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Health is just the basic requirement for optimal performance and winning : stakeholders' perceptions on testing and training in competitive alpine skiing, snowboarding and freestyle skiing
Full text linkAVAILABILITY OF DATA AND MATERIALS :
Data are available upon reasonable request; however, key data are anonymously shared in the results, and no data with the potential to identify participants, such as audio files, can be shared.BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE :
Competitive alpine skiing, snowboarding and freestyle skiing, all different in nature and risks, are known for their high injury and illness burden. Testing measures and training methods may be considered for athletes’ preparation to support performance enhancement while safeguarding their health. We explored the perspectives and perceptions of competitive alpine skiing, snowboarding and freestyle skiing stakeholders regarding testing and training practices in their competitive snow sports.
METHODS :
We conducted an exploratory qualitative study based on grounded theory principles through 13 semi-structured interviews about testing and training practices with athletes, on-snow and off-snow coaches, managers and healthcare providers from different national teams. The interviews were inductively analysed through a constant comparative data analysis.
RESULTS :
Participants described winning as the end goal of testing and training practices, which requires athletes to perform in their best condition. To do so, they mentioned two main targets: performance enhancement and health protection. Participants acknowledged health as a premise to perform optimally, considering testing and monitoring approaches, goal setting, and training to support and protect athlete performance. This continuous cyclic process is driven by communication and shared decision making among all stakeholders, using testing and monitoring outputs to inform goal setting, training (e.g. on-snow and off-snow) and injury prevention. Such an approach helps athletes achieve their goal of winning while being fit and healthy throughout their short-term and long-term athletic career development.
CONCLUSIONS :
The ultimate goal of testing measures and training methods in such competitive snow sports is winning. Performance enhancement and health protection act as pillars in systematic, tailored and flexible processes to guarantee athletes’ best preparation to perform. Moreover, athletes’ assessments, goal setting, monitoring tools, open communication and shared decision making strongly guide this cyclic process.The International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS) as part of the Athlete Health Unit framework project “Athlete Health Protection”.https://www.springer.com/journal/40279hj2024Sports MedicineSDG-03:Good heatlh and well-bein
The nature and relevance of team grit
Full text linkPURPOSE :
This research aims to investigate the nature of the team grit construct as distinct from individual grit and determines its relevance within a net of team constructs.
DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH :
Using a new, validated and invariant team grit scale, the study confirmed the factor structure of a scale in a United Kingdom sample (n = 228), tested the discriminant nature of individual and team grit and examined relationships between proposed antecedents and outcomes of team grit in a United States sample (n = 269). This paper applied structural equation modeling to analyze the data.
FINDINGS :
Results of this paper revealed the relevance of this goal-focused team construct. It showed that team grit is distinct from individual grit and preceded by team psychological safety and team goal commitment, and predicts team innovation, and team work engagement.
RESEARCH LIMITATIONS/IMPLICATIONS :
The team grit scale used in this study provides new opportunities to understand team grit in organizational settings.
ORIGINALITY/VALUE :
To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this research offers the first empirical investigation of the relationships of team grit in organizations with other team constructs.https://www.emerald.com/insight/publication/issn/0955-534Xhj2024Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS)SDG-08:Decent work and economic growt
Integration of phosphorylated MOF/COF core-shell structures into hybrid membrane for high-temperature fuel cell application
No full textDATA AVAILABILITY :
Data will be made available on request.Please read abstract in the article.National Key R&D Program of China, National Natural Science Foundation of China, and Jiangsu Province Excellent Postdoctoral Programy Academic Program Development (PAPD) of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions.http://www.elsevier.com/locate/apsusc2025-10-20hj2024Chemical EngineeringSDG-09: Industry, innovation and infrastructur
South Africa judicial review of trade remedies in South Africa
Full text linkNo abstract available.https://kluwerlawonline.com/Journals/Global+Trade+and+Customs+Journal/679hj2024Mercantile LawSDG-17:Partnerships for the goal
The relationship between study resources, task performance and subjective wellbeing among university students : the role of academic self-efficacy as personal resource
No full textDATA AVAILABILITY STATEMENT :
The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.Most universities are facing a crisis of student wellbeing and high failure rates. Using the Conservation of Resources theory, we hypothesised that both study resources and personal resources (academic self-efficacy) could enhance task performance and improve wellbeing among university students. We conducted a cross-sectional study on 431 university students. We used standardised questionnaires to assess students' levels of academic self-efficacy (ASE), the availability and use of study resources, their task performance, and their subjective wellbeing. The results supported all the direct effects to the outcome variables. ASE mediated the relationship between study resources and subjective well-being but did not mediate the relationship between study resources and task performance. In addition, subjective wellbeing mediated the relationship between ASE and task performance. Addressing the interplay between study resources, ASE and positive outcomes (i.e. task performance and wellbeing) can foster optimal learning environments that support the success of students. This can promote students' holistic development and contribute to a well-rounded and flourishing student.http://www.wileyonlinelibrary.com/journal/roe2026-07-02hj2024Human Resource ManagementSDG-03:Good heatlh and well-beingSDG-04:Quality Educatio
Filling the void : the underlying processes of CEO post-retirement role identity reformation
Full text linkPURPOSE : Following identity theory from a symbolic-interactionist perspective, we explore the post-retirement role identity reformation of public company CEOs to uncover the process elements through which role identities reform after retirement from highly salient roles.
DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH : We applied a self-relevant qualitative exploration based on 30 in-depth interviews and employed an interpretative phenomenological analysis.
FINDINGS :
The findings reveal six interrelated, contemporaneous and contiguous underlying process elements within post-retirement liminality and emergence clusters, which shape work and nonwork role identities that contribute to retirement stability and well-being.
PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS :
The research provides a basis for organizations and human resource specialists to guide retiring senior executives on the psychological effects, cognitive processes and practical considerations of the retirement transition.
ORIGINALITY/VALUE :
The study provides a framework for understanding how the post-retirement void evokes novel appraisals of self, others and context. These appraisals act as stimuli of an integrated cognitive, social and behavioral work role identity reformation process.https://www.emerald.com/insight/publication/issn/0048-3486hj2024Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS)SDG-03:Good heatlh and well-bein
Phylogeny and historical biogeography of the southern African lacewing genus Afroptera (Neuroptera: Nemopteridae: Nemopterinae)
Full text linkDATA AVAILABILITY STATEMENT :
All molecular sequence data is available on GenBank. All molecular sequence data is available on GenBank. Datasets, R scripts and trees are available on Dryad (https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.tmpg4f56k).SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL : APPENDIX S1. Morphological characters list and their corresponding states used in this study. FIGURE S1. Fifty percent majority rule consensus tree resulting from Bayesian analysis of the combined (COI, CAD, 16S, 28S and 18S) with PP, MP and MLB given, respectively. Dashes (-) on nodes indicate weak/no support. Letters below branches indicate the clade's name.
FIGURE S2. The single most parsimonious tree of the combined morphological/molecular concatenated dataset with bootstrap support values on each branch. Dashes (-) on branches indicate weak/no support. TABLE S1. Species included in this study, with collection locality and GenBank accession numbers.
TABLE S2. Primers used for PCR amplification.
TABLE S3. Estimated model parameters for COI, 16S, 28S 18S and CAD for Afroptera using JMODELTEST.The lacewing genus Afroptera Abdalla & Mansell (Neuroptera: Nemopteridae: Nemopterinae) is endemic to southern Africa, predominantly found in the Fynbos and Succulent Karoo biomes. The taxonomy of the genus has been recently resolved. However, the monophyly and evolutionary history of the genus has never been addressed. This study employs an integrative phylogenetic approach, by incorporating three ribosomal genes (16S, 28S and 18S) and two protein-coding genes (cytochrome oxidase subunit I and carbamoyl-phosphate synthetase-aspartate transcarbamoylase-dihydroorotase), and morphological data to examine the monophyly and historical biogeography of Afroptera. We use Bayesian, parsimony and maximum likelihood phylogenetic methods to assess the monophyly and relatedness of Afroptera within the Nemopterinae. We also use ancestral range reconstruction and diversification analysis to infer the historical biogeography of the genus. Our analyses reveal the genus as a monophyletic lineage. The genus Afroptera originated during the Pliocene (5.24–3.13 Mya) in a desert environment, experiencing rapid speciation during the Pleistocene, primarily within the Fynbos and Succulent biomes; and secondarily dispersed into the Nama Karoo and Savannah (Kalahari) biomes. The current distribution patterns of Afroptera species likely stem from intensified aridification in the southwest during the Plio-Pleistocene, consistent with the dry-adapted nature of Afroptera's ancestors. Therefore, our findings suggest a climatically driven diversification model for the genus Afroptera.National Research Foundation (NRF), South Africa.http://wileyonlinelibrary.com/journal/syenhj2024Zoology and EntomologySDG-15:Life on lan
Effectiveness of combined targeted and hormonal therapies for post-menopausal women with hormone receptor-positive and HER2-negative advanced breast cancer : a systematic review and meta-analysis of RCTs
Full text linkAVAILABILITY OF DATA AND MATERIALS : All study data will be archived on Figshare for future reference and/or reanalysis.OBJECTIVE : we aim to synthesize available evidence on the effectiveness of hormonal plus targeted therapies for post-menopausal women with hormone receptor-positive and HER2-negative advanced breast cancer.
DATA SOURCES AND METHODS :
We searched the following databases: Medline, PubMed, Cochrane Library, CINAHL, Web of Science, Scopus, and African Journal. Only studies that investigated the effectiveness of hormonal therapy combined with targeted therapy for HR+/HER2- advanced breast cancer treatment were included. The outcomes were progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS) and objective response rate (ORR). A random-effect meta-analysis model was employed. Statistical analysis was performed using Comprehensive Meta-analysis version 3.
RESULTS : 24 studies were included in the meta-analysis with an overall sample size of 7635. Median PFS, OS and ORR were found to be significantly increased in the combination group compared to hormonal monotherapy [SMD = 6.072 (95% CI = 3.785–8.360), p < 0.001], [SMD = 1.614 (95% CI = 0.139–3.089), p = 0.032] and [OR = 1.584 (CI 1.134–2.213), p = 0.007] respectively. Subgroup analysis showed a significant difference in PFS and ORR between patients who received “hormonal therapy + CDK4/6 inhibitors” vs hormonal therapy only [SMD = 6.015 (CI 3.069–8.960), p < 0.001], (OR = 1.828 (CI 1.030–3.243), p = 0.039] respectively.
CONCUSION : Compared with hormonal monotherapy, targeted plus hormonal therapy significantly improves PFS, OS and ORR in postmenopausal women with HR+/HER2- advanced breast cancer.https://journals.sagepub.com/home/OPPhj2024PhysiotherapySDG-03:Good heatlh and well-bein
The crime drop in South Africa : an exploratory research note
Full text linkDATA AVAILABILITY :
The data that support the findings of this study are available on request from the corresponding author.Research examining the crime drop has become increasingly popular with a plethora of studies showing how crime has declined since the 1990s. The vast majority of this research has, however, emanated from the United States and other ‘Western’ countries. In this study, we undertook a national-level analysis of crime trends in South Africa from 2010 to 2019 using official police data. Results showed that crime did drop marginally in the country over the study period although there is substantial variability in crime decline by crime type and geography. Moreover, various socio-demographic characteristics, such as income inequality, were found to possibly influence the temporal trends of crime in the country observed. These findings underscore the importance of context-specific analyses in understanding decadal crime trends and highlight the need for targeted, geographically nuanced approaches to crime prevention in South Africa.Open access funding provided by University of Pretoria.https://link.springer.com/journal/41284hj2024Geography, Geoinformatics and MeteorologySDG-16:Peace,justice and strong institution
Snow sports-specific extension of the IOC consensus statement: methods for recording and reporting epidemiological data on injury and illness in sports
Full text linkThe International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) consensus statement on ‘methods for recording and reporting of epidemiological data on injury and illness in sport’ recommended standardising methods to advance data collection and reporting consistency. However, additional aspects need to be considered when these methods are applied to specific sports settings. Therefore, we have developed a snow sports-specific extension of the IOC statement to promote the harmonisation of injury and illness registration methods among athletes of all levels and categories in the different disciplines governed by the International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS), which is also applicable to other related snow sports such as biathlon, ski mountaineering, and to some extent, para snow sports. The panel was selected with the aim of representing as many different areas of expertise/backgrounds, perspectives and diversity as possible, and all members were assigned to thematic subgroups based on their profiles. After panel formation, all members were provided with an initial draft of this extension, which was used as a basis for discussion of aspects specific to the discipline, application context, level and sex within their snow sports subgroup topic. The outcomes were then aligned with the IOC’s existing consensus recommendations and incorporated into a preliminary manuscript draft. The final version of this snow sports-specific extension was developed and approved in two iterative rounds of manuscript revisions by all consensus panel members and a final meeting to clarify open discussion points. This snow sports-specific extension of the IOC statement is intended to guide researchers, international and national sports governing bodies, and other entities recording and reporting epidemiological data in snow sports to help standardise data from different sources for comparison and future research.The International Ski and Snowboard Federation
(FIS) as part of the Athlete Health Unit (AHU) framework project "Athlete Health
Protection".https://bjsm.bmj.com/hj2024Sports MedicineSDG-03:Good heatlh and well-bein