Research project on road cyclists

[StephM]

Are you doing the Lassen Steel and Pipes Ladies and Vets Tour 2009???
 
My name is Stephanie Murphy.  I'm looking for male and female cyclists who have entered the  Steel and Pipes Tour to participate in my research project.  I will be investigating the effect of repeated cycling (as in the Tour) on your sleep.
 
The cyclists I require for the project should be aged between 30 and 50 years old, be fit and healthy and be living in Gauteng.  If you agree to participate you will be required to complete some questionnaires and wear a small logger on your wrist during sleep (logger detects movement). The questionnaires are quick to complete and the logger is comfortable to wear.  In addition, we will need some blood samples which a nurse or doctor will draw from a vein in your arm. The loss of blood will not be harmful to you and will not influence your cycling ability.  If you agree to participate, we will travel to your accommodation/house to collect the blood samples. In addition, participants who complete the entire study will be reimbursed the entrance fee to the race (R750).  
 
If you are interested in taking part in my research project, please contact me

 

Stephanie.Murphy@students.wits.ac.za
0822144930

[Dirt*girl™]

Interesting....how much blood will be collected and how often?

[TNT1]

 

Interesting....how much blood will be collected and how often?

 

More importantly, will these samples be made available to WADA or anyone else?

 

[1hill@aTime]

sounds good, 

[Thug]

Will you be doing any blood replacement ?

 

 

[Flemish Lion]

How many victims do you need?

 

Once I've entered I'll let you know (as I mentioned via e-mail).

[Christopher Brunsdon]

Hope you are also taking into consideration the type of mattress the test-subjects sleep on. Makes a bigger difference than any other factor - use to be in mattress sales !!!

[StephM]

The blood will be made available only to me, after I've used it to determine your cytokine levels (immune markers) it will be "destroyed".  No one else will have access to it and I will not give any of your blood results to anyone but you.  When I write up my paper, my subjects remain entirely anonymous. 

 

As for how much blood we'll be taking, 5ml in the morning and 5ml in the evening (by a doctor who has an incredible talent for taking blood - I'm yet to see her leave a bruise).  There will be no blood replacement since it is such a small amount, it will be replaced by your body before you even start riding.  The taking of blood will not affect your sporting performance.

 

I need a minimum of 15 participants, but the more the merrier.  I do have a subject information sheet which I can email anyone who wants it.  It will explain in greater detail exactly what it is I'm doing and what would be requested of you if you took part. 

 

 

[StephM]

Thanks for the heads up on the potential variable,  sleeping conditions will be monitored though.  Hopefully all my participants will be sleeping in the same Bed and Breakfast or at least similar ones so we can keep that kind of thing consistent. 

[ASTANA]

This is how Dr. Funtes also started first they take a bit of blood then bags full and then become a sport doping doctor

 

Just joking - sounds cool, but I'm out, down in Cape town

The weather is killing me again!! Work and no daylight hours

 

Cheers

 

[TNT1]

 

This is how Dr. Funtes also started

 

  I though he started as a gynaecologist...

 

[Dirt*girl™]

So I can presume you have Ethics approval for this?

[Flemish Lion]

What about 'other' conditions - I mean some of us have wifes/husbands (no action) and some have gfriends/bfriends (lots of action)

[StephM]

I'll find out if my final ethics application has been approved after Friday (so will let you know if there are any changes).  I did a similar project last year for my honours project (just on a smaller scale) and it was approved without any issues.

As for the amount of action... I will be asking participants to not do any other intense exercise during the study... so hopefully that will cover it. 

[StephM]

Hi guys,

Thanks for the great response.  I'm still looking for more riders to take part in my study though.  The bigger my sample size the more credibility my study will have.  So you haven't missed out yet.

 

[StephM]

PS.  My ethics application was approved - so I have the go ahead to do the project