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Analysis of mental and physical fatigue over the course of a professional English Premier League season in outfield players
Get PDFA variety of studies suggest mental fatigue (MF) negatively influences both perceptions of physical fatigue and psychomotor performance. No prior investigation has examined potential changes in player ratings of MF over the course of an English Premier League (EPL) season. This study analysed how MF and PF varied among elite footballers, at both grouped and individual levels, across a 46 match EPL season. Prospective cohort study. Over the course of a 40-week, 151 training sessions and 46 games season, 21 first team male EPL footballers rated both physical fatigue (PF) and MF on a 100-mm visual analogue scale on match day minus-one (M-1). No significant group differences were established for MF (18.9±13.0 vs. 17.8±14.8 vs. 20.8±20.5) and PF (21.4±14.0 vs. 20.9±14.7 vs. 19.9±17.5) (P > 0.05) between early, mid and late season timepoints. However, pervasive individual differences were evident across timescales. Unlike earlier comparable work in netball, this study did not detect group-based changes in MF or PF over a competitive season. However, extensive changes in individual ratings of MF and PF did occur. This study highlights the potential importance of monitoring and managing MF trends within squads of elite footballers. The 100-mm visual analogue scale provides practitioners with a pragmatic tool capable of, in a resource-efficient manner, monitoring MF in EPL sqads. Monitoring MF potentially facilitates the customised provision of targeted remediation strategies encompassing (a) training design, (b) individualized recovery and (c) player education relating to MF alleviation and stress management interventions
Analysis of the Role of Handgrip Strength and Pinch Force on Handwriting Speed
No full textIntroduction
Handwriting is a complex neuromotor skill that involves cognitive and motor processes. Reports demonstrating the relationship between handwriting speed, handgrip strength, and pinch force are scanty. Knowledge of this will help in managing illnesses that impair motor function, such as developmental or neurological disorders. This study was carried out to determine the handgrip strength, pinch force, and handwriting speed in young adults and to understand the relationship between them.
Materials and methods
This cross-sectional study was conducted among 127 students (aged 18–22 years) after obtaining their informed consent. Participants’ demographic data were collected using a questionnaire. Their handgrip strength and pinch force were measured using a hand dynamometer/pinch gauge (JAMAR, USA). The handwriting speed was determined by calculating the words written per minute. Student’s 't' test, one-way ANOVA, and Pearson’s correlation tests were performed for data analysis.
Results
The mean handwriting speed of participants was significantly different in males and females. Handgrip strength and pinch force were found to be significantly higher in males compared to females. A significant negative correlation was observed between handwriting speed and handgrip strength and/or pinch force. However, these parameters were not found to be significantly different in different BMI groups.
Conclusion
The current study demonstrates that handwriting speed was higher in females than in males, but both grip strength and pinch force were higher in males than in females. The grip strength and pinch force had a negative relationship with handwriting speed but BMI did not influence any of the parameters studied in young adults. These results emphasise the significance of fine motor skills over muscle strength in handwriting effectiveness, stressing the necessity for rehabilitation approaches that prioritise coordination and endurance training instead of just enhancing grip strength
Exploring the Intersection of Emotions and Epistemic Engagement
No full textThis symposium explores the complex relationship between emotions and epistemic engagement across diverse learning contexts. Emotions, integral to cognitive processes, can enhance epistemic engagement by triggering curiosity, focus, and critical evaluation, especially when knowledge-building is the goal. This session will present studies on the relationships between emotions and epistemic cognition, within different thematic areas, such as social media interactions, bioinformatics education, data-infused interdisciplinary learning, and knowledge-building collaborative online platforms. Each presentation aims to uncover the roles emotions play in fostering or inhibiting epistemic actions. The discussant will synthesize insights from these studies to shed light on the generative potential of emotions in supporting critical and reflective engagement. The outcomes of this symposium can deepen our understanding of the role emotions can play in fostering epistemic engagement in formal and informal settings
Independent Review of the Federation of Royal Colleges of Physicians 2023 Assessment Error
No full textFarthest North: Human remains from Heaning Wood Bone Cave, Cumbria, UK and their European context
No full textThe results of research on the human remains and artefacts recently discovered at Heaning Wood Bone Cave, Cumbria, UK are reported. A programme of radiocarbon dating has established that the human remains include the earliest so far discovered in northern Britain, the ‘Ossick Lass’, which date between 9290 and 8925 cal BC. The cave was used for burial during three phases in prehistory: one individual dating to the Early Mesolithic, four to the Early Neolithic and two to the Early Bronze Age and is thus an important addition to our developing knowledge about the deposition of human remains in caves in north-west Europe at these dates. Genomic analysis has established that all but one of the sampled individuals were biologically female. Osteological and taphonomic analysis shows that, in each phase, the burial practice seems to have been successive inhumation of the recently deceased body into the vertical entrance of the cave. Artefacts associated with the burials include perforated periwinkle shell beads radiocarbon dated to the Early Mesolithic, a small assemblage of worked stone, including diagnostically Early Neolithic pieces, and sherds of Early Bronze Age Collared Urn pottery
Critical appraisal of a systematic review on biomarkers as diagnostic or prognostic indicators of delirium
Get PDFDelirium is a substantial global health concern. Delirium can lead to longer hospital stays and increased healthcare costs. Effective detection and prevention of delirium is still a major challenge for healthcare organisations globally. This is largely because the cause(s) of the condition are still unknown. There are multiple factors that may contribute to the aetiology of delirium and a range of neurobiological processes that may be associated with its pathophysiology. Evidencing these processes is a significant challenge, as there is a dearth of identification methods. The use of biomarkers has become a popular method in the identification of delirium and its risk of development. The identification of biomarkers associated with delirium may provide insight into its pathophysiology and aid in diagnosis and management. However, there is a lack of research that has synthesised the diagnostic and prognostic value of biomarkers associated with delirium, and how they could be employed to improve patient outcomes. A systematic review by Dunne et al (2021) was undertaken to explore this association of biomarkers and delirium. This commentary aims to critically appraise the methods used within the review by Dunne et al (2021) and expand on the findings in the context of clinical practice
Professional perceptions of barriers and facilitators from the implementation of a neonatal early supported transfer to home intervention for late preterm infants: a qualitative study
Get PDFIntroduction: Late preterm infants may have prolonged stay in hospital due to increased care needs and a lack of community support. A neonatal early supported transfer to home (NEST@Home) intervention was introduced. We explored professional perceptions of barriers and facilitators to implementation of NEST@Home.
Methods: Neonatal healthcare professionals in England participated in group interviews based on the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research. Data were analysed using thematic analysis.
Findings: Perceived barriers included lack of facilities, poor clinical buy-in, budget restraints, staff shortages, absence of policy, and a lack of commissioning support. Perceived facilitators to implementation included healthcare professional’s positive attitudes, pre-discharge planning, parent education, parent training, and loan of monitoring equipment.
Conclusion: This study identified individual, interpersonal, and organisational features that may facilitate or impede the NEST@Home intervention. Further research is needed to identify how this intervention impacts outcomes, and to understand the experience of parents receiving NEST@Home
Replicating and Extending Hemispheric Asymmetries in Auditory Distraction: No Metacognitive Awareness for the Left-Ear Disadvantage for Changing-State Sounds
Get PDFIn two experiments investigating hemispheric asymmetries in auditory distraction, the spatial location of to-be-ignored sound was manipulated. Prior studies indicated a left-ear disadvantage for changing-state sequences during short-term serial recall but lacked a direct measure of the changing-state effect. Experiment 1 compared changing-state with steady-state sequences in a visual-verbal serial recall task, confirming that left-ear disruption resulted from the acoustically varying nature of the sound, emphasizing right hemisphere dominance for processing acoustic variation in unattended stimuli. Experiment 2 replicated these findings and explored participants' metacognitive awareness of auditory distractors' disruptive potential. While participants were aware that changing-state sequences were more disruptive than steady-state sequences, they lacked awareness of the left-ear disadvantage. The study suggests individuals have metacognitive awareness of the disruptive impact of changing-state over steady-state sound but not of the accompanying left-ear disadvantage, raising implications for theoretical accounts of auditory distraction
The relationship between the 1200 m shuttle test and 40 m sprint test performance and distances covered in English Premier League matches: A retrospective two season study
Get PDFTo identify a relationship between the 1200 m shuttle test and 40 m sprint test performance with distances covered at varying intensities in English Premier League (EPL) matches. A squad (n = 21) of full-time professional 1st team male football players (age 29.8±3.4 years; height 183.7±5.2 cm; weight 83.7±6.9 kg) participated in this study. League match data from the 2019–20 and 2020–21 seasons were recorded and analysed via an Optical Tracking System (OTS) (Second Spectrum®, Los Angeles, USA) to report physical match performance data. Average velocity during the 1200 m shuttle test (V1.2ST) was calculated, while Peak sprinting speed (PSS) was estimated using a 40 m maximal sprint. ASR1.2ST was established by subtracting V1.2ST from PSS. The relationship between V1.2ST, 30%ASR1.2ST and distances covered at varying intensities in EPL matches was assessed by a series of independent Linear Mixed Effects (LME) models. Although not statistically significant, for every unit increase in V1.2ST, there was an increase of 1032 m in distance covered, (p = 0.07). A single unit increase in 30%ASR1.2ST is associated with a significant increase of 495 m in high-speed running distance (> 5.5 m·s −1) (p = 0.02). While for each unit increase in 30%ASR1.2ST, sprint distance (> 7 m·s −1) covered significantly increased by 209 m (p = 0.02). In conclusion, high levels of physical fitness such as V1.2ST and 30%ASR1.2ST derived from the 1200 m shuttle and 40 m sprint tests can improve match running performance in elite soccer. Knowledge of this information allows practitioners to tailor training load based on each players individual characteristics, potentially increasing performance
An Inclusive History of LGBTQ+ Aversion Therapy: Past Harms and Future Address in a UK Context
Get PDFFrom the 1950s, aversion therapy gained an international foothold as a behaviourist means to alter what was then considered ‘deviant’ behaviour. Using primary research by psychologists, psychiatrists and other clinical figures published in professional journals, recently published personal testimonies by those who underwent such ‘treatment’, and drawing on the latest historical research, this article maps aversion therapy practices used to ‘treat’ LGBTQ+ people in the UK, mainly in the 1960s and 1970s. We outline our approach to this history and contextualise it by draw attention to ongoing comparative issues of banning LGBT conversion therapy in the present. Next, we outline the emergence of aversion therapy internationally, and identify historical ‘hotspot’ hospitals and universities in the UK, with the nation itself an international ‘hotspot’ for aversion. We then employ the case study of the 2022 report from the University of Birmingham, to demonstrate how such investigations of difficult pasts might be most effectively realised and highlight the potential for a ‘truth and reconciliation’ approach to this history. Finally, we call upon psy-organisations, university and research institutions, and other stakeholders to take this history seriously in effort to address past and ongoing harms enacted upon LGBTQ+ people