Anxiety, attentional control, and performance : quiet eye training in Division I baseball

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Meaghan C. Sullivan

[ACCESS RESTRICTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI AT AUTHOR'S REQUEST.] The quiet eye (QE) represents the time needed to cognitively process information being fixated or tracked and to focus attention on the demands of the task (Vickers, 2009). Research indicates that an optimal combination of QE, attentional control, and gaze behavior is linked with superior skill execution (Harle and Vickers, 2001), and that the successful integration of these attentional behaviors may also combat the negative effects that anxiety can have on performance (e.g., Vine and Wilson, 2011). To advance the research on QE training in pressurized interceptive timing tasks (Vickers, 2016), this mixed-method study explored how QE training impacted the hitting performances of Division I baseball players during a pressure situation. The results showed that, despite experiencing more overall anxiety, the QE group maintained performance under pressure. A main effect for group also approached significance, with the QE group nearly outperforming the control group. However, this difference was not statistically significant. Regardless, analyses of the participants' written feedback indicated that the QE group reported greater task-focus, less distractibility, improved pitch perception, and reduced muscle tension. Taken together, these findings provide strong support for implementing QE training in interceptive timing tasks, particularly as it relates to preserving performance under pressure.

2011 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 5 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anette Kjellgren ◽  
Kristin Erdefelt ◽  
Lena Werngren ◽  
Torsten Norlander

Self-care treatments with bed of nails or spike mats have gained increased popularity world-wide; advertised as a method for pain reduction and wellbeing. Scientific studies regarding effects are still lacking. The aim of the present study was to investigate if daily relaxation on a spike mat for three weeks could induce beneficial effects. Participants were 36 individuals suffering from muscle tension pains in their back or/and neck. They were randomly assigned to a control group or an experimental group, who were treated with 15 minutes daily rest during three weeks on the spike mat. Significant reduced experienced worst pain intensity was found. There were no effects on normal pain intensity, optimism, anxiety, depression, stress, energy, or sleep quality. The participants appreciated the treatment, but their enthusiastic verbal reports of experienced beneficial effects could not be verified in the statistical analyses. The reduction of worst pain may be explained by the gate-control theory, where competing stimuli applied over the affected area produce a pain reduction. It can also be an effect of placebo or the relaxation. More research on relaxation on a spike mat is needed before its possible effects can be confirmed. No negative effects were found in the present study, but it has to be remembered no studies investigating risks for treatment on spike mats exist.


2021 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ines Testoni ◽  
Lorenza Palazzo ◽  
Lucia Ronconi ◽  
Stefania Donna ◽  
Paolo Francesco Cottone ◽  
...  

Abstract Background The denial of death in Western society deprives young people of the tools to derive meaning from experiences of death and dying. Literature shows that death education may allow them to become familiar with this topic without causing negative effects. This article describes the effects of a death education course with adolescents, wherein participants were given the opportunity to meet palliative doctors and palliative psychologists at school and in a hospice, where they were able to converse with the families of the dying. Methods This study used mixed methods and included an evaluation of a death education intervention with longitudinal follow-up of outcomes. The course involved 87 secondary school students (experimental group) aged between 16 and 20 years. We also recruited a control group of 76 similarly-aged students to observe differences. The variables we examined were: alexithymia, representation of death, value attributed to life and spirituality. These were measured with the following instruments: the Toronto Alexithymia Scale-20, the Testoni Death Representation Scale, the Personal Meaning Profile and the Spiritual Orientation Inventory, respectively. To better understand how the students perceived the experience, we asked the experimental group to answer some open-ended questions. Their answers were analysed through thematic analysis. Results The study showed that death education and the hospice experience did not produce negative effects, but rather allowed students to decrease alexithymia, improving their ability to recognise and express emotions. Thematic analysis revealed that all participants perceived the experience as very positive. Conclusions Our findings affirm that death education programs can be successfully implemented in high schools, and that they can usefully involve local hospices and palliative care professionals, especially physicians and psychologists.


Animals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 884
Author(s):  
Emmanuelle Haslin ◽  
Rene A. Corner-Thomas ◽  
Paul R. Kenyon ◽  
Adrian J. Molenaar ◽  
Stephen T. Morris ◽  
...  

The experiment aimed to examine the impacts of an increased growth rate of ewes between three and seven months of age on udder development using ultrasound and to establish whether ultrasonography could be used to identify ewe mammary structures that may be indirect indicators of singleton growth to weaning. Udder dimensions, depths of gland cistern (GC), parenchyma (PAR) and fat pad (FP) were measured in late pregnancy (P107), early lactation (L29), and at weaning (L100) in 59 single-bearing yearling ewes selected from two treatments. The ‘heavy’ group (n = 31) was preferentially fed prior to breeding achieving an average breeding live-weight of 47.9 ± 0.38 kg at seven months of age. The ‘control’ group (n = 28) had an average breeding live-weight of 44.9 ± 0.49 kg. Udder dimensions, GC, PAR and FP did not differ between treatments. Lamb growth to L100 was positively associated (p < 0.05) with PAR at P107 and GC at L29. There was no evidence of negative effects of the live-weight gain treatments on udder development of yearling ewes as measured by ultrasonography. The results suggest that this ultrasound method has the potential to identify pregnant yearling ewes which would wean heavier singletons.


2015 ◽  
Vol 118 (5) ◽  
pp. 613-623 ◽  
Author(s):  
Irina V. Ogneva ◽  
V. Gnyubkin ◽  
N. Laroche ◽  
M. V. Maximova ◽  
I. M. Larina ◽  
...  

Altered external mechanical loading during spaceflights causes negative effects on muscular and cardiovascular systems. The aim of the study was estimation of the cortical cytoskeleton statement of the skeletal muscle cells and cardiomyocytes. The state of the cortical cytoskeleton in C57BL6J mice soleus, tibialis anterior muscle fibers, and left ventricle cardiomyocytes was investigated after 30-day 2- g centrifugation (“2- g” group) and within 12 h after its completion (“2- g + 12-h” group). We used atomic force microscopy for estimating cell's transverse stiffness, Western blotting for measuring protein content, and RT-PCR for estimating their expression level. The transverse stiffness significantly decreased in cardiomyocytes (by 16%) and increased in skeletal muscles fibers (by 35% for soleus and by 29% for tibialis anterior muscle fibers) in animals of the 2-g group (compared with the control group). For cardiomyocytes, we found that, in the 2- g + 12-h group, α-actinin-1 content decreased in the membranous fraction (by 27%) and increased in cytoplasmic fraction (by 28%) of proteins (compared with the levels in the 2- g group). But for skeletal muscle fibers, similar changes were noted for α-actinin-4, but not for α-actinin-1. In conclusion, we showed that the different isoforms of α-actinins dissociate from cortical cytoskeleton under increased/decreased of mechanical load.


Author(s):  
Sahar Saadatnia ◽  
Azita Tiznobaik ◽  
Amir Saber

Abstract Objectives Nausea and vomiting have psychological negative effects on some pregnant women during gestation. Different strategies have been used for the treatment of nausea and vomiting during pregnancy, such as acupressure and psychological interventions. This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of psychological counseling and acupressure based on couple therapy procedures on vomiting and nausea in pregnant women in Iran. Methods Two hundred and eight women were divided into four groups (n=52): 1) they did not any intervention (control group), 2) they received the psychological intervention, 3) they received acupressure intervention, and 4) they received a combination of psychological + acupressure interventions. To investigate the effects of interventions on nausea and vomiting, the Rhodes index of nausea, vomiting and retching were used. The counseling period has lasted for 4 weeks. The pressure intervention on the site was conducted in clockwise form for 1 min and anticlockwise form for another 1 min. Results Groups did not have a significant difference for abortion and income (p>0.05). The effects of counseling, and acupressure interventions on severity and period of vomiting and nausea were not significant (p>0.05), but the intervention based on counseling and acupressure decreased severity of vomiting and nausea (p<0.05). Conclusions The intervention based on counseling and acupressure could not reduce nausea and vomiting during the gestation, but the intervention based on a combination of both decreased nausea and vomiting. It can be suggested to apply an intervention based on a combination of counseling and acupressure in short-time period for decreasing nausea and vomiting in women during pregnancy.


Author(s):  
Jolie Haun ◽  
Nitin Patel ◽  
Gary Schwartz ◽  
Cheryl Ritenbaugh

Abstract: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the short-term effects of massage therapy using gas discharge visualization (GDV), a computerized biophysical electrophoton capture (EPC), in tandem with traditional self-report measures to evaluate the use of GDV measurement to assess the bioenergetic whole-person effects of massage therapy.: This study used a single treatment group, pre–post-repeated measures design with a sample of 23 healthy adults. This study utilized a single 50-min full-body relaxation massage with participants. GDV measurement method, an EPC, and traditional paper-based measures evaluating pain, stress, muscle tension, and well-being were used to assess intervention outcomes.: Significant differences were found between pre- and post-measures of well-being, pain, stress, muscle tension, and GDV parameters. Pearson correlations indicate the GDV measure is correlated with pain and stress, variables that impact the whole person.: This study demonstrates that GDV parameters may be used to indicate significant bioenergetic change from pre- to post-massage. Findings warrant further investigation with a larger diverse sample size and control group to further explore GDV as a measure of whole-person bioenergetic effects associated with massage.


Biologia ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 69 (10) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hana Ďúranová ◽  
Monika Martiniaková ◽  
Ivana Boboňová ◽  
Radoslav Omelka ◽  
Robert Stawarz ◽  
...  

AbstractCadmium (Cd) and diazinon (DZN) are known to be environmental risk factors for various bone diseases including osteoporosis. Selenium (Se), an essential constituent of many antioxidant enzymes, has in higher concentrations negative effects on the bone. The present study was aimed to investigate possible changes in femoral bone of adult male rats after their acute and subchronic exposures to Cd, DZN and Se. A total of 30 male Wistar rats were randomized into three experimental groups. The rats in the group A (4-months-old) were injected intraperitoneally with a mixture of 2 mg CdCl2 kg−1, 20 mg DZN kg−1 and 2 mg Na2SeO3 kg−1 body weight and killed 36 h after xenobiotics had been injected. In the group B, young males (1-month-old) were administered with a combination of 30 mg CdCl2 L−1, 40 mg DZN L−1 and 5 mg Na2SeO3 L−1 in their drinking water, for 90 days. Ten 4-months-old males without toxicant supplementation served as a control group (C). After treatment period, detailed histological analysis of femoral bone was performed in each group. Our results revealed apparent osteoporotic symptoms (resorption lacunae, osteoporotic fractures) in rats from groups A and B. Moreover, histomorphometrical evaluation showed reduced bone vascularization (constricted primary osteons’ vascular canals and Haversian canals) and weakness mechanical properties of bones (smaller size of the secondary osteons) in these rats in comparison with those of the control group. Our study demonstrates for the first time that acute and subchronic co-administrations to Cd, DZN and Se induce evident manifestation characteristics of osteoporosis in male rats.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ali osali ◽  
Alireza Rostami

Abstract BackgroundThe purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of 12 months of aerobic exercise combining stachys lavandulifolia (S. lavandulifolia) consumption on anxiety, Metabolic Syndrome profiles and antioxidant defense (Glutathione) and lipid peroxidation (Malondialdehyde) in 50-65 years old women with syndrome metabolic.Methods48 women with syndrome Metabolic were randomly divided into four groups: exercise (n=12), exercise+S. lavandulifolia (n=12), S. lavandulifolia (n=12) and control group (n=12). S. lavandulifolia groups consumed 3 g aerial parts of S. lavandulifolia daily. Training groups performed an exercise protocol of aerobic exercise for 12 months (three sessions per week). Blood samples were obtained before and after training period for antioxidant indicators and lipid degradation measurement. Also, Beck anxiety questionnaire used for evaluating levels of anxiety. T-test and one-way analysis of variance were used for the evaluation of within-group and between-group differences, respectively.ResultsA significant increase was observed in serum levels of Malondialdehyde (P =0.004), Catalase indexes (Pvalue= 0.01), and Glutathione (P=0.001) in the training group and S. lavandulifolia groups after 12 months. Body weight, BMI, and SBP and Anexiety was decreased significantly greater in exercise +S. lavandulifolia group compared to control, exercise and S. lavandulifolia groups (P=0.001)ConclusionAnxiolytic effect and Anti-Oxidative Stress Activity was seen, so taking S. lavandulifolia along with exercises may have beneficial effects on reinforcement the antioxidant system and prevention of anxiety and The negative effects of indicators related to cardiovascular disease in women with metabolic syndrome.


2020 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
pp. 47-52
Author(s):  
I. I. Dutka ◽  
F. V. Grynchuk ◽  
I. S. Davydenko ◽  
A. V. Ushakov ◽  
E. V. Uliashkevych

To study the possibility and effectiveness of using succinylated gelatin (SG) for injecting endoscopic hemostasis. Material and methods. 70 albino non-linear rats. 0.5 ml of the solution has been injected into the anterior wall of the stomach with a syringe after laparotomy. A mixture of 0.9 % NaCl solution and epinephrine hydrothartrate (1.8 mg/1 ml) has been used in a ratio of 1:20 for the control group (35 animals). A mixture of a solution of SG (40 mg/1000 ml of injection water) and epinephrine hydrothartrate (1.8 mg/1 ml) in a ratio of 1:20 for the experimental group (35 animals). Right after the injection and in 1, 3, 6, 12 hours, after laparotomy, the stomach wall has been taken for histological examination, during which the thickness of the stomach wall (TSW) has been determined. Results. As soon as the injection has been given, the TSW in animals of both groups hasn`t differed significantly. The TSW has significantly increased in both of the groups, and the parameters of indicators in the experimental group have significantly raised in 1 h after the injection. In 3, 6, and 12 hours, the TSW in both groups has been decreasing. The parameters of indicators in the experimental group of animals have been significantly higher than in the control one all the time during the study. The indicators have barely differed from the initial ones in the control group 12 hours later, whereas in the experimental one they have been significantly higher. Histological studies have shown that the structure of stomach tissues in both groups hasn`t varied. The SG injection has not caused any negative effects on the tissues of the stomach wall. The thickness of the submucosa hasn`t been much modified right after the injection. The thickness (26.95±5.34 microns) has increased in the experimental group 12 hours later than in the control one (15.45±4.38 microns, p<0.01). Most of the vessels of the experimental group have remained compressed 12 hours later, whereas the diameter of the vessels of the control group has been growing. Conclusions. 1. The TSW hasn`t differed right after the injection (a mixture of 0.9 % NaCl and epinephrine solution and a mixture of SG and epinephrine solution) into the stomach wall. 2. 1 h later after the injection, the TSW has increased and its parameters after injection of a mixture with SG have been significantly higher. 3. In 3,6,12 h and later on, the TSW has been gradually reducing and its parameters after injection of a mixture with SG have been significantly higher each time. The thickness of the submucosa and the degree of compression of the vessels have also been considerably higher. 4. No negative changes in the structure of stomach tissues after injection of the mixture with SG have been detected. This allows it to be used for performing endoscopic hemostasis by injection therapy in clinical conditions.


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