The aim of the current study was to examine the influence of restricted visual feedback using stroboscopic eyewear on the dribbling performance of youth soccer players. Three dribble test conditions ...were used in a within-subjects design to measure the effect of restricted visual feedback on soccer dribbling performance in 189 youth soccer players (age: 10-18 y) classified as fast, average or slow dribblers. The results showed that limiting visual feedback increased dribble test times across all abilities. Furthermore, the largest performance decrement between stroboscopic and full vision conditions was in fast dribblers, showing that fast dribblers were most affected by reduced visual information. This may be due to a greater dependency on visual feedback at increased speeds, which may limit the ability to maintain continuous control of the ball. These findings may have important implications for the development of soccer dribbling ability.
Objectives: Little is known about the key performance characteristics of female players throughout adolescence, and how they compares to male players. The aim of this study was to compare performance ...assessments for male and female youth soccer players aged 9-18 years.
Methods: Anthropometry, physical fitness, motor competence, dribbling performance and decision-making were assessed in 77 female and 182 male athletes from three developmental stages (sampling stage: 9-11y; specialisation stage: 12-14y; and investment stage: 15-18y).
Results: MANOVA revealed significant interaction effects for age and sex on anthropometry, motor competence & physical fitness (p<0.001, η2p=0.131-0.216), while only main effects of sex and age were revealed for decision-making and dribbling (p<0.001, η2p=0.053-0.250). Females had better mean scores for most variables in the sampling stage, whereas males in the investment stage outperformed the females. Greater performance scores for decision-making and dribbling were evident for males at all ages. These results reveal that male and female soccer players' generic performance-related characteristics differ very little at a young age, whereas performance in soccer-specific assessments do.
Conclusions: Hence, this study argues that in order to maximise the size of talent pools in soccer and increase skill development, young male and female players could train and play together until the end of the sampling stage (~12y).
We conducted a meta-analysis of the single-case research design data on the effects of video prompting (VP) on the acquisition of daily living skills (DLS) among individuals with autism spectrum ...disorder (ASD). An analysis of potential moderators was conducted, and these included VP implemented alone versus VP with additional response prompting or error correction procedures, the effects of VP across participants’ age range, and the effects of VP among participants with ASD versus those with ASD and intellectual disability. There were 54 participants across 17 studies meeting our inclusion criteria. The results from the included studies demonstrated a moderate effect size for VP on the acquisition of DLS among the targeted population. The analysis of potential moderators showed no significant differences. These results and implications for research and practice are discussed.
This study aimed to investigate the test-retest reliability and discriminant validity of the Mobalytics Proving Ground™ assessment for League of Legends. Forty participants (age: 24.15 ± 3.68 y, sex: ...male = 31, female = 9) were a priori classified into two expertise groups: (1) esports players (age: 22.98 ± 3.64 y, sex: male = 18, female = 2), and (2) controls (age: 25.31 ± 3.42 y, sex: male = 13, female = 7). Participants completed three separate trials (60 s each) online. To assess test-retest reliability, variables displaying normal distributions were analysed using intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) estimates for two-way mixed-effects models with 95% confidence intervals. The average ICC for all the independent variables in the esports group and control group were moderate (ICC esports = 0.53 and ICC control = 0.72). The average 95% confidence intervals for the independent variables in the esports and control group were ICC = 0.30–0.75 and ICC = 0.55–0.86, respectively. A Friedman test revealed an effect size of 0.11 in the esports group and 0.07 in the control group. In terms of discriminant validity, there were significant differences for 17 variables when comparing the best scores of each group. Overall, the Mobalytics Proving Ground™ assessment used in the current study can, to some extent, distinguish esports players from controls.
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•Engineering aerobic and anaerobic methane activation for fuel and chemical production.•Developing synthetic methylotrophs for conversion of methanol to fuels and ...chemicals.•Engineering strategies to overcome the limitations of synthetic methanol utilization.
Methylotrophy describes the ability of organisms to utilize reduced one-carbon compounds, notably methane and methanol, as growth and energy sources. Abundant natural gas supplies, composed primarily of methane, have prompted interest in using these compounds, which are more reduced than sugars, as substrates to improve product titers and yields of bioprocesses. Engineering native methylotophs or developing synthetic methylotrophs are emerging fields to convert methane and methanol into fuels and chemicals under aerobic and anaerobic conditions. This review discusses recent progress made toward engineering native methanotrophs for aerobic and anaerobic methane utilization and synthetic methylotrophs for methanol utilization. Finally, strategies to overcome the limitations involved with synthetic methanol utilization, notably methanol dehydrogenase kinetics and ribulose 5-phosphate regeneration, are discussed.
Research on the effects of Direct Instruction (DI) among students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) has only recently emerged. A benefit of DI is that it can be implemented with groups of students, ...which makes it potentially a cost effective method of instruction for some skills. In this study, we examined the effects of DI on teaching secondary students with ASD to answer three “wh-” questions. Using a multiple probe design across behaviors, results indicated the participants mastered two of the three “wh-” question types and made progress with the remaining question type. These results are discussed along with implications for educators instructing students with ASD.
ObjectivesAssess the impact of selective prohibition and seizure of novel psychoactive substances (NPS) supply on NPS use prevalence within psychiatric admissions and evaluate demographic ...characteristics of current NPS users.DesignA 6-month retrospective cross-sectional analysis of discharge letters between 1 October 2015 and 31 March 2016.SettingGeneral psychiatry inpatients and intensive home treatment team (IHTT) community patients at a psychiatric hospital in a Scottish city.ParticipantsAll participants were between the ages of 18 and 65 years. After application of exclusion criteria, 473 discharge letters of general psychiatry patients were deemed suitable for analysis and 264 IHTT patient discharge letters were analysed.InterventionsA nationwide temporary class drug order (TCDO) was placed on 10 April 2015 reclassifying methylphenidate-related compounds as class B substances. On 15 October 2015, local forfeiture orders were granted to trading standards permitting the seizure of NPS supplies.Primary and secondary outcome measuresThe primary outcome measure was to determine the prevalence of NPS use in two cohorts. Second, demographic features of patients and details regarding their psychiatric presentation were analysed.ResultsThe prevalence of NPS use in general psychiatry and IHTT patients was 6.6% and 3.4%, respectively. Inpatients using NPS compared with non-users were more likely to be men (OR 2.92, 95% CI 1.28 to 6.66, P=0.009), have a forensic history (OR 5.03, CI 2.39 to 10.59, P<0.001) and be detained under an Emergency Detention Certificate (OR 3.50, CI 1.56 to 7.82, P=0.004). NPS users were also more likely to be diagnosed under International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, Version 10, F10–19 (OR 9.97, CI 4.62 to 21.49, P<0.001).ConclusionsCompared with previous work, psychiatric inpatient NPS use has fallen. NPS continue to be used by a demographic previously described resulting in presentations consistent with a drug-induced psychosis and at times requiring detention under the Mental Health Act. Further research is required to evaluate the effectiveness of the recent prohibition of all NPS.
Purpose: This study adopted an exploratory approach to investigate the use of small-sided games as a talent identification tool to determine youth soccer players' skill proficiency. Methods: A total ...of 73 male youth soccer players (age = 13.3 ± 1.2 years) were subdivided into two groups in accordance with their playing level (high-level: n = 36, low-level: n = 37). Within their levels, players completed 4 vs. 4 small-sided games on a 30 × 20 m playing surface under two conditions (condition 1: 5 × 3 min, condition 2: 3 × 5 min). Attempted and completed skill involvements were analysed using retrospective video analysis. Skill proficiency was determined as the total completed involvements relative to amount attempted. Results: Repeated measures multivariate analysis of variance identified that high-level players displayed a significantly greater number of attempted and completed passes, touches, and total skill involvements compared with low-level players. Only the number of attempted passes and total involvements differed between conditions for high-level players. High-level players' total skill proficiency was significantly greater than their lower level counterparts. Conclusion: This study supports the use of small-sided games as a tool to assess soccer-specific skill proficiency, which coaches and sporting practitioners can apply in a talent identification setting.
Emerging Adults (ages 18–25) have the highest prevalence of substance use disorders and rarely receive treatment from the specialty care system. Thus, it is important to have screening instruments ...specifically developed for emerging adults for use in Screening, Brief Intervention and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) models. Optimal cutoffs for the widely-used GAIN Short-Screener’s (GAIN-SS) Substance Disorder Screener (SDScrY) are not established specifically for emerging adults. Therefore, this study examined the sensitivity and specificity of the SDScrY in predicting emerging adult (ages 18–25) substance use disorders.
We analyzed data from emerging adults in a large clinical sample (n=9,808) who completed both the five-item SDScrY (α=0.85) and the full criteria set for DSM-IV Substance Use Disorders. We estimated the sensitivity, specificity and area under the curve to determine optimal cutoffs.
Analyses revealed a high correlation between the SDScrY screener and its longer parent scale (r=0.95, p<0.001). Sensitivity (83%) and specificity (95%) were highest at a cutoff score of two (AUC=94%) on the SDScrY for any past year substance use disorder. Sensitivity (85%) was also high at a cutoff score of two on the SDScrY for any past year alcohol disorder.
The five-item Substance Use Disorder Screener is a sensitive and specific screener for emerging adults, and could be used to identify emerging adults who may benefit from SBIRT interventions.
•Uses a large (n=9808) clinical sample of emerging adults (EAs)•Uses the Substance Disorder Screener (SDScrY) subscale of the GAIN-Short Screener•Demonstrates sensitivity and specificity in predicting EA substance use disorders•Finds equivalent screening cutoffs for emerging adults and other age groups
Individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) often struggle with features of adult life, including obtaining and maintaining gainful employment. Many factors seem to contribute to this issue, such ...as: (a) access to financial resources, (b) interaction between the unique characteristics of ASD and employment settings, and (c) curriculum and instructional practices in secondary special education that may not focus specifically on the procurement of employment. An additional area that may be a factor is the paucity of research on employment development for students with ASD while attending middle and high school programs. This article examined the research on teaching strategies used to develop employment skills among secondary students with ASD between the ages 14—22. Twelve studies were identified with a total of 55 participants with ASD. A summary of the articles meeting the inclusion criteria is provided along with recommendations for future research.
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