny in Beirut, Peter Apps in London; Writing by Angus MacSwan; Editing by Ralph Gowling)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/syria-writhes-divided-powers-meet-geneva-034811011.html

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Friday, June 29, 2012

News organizations don't all get ruling right

Supporters of President Barack Obama's health care law celebrate outside the Supreme Court in Washington, Thursday, June 28, 2012, after the court's ruling. AP Photo/David Goldman)

NEW YORK (AP) ? A bid for speed in reporting the Supreme Court's decision on President Barack Obama's health care law has tripped up some news organizations.

Both CNN and Fox News Channel incorrectly reported Thursday that the law's central provision, requiring virtually all Americans to have health insurance, had been struck down. Both networks backtracked when it became clear that the court upheld the provision.

Broadcast networks broke into regular programming to deliver special reports and generally got it right.

To get the news out quickly, competitive news organizations had to wade through pages of legal writing.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/4e67281c3f754d0696fbfdee0f3f1469/Article_2012-06-28-Supreme%20Court-Health%20Care-Media/id-966f4030056c4cd3b7bfaaf32cad377e

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U.S. Congress eases way for BP oil spill settlement

By David Ingram

WASHINGTON | Fri Jun 29, 2012 11:38pm BST

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Congress on Friday removed an obstacle to settling legal claims emerging from the 2010 BP Gulf of Mexico oil spill, when it approved a spending plan for the billions of dollars it expects the government to collect.

The plan, which President Barack Obama is expected to sign, directs 80 percent of Clean Water Act penalties related to the spill to a new trust fund for restoration efforts in five states along the Gulf coast.

An explosion at the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig in April 2010 killed 11 workers and led to the biggest oil spill in U.S. history, with some analysts putting the cost at $60 billion (38.2 billion pounds) or more.

Officials involved in the spending plan said its approval would foster any settlement between the U.S. Justice Department and defendants BP Plc and Transocean Ltd, not for any legal reason but because of how Congress manages budget matters.

Any fines from the spill would be new money for the U.S. government, but under complicated budget rules, Congress could not spend it without offsetting budget changes elsewhere.

The plan passed as part of a massive transportation bill by a vote of 373-52 in the House of Representatives and 74-19 in the Senate.

Approving the plan required lawmakers to find $1.6 billion in offsetting changes over 10 years.

By comparison, civil fines alone from the oil spill have been estimated at up to $21 billion, depending on exactly how much oil spilled. Finding offsetting budget changes for that much money would be much more difficult.

Enactment of the plan "removes an impediment" to the Justice Department either settling oil-spill claims or making an announcement of what it would seek in trial against the companies, said Whitney Stanco, senior policy analyst at Guggenheim's Washington Research Group.

A Justice Department spokeswoman had no comment on Friday on negotiations of a possible settlement.

(Additional reporting by Kim Dixon, Thomas Ferraro and Roberta Rampton in Washington; Editing by Howard Goller and David Gregorio)

Source: http://uk.reuters.com/article/2012/06/29/uk-bp-settlement-idUKBRE85S1JZ20120629?feedType=RSS&feedName=topNews

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Myanmar tells Suu Kyi not to call country 'Burma'

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Thursday, June 28, 2012

Stockton, California becomes largest U.S. city to file for bankruptcy

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FDA clears first new weight-loss pill in 13 years

This photo provided by Food and Drug Administration shows Arena Pharmaceutical's anti-obesity pill Belviq. The Food and Drug Administration has approved Belviq, the first new prescription drug for long-term weight loss to enter the U.S. market in over a decade. The agency cleared the pill Wednesday for adults who are obese or are overweight with at least one medical complication, such as diabetes or high cholesterol. (AP Photo/Food and Drug Administration)

WASHINGTON (AP) ? The Food and Drug Administration has approved Arena Pharmaceutical's anti-obesity pill Belviq, the first new prescription drug for long-term weight loss to enter the U.S. market in over a decade.

Despite only achieving modest weight loss in clinical studies, the drug appeared safe enough to win the FDA's endorsement, amid calls from doctors for new weight-loss treatments.

The agency cleared the pill Wednesday for adults who are obese or are overweight with at least one medical complication, such as diabetes or high cholesterol.

The FDA denied approval for Arena's drug in 2010 after scientists raised concerns about tumors that developed in animals studied with the drug. The company resubmitted the drug with additional data earlier this year, and the FDA said there was little risk of tumors in humans.

"The approval of this drug, used responsibly in combination with a healthy diet and lifestyle, provides a treatment option for Americans who are obese or are overweight and have at least one weight-related comorbid condition," said FDA's drug center director, Dr. Janet Woodcock, in a statement.

Arena and its partner Eisai Inc. of Woodcliff Lake, N.J., expect to launch the drug in early 2013.

With U.S. obesity rates nearing 35 percent of the adult population, many doctors have called on the FDA to approve new weight loss treatments.

But a long line of prescription weight loss offerings have been associated with safety problems, most notably the fen-phen combination, which was linked to heart valve damage in 1997. The cocktail of phentermine and fenfluramine was a popular weight loss combination prescribed by doctors, though it was never approved by FDA.

In a rare move, the FDA explicitly stated in a press release that Belviq "does not appear to activate" a chemical pathway that was linked to the heart problems seen with fen-phen.

The FDA said the drug acts on a different chemical pathway in the brain, which is believed to reduce appetite by boosting feelings of satiety and fullness.

Obesity Society President Patrick O'Neil said he's encouraged by the drug's approval because it underscores the idea that lifestyle changes alone are not enough to treat obesity.

"This is good news because it tells us that the FDA is indeed treating obesity seriously. On the other hand, it's not the answer to the problem ? or even a big part of the answer," said O'Neil, who teaches at Medical University of South Carolina and was the lead researcher on several studies of Belviq.

Even if the effects of Belviq are subtle, experts say it could be an important first step in a new line of treatments that attack the underlying causes of obesity.

"The way these things tend to work is you have some people who do extremely well and other people don't lose any weight at all. But if we had 10 medicines that were all different and worked like this, we would have a real field," said Dr. Louis Aronne, director of the weight loss program at Weill-Cornell Medical College.

Belviq is one of three experimental weight-loss drugs whose developers have been trying for a second time to win approval, after the FDA shot them all down in 2010 or early 2011 because of serious potential side effects.

Vivus Inc.'s Qnexa is thought to be the most promising of the drugs, achieving the most weight loss. But the FDA has delayed a decision on that pill until July.

Shares of San Diego-based Arena Pharmaceuticals Inc. jumped $2.54, or 28.7 percent, to close at $11.39. Shares of Mountain View, Calif.-based Vivus rose $1.94, or 7.4 percent, to $28.33.

Arena's studies showed that patients taking Belviq, known generically as lorcaserin, had modest weight loss. On average patients lost just 3 to 3.7 percent of their starting body weight over a year. About 47 percent of patients without diabetes lost at least 5 percent of their weight or more, which was enough to meet FDA standards for effectiveness. By comparison, average weight loss with Qnexa is 11 percent, with more than 83 percent of patients losing 5 percent of their weight or more.

The FDA said patients should stop taking Belviq after three months if they fail to lose 5 percent of their body weight. Patients are unlikely to see any significant weight loss by staying with the drug.

Side effects with the drug include depression, migraine and memory lapses.

In May a panel of expert advisers to the FDA voted 18-4 to recommend approval of Arena's drug, concluding that its benefits "outweigh the potential risks when used long term" in overweight and obese people.

Experts say the challenge of weight loss drug development lies in safely turning off one of the body's fundamental directives: to eat enough food to maintain its current weight.

While several drugs are available for short-term weight loss, until Wednesday there was only one FDA-approved prescription drug for long-term weight loss: Xenical from Roche, which is seldom prescribed because of unpleasant digestive side effects and modest weight loss. Belviq is the first new prescription drug approved to treat obesity since Xenical's approval 13 years ago.

Other safety failures for diet pills have continued to pile up in recent years.

Four years ago Sanofi-Aventis SA discontinued studies of its highly anticipated pill Acomplia due to psychiatric side effects, including depression and suicidal thoughts. In 2010, Abbott Laboratories withdrew its drug Meridia after a study showed it increased heart attack and stroke.

Associated Press

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China's Wen offers $10 billion Latin America credit line

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Wednesday, June 27, 2012

Older Women With Low Vitamin D Could Gain Weight: Study

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Google sells small tablet, challenges Kindle Fire

Hugo Barra, Director of Google Product Management, holds up the new Google Nexus7 tablet at the Google I/O conference in San Francisco, Wednesday, June 27, 2012. (AP Photo/Paul Sakuma)

Hugo Barra, Director of Google Product Management, holds up the new Google Nexus7 that will sell for $199, at the Google I/O conference in San Francisco, Wednesday, June 27, 2012. The tablet will have a screen that measures 7 inches diagonally, smaller than the nearly 10 inches on Apple Inc.?s popular iPad. That means it?s more likely to challenge Amazon.com Inc.?s Kindle Fire, which is also 7 inches. (AP Photo/Paul Sakuma)

Hugo Barra, Director of Google Product Management holds up the new Google Nexus7 selling at $199, at the Google I/O conference in San Francisco, Wednesday, June 27, 2012. The tablet will have a screen that measures 7 inches diagonally, smaller than the nearly 10 inches on Apple Inc.?s popular iPad. That means it?s more likely to challenge Amazon.com Inc.?s Kindle Fire, which is also 7 inches. (AP Photo/Paul Sakuma)

Hugo Barra, Director of Google Product Management, holds up the new Google Nexus7 tablet at the Google I/O conference in San Francisco, Wednesday, June 27, 2012. (AP Photo/Paul Sakuma)

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) ? Google will sell a small tablet computer bearing its brand in a challenge to Amazon's Kindle Fire.

The Nexus 7 is designed specifically for Google Play, the online store that sells movies, music, books, apps and other content ? the things Amazon.com Inc. also sells for its tablet computer.

Google's announcement that it's putting its brand on a tablet comes a week after Microsoft Corp. said the same thing. Both moves risk alienating Google's and Microsoft's hardware partners. Those companies, in turn, could be less inclined to work closely with Google and Microsoft.

The Nexus 7 and the Kindle Fire have screens that measure 7 inches diagonally, smaller than the nearly 10 inches on Apple Inc.'s popular iPad. The Nexus 7 will also be light ? at about 0.75 pound, compared with the Kindle Fire's 0.9 pound. The iPad weighs 1.44 pounds.

The Nexus 7 will ship in mid-July starting at $199 ? the same price as the Kindle Fire. By contrast, iPads start at $499. Customers can start ordering it through Google on Wednesday, initially in the U.S., Canada and Australia.

Google's price is aggressively low, considering that the Nexus 7 has more features than the Kindle, including a front-facing camera. The Kindle is believed to be roughly break even at $199. Samsung Electronics Co. sells a tablet similar to Google's for $250.

Andrew Rassweiler, an analyst with IHS iSuppli, said he suspects Google will be subsidizing the tablet to sell it starting at $199.

Google has previously put its own brand on a flagship line of "Nexus" smartphones. But that market is more mature than the tablet market, and there was less risk of Google alienating partners, particularly since it didn't price the phones lower than the norm.

Much like the Nexus phones, the Nexus 7 tablet will be a showcase for a new version of Google Inc.'s Android operating system, in this case one called "Jelly Bean."

Although the tablet carries the Google brand, the machine will be made by AsusTek Computer Inc. Google recently expanded into the device-making business with its $12.5 billion purchase of Motorola Mobility, but the company has stressed that it intends to continue to rely on Asus and other manufacturers that have embraced Android.

Microsoft's announcement of its Surface tablet last week and Google's Nexus 7 add up to a "troubling" situation for tablet makers such as Samsung Electronics Co., said Jeff Orr, an analyst with ABI Research.

When a software-supplying partner turns around and puts out its own hardware product, "is that a partner or an enemy?" Orr asked.

Orr also questioned whether Google's strategy of pricing the tablet low is really going to win it any fans in the long term. Apple, he noted, dominates the tablet market with a product that's expensive but works well.

There are already other Android-powered tablets on the market, but none have proven nearly as popular as the iPad or Kindle Fire. That has raised worries at Google as more people rely on tablets to surf the Internet.

For Google, advertising dollars are at stake. If Apple retains its dominance and other players such as Amazon and Microsoft gobble up the rest of the sales, they could set up their operating systems in ways that de-emphasize Google's Internet search engine and other services. Apple develops its own system, while Amazon modifies Android for use in Kindles. Microsoft's will run on a new version of Windows.

Apple already has announced that the next version of the iPad operating system will abandon Google's digital maps as the built-in navigation system. That shift could cause neighborhood merchants to spend less money advertising on Google.

Google also announced a home entertainment device called Nexus Q. It sends content from your personal collection or YouTube to your existing TV and speaker systems. You control it through a separate Android phone or tablet.

The Nexus Q, which Google is calling the world's first "social streaming device," will available in July in the U.S. initially and sell for $299.

Google made the announcements during a keynote to open its annual conference in San Francisco for computer programmers.

Google also demonstrated its futuristic, Internet-connected glasses by having parachutists jump out of a blimp hovering about 7,000 feet above San Francisco. The audience got live video feeds from their glasses as they descended to land on the roof of the Moscone Center, the location of the conference.

Google is making prototypes of the device, known as Project Glass, available to test. They can only be purchased ? for $1,500 ? at the conference this week, for delivery early next year. Google is also giving all 6,000 attendees a Nexus 7, Nexus Q and a Nexus phone for free.

Also on Wednesday, Google unveiled a new search tool to help you get the right information at the right time on your mobile device. Called Google Now, the tool will be part of Jelly Bean, which will be available in mid-July. Some devices, including the Galaxy Nexus, will get the upgrade automatically over the air.

With Google Now, if you say "traffic," for example, it will look at your usual commute to work and show you alternative routes if there's a lot of traffic. It will tell you the scores of your favorite sports teams automatically, and it will keep you up to date on flight statuses if you are flying somewhere.

The feature bears resemblance to the Siri virtual assistant on Apple's iPhone.

Jelly Bean will also come with the ability to share photos by tapping two phones together.

___

Peter Svensson contributed from New York.

Associated Press

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Tuesday, June 26, 2012

SHEU literature search Physical Activity | SHEU

Literature search

Thanks to Zotero and Jason Priem

Physical Activity and Academic Achievement

Active children 'get better grades'

Physical Activity, Academic Performance and Cognition in Children and Adolescents. A Systematic Review

Type	Journal Article
Author	Eero Haapala
Abstract	A literature review was conducted to investigate the effect of physical exercise and physical training on cognition and academic performance in children and adolescents. Nine randomized or quasi-randomized controlled trials with 2,013 participants were identified by employing the following data sources: the Cochrane Register of Controlled Trials, Medline, Eric, CINAHL, PsychINFO, and ISI Web of Knowledge. Five studies indicated positive effects of physical exercise on attention, concentration, and working memory, and three studies reported positive effects of 14 to 64 week physical training on language and arithmetic skills. Thus, there is some evidence that physical exercise may facilitate cognitive functions related to learning and enhance academic performance.
Publication	Baltic Journal of Health and Physical Activity
Volume	4
Issue	1
Pages	53-61
Date	January 01, 2012
URL	http://dx.doi.org/10.2478/v10131-012-0007-y

Association between physical activity and academic performance in Korean adolescent students

Academic achievement in relation to improved physical activity

Type	Web Page
Author	Cassie Duff
Abstract	INTRODUCTION: According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, children and adolescents require 60 minutes or more of physical activity per day. In 2006, only 3.8 percent of elementary schools, 7.9 percent of middle schools, and 2.1 percent of high schools offered students daily physical education or its equivalent for the entire school year. Research shows that keeping physical education programs does not have an adverse effect on academics. This research study was conducted to see how adding the recommended daily physical activity would affect academic achievement. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to determine whether improved physical activity had an adverse effect on academic achievement. METHODS: 14 subjects began the study and only 13 subject completed post testing. Four women (16 yrs) and nine men (16 yrs) were high school students at Burton Adventist Academy and volunteered to participate in this study. Each subject participated in a 3 month physical education class. At the beginning of the class each subject performed the exercise testing included in the fitnessgram (push up test, curl up test, 2 site skinfold, and sit and reach). Each subject also then took an academic test, which was taken from a sample SAT prep booklet. At the end of the class each subject performed another fitnessgram and took another academic test. RESULTS: There was a statistically significant difference in the push up test (pretest, 35.08 ? 10.54; posttest, 40.92 ? 9.93; P= 0.02), curl up test (pretest, 34.8 ? 6.71; posttest, 41.69 ? 8.65; P= 0.04), and in the sit and reach (pretest, 21.15 ? 6.93; posttest, 24.85 ? 5.96; P= 0.01). In terms of the 2 site skinfold (pretest arm, 15.31 ? 5.61; posttest arm, 15.41 ? 4.34; pretest thigh, 22.54 ?8.8; posttest thigh, 23.08 ? 5.46; P>0.05) and academic test (pretest, 27.23 ? 6.98; posttest, 30.00 ? 8; P>0.05) no significant difference was observed. CONCLUSION: The results from this study indicate that with improved physical fitness there was no adverse effect on academic achievement.
Date	2012
URL	http://dspace.uta.edu/bitstream/handle/10106/9290/Duff%20poster.pdf? sequence=1

Physical Activity and Performance at School: A Systematic Review of the Literature Including a Methodological Quality Assessment

Type	Web Page
Author	Amika Singh
Abstract	Objective: To describe the prospective relationship between physical activity and academic performance. Data Sources: Prospective studies were identified from searches in PubMed, PsycINFO, Cochrane Central, and Sportdiscus from 1990 through 2010. Study Selection: We screened the titles and abstracts for eligibility, rated the methodological quality of the studies, and extracted data. Main Exposure: Studies had to report at least 1 physical activity or physical fitness measurement during childhood or adolescence. Main Outcome Measures: Studies had to report at least 1 academic performance or cognition measure during childhood or adolescence. Results: We identified 10 observational and 4 intervention studies. The quality score of the studies ranged from 22% to 75%. Two studies were scored as high quality. Methodological quality scores were particularly low for the reliability and validity of the measurement instruments. Based on the results of the best-evidence synthesis, we found evidence of a significant longitudinal positive relationship between physical activity and academic performance. Conclusions: Participation in physical activity is positively related to academic performance in children. Because we found only 2 high-quality studies, future high-quality studies are needed to confirm our findings.These studies should thoroughly examine the dose-response relationship between physical activity and academic performance as well as explanatory mechanisms for this relationship.
Date	2012
URL	http://archpedi.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=1107683

A review of chronic and acute physical activity participation on neuroelectric measures of brain health and cognition during childhood

Type	Journal Article
Author	Charles H Hillman
Author	Keita Kamijo
Author	Mark Scudder
Abstract	BACKGROUND A growing body of research has detailed the beneficial relation of chronic participation in--and acute responses to--physical activity on aspects of cognition that underlie scholastic achievement. Here, we review the relevant neuroelectric findings on this beneficial relation in children, providing support for the influence of physical activity on specific cognitive processes that comprise academic performance. METHOD A review of studies examining physical activity and neuroelectric concomitants of cognition during childhood is described. When applicable, research involving adult populations is also described to better inform on this relationship in children. RESULTS Collectively, the data support a beneficial relation of chronic and acute participation in physical activity to brain health and cognition. The results suggest more effective allocation of cognitive processes involved in stimulus engagement and action monitoring during tasks requiring variable amounts of cognitive control in children. CONCLUSION Physical activity may influence brain health and cognition in children, leading to enhanced scholastic performance and greater overall effective functioning across the lifespan.
Publication	Preventive medicine
Volume	52 Suppl 1
Pages	S21-28
Date	Jun 2011
URL	http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21281669

Physical activity interventions and children's mental function: An introduction and overview

Type	Journal Article
Author	Phillip D. Tomporowski
Author	Kate Lambourne
Author	Michelle S. Okumura
Abstract	Background This review provides a historical overview of physical activity interventions designed by American educators and an evaluation of research that has assessed the effects of exercise on children's mental function. Method Historical descriptions of the emergence of American physical education doctrine throughout the 20th century were evaluated. Prior reviews of studies that assessed the effects of single acute bouts of exercise and the effects of chronic exercise training on children's mental function were examined and the results of recent studies were summarized. Results Physical activity interventions designed for American children have reflected two competing views: activities should promote physical fitness and activities should promote social, emotional, and intellectual development. Research results indicate that exercise fosters the emergence of children's mental function; particularly executive functioning. The route by which physical activity impacts mental functioning is complex and is likely moderated by several variables, including physical fitness level, health status, and numerous psycho-social factors. Conclusion Physical activity interventions for children should be designed to meet multiple objectives; e.g., optimize physical fitness, promote health-related behaviors that offset obesity, and facilitate mental development.
Publication	Preventive Medicine
Volume	52
Pages	S3-S9
Date	6/2011
URL	http://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0091743511000569

Physically active academic lessons in elementary children

Type	Journal Article
Author	John B. Bartholomew
Author	Esbelle M. Jowers
Abstract	Background Although schools are an ideal location to conduct interventions that target children, the emphasis on standardized testing makes it difficult to implement interventions that do not directly support academic instruction. In response, physically active academic lessons have been developed as a strategy to increase physical activity while also addressing core educational goals. Texas I-CAN! is one incarnation of this approach. Methods We will review on-going research on the impact of these active lessons on: teacher implementation, child step count, child attention control, and academic performance. Results The collected studies support the impact of physically active academic lessons on each area of interest. Conclusions If these data can be replicated, it suggests that teachers might find these lessons of benefit to their primary role as educators, which should ease dissemination of these and other physically active lessons in elementary schools.
Publication	Preventive Medicine
Volume	52
Pages	S51-S54
Date	6/2011
URL	http://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0091743511000454

Associations between Health-Related Physical Fitness, Academic Achievement and Selected Academic Behaviors of Elementary and Middle School Students in the State of Mississippi

Type	Journal Article
Author	Lindsey Blom
Abstract	A wide variety of school-based physical activity contexts have been recently associated with various measures of academic performance. Of these studies, a small number employing objective measures of student fitness have identified a relationship with academic achievements. However, even among these studies, the fitness-academic link has not been conclusively recognized or regularly assessed with regards to academic behaviors and socio-demographic variables. The purpose of this study was to explore the relationships among these variables by using objective measures of fitness, standardized Language Arts and Math test scores, attendance records, discipline actions, and socio-demographic information from a sample of 2,992 Mississippi (USA) public school children in grades 3-8. The sample consisted of students who were mostly male (52.4%), white (52.3%), in grades 3-5 (64.2%), within a healthy weight range (54.1%), and qualified for free/reduced price lunch (63.7%). The results indicated a statistically significant positive correlation between fitness and standardized test scores in Language Arts and Math and a statistically significant negative relationship with school absences. The relationships remained significant while controlling for gender, race, and socioeconomic status. Given that students who were more fit had higher test scores and fewer absences, these findings warrant consideration in the educational policy making process.
Date	2011
URL	http://www.mshealthpolicy.com/documents/FitnessandAcademicPerformanceinMS-C2M-Jun11.pdf

Classroom-based physical activity, cognition, and academic achievement

Type	Web Page
Author	Joseph Donnelly
Abstract	Background. There is increasing evidence for the association between physical activity, cardiovascular fitness, fatness, and cognitive function during childhood and adolescence. Evidence also suggests that these variables are linked to academic achievement. Classroom-based physical activity provides a viable approach to improve fitness, body mass index (BMI), cognitive function, and ultimately academic achievement. Methods. Studies examining the relation between physical activity, fitness, fatness, cognitive function, and academic achievement are described. The results of a large-scale, longitudinal, cluster randomized trial to examine the impact of classroom based physical activity on body mass index and academic achievement will be presented. Results. Overall, the data support the link between physical activity, cognitive function, and academic achievement. The role of physical activity in the classroom was also supported by the Physical Activity Across the Curriculum (PAAC) project. Physically active academic lessons of moderate intensity improved overall performance on a standardized test of academic achievement by 6% compared to a decrease of 1% for controls (pb0.02). Body mass index increased less from baseline to 3 years in students with greater than 75 minutes of PAAC lessons per week (1.8 BMI) compared to students with less than 75 minutes of PAAC per week (2.4 BMI), pb0.00. Conclusions. Future research examining the effects of physically active academic instruction is warranted. The impact of physically active academic lessons of greater intensity may provide larger benefits for body mass index and academic achievement.
Date	2011
URL	http://www.nemours.org/filebox/service/preventive/nhps/pep/classroompa.pdf

Ten Years of TAKE 10!?: Integrating physical activity with academic concepts in elementary school classrooms

Type	Web Page
Author	Debra Kibbe
Abstract	Objective. Current literature supports the link between physical activity (PA) or fitness and a child's ability to achieve academically; however, little structured activity time is incorporated into elementary school classrooms. This paper explores the impact of a classroom-based PA program, TAKE 10!, and health?academic integration through existing state and federal policy and programming. Methods. Evidence from journal articles, published abstracts, and reports were examined to summarize the impact of TAKE 10! on student health and other outcomes. This paper reviews 10 years of TAKE 10! studies and makes recommendations for future research. Results. Teachers are willing and able to implement classroom-based PA integrated with grade-specific lessons (4.2 days/wk). Children participating in the TAKE 10! program experience higher PA levels (13%>), reduced time-off-task (20.5%), and improved reading, math, spelling and composite scores (pb0.01). Furthermore, students achieved moderate energy expenditure levels (6.16 to 6.42 METs) and studies suggest that BMI may be positively impacted (decreases in BMI z score over 2 years [Pb0.01]). Conclusion. TAKE 10! demonstrates that integrating movement with academics in elementary school classrooms is feasible, helps students focus on learning, and enables them to realize improved PA levels while also helping schools achieve wellness policies.
Date	2011
URL	http://www.nemours.org/filebox/service/preventive/nhps/pep/10yrstake10.pdf

'Fit to Succeed' and academic achievement

Type	Web Page
Author	Angela Balding
Abstract	The 'Fit to Succeed' (FtS) programme began in schools in the late 1990s. There seems to be a 'virtuous circle' of health and lifestyle, where more physical activity is associated with healthier habits and positive self-descriptions.
Publication	Education and Health
Volume	29
Issue	1
Date	2011
URL	http://sheu.org.uk/x/eh291ab.pdf

A Narrative Review of Physical Activity, Nutrition, and Obesity to Cognition and Scholastic Performance across the Human Lifespan

Type	Web Page
Author	Toni Burkhalter
Abstract	We reviewed studies that examine the relationship of energy consumption, storage, and expenditure to cognition and scholastic performance. Specifically, the literature base on nutrient intake, body mass, and physical activity is described relative to cognitive development and academic achievement. The review of literature regarding the overconsumption of energy and excess body mass suggests poorer academic achievement during development and greater decay of brain structure and function accompanied by increased cognitive aging during older adulthood. The review of literature regarding energy expenditure through the adoption of increased physical activity participation suggests increased cognitive health and function. Although this area of study is in its infancy, the preliminary data are promising and matched with the declining physical health of industrialized nations; this area of science could provide insight aimed at improving brain health and cognitive function across the human lifespan.
Date	2011
URL	http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3065760/? tool=pmcentrez

Exercise Improves Executive Function and Achievement and Alters Brain Activation in Overweight Children: A Randomized, Controlled Trial

Type	Journal Article
Author	Catherine Davis
Abstract	Objective: This experiment tested the hypothesis that exercise would improve executive function. Design: Sedentary, overweight 7- to 11-year-old children (N ? 171, 56% girls, 61% Black, M ? SD age ? 9.3 ? 1.0 years, body mass index [BMI] ? 26 ? 4.6 kg/m2, BMI z-score ? 2.1 ? 0.4) were randomized to 13 ? 1.6 weeks of an exercise program (20 or 40 min/day), or a control condition. Main Outcome Measures: Blinded, standardized psychological evaluations (Cognitive Assessment System and Woodcock-Johnson Tests of Achievement III) assessed cognition and academic achievement. Functional MRI measured brain activity during executive function tasks. Results: Intent to treat analysis revealed dose-response benefits of exercise on executive function and mathematics achievement. Preliminary evidence of increased bilateral prefrontal cortex activity and reduced bilateral posterior parietal cortex activity attributable to exercise was also observed. Conclusion: Consistent with results obtained in older adults, a specific improvement on executive function and brain activation changes attributable to exercise were observed. The cognitive and achievement results add evidence of dose-response and extend experimental evidence into childhood. This study provides information on an educational outcome. Besides its importance for maintaining weight and reducing health risks during a childhood obesity epidemic, physical activity may prove to be a simple, important method of enhancing aspects of children?s mental functioning that are central to cognitive development. This information may persuade educators to implement vigorous physical activity.
Date	2011
URL	http://www.nemours.org/filebox/service/preventive/nhps/pep/exerciseactive.pdf

Low Aerobic Fitness and Obesity Are Associated with Lower Standardized Test Scores in Children

Type	Journal Article
Author	Christian K. Roberts
Author	Benjamin Freed
Author	William J. McCarthy
Abstract	Objective To investigate whether aerobic fitness and obesity in school children are associated with standardized test performance. Study design Ethnically diverse (n = 1989) 5th, 7th, and 9th graders attending California schools comprised the sample. Aerobic fitness was determined by a 1-mile run/walk test; body mass index (BMI) was obtained from state-mandated measurements. California standardized test scores were obtained from the school district. Results Students whose mile run/walk times exceeded California Fitnessgram standards or whose BMI exceeded Centers for Disease Control sex- and age-specific body weight standards scored lower on California standardized math, reading, and language tests than students with desirable BMI status or fitness level, even after controlling for parent education among other covariates. Ethnic differences in standardized test scores were consistent with ethnic differences in obesity status and aerobic fitness. BMI-for-age was no longer a significant multivariate predictor when covariates included fitness level. Conclusions Low aerobic fitness is common among youth and varies among ethnic groups, and aerobic fitness level predicts performance on standardized tests across ethnic groups. More research is needed to uncover the physiological mechanisms by which aerobic fitness may contribute to performance on standardized academic tests.
Publication	The Journal of Pediatrics
Volume	156
Issue	5
Pages	711-718.e1
Date	5/2010
URL	http://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0022347609011482

Steroid hormones in the saliva of adolescents after different exercise intensities and their influence on working memory in a school setting

Type	Journal Article
Author	Henning Budde
Author	Claudia Voelcker-Rehage
Author	Sascha Pietrassyk-Kendziorra
Author	Sergio Machado
Author	Pedro Ribeiro
Author	Ayman M Arafat
Abstract	Little is known, about the influence of different exercise intensities on cognition, the concentration of steroid hormones (SHs), and their interaction in adolescents. Sixty high school students from the 9th grade were randomly assigned to two experimental (EG 1, EG 2) and a control group (CG). Saliva collection took place after a normal school lesson (t1) and after a 12-min resting control or exercise (t2) in a defined heart rate (HR) interval (EG 1: 50-65% HR max, n=18; EG 2: 70-85% HR max, n=20; CG: no intervention, n=21). Saliva was analyzed for T and C. Cognitive performance was assessed using a working memory task (Letter Digit Span; LDS), which took place after t1 and t2. Repeated measure ANOVAs revealed a significant group by test interaction, indicating an increase of C and T level only for EG 2. Results for LDS showed a significant improvement due to exercise when groups were split into low and high performer at pre-test with a higher improvement of the low performers. In addition, post-test T levels negatively correlated with changes in LDS performance in EG 2. The results indicate that the concentrations of C and T are intensity dependent, and that exercise improves working memory in low performing adolescents. Only increased T, however, seems to be related to pre-to-post-test changes in working memory by having a detrimental effect on performance.
Publication	Psychoneuroendocrinology
Volume	35
Issue	3
Pages	382-391
Date	Apr 2010
URL	http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19716238

Physical Activity and Sports Team Participation: Associations With Academic Outcomes in Middle School and High School Students

Type	Journal Article
Author	Claudia K. Fox
Author	Daheia Barr-Anderson
Author	Dianne Neumark-Sztainer
Author	Melanie Wall
Abstract	BACKGROUND: Previous studies have found that higher physical activity levels are associated with greater academic achievement among students. However, it remains unclear whether associations are due to the physical activity itself or sports team participation, which may involve requirements for maintaining certain grades, for example. The purpose of this study is to examine the associations between sports team participation, physical activity, and academic outcomes in middle and high school students. METHODS: Data were drawn from Project EAT (Eating Among Teens), a survey of middle and high school students (n = 4746). Students self-reported their weekly hours of physical activity, sports team participation, and academic letter grades. Two statistical models were considered: first, 2 separate regression analyses with grade point average (GPA) as the outcome and either sports team participation or physical activity as the predictor; second, a single regression with GPA as the outcome and both sports team participation and physical activity as the simultaneous predictors. RESULTS: For high school girls, both physical activity and sports team participation were each independently associated with a higher GPA. For high school boys, only sports team participation was independently associated with a higher GPA. For middle school students, the positive association between physical activity and GPA could not be separated from the relationship between sports team participation and a higher GPA. CONCLUSIONS: Regardless of whether academic success was related to the physical activity itself or to participation on sports teams, findings indicated positive associations between physical activity involvement and academic achievement among students.
Publication	Journal of School Health
Volume	80
Issue	1
Pages	31-37
Date	01/2010
URL	http://doi.wiley.com/10.1111/j.1746-1561.2009.00454.x

The Association Between School-Based Physical Activity, Including Physical Education, and Academic Performance.

Brain boost: Sport and physical activity enhance children?s learning (update of 2006 Improved learning through physical activity)

Effect of a Two-Year Obesity Prevention Intervention on Percentile Changes in Body Mass Index and Academic Performance in Low-Income Elementary School Children

Type	Journal Article
Author	Danielle Hollar
Abstract	Objectives. We assessed the effects of a school-based obesity prevention intervention that included dietary, curricula, and physical activity components on body mass index (BMI) percentiles and academic performance among low income elementary school children. Methods. The study had a quasi-experimental design (4 intervention schools and 1 control school; 4588 schoolchildren; 48% Hispanic) and was conducted over a 2-year period. Data are presented for the subset of the cohort who qualified for free or reduced-price school lunches (68% Hispanic; n=1197). Demographic and anthropometric data were collected in the fall and spring of each year, and academic data were collected at the end of each year. Results. Significantly more intervention than control children stayed within normal BMI percentile ranges both years (P=.02). Although not significantly so, more obese children in the intervention (4.4%) than in the control (2.5%) decreased their BMI percentiles. Overall, intervention schoolchildren had significantly higher math scores both years (P<.001). Hispanic and White intervention schoolchildren were significantly more likely to have higher math scores (P<.001). Although not significantly so, intervention schoolchildren had higher reading scores both years. Conclusions. School-based interventions can improve health and academic performance among low-income schoolchildren
Date	2010
URL	http://www.organwiseguys.com/documents/research_reviews/effect_of_two_year_obesity.pdf

Cardiovascular fitness is associated with cognition in young adulthood

Type	Journal Article
Author	M. A. I. Aberg
Author	N. L. Pedersen
Author	K. Toren
Author	M. Svartengren
Author	B. Backstrand
Author	T. Johnsson
Author	C. M. Cooper-Kuhn
Author	N. D. Aberg
Author	M. Nilsson
Author	H. G. Kuhn
Abstract	During early adulthood, a phase in which the central nervous system displays considerable plasticity and in which important cognitive traits are shaped, the effects of exercise on cognition remain poorly understood. We performed a cohort study of all Swedish men born in 1950 through 1976 who were enlisted for military service at age 18 (N = 1,221,727). Of these, 268,496 were full-sibling pairs, 3,147 twin pairs, and 1,432 monozygotic twin pairs. Physical fitness and intelligence performance data were collected during conscription examinations and linked with other national databases for information on school achievement, socioeconomic status, and sibship. Relationships between cardiovascular fitness and intelligence at age 18 were evaluated by linear models in the total cohort and in subgroups of full-sibling pairs and twin pairs. Cardiovascular fitness, as measured by ergometer cycling, positively associated with intelligence after adjusting for relevant confounders (regression coefficient b = 0.172; 95% CI, 0.168?0.176). Similar results were obtained within monozygotic twin pairs. In contrast, muscle strength was not associated with cognitive performance. Cross-twin cross-trait analyses showed that the associations were primarily explained by individual specific, non-shared environmental influences (?80%), whereas heritability explained <15% of covariation. Cardiovascular fitness changes between age 15 and 18 y predicted cognitive performance at 18 y. Cox proportional-hazards models showed that cardiovascular fitness at age 18 y predicted educational achievements later in life. These data substantiate that physical exercise could be an important instrument for public health initiatives to optimize educational achievements, cognitive performance, as well as disease prevention at the society level.
Publication	Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
Volume	106
Issue	49
Pages	20906-20911
Date	2009-11-30
URL	http://www.pnas.org/cgi/doi/10.1073/pnas.0905307106

Physical fitness, but not acute exercise modulates event-related potential indices for executive control in healthy adolescents

Type	Journal Article
Author	Sanna Stroth
Author	Sabine Kubesch
Author	Katrin Dieterle
Author	Martin Ruchsow
Author	R?diger Heim
Author	Markus Kiefer
Abstract	Physical activity and aerobic exercise in particular, promotes health and effective cognitive functioning. To elucidate mechanisms underlying the beneficial effects of physical fitness and acute exercise, behavioral and electrophysiological indices of task preparation and response inhibition as a part of executive functions were assessed in a modified version of an Eriksen flanker task subsequent to an acute bout of aerobic exercise and a period of rest, respectively. 35 higher- and lower-fit adolescents between 13 and 14 years of age participated in a controlled cross-over study design. Results indicate that higher-fit individuals show significantly greater CNV amplitudes, reflecting enhanced task preparation processes, as well as decreased amplitudes in N2, indexing more efficient executive control processes. P3 amplitudes associated with the allocation of attentional and memory control neither showed influences of physical fitness nor the acute bout of exercise. Furthermore, acute aerobic exercise was not related to any of the dependent measures. The current findings suggest that physical fitness, but not an acute bout of aerobic exercise enhances cognitive processing by increasing attentional allocation to stimulus encoding during task preparation.
Publication	Brain research
Volume	1269
Pages	114-124
Date	May 7, 2009
URL	http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19285042

The effect of acute treadmill walking on cognitive control and academic achievement in preadolescent children

Type	Journal Article
Author	C.H. Hillman
Author	M.B. Pontifex
Author	L.B. Raine
Author	D.M. Castelli
Author	E.E. Hall
Author	A.F. Kramer
Abstract	The effect of an acute bout of moderate treadmill walking on behavioral and neuroelectric indices of the cognitive control of attention and applied aspects of cognition involved in school-based academic performance were assessed. A within-subjects design included twenty preadolescent participants (Age = 9.5 ? 0.5 years; 8 female) to assess exercise-induced changes in performance during a modified flanker task and the Wide Range Achievement Test 3. The resting session consisted of cognitive testing followed by a cardiorespiratory fitness assessment to determine aerobic fitness. The exercise session consisted of 20 minutes of walking on a motor-driven treadmill at 60% of estimated maximum heart rate followed by cognitive testing once heart rate returned to within 10% of pre-exercise levels. Results indicated an improvement in response accuracy, larger P3 amplitude, and better performance on the academic achievement test following aerobic exercise relative to the resting session. Collectively, these findings indicate that single, acute bouts of moderately-intense aerobic exercise (i.e., walking) may improve the cognitive control of attention in preadolescent children, and further supports the use of moderate acute exercise as a contributing factor for increasing attention and academic performance. These data suggest that single bouts of exercise affect specific underlying processes that support cognitive health and may be necessary for effective functioning across the lifespan.
Publication	Neuroscience
Volume	159
Issue	3
Pages	1044-1054
Date	3/2009
URL	http://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0306452209001171

Relationships of Physical Activity to Brain Health and the Academic Performance of Schoolchildren.pdf

Type	Web Page
Author	Fran?ois Trudeau
Author	Roy Shephard
Abstract	This review examines possible relationships between academic performance and participation in sports, physical education, and other forms of physical activity. Recent fundamental research has reignited interest in the effects of physical activity on cognitive processes. Experimental studies of potential mediating variables point to physiological influences such as greater arousal and an increased secretion of neurotrophins and psychosocial influences such as increased self-esteem and connectedness to schools. In the specific case of sports, experimental studies are limited to demonstrations of greater attention and acute gains of mental performance immediately following such activity. Several quasi- experimental studies of other types of physical activity have been completed, mainly in primary school students; these have found no decrease in academic performance despite a curtailing of the time allocated to the teaching of academic subjects. Indeed, in some cases, experimental students undertaking more physical activity have outperformed control students. Many investigators have looked at crosssectional associations between participation in sport or other forms of physical activity and academic performance. Despite difficulties in allowing for confounding variables, particularly socioeconomic status, the overall conclusion has been of a weak positive association. From the practical point of view, it can be concluded that the physical activity needed for healthy child development can be incorporated into the school curriculum without detriment to academic achievement.
Date	2009
URL	http://www.fmschools.org/webpages/twiniecki/files/Relationships%20of%20Physical%20Activity%20to%20Brain%20Health%20and%20the%20Academic%20Performance%20of%20Schoolchildren.pdf

The effect of acute physical exercise on cognitive function during development

Type	Journal Article
Author	Dave Ellemberg
Abstract	Although accumulating research suggests that acutephysicalexercise ameliorates cognitivefunction in adults, little is known about the effects of acuteexercise on cognition during development. We assessed simple reaction and choice response times in 7- and 10-year-old boys (n = 36 per age group). Half of the children completed 30 min of aerobic exercise, whilst the other half watched television. Each child was tested immediately prior to and immediately following the intervention. Compared to the control group, the children in the exercise condition showed a significant improvement on both tasks, with a better outcome for the choice compared to the simple task. These findings indicate that physicalexercise also has an impact on cognitive functioning in children.
Date	2009
URL	http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1469029209001137

Acute coordinative exercise improves attentional performance in adolescents

Type	Journal Article
Author	Henning Budde
Author	Claudia Voelcker-Rehage
Author	Sascha Pietrabyk-Kendziorra
Author	Pedro Ribeiro
Author	G?nter Tidow
Abstract	Teachers complain about growing concentration deficits and reduced attention in adolescents. Exercise has been shown to positively affect cognitive performance. Due to the neuronal connection between the cerebellum and the frontal cortex, we hypothesized that cognitive performance might be influenced by bilateral coordinative exercise (CE) and that its effect on cognition might be already visible after short bouts of exercise. One hundred and fifteen healthy adolescents aged 13-16 years of an elite performance school were randomly assigned to an experimental and a control group and tested using the d2-test, a test of attention and concentration. Both groups performed the d2-test after a regular school lesson (pre-test), after 10 min of coordinative exercise and of a normal sport lesson (NSL, control group), respectively (post-test). Exercise was controlled for heart rate (HR). CE and NSL enhanced the d2-test performance from pre- to post-test significantly. ANOVA revealed a significant group (CE, NSL) by performance interaction in the d2-test indicating a higher improvement of CE as compared to NSL. HR was not significantly different between the groups. CE was more effective in completing the concentration and attention task. With the HR being the same in both groups we assume that the coordinative character of the exercise might be responsible for the significant differences. CE might lead to a pre-activation of parts of the brain which are also responsible for mediating functions like attention. Thus, our results support the request for more acute CE in schools, even in elite performance schools.
Publication	Neuroscience letters
Volume	441
Issue	2
Pages	219-223
Date	Aug 22, 2008
URL	http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18602754

Physical Education and Academic Achievement in Elementary School: Data From the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study

Type	Journal Article
Author	Susan A. Carlson
Author	Janet E. Fulton
Author	Sarah M. Lee
Author	L. Michele Maynard
Author	David R. Brown
Author	Harold W. Kohl
Author	William H. Dietz
Abstract	Objectives. We examined the association between time spent in physical education and academic achievement in a longitudinal study of students in kindergarten through fifth grade. Methods. We used data from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Kindergarten Class of 1998 to 1999, which employed a multistage probability design to select a nationally representative sample of students in kindergarten (analytic sample = 5316). Time spent in physical education (minutes per week) was collected from classroom teachers, and academic achievement (mathematics and reading) was scored on an item response theory scale. Results. A small but significant benefit for academic achievement in mathematics and reading was observed for girls enrolled in higher amounts (70?300 minutes per week) of physical education (referent: 0?35 minutes per week). Higher amounts of physical education were not positively or negatively associated with academic achievement among boys. Conclusions. Among girls, higher amounts of physical education may be associated with an academic benefit. Physical education did not appear to negatively affect academic achievement in elementary school students. Concerns about adverse effects on achievement may not be legitimate reasons to limit physical education programs.
Publication	American Journal of Public Health
Volume	98
Issue	4
Pages	721-727
Date	04/2008
URL	http://ajph.aphapublications.org/doi/abs/10.2105/AJPH.2007.117176

Physical education, school physical activity, school sports and academic performance

Type	Journal Article
Author	Fran?ois Trudeau
Author	Roy J Shephard
Abstract	Background The purpose of this paper is to review relationships of academic performance and some of its determinants to participation in school-based physical activities, including physical education (PE), free school physical activity (PA) and school sports. Methods Linkages between academic achievement and involvement in PE, school PA and sport programmes have been examined, based on a systematic review of currently available literature, including a comprehensive search of MEDLINE (1966 to 2007), PSYCHINFO (1974 to 2007), SCHOLAR.GOOGLE.COM, and ERIC databases. Results Quasi-experimental data indicate that allocating up to an additional hour per day of curricular time to PA programmes does not affect the academic performance of primary school students negatively, even though the time allocated to other subjects usually shows a corresponding reduction. An additional curricular emphasis on PE may result in small absolute gains in grade point average (GPA), and such findings strongly suggest a relative increase in performance per unit of academic teaching time. Further, the overwhelmingly majority of such programmes have demonstrated an improvement in some measures of physical fitness (PF). Cross-sectional observations show a positive association between academic performance and PA, but PF does not seem to show such an association. PA has positive influences on concentration, memory and classroom behaviour. Data from quasi-experimental studies find support in mechanistic experiments on cognitive function, pointing to a positive relationship between PA and intellectual performance. Conclusion Given competent providers, PA can be added to the school curriculum by taking time from other subjects without risk of hindering student academic achievement. On the other hand, adding time to "academic" or "curricular" subjects by taking time from physical education programmes does not enhance grades in these subjects and may be detrimental to health.
Publication	International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity
Volume	5
Issue	1
Pages	10
Date	2008
URL	http://www.ijbnpa.org/content/5/1/10

Exercise and Children?s Intelligence, Cognition, and Academic Achievement

Type	Journal Article
Author	Phillip D. Tomporowski
Author	Catherine L. Davis
Author	Patricia H. Miller
Author	Jack A. Naglieri
Abstract	Studies that examine the effects of exercise on children?s intelligence, cognition, or academic achievement were reviewed and results were discussed in light of (a) contemporary cognitive theory development directed toward exercise, (b) recent research demonstrating the salutary effects of exercise on adults? cognitive functioning, and (c) studies conducted with animals that have linked physical activity to changes in neurological development and behavior. Similar to adults, exercise facilitates children?s executive function (i.e., processes required to select, organize, and properly initiate goal-directed actions). Exercise may prove to be a simple, yet important, method of enhancing those aspects of children?s mental functioning central to cognitive development.
Publication	Educational Psychology Review
Volume	20
Issue	2
Pages	111-131
Date	2007-9-27
URL	http://www.springerlink.com/index/10.1007/s10648-007-9057-0

School-based physical activity does not compromise children's academic performance

Type	Journal Article
Author	Yasmin Ahamed
Author	Heather Macdonald
Author	Katherine Reed
Author	Patti-Jean Naylor
Author	Teresa Liu-Ambrose
Author	Heather McKay
Abstract	PURPOSE The purpose of this study was twofold: 1) to evaluate the effectiveness of a school-based physical activity intervention, Action Schools! BC (AS! BC), for maintaining academic performance in a multiethnic group of elementary children, and 2) to determine whether boys and girls' academic performance changed similarly after participation in AS! BC. METHODS This was a 16-month cluster randomized controlled trial. Ten schools were randomized to intervention (INT) or usual practice (UP). One INT school administered the wrong final test, and one UP school graded their own test, so both were excluded. Thus, eight schools (six INT, two UP) were included in the final analysis. Children (143 boys, 144 girls) in grades 4 and 5 were recruited for the study. We used the Canadian Achievement Test (CAT-3) to evaluate academic performance (TotScore). Weekly teacher activity logs determined amounts of physical activity delivered by teachers to students. Physical activity was determined with the Physical Activity Questionnaire for Children (PAQ-C). Independent t-tests compared descriptive variables between groups and between boys and girls. We used a mixed linear model to evaluate differences in TotScore at follow-up between groups and between girls and boys. RESULTS Physical activity delivered by teachers to children in INT schools was increased by 47 min x wk(-1) (139 +/- 62 vs 92 +/- 45, P < 0.001). Participants attending UP schools had significantly higher baseline TotScores than those attending INT schools. Despite this, there was no significant difference in TotScore between groups at follow-up and between boys and girls at baseline and follow-up. CONCLUSION The AS! BC model is an attractive and feasible intervention to increase physical activity for students while maintaining levels of academic performance.
Publication	Medicine and science in sports and exercise
Volume	39
Issue	2
Pages	371-376
Date	Feb 2007
URL	http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17277603

Physical Fitness and Academic Achievement in Third- and Fifth-Grade Students

Type	Journal Article
Author	Darla Castelli
Abstract	The relationship between physical fitness and academic achievement has received much attention owing to the increasing prevalence of children who are overweight and unfit, as well as the inescapable pressure on schools to produce students who meet academic standards. This study examined 259 public school students in third and fifth grades and found that field tests of physical fitness were positively related to academic achievement. Specifically, aerobic capacity was positively associated with achievement, whereas BMI was inversely related. Associations were demonstrated in total academic achievement, mathematics achievement, and reading achievement, thus suggesting that aspects of physical fitness may be globally related to academic performance in preadolescents. The findings are discussed with regards to maximizing school performance and the implications for educational policies.
Date	2007
URL	http://www.kapoleims.k12.hi.us/campuslife/depts/electives/dance/Physical%20Fitness%20and%20Academic%20Achievement.2.pdf

The Impact of Participation in Sports on Educational Attainment: New Evidence from Germany

Type	Web Page
Author	Thomas Corneli?en
Author	Christian Pfeifer
Abstract	We analyze the impact of exercising sports during childhood and adolescence on educational attainment. The theoretical framework is based on models of allocation of time and educational productivity. Using the rich information from the German Socio-Economic Panel (GSOEP), we apply generalized ordered probit models to estimate the effect of participation in sport activities on secondary school degrees and professional degrees. Even after controlling for important variables and selection into sport, we find strong evidence that the effect of sport on educational attainment is statistically significant and positive.
Date	2007
URL	http://ftp.iza.org/dp3160.pdf

The Relationship Between Physical Fitness and Academic Achievement

Type	Web Page
Author	James Grissom
Abstract	The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship between physical fitness and academic achievement. To do so, scores on the FITNESSGRAM?, a physical fitness test, were compared to reading and mathematics scores on the Stanford Achievement Test 9th edition, a standardized norm-referenced achievement test. Subjects were all 5th, 7th, and 9th grade California school children enrolled in public school in 2002 for whom there was complete data on both the physical fitness and academic achievement tests. The sample size was 884,715 students. Results indicate a consistent positive relationship between overall fitness and academic achievement. That is, as overall fitness scores improved, mean achievement scores also improved. This relationship between fitness and achievement appeared to be stronger for females than males and stronger for higher socio-economic status (SES) than lower SES students. Results should be interpreted with caution. It cannot be inferred from these data that physical fitness causes academic achievement to improve. It is more likely that physical and mental processes influence each other in ways that are still being understood.
Date	2005
URL	http://www.asep.org/files/Grissom.pdf

Physical activity and student performance at school.

Type

Journal Article

Author

Howard Taras

Abstract

To review the state of research on the association between physical activity among school-aged children and academic outcomes, the author reviewed published studies on this topic. A table includes brief descriptions of each study?s research methodology and outcomes. A review of the research demonstrates that there may be some short-term improvements of physical activity (such as on concentration) but that long-term improvement of academic achievement as a result of more vigorous physical activity is not well substantiated. The relationship between physical activity in c

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