Tag: nevin manimala

Psychol Sport Exerc. 2023 Mar;65:102366. doi: 10.1016/j.psychsport.2022.102366. Epub 2022 Dec 22.

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study was to examine the interactive effects of dispositional mindfulness and visualized PETTLEP imagery training on basketball mid-range shooting performance and retention. Seventy-three participants (M age = 20.32 ± 1.09) with high/low dispositional mindfulness (high n = 35; low n = 38) selected out of 302 college students were randomly assigned into the following six groups: (a) high mindfulness internal imagery (H-II, n = 13); (b) high mindfulness external imagery (H-EI, n = 11); (c) high mindfulness control (H-CO, n = 11); (d) low mindfulness internal imagery (L-II, n = 13); (e) low mindfulness external imagery (L-EI, n = 12); and (f) low mindfulness control (L-CO, n = 13). Participants engaged in a pretest to measure their basketball shooting performance, then participated in a 6-week (3 times/per-week) intervention, plus a posttest and retention test. A three-way 2 (high/low mindfulness) X 3 (treatments: internal-, external imagery, and control) X 3 (measurement time: pretest, posttest, and retention) mixed ANOVA statistical analysis found dispositional mindfulness interacted with treatments and measurement time. The main effects showed high dispositional mindfulness performed better than low dispositional mindfulness, and internal imagery training performed better than external imagery training on mid-range basketball performance at retention. The 3-way interaction indicated that when using either internal or external imagery, high dispositional mindfulness performed better than low mindfulness on retention but not posttest. For 2-way interaction, high dispositional mindfulness performed better than low dispositional mindfulness on retention but not posttest. Our results extended current knowledge on sport imagery and dispositional mindfulness and gained several theoretical implications for researchers. The limitations, future research directions, and practical implications were also discussed.

PMID:37665838 | DOI:10.1016/j.psychsport.2022.102366

Psychol Sport Exerc. 2023 Mar;65:102347. doi: 10.1016/j.psychsport.2022.102347. Epub 2022 Dec 2.

ABSTRACT

In double refereeing, agreement between referees is fundamental for the achievement of a flawless and smooth refereeing activity. Nonetheless, the agreeement can be affected by several external and internal factors, with a negative impact on the consistency of the refereeing and the fluidity of the game. The referee’s Decision Threshold (DT) is the limit above which the evidence of a foul results in the call of an infraction by the referee. It represents the individual refereeing style, and it is one of the factors that can contribute to low agreement between the referees. We present an application of a new Bayesian procedure to estimate referee’s DT in a typical refereeing task. To this end, 56 italian professional handball (FIGH) referees were asked to evaluate 96 potential foul plays, belonging to four different infraction types: 7-m throw, passive play, offensive foul, disciplinary sanctions. The proposed method provides information about: (i) referee’s individual DT; (ii) the agreement between pairs of referees (i.e., one-to-one); (iii) the agreement between each referee and all the other referees (i.e., one-to-total); (iv) the agreement between each referee and a reference referee (i.e., one-to-expert); (v) the proportion of agreement between the referees and a reference referee for each potential foul play. Sport federations would profit by this procedure in different ways: by using the information about the DT to train referees, by detecting referees with a low agreement with their colleagues or with the reference referee, by focusing training on specific plays to improve the arbitration class internal consistency.

PMID:37665830 | DOI:10.1016/j.psychsport.2022.102347

Psychol Sport Exerc. 2023 Jan;64:102341. doi: 10.1016/j.psychsport.2022.102341. Epub 2022 Nov 24.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: Athlete burnout is a maladaptive outcome that is potentially detrimental for performance and wellbeing. Cross-sectional evidence suggests that mindfulness might be associated with athlete burnout via experiential avoidance and cognitive fusion. In the current study, we extend knowledge of these hypothesized mediational pathways using a longitudinal design.

METHODS: Data was collected at three occasions with a three-month interval. A final sample of 280 elite Chinese athletes aged 15-32 years (M_age = 19.13; SD = 2.92; Female = 130) reported their mindfulness at Time 1, experiential avoidance and cognitive fusion at Time 2, and athlete burnout at Time 3. Structural equation modelling was adopted to examine the mediating roles of experiential avoidance and cognitive fusion on the effects from mindfulness to athlete burnout.

RESULTS: We found statistically meaningful directs effects from mindfulness (Time 1) to experiential avoidance and cognitive fusion (Time 2), which in turn influenced athlete burnout (Time 3). However, the direct effect from mindfulness at Time 1 to athlete burnout at Time 3 was non-significant. The indirect effects of experiential avoidance and cognitive fusion on the effects from mindfulness to athlete burnout were significant, providing longitudinal evidence that these two variables contribute meaningfully to the mindfulness-burnout pathway.

CONCLUSION: With initial evidence for the mediating effects of experiential avoidance and cognitive fusion, future studies could consider using experimental designs to examine the potential changing mechanisms of mindfulness on reducing athlete burnout.

PMID:37665822 | DOI:10.1016/j.psychsport.2022.102341

Psychol Sport Exerc. 2023 Jan;64:102325. doi: 10.1016/j.psychsport.2022.102325. Epub 2022 Oct 26.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) experience general and PCOS-specific barriers that limit their engagement with exercise and contribute to high attrition from exercise programs, hindering the potential benefits of exercise to address their increased cardio-metabolic risk. A positive remembered affective response can predict future intentions and adherence to exercise prescription.

OBJECTIVES: To compare the longitudinal changes in remembered affect to high-intensity interval training (HIIT) and moderate-intensity continuous training (MICT) in women with PCOS and to determine whether longitudinal changes in remembered affect are correlated with changes in fitness, body mass index, adherence and exercise enjoyment.

METHODS: Physically inactive, overweight women with PCOS were randomly assigned to 12 weeks of either HIIT (n = 15) or MICT (n = 14) (3 sessions per week). Remembered affective valence (Feeling Scale) was collected after each exercise session. Cardiorespiratory fitness (VO_2peak) was assessed at baseline and post-intervention. Exercise enjoyment was assessed post-intervention.

RESULTS: The longitudinal changes in the remembered affect were more positive in the HIIT group compared to MICT (β = 0.017, p = 0.047). HIIT was also considered more enjoyable than MICT (p = 0.002). Adherence was high in both groups (>90%). We found a moderate correlation with longitudinal changes between the remembered affect and change in fitness (r_s = 0.398) and exercise enjoyment (r_s = 0.376) using the combined group, however, these were not statistically significant (p = 0.054 and p = 0.064, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS: HIIT demonstrated a more positive longitudinal remembered affective response and greater exercise enjoyment compared to MICT in overweight women with PCOS.

PMID:37665810 | DOI:10.1016/j.psychsport.2022.102325

Psychol Sport Exerc. 2023 Jan;64:102314. doi: 10.1016/j.psychsport.2022.102314. Epub 2022 Oct 14.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: To date, few digital behavior change interventions for weight loss maintenance focusing on long-term physical activity promotion have used a sound intervention design grounded on a logic model underpinned by behavior change theories. The current study is a secondary analysis of the weight loss maintenance NoHoW trial and investigated putative mediators of device-measured long-term physical activity levels (six to 12 months) in the context of a digital intervention.

METHODS: A subsample of 766 participants (Age = 46.2 ± 11.4 years; 69.1% female; original NoHoW sample: 1627 participants) completed all questionnaires on motivational and self-regulatory variables and had all device-measured physical activity data available for zero, six and 12 months. We examined the direct and indirect effects of Virtual Care Climate on post intervention changes in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity and number of steps (six to 12 months) through changes in the theory-driven motivational and self-regulatory mechanisms of action during the intervention period (zero to six months), as conceptualized in the logic model.

RESULTS: Model 1 tested the mediation processes on Steps and presented a poor fit to the data. Model 2 tested mediation processes on moderate-to-vigorous physical activity and presented poor fit to the data. Simplified models were also tested considering the autonomous motivation and the controlled motivation variables independently. These changes yielded good results and both models presented very good fit to the data for both outcome variables. Percentage of explained variance was negligible for all models. No direct or indirect effects were found from Virtual Care Climate to long term change in outcomes. Indirect effects occurred only between the sequential paths of the theory-driven mediators.

CONCLUSION: This was one of the first attempts to test a serial mediation model considering psychological mechanisms of change and device-measured physical activity in a 12-month longitudinal trial. The model explained a small proportion of variance in post intervention changes in physical activity. We found different pathways of influence on theory-driven motivational and self-regulatory mechanisms but limited evidence that these constructs impacted on actual behavior change. New approaches to test these relationships are needed. Challenges and several alternatives are discussed.

TRIAL REGISTRATION: ISRCTN Registry, ISRCTN88405328. Registered December 16, 2016, https://www.isrctn.com/ISRCTN88405328.

PMID:37665806 | DOI:10.1016/j.psychsport.2022.102314

Pediatr Emerg Care. 2023 Sep 5. doi: 10.1097/PEC.0000000000003034. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: We sought to investigate the disease outcomes and predictors of severe outcomes among children infected with the Delta variant of SARS-CoV-2 compared with pre-Delta strains.

METHODS: Single-center retrospective cohort study in an emergency department located within an urban academic children’s hospital. Patients included children (0-18 years) who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2. Main outcomes measured include need for hospital admission or COVID-directed therapies.

RESULTS: There was a trend toward decreased hospital admission and no significant difference in the severity of outcomes in the Delta cohort relative to the pre-Delta cohort. The Delta cohort had lower odds of hospital admission (odds ratio [OR], 0.79; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.51-1.23), but the result was not statistically significant. Logistic regression analyses showed that overall, age 1 to 4 years (OR, 2.35; 95% CI, 1.23-4.57) and public insurance (OR, 1.80, 95% CI, 1.08-3.01) were predictors of hospital admission. Within the Delta cohort, the presence of any comorbidity increased the odds of admission (OR, 2.52; 95% CI, 1.09-6.04). Black children had lower odds of admission than white children (overall OR, 0.53; 95% CI, 0.31-0.90; pre-Delta OR, 0.50; 95% CI, 0.26-0.95).

CONCLUSIONS: The severity of measured disease outcomes was similar in pediatric patients when comparing children infected with the pre-Delta and Delta variants of SARS-CoV-2, even among children with comorbidities once adjusting for acuity.Ongoing research is essential to determine disease severity and risk for children with comorbidities because SARS-CoV-2 continues to mutate, including with Omicron subvariants.

PMID:37665790 | DOI:10.1097/PEC.0000000000003034

JMIR Public Health Surveill. 2023 Sep 4;9:e48630. doi: 10.2196/48630.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is proven to prevent HIV infection. However, PrEP uptake to date has been limited and inequitable. Analyzing the readability of existing PrEP-related information is important to understand the potential impact of available PrEP information on PrEP uptake and identify opportunities to improve PrEP-related education and communication.

OBJECTIVE: We examined the readability of web-based PrEP information identified using search engines and on Twitter. We investigated the readability of web-based PrEP documents, stratified by how the PrEP document was obtained on the web, information source, document format and communication method, PrEP modality, and intended audience.

METHODS: Web-based PrEP information in English was systematically identified using search engines and the Twitter API. We manually verified and categorized results and described the method used to obtain information, information source, document format and communication method, PrEP modality, and intended audience. Documents were converted to plain text for the analysis and readability of the collected documents was assessed using 4 readability indices. We conducted pairwise comparisons of readability based on how the PrEP document was obtained on the web, information source, document format, communication method, PrEP modality, and intended audience, then adjusted for multiple comparisons.

RESULTS: A total of 463 documents were identified. Overall, the readability of web-based PrEP information was at a higher level (10.2-grade reading level) than what is recommended for health information provided to the general public (ninth-grade reading level, as suggested by the Department of Health and Human Services). Brochures (n=33, 7% of all identified resources) were the only type of PrEP materials that achieved the target of ninth-grade reading level.

CONCLUSIONS: Web-based PrEP information is often written at a complex level for potential and current PrEP users to understand. This may hinder PrEP uptake for some people who would benefit from it. The readability of PrEP-related information found on the web should be improved to align more closely with health communication guidelines for reading level to improve access to this important health information, facilitate informed decisions by those with a need for PrEP, and realize national prevention goals for PrEP uptake and reducing new HIV infections in the United States.

PMID:37665621 | DOI:10.2196/48630

JMIR Med Educ. 2023 Sep 4;9:e46482. doi: 10.2196/46482.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Large language models (LLMs) have demonstrated significant potential in diverse domains, including medicine. Nonetheless, there is a scarcity of studies examining their performance in medical examinations, especially those conducted in languages other than English, and in direct comparison with medical students. Analyzing the performance of LLMs in state medical examinations can provide insights into their capabilities and limitations and evaluate their potential role in medical education and examination preparation.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to assess and compare the performance of 3 LLMs, GPT-4, Bing, and GPT-3.5-Turbo, in the German Medical State Examinations of 2022 and to evaluate their performance relative to that of medical students.

METHODS: The LLMs were assessed on a total of 630 questions from the spring and fall German Medical State Examinations of 2022. The performance was evaluated with and without media-related questions. Statistical analyses included 1-way ANOVA and independent samples t tests for pairwise comparisons. The relative strength of the LLMs in comparison with that of the students was also evaluated.

RESULTS: GPT-4 achieved the highest overall performance, correctly answering 88.1% of questions, closely followed by Bing (86.0%) and GPT-3.5-Turbo (65.7%). The students had an average correct answer rate of 74.6%. Both GPT-4 and Bing significantly outperformed the students in both examinations. When media questions were excluded, Bing achieved the highest performance of 90.7%, closely followed by GPT-4 (90.4%), while GPT-3.5-Turbo lagged (68.2%). There was a significant decline in the performance of GPT-4 and Bing in the fall 2022 examination, which was attributed to a higher proportion of media-related questions and a potential increase in question difficulty.

CONCLUSIONS: LLMs, particularly GPT-4 and Bing, demonstrate potential as valuable tools in medical education and for pretesting examination questions. Their high performance, even relative to that of medical students, indicates promising avenues for further development and integration into the educational and clinical landscape.

PMID:37665620 | DOI:10.2196/46482

J Chem Inf Model. 2023 Sep 4. doi: 10.1021/acs.jcim.3c00526. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

The basin-hopping algorithm (BHA) allows for the efficient exploration of atomic cluster potential energy surfaces by random perturbations in configuration space, followed by energy minimizations. Here, the taboo search method is incorporated to prevent the search from revisiting recently visited regions of the search space. Two taboo search modes are implemented, one mode resets the search to random coordinates upon encountering the taboo region, while the other simply rejects any proposed move into the taboo region. These two modes are tested and compared on a variety of potential energy surfaces─several clusters where atomic interactions are described by the Lennard-Jones potential, and Au₅₅ where a semi-empirical tight binding potential is used to describe atomic interactions. Some differences in performance between the two taboo search modes were noted for LJ₃₈ and Au₅₅, with the mode that rejects all hops into the taboo region performing better, offering a means to improve the efficiency of the BHA for multifunnel systems. However, both taboo search modes failed to significantly improve performance on multifunnel systems where more than two funnels were present in the system.

PMID:37665618 | DOI:10.1021/acs.jcim.3c00526

Phys Chem Chem Phys. 2023 Sep 4. doi: 10.1039/d3cp03092j. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

The energy transfer pathways in light-harvesting complex II are complicated and the discovery of the energy transfer between the two luteins revealed an unelucidated important role of carotenoids in the energy flow. This energy transfer between the two S₂ states of luteins was for the first time investigated using Frenkel exciton models, using a hybrid scheme of molecular mechanics and quantum mechanics. The results show the energy flow between the two luteins under the Förster resonance energy transfer mechanism. The energy transfer caused by energy level resonance occurs in configurations with small energy gaps. This energy transfer pathway is particularly sensitive to conformation. Moreover, according to the statistical characteristics of the data of the energy gaps and coupling values between LUTs, we proposed stochastic exciton Hamiltonian models to facilitate clarification of the energy transfer among pigments in antenna complexes.

PMID:37665609 | DOI:10.1039/d3cp03092j