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Identifying Vulnerable Populations at Risk of Foodborne Infection: 3 People with Diabetes Mellitus
Get PDFIt is well documented that individuals with compromised immunity have an increased risk of
foodborne infection; however, many often do not have an awareness that they are more vulnerable to
foodborne infection. Consequently, such individuals need to be made aware of their increased risk and
of food safety practices necessary to reduce the potential risk of foodborne disease. Consumer food
safety research suggest highly focused, targeted interventions are the most impactful for effective
consumer food safety education. Interventions that enable immunocompromised individuals to
understand their increased susceptibility to infection may empower this vulnerable group to adopt risk
reducing food safety practices. The aim of this paper is to explore the association between foodborne
infection and diabetes mellitus to increase understanding of this under-represented group within food
safety research. Findings may help inform the development of future food safety educational
interventions specifically intended for people living with diabetes mellitus
Changes in sprint performance and sagittal plane kinematics after heavy resisted sprint training in professional soccer players
Get PDFBackground
Sprint performance is an essential skill to target within soccer, which can be likely achieved with a variety of methods, including different on-field training options. One such method could be heavy resisted sprint training. However, the effects of such overload on sprint performance and the related kinetic changes are unknown in a professional setting. Another unknown factor is whether violating kinematic specificity via heavy resistance will lead to changes in unloaded sprinting kinematics. We investigated whether heavy resisted sled training (HS) affects sprint performance, kinetics, sagittal plane kinematics, and spatiotemporal parameters in professional male soccer players.
Methods
After familiarization, a nine-week training protocol and a two-week taper was completed with sprint performance and force-velocity (FV) profiles compared before and after. Out of the two recruited homogenous soccer teams (N = 32, age: 24.1 ± 5.1 years: height: 180 ± 10 cm; body-mass: 76.7 ± 7.7 kg, 30-m split-time: 4.63 ± 0.13 s), one was used as a control group continuing training as normal with no systematic acceleration training (CON, N = 13), while the intervention team was matched into two HS subgroups based on their sprint performance. Subgroup one trained with a resistance that induced a 60% velocity decrement from maximal velocity (N = 10, HS60%) and subgroup two used a 50% velocity decrement resistance (N = 9, HS50%) based on individual load-velocity profiles.
Results
Both heavy resistance subgroups improved significantly all 10–30-m split times (p < 0.05, d = − 1.25; −0.62). Post-hoc analysis showed that HS50% improved significantly more compared to CON in 0–10-m split-time (d = 1.03) and peak power (d = 1.16). Initial maximal theoretical horizontal force capacity (F0) and sprint FV-sprint profile properties showed a significant moderate relationship with F0 adaptation potential (p < 0.05). No significant differences in sprinting kinematics or spatiotemporal variables were observed that remained under the between-session minimal detectable change.
Conclusion
With appropriate coaching, heavy resisted sprint training could be one pragmatic option to assist improvements in sprint performance without adverse changes in sprinting kinematics in professional soccer players. Assessing each player’s initial individual sprint FV-profile may assist in predicting adaptation potential. More studies are needed that compare heavy resisted sprinting in randomized conditions
Student University Choice in Kurdistan-Iraq: What Factors Matter?
Get PDFWe aim to investigate the factors influencing student choice in the private higher education (HE) sector in Kurdistan-Iraq. Hence, this research attempts to add to the literature in terms of understanding student university choice, in general, and address the gap in the literature in the context of Middle Eastern studies including Kurdistan, in particular. We employed a survey research design using a self-developed questionnaire targeting first-year students in private universities in Kurdistan. Using a sample of 518 students and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), we found that the university characteristics that most influenced student choice were reputation/accreditation, quality of teaching, employability and quality of facilities, a finding consistent with existing literature. However, cost of study was not seen to be highly influential in relation to student choice. Accordingly, the study recommends that universities consider increasing their tuition fees and dedicating the extra revenues to boosting their reputation, enhancing their quality of teaching and accreditation and increasing their connection to and relationships with local employers. Some other implications are also discussed
Book Review - Paul Hamilton (ed.), The Oxford Handbook of European Romanticism (Oxford University Press, 2016)
No full textCan the Use of an External: Internal Ratio During Standardised Small-Sided Games be a Detector of Fatigue in Professional Adolescent Soccer Players?
Get PDFThe aim of the investigation was to explore whether the external: internal(E: I) ratio during a standardised small-sided game (SSG) was impacted by fatigue monitoring methods in professional adolescent soccer players. Ten professional male soccer players (Mean ± SD; Age: 19.6 ± 1.4 years) data from seven standardised SSG’s (6v6+GK, 2x4 min, 40 x 35m) were analysed during the study. Total distance (TD):Heart rate exertion (HRe), PlayerLoadTM(PL): HReand Explosive distance (ED): HRewere the E: Iratio’s analysed from the SSG’s. Morning perceived wellness score, using a customised self-report questionnaire (energy levels, sleep and muscle soreness), and Flight time: Contraction time (FT:CT), taken from a counter-movement jump (CMJ) performed prior totraining, were used as markers of fatigue in the study. A Z-score of -1 was considered ‘fatigued’. Mixed-effect linear models revealed a significant effect for perceived wellness Z-score on TD: HRe, PL: HReand ED: HRe, which resulted in a small increase in allE: Iratios. FT: CTZ-score resulted in a non-significant, trivial effect on TD: HRe, PL: HReand ED: HRe. The results suggest E:I ratiosare influenced by subjective fatigue, thus, E: Iratio’s may be a non-invasive tool for fatigue detection. However, caution should be taken when interpreting an increase in E:I ratio, and, therefore, the use of E: Iratio’s as a means for fatigue detection requires further investigation
Coaches’ perceptions of decision making in rugby union
Get PDFBackground: In team games situations, the ability to make fast and accurate decisions is crucial to performance. As such, effective decision making, characterised by the consistent and efficient ability to choose the right course of action at the right moment, is a key component of match performance in team sports such as rugby union. Previous research has identified pedagogical approaches to enhance decision making. However, there is dearth in research to investigate how coaches evaluate tactical decision making and subsequently develop context specific ‘on’ and ‘off-field’ coaching practices to improve it. Further, the value coaches place on decision making is under explored.
Purpose: The aim of this study was to explore coaches’ perceptions of decision making in rugby union. The specific objectives to meet this aim were to: i) Explore coaches’ perceptions of the value and importance of decision making in rugby union; ii) Identify coaches’ opinions of the key decision making moments in games and how to evaluate them; and iii) Investigate coaches’ on and off field methods for improving players’ tactical and strategic decision making
Participants: Purposive sampling was used to select five male coaches, whose ages ranged from 25 to 41 years, from a regional rugby union club in Wales to participate in the study. Coaching experience ranged from two years to 16 years.
Methods: The interpretative paradigm was used within the study with data collected through semi-structured interviews with academy rugby union coaches. This type of interview gathered rich, detailed and complex accounts of coaches’ opinions of players’ in-game decision making in rugby union in order to inform practice and theory. Inductive and deductive qualitative thematic analysis was used to analyse and interpret the data.
Findings: All five coaches agreed that decision making was a crucial part of the modern game of rugby union. There was some disagreement between them about the players’ autonomy to make their own decisions on the pitch and a general lack of clarity between ‘game plan’, ‘strategy’ and ‘tactics’ amongst the coaches. All the coaches agreed that the process of evaluation of players’ decision making should involve a joint discussion with the players. They also agreed that developing decision making was one of the hardest things to coach. Finally, they used a variety of ‘on’ and ‘off-field’ coaching methods to achieve this including video analysis, questioning and the use of games based scenarios.
Conclusion: This study acquired the coaches’ voice on players’ decision making in rugby union by exploring its perceived importance to them and how they evaluated and attempted to improve it. A clear attempt was made among the coaches to develop a ‘non-judgemental’ atmosphere in the evaluation and improvement of players’ decision making. Future research should consider the use of explicitation interviewing, where the interviewer (coach) aims to get the player into a state of evocation, to relive the key decision making moments in an attempt to improve it
Global REACH: Assessment of brady-arrhythmias in Andeans and Lowlanders during apnea at 4330m
Get PDFBACKGROUND: Ascent to altitude increases the prevalence of arrhythmogenesis in low-altitude dwelling populations (Lowlanders). High altitude populations (ie. Nepalese Sherpa) may have arrhythmias resistant adaptations that prevent arrhythmogenesis at altitude, though this has not been documented in other High altitude groups, including those diagnosed with chronic mountain sickness (CMS). We investigated whether healthy (CMS-) and CMS afflicted (CMS+) Andeans exhibit cardiac arrhythmias under acute apneic stress at altitude. METHODS AND RESULTS: Electrocardiograms (lead II) were collected in CMS- (N=9), CMS+ (N=8), and Lowlanders (N= 13) following several days at 4330m (Cerro de Pasco, Peru). ECG rhythm and HR were assessed at both rest and during maximal volitional apnea (End-Expiratory [EXP]). Both CMS- and CMS+ had similar basal HR (69 ± 8 beats/min vs. 62 ± 11 beats/min), while basal HR was higher in Lowlanders (77 ± 18 beats/min; P<0.05 versus CMS+). Apnea elicited significant bradycardia (nadir -32 ± 15 beats/min; P<0.01) and the development of arrhythmias in 8/13 Lowlanders (junctional rhythm, 3° atrio-venticular block, sinus pause). HR was preserved was prior to volitional breakpoint in both CMS- (nadir -6 ± 1 beat/min) and CMS+ (1 ±12 beats/min), with 2/17 Andeans developing arrhythmias ( 1 CMS+ and 1 CMS-; both Premature Atrial Contraction) prior to breakpoint. CONCLUSIONS: Andeans showed an absence of arrhythmias and preserved HR response to volitional apnea at altitude, demonstrating that potential cardio-resistant adaptations to arrhythmogenesis exist across permanent HA populations. Acclimatized Lowlanders have further demonstrated an increased prevalence of arrhythmias at altitude
Bowling loads and injury risk in male first class county cricket: Is ‘differential load’ an alternative to the acute-to-chronic workload ratio?
Get PDFObjectives: Methodological concerns relating to acute-to-chronic workload ratios (ACWR) have been raised. This study aimed to assess the relationship between an alternative predictor variable named ‘differential load’, representing the smoothed week-to-week rate change in load, and injury risk in first class county cricket (FCCC) fast bowlers.
Design: Prospective cohort study.
Methods: Bowling loads and injuries were recorded for 49 professional male fast bowlers from six FCCC teams. A range of differential loads and ACWRs were calculated and subjected to a variable selection procedure.
Results: Exponentially-weighted 7-day differential load, 9:21-day ACWR, 42-day chronic load, and 9-day acute load were the best-fitting predictor variables in their respective categories. From these, a generalized linear mixed-effects model combining 7-day differential load, 42-day chronic load, and 9-day acute load provided the best model fit. A two-standard deviation (2SD) increase in 7-day differential load (22 overs) was associated with a substantial increase in injury risk (risk ratio [RR] = 2.47, 90% CI: 1.27-4.80, most likely harmful), and a 2SD increase in 42-day chronic load (17.5 overs/week) was associated with a most likely harmful increase in injury risk (RR = 6.77, 90% CI: 2.15-21.33). For 9-day acute load, very low values (≤1 over/week) were associated with a most likely higher risk of injury versus moderate (17.5 overs/week; RR: 15.50, 90% CI: 6.19-38.79) and very high 9-day acute loads (45.5 overs/week; RR: 133.33, 90% CI: 25.26-703.81).
Conclusions: Differential loads may be used to identify potentially harmful spikes in load, whilst mitigating methodological issues associated with ACWRs
Returning to play after prolonged training restrictions in professional collision sports
Get PDFThe COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 has resulted in widespread training disruption in many
sports. Some athletes have access to facilities and equipment, whilst others have limited or no
access, severely limiting their training practices. A primary concern is that the maintenance
of key physical qualities (e.g., strength, power, high-speed running ability, acceleration,
deceleration and change of direction), game-specific contact skills (e.g., tackling) and
decision-making ability, are challenged, impacting on performance and injury risk on
resumption of training and competition. In extended periods of reduced training, without
targeted intervention, changes in body composition and function can be profound. However,
there are strategies that can dramatically mitigate potential losses, including resistance
training to failure with lighter loads, plyometric training, exposure to high-speed running to
ensure appropriate hamstring conditioning, and nutritional intervention. Athletes may require
psychological support given the challenges associated with isolation and a change in regular
training routine. Whilst training restrictions may result in a decrease in some physical and
psychological qualities, athletes can return in a positive state following an enforced period of
rest and recovery. On return to training, the focus should be on progression of all aspects of
training, taking into account the status of individual athletes
A Multi-Study Exploration of Factors that Optimise Hardiness in Sport Coaches and the Role of Reflective Practice in Facilitating Hardy Attitudes
Get PDFHardiness has been identified as a key personal characteristic that may moderate the ill-effects of stress on health and performance. However, little is known about how hardiness might be developed, particularly in sport coaches. To systematically address this gap, we present two linked studies. First, interviews were conducted with pre-determined high-hardy, elite coaches (n = 13) to explore how they had developed their hardy dispositions through the associated attitudinal sub-components of control, commitment, and challenge. Utilizing thematic analysis, we identified that hardiness was developed through: experiential learning; external support; and the use of specific coping mechanisms. Key to all of these themes was the concept of reflective practice, which was thought to facilitate more meaningful learning from the participants’ experiences and, subsequently, enhance the self-awareness and insight required to augment hardiness and its sub-components. To investigate further the potential relationship between coaches’ reflective practices and their level of hardiness, we conducted a follow-up study. Specifically, a sample of 402 sports coaches completed the Dispositional Resilience Scale-15, the Self-Reflection and Insight Scale, and the Questionnaire for Reflective Thinking. Using latent profile analysis, we clustered participants into groups based on their reflective profiles (e.g., type of engagement, level of reflective thinking). We then examined differences in hardiness between the five latent sub-groups using multinomial regression. Findings revealed that the sub-group of highly engaged, intentionally critical reflective thinkers reported significantly higher levels of all three hardiness sub-components than all other sub-groups; these effect sizes were typically moderate-to-large in magnitude (standardized mean differences = -1.50 to -.10). Conversely, the profile of highly disengaged, non-reflective, habitual actors reported the lowest level of all three dimensions. Collectively, our findings offer novel insights into the potential factors that may influence a coaches’ level of hardiness. We provide particular support for the importance of reflective practice as a meta-cognitive strategy that helps coaches to develop hardy dispositions through augmenting its attitudinal sub-components. Consequently, our research makes a significant contribution by providing a comprehensive insight into how we might better train and support coaches to demonstrate the adaptive qualities required to thrive in demanding situations