诺丁汉特伦特大学：奥林匹克的过去和未来
最近诺丁汉特伦特大学研究显示北京的天气可能改善了运动员的大脑能力。
科学家最近发现北京奥运会的气候条件可能事实上改善了英国运动员的大脑功能。与英国奥运女子曲棍球队的成员一起合作，诺丁汉特伦特大学的研究显示：当人承受热应力的时候，个体可以利用‘认知能力’的储量，让他们更快更正确的反应和处理精神任务。
这项研究使女曲棍球员们在模拟北京气候的条件中，身体（生理）需求得到正确的发挥和适应。合成全球卫星定位系统设施被用于检测和记录运动员在一场典型的曲棍球比赛中的表现——这也是大学首次把这一类技术应用于实践。收集到的数据之后就被用于一个高科技踏车的编程，这个踏车可以通过模拟运动员在场上的活动来加速和减速，使运动员的身体需求在一场经典的曲棍球赛得到改造。
博士研究生汉娜 麦克劳德说：“我们发现在极端的条件下，顶尖的运动员可以利用认知储量，让他们转化热应力的影响。他们的思维能力事实上得到了改善，结果是：在像曲棍球这样的要求运动员要在比赛中处理大量信息以及快速做出许多重要决定的户外比赛中，他们获得了一种巨大的优势，较之与他们的对手而言。”
“我们的发现让我们可以为英国运动员保证的大脑功能不受热应力影响，这种条件可不是那种在脱水的时候补充水分就可以恢复的简单情形。”
汉特伦特大学被指定为奥运训练营
拥有世界级的体育设施的诺丁汉特伦特大学被列入2012年伦敦奥运会的赛前训练营指南。大学的高级羽毛球馆，篮球馆，剑术以及骑术设施让它进入了指南的名单，将为前来备战的奥运队伍提供最佳的训练场地。
在发放至全球各地奥委会宣传之前，伦敦2012组委会编制的这一份指南将在今年的北京奥运会后出版。大学在为顶尖运动员备战国家、国际级别的赛事提供卓越的支持服务方面有较高的声誉。
诺丁汉特伦大学体育系主管，詹姆斯 海特说：“我为我们大学将要接待参加2012奥运会的国际运动队感到兴奋。我坚信我们的一流设施将让各国运动员和官员适应在英国训练、比赛和生活。这一大好消息对于诺丁汉特伦特大学的体育来说起了重大推进作用。”
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体育科学、运动科学研究硕士学位和心理学与运动科学课程可以在这里找到：www.ntu.ac.uk
Nottingham Trent University: The Olympics past and future
Recent Nottingham Trent University research revealed that Beijing weather could have improved athletes brains.
Scientists have discovered that the weather conditions at the Beijing Olympics could have actually improved the brain functions of British athletes. Working with members of the Great Britain Olympic Women’s Field Hockey squad, the Nottingham Trent University study showed that when suffering from heat stress, individuals were able to draw on reserves of ‘cognitive ability’, allowing them to process and correctly react to mental tasks quicker.
The study has been able to accurately recreate the physical demands and exertions of a female hockey player within the simulated weather conditions expected in Beijing. Complex Global Positioning System (GPS) facilities were used to monitor and record the exertions of a player in a typical hockey match - the first university application of its kind for the technology. The data gathered was then used to programme a hi-tech treadmill which could recreate the physical demands of a typical hockey match, speeding up and slowing to simulate a player’s activity whilst on the field.
Hannah Macleod, PhD research student said: “We’ve found that under extreme conditions, elite athletes are able to draw on cognitive reserves which allow them to counter the effects of heat stress. Their mental ability is actually seen to improve, a result that is of enormous benefit to competitors in field sports such as hockey, which requires players to process a lot of information and make important and rapid decisions during a game.
“Our findings have been able to offer re-assurance to the GB players that their brain functions will not be affected by heat stress, a condition which isn’t easily countered by taking on water, as is the case in dehydration.”
University earmarked as Olympic Training Camp
World-class sporting facilities at Nottingham Trent University are being listed in a pre-Games Training Camp Guide ahead of the 2012 Olympics in London. The University's elite badminton, basketball, fencing and equestrian facilities have made it into the guide, which promotes the very best venues for the training and preparation of visiting Olympic teams.
London 2012 organisers have compiled the guide which will be published at the Beijing Games later this year before being circulated to Olympic committees across the globe. Nottingham Trent University has a reputation for offering excellent support services for elite-level athletes competing at national and international level to assist their performance, training and personal development.
Director of Sport at Nottingham Trent University, James Hayter, said: "I am very excited about the prospect of the University hosting these international teams in the run up to the 2012 Games. I believe our excellent facilities would allow athletes and officials the opportunity to become familiar with training, competing and living in the UK. This is excellent news and a massive boost for sport at Nottingham Trent University."
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