Search Results (10,387)

Visual attention involves the efficient allocation of processing resources across space and under conditions of visual competition. This study examined whether experience-related advantages in visual attention are expressed uniformly or selectively across attentional components. Using a modified Useful Field of View (UFOV) paradigm, four groups with distinct experiential backgrounds were compared: table tennis players (TTPs), action video game players (AVGPs), aerobic gymnastics athletes (AGAs), and non-trained college students (NCSs). Subtest 1 assessed central identification under relatively low attentional control demands. No significant group differences were observed, indicating comparable basic central identification performance across groups. Subtests 2 and 3 assessed divided attention and selective attention under interference, respectively. In Subtest 2, all experienced groups outperformed NCSs, with no differences among TTPs, AVGPs, and AGAs. In Subtest 3 under high visual competition, performance diverged; TTPs and AVGPs outperformed both AGAs and NCSs, whereas AGAs did not differ from controls. These findings indicate that experience-related advantages in visual attention are component-specific rather than global, and become most evident when tasks place stronger demands on attentional control under interference. The advantage pattern shown by TTPs under higher attentional control demands was more compatible with visually demanding experience than with physical training alone. No significant interactions with eccentricity were observed, suggesting consistent group differences across peripheral distances. Full article

The present study examined how creative intrinsic motivation (CIM), creative extrinsic motivation (CEM), and creative self-efficacy (CSE) moderate differences in individual creativity in one-on-one interactive situations. A total of 262 adults completed the Alternative Uses Task and Chinese Radical Remote Associates Test in single- and paired-player modes on an online interactive creativity task platform, followed by measures of CIM, CEM, and CSE. Participants were classified as relatively higher- versus lower-performing members within each dyad on the basis of their single-player performance. The results showed that CIM and CSE significantly moderated the fluency and originality advantages of higher divergent-thinking performers in the paired-player mode, whereas CEM did not significantly moderate performance. No significant moderating effects were found for CRRAT performance. These findings suggest that individual differences in creative motivation and creative self-efficacy are especially relevant when open-ended creative performance unfolds in interactive settings. They also imply that educators and facilitators seeking to improve collaborative creativity should attend to baseline creative ability, as well as learners’ intrinsic motivation and confidence in their creative capabilities. Full article

Atherosclerosis is a complex, multifactorial disease that progresses through distinct stages: initiation, progression, and complication, ultimately leading to acute coronary syndromes (ACS). Endothelial cells (ECs), vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs), and macrophages are central players in this process, influencing plaque stability and vulnerability. Insulin-Like Growth Factor 1 (IGF-1), soluble-Klotho (S-Klotho), and the Growth Hormone Receptor exon 3 deletion polymorphism (GHRd3) have emerged as key modulators of vascular health, impacting these cellular components through various mechanisms. IGF-1 supports endothelial function, enhances VSMC survival and migration, and mitigates inflammation by inhibiting macrophage recruitment and activation, ultimately reducing the risk of plaque destabilization. S-Klotho, an anti-aging protein with potent anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, has been linked to vascular protection, with its deficiency associated with endothelial dysfunction, vascular calcification, and impaired VSMC survival. Evidence suggests that IGF-1 may enhance Klotho shedding, indicating a potential synergistic role in maintaining vascular integrity. This narrative review aims to outline the fundamental stages of atherosclerosis progression, consolidate current evidence on the roles of IGF-1 and S-Klotho in modulating key cellular components of atherosclerosis, and shed light on their potential involvement in plaque healing—an area that remains largely unexplored. By integrating established molecular mechanisms, we explore how these factors may contribute to endothelial integrity, VSMC survival, and macrophage activation and polarization, potentially shaping a more stable plaque phenotype and influencing future therapeutic strategies in cardiovascular disease. Full article

Background/Objectives: Due to their positions, professional baseball catchers are at elevated risk of concussion, which can impair visual processing. There is a need for sensitive sensorimotor monitoring tools to track concussion-related neurophysiological changes more accurately. We investigated whether oculometrics can address this need. Methods: Four Major League Baseball catchers completed an oculometric assessment shortly after suffering a concussion (Time 1) and again after completing vision rehabilitation (Time 2). The assessment produces 10 z-scored measures, including a summary score. Results: Players’ Time 1 summary score tended to be typical of a normal healthy adult (Mean = 0.07 z-scored units). On average, players improved by 1.3 z-score units from their Time 1 summary score (SD = 1.07). Exploratory analyses revealed that sensorimotor recovery was driven by smooth pursuit latency, proportion of tracking comprising smooth pursuit, and the amplitude of catch-up saccades. Conclusions: Our analysis was based on a very small sample of concussion cases, each of which was unique. Despite this limitation, our data show how oculometrics can measure improvements in visual processing following a concussion among baseball players with exceptional perceptual-motor skills. Our data highlight the risk that brain injuries in high-performing individuals go undetected due to standard-of-care tools normed to behavior from healthy control populations; for these athletes, “normal” scores cannot be interpreted as neurologically “healthy”. Full article

The kickout has become a key source of possession in Ladies Gaelic Football (LGF), with successful teams winning 80% of their own and 29% of the opposition kickouts (KO). Several investigators have alluded to the role of strategy in Gaelic games; however, none have successfully identified, defined, or measured the impact of these strategies on the game. This novel study aims to identify and define the strategies used by Senior Inter-County LGF teams to win their own and opposition KOs, developing a valid and reliable analysis system to analyse KO performance in LGF. Eighty-nine games (2172 kickouts) from the 2019–2023 TG4 All-Ireland Senior LGF Championship were analysed using NacSport Scout. Four offensive and three defensive strategies have been newly identified, defined and analysed. A generalised linear mixed model was employed to model the key predictors of successful possession from the kickout. Numbers committed and both offensive and defensive strategies used were found to have significant influences on KO outcome, with a zonal press with 11+ players and the Flat 4 strategy being the most effective for winning the kickout. The findings of the current study provide a novel insight for coaches, players, pundits and analysts for kickout strategies employed by LGF teams. Full article

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the acute effects of intermittent high-intensity badminton court exercise on cardiac autonomic modulation in male non-elite badminton players. Methods: This study employed a single-arm, repeated-measures experimental design, recruiting 25 healthy male collegiate badminton players. Participants completed five sets of high-intensity intermittent court tests until exhaustion, followed by calculation of stress index (SI), time-domain (RMSSD and SDNN), and frequency-domain (LF, HF, and LF/HF ratio) parameters at rest using a certified heart rate variability (HRV) analyzer. Repeated-measures ANOVA and effect size (partial η² and Hedges’ g) were used to assess changes and recovery trends of HRV parameters across time points: pre-test, immediate, 15 min, 24 h, and 48 h post-exercise. Results: (1) Stress index: The overall temporal trend showed statistical significance (p < 0.001, partial η² = 0.236, large effect size). Compared to pre-test, immediate and 15 min post-exercise increases were 8.24 (95% CI: 0.63–15.85) and 9.84 (95% CI: 3.07–16.61) respectively, with Hedges’ g values of 0.77 and 0.99 (p < 0.001, large effect sizes). Values returned to pre-test levels at 24 and 48 h with no significant differences (p > 0.05). (2) Time-domain parameters: The overall temporal trend was statistically significant (p < 0.001, partial η² = 0.553 for RMSSD and 0.586 for SDNN, both large effect sizes). Immediate post-exercise decreases in RMSSD and SDNN were 35.44 (95% CI: 21.95, 48.93) and 48.44 (95% CI: 32.49, 64.38) respectively, with Hedges’ g values of 2.31 and 2.78 (p < 0.001, large effect sizes). At 15 min, decreases were 31.64 (17.85, 45.42) and 41.48 (26.23, 56.72) respectively, with Hedges’ g values of 1.99 and 2.25 (p < 0.001, large effect sizes). Values returned to pre-test levels at 24 and 48 h with no significant differences (p > 0.05). (3) Frequency-domain parameters: Compared to pre-test, differences in LF, HF, and LF/HF were not statistically significant at any time point (all p > 0.05). Conclusions: Following high-intensity exercise leading to peripheral fatigue, cardiac autonomic function demonstrates a “suppression–recovery” dynamic pattern: cardiac stress levels increase significantly within 15 min post-exercise, with decreased overall HRV regulatory capacity and strong inhibition of parasympathetic activity; HRV status may return to baseline levels after 24 h. However, the frequency-domain indices of HRV showed no significant changes in response to the acute effects of high-intensity exercise. Full article

Historically, the sustainable development of education bears the mission of advancing the sustainable development of human society, and the transformation of universities is a crucial link in the sustainable development of higher education. This paper addresses the top-down, government-led transformation of local undergraduate universities, a process currently hampered by ambiguous objectives, insufficient internal motivation, and a mismatch in supporting systems, resources, and institutional culture. To analyze and optimize this process, we establish an asymmetric evolutionary game model involving the local government, local universities, and teachers. By integrating optimization theory, this study determines the optimal equilibrium conditions for the game system. We then use numerical simulations to depict the system’s evolutionary paths under various transformation scenarios. Furthermore, we have analyzed the key influencing factors for promoting university transformation and development, which form the basis for proposing targeted policy recommendations. Full article

The aim was to assess the effect of changes in both the net height and the court size, as well as serve limitations on the manner of execution of the technical-tactical actions in youth volleyball. A total of 29 female under-14 volleyball players from three regional club teams participated in the study. A quasi-experimental design was applied. The independent variables included: (a) Tournament following the standard rules, (b) Experimental Tournament 1 (lowering of the net height from 2.10 m to 2 m, no jump serves, and a two serve per-player and -rotation maximum), and (c) Experimental Tournament 2 (lowering of net height from 2.10 m to 2 m, reduced court size from 9 × 9 m to 8 × 8 m, no jump serves, and a two serve per-player and -rotation maximum). Experimental Tournament 1 involved reductions in ball control, duration of the game phases, the occurrence of actions, and their efficacy. Experimental Tournament 2 involved increases in ball control, the duration of the game phase, the occurrence and variability of actions, and their efficacy. Lowering the net height and reducing the court size while adapting the serve rules (Experimental Tournament 2) resulted in situations that were better adapted to this population. Full article

Compared to traditional offline collaboration, current online collaboration often lacks nonverbal social cues, resulting in lower efficiency and a reduced emotional connection between teammates. To address this issue, this study used a two-player collaborative puzzle game as the experimental setting to explore the impact of two nonverbal social cues, emotion and gaze, on collaborative experience and performance. Specifically, this study designed four collaborative modes: with and without teammates’ facial expressions, and with and without teammates’ gaze points. Sixty-two participants took part in the experiment, and each pair was required to complete these four patterns. Subsequently, we analyzed their collaborative experience through subjective questionnaires, objective facial expressions, and gaze overlap rates. The experimental results revealed that teammates’ gaze could effectively enhance collaborative efficiency, while facial expression is key to optimizing subjective experience. Combining both cues further acquires advantages in cognitive and emotional dimensions, leading to improved performance outcomes. The study also indicated that facial expressions could alleviate the social pressure triggered by shared gaze from teammates. Additionally, the study also examined how personality differences influenced collaborative experiences and performance. The results indicated that individuals with high agreeableness actively seek social cues, leading to more positive collaborative experiences. This study provides empirical evidence for understanding the interactive mechanisms of cognitive and emotional processes during online collaboration, and points the way toward designing adaptive, personalized intelligent collaborative systems. Full article

Change-of-direction (COD) ability is a key determinant of performance in youth basketball, yet the relative contribution of braking, re-acceleration, trunk motion, and body composition remains unclear. Thirty-two male U18 national-team level players (17.6 ± 0.7 y; 194.8 ± 4.5 cm; 89.1 ± 9.4 kg) completed whole-body and segmental DEXA assessment, bilateral countermovement jump (CMJ) testing and a 505 agility test (505) instrumented with a local positioning system. Mean COD times were 2.36 ± 0.09 s (505) and 1.84 ± 0.08 s (303), with maximal deceleration (DcMax) of −7.26 ± 0.52 m·s⁻². Paired t-tests showed no significant differences between right- and left-leg turns for any variable (all p > 0.25), indicating symmetrical COD performance. General linear models revealed that DcMax was the only consistent predictor of COD time (505: R² = 0.53, F (7,24) = 3.91, p = 0.006, partial η² = 0.31; 303: R² = 0.49, F(9,22) = 2.34, p = 0.050, partial η² = 0.34), with a smaller additional effect of approach speed for the 303 segment (p = 0.049). Body-composition indices and CMJ variables showed only weak, non-significant correlations with COD time (|r| < 0.30, p > 0.05), and neither centripetal force nor trunk angular speed was associated with performance. These findings indicate that high-intensity braking capacity, rather than muscle mass or jump power per se, is the primary mechanical determinant of COD in elite youth basketball, suggesting that deceleration-focused training should be prioritized in performance development. Full article

This study investigated the effects of mental fatigue induced by social media (SM) use and the Stroop task on decision-making, visual search strategies, and reaction time in elite collegiate handball players (n = 16). Using a randomized, counterbalanced cross-over design, both interventions successfully induced subjective mental fatigue, as confirmed by visual analog scale (VAS) ratings. Decision-making accuracy and reaction time improved following the Stroop task, likely due to compensatory mechanisms described in the regulatory-control model. In the SM condition, no significant impairments were observed in decision-making performance; however, visual reaction time was specifically delayed, while auditory reaction time remained unaffected, suggesting modality-specific effects of SM-induced fatigue. Visual search behaviors remained largely stable, with only marginal alterations observed in non-task-relevant areas following the Stroop task. These findings highlight the cognitive resilience and adaptive control mechanisms of elite athletes in maintaining and, in some cases, enhancing performance under mental fatigue. Future studies should integrate neurophysiological indices and manipulate motivational factors to further clarify these mechanisms across diverse athletic populations. Full article

Background/Objectives: Exertional rhabdomyolysis (ER) is a possibly fatal condition resulting from extreme or novel exercise that causes substantial muscle breakdown. ER has been observed during preseason football; however, prospective research has yet to characterize normal versus ER responses using a repeated measures design. This study characterized ER biomarker responses related to muscle damage, and renal and hepatic stress, after two NCAA Division I preseason football scrimmages. Methods: Following a prospective, repeated measures design, blood and urine samples from 17 players were collected immediately (IPS) and 24 h post-scrimmage (24hPS). A subset (n = 13) provided samples after 48 h of rest as a non-exertion (NE) comparator group. A Comprehensive Metabolic Panel was run on serum samples, and urine samples were analyzed for myoglobin and creatinine. Values were compared with reference ranges, mixed models evaluated time effects, and linear regressions examined associations between CPK and renal and hepatic biomarkers. Results: No participants were diagnosed with ER. A time effect was observed for CPK (p < 0.01), with CPK greater IPS (991.6 ± 560.8 IU/L) compared to NE (267.7 ± 205.3 IU/L), and remaining elevated above reference ranges at 24hPS (739.2 ± 442.6 IU/L). Similar time effects were observed with LDH, AST, and ALT (p < 0.01). Serum creatinine increased above reference values and NE concentrations (p < 0.01). CPK correlated (p < 0.01 for all) with LDH (r = 0.69), serum myoglobin (r = 0.57), creatinine (r = 0.42), AST (r = 0.77), and ALT (r = 0.38). Conclusions: Biomarkers of muscle damage, renal stress, and liver function were higher IPS, with only partial recovery by 24hPS. These findings provide preliminary reference patterns for biomarker fluctuations and support individualized, serial monitoring to identify abnormal responses and promote early detection of ER. Full article

Electronic sport (esport) refers to competition in video games. Injuries in esports have hardly been studied so far. A total of 1229 e-athletes of all levels and genres answered a retrospective questionnaire about injuries and overuse damages that occurred in the course of their careers. The average age of the 1229 participants was 23.8 ± 5.5 years. A total of 198 (16.1%) of the e-athletes take part in competitions. The most common injury location was the trunk/spine (319, 26.0%) followed by the wrist region (225, 18.3%). Degenerative and overuse injuries were in the foreground. Professional athletes were injured more frequently than amateur athletes (p = 0.006). Tactical shooter players have significantly more injuries than sports game players (p = 0.021) and MMO (Massively Multiplayer Online) players (p = 0.042). E-athletes are just as susceptible to injury as athletes in traditional disciplines. The high injury rate is certainly not due to acute injuries but to overloading and overuse injuries, with a focus on the thoracocervical area and the upper extremities. Terms such as “Nintenditis”, “gamer’s thumb” and “PlayStation thumb”, which describe injuries caused by repetitive strain, are becoming increasingly common. Injuries in esports should be taken seriously, as they can cause long-term health problems in the event of overuse injuries. Prevention is a critical and promising approach for such a young patient clientele, especially in a sport that is growing so rapidly and is unknown to the majority. Full article

Background/Objectives: Simulation-based education often lacks personalization, focusing on technical competence rather than individual student profiles. This protocol describes a study designed to evaluate whether adapting gamified narratives to nursing students’ personality profiles has the potential to support academic performance in obstetrics. This study aims to validate the integration of psychometric profiling and AI as a sustainable strategy for personalized clinical training. Methods: A cluster-randomized controlled longitudinal pilot trial will be conducted at the University of Atlántico Medio. The protocol has been submitted for registration at ClinicalTrials.gov (Registration Pending). Thirty-eight second-year nursing students meeting inclusion criteria (excluding repeaters or those with prior specialized training) will be assigned by natural practice to either a control group (generic gamification) or an experimental group (gamification adapted according to Player Personality and Dynamics Scale profiles using AI-generated content). The intervention comprises four clinical simulation sessions focusing on pregnancy and childbirth, which are managed via the Wix platform. The primary outcome is academic performance, measured as “Learning Gain” (post-test scores minus pre-test scores). Secondary outcomes include student satisfaction measured via the Gameful Experience Scale. Data will be analyzed using Mann–Whitney U tests to compare overall efficacy and intragroup evolution. To minimize observer bias, knowledge assessments will utilize automated, objective scoring, and participants will be blinded to the study hypothesis. Expected Outcomes: The study aims to establish the technical and pedagogical feasibility of integrating AI-adapted narratives into nursing curricula. It is anticipated that the personalized approach will show positive trends in learning gains and engagement patterns, providing a baseline for larger multicenter trials. Conclusions: This protocol presents a framework for “Precision Education” in nursing, shifting from “one-size-fits-all” simulations to student-centered adaptive training. The use of Generative AI makes such personalization sustainable and cost-effective for health science faculties. Full article

Assessing hip adductor muscle strength is important for identifying weakness or side-to-side imbalances associated with groin injury risk. Although the Copenhagen adductor exercise is widely used to evaluate adductor function, the quantification of strength-related outcomes using inertial sensors integrated in smartphones during this task has not been systematically examined. This study aimed to evaluate the reliability of a smartphone-based Copenhagen adductor field test and its associations with established isometric hip adductor strength assessments. Twenty amateur male football players (21.1 ± 3.2 years) completed two laboratory sessions separated by one week. The reliability of the smartphone-based Copenhagen test was assessed for endurance-related outcome (repetition count) and strength-related outcomes (mean repetition time and peak velocity) using intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC), standard error of measurement (SEM), and minimum detectable change (MDC). Participants also performed unilateral and bilateral isometric hip adductor tests using load cells to obtain isometric peak force (IPF) and rate of force development at 150 ms (RFD150). Associations were examined using Pearson correlation coefficients. The smartphone-based Copenhagen test showed ICC point estimates ranging from 0.63 to 0.83, although several 95% confidence intervals were relatively wide (ICC = 0.63–0.83; SEM = 6.7–18.5%). Endurance-related outcomes were not significantly associated with IPF or RFD150. In contrast, peak velocity showed low-to-moderate correlations with RFD150 (r = 0.48–0.63) and moderate correlations with IPF (r = 0.50–0.64; p < 0.05). These findings suggest that the peak velocity obtained during the Copenhagen adductor test may provide a practical field-based complement to conventional isometric assessments. However, given the moderate strength of the observed associations and the measurement error of peak velocity, these outcomes should be interpreted with caution and warrant further investigation. Full article