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Nigel Kneale and folklore
No full textThis short article discusses thee appearance of folklore elements in the work of Nigel Kneale. It argues for a double-approach to folklore on the part of Kneale: some of his scripts provide 'rational' explanations for elements of folklore while in other works the folklore element remains unxplained
Individual responses to repeated dosing with anthocyanin-rich New Zealand blackcurrant extract during high-intensity intermittent treadmill running in active males
Get PDFIntake of New Zealand blackcurrant (NZBC) extract for 7 days has been shown to improve high-intensity intermittent running (HIIR) performance. Objectives: We examined the repeat
response of NZBC extract on HIIR performance. Methods: Sixteen active males (age: 23 ± 3 yrs, height: 179 ± 5 cm, mass: 79 ± 11 kg, VO2max: 55.3 ± 5 mL·kg−1·min−1 , velocity at VO2max: 17.2 ± 0.8 km·h −1 , mean ± SD) participated. Familiarized subjects completed the HIIR test at individualized exercise intensities with stages consisting of six 19 s high-intensity running bouts interspersed by 15 s of low-intensity running and 1 min of inter-stage rest. The test was repeated at increasing speeds until exhaustion, under four conditions; two with a daily dose of 600 mg of NZBC extract (CurraNZ™, providing 210 mg anthocyanins) and two with a placebo, each over 7 days. The study used a double-blind, randomized, cross-over design with a wash-out period of at least 14 days. Results: For the cohort, there were no differences between the placebo and NZBC conditions for mean heart rate (p = 0.071), mean oxygen uptake (p = 0.713), and mean lactate (p = 0.121) at exhaustion for the HIIR. The NZBC extract increased the mean total running distance and mean high-intensity running distance by 7.9% and 8.0% compared to the placebo. With NZBC extract, 8 of the 16 participants (50%) enhanced in both trials beyond the smallest worthwhile change for total running distance (≥173 m) and high-intensity running distance (≥111 m). For repeated responders, total running distance and high-intensity running distance was increased by 16.7% (95% CI [11.0,
22.4%] and 16.6% (95% CI [11.0, 22.2%]. Three participants had enhanced running performance in one trial beyond the SWC, and five participants were considered non-responders. Conclusions: This is the first study on the repeated response by an anthocyanin-rich supplement on high-intensity running performance. New Zealand blackcurrant extract can substantially enhance intermittent high-intensity running performance in consistent responders. Future work should examine dosing strategies of New Zealand blackcurrant, and whether a repeated response rate exceeding 50% can be attained. These findings suggest that NZBC extract could be beneficial for athletes participating in high-intensity team sports
New Zealand blackcurrant extract modulates the heat shock response in men during exercise in hot ambient conditions
Get PDFPurpose To determine if 7d of New Zealand blackcurrant (NZBC) extract alters the heat shock, infammatory and apoptotic response during prolonged exertional-heat stress. Methods Ten men (Age: 29±2 years, Stature: 1.82±0.02 m, Mass: 80.3±2.7 kg, V̇O2max: 56±2 mL·kg−1·min−1) ingested two capsules of CurraNZ™ (NZBC extract: 210 mg anthocyanins·day−1) or PLACEBO for 7d prior to 1 h treadmill run (65% V̇O2max) in hot ambient conditions (34 °C/40% RH). Blood samples were collected before (Pre), immediately after (Post), 1 h after (1-Post), and 4 h after (4-Post) exercise. Heat shock proteins (HSP90, HSP70, HSP32) were measured in plasma. HSP and protein markers of infammatory capacity (TLR4, NF-κB) and apoptosis (BAX/BCL-2, Caspase 9) were measured in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC). Results eHSP32 was elevated at baseline in NZBC(+31%; p<0.001). In PLACEBO HSP32 content in PBMC was elevated at 4-Post(+98%; p=0.002), whereas in NZBC it fell at Post(− 45%; p=0.030) and 1-Post(− 48%; p=0.026). eHSP70 was
increased at Post in PLACEBO(+55.6%, p=0.001) and NZBC (+50.7%, p=0.010). eHSP90 was increased at Post(+77.9%, p<0.001) and 1-Post(+73.2%, p<0.001) in PLACEBO, with similar increases being shown in NZBC (+49.0%, p=0.006 and+66.2%, p=0.001; respectively). TLR4 and NF-κB were both elevated in NZBC at PRE(+54%, p=0.003 and+57%, p=0.004; respectively). Main efects of study condition were also shown for BAX/BCL-2(p=0.025) and Caspase 9 (p=0.043); both were higher in NZBC. Conclusion 7d of NZBC extract supplementation increased eHSP32 and PBMC HSP32 content. It also increased infammatory and apoptotic markers in PBMC, suggesting that NZBC supports the putative infammatory response that accompanies exertional-heat stress
Peak physical demands of elite women’s soccer: assessing playing position and post-goal locomotor patterns
Get PDFIt has recently been identified that the assessment of peak periods of activity better considers the stochastic nature of match-play and the influence that contextual factors have on these peak periods. Limited research exists attempting to link the tactical and physical aspects of performance, especially in female players. Therefore, the current study aimed to assess post-goal locomotor patterns and positional differences on peak match demands in elite female soccer players. Using 10Hz global positioning system units, a total of 133 player match observations were recorded from 14 matches played by an elite Scottish women’s professional soccer team (SWPL1). Total distance (TD), high-speed running distance (>18 km.h-1) (HSRD) and PlayerLoadTM (PL) were assessed for 1, 3 and 5-minute peak periods using a rolling epoch approach. Playing position and post-goal activity were used as modulating factors. Linear mixed models established a main effect for playing position for HSRD at peak 1-minute (p<0.001), 3-minute (p<0.001) and 5-minute (p<0.001) epochs. There were also main effects for playing position for TD at peak 1-minute (p=0.001) and PL at peak-3minute (p=0.002). Team level data showed a main effect for condition (score vs. concede) for 3-minute TD data and main effects for time (pre vs. post) for 1,3 and 5-minute epochs for PL data. Average and peak values were shown to differ across playing positions for all variables. Likewise, potentially indicative of tactical adjustments, significant differences were observed at both a team and player level following scoring or conceding a goal
Mitigating COVID-19 spread in closed populations using networked robots and internet of things
Get PDFInfectious diseases like COVID-19 have remained a primary public and global health concern. Internet of Things (IoT) of networked robots and physiological intervention can be combined to identify and control the spread of the different variants of COVID-19 disease. With this approach, governments and healthcare institutions can plan for such diseases in the future. This paper presents a compact computational model (CCM) to identify and control different COVID-19 variants using IoT-networked robots. The CCM comprises seven physiological variables (PV) and robotic identification (RI) of infected individuals as alternative intervention strategies. The study uses Market Place Service Robots that correctly identify PV and RI for positively infected individuals. The conditions of the existence and the solution of the deterministic model are derived from a compact flow architecture that we develop. We show that the model has COVID-19-free equilibrium and endemic equilibrium. While PV with appropriate isolation and hospital treatment reduces the COVID-19 disease impact by 19% more than RI alone, the study also shows that combining two PV with RI minimises the impact better than PV or RI alone, by 36% and 43%, respectively. When the PV control parameters are increased, up to five, in the presence of IoT and RI, up to 99.99% improvement is seen. With all seven PV control parameters in the presence of IoT and RI, the proposed CCM guarantees an infection-free population
The museum of lost and fragile things: a year of salvage
No full textSuzanne Joinson grew up in a 1980s council estate in Crewe, where her parents were followers of The Divine Light Mission cult. This clash of class and counterculture destroyed her family, leaving a legacy of turmoil and poverty.
Years later, she attempts to reclaim what she's lost and piece together the impact of a childhood infused with esoteric yoga practices, psychedelic encounters, and meditation techniques. She acquires replicas of beloved objects that had to be destroyed in regular purges in the hope of restoring family ties. The Museum of Lost and Fragile Things explores the realm of mother-daughter relationships and inherited trauma, in a moving, delicately-woven account of coming to terms with a complicated past
Stressors and coping strategies in esports: a systematic review
Get PDFThis systematic review synthesizes findings from 19 studies on stressors and coping strategies in esports, following the PRISMA guidelines and employing the SPIDER framework. The review reports stressors in esports, with performance stressors such as defeat and performance pressure prominently observed, followed by team, organizational, and personal stressors. A diverse range of coping strategies were identified, representing Nicholls et al. (2016)’s classification. Internal regulation emerged as the most frequently reported coping strategy, followed by mastery coping, while goal withdrawal strategies were less frequently reported. The review reveals similarities and distinctions compared to traditional sports, highlighting the role of stressors such as social media and equipment challenges in esports. However, personal stressors were rarely reported in the studies. The review also identifies research gaps in stressor appraisal and communal coping strategies. Future research could delve into personal stress-ors, considering a wide array of psychological factors, and employing dynamic methodologies. Practi-cal implications revolve around tailored interventions, promoting open communication, mastery coping techniques, and holistic well-being strategies. This review provides a broader understanding of esports stressors and coping strategies, offering a starting point for targeted interventions aimed at enhancing performance and well-being in the distinctive competitive landscape of esports
Personal approaches to diversity and wider implications
No full textIn this part of the chapter I draw on Kandola and Fullerton’s (Kandola & Fullerton, 1998) classic organisational definition of diversity as consisting of ‘visible and non-visible differences, which will include sex, age, background, race, disability, personality and workstyle’ in creating productive workplaces where people are valued, and their full talents are acknowledged. There are many good works out there on diversity, especially recent ones that move beyond theory to inspiring action (Atcheson, 2021; Bhargava & Brown, 2021; Fanshawe, 2021; Pemberton, 2021). These would appear in a structured literature review on the subject. However, I have taken a different path that lays out ideas, literature and knowledge relative to personal experience.
Ferdman (Ferdman, 2013, p. 21) makes the point that while any single definition is useful when it comes to policy and to drive change, we are all individuals within our own social context that shapes our frame of reference. Here I engage with dynamic frames of reference of past experience as well as of present and future sensemaking. This chapter does not come to a neat conclusion or framework to be applied from one situation to another; it encourages us to reflect on how we notice what is around us, our attitudes and actions.
Debates on diversity can often be very shouty, where people are on ‘full dial transmit’. Given the injustices in the world, and particularly in the workplace, I can see why. Here I do something different. For each spoken word to have meaning and impact, it needs to be heard. And even then, hearing is only part of the story, there needs to be understanding, reflection (a reconciliation between those words and the experience of the person) and action. And it is that reconciliation that I address here.
Along with our genes we are all a product of our environment, upbringing, education and life chances, and that is reflected in how long we live and our health. In 2010 the highly regarded ‘Marmot Review’ into health inequalities in England (Marmot, 2010) began:
People with higher socioeconomic position in society have a greater array of life chances and more opportunities to lead a flourishing life. They also have better health. The two are linked: the more favoured people are, socially and economically, the better their health.
Ten years on, Sir Michael Marmot and his team revisited the report (Marmot et al., 2020)—things had not improved. For example, on the specifics, those in minority groups, black, Asian and mixed-race groups, had a significantly lower disability-free life expectancy (DFLE) than white British men and women (ibid., p. 23). Although there is wide variation, in 2018 a third of people living in a household headed by someone of Bangladeshi ethnic origin were in the most deprived quintile compared to 15% for the white population (ibid., p. 80).
In a fast-changing society, with a growing awareness that current structures favour certain established populations, things need to change if we are to make strides to make a fairer, happier, healthier and more just society.
In 2019, Universities UK and National Union of Students (Universities UK and National Union of Students, 2019) produced a report based upon the input of ninety-nine universities and students’ unions. The problem was starkly illustrated by the politician and diplomat Baroness Valerie Amos, Director of the School of Oriental African Studies (SOAS), London in her foreword to the report in saying:
When the extent of the [black, Asian, minority ethnic] BAME attainment gap in universities was brought to my attention, I was shocked, because universities should be places where opportunity and aspiration come together. Of course I knew that, given its extent in society, discrimination would exist in our universities. What I was not prepared for was the patchy approach to action to bring about change. Some universities have been slow in recognising the scale of the challenge and in committing to making the changes required. Others have made significant progress in narrowing the gap. (p. 1)
The report starkly illustrated the problem and comes up with five recommendations that can be summarised as: Providing strong leadership; Having conversations about race and changing the culture; Developing racially diverse and inclusive environments; Getting the evidence and analysing the data; and Understanding what works. Here I am going to focus on aspects of the second, namely:
Having conversations about race and changing the culture: Universities and students need to create more opportunities to talk directly about race, racism and the attainment gap and to identify what students think is causing it. A change in culture is needed alongside a clear institutional message that issues of race are embedded within wider strategic goals.
This applies as much in a small regional business school such as the University of Chichester as it does in larger universities with a global reputation. It is for this reason that personal story and narrative is also important when it comes to considering diversity. This extends to those who are harmed by the way things are, as well as to those with power to make a difference. The contribution of this chapter lies in both my reflexive journey and the insights that I come to. In fact, the former is more important than the latter, and it is from that perspective that I invite you to pay attention to your own reflexive path
The React–Predict–Manipulate Model: a proposed theoretical hierarchy of decision making in competitive environments
No full textThe competitive environment, high stakes, and intense time pressure inherent in esports underscore the necessity for superior decision-making abilities under pressure. The React–Predict–Manipulate (RPM) Model offers a theoretical framework to enhance understanding and training of decision making in competitive gaming environments. Based on cognitive psychology and decision theory, the RPM Model delineates a hierarchy of cognitive processes: React, Predict, and Manipulate. Each level represents a progressive refinement in the decision-making capabilities of players—from instinctual reactions to strategic foresight and tactical manipulation. This paper explores how esports athletes can leverage this model to cultivate higher cognitive agility and strategic acumen, thus potentially improving their performance in high-stakes scenarios
Helping in times of crisis: Examining the social identity and wellbeing impacts of volunteering during COVID‐19
Get PDFCOVID-19 produced the largest mass mobilisation of collective helping in a generation. Currently, the impact of this voluntary activity is not well understood, particularly for specific groups of volunteers (e.g., new vs. existing) and for different amounts of voluntary activity. Drawing on social psychological work on collective helping, and work from the Social Identity Approach to Health, we seek to address this gap through an analysis of survey data from 1,001 adults living in the south of England (333 men; 646 women; age range = 16–85) during the first UK lockdown. Measures included time spent volunteering pre-/post COVID, community identification, subjective wellbeing, and volunteering intentions. Those who volunteered during COVID-19
reported higher levels of community identification than those who did not. However, subjective wellbeing benefits were only found for those volunteers who maintained the same level of volunteering (in terms of time) pre-and post-COVID lockdown. New volunteers showed significantly lower levels of wellbeing when they were undertaking 5 or more hours of volunteering a week. Our findings provide unique insight into the variable relationship with wellbeing for different groups of volunteers, as well as how the experiences and functioning of ‘crisis’ volunteering are different from volunteering during ‘normal’ times