NON-STEROIDAL HUMAN PERFORMANCE ENHANCING AGENTS

Multiple studies have been conducted, many within the last 3-5 years, to develop a deeper understanding into how certain chemical substances enhance and improve certain aspects of our performance, both mental and physical. The successful synthesis, isolation and purification of such human performance enhancing substances have led to breakthroughs not only in the treatment of debilitating diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease, but also have a significant impact on endurance training. While the chief use of such performance enhancing agents is in the treatment of diseases like anaemia, depression, attention deficit and neurodegenerative disorders, such substances are also misused and sometimes abused in sport. This review highlights 6 major substances used as performance enhancers, namely, creatine, racetams, melatonin, caffeine, cholinergics and EPO. The six substances enhance different features of human performance. The chemistry of these substances, their chemical biology, methods of synthesis and latest data obtained from various clinical trials are discussed.

Performance Enhancement and the Spirit of the Dance. Non Zero Sum

The current anti-doping policy in sports has enormous costs in economic, social, and human terms. As these costs are likely to become even bigger with the advent of bioenhancing technologies, in this paper I analyze the reasons for this policy. In order to clarify this issue, I compare sports with dance, an activity that has many similarities with sports but where there are no bans on performance enhancers. Considering the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) criteria for banning a substance, we argue that two of them, the potential to enhance performance and the risk for health, are similar in dance and sports, thus I claim that the difference had to be in the so-called “spirit” of sports and dance. After looking into this matter and analyzing the special case of dancesport, I conclude that the main difference can be found in the competitive character of sports and the subsequent concern about competitive justice.

Financial Sector Performance Enhancers

In any state or country there are certain sectors that are relied upon to drive its economy. For many of these countries the financial sector is seen as the driving force of the economy. This is witnessed in many world economic crises which commence with the large organizations in the financial sector. The results of this study should aid entrepreneurs to be aware of the areas of emphasis and factors for consideration for positive growth of their organizations. Existing organizations will also benefit by improving the said areas and adopting the factors for continued growth and sustainability. Both non-parametric and parametric methods were used to relate performance to its enhancers. Tests of hypothesis were then made to allow for the generalization of the findings to the whole population. Both the non-parametric and parametric results of the study indicate that adoption of improved practices, marketing policy, performance evaluation, and location of an organization affect the actual financial performance of the organization to a significant extent.

APPRAISAL OF SAFETY PRACTICES AT THE FASHION DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY DEPARTMENT OF TAKORADI TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY

The importance of safety at the workplace cannot be overemphasized. The research was conducted at the Fashion Design and Technology department of Takoradi Technical University. Unfortunately, many safety precautions are overlooked with time. Users of sewing equipment and tools tend to believe they have gained enough experience over time with regard to handling same, so refuse to protect themselves with any protective gadgets. This study was therefore to identify the need for safety in the above-mentioned department through general risk assessment, examining what safety measures and practices were being followed, and the effect of accidents on work performance by examining some performance enhancers. The paper adopted the descriptive approach in analyzing issues. Primary data were obtained for analysis using questionnaire, in addition to some secondary sources of data. It was found out that some limited amount of security measures was observed. It was generally agreed that accidents or failure to observe safety practices resulted in delayed or uncompleted assignments. The major complaints included limited classroom space and workshop space, and inadequate sewing equipment for numerous students which impeded supervision and learning. It was recommended that the production unit (workshop) and classrooms be spacious and equipped with modern working equipment.

In search of optimal psychoactivation: stimulants as cognitive performance enhancers

An increasing number of people, students in particular, seek substances that improve their cognitive functioning. The most popular group of pharmacological cognitive enhancers (PCEs) are stimulants. Available studies suggest a small beneficial effect of methylphenidate and amphetamine on memory, executive functions, and processing speed. However small, this effect can make the difference between success and failure. In recent years, research has focused on the additional beneficial effect on the emotional state, increased motivation, and placebo-induced cognitive enhancement. This paper briefly reviews the latest and most important research on the relationship between popular stimulants and cognitive enhancement. One cannot understand this relationship without understanding the Yerkes-Dodson law, which explains the relationship between the degree of arousal and performance. It suggests that the effect of stimulants is a dose-dependent continuum. This law has repeatedly been confirmed by studies in which an optimal level of psychoactivation for cognitive enhancement was obtained with low stimulant doses, whereas exceeding the effective dose resulted in cognitive deficits, psychomotor agitation, and addiction. A separate section has been devoted to modafinil, an increasingly popular stimulant that differs from the rest in neurochemical profile and behavioural effects.