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External workload intensity in cricket fast bowlers across maximal and submaximal intensities: Modifying PlayerLoad and IMU location
Get PDFWorkload is a commonly accepted risk factor for injury among fast bowlers, however many methods exist to characterise workload. Recently, automated intensity-sensitive measures like PlayerLoad have been used to improve the estimation of workload in fast bowlers. The purpose of this study was to determine whether similar variables could be extracted from a single inertial measurement unit (IMU) that highly correlate with intensity, according to release speed. Eight elite and pre-elite bowlers participated in the study, with each bowler bowling one over each at 60%, 80% and 100% intensity and repeating this across two sessions (36 balls per participant). IMUs were placed on the upper-back and non-bowling wrist and maximum PlayerLoad from each delivery (PLmax) was compared to the accumulated value across each delivery (PLacc). The strongest correlation with release speed was with PLacc from the non-bowling wrist (R = 0.74), followed by PLacc from the upper-back (R = 0.65) and PLmax from the upper back (R = 0.60). Consequently, an improved estimation of the intensity at which bowlers are working at could be gained by examining accumulated PlayerLoad values from an IMU on the non-bowling wrist
A Proposed Method for Evaluating Drop Jump Performance with One Force Platform
Get PDFThe drop jump (DJ) is commonly utilised to assess athletes. The criterion two force platform (2FP) method of assessing DJ performance involves two adjacent force platforms, one for the box and one for the athlete to rebound from. Most researchers and practitioners only have access to one force platform (1FP) and they rarely account for the often considerable discrepancy between box height and drop height (DH). Therefore, this study aimed to determine the criterion validity of evaluating DJ performance with 1FP. Twenty-six young male sports students performed three DJs, from a 0.30 m and 0.40 m high box, on two adjacent force platforms. The DH, touchdown velocity and several performance variables were calculated using the 2FP and 1FP methods. Ordinary least-products regression identified no fixed or proportional bias between methods for any DJ variable. The mean DH was 10% lower than the 0.30 m box and 14% lower than the 0.40 m high box. This discrepancy highlights the importance of accounting for DH when conducting DJ assessments. In conclusion, the 1FP method of evaluating DJ performance is a valid alternative to the criterion 2FP method and could be embedded into automated force analysis software for researchers and practitioners to utilise
Effects of manipulating specific individual constraints on performance outcomes, emotions, and movement phase durations in Rugby Union place kicking
Get PDFPlace kicks present valuable opportunities to score points in Rugby Union, contributing almost half of all points scored at international level. From an ecological dynamics perspective, place kickers adapt to interacting task, environmental, and individual constraints in performance environments. The aim of this study was to analyse effects of specific manipulations of individual constraints (fatigue; expectation for success) on place kicking performance, movement phase durations, heart rate and self-reported emotions. Under representative task and environmental constraints on an outdoor training pitch, 12 experienced, male place kickers completed four testing sessions under every combination of manipulated high/low expectation for success and manipulated levels of high/low acute fatigue. Within each session of 12 place kicks, performance outcomes from three kicking locations of varying difficulty were recorded. ANOVA revealed a two-way interaction between fatigue and expectation manipulations on mean success percentage (p < 0.05), with higher success under low fatigue + low expectation (M ± SD = 58 ± 13%) and high fatigue + high expectation (M ± SD = 56 ± 14%), compared with separate manipulations of high expectation (M ± SD = 49 ± 14%) or high fatigue (M ± SD = 51 ± 14%). There were no significant effects on any movement phase durations. Manipulating expectation significantly heightened mean heart rate (p < 0.05) and influenced emotions reported by place kickers, including higher anger scores when there was high expectation for success. Coaches are encouraged to integrate place kicking into representative game scenarios in practice environments to faithfully represent key performance constraints (e.g. fatigue; expectation for success) in preparing kickers for competitive situations
‘Roundnet’: examining the impact of alternative activities on “behaviourally highlighted” pupils
No full textThis study looked at how physical activity can impact on the behaviour of “behaviourally highlighted” students, analysing whether pedagogical decisions can help aid students’ behaviour in school with pedagogy being defined by Alexander (2008) as encompassing the performance of teaching alongside the beliefs, policies, controversies and theories that inform and form it. These pedagogical decisions were linked to the level of physical activity used, as an energy releasing vessel to calm the students and improve their behaviour. The hope was that after the sessions, students in this study, who had been taken ‘out of class’ could potentially return to class as the energy they had released, would dramatically decrease their disruption levels. Hamre and Pianta (2006) stated that within middle and secondary schools, the relationships between students and teachers are fundamental to the importance of the students’ success in school and the type of behaviour they exhibit. Furthermore, relationships are built throughout the school year. As teachers interact with students on a daily basis, the relationships formed are important when managing a class as the teacher’s actions, directly influence student’s social, emotional, and academic experiences (Wilkins, 2014).
In an attempt to ‘calm’ behaviour, a game called ‘roundnet’ was introduced using a ‘Teaching Games for Understanding’ (TGfU) approach to engage the students. Roundnet is an innovative, ever growing sport that uses multiple skills some of which are similar to volleyball. The aim of the sport is to successfully hit a ball onto a circular net, past your opponent so the ball bounces on the floor. Similar to racket sports such as badminton or tennis; roundnet matches can be played in singles, doubles, although doubles are the more popular version of the sport. For this study, five sessions were delivered and the pedagogical decisions investigated
Defining the mechanism of PDI interaction with disulfide-free amyloidogenic proteins: Implications for exogenous protein expression and neurodegenerative disease
Get PDFProtein disulfide isomerase (PDI) is an important molecular chaperone capable of facilitating protein folding in addition to catalyzing the formation of a disulfide bond. To better understand the distinct substrate-screening principles of Pichia pastoris PDI (Protein disulfide isomerase) and the protective role of PDI in amyloidogenic diseases, we investigated the expression abundance and intracellular retention levels of three archetypal amyloidogenic disulfide bond-free proteins (Aβ42, α-synuclein (α-Syn) and SAA1) in P. pastoris GS115 strain without and with the overexpression of PpPDI (P. pastoris PDI). Intriguingly, amyloidogenic Aβ42 and α-Syn were detected only as intracellular proteins whereas amyloidogenic SAA1 was detected both as intracellular and extracellular proteins when these proteins were expressed in the PpPDI-overexpressing GS115 strain. The binding between PpPDI and each of the three amyloidogenic proteins was investigated by molecular docking and simulations. Three different patterns of PpPDI-substrate complexes were observed, suggesting that multiple modes of binding might exist for the binding between PpPDI and its amyloidogenic protein substrates, and this could represent different specificities and affinities of PpPDI toward its substrates. Further analysis of the proteomics data and functional annotations indicated that PpPDI could eliminate the need for misfolded proteins to be partitioned in ER-associated compartments
Yes I Can: Learn to use the power of self-efficacy
No full textYes I Can: Learn to use the power of self-efficacy, is a practical and personal book founded on solid psychological concepts. Dr Laura Ritchie is a cellist, Chartered Psychologist, Professor of Learning and Teaching, and importantly she is someone who found her YES. Yes I Can addresses the topics of perception, perspective, self-efficacy beliefs, metacognition, self-regulation, and agency by presenting these psychological concepts through a uniquely inviting and approachable, storytelling voice. Laura interweaves psychological theory with personal stories, told in a memoir-like way, drawing upon experience from her musical, academic, and personal life. The important aspect of these stories is not that they are about 'Laura' but act as a bridge between research and everyday practice, and serve as a lens for the reader to look both at and into their own experience.
This book will transform your understanding and perception of 'can' to become a fundamental part of life. More than a mindset, it is about understanding the processes underlying self-beliefs, which allow you to move from wherever you are through the vision of possibility to achieve your goals. Strategic thinking, instead of grit or willpower, serves to allow you to adopt the yes in your daily life
The Whale Optimization Algorithm for efficient PEM fuel cells modeling
Get PDFDeveloping an accurate model is extremely important to design efficient proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) systems. The current work proposes the Whale Optimization Algorithm
(WOA) for establishing an accurate and reliable PEMFC models. The idea is to increase accuracy
of the extracted model parameters by minimizing error between the experimental and estimated polarization curves. WOA is utilized to mainly mitigate the effect of the local optimum stagnation and
the premature convergence that appear with most of literature methods applied in this regard. The
effectiveness of the WOA in modeling the PEMFC generators is demonstrated by the experiments
using Heliocentris FC50 PEMFC test bench. In contrast to the existing works that characterized the
behavior of the PEMFCs under fixed temperature values, the performance of developed model in
providing accurate results is investigated under different operating conditions. The efficacy of the
WOA is further checked using the data of two PEMFCs available in the literature, namely BCS500W, and Ballard V. Moreover, a comparison is done with some challenging literature techniques
along with the necessary statistical analysis. The final results prove that the WOA has very competitive performance. The proposed WOA has produced the lowest Mean Absolute Error among all
tested methods, with values of 0.0589V, 0.2323V, and 0.2867V for Heliocentris FC 50, BCS, and
Ballard fuel cells, respectively. Besides, the constructed Heliocentris FC 50 model yields highly
accurate results, especially under varying temperature values. Owing to this, it can be stated that the
WOA a powerful modeling tool. Therefore, it is highly recommended to be employed for creating
high-quality PEMFC models
Vertical knowledge: exploring the potential of vertical dance as a scenographic strategy in the performance of site
Get PDFThe popularity of vertical dance performance is growing, with companies such as Gravity & Levity and Wired based in the UK, and the creation of the Vertical Dance Forum with its global membership leading the way. While it may be considered to fall within the spectacular, this paper argues for the role of vertical dance as a form of knowledge of space, environment and architecture.
“Humans are inextricably linked by their potential and what the environment affords them to do (Gibson 1966). Environmental textures, structures and patterns are affordances.” Batson & Wilson, 2014:177. This paper argues that vertical dance offers opportunities to engage with these affordances in ways that have not been previously explored. The moving body interacting with and using buildings, walls or structures developing a new sense of the site and its relationships with its surroundings. This process in turn allowing for fresh perspectives and narratives to be introduced to the built environment.
Through an analysis of selected vertical dance performances, interviews with dancers as well as audience responses, this paper explores the potential of vertical dance to impart new knowledge of site through embodied learning and kinesthetic empathy. The role of vision and the haptic will be discussed (Deleuze 1981, Massumi 2002) in relation to the ways in which movement and dance in (or on) site might contribute to a scenographic experience of the built environment. The paper argues that as place orientation (Hann 2018), vertical dance may be considered as a scenographic strategy. The importance of movement to this strategy as a processual way of being in and with the world, is articulated as “co-constitutive entanglements of body and world” (Paterson, 2007:16) resonating with Doreen Massey’s stance that space shouldn’t be considered “static, closed, immobile” (2005:18), instead proposing a way of knowing that is dynamic and full of potential
Crises of Commemoration: Cold War, Decolonization, and the bungled 1954 D-Day Commemoration
Get PDFIn 1954, international dignitaries and veterans joined the commemoration of the Allied Landings on the beaches of Normandy, though not everything went according to plan. For the French organisers, chief amongst them Gaullist deputy Raymond Triboulet, the event was intended to communicate a unifying, pro-Allied message amidst a turbulent political climate. By June 1954, France had recently suffered a decisive defeat at Dien Bien Phu and was politically gripped by the divisive prospect of a European Defence Community. In debates over these crises, war memories surfaced and France’s experience of Occupation and Liberation enflamed passions. For many who attended the Normandy ceremony in 1954, the missteps of organisers created tension and upset, endangering Allied participation in the Paris Liberation ceremonies to follow. This moment of disjuncture illuminates how currents of memory, international diplomacy, decolonization, and broader Cold war tensions all intersected and influenced each other on the Normandy beaches
Physical Literacy and the development of Girls’ Leadership: An Evaluation of the English Football Association’s Active Literacy Through Storytelling Programme
Get PDFThe English Football Association (FA) has established a number of programmes to encourage girls’ participation in physical activity but has raised concerns that these may be limited in accessibility to target groups. Developing physical literacy is one way in which girls may be supported in building social confidence to access opportunities. This study evaluated the efficacy of the FA’s ‘Active Literacy through Storytelling’ designed to develop young girls’ physical literacy.
Participants were girls aged 5-12 yrs (n=25) and programme leaders (n=2) from two case study schools. Research with the girls involved 3 stages: the first, drawing pictures of engagement in the project (‘before’ and ‘after’), the second, individual interviews utilising the drawings. Leaders were subsequently interviewed based on data generated here. Thematic analysis of qualitative data, sensitised by physical literacy concepts was conducted.
Results demonstrated the programme developed girls’ social interaction, teamwork and leadership skills