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Effects of clothing perception on psychological factors and tactical intentions in fencing
Get PDFResearch shows body language can affect opponent perception, but presents inconsistencies for clothing. The consequences of clothing perception have received little attention. This study examined if clothing can affect perception in a sporting context and examined the effects of this change. Fencers (N = 63) completed a questionnaire displaying two conditions of a fencing opponent: an international condition and a club condition. Participants’ judgements of the opponent, self-efficacy, outcome expectations, locus of control, and tactical intentions were measured. Results showed participants perceived the international opponent to be of a higher level (p < .001) and ability (97.4%, p < .001), and they judged them more favourably (67.8%, p < .001). Self-efficacy (−16% ±19, p < .01) and outcome expectations (−26.7%, p < .001) decreased while locus of control became more external (p < .001) against the international opponent. Participants intended to be less attacking and less assertive during the first hit and throughout the match against the international opponent (p < .025). These results show that clothing can affect opponent perception within sport, impacting key psychological performance factors and tactical intentions. This study highlights the need for further investigation into person perception in sport, especially the mechanisms causing less attacking and assertive behaviour against perceived high-level opponents
Evidence of functional deficits at the single muscle fiber level in experimentally-induced renal insufficiency
Get PDFChronic kidney disease patients present with metabolic and functional muscle abnormalities, called uremic myopathy, whose mechanisms have not yet been fully elucidated. We investigated whether chronic renal insufficiency (CRI) affects skeletal muscle contractile properties at the cellular level. CRI was induced surgically in New Zealand rabbits (UREM), with sham-operation for controls (CON), and samples were collected at 3 months post-surgery, following euthanasia. All protocols had University Ethics approval following national and European guidelines. Sample treatments and evaluations were blinded. Maximal isometric force was assessed in 382 permeabilized psoas fibers (CON, n = 142, UREM, n = 240) initially at pH7, 10 °C (‘standard’ conditions), in subsets of fibers in acidic conditions (pH6.2, 10 °C) but also at near physiological temperature (pH7, 30 °C and pH6.2, 30 °C). CRI resulted in significant smaller average cross sectional areas (CSAs) by ∼11% for UREM muscle fibers (vs CON, P 0.05). For the first time, we give evidence that CRI can induce significant impairments in single psoas muscle fibers force generation, only partly explained by fiber atrophy, thus affecting muscle mechanics at the cellular level
Cross cultural adaptation of the Greek sarcopenia quality of life (SarQoL) questionnaire
No full textPurpose: To translate and validate into the Greek language and setting the Sarcopenia Quality of Life (SarQoL®) questionnaire.
Methods: A convenience sample of 176 Greek elderly people (136 females, 40 males; aged 71.19 ± 7.95 years) was recruited, 50 of which (36 females, 14 males) were diagnosed sarcopenic. Questionnaire was back-translated and culturally adapted into Greek according to international guidelines. To validate the Greek SarQoL®, we assessed its validity (discriminative power, construct validity), reliability (internal consistency, test–retest reliability) and floor/ceiling effects. Participants were divided into sarcopenic and non-sarcopenic. Sarcopenic subjects apart from the Greek SarQoL (SarQoLGR) filled out the Greek versions of two generic questionnaires; Short Form-36 and EuroQoL 5-dimension.
Results: The Greek SarQoL questionnaire was translated without major difficulties. SarQoLGR mean scores were 52.12 ± 11.04 (range: 24.74–71.81) for sarcopenic subjects and 68.23 ± 14.1 (range: 24.83–94.81) for non-sarcopenic ones. Results indicated good discriminative power across sarcopenic and non-sarcopenic subjects (p = 0.01), high internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha of 0.96) and excellent test–retest reliability (ICC = 0.96, 95% CI = 0.95–0.97). Neither a floor nor a ceiling effect was observed.
Conclusions: The Greek SarQoL was found to be a reliable and valid measure of quality of life for sarcopenic patients. It is therefore, available for use in future clinical research and practice.
Implications for rehabilitation
The Greek version of the SarQoL® questionnaire is a valid and reliable outcome measure for assessing patients with sarcopenia.
The Greek SarQoL is recommended to be use in clinical settings and research.
The Greek SarQoL® questionnaire is available online www.sarqol.org
Fantrepreneurs in the Sharing Economy: Co-Creating Neo-Tribal Events
Get PDFThe purpose of this article is to explore fan event organizers' (i.e., fantrepreneurs) cocreation processes linked to their fandom and neotribal characteristics as enacted within the sharing economy. In so doing, the article introduces the conceptual frameworks for understanding fantrepreneurs and subsequent cocreation of neotribal events. The article combines conceptual research methods with an analysis of empirical data collected through interviews with fantrepreneurs to enhance the explanatory power of the proposed frameworks. Findings show that there is a strong relationship between the collaborative consumption of fantrepreneurs and their neotribal lifestyle characteristics, which can be leveraged to enhance collaborative and cocreation patterns. This relationship is moderated by the factors of authenticity, nostalgia, autonomy, and anticommercialization that fantrepreneurs exhibit through the cocreation of (and within) neotribal fandom events. This integrated perspective marks fantrepreneurship as an emerging phenomenon within the sharing economy by shedding light on the cocreation patterns, moderating factors, and their interaction effects that explain the relationship between collaborative consumption and neotribalism characterizing the behavior of fantrepreneurs. The article conceptualizes the emergence of fantrepreneurs and cocreation of neotribal events providing an interdisciplinary foundation for future research that integrates literature on fandom, cocreation, and neotribalism. The resulting frameworks contribute to the understanding of fantrepreneurship as a manifestation of the sharing economy, which brings forward new fan patterns and practices in events
Effect of continuous progressive resistance training during haemodialysis on body composition, physical function and quality of life in end-stage renal disease patients: a randomized controlled trial
No full textAbstract
Objective:
This study aimed to investigate the effect of continuous progressive resistance training on body composition, functional capacity and self-reported quality of life in end-stage renal disease patients.
Design:
A randomized controlled trial.
Subjects:
The study included 52 hemodialysis patients (aged 55.7 ± 14.03 years) randomized into exercise (progressive resistance training (PRT), n = 28) or control (CON, n = 24) groups.
Intervention:
Patients randomized into the PRT group received prescribed strength exercises in two sets of 15–20 repetitions, in a repetition maximum training zone regime, thrice a week for 12 weeks, during hemodialysis. Patients randomized into the CON group received a sham-exercise with active mobilization of the arms and legs without load and progression.
Main outcome measure:
Body composition using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA), strength using handgrip dynamometry (HGS), repeated sit-to-stand test (STT), 6-minute walk test, flexibility and the SF-36 questionnaire (quality of life (QoL)) were assessed at baseline and at 12 weeks.
Results:
Leg lean mass (P = 0.04, effect size (ES) of 0.56), bone mineral content (P = 0.02, ES of 0.65), leg strength in STT repetitions (P = 0.01, ES of 0.66) and flexibility (P < 0.01, ES of 1.03) were significantly improved in the PRT group compared to the CON group. Walking capacity, HGS and QoL were not different between the groups.
Conclusion:
12 weeks of PRT with a repetition maximum training zone regime provided significant load to increase leg lean mass and STT performance as well as bone mineral content, compared to the CON, which continued to deteriorate. There was lack of efficacy on walking test, HGS and QoL
Surfing and Sustainability
No full textSurfing and Sustainability presents a new way of understanding the impact of surfing on the environment, society and the economy, providing important insights into the field of sustainability and arguing that the activity of surfing offers a unique opportunity to explore the ambiguity of sustainability. The book contextualises surfing within current debates on sustainability and applies these debates to an innovative theoretical framework drawn from elements of a risk society and sociotechnical transitions.
The book discusses the capacity of surfing to influence behaviour, both at an individual and organisational level, exploring sustainability from a range of perspectives including industry, the charity sector, media and celebrity culture. Featuring a range of international case studies, it analyses the greening of the surf industry through topics such as ECOBOARD surfboard manufacturing, business innovation and branding, environmental activism, information technology and surf forecasting, as well as the expansion of artificial wave technology. The book also considers the future directions of surfing and how the inclusion of surfing in the 2020 Olympic Games will impact sustainability debates.
This is important reading for academics and scholars, as well as undergraduate and postgraduate students working and studying in sports studies, sociology, geography, economics, psychology, marine science, coastal management and economics. It is also a valuable resource for practitioners across the globe