Functional Programming Research Articles

Linear jerk variability evaluation in measurements of motor control trainability: Could kinematic variables encompass information about strength and dynamic balance?

As the natural conclusion of talent identification in sports, talent development is the process that involves improving biomechanical capacities and bio-motor abilities. The development progress can be objectively assessed and monitored through measurements of trainability. This study introduces a practical methodology to assess motor control as a trainable factor using kinematic data. The study focused on establishing the relationship between kinematic data and changes in muscle strength and dynamic balance. It illustrates how wearable technology can assess trainability during a functional training programme. Twenty-six female university students were selected and divided into intervention and control groups to investigate motor control trainability. The intervention group performed step aerobics exercises for 24 sessions. A single inertial measurement unit (IMU) mounted on S1 captured the oscillatory motion profiles of the centre of mass during these rhythmic exercises. Analysis revealed that the amplitude of linear jerk variability in different anatomical planes could reflect core and lower limb muscle strengthening caused by training. Furthermore, the results indicated that the dynamic balance adaptation to the changing tempo throughout the training programme was dictated primarily by step width. The mediolateral linear jerk variability reflected this adaptation. The minimum instrumentation approach proposed by this study could prove very practical for the talent development monitoring. The methodology illustrates how the recorded kinematic data from an appropriately placed single IMU could become an information-rich source for the coach to monitor, assess and quantify the trainee's progress during long-term athletic development.

An Occupational Therapy Functional Upper Limb Group Programme on the Acute Stroke Unit: A 3 Month Pilot

Abstract Background The 2023 National Clinical Guidelines for Stroke recommend that stroke survivors with motor recovery goals should receive a minimum of 3 hours of rehabilitation 5/7 days a week (National Clinical Guideline for Stroke for the UK and Ireland, 2023). Schneider et al (2019) deem it feasible for stroke survivors to undertake extra upper limb practice (including group sessions) to support in achieving upper limb motor recovery goals. With staffing limitations, creative methods of intervention delivery must be adopted to enhance usual intervention sessions. Methods In an Irish hospital, a pilot project hypothesised the benefit of two one-hour Occupational Therapy functional upper limb group intervention sessions to support adherence to effective weekly dosage of upper limb motor recovery. An audit was completed on dosage of usual Occupational Therapy intervention, prior to group formation. Seven patients were identified with an average daily dosage of 35.4 minutes of usual intervention (5/7 days a week). Two one-hour group sessions were adopted in conjunction with usual therapy. Group intervention dosage was recorded. Patient self-reported satisfaction was obtained using a ten-point Likert scale. Results A total of twenty-nine patients, over 3 months, attended Occupational Therapy upper limb group interventions during an admission on the Acute Stroke Unit. The addition of two one-hour group intervention sessions supported an average actual increase in dosage of 113 extra minutes per week (36.15% increase). There was a 95% self-reported satisfaction rate among patients. Conclusion The addition of two one-hour Occupational Therapy functional upper limb groups increased upper limb motor recovery dosage by 113 minutes per week. Group intervention was a feasible tool that can be used on an Acute Stroke Unit in conjunction with usual therapy to support motor recovery guideline adherence and patient satisfaction. Despite these efforts, patients are not receiving the recommended daily intensity as highlighted by National Clinical Guidelines.

Effects of Acute Citrulline Malate Supplementation on CrossFit® Exercise Performance: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Cross-Over Study.

Given the increasing popularity of CrossFit® as a high-intensity functional training program and the potential benefits of citrulline malate (CM) in enhancing exercise performance through its role as a precursor to L-arginine and nitric oxide production, this study aimed to investigate the acute effects of CM supplementation on CrossFit® performance and cardiovascular function. Using a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, cross-over design, 21 recreationally active participants (mean age 22.2 ± 2.6 years, mean body weight 75.9 ± 10.4 kg) with CrossFit® experience completed the "Cindy" workout under CM and placebo conditions. Participants consumed 4.4 g of CM or a placebo 60 min before the workout, and the performance was measured by the number of rounds completed. Secondary outcomes included heart rate response, time spent in different heart rate intensity zones, and post-exercise recovery time. The results indicated no significant difference in the number of rounds completed between the CM and placebo conditions (13.5 ± 5.2 vs. 13.8 ± 6.7 rounds, respectively; p = 0.587). However, the time spent in zone 4 (80-90% of HR max) was significantly increased in the CM condition (527 ± 395 s vs. 453 ± 334 s; p = 0.017), suggesting a potential benefit for aerobic capacity and anaerobic threshold. No significant differences in post-exercise recovery time were observed (6.6 ± 4.7 h vs. 6.9 ± 4.7 h; p = 0.475). This study highlights the need for further research with larger sample sizes, both genders, and different CM dosages to clarify these findings and better understand CM's role in enhancing athletic performance.

An Effective Concept for Teaching LabVIEW Programming to Engineering Students

In today’s technology-driven era, the demand for engineers with strong programming skills continues to rise across diverse industries. LabVIEW software stands out as a key tool in engineering, supporting applications ranging from test and measurement systems to automation and control across different sectors, like manufacturing, aerospace, and automotive. Proficiency in LabVIEW therefore enables engineers to work on a wide range of projects and applications. This article presents two distinct pedagogical approaches to teaching LabVIEW programming at the university level. The introductory course is taught using traditional direct teaching methods, with an emphasis on face-to-face teaching and classroom lectures. In contrast, the advanced course uses a flipped classroom model, where students work independently on preparatory material before participating in laboratory exercises. The latter course concludes with a large project, which the student must complete within four hours. The article provides details on the teaching methods and content of the individual courses, as well as an explanation of the assessment process for the final project. The analysis of the final project results confirms that the students have acquired the knowledge necessary to create functional LabVIEW programs with the appropriate programming style.

General education inclusion of students with significant disabilities: the role of the school-based occupational therapy practitioner

ABSTRACT Since the passage of The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) in 2004, it has been mandatory for disabled children to be educated with non-disabled children within public agencies to the greatest extent possible. While school systems have responded by creating academic and functional programs better suited for educating students with disabilities, they tend to be self-contained environments with limited opportunities for exposure to typical peers throughout the school day. The inclusion of special education students, especially those with significant impairments, is currently not meeting the expectations set forth by IDEA. The reasons for this vary widely and have led to the pervasive restrictive placement of students with extensive support needs (ESN) despite the numerous benefits of inclusive placement presented in available research. This manuscript will compile the existing evidence on the educational placements of significantly disabled students and use it to paint a picture of the current state of inclusion, identify the barriers to its implementation, list the benefits of inclusion for all students, and discuss how occupational therapy practitioners can facilitate, enhance, and expand inclusion of these children. This manuscript serves as a call to action for school-based occupational therapy practitioners to expand their role in this setting by emphasizing their unique skill sets to educators and fully utilizing their strengths to act as advocates for the significantly impaired students they serve.

Age as an important variable that affects auditory and language results after cochlear implant

AbstractCochlear implant (CI) benefits deaf children's speech perception, language development and speech production. Early fitting of an implant results in improved outcomes. Over a period of more than 3 decades, cochlear implantation (CI) is firmly known as safe and effective treatment for children with bilateral severe to profound sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) who develop minimal or no benefit from conventional hearing aid use. The primary aim of CI is to improve auditory perception of the child and hence the spoken language. The development of functional spoken language would be the major long-term benefits of CI. Children who received a cochlear implant before a real delay in spoken language development (i.e., between 12–16 months) were more able to achieve age-appropriate spoken language. These results strengthen the idea of doing cochlear implantation before 24 months of age, especially for children with a better ear aided pure tone with average thresholds greater than 65 dB prior to surgery.The main aim is to study the effect of age on CI patients results by applying simple questioners on 31 CI children, that are easy to assess the auditory perception and discrimination as an important prerequisite for language development.Results There was an inverse correlation between; age at CI, categories of auditory performance (CAPS), and meaningful auditory integration scale (MAIS) scores. While; there was direct correlation between MAIS & CAPS scores.Conclusions The auditory perception development after CI in children being 3 years old or younger is much better than the older children which would be reflected on their speech perception and acquiring their 1st word and sentence, but language development did not differ between both groups for this period of follow up. With a need of further detailed full language aspects assessment and follow up to ensure these results.

A Novel Visual System for Conducting Safety Evaluations of Operational Tunnel Linings

Based on the lining structure of an operational tunnel, the AHP and Fuzzy mathematical models were used to determine the weight of the evaluation index and solve the membership matrix. The weighted-average Fuzzy comprehensive function was used to combine the two, and the Fuzzy–AHP evaluation model was built and programmed. According to the self-developed Fuzzy–AHP evaluation-programmed model, a visualized structure safety evaluation system for operational tunnels was developed by using MATLAB. The system’s functional design, program development, and computational visualized interface were implemented, and key codes were provided. The system can be divided into four modules: data management, fuzzy computation, predictive analysis and key disease indexes to focus on. In addition, the system can easily edit and modify the evaluation function, which includes not only the Fuzzy evaluation but also other types of evaluation functions applicable to other practical engineering projects, improving the applicability of the system. After that, the system was applied to the structure safety evaluation of a mountain tunnel, which provided the evaluation results and key indexes to focus on in the tunnel. Finally, the rationality of the system design was verified by constructing the corresponding BP–RBF combined neural network. This study provides a reference for the establishment of an intelligent structure safety warning system for operational tunnels.

Three-month functional training programme improves knee joint function in athletes post-ACL reconstruction surgery.

Rehabilitation and recovery duration following anterior cruciate ligament reconstructive surgery play a pivotal role in restoring optimal knee functionality in athletes. This study aimed to explore the impact of a 3-month functional training programme aligned with enhanced recovery after surgery on recuperation subsequent to anterior cruciate ligament reconstructive surgery. A quasi-experimental study. A cohort of 34 patients aged 14 to 24, who underwent anterior cruciate ligament reconstructive surgery and adhered to enhanced recovery after surgery protocols during the perioperative period, were allocated to an experimental group and a control group according to their eligibility, capacity, and willingness to engage in the functional training programme. The participants in the experimental group underwent a 3-month regimen of functional training following anterior cruciate ligament reconstructive surgery, whereas the control group followed a conventional recovery approach. Evaluations were conducted both prior to and following the 3-month recovery interval, utilizing the Y-Balance Test, Functional Movement Screening, and Isokinetic Knee Test. Assessment outcomes of the Y-Balance Test, Isokinetic Knee Test, and Functional Movement Screening exhibited significant enhancement (p < 0.05) within the experimental group, as opposed to the control group. These findings underscore that those athletes who undertook the 3-month functional training regimen within the experimental group exhibited heightened dynamic balance capabilities, increased knee joint mobility, and enhanced stability compared with their counterparts in the control group. Consequently, this underscores the efficacy of the 3-month functional training protocol aligned with enhanced recovery after surgery, as a means to effectively facilitate recuperation subsequent to anterior cruciate ligament reconstructive surgery.

Translation, extension, and evaluation of usability, usefulness, and safety of a fall prevention and management program for people living with spinal cord injury and multiple sclerosis who use wheelchairs or scooters full time.

Falls are prevalent among people living with Multiple Sclerosis (PwMS) and Spinal Cord Injury (PwSCI) who use wheelchairs or scooters (WC/S) full time, however, there is a scarcity of evidence-based fall prevention and management programs. To describe the systematic translation of an in-person fall prevention and management program (Individualized Reduction Of FaLLs - iROLL) for PwMS to an online platform, extending its scope to include PwSCI, and to evaluate the preliminary useability, usefulness, and safety of the intervention. iROLL was systematically translated to an online platform (iROLL-O). PwMS and PwSCI who use a WC/S full time, experienced at least one fall within the past 36 months, and could transfer independently or with minimal to moderate assistance, enrolled in iROLL-O. Usability, usefulness, and safety were evaluated through 1:1 semi-structured interviews, gathering feedback on: perceived impact of the intervention on falls and functional mobility, program experiences, adverse events, and recommendations for improvement. Five participants successfully completed the iROLL-O program. No safety concerns were raised by participants. Themes emerging from the semi-structured interviews included: (1) barriers and facilitators to program access, (2) motivation for participation, (3) program outcomes, and (4) program content and structure. Participants reported reduced concerns about falling, enhanced functional mobility skills, and highlighted the supportive nature of synchronous group meetings for learning. No adverse events occurred during the implementation of iROLL-O and participants found the program to be useable and useful. Further testing is needed to examine efficacy among a large and diverse population.

Influence of Mentorship Programs on Students’ Academic Performance in Public Secondary Schools in Imenti North Sub- County, Meru County, Kenya

Management practices are an important ingredient in an organization. They offer a unique environment needed to attain set goals, create a good public image and build a productive relationship among the stakeholders. The main aim of this study was to determine the influence of teacher satisfaction on the academic performance of learners in public secondary schools in Imenti North sub-county, Meru County. The study was based on organizational theory, which was developed by Jaques in 1951. The study adopted a mixed methods methodology where both quantitative and qualitative methods were employed. The sampling unit consisted of public secondary schools where 6 principals were selected through purposive sampling from the top three and bottom three performing schools. Ten form three and form four students were also randomly selected from the top three and bottom three performing schools to obtain a sample size of 120 students. Data was collected using a structured questionnaire. Data collected was analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics with the help of the statistical package for social scientists, version 26.0. A multiple Linear Regression model was used to model the relationship between the independent variable and the response variable (academic performance). The study concludes that mentorship programs have a significant positive effect on academic performance, as indicated by their p-values (P&lt;0.05). The study recommends that schools should ensure that there are functional mentoring programs in schools, as they have been shown to positively influence academic performance. Such programs may provide guidance, support and career direction.

Interdisciplinary pain program participants with high catastrophizing scores improve function utilizing enriched therapeutic encounters and integrative health techniques: a retrospective study.

Pain catastrophizing describes helplessness, rumination, and magnification of a pain experience. High pain catastrophizing is an independent risk factor for disability, pain severity, inadequate treatment response, chronicity, and opioid misuse. Interdisciplinary pain programs (IPPs) are beneficial and cost-effective for individuals with chronic pain, but their functional impact on individuals with high pain catastrophizing is not well established. The emerging field of placebo studies suggests that patient-provider relationships, positive treatment expectations, and sociobiologically informed care trigger physiological responses that may enhance therapeutic interventions. In this retrospective observational cohort study, we compared admission and discharge data for 428 adults with high-impact chronic pain (mean 8.5 years) who completed the Spaulding-Medford Functional Restoration Program (FRP). The interdisciplinary FRP team of physiatrists, behavioral health clinicians, physical therapists, and occupational therapists specializes in evidenced-based conventional rehabilitation, integrative health, and pain psychoeducation via enriched therapeutic encounters, fostering collaboration, validation, trust, self-efficacy, and positive expectations. Clinical outcome measures included the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure (COPM) assessing functional performance (COPM-PS) and satisfaction with function (COPM-SS), the Pain Numeric Rating Scale (NRS), the Pain Catastrophizing Scale (PCS), and the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9). FRP participants with clinically elevated catastrophizing at baseline (PCS ≥30, mean PCS 39) achieved statistically significant improvements in function (mean delta -2.09, CHI2 = 15.56, p < 0.001), satisfaction with function (COPM-SS mean delta -2.50, CHI2 = 7.42, p = 0.007), pain (NRS mean delta 2.7), mood (PHQ-9 mean delta 1.87, p = 0.002), and catastrophizing (PCS mean delta 4.16, p < 0.001). Subgroup analysis revealed racial disparities in pain scores, and exploratory analysis showed a trend toward reducing opiate consumption. Despite the known association of adverse outcomes with high catastrophizing, FRP participation was associated with increased productive engagement, reduced pain, reduced maladaptive thought processes, and improved mood. Although causation and efficacy cannot be established from a retrospective design, this is the first study to identify functional improvement in patients with high-impact chronic pain and clinically relevant high pain catastrophizing who participate in an IPP combining conventional and complementary rehabilitation with psychoeducation. These enriched therapeutic encounters may enhance the treatment process by promoting trust, empathy, collaboration, and beneficial reframing of patients' experiences, expectations, and goals.

A - 147 Patient-Centric Considerations for Selecting the Language of Procedure Administration in Candidates for Epilepsy Surgery: Implications for Data Interpretation, Prognostication and Outcomes

Abstract Objective Selecting the language of pre-surgical neuropsychological testing (NPT), intracarotid amobarbital procedure, and intra/extra functional language mapping (ESM) in bi−/multi-lingual patients is a high-stakes neuropsychological decision point. Though a patient’s self-selection of language is an integral consideration, both patient and provider must fully understand the potential implications of language selection on a patient’s data interpretation and overall case conceptualization. Method A 26-year-old, right-handed, bilingual (L1 = Mandarin-, L2 = English-speaking) female received pre-operative NPT, Wada test, and ESM to guide resective surgery targeting medically-refractory epilepsy involving the right superior temporal gyrus (STG) and mesial (MTL) temporal lobe. All procedures were conducted in English at the patient’s request with alternate forms of verbally-mediated NPT administered in Mandarin. Results Confrontation naming and verbal fluencies were impaired in both English and Mandarin. Wada testing administered in English revealed bilateral language and greater left hemisphere memory support. Following considerable psychoeducation regarding possible functional language loss in Mandarin post-operatively, the patient agreed to ESM in L1 with auditory and picture naming disruption after right STG stimulation. Conclusion Despite strong English-language fluency, assessment in Mandarin was of critical importance, as eloquent cortices essential for tonal language production may have been resected if mapping procedures were completed in English-only, as requested. Balancing factors informed by functional and structural neuroanatomy, patient worldview, and cross-cultural neuropsychology requires a tailored, patient-centric approach to case conceptualization.

Molecular programs guiding arealization of descending cortical pathways.

Layer 5 extratelencephalic (ET) neurons are present across neocortical areas and send axons to multiple subcortical targets1-6. Two cardinal subtypes exist7,8: (1) Slco2a1-expressing neurons (ETdist), which predominate in the motor cortex and project distally to the pons, medulla and spinal cord; and (2) Nprs1- or Hpgd-expressing neurons (ETprox), which predominate in the visual cortex and project more proximally to the pons and thalamus. An understanding of how area-specific ETdist and ETprox emerge during development is important because they are critical for fine motor skills and are susceptible to spinal cord injury and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis9-12. Here, using cross-areal mapping of axonal projections in the mouse neocortex, we identify the subtype-specific developmental dynamics of ET neurons. Whereas subsets of ETprox emerge by pruning of ETdist axons, others emerge de novo. We outline corresponding subtype-specific developmental transcriptional programs using single-nucleus sequencing. Leveraging these findings, we use postnatal in vivo knockdown of subtype-specific transcription factors to reprogram ET neuron connectivity towards more proximal targets. Together, these results show the functional transcriptional programs driving ET neuron diversity and uncover cell subtype-specific gene regulatory networks that can be manipulated to direct target specificity in motor corticofugal pathways.

Improved socio-emotional skills in students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) following an intervention supported by an augmented gamified environment

This study examines the impact of an intervention using an Augmented Gamified Environment (AGE) to stimulate socio-emotional skills in a sample of 54 subjects with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) aged between 3 and 17 years old. The study used a quantitative, exploratory, analytical methodology. Socio-emotional skills were evaluated before and after intervention (pre-posttest) using the DiagnosticApp instrument, supported by a fun app. The study specifically analyzed their ability to identify primary and secondary emotions and emotional states, as well as the cause-effect relationship linked to a context. The results show that socio-emotional skills improved after the intervention, regardless of gender, age, degree of ASD, comorbidity, or type of language. Overall, the greatest improvement was in identifying both primary and secondary emotions through recognizing facial expressions. Additionally, as expected, older students, and those with less severe ASD and more functional language exhibited higher scores in their socio-emotional skills. In conclusion, the extrinsic motivation associated with the mix of game mechanics, dynamics, and aesthetics, along with the augmented reality resources making up the AGE, are key contributing elements in improving these students’ socio-emotional skills.

Age-dependencies of the electroretinogram in healthy subjects.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the age-dependency of amplitudes and implicit times in the electroretinograms (ERGs) of healthy individuals and provide clinicians and researchers with a reference for a variety of stimulus paradigms. Full-field electroretinography was conducted on 73 healthy participants aged 14-73 using an extended ISCEV standard protocol that included an additional 9Hz flicker stimulus for assessing rod function and special paradigms for isolated On-Off and S-cone responses. Correlation coefficients and best-fit regression models for each parameter's age-dependency were calculated. Dark-adapted ERGs, in particular, displayed notable age-related alterations. The attenuation and delay of the b-wave with higher age were most significant in the dark-adapted, rod-driven 0.001cds/m2 flash ERG. The age-dependent reduction of the a-wave amplitude was strongest in the standard dark-adapted 3cds/m2 flash condition. Cone-driven, light-adapted responses to either flash or flicker stimuli displayed comparatively small alterations at higher age. S-cone function tended to diminish at an early age, but the effect was not significant in the whole population. The results suggest that rod and cone function decline at different rates with age, with rods being generally more affected by aging. Nonetheless, response amplitudes displayed a wide variability across the whole sample.

Imperative Genetic Programming

Genetic programming (GP) has a long-standing tradition in the evolution of computer programs, predominantly utilizing tree and linear paradigms, each with distinct advantages and limitations. Despite the rapid growth of the GP field, there have been disproportionately few attempts to evolve ’real’ Turing-like imperative programs (as contrasted with functional programming) from the ground up. Existing research focuses mainly on specific special cases where the structure of the solution is partly known. This paper explores the potential of integrating tree and linear GP paradigms to develop an encoding scheme that universally supports genetic operators without constraints and consistently generates syntactically correct Python programs from scratch. By blending the symmetrical structure of tree-based representations with the inherent asymmetry of linear sequences, we created a versatile environment for program evolution. Our approach was rigorously tested on 35 problems characterized by varying Halstead complexity metrics, to delineate the approach’s boundaries. While expected brute-force program solutions were observed, our method yielded more sophisticated strategies, such as optimizing a program by restricting the division trials to the values up to the square root of the number when counting its proper divisors. Despite the recent groundbreaking advancements in large language models, we assert that the GP field warrants continued research. GP embodies a fundamentally different computational paradigm, crucial for advancing our understanding of natural evolutionary processes.

Analysis of Unfolded Protein Response Activation in Colon Adenocarcinoma Epithelial Cells: A Proteomic Study.

High throughput technologies have identified molecular patterns in colorectal cancer (CRC) cells, aiding in modeling responses to anti-cancer treatments. The different responses observed depend on the type of cancer, the tumour grade and the functional programme of the cancer cells. Recent studies suggest that the unfolded protein response (UPR), autophagy and apoptosis could be involved in treatment resistance mechanisms by interacting with the tumour microenvironment (TME). We analysed by LC-MS/MS the proteome of two representative colon adenocarcinoma epithelial cell lines from different tumour grades (CCL-233 and CCL-221) at the basal state or after the UPR induction. Cell lines expressed a different proteome on about 10% of their total proteins identified, especially on UPR, autophagy and apoptosis pathways proteins at basal state. After UPR induction, the proteome of the cells was modified with a greater adaptive response to cellular stress in CCL-221 cells where the UPR was strongly activated at the basal state. CRC cell lines at different tumour grades expressed different functional programmes at the proteomic level and were characterised by different responses to the UPR induction. This study suggests that baseline cancer cell stress status could have an impact on the efficiency of cancer therapies.

Impact of short-term functional training program on lower-body isometric muscle endurance in cricket players

Impact of short-term functional training program on lower-body isometric muscle endurance in cricket players

Enhancing Physical Fitness in Elite Field Hockey Players with A Twelve-Week Functional Training Program: A Cluster Randomized Control Trial.

This study aimed to explore the impact of functional training on the physical fitness of young elite field hockey players. The study comprised 40 young elite male field hockey players with the following characteristics (mean ± SD age: 21.5 ± 0.8 years; height: 176.9 ± 2.6 cm; weight: 68.4 ± 5.1 kg; BMI: 21.8 ± 1.3; training experience: 51.2 ± 5.4 months). Twenty participants were allocated to two groups: the functional training group (FTG) and the control training group (CG). Each group received 60-minute training sessions three times per week for 12 weeks. Generalized estimating equation analysis and a Bonferroni test for pairwise comparisons were used to assess the intervention's efficacy. Before the start of the exercise program, no statistically significant differences were observed in physical fitness measures between the FTG and CG (p > 0.05). However, by the sixth week, a significant difference appeared in both the T-Agility test (p < 0.001) and endurance (p = 0.024) between the two groups, while no notable distinctions were detected in other fitness parameters (p > 0.05). After a 12-week training program, the FTG demonstrated improvements in all physical fitness measures [flexibility (p < 0.001); Illinois agility test (p < 0.001); T-agility test (p = 0.020); endurance (p < 0.001)] except speed, which exhibited no significant impact (p = 0.175). Notable enhancements in T-agility and endurance were evident after just six weeks of functional training, and a 12-week functional training regimen showed superiority over standard training approaches in young elite male field hockey players. These findings encourage the efficacy of functional training exercises over traditional methods in enhancing athletes' fitness parameters.

Exploring the Utility of a Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Cannabis Cue-Reactivity Paradigm in Treatment-Seeking Adults With Cannabis Use Disorder

BackgroundFunctional magnetic resonance imaging studies examining cue reactivity in cannabis use disorder (CUD) either have had small sample sizes or have involved non–treatment-seeking participants. As a secondary analysis, we administered a functional magnetic resonance imaging cue-reactivity task to participants with CUD enrolled in 2 separate clinical trials (varenicline or repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation) to determine the task activation patterns for treatment-seeking participants with CUD. We aimed to determine the activation patterns for the total sample and behavioral correlates. We additionally compared studies to determine if patterns were consistent. MethodsTreatment-seeking participants with moderate or severe CUD had behavioral craving measured at baseline using the Marijuana Craving Questionnaire–Short Form and completed a visual cannabis cue-reactivity task during functional magnetic resonance imaging (measuring the blood oxygen level–dependent response) following 24 hours of cannabis abstinence. ResultsThe sample included 65 participants (n = 37: varenicline trial; n = 28: repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation trial; 32% female; mean age = 30.4 ± 9.9 years). When comparing cannabis images versus matched neutral images, participants showed greater blood oxygen level–dependent response in bilateral ventromedial-prefrontal, dorsolateral-prefrontal, anterior cingulate, and visual cortices as well as the striatum. There was stronger task-based functional connectivity between the medial prefrontal cortex and both the amygdala and the visual cortex. Craving negatively correlated with blood oxygen level–dependent response in the left ventral striatum (R2 = −0.32; p = .01) in the full sample. There were no significant differences in either activation or task-based functional connectivity between studies. ConclusionsIn 2 separate treatment-seeking groups with CUD, there was increased cannabis cue reactivity and task-based functional connectivity in regions related to executive function and reward processing. Cannabis craving was negatively associated with cue reactivity in the left ventral striatum.