scholarly journals Manipulating task constraints shapes emergence of herding tendencies in team games performance

2017 ◽  
Vol 12 (5) ◽  
pp. 595-602 ◽  
Author(s):  
Terence Yi Hao Tan ◽  
Jia Yi Chow ◽  
Ricardo Duarte ◽  
Keith Davids
Keyword(s):  
Longitudinal Direction ◽  
Preliminary Evidence ◽  
Sport Performance ◽  
Task Constraints ◽  
Team Games ◽  
Verbal Instructions ◽  
Cluster Phase ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Positional Data ◽  
And Task

The herding phenomenon is observed in nature and has been perceived to be less desirable use of space in impacting overall team play performance. The effective manipulating of rules and task constraints might be able to alter herding tendencies in sport performance. The aim of this study was to determine the impact of altering task constraints on herding tendencies, measured with the use of cluster phase analysis, which has also been used to analyse the synchrony exhibited by performers in invasion games such as professional association football matches. In this study, tracking positional data of individual players in a simulated pass and catch game was undertaken, with no specific verbal instructions provided to participants on how and where to move so that emergent behavioural tendencies could be observed. Data revealed how task constraint manipulations impacted on herding tendencies. Manipulation of task constraints revealed higher levels of clustering tendencies in the herding condition compared to the non-herding condition. Within the herding condition, between-team synchrony was also strong, especially in the longitudinal direction. Ball possession also seemed to have some impact on within-team synchrony. Findings provided preliminary evidence on how manipulating task constraints can be effective in altering herding tendencies in team games.

Designing facilitated task constraints for different age groups in soccer: The impact of floaters’ rules

2021 ◽  
pp. 174795412110174
Author(s):  
Gibson Moreira Praça ◽  
Pedro Emílio Drumond Moreira ◽  
Marcelo Rochael ◽  
Gustavo Barbosa ◽  
Bruno Travassos
Keyword(s):  
Age Groups ◽  
Group Differences ◽  
Width Ratio ◽  
Task Constraints ◽  
Youth Soccer ◽  
Length Width ◽  
Spatial Exploration ◽  
Gps Devices ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Positional Data

This study compared the influence of changing floaters’ rules on player positioning in small-sided games (SSG) played by different age groups. A total of 48 youth soccer players (24 U-13 and 24 U-14) took part in the study, playing three different SSGs: regular 3vs3, 1-floater condition (one floater playing for both teams), and 2-floater condition (one floater per team, with alternate participation). Positional data were collected by 5 Hz GPS devices, generating individual (spatial exploration index) and collective (team’s length, width, length per width ratio, and stretching index) positional variables. The results revealed that the 2-floater format significantly reduced the length (p = 0.001), and both formats with floaters increased the width (p < 0.001). Also, the 1-floater format presented the lowest stretching index (p < 0.001). Concerning age-group differences, older players presented higher values of length (p < 0.001), length per width ratio (p < 0.001), and spatial exploration index (p < 0.001) than their younger counterparts. The 2-floater SSG format is a more facilitated and simplified version of numerically unbalanced SSGs, which might be considered by coaches when designing tasks adjusted to the level of the athletes.

Designing preclinical perceptibility measures to evaluate topical vaginal gel formulations relating user sensory perceptions and experiences to formulation properties

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lungwani Muungo
Keyword(s):  
User Experience ◽  
Cognitive Processes ◽  
Paradigm Shift ◽  
Empirical Support ◽  
Preliminary Evidence ◽  
Biomedical Prevention ◽  
Product Effectiveness ◽  
Willingness To Use ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Gel Formulations

The effectiveness of any biomedical prevention technology relies on both biological efficacy and behavioraladherence. Microbicide trials have been hampered by low adherence, limiting the ability to draw meaningfulconclusions about product effectiveness. Central to this problem may be an inadequate conceptualization of howproduct properties themselves impact user experience and adherence. Our goal is to expand the current microbicidedevelopment framework to include product ‘‘perceptibility,’’ the objective measurement of user sensoryperceptions (i.e., sensations) and experiences of formulation performance during use. For vaginal gels, a setof biophysical properties, including rheological properties and measures of spreading and retention, may criticallyimpact user experiences. Project LINK sought to characterize the user experience in this regard, and tovalidate measures of user sensory perceptions and experiences (USPEs) using four prototype topical vaginal gelformulations designed for pericoital use. Perceptibility scales captured a range of USPEs during the productapplication process (five scales), ambulation after product insertion (six scales), and during sexual activity (eightscales). Comparative statistical analyses provided empirical support for hypothesized relationships between gelproperties, spreading performance, and the user experience. Project LINK provides preliminary evidence for theutility of evaluating USPEs, introducing a paradigm shift in the field of microbicide formulation design. Wepropose that these user sensory perceptions and experiences initiate cognitive processes in users resulting inproduct choice and willingness-to-use. By understanding the impact of USPEs on that process, formulationdevelopment can optimize both drug delivery and adherence.

scholarly journals Effectiveness of Equine-Assisted Activities and Therapies for Improving Adaptive Behavior and Motor Function in Autism Spectrum Disorder

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (8) ◽  
pp. 1726
Author(s):  
Leonardo Zoccante ◽  
Michele Marconi ◽  
Marco Luigi Ciceri ◽  
Silvia Gagliardoni ◽  
Luigi Alberto Gozzi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Autism Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Motor Function ◽  
Adaptive Behavior ◽  
Preliminary Evidence ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Spectrum Disorder ◽  
Parental Distress ◽  
Effective Option ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Equine Assisted

Equine-assisted activities and therapies (EAAT) have been suggested to improve adaptive behavior, and possibly motor function, in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). This study investigated the effects of EAAT on adaptive behavior and motor function in 15 children with ASD (13 males) aged 7–15 years as well as the impact of EAAT on the magnitude of stress in the parent–child system and the evolution in the child interaction with both the trained therapist and the therapeutic animal through the 20 weekly sessions of EAAT. EAAT were associated with greater adaptive behavior and coordination (all p ≤ 0.01) as well as a progressive improvement in the child’s abilities to respond to the increasing complexity of such form of positive behavioral support (all p < 0.001). However, EAAT did not prove to be effective in reducing parental distress. Collectively, preliminary evidence presented here may have important public health implications and gives reason to hope that EAAT could possibly be an effective option in ASD, warranting further investigation of its potential benefits in clinical trials among larger samples.

scholarly journals Measuring Caregiver Person-Centered Communication for Persons With Dementia via Video Observations

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 152-152
Author(s):  
Ying-Ling Jao ◽  
Carissa Coleman ◽  
Kristine Williams ◽  
Diane Berish ◽  
Wen Liu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sequential Analysis ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Verbal Communication ◽  
Rater Reliability ◽  
Coding Scheme ◽  
Video Observations ◽  
Interactive Nature ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Mealtime Interactions ◽  
And Task

Abstract Communication is fundamental for daily care activities in nursing homes (NHs). Second-by-second behavioral coding of video observations is an ideal approach to examine the interactive nature of communication but requires a reliable coding scheme. Recent studies have adapted the Peron-Centered Behavioral Inventory (PCBI) and Task-Centered Behavioral Inventory (TCBI) to analyze caregiver communication during mealtime interactions, but their use for coding general daily caregiving activities has not been widely evaluated. This pilot study adapted the PCBI and TCBI of video observations and determined their inter-rater reliability for measuring caregiver verbal communication with persons with dementia (PwD). We analyzed videos from a randomized controlled trial of an intervention to improve caregiver communication in NHs. We selected one 1-minute segment from 12 videos that included interactions of caregiver-resident dyads. One research assistant transcribed caregivers’ verbal communication and segmented the communication into utterances. Two other research assistants independently coded each utterance using the adapted PCBI and TCBI. The coding scheme was expanded by modifying the existing operational definitions, adding three new codes, and developing a coding decision guide. Residents were Caucasian (100%), mean age 86 years with dementia and resistive behaviors. The adapted PCBI and TCBI had an inter-rater reliability of Kappa=0.656 (p&lt;.001) across the 12 videos. Overall, our adapted PCBI and TCBI showed substantial inter-rater reliability. The results support the use of our adapted PCBI and TCBI to distinguish between person-centered and task-centered communication in video observations, which, in turn, allows for sequential analysis to examine the impact of caregiver communication on PwD.

scholarly journals The impact of hyperoxia on brain activity: A resting-state and task-evoked electroencephalography (EEG) study

PLoS ONE ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 12 (5) ◽  
pp. e0176610 ◽  
Author(s):  
Min Sheng ◽  
Peiying Liu ◽  
Deng Mao ◽  
Yulin Ge ◽  
Hanzhang Lu
Keyword(s):  
Resting State ◽  
Brain Activity ◽  
The Impact ◽  
And Task

scholarly journals Impact of simple, specific, verbal instructions on the quality of bowel preparation in hospitalized patients undergoing colonoscopy: a multicenter randomized controlled trial

2021 ◽  
Vol 09 (03) ◽  
pp. E378-E387
Author(s):  
Konstantinos Triantafyllou ◽  
Paraskevas Gkolfakis ◽  
Alexandros Skamnelos ◽  
Georgia Diamantopoulou ◽  
Athanasios Dagas ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Bowel Preparation ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Statistical Significance ◽  
Intervention Group ◽  
Standard Of Care ◽  
Hospitalized Patients ◽  
Verbal Instructions ◽  
Multicenter Randomized Controlled Trial ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Background and study aims Bowel preparation for colonoscopy is frequently inadequate in hospitalized patients. We explored the impact of specific verbal instructions on the quality of inpatients bowel preparation and factors associated with preparation failure. Patients and methods Randomized (1:1), two strata (mobilized vs. bedridden; 3:2) trial of consecutive inpatients from four tertiary centers, who received either specific, verbal instructions or the standard of care (SOC) ward instructions about bowel preparation. The rate of adequate bowel preparation (Boston Bowel Preparation Score [BBPS] ≥ 6, no segment < 2) comprised the primary endpoint. Mean BBPS score, good (BBPS score ≥ 7, no segment score < 2) and excellent (BBPS = 9) were among secondary endpoints. Results We randomized 300 inpatients (180 mobile) aged 71.7 ± 15.1 years in the intervention (49.7 %) and SOC (50.3 %) groups, respectively. Overall, more patients in the intervention group achieved adequate bowel preparation, but this difference did not reach statistical significance neither in the intention-to-treat [90/149 (60.4 %) vs. 82/151 (54.3 %); P = 0.29] nor in the per-protocol analysis [90/129 (69.8 %) vs. 82/132 (62.1 %); P = 0.19]. Overall BBPS score did not differ statistical significantly in the two groups, but the provision of specific verbal instructions was associated with significant higher rates of good (58.1 % vs. 43.2 %; P = 0.02) and excellent (31.8 % vs. 16.7 %; P = 0.004) bowel preparation compared to the SOC group. Administration of same-day bowel preparation and patient American Society of Anesthesiologists score > 2 were identified as risk factors for inadequate bowel preparation. Conclusions Provision of specific verbal instructions did not increase the rate of adequate bowel preparation in a population of mobilized and bedridden hospitalized patients.

scholarly journals Climatic Analysis of Wind Patterns to Enhance Sailors’ Performance during Races

Climate ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (5) ◽  
pp. 80
Author(s):  
Pietro Masino ◽  
Roberto Bellasio ◽  
Roberto Bianconi ◽  
Angelo Besana ◽  
Alessandro Pezzoli
Keyword(s):  
Support Service ◽  
Sport Performance ◽  
Meteorological Conditions ◽  
Meteorological Variables ◽  
Wind Data ◽  
Weather Research And Forecasting ◽  
Innovative Method ◽  
Combined Use ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Wind Patterns

The impact of environmental and meteorological conditions when dealing with sport performance has been demonstrated by several studies carried out in recent years. Among the meteorological variables with the greatest effect are temperature, humidity, precipitation, and wind direction and speed. This research focused on analyzing and forecasting the wind patterns occurring in Enoshima Bay (Japan). In particular, the objective of this study was to provide support and guidance to sailors in the preparation of the race strategy, thanks to an in-depth knowledge of these meteorological variables. To do this, an innovative method was used. First, through the combined use of Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) and CALMET models, a simulation was performed, in order to reconstruct an offshore database of a recent 10-year period (2009–2018) over the race area, inside the bay. Subsequently, the verification of hind-cast was performed: the wind data measured at sea were compared with the data extracted from the CALMET database to verify the validity of the model. The verification was performed through three statistical indexes: BIAS, MAE, and PCC. The analysis showed mixed results, depending on the examined pattern, but made it possible to identify the days that best simulated the reality. Then, the wind data from the selected days were summarized and collected in plots, tables, and maps to design a decision support service (DSS), in order to provide athletes with the necessary information in a simple and effective way. In conclusion, we state that the application of this method extends beyond the sports field. Indeed, the study of wind patterns may be necessary in the design of actions to contrast and adapt to climate change, particularly in coastal areas.

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