Competitive Stress Research Articles

Parents’ competitive stressors in professional German youth soccer academies: A mixed-method study

ObjectiveThis study was designed to identify parents’ competitive stressors in German elite youth soccer academies as well as their stressor-specific appraisals and emotions. Design and method330 parents (Mage = 46.0, SD = 6.2 years) completed a mixed-method online survey to indicate stressors encountered at their child’s competitions. Parental self-disclosed stressors were analyzed using qualitative content analysis (Mayring, 2014). Psychometric assessment of parents’ primary and secondary appraisal (PASA; Gaab, 2009) and emotions (SEQ; Jones et al., 2005) were subsequently used to conduct a stressor-specific analysis. Results and conclusionFrequency analysis yielded 831 competitive stressors of which the majority (47%) pertained to the own child, followed by those concerning other soccer parents (18%) or the child’s coach (15%). Univariate Analysis of Variance revealed coach-related stressors to be perceived significantly more as a challenge (primary appraisal) in contrast to situations with other soccer parents. Parents’ competency beliefs (secondary appraisal) were highest for stressors involving other soccer parents. Multivariate Analysis of Variance showed a significant difference in parents’ emotional experiences with coach-related stressors eliciting the highest anger scores. Parents’ stress experiences were characterized by circular causality and interdependency, suggesting a relational approach to stress for future studies. Implications are discussed to further guide theoretical advancements in the field of parental stress as well as to shape interactions and relationships within academy youth soccer.

Influence of Intraspecific Competition Stress on Soil Fungal Diversity and Composition in Relation to Tree Growth and Soil Fertility in Sub-Tropical Soils under Chinese Fir Monoculture

Soil microorganisms provide valuable ecosystem services, such as nutrient cycling, soil remediation, and biotic and abiotic stress resistance. There is increasing interest in exploring total belowground biodiversity across ecological scales to understand better how different ecological aspects, such as stand density, soil properties, soil depth, and plant growth parameters, influence belowground communities. In various environments, microbial components of belowground communities, such as soil fungi, respond differently to soil features; however, little is known about their response to standing density and vertical soil profiles in a Chinese fir monoculture plantation. This research examined the assemblage of soil fungal communities in different density stands (high, intermediate, and low) and soil depth profiles (0–20 cm and 20–40 cm). This research also looked into the relationship between soil fungi and tree canopy characteristics (mean tilt angle of the leaf (MTA), leaf area index (LAI), and canopy openness index (DIFN)), and general growth parameters, such as diameter, height, and biomass. The results showed that low-density stand soil had higher fungal alpha diversity than intermediate- and high-density stand soils. Ascomycota, Basidiomycota, Mucromycota, and Mortierellomycota were the most common phyla of the soil fungal communities, in that order. Saitozyma, Penicillium, Umbelopsis, and Talaromyces were the most abundant fungal genera. Stand density composition was the dominant factor in changing fungal community structure compared to soil properties and soil depth profiles. The most significant soil elements in soil fungal community alterations were macronutrients. In addition, the canopy openness index and fungal community structure have a positive association in the low-density stand. Soil biota is a nutrient cycling driver that can promote better plant growth in forest ecosystems by supporting nutrient cycling. Hence, this research will be critical in understanding soil fungal dynamics, improving stand growth and productivity, and improving soil quality in intensively managed Chinese fir plantations.

Psychological Readiness of Elite and Well-Trained Billiard Players for the Main Competitions of the Macrocycle

Planning of integral preparation for athletes of national billiard teams should be carried out comprehensively, taking into account the level of psychological preparedness of players for the main competitions of the mac- rocycle. The aim of the study is to determine the model indicators of elite billiards players` psychological readi- ness for the main competitions of the macrocycle. Research methods: to analyse and generalize special scientific and methodological literature, surveys, psychological, pedagogical, methods of mathematical statistics. Results: our study allows us to determine the model characteristics of the athletes` psychological preparedness during competitive stress and to assess the billiard players` mental state before and after undergoing a course of auto- genic training. The psychological parameters` dynamic of the billiard players` functional state such as "mental activation", "interest", "emotional tone", "tension" and "comfort", which significantly correlates with the special preparedness of athletes for the main competitions of the macrocycle. Scientifically substantiated indicators of balance function with and without visual control, productivity, stress resistance, volume of voluntary attention, efficiency of attention, and coefficient of motivational, volitional and typological component of elite athletes who show high sports results at main competitions of macrocycle. The obtained data allows to improve the psycho- logical control system of athletes while taking into account their individual characteristics.

Relationship of Narcissism and Coping Strategies with Competitive Stress among Female Elite Athletes

Relationship of Narcissism and Coping Strategies with Competitive Stress among Female Elite Athletes

Competition and abiotic stress affect the size of mangroves near their geographic range limit

AbstractStudies of competition in mangroves are mostly limited to seedlings and artificial settings like forestry projects. We conducted the first experimental study of intraspecific competition among adult mangroves in a natural mangrove forest to examine how important competition is in determining tree size compared with abiotic conditions. We conducted a study near Port Aransas, TX, USA, which is near the geographical limit of mangroves and dominated by monospecific stands of ‘scrub’ form black mangroves, Avicennia germinans. We thinned 10 plots to create a gradient of mangrove cover, and quantified the effects of mangrove cover on the growth of tagged mangroves from 2013 to 2019, and the mangrove canopy height in 2019. The relative growth rate of tagged mangroves declined as mangrove cover increased, and plants in the plot with 100% mangrove cover did not grow, indicating that they had attained their maximum size. In plots with reduced mangrove cover, plant height increased sharply, with plants in the plot with 11% mangrove cover growing ~52% taller over 6 years. Canopy height was ~30% taller in the plot fringe than in the interior, and canopy height in both fringe and interior declined as mangrove cover increased. Measures of leaf chlorophyll concentration and light interception suggested that plants were primarily limited by nitrogen. Our results showed that scrub mangroves compete strongly despite being limited by abiotic conditions, and that the importance of competition was greater in magnitude than that of abiotic differences between the fringe and interior.

Comparing the effect of occupational stress on oil and gas industry workers in Nigeria with respect to age and gender.

The petroleum industry in Nigeria has positively impacted the Nigerian economy. Sadly, the industry has also recorded high incident rates and has maintained the upward trend as reported by the Department of Petroleum Resource (DPR) in their 2015 publication of the petroleum industry health and safety performance score card. The report indicates that fatality in the oil and gas industry had risen by 244% between 2010 to 2015 and that the death toll reached 217 within the same period. The deaths were recorded from 298 incidents reported industry-wide within the five-year period and the reasons are not farfetched. The workers in the oil and gas industry have continually faced unfavorable work environments and conditions, lengthy working hours, achieving ambitious targets and deadlines, workplace competition and other workplace stress factors which led to fatigue, substance abuse to keep up with work, poor judgments and accidents as the eventual outcome. Previous studies have confirmed the risky nature of petroleum exploration and prevalence of stress elements faced by the industry workers while some other studies have established the relationship between occupational stressors and workplace incident in the oil and gas industry. This study therefore will focus on the comparison of oil and gas industry workers response to the effect of stress with respect to their age and gender. The study utilized a web-based questionnaire distributed across 850 respondents selected from Nigeria’s petroleum industry with different job roles. A total of 550 feedbacks representing 64.71% of the total sample population for the study were received. SPSS software was first used to analyze descriptive statistics of demographic information such as age, gender, work-experience, employment type, and job category. The prevalence of stress and the level experienced by the respondents were analyzed using cross-tabulation and correlation on the questionnaires. The percentage of responses for each item used to measure the occupational stress factors in the oil and gas industry was examined in order to understand the extent to which the respondents agree or disagree with the questions. The findings showed that over 95% of the workers in petroleum industry experience stress from their jobs from a moderate level to an extreme level. 111 respondents of the 550 workers surveyed indicated that their jobs were very stressful, which accounted for 20.2% of the total respondents. 45.8% of the respondents said their jobs were moderately stressful, 31.8% were mildly stressful while 2.2% of respondents said their job were not stressful at all. it can be observed that 39.1% of workers between the ages of 20-29 years complained that their job was very stressful, 31.1% of the workers between the ages of 30-39 years complained that their jobs were very stressful, 11.5% of worker between the ages of 40-49 years complained that their jobs were very stressful and none of the worker above the age of 50 years complained that their jobs were very stressful. The survey also showed that 22.1% of male workers indicated that their jobs were very stressful while 9.6% of female workers indicated that their jobs were very stressful. This study has shown that workers of all ages in the oil and gas industry experience different levels of stress and greater number of male workers are more distressed at work than their female counterparts. Further study is needed with equal number of male and female participants in similar jobs roles with the same age groups. This will provide more details that could be used to develop specific stress management models with respect to the age and gender of oil and gas industry workers in Nigeria.  

Motivation and Mental Toughness among Table Tennis Athletes: Achievement in Sports Performance

This descriptive-type study assessed the motivation and mental toughness among table tennis athletes and their achievements in sports performance. The respondents of this study were 68 table tennis varsity athletes who officially played in the singles event during the Mindanao Association of State and Tertiary Schools (MASTS) Friendship Games in Tandag, Surigao Del Sur. The data were gathered using questionnaires and observation and were treated using frequency and percentage to measure the significant relationship between and among the variables. In addition, the Pearson Product Moment Correlation of Coefficient or Pearson r was utilized. It was concluded that schools, universities, and college administrators must give adequate support and provide ample budgetary needs for the varsity athletes to participate in local, regional, and national competitions and tournaments. Government and institutions should equip, train, and manage competitive stress among athletes and enhance their mental capacity to handle performance during games. The researchers concluded that institutions must also consider younger players in their selection process of the varsity. Based on the result of the study, more immature players were more motivated and highly mentally tough compared to the older players.

Capturing vote-seeking incentives and the cultivation of a personal and party vote

Electoral rules establish incentives that encourage candidates to strike a particular balance between cultivating their own personal reputations and cultivating shared party reputations. Higher levels of intraparty competition stress the need for an individual reputation and minimize the usefulness of a shared, party reputation. We develop a new indicator of intraparty competition that addresses shortcomings pointed out in previously used indicators. We also identify new, particularly intuitive indicators of ”personal” and ”party” vote seeking. Using within-system and across-system variation in parliamentary elections in Japan, we find that candidate manifestos contain more frequent uses of first-person pronouns and candidate names and fewer references to political parties when intraparty competition is stiffest.

The Relationship between Body Dissatisfaction and Eating Disorder Symptoms in Young Women Aspiring Fashion Models: The Mediating Role of Stress.

It is widely recognized that body dissatisfaction is an important public health concern. In the past, being a fashion model was almost synonymous with anorexia/bulimia, and even today, there are cases of eating disorders in young women whose ambition is to become a top model. Moreover, stress can play a substantial role within ill health via related behaviors such as smoking, substance abuse, and inappropriate eating. In our study, we examined 112 aspiring fashion models aged between 15 and 24 years (M = 19.5, SD = 2.08) from 32 different countries of the world during an international contest, and 100 students (control group), aged between 16 and 22 years (M = 18.6, SD = 1.39). The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to examine whether stress mediated the relationship between body dissatisfaction and eating disorders. The study included the administration of stress and self-efficacy and the locus of control dimensions, body (image) dissatisfaction, and eating attitude disorder. Results indicated higher scores on body dissatisfaction, stress level, and eating attitudes disorder among the group of fashion models compared to the control. Mediational analyses showed that body dissatisfaction was partially mediated by stress level on eating disorders. Especially in the aspiring fashion models, there are often many possibilities that competitive stress causes candidates to exacerbate attempts to maintain their body weight below normal weight/height parameters. These results indicated that appropriate intervention for the management of stress level could possibly defend against the negative impact of body dissatisfaction on eating disorder symptoms. The presence of skilled health workers in the field of nutrition and psychology can be extremely important in the field of fashion to maintain an adequate quality of life.

The Influence of Social Support and Ability Perception on Coping Strategies for Competitive Stress in Soccer Players: The Mediating Role of Cognitive Assessment.

Objectives: To explore the effect of social support and ability perception on stress coping strategies for competitive stress, and to reveal the mediating effects of primary and secondary evaluation, so as to further improve the theoretical model of stress coping in soccer players.Methods: A total of 331 male athletes from 22 teams in the Chengdu Middle School Campus Football League were taken as survey samples, and surveys were conducted on their stress experience, social support, ability perception, cognitive assessment, and coping strategies for competition stress. SPSS 21.0 and AMOS 21.0 statistical analysis software were used. Descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, exploratory factor analysis (EFA), and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) were used to process the obtained data.Results: (1) Positive primary assessment acted as a full mediator in the relationship between social support and secondary assessments, and negative primary assessment acted as a partial mediator in the relationship between competence perception and secondary assessments; (2) Secondary assessment played a partial mediating role between positive primary assessment and positive coping strategies, and a full mediating role between negative primary assessment and positive coping strategies; (3) Secondary assessments played the mediator neither between social support and a coping strategy for stress nor competence perception and a coping strategy for stress; (4) Positive primary assessment, positive negative assessment, and secondary assessment all had significant positive benefits for positive coping. Still, the impact of positive primary assessment on positive coping was significantly better than negative primary assessment and secondary assessment.Conclusion: The coping strategy for the competitive stress model proposed by this study has a very good fit for the causal model. It can be used to explain the observed data from soccer players in middle schools. The primary and secondary assessments play different roles in the model. The combination of problem focuses and emotional focus on the positive stress coping strategy is suitable in the field of competitive sports. Still, the relevant research results need to be further explored and verified in the future.

Effect of foliar application of flourish microcombi complex fertilizer and plant density on yield and some quantitative traits of promising sunflower cultivars

Background and objectives: Sunflower belongs to the Astraea family and is one of the three important oil plants in the world, it has a high percentage of achene oil (45-50%). One of the main reasons for the low sunflower achene yield, is the lack of micronutrient elements. Thereforestrengthen, maintain productivity and determine the most appropriate crop density, in the new sunflower cultivars is necessary to achieve the desired yield. The present experiment was also performed basis on the selection of the most suitable promising sunflower cultivars in the best plant density and application levels of complex fertilizer flourish microcombi in Dezful city. Materials and Methods: In order evaluation of yield and some quantitative traits of promising sunflower cultivars to foliar application of microcombi complex fertilizer and interaspecific competition, An split split plot experiment in a randomized complete blocks design with three replications and three factors density as the main factor (7, 9, 11 and 13 plant/m2), complex fertilizeras the first sub-factor (0, 1 and 2 kg/ha) from the source of complex fertilizer flourish microcombi produced by Shimikord company and cultivar as a second sub-factor (Felix, Shakira, Oscar, Savana, Shams, Labad, Sudimance, Monaliza) carried out in the crop year 2018-2019 at Dezful Shahid Rajaei Company. The seeds of the tested cultivars were prepared from Shahid Rajaei Dezful Company. Each experimental plot was considered with 6 planting line to length of 1.5 m with a lines spacing of 75 cm and according to the density of 7, 9, 11 and 13 plant/m2, the plants were arranged on planting lines at intervals of 18, 15, 12 and 9 cm in the three to four leaf stage, respectively. After physiological maturation of achenes and harvesting of plants, traits stem height, stem diameter, head diameter, number of achene/head, achenes of weight/head; achene yield and oil yield were measured. Results: The results showed a significant effect of foliar application of complex fertilizeras and density on the studied traits except stem height. Shams cultivar with 198.36 cm, had the maximum stem height. According to the results, foliar application of complex fertilizeras causes increases the stem diameter, number of achene/head, achenes of weight/head and achene and oil yield (t/ha) relative to the control. Also increasing planting density, despite reducing the number and weight of achene/head, increased achene yield. With increasing density, achene yield of single plant decreased, but increasing the number of plants per unit area compensated for this decrease. According to investigation the results of comparing the means, foliar application of complex fertilizeras by improving yield components and reducing competitive stress between plants at high planting densities, cause increase achene yield in sunflower. The maximum achene and oil yield were obtained to 5.40 and 2.64 t/ha, respectively, in the density 11 plant/m2 and foliar application 1 kg/ha complex fertilizeras by Felix cultivar. The increase yield in the density of 11 plant/m2, can be the result of sunflower adaptation by increasing the plant density and shows the achene yield has changed relatively little. Oil yield depend to achene yield and oil percentage, therefore, it seems that in the present experiment, higher achene yield in the density of 11 plant/m2 and improved photosynthesis and proper achene production in the time foliar application of complex fertilizeras, caused to increase oil yield. Conclusions: Now with aware of the response of cultivars at different plant densities per unit area; it seems that the beneficial effect of foliar application of complex fertilizeras can cause reduce the damage by intraspecific competition and increase the yield of different sunflower genotypes in conditions of Dezful city and similar regions.

Medium strength visual long-term memories are the most fragile.

What memories do humans forget? One theory proposes that memories stored with moderate activation levels are weakened when faced with competitive stress so that they are particularly prone to be forgotten. However, research suggests that visual long-term memories are stronger than memories of other modalities, and therefore may never fall into this moderate activation zone. Here we tested these competing predictions by showing to-be-remembered pictures while we recordedevent-related potentials (ERPs) indexing memory activation during encoding. We found that visual memories with medium levels of activation when first encoded were more prone to forgetting than memories with high or low encoding activation levels, but this only occurred if a memory was faced with competition. This study shows that we forget moderately activated memories when they are subjected to competition, regardless of the modality of experience.

315 Athlete Sleep and Mental Health: Differences by Gender, Race, and Ethnicity

Abstract Introduction Sleep is important for athletic and academic performance, injury risk and recovery, and physical and mental health. However, athletes commonly have poor and insufficient sleep, which may be worsened by their inflexible schedules, stress, traveling, and timing of competition. To date, little is known about the relationship between sleep problems and risk for mental health problems in college student athletes. Almost nothing is known about gender, racial and ethnic sleep disparities in this group. The current study aimed to examine the cross-sectional relationships between sleep disorder symptoms and mental health symptoms, further examining differences by gender, race, and ethnicity. Methods Student athletes (N = 1033) from four universities within the Pacific Athletic Conference (PAC-12) were surveyed using previously-validated mental health questionnaires. Since few individuals self-identified as Asian, American Indian/Alaskan Native, Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander, or “Other,” the race variable was recoded into three groups: White, Black, and Other Underrepresented groups. Gender, race, and ethnicity differences on Athlete Sleep Screening Questionnaire (ASSQ) total scores were examined using a three separate MANOVAs. Next, sleep-disorder symptoms were classified as clinically relevant (n=174) or not (n=733) based on established cutoff values on the ASSQ. Gender and sleep disorder differences on mental health total scores were examined using a MANOVA. Results Women athletes reported significantly worse sleep disorder symptoms as a whole. In addition, Black athletes had worse sleep disorder symptoms. There was a trend for women with sleep problems to have higher PC-PTSD scores than women without sleep problems. In addition, athletes in the Other Underrepresented race group with sleep problems also had greater depression, PTSD, and psychotic symptom severity than White or Black student athletes. There was also a trend for Hispanic athletes with sleep disorder symptoms to have greater ADHD symptom severity. Conclusion To further examine individual differences in specific components of sleep symptoms, sleep duration, insomnia symptoms, medication, quality will be reported in the poster presentation. Future studies are needed to understand whether frequency and chronicity of athletic and external stressors, explain elevations in sleep and other psychiatrics symptoms in student athletes. Support (if any) This project was funded by a PAC-12, Mental Health Coordinating Unit Grant.

Micro-distribution of arsenic and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and their interaction in Pteris vittata L.

Interactive effects of inorganic arsenic (As) species and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) on their uptake, accumulation and translocation in the hyperaccumulator Pteris vittata L. (P. vittata) were studied hydroponically. The presence of PAHs hindered As uptake and acropetal translocation by P. vittata, decreasing As concentrations by 29.8%–54.5% in pinnae, regardless of the initial As speciation. The inhibitive effect of PAHs was 1.6–8.7 times greater for arsenite [As(III)] than for arsenate [As(V)]. Similarly, inorganic As inhibited the uptake of fluorene (FLU) and benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) by P. vittata roots by 0.4%–21.7% and by 33.1%–69.7%, respectively. Interestingly, coexposure to As and PAHs slightly enhanced the translocation of PAHs by P. vittata with their concentrations increased 0.3 to 0.8 times in shoots, except for the As(III)+BaP treatment. The antagonistic interaction between As and PAHs uptake is likely caused by competitive inhibition or oxidative stress injury. By using synchrotron radiation micro X-ray fluorescence imaging, high concentrations of As were found distributed throughout the microstructures far from main vein of the pinnae when coexposed with PAHs, the opposite of what was observed with exposure to As only. PAHs could also significantly inhibit the accumulation and distribution of As in vascular bundles in rachis treated with As(III). The results of two-photon laser scanning confocal microscopy revealed that PAHs were mainly distributed in the vascular cylinder, epidermal cells, vascular bundles, epidermis and vein tissues, and this was independent of As speciation and treatment. This work offers new positive evidence for the interaction between As and PAHs in P. vittata, presents new information on the underlying mechanisms for interactions of As and PAHs affecting their uptake and translocation within P. vittata L., and provides direction for future research on the mechanisms of PAHs uptake by plants.

Slc7a11 downregulation is rapidly reversed after cessation of competitive social stress in zebra finches.

Gene expression can be modulated by epigenetic modifications, which may lead to a rapid adaptation to environmental stress. After stress cessation, changes in gene expression could be reversed, which would allow organisms to maintain their phenotype under transient environments, but this mechanism is poorly understood. Social stress downregulates a gene directly involved in pheomelanin synthesis (Slc7a11) by changing DNA m5C levels, avoiding cellular damage caused by stress. We thus investigated if Slc7a11 expression is reversed in melanocytes of growing flank feathers to avoid changes in the pigmentation phenotype. We measured the expression level of Slc7a11 at three time points: before stress exposure, immediately after stress exposure and six weeks after stress cessation in 37 male zebra finches (Taeniopygia guttata). No differences in Slc7a11 expression were detected between birds exposed to stress and controls six weeks after stress elimination, indicating that stress removal led to a cessation of Slc7a11 downregulation. Reversibility in Slc7a11 expression, probably mediated by reversible changes in DNA methylation, may thus avoid altering the pigmentation phenotype during transient stressful conditions. This is one of the few studies in vertebrates supporting the idea that reversible gene expression responses allow organisms adapting to changing environmental conditions.

Accumulative Competitive Season Training Stress Affects Neuromuscular Function and Increases Injury Risk in Uninjured D1 Female Athletes.

Previous research has shown that acute competition training stress negatively affects neuromuscular function which can perpetuate a predisposition to injury. This study's aim was to investigate the effect of accumulated competition training stress effect on neuromuscular function and incidence of increased injury risk in uninjured female D1 soccer players. Neuromuscular function was evaluated in fifteen female division I soccer athletes who played >85% of competitive season competitions who were tested for mobility/stability, leg length symmetry, and vertical power at three different points across the competitive season (pre, mid, and post time blocks). Leg length symmetry was measured from the anterior superior iliac spine to the lateral malleolus prior to Y-balance testing. The Y-balance testing measures unilateral anterior, posteromedial, and posterolateral reach achieved in single leg stance using metrics that include L/R normalized composite reach (NCOMP), L/R normalized antiorior reach (NANT), and L/R NCOMP/NANT segmental differences across time. Injury risk was evaluated using validated objective criteria that included: (NCOMP total reach <94% of limb length*3), (NANT reach distance <84% leg length) along with NCOMP and NANT asymmetries >4.0. Maximal vertical power (MVP) was measured via vertical jump. Multiple repeated measures ANOVAs evaluated NCOMP, NANT, MVP, and leg length symmetry across time with LSD post hoc testing when relevant (X ± SD). A significant main effect was found [F(1, 14) = 62.92, p < 0.001; η2 =0.82] with training stress and neuromuscular function without affecting maximal vertical power. Eighty percent of subject's bilateral NCOMP scores fell below the YBT reach standard at midseason (ES = 0.95, p = 0.02) while all subjects NANT reach distance remained below the reach threshold (ES = 0.74, p = 0.003) indicating a 6.5× and 2.5× greater injury risk, respectively. Competition stress affected neuromuscular function without affecting maximal power, which negatively impacted stability and increased injury risk.

Q-Rung Orthopair Fuzzy TOPSIS Method for Green Supplier Selection Problem

Supply chain management is to improve competitive stress. In today’s world, competitive terms and customer sense have altered in favor of an environmentalist manner. As a result of this, green supplier selection has become a very important topic. In the green supplier selection approach, agility, lean process, sustainability, environmental sensitivity, and durability are pointed. Like the classical supplier selection problems, environmental criteria generally emphasize green supplier selection. However, these two problem approaches are different from each other in terms of carbon footprint, water consumption, environmental and recycling applications. Due to the problem structure, a resolution is defined that includes an algorithm based on q-Rung Orthopair Fuzzy (q-ROF) TOPSIS method. Brief information about q-ROF sets is given before the methodology of the q-ROF model is introduced. By using the proposed method and q-ROF sets, an application was made with today’s uncertain conditions. In the conclusion part, a comparison is made with classical TOPSIS, Intuitionistic Fuzzy TOPSIS and q-ROF TOPSIS methodology. As a result, more stable and accurate results are obtained with q-ROF TOPSIS.

OGT Regulates Hematopoietic Stem Cell Maintenance via PINK1-Dependent Mitophagy

O-linked N-acetylglucosamine (O-GlcNAc) transferase (OGT) is a unique enzyme introducing O-GlcNAc moiety on target proteins, and it critically regulates various cellular processes in diverse cell types. However, its roles in hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) remain elusive. Here, using Ogt conditional knockout mice, we show that OGT is essential for HSPCs. Ogt is highly expressed in HSPCs, and its disruption induces rapid loss of HSPCs with increased reactive oxygen species and apoptosis. In particular, Ogt-deficient hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) lose quiescence, cannot be maintained invivo, and become vulnerable to regenerative and competitive stress. Interestingly, Ogt-deficient HSCs accumulate defective mitochondria due to impaired mitophagy with decreased key mitophagy regulator, Pink1, through dysregulation of H3K4me3. Furthermore, overexpression of PINK1 restores mitophagy and the number of Ogt-deficient HSCs. Collectively, our results reveal that OGT critically regulates maintenance and stress response of HSCs by ensuring mitochondrial quality through PINK1-dependent mitophagy.

An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis of a Visually Impaired Athlete’s Lived Experience with Competitive Stress at the 2016 Summer Paralympics

An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis of a Visually Impaired Athlete’s Lived Experience with Competitive Stress at the 2016 Summer Paralympics

Comparison between mindfulness and cognitive-behavioral psychological interventions on the reduction of pre-competitive stress of elite shooters: a follow-up of 2 months

Objetivos: Comparar la efectividad del entrenamiento de estrategias e intervenciones cognitivo-conductuales basadas en la atención plena en el estrés competitivo de los francotiradores (es decir, nivel de cortisol salival) con un seguimiento de dos meses. Métodos:Veinticuatro francotiradores profesionales varones jóvenes con antecedentes de disparos durante al menos 3 años se dividieron aleatoriamente en tres grupos: intervención cognitivo-conductual (n=8), intervención basada en la atención plena (n=8) y grupo de control (n=8). Los participantes de los grupos experimentales participaron en seis sesiones de formación durante seis semanas (75-90 minutos cada sesión). La concentración de cortisol en saliva se midió en reposo, antes y después de la prueba y el seguimiento. Resultados:ANOVA con medidas repetidas mostró un efecto principal para el grupo (F2.21=3.787, sig=0.039) y etapa (F3.21=52.529, sig=0.001) y también el efecto interactivo entre los grupos en la etapa (F6, 42=3.700, sig=0.005). El ANOVA de medidas repetidas mostró que la intervención cognitivo-conductual a nivel de cortisol salival tuvo un efecto en el postest, mientras que la intervención de mindfulness tuvo efectos positivos en el postest y los tiempos de seguimiento. No hubo diferencias significativas entre los grupos de atención plena y cognitivo-conductual en la prueba posterior. Además, los resultados del tiempo de seguimiento mostraron que hubo una diferencia significativa solo entre la atención plena y el grupo de control. Aplicaciones prácticas:Los resultados indican que la práctica de habilidades psicológicas, especialmente la atención plena, se puede utilizar para reducir el estrés previo a la competencia. Objectives: The objective of this study is to compare the effectiveness of cognitive–behavioral strategies training and mindfulness based-interventions on shooters competitive stress (i.e., level of salivary cortisol) with two-months follow-up. Methods: Twenty four young male professional shooters who had a history of shooting for at least 3 years were randomly assigned into three groups: cognitive-behavioral intervention (n=8), mindfulness based intervention (n=8) and control group (n=8). Participants in the experimental groups participated in six training sessions during six weeks (75-90 minutes each session). Salivary cortisol concentration was measured at rest, pre- and post-test and follow-up times. Results: ANOVA with repeated measures showed a main effect for group (F2,21 = 3.787, sig = 0.039) and stage (F3,21 = 52.529, sig = 0.001) and also the interactive effect between the groups in the stage (F6,42 = 3.700, sig = 0.005). ANOVA with repeated measures showed that cognitive-behavioral intervention on salivary cortisol level had effect in the post-test, while mindfulness intervention had positive effects on the post-test and follow-up times. ANOVA also revealed that there was no significant difference between the mindfulness and cognitive-behavioral groups in the post-test time. In addition, the results of the follow-up time showed that there was significant difference only between mindfulness and control group. Practical Applications: Results indicate that the practice of psychological skills, especially mindfulness can be used to reduce the pre-competition stress. Objectivos: O objectivo deste estudo é comparar a eficácia das estratégias cognitivas-comportamentais de formação e de atenção baseadas em intervenções sobre o stress competitivo dos atiradores (ou seja, nível de cortisol salivar) com o seguimento de dois meses. Métodos: Vinte e quatro jovens atiradores profissionais que tiveram um historial de atirar durante pelo menos 3 anos foram distribuídos aleatoriamente em três grupos: intervenção cognitivo-comportamental (n=8), intervenção baseada na consciência (n=8) e grupo de controlo (n=8). Os participantes nos grupos experimentais participaram em seis sessões de treino durante seis semanas (75-90 minutos cada sessão). A concentração de cortisol salivar foi medida nos tempos de repouso, pré e pós-teste e acompanhamento. Resultados: ANOVA com medidas repetidas mostrou um efeito principal para o grupo (F2,21 = 3.787, sig = 0.039) e o estágio (F3,21 = 52.529, sig = 0.001) e também o efeito interactivo entre os grupos no estágio (F6,42 = 3.700, sig = 0.005). A ANOVA com medidas repetidas mostrou que a intervenção cognitivo-comportamental ao nível do cortisol salivar teve efeito no pós-teste, enquanto que a intervenção de atenção teve efeitos positivos no pós-teste e nos tempos de seguimento. ANOVA também revelou que não havia diferença significativa entre o nível de atenção e os grupos cognitivo-comportamentais no período pós-teste. Além disso, os resultados do tempo de seguimento mostraram que só havia uma diferença significativa entre a atenção e o grupo de controlo. Aplicações práticas: Os resultados indicam que a prática de aptidões psicológicas, especialmente a de ter consciência, pode ser utilizada para reduzir o stress pré-competição. Traduzido com www.DeepL.com/Translator