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Effects of CurraNZ, a New Zealand blackcurrant extract during 1 hour of treadmill running in female and male Marathon des Sables Athletes in hot conditions: two case studies
Get PDFFour weeks before competition in the 2023 Marathon des Sables, a 6 stage, ~250 km running event in the Sahara Desert, we examined effects of 7-day intake of New Zealand blackcurrant extract (210 mg anthocyanins per day) on 1 h treadmill running-induced physiological and metabolic responses in the heat (~34°C, relative humidity: ~30%) in a non-acclimatized amateur female and male athlete (age: 23, 38 yrs, BMI: 24.2, 28.4 kg·m-2, body fat%: 29.2, 18.8%, V ̇O2max: 50.1, 52.1 mL·kg-1·min-1). During the 1 h run at 50%V ̇O2max (speed female: 7.3, male: 7.5 km·h-1), indirect calorimetry was used and heart rate recorded at 15-min intervals with core temperature monitoring (0.05 Hz). The 1 h runs were 3 h after a light breakfast and 2 h after intake of the final dose of New Zealand blackcurrant extract with water allowed ad libitum during the run. With the New Zealand blackcurrant extract, there were no effects in the female athlete. The respiratory exchange ratio (RER) of the female athlete in the non-supplement control condition was 0.77±0.01, indicating existing ~77% contribution of fat oxidation to the energy requirements. In the male athlete during 1 h of running, fat oxidation was higher by 21% (p<0.01), carbohydrate oxidation was 31% lower (p=0.05), RER was 0.03 units lower (p=0.04) and core temperature was 0.4°C lower (p<0.01) with no differences for heart rate, minute ventilation, oxygen uptake and carbon dioxide production for the New Zealand blackcurrant condition compared to the non-supplement control condition. Seven-day intake of New Zealand blackcurrant extract (210 mg anthocyanins per day) provided beneficial physiological and metabolic responses during exertional heat stress by 1 h of indoor (~34°C) treadmill running in a male Marathon des Sables athlete 4 weeks before competition. Future work is required to address whether New Zealand blackcurrant provide a nutritional ergogenic effect for Marathon des Sables athletes during long-duration running in the heat combined with personalized nutrition
A dominance analysis on the relationship between schizotypy and loneliness type
Get PDFBackground
This study investigated how individual differences in schizotypy differentially predicted types of loneliness – direct, social, emotional, and existential loneliness (in relationships and meaninglessness in life).
Methods
We presented participants with the brief version of the Oxford-Liverpool Inventory of Feelings and Experiences and the de Jong Giervald loneliness scale and used dominance analysis to evaluate the dominant predictors of schizotypy on loneliness. We also evaluated the impact of depression on each model.
Results
In our preregistered analysis we found evidence to suggest that cognitive disorganization and introvertive anhedonia are consistently the most dominant of the schizotypy predictors. Introvertive anhedonia was the most dominant predictor for social loneliness and existential loneliness in relationships, and cognitive disorganization was the most dominant predictor of direct, emotional and existential meaninglessness in life loneliness. Depression became the most dominant predictor of all types of loneliness when added to the models.
Limitations
This research is limited by the cross-sectional nature of the data which is unable to account for changes in loneliness over time, and we acknowledge that the relationship between predictors and outcome is likely bi-directional.
Conclusions
Our findings highlight the diverse relationship between schizotypy and loneliness type and suggest that schizotypy domains linked to social anxiety and withdrawal are key predictors of loneliness. These findings are important for the development of focused interventions and the prevention of clinical disorder development
Exploratory study of psychophysiological Stress in esports: training and competition in professional League of Legends
Get PDFOne goal of sport psychology research is to assist athletes in adapting their training and competitive behavior to maintain or enhance high-level performance under stressful and competitive conditions. To extend this research into esports, a comprehensive understanding of the stress-performance relationship in esports is essential. This knowledge can subsequently guide future intervention studies focused on enhancing players’ performance. This study aimed to explore the relationship between playing esports in competitive settings and psychological and physiological stress among professional League of Legends players. Unlike previous research focusing on non-competitive gameplay, we examined seven male professionals during training and competition, measuring perceived motivation and match importance, as well as perceived stress, affect, emotion, heart rate, heart rate variability, and respiratory rate. Data were collected before, during, and after gameplay, evaluating in-game performance (i.e., kill-death-assist ratio, gold, and self-rated performance). Significant differences were observed, with motivation and perceived match importance being greater during competition compared to training. Our findings substantiate that both psychological and physiological stress responses intensify during competitive gameplay in contrast to training. This supports existing theoretical and empirical research, emphasizing the intricate nature of the stress-performance relationship. Practical and theoretical applications are discussed
Utilisation of solar energy driven photochemical processes for river water purification
Get PDFMore than two billion people across the world do not have access to potable water. Communities globally are struggling with epidemic level disease outbreaks, limited water supply among other large-scale public health risks. Water is essential for life and several regions across the world have poor infrastructure for the management of potable water resources and lack critical wastewater treatment facilities. As the population of the Earth grows rampantly, the demand for water resources is increasing exponentially. Large-scale critical infrastructure chains are required to produce potable water from raw water sources, and developing countries continue to struggle economically and cannot afford the same treatment chains as the developed world. This research project evaluated the feasibility of two photocatalytic / photo-Fenton solar reactors on their capabilities to breakdown water contaminants present in natural hydro-systems and freshwater resources namely rivers in Chatham, Kent, England between September 2015 and August 2017. The photo-Fenton reaction and solar-photochemical reactors were designed, constructed, and tested for the removal efficiencies of Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD), ammonia, nitrates, nitrites, and phosphates via LCK curvetted tests, in addition to turbidity and colour. The water quality analysis and results showed that oversaturation of the photo- Fenton reagents reduces the effectiveness of the reaction, and that finding the correct chemical balance has a greater impact on the removal efficiencies of the five pollutants than the use of ultraviolet (UV) light catalyst. Under the conditions set by this research project, a smaller diameter of piping yields the best removal efficiencies of pollutants. The optimal photochemical balance of H2O2: Fe2+ has more of an impact on the effectiveness of treatment than the use of UV radiation. The ideal H2O2: Fe2+ ratio for the treatment of river water is close to 100:1 mg/L. The impact of semi- variables such as diameter of pipe and UV influx on the effectiveness of treatment are not noticeable compared to the effect of changing the photo-Fenton chemical ratio. Moreover, the photo-Fenton process’ removal efficiency is directly proportional to the remaining H2O2 concentration, as the photochemical reaction proceeds
The communities it takes to develop a leader
No full textIn this chapter I focus on the work of developing leaders. My aim is to paint a rich picture of this process that is deeply embedded in the fabric of the communities within a few kilometres of the Business School. Learning to become a leader is not located solely in a Business School; the context of the individual’s work, their background as well as their relationships are vital, as is chance and happenstance.
I am keen to avoid heroic tales of daring do and to pay attention to the fascinating everyday ordinary work that the leader does and how they interact with the people around them (Alvesson & Sveningsson, 2003; Alvesson, 2013). Indeed, I have taken inspiration from Alvesson and Sveningsson (2003, p. 1451) when they say that managers ‘…may benefit from an un-fixing of leadership from heroic and masculine connotations: more humanistic and democratic workplace relations are to be encouraged’. This chapter is based on just three interviews.
The worlds of all three leaders overlap to some degree in knowing and being influenced by each other as well as locality. In short, this chapter focuses on how leaders are developed and develop others in the context of their everyday lives at work and where they live. This includes how they interact with us at the University but also with other important influences at their work.
From the conversations, several themes emerged in the development of a leader, including the benefits of leader development being widely spread and hard to pin down, emergent and contingent on context; taking risks and making mistakes where outcomes matter but where there is support when things go wrong; and an awareness that being a leader matters
From the wings to the stage and beyond: performance anxiety and flow in UK vocational dance students
Get PDFProfessional dancers have described high levels of performance anxiety while also experiencing flow on stage. However, such research tends to capture one period of time in the performance experience and rarely focuses on vocational dance students. The current study samples vocational dance students at a UK performing arts school and captures their cognitive, somatic, and emotional experiences from pre- to post-performance. Eleven interviews were conducted with female students aged between 15 and 17 years. Thematic analysis was employed and three themes identified: Facilitative and Debilitative Anxiety in the Wings, Constructions of Anxiety and Flow on Stage, and After the Show; the Highs and the Lows. Findings produced an understanding of the psychological journey from pre- to post-performance. Students have the potential to manipulate their cognitions to facilitate flow suggesting that dance schools can implement psychological techniques to manage anxiety and increase flow, thus enhancing well-being and performance
Multiplanar lumbar, pelvis and kick leg sequencing during soccer instep kicking from different approach angles
Get PDFMultiplanar kinematic and kinetic sequencing from different approach angles can highlight how soccer players perform fast and accurate kicks. This study therefore aimed to a) determine multiplanar torso, pelvis and kick leg sequencing during instep kicks and b) highlight the effect of different approach angles on these sequencing patterns. Twenty male soccer players (mass 77.9 ± 6.5 kg, height 1.71 ± 0.09 m, age 23.2 ± 3.7 years) performed kicks from self-selected (∼30−45°), straight (0°) and wide (67.5°) approaches and multiplanar lumbo-pelvic, hip and knee angular velocities, moments and powers were derived from 3D motion analysis. The results suggest tension arc release between the upper and lower body functions as a two-stage mechanism. The first phase of arc release was characterised by increases in concentric hip flexion and transverse lumbo-pelvic velocities towards the ball. The second phase was characterised by increasing concentric lumbo-pelvic flexion and knee extension work to angularly accelerate the kicking knee towards foot-to-ball contact. Further, alterations in kinematic and kinetic sequencing helped maintain performance (ball and foot velocities at ball contact) and accuracy at approach angles other than self-selected. These findings can help coaches and practitioners design effective training practices
Promote “we” to inspire me: examining the roles of group identification and trust in the association between identity leadership and follower inspiration
Get PDFRecent research has highlighted leaders as a source of inspiration for followers in sport, providing leaders embed, embody, and represent the group’s values (i.e., the leader demonstrates identity leadership and creates a shared identity). Consequently, two studies (one cross-sectional and one longitudinal) aimed to examine the relationship between identity leadership and follower inspiration via the mediating roles of group identification and trust in the leader. In Study 1, 233 participants completed measures of identity leadership, group identification, trust in their leader, and follower inspiration in a cross-sectional design. In Study 2, 121 participants completed the same measures at two time points (towards the start and end of the season). Cross sectional findings (Study 1) indicated that group identification and trust serially mediated the positive association between identity leadership principles and follower inspiration. Whereas, in Study 2, identity advancement and identity impresarioship at the start of the season predicted follower inspiration at the end of the season through trust in the leader but not through group identification. Taken together, the findings add weight to the importance of identity leadership by not only suggesting that followers of leaders who engage in identity leadership are more inspired but, also, by highlighting important mechanisms (group identification and particularly trust) that may explain these processes
Conceptualization and validation of the TILT questionnaire: Relationship with IGD and Life Satisfaction
Get PDFCurrently, the study of esports is growing within the field of psychology. Among the different variables attracting interest — including stress or psychological factors associated with performance — an emerging concept known as tilt is gaining prominence in the literature. However, this construct has yet to be operationalized or defined. Thus, the present study aims to address this gap by defining and conceptualizing TILT while devising and validating a questionnaire to measure the construct in esports players. The initial phase of the study comprised 27 interviews conducted with professional players (n = 6), semi-professionals (n = 8), amateurs (n = 8), and coaches (n = 5) to characterize the concept of tilt. Following these interviews, a definition of tilt was formulated, and a panel of five experts in sports psychology and esports proposed a comprehensive set of 53 items. A total of 488 participants (278 males, 210 females), aged 18-50 (mean age = 26.9 years, SD = 7.57), completed the survey, including the 53 tilt items, a questionnaire measuring toxic behavior, and the Internet Gaming Disorder Scale-Short Form (IGDS9-SF). The tilt construct is primarily characterized as a state of frustration escalating into anger, resulting in diminished performance, attention, and recurring negative thoughts about errors. Its onset typically coincides with stressful situations, persisting for approximately 30 minutes. Through an Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA), 18 items were retained and categorized into two factors: Causes (7 Items) and Consequences (11 Items) of tilt. The entire questionnaire yielded a Cronbach's α of 0.922, with the first and second factors showing values of 0.854 and 0.890, respectively. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) revealed an acceptable fit for the 2-factor solution. Correlations with related constructs, such as Toxic Behavior and IGD, provided preliminary evidence of external validity. Empirical evidence for the validity and internal consistency of the Tilt Scale is robust, indicating its potential utility in future research on the psychological experiences of esports players