EG Participants Research Articles

Stroboscopic Visual Training: a Pilot Study with Three Elite Youth Football Goalkeepers

Stroboscopic visual training (SVT) is a recent tool aimed at improving visual and perceptual performance by having .individuals perform activities under conditions of intermittent vision. Research has shown it to improve skills such as visual memory (Appelbaum et al. Attention, Perception, & Psychophysics 74 1681–1691, 2012), anticipation (Smith and Mitroff International Journal of Exercise Sciences 5 344–353, 2012), and dynamic acuity (Holliday All Graduate Plan B and Other Reports 262, 2013), whilst the anecdotal evidence for its benefits is even greater (Athletic Republic NFL Players SEE SPORT BETTER with the Nike SPARQ Vapor Strobe [video file], 2011). The present pilot study is novel in SVT research in its inclusion of qualitative data collection methods and its use of participants. Three elite, youth football goalkeepers (EG) took part in a 7-week SVT programme, and their performance on 10 measures of visual and perceptual skills was compared with three matched control participants (CG). Individual, semi-structured interviews were also conducted with the EG participants prior to the post-test. In general, there were no differences in the changes from pre-test to post-test and retention test between EG and CG participants in 9 of the 10 measures. EG participants did, however, show consistent improvements in visual response time at post-test and retention test, whilst the CG participants did not. Thematic analysis of the interview data identified three themes: (1) the belief that SVT improved visual and perceptual skills, notably “reactions”, “judgement”, and “focus”, (2) the belief that SVT improved on-field goalkeeping performance, and (3) that SVT was both effortful and enjoyable. The present study provides preliminary work with implications for coaching in football goalkeeping and should be expanded with future studies that utilise larger samples and measures of motor/sporting performance.

Effects of 16-weeks of Pilates on functional autonomy and life satisfaction among elderly women

The aim of this study was to determine the effects of Pilates-based mat exercises on functional autonomy and life satisfaction among elderly women. A randomized controlled trial was conducted in Caxias do Sul, Brazil in 2015, in which 61 healthy older women were randomized into two groups (experimental group, EG = 31 participants with 64.25 mean years of age, SD = 0.14, and a control group, CG = 30 participants, 63.75 mean years of age; SD = 0.08). The EG participants performed the mat Pilates twice per week, 60-min per session. The same measurements were performed at baseline and after 16 weeks. No significant differences were found between groups at baseline (p > 0.05). In the EG, the following factors were increased after the 16-weeks training period: flexibility of lower limbs, flexibility of upper limbs, strength in lower and upper limbs, aerobic endurance and dynamic balance. This study revealed significant improvements on the life satisfaction scale's score for the EG when compared to the CG, after 16 weeks of intervention. No differences were found between baseline and after 16 weeks on the functional autonomy and life satisfaction scores for the CG. According to the results of this study, it was found that functional autonomy and life satisfaction for elderly women was improved after exposure to 16 weeks of the PM, suggesting this practice helps with healthy aging.

Does subjective sleep quality improve by a walking intervention? A real-world study in a Japanese workplace

ObjectivesThe purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of a 4-week walking intervention on subjective sleep quality.DesignA prospective open-label study.ParticipantsA total of 490 healthy workers were included in...

Neuropsychological Testing in Interventional Cardiology Staff after Long-Term Exposure to Ionizing Radiation.

This study aimed at comparing neuropsychological test scores in 83 cardiologists and nurses (exposed group, EG) working in the cardiac catheterization laboratory, and 83 control participants (non exposed group, nEG), to explore possible cognitive impairments. The neuropsychological assessment was carried out by means of a battery called "Esame Neuropsicologico Breve." EG participants showed significantly lower scores on the delayed recall, visual short-term memory, and semantic lexical access ability than the nEG ones. No dose response could be detected. EG participants showed lower memory and verbal fluency performances, as compared with nEG. These reduced skills suggest alterations of some left hemisphere structures that are more exposed to IR in interventional cardiology staff. On the basis of these findings, therefore, head protection would be a mandatory good practice to reduce effects of head exposure to ionizing radiation among invasive cardiology personnel (and among other exposed professionals).

Effects of educational versus peer discussion interventions on perceived competence in adolescents with medulloblastoma

Abstract: Context: Limited documentation exists on the effectiveness of education-based (EG) versus peer discussionbased (PDG) group interventions on perceived competence of adolescents suffering from medulloblastoma. Aims: This study was conducted to investigate which of these approaches offers the more beneficial outcomes to participants. Settings and Design: In a hospital in Zhenjiang, China, a total of 45 pediatric patients with standard risk or high risk medulloblastoma were randomly assigned to the EG or PDG interventions. Methods and Material: The Self-Perception Profile for Children (SPPC) and the Life Orientation Test—Revised (LOT-R) questionnaires were used to measure perceived competence and dispositional optimism or pessimism. Statistical analysis used: Adjustment was measured before the intervention, immediately after the intervention, at two weeks after, and six months after the intervention. Results: Participants in both groups showed improvement over time. The EG participants scored themselves higher on subscales including social acceptance, global self-worth and behavioral conduct at 2 weeks compared with those in the PDG (P<0.05). However, no significant differences were found between the groups at 6 months. Moreover, pessimists did not benefit more by attending an EG intervention than they did by attending a PDG intervention. Conclusion: The results show EG intervention seeming to enhance shortterm, rather than long-term, perceived competence. Longitudinal studies are warranted to further identify targeted interventions to maximize healthy survivorship. Key words: Adolescents, Education intervention, Medulloblastoma, Peer discussion intervention, Perceived competence.

Clinical Relevance of Action Observation in Upper-Limb Stroke Rehabilitation

Objective. A randomized controlled observer-blind trial was designed to evaluate the effectiveness of action observation as an add-on treatment to the standard rehabilitation of upper-limb function, early after stroke. Methods. Stroke survivors (N = 102) were consecutively recruited from 13 centers 30 days (±7) after a first-ever stroke and randomly assigned to the experimental (EG) or control group (CG). EG participants watched video footage of daily routine tasks (actions) carried out with the upper limb in order to prepare to imitate the presented action. At the end of each sequence, a therapist prompted the patient to perform the same movement for 2 minutes, providing help when needed. Static images without animals or human beings were shown to the CG. At the end of each sequence, the CG executed movements that simulated the shoulder and elbow joint mobilization activities performed by the EG. Results for the Fugl-Meyer test, Frenchay Arm test, Box and Block test (BBT), Modified Ashworth Scale, and Functional Independence Measure Motor items were recorded before treatment (T0), after 4 weeks of treatment (T1), and at the follow-up visit 4 to 5 months after the conclusion of treatment (T2). Results. An improvement over time was appreciated on all measures of impairment and functional ability with both treatment programs. A Time × Treatment interaction emerged from the generalized estimating equations analysis of BBT, showing significant T0–T1 and T0–T2 differences in favor of EG. Conclusion. This multicenter trial endorses the use of action observation in upper-extremity rehabilitation, along with a role for the mirror neuron system in poststroke recovery.

Effect of regular exercise on prevention of excessive weight gain in pregnancy: A randomised controlled trial

Objectives To assess whether a 12-week supervised exercise-programme with an additional 30 min of moderate self-imposed physical activity on the non-supervised weekdays prevents excessive weight gain in pregnancy, as well as postpartum weight retention.Methods One hundred and five sedentary, nulliparous pregnant women with a mean age of 30.7 ± 4.0 years and a pre-pregnancy body mass index of 23.8 ± 4.3 kg/m2 were randomised to either an exercise group (EG, n = 52) or a control group (CG, n = 53). The exercise programme consisted of 60 min supervised aerobic dance and strength training for 60 min, at least twice per week for a minimum of 12 weeks.Results Drop-out rates were 19% and 21% in the EG and CG, respectively. Fewer women in the EG than in the CG exceeded the Institute of Medicine recommendations; however, only EG participants who attended 24 exercise sessions (n = 14) differed significantly from controls (p = 0.006) with regard to weight gain during pregnancy (11.0 ± 2.3 vs. 13.8 ± 3.8 kg, p < 0.01) and postpartum weight retention (0.8 ± 1.7 vs. 3.3 ± 4.1 kg, p < 0.01).Conclusions Regular participation in aerobic dance exercise can contribute to significantly reduce weight gain during pregnancy.

A Randomised Controlled Trial Comparing the Effect of E-learning, with a Taught Workshop, on the Knowledge and Search Skills of Health Professionals

Objective - The aim of the trial was to establish whether there is a significant difference in terms of knowledge and skills, between self-directed learning using a web-based resource, compared with a classroom based interactive workshop, for teaching health professionals how to search. The outcomes measured were knowledge of databases and study designs, and search skills.&#x0D; &#x0D; Methods - The study design was a randomised controlled trial (RCT). 17 health professionals were randomised into one of two groups – one group (EG) received access to a search-skills web resource, and the other group received a search workshop (WG) taught by a librarian. Participants completed pre- and post-intervention tests involving multiple choice questions and practical searching using clinical scenarios..&#x0D; &#x0D; Results - 9 WG and 6 EG participants completed both pre-and post-intervention tests. The test results were blindly marked using a score chart developed with two other librarians. For question formulation and devising a search strategy, all participants obtained a score that was the same or better after receiving the intervention (both WG and EG), but statistical analysis showed that the only significant outcomes were for the WG devising a search strategy (p=0.01) and preferring to search using MeSH after receiving the taught workshop (p=0.02). The Mann-Whitney test showed there were no significant differences in any of the outcomes (p&gt;0.05), between the WG and the EG. The statistical analyses must be viewed with caution due to the small sample size.&#x0D; &#x0D; Conclusions - There were no significant differences in knowledge of databases and study design, or search skills, when the WG and the EG were compared. Although many participants obtained a score that was higher post-intervention, only devising a search strategy and preferring to search using MeSH were significant for the WG. The question of whether a taught workshop and an e-learning module are of equal effectiveness in teaching search skills, is an important one for health librarians involved in user education, and was a justifiable topic to propose and conduct research. The fact that the results are mainly inconclusive due to the small sample size is disappointing, but does not diminish the importance of conducting the study.