Significant Training Effects Research Articles

The effectiveness of 3D multiple object tracking training on decision-making in soccer

ABSTRACT Background Soccer requires athletes to make quick decisions in dynamic environments. Several off-court technology-based interventions have been developed to train these perceptual cognitive skills. However, the evidence for training transfer using technologies to athletic performance has been sparse. Previous research found 3-dimensional multiple object tracking (3D MOT) training to cause a significant increase in quality of passing decision-making. Limitations to the research warrant further investigation of this association. Purpose To re-examine the effectiveness of 3D MOT on training decision-making. Methods Thirty-one NCAA Division III soccer players (female n = 16) were randomized to 3D MOT training or a control task. The experimental group received 10 training sessions over a span of 4 weeks. Results The manipulation check indicated a significant training effect in 3D MOT performance for the intervention but not the control group (F(1,29) = 21.46, p < .001, np 2 = .43). Non-significant changes with small effect sizes (np 2 = .01-.03) in decision-making and measures of near-transfer were found. Conclusion The findings challenge the association between 3D MOT training and increased quality of decision-making in soccer.

The Impact of Training in Transgender Care on Healthcare Providers Competence and Confidence: A Cross-Sectional Survey.

All studies to date demonstrate a lack of access to care for transgender people. A few educational efforts in providing care to transgender people have been successful. However, one challenge in administering training is that there is almost no research on the need of healthcare providers (HCP) to acquire knowledge, as well as on the effect of training on their level of competence and confidence in working with transgender people. Results from an online survey of a convenience sample of HCP across four different European countries (N = 810) showed that 52.7% reported experiences with some form of training on transgender people. The mean confidence level for all HCP (with or without training) in working with transgender people was 2.63, with a significant effect of training on confidence. 92.4% of HCP believed that training would raise their competence, and this belief was significantly higher among HCP with training experience, HCP working in Serbia and Sweden and/or among those HCP who belong to a sexual minority group. General practitioners had the lowest confidence levels of all professions involved. The study provided strong support for the use of training in improving healthcare conditions for transgender people, not only to raise awareness among HCP, but also to increase knowledge, competence and confidence levels of HCP in working with transgender people.

PENGARUH LATIHAN FOOTWORK TERHADAP PUKULAN DROPSHOT DALAM PERMAINAN BULUTANGKIS

This study focuses on the problem of PJKR Students at Unismuh of Luwuk Banggai when participating in a badminton championship. Their average performance shows that they rarely gave dropshots during the match. In fact, they almost never did this because of the lack of training given that they are doubtful to shoot. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of footwork training on dropshots during badminton matchesq for PJKR Unismuh Luwuk students and the research method used for this study was one pretest-posttest group. Based on the results of the data analysis of the drop shot skills in badminton game with a different test (paired t-test) between the initial test and the final test in the experimental group of footwork exercises, the t-count = 12.310 (α 0.05 &gt; sig = 0.000) with the mean score of the initial test was 30.75 and the final test result was 38.83. Thus, there is an increase of 8.08 point. This one indicates a significant effect of footwork training on drop shot skills in badminton. The results of the data analysis of the accuracy of the drop shot in the badminton game with a different test (paired t-test) between the initial test and the final test in the control group obtained t count = 1.567 (67 0.05 &lt; sig = 0.145) while in the control group shows the score at 0.17 and the final test result is 30.92, thus there is an increase of 0.75. Thus, it can be stated that the experimental group has footwork exercises and has a significant effect on improving drop shot skills in badminton games for PJKR Unismuh Luwuk Banggai students.&#x0D;

The effect of laryngeal elevation training on swallowing function in patients with dysphagia.

To investigate the effect of laryngeal elevation training without highly loaded head lifting on swallowing function in patients with dysphagia. Fifty-seven patients with dysphagia (36 men; mean age, 78.5 ± 11.4 years) were included. All participants performed the swallowing forehead exercise and the chin push-pull manoeuvre for two months. Videoendoscopy to assess swallowing function, the peak expiratory flow test and the hand grip strength test were performed at the initial visit (time 1) and two months after the start of the intervention (time 2). We used the Hyodo score, a scoring method for videoendoscopic assessment, for evaluation of swallowing function. The linear mixed model showed a significant main effect of time (the Hyodo score at time 1 was greater than the score at time 2). The effects of the co-variates were not significant. The present study demonstrated the significant effect of laryngeal elevation training without head lifting on the Hyodo score.

The Effect of Circuit Training and Beetroot Training on the Increased Endurance of Karate Athletes

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of Circuit Training training and beetroot giving to the improvement of endurance abilities in karate athletes. This research method using experimental methods. Population and sample were 10 athletes of Karate Dojo at SMA PAB 4 Sampali who were obtained by total sampling technique, then divided into two groups using matching pairing techniques, namely the Circuit Training training group and giving beets and without giving beets (control group). The research instrument for data collection using tests and measurements, namely the Bleeb test endurance test. The first hypothesis 0.120&gt; 0.05, Ha is rejected, meaning that the first hypothesis Ho is accepted, there is no significant effect of Circuit Training training and Beetroot Training on the increase in athlete's endurance. The second hypothesis 0.183&gt; 0.05, Ha is rejected, meaning that the conclusion of the second hypothesis Ho is accepted there is no significant effect of Circuit Training without giving beet fruit (control group) on the increase in athlete's endurance. The third hypothesis shows that the Sig. 0.757&gt; 0.05, then Ha is rejected, that is, there is no significant difference between the average value of the post-training circuit training and the giving of beets between the experimental group without giving beets (control group).

Drive aware training: A computerized training program for older drivers’ detection of road hazards

Objective Cognitive training for reducing crash rate can be delivered to older drivers via in-person on-road sessions, a driving simulator, or using computer-based cognitive methods. Despite established effectiveness, in-person on-road assessment and rehabilitation are expensive, and limited professional service may not be readily accessible; simulator-based training may not fit every driver due to simulator sickness. In comparison, computerized training is easier to implement and could be delivered with little cost to older drivers with computer access. Based on the Drive Aware Task, a validated measure of attentional processes in hazard detection, we developed a computerized cognitive training method with a focus on hazard detection. In this study, we examined the effectiveness of this newly-developed interactive training program in improving older drivers’ detection of road hazards. Methods Using a matched-pair design, nine triads of three older drivers (aged 65 or above) with matched pretest performance and gender were formed. For each triad, each participant was randomly allocated to one of the three groups: 1) active training group to receive the two training sessions (1.5–2.5h per session); 2) passive training group to receive two video-watching sessions (i.e., watch the video of training session performance from the corresponding paired participant); 3) no-contact control group. Older drivers’ performances on hazard detection and simulated driving were measured before and after training. Results The active training group showed significant training effects on the computerized hazard detection task and simulated driving performance, while there were only marginal effects in the passive training group and no effects in the no-contact control group. A post-training survey suggested older drivers were receptive to the Drive Aware training program. Conclusions The computerized Drive Aware training program has the potential to be used as a prevention and intervention tool to improve older drivers’ hazard detection performance. Future studies should examine the effectiveness of this tool in more diverse samples and in long-term outcomes.

Brief motivational interviewing training for teachers providing career services in Turkey: A pilot study

This mixed-methods pilot study examined the effectiveness of brief motivational interviewing (MI) training on middle school teachers’ efficacy in providing career services to socioeconomically disadvantaged students. Forty-five teachers (55% men) received a six-hour training on the career-development needs of middle school students and MI techniques. Quantitative results indicated a significant effect of training on teachers’ sense of efficacy regarding student engagement. Qualitative data indicated teachers’ increased sense of efficacy in providing career services and their personal and professional development. These results imply that MI can be effective in supporting teachers’ competencies and can motivate students of low socioeconomic status.

Effects of bi-axial ankle strengthening on muscle co-contraction during gait in chronic stroke patients: A randomized controlled pilot study

Ankle dysfunction in patients with stroke is a common but serious cause of balance and gait impairments. However, comprehensive paretic ankle training seldom exists. Thus, we investigated the effects of a bi-axial ankle muscle training program using visual feedback as a means to improve ankle strength and performance of functional activities in patients with stroke. This study was a randomized controlled pilot trial with concealed allocation and assessor blinding and intention-to-treat analysis. Twenty-five patients with stroke and difficulty in walking (e.g., foot drop) or ankle muscle weakness receiving inpatient rehabilitation were included. The experimental group underwent ankle muscle training consisting of passive stretching, control of ankle muscles, and active-resistive strengthening using visual feedback for 40 min per day, 5 times per week for 4 weeks. The control group underwent ankle-related physical therapy, including ankle range-of-motion exercises. The amount of time for training was equal between the two groups. The outcome measurements were isometric ankle contraction force to assess the strength of ankle muscles, ankle proprioception, Fugl-Meyer lower extremity score, Berg balance scale score, walking speed, and ankle co-contraction index to assess muscle efficiency during gait. The analysis revealed significant between-group differences in the ankle muscle strength in each direction (P < 0.05), Fugl-Meyer score (P < 0.01), and stance-phase co-contraction index (P < 0.05). After training, the experimental group displayed significant within-group differences in the strength of the ankle muscles in each direction (P < 0.01), ankle proprioception (P < 0.05), and walking speed (P < 0.05). Our findings demonstrate the significant short-term effects of ankle muscle training on strength, walking speed, and muscle efficiency in patients with chronic stroke.

Acquisition of a spatial navigation task in the padding pool induces an increase of GABA level in the hippocampus of Swiss mice

The balance between excitatory and inhibitory glutamatergic and GABAergic systems, respectively, is crucial for the maintenance of complex cognitive functions such as learning. Using Swiss mice as experimental model, the aims of the present study were to evaluate cognitive performance in a shallow water maze (SWM) and the effects of training in this spatial navigation task on hippocampal GABA and glutamate levels. In addition, correlations between neurochemical and behavioural data, and between glutamate and GABA levels were assessed. Forty-six three-month-old mice were divided into three groups: Learning, n=18: animals submitted to the SWM task; Active, n=14: animals exposed to the SWM, without the demand of performing a cognitive task and Control, n=14: the animals were kept in the vivarium without contact with the SWM. There was significant training effect indicating that the Learning group animals have learned the task. Regarding neurochemical data, the findings of the present work show for the first time that the task learning process in SWM has a significant effect on GABA levels in the hippocampus. The relationship between the two neurotransmitters, observed in the control animals, was adjusted by a significant increase in hippocampal GABA levels caused by the spatial training performed by the animals from the Learning group. However, the relationship observed in control condition is disrupted by a subsequent exposure to the maze in the absence of a spatial cognitive demand, as was the case of the Active group. These data open new perspectives to explore the involvement of the inhibitory and excitatory systems in the molecular mechanisms associated with different types and steps of learning processes.

The Effect of Training on Participant Adherence With a Reporting Time Frame for Momentary Subjective Experiences in Ecological Momentary Assessment: Cognitive Interview Study.

BackgroundEcological momentary assessment (EMA) has the potential to minimize recall bias by having people report on their experiences in the moment (momentary model) or over short periods (coverage model). This potential hinges on the assumption that participants provide their ratings based on the reporting time frame instructions prescribed in the EMA items. However, it is unclear what time frames participants actually use when answering the EMA questions and whether participant training improves participants’ adherence to the reporting instructions.ObjectiveThis study aims to investigate the reporting time frames participants used when answering EMA questions and whether participant training improves participants’ adherence to the EMA reporting timeframe instructions.MethodsTelephone-based cognitive interviews were used to investigate the research questions. In a 2×2 factorial design, participants (n=100) were assigned to receive either basic or enhanced EMA training and randomized to rate their experiences using a momentary (at the moment you were called) or a coverage (since the last phone call) model. Participants received five calls over the course of a day to provide ratings; after each rating, participants were immediately interviewed about the time frame they used to answer the EMA questions. A total of 2 raters independently coded the momentary interview responses into time frame categories (Cohen κ=0.64, 95% CI 0.55-0.73).ResultsThe results from the momentary conditions showed that most of the calls referred to the period during the call (57/199, 28.6%) or just before the call (98/199, 49.2%) to provide ratings; the remainder were from longer reporting periods. Multinomial logistic regression results indicated a significant training effect (χ21=16.6; P<.001) in which the enhanced training condition yielded more reports within the intended reporting time frames for momentary EMA reports. Cognitive interview data from the coverage model did not lend themselves to reliable coding and were not analyzed.ConclusionsThe results of this study provide the first evidence about adherence to EMA instructions to reporting periods and that enhanced participant training improves adherence to the time frame specified in momentary EMA studies.

Exploring Determinants of Entrepreneurial Readiness on Sukses Berkah Community’s Member

This article aims to determine (1) the effect of motivation, opportunity identification, resources, and entrepreneurial abilities on entrepreneurial readiness; and (2) the role of entrepreneurship training as a moderating variable on motivation, opportunity identification, resources, and entrepreneurial abilities on entrepreneurial readiness. This research is a quantitative study using proportional random sampling with a total of 200 respondents. Data collection used a questionnaire whose results analyze by Moderated Regression Analysis (MRA). The results showed a positive and significant effect of motivation, opportunity identification, resources, entrepreneurial ability, and entrepreneurship training that could moderate the impact of all these factors on entrepreneurial readiness. Based on this research results, it can know that to start entrepreneurship requires the motivation to exert all efforts, opportunity identification to find and implement potential in business, resources to increase competitive business advantage, and entrepreneurial ability to achieve business success using all its capabilities. Entrepreneurship training can improve these factors. The better the entrepreneurship training follows, the more positive impact on improving the readiness to start a thriving Sukses Berkah Community (SBC) member.

Changes in Body Composition and Cardiometabolic Health After Detraining in Older Men with Osteosarcopenia: 6-Month Follow-Up of the Randomized Controlled Franconian Osteopenia and Sarcopenia Trial (FrOST) Study.

PurposeTemporary cessation of exercise but maintenance of habitual physical activity might be a frequent situation in older people’s lives. Particularly the COVID-19 induced lockdown of exercise training facilities with individual outdoor activities still being allowed might be a blueprint for this potentially harmful scenario. Thus, the aim of the present study was to determine the effects of 6 months of detraining after 18 months of high-intensity resistance exercise (HIT-RT) on body composition and cardiometabolic outcomes in predominately obese older men with osteosarcopenia.Materials and MethodsCommunity-dwelling predominately obese men 72–91 years old with low muscle and bone mass (n=43) were randomly assigned to an 18-month HIT-RT (EG: n=21) or a non-training control group (CG, n=22). After the intervention, participants of the EG discontinued HIT-RT for 6 months, but increased their habitual physical activity. Study outcomes were group differences in detraining changes (“effects”) for lean body mass (LBM), total and abdominal body fat rate (determined by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry) and the Metabolic Syndrome Z-Score (MetSZ). We applied an intention-to-treat analysis with multiple imputation to analyze the data.ResultsAfter the 18-month HIT-RT, we observed significant positive training effects for LBM, total and abdominal body fat rate and the MetSZ (all p<0.001). Abrupt cessation of HIT-RT for 6 months resulted in significantly higher unfavorable changes in the HIT-RT compared with the CG for LBM (p=0.001), total body fat (p=0.003) and the MetSZ (p=0.003), apart from abdominal body fat (p=0.059). However, significant overall effects were still present after 24 months for LBM and body fat indices but not for the MetSZ.ConclusionThe present study clearly indicates the unfavorable effects of 6 months of detraining after HIT-RT. Correspondingly, exercise protocols particularly for older people should focus on continuous exercise with short regeneration periods rather than on intermitted protocols with pronounced training breaks.

The effectiveness of blood-flow restricted resistance training in the musculoskeletal rehabilitation of patients with lower limb disorders: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Objective: This meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of low-load Resistance Training (RT) with or without Blood Flow Restriction (BFR) compared with conventional RT on muscle strength in open and closed kinetic chains, muscle volume and pain in individuals with orthopaedic impairments. Data sources: Searches were conducted in the PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus and Cochrane databases, including the reference lists of randomised controlled trials (RCT’s) up to January 2021. Review method: An independent reviewer extracted study characteristics, orthopaedic indications, exercise data and outcome measures. The primary outcome was muscle strength of the lower limb. Secondary outcomes were muscle volume and pain. Study quality and reporting was assessed using the TESTEX scale. Results: A total of 10 RCTs with 386 subjects (39.2 ± 17.1 years) were included in the analysis to compare low-load RT with BFR and high or low-load RT without BFR. The meta-analysis showed no significant superior effects of low-load resistance training with BFR regarding leg muscle strength in open and closed kinetic chains, muscle volume or pain compared with high or low-load RT without BFR in subjects with lower limb impairments. Conclusion: Low-load RT with BFR leads to changes in muscle strength, muscle volume and pain in musculoskeletal rehabilitation that are comparable to conventional RT. This appears to be independent of strength testing in open or closed kinetic chains.

Evaluating entrepreneurship training: How important are field experiments for estimating impacts?

AbstractGovernments and donors around the world spend billions of dollars subsidizing entrepreneurship training programs. Unbiased evaluation estimates are paramount to understanding whether subsidies and investments in these programs are justified. The goal of this paper is to compare nonexperimental to experimental methods for evaluating the effectiveness of entrepreneurship training programs that provide training in management, marketing, accounting, legal, and other aspects of starting and running businesses. For the comparison, I take advantage of an unprecedented setting in which experimental and nonexperimental estimates are derived from the same underlying population of study participants. The Growing America through Entrepreneurship field experiment provides a uniquely large sample allowing for a separate nonexperimental analysis using only the control group. Experimental estimates indicate null effects of entrepreneurship training on business outcomes: business ownership, sales, and employment. In contrast, nonexperimental estimates using an extremely rich set of controls, including typically unobservable characteristics, such as previous family business experience, credit problems, and personality traits, find large, positive, and statistically significant effects. The nonexperimental estimates range from 21 to 22 percentage points (pp) for business ownership, $1300–2000 for average monthly sales, and 4–6 pp for hiring any employees at 1.5‐ and 5‐year follow‐ups. Nearest‐neighbor and propensity‐score matching models using detailed individual characteristics provide similarly large, positive, and statistically significant effects of entrepreneurship training on business outcomes. The findings have implications for choosing evaluation methods of government programs and provide evidence of positive selection bias which has more general implications on the scalability of entrepreneurship training programs to broader populations.

Practicing Procedural Skills Is More Effective Than Basic Psychomotor Training in Knee Arthroscopy: A Randomized Study.

Background:Simulator-assisted arthroscopy education traditionally consists of initial training of basic psychomotor skills before advancing to more complex procedural tasks.Purpose:To explore and compare the effects of basic psychomotor skills training versus procedural skills training on novice surgeons’ subsequent simulated knee arthroscopy performance.Study Design:Controlled laboratory study.Methods:Overall, 22 novice orthopaedic surgeons and 11 experienced arthroscopic surgeons participated in this study, conducted from September 2015 to January 2017. Novices received a standardized introductory lesson on knee arthroscopy before being randomized into a basic skills training group or a procedural skills training group. Each group performed 2 sessions on a computer-assisted knee arthroscopy simulator: The basic skills training group completed 1 session consisting of basic psychomotor skills modules and 1 session of procedural modules (diagnostic knee arthroscopy and meniscal resection), whereas the procedural skills training group completed 2 sessions of procedural modules. Performance of the novices was compared with that of the experienced surgeons to explore evidence of validity for the basic psychomotor training skills modules and the procedural modules. The effect of prior basic psychomotor skills training and procedural skills training was explored by comparing pre- and posttraining performances of the randomized groups using a mixed-effects regression model.Results:Validity evidence was found for the procedural modules, as test results were reliable and experienced surgeons significantly outperformed novices. We found no evidence of validity for the basic psychomotor skills modules, as test scores were unreliable and there was no difference in performance between the experienced surgeons and novices. We found no statistical effect of basic psychomotor skills training as compared with no training (P = .49). We found a statistically significant effect of prior procedural skills training (P < .001) and a significantly larger effect of procedural skills training as compared with basic psychomotor skills training (P = .019).Conclusion:Procedural skills training was significantly more effective than basic psychomotor skills training regarding improved performance in diagnostic knee arthroscopy and meniscal resection on a knee arthroscopy simulator. Furthermore, the basic psychomotor skills modules lacked validity evidence.Clinical Relevance:On the basis of these results, we suggest that future competency-based curricula focus their training on full knee arthroscopy procedures. This could improve future education programs.

A thousand years of crash experience in three hours: An online hazard perception training course for drivers

A key goal of driver training is to teach drivers to avoid crashes. However, in traditional driver training, drivers are unlikely to see even a single example of the class of event that we want them to learn to avoid. We developed a six-session automated online hazard perception training course for drivers, which incorporates a range of evidence-based strategies and employs extensive video footage of real crashes. We evaluated this course in a randomized control trial by examining its effects on previously-validated computer-based measures of hazard perception, hazard prediction, speed choice, following distance, and gap acceptance propensity, as well as self-rated measures of driver skill, safety, and real world transfer. We found that the course resulted in significant improvements in hazard perception response time and hazard prediction scores, and significantly longer vehicle following distances. Additionally, all participants in the trained group reported that their real world driving behaviour had improved. No significant training effects were found for the other measures. The results suggest that the course can improve key behaviours associated with crash risk.

Changes in VO2max and cardiac output in response to short-term high-intensity interval training in Caucasian and Hispanic young women: A pilot study.

Data obtained in primarily Caucasian (C) and African American adults show that ethnicity does not mediate responsiveness to exercise training. It is unknown if Hispanics (H), who face elevated health risks and are less active than C, exhibit a similar response to exercise training. This study compared cardiorespiratory and hemodynamic responses to high intensity interval training (HIIT) between C and H women. Twelve C and ten H women ages 19–35 yr who were non-obese and inactive completed nine sessions of HIIT over a 3 wk period. Maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max) was assessed twice at baseline during which thoracic impedance was used to evaluate heart rate (HR), stroke volume (SV) and cardiac output (CO). Habitual physical activity was assessed using accelerometry. Results showed a significant main effect of training for VO2max in C and H (F = 13.97, p = 0.001) and no group by training interaction (p = 0.65). There was a main effect of training for CO and SV in C and H (F = 7.57, p = 0.01; F = 7.16, p = 0.02), yet post hoc analyses revealed significant increases were only exhibited in C. There was a tendency for a group by training interaction for a-VO2diff (F = 1.32, p = 0.054), and a large effect size was seen in H (d = 1.02). Overall, data show no effect of ethnicity on changes in VO2max with low-volume HIIT, yet C and H may achieve this outcome differently. Longer studies in similar populations are needed to verify this result.

Survey on the attitudes of dental hygiene students towards treating elderly patients.

This questionnaire-based survey assessed the attitudes of dental hygiene students towards treating elderly patients. The 14-item UCLA 14-item Geriatrics Attitudes Scale (GAS-14) questionnaire was used in this survey. A further set of nine questions evaluated the opinions of the students towards the existing geriatric curriculum in their respective institutions. Students from five dental hygiene schools from three countries (Switzerland, Belgium and Canada) participated in this survey. General demographic information from the participants was collected. Mean GAS-14 scores were calculated; ANOVA and Bonferroni's tests were used for statistical analyses (p<0.05). Three hundred eighty-five students (Switzerland: n=157, mean age=25.38±4.6years; Belgium: n=82, mean age=27.58±12.8years; Canada: n=146, mean age=25.95±12.3years) completed the survey for a response rate of 86.3%. The overall GAS-14 scores for Switzerland, Belgium and Canada were 3.61±0.42, 3.24±0.37 and 3.32±0.36, respectively. Switzerland scored significantly higher than Belgium and Canada (p<0.0001). Overall scores revealed a significant effect of progressive training (p=0.010). The GAS-14 score was influenced by the nationality of the participants (p<0.0001), but not influenced by sex, age, origin, religion, or marital and accommodation statuses. Majority of the students (75.8%) agreed that geriatric dentistry was an important part of their education. 77.4% agreed that they would like hands on experience in treating the elderly patient during their education. 85.1% of the participants considered mobile dental clinics as a good solution for the provision of dental care to the institutionalized elders. The general attitudes of DH students towards treating the elderly patients are on an acceptable level and improved as they progressed through their dental hygiene academic programmes.

Does cognitive training improve attention/working memory in persons with MS? A pilot study using the Cogmed Working Memory Training program

BackgroundCognitive deficits, especially in attention, are common in persons with MS (PwMS) and are associated with clinically meaningful outcomes, such as work disability and lower quality of life (QOL). In this study, we aimed to determine whether Cogmed Working Memory Training (CWMT) improves attention/working memory in PwMS displaying impairment in these domains. MethodsThis single blind, randomized controlled, pilot study compared the effects of CWMT, a five-week evidenced-based computer-assisted training program that is supported by weekly meetings with a coach, to standard medical care (treatment as usual). We recruited PwMS from one MS center (London (ON) Canada), aged 18-64, with an Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) score of ≤ 7.0, and a visual acuity (corrected) of at least 20/70. Potential subjects had to demonstrate impaired attention on at least two of three measures (Paced Auditory Serial Addition Test [PASAT], Symbol Digit Modalities Test [SDMT], and/or DKEFS Color-Word Interference Test); these measures also served as the primary study outcomes. Subjects were randomized to either the CWMT or treatment as usual. Secondary cognitive outcomes included other measures of attention, memory, as well as a self-reported cognitive function measure. Self-reported measures of mood (depression and anxiety), pain, and QOL were also included as other secondary outcomes. Subjects received assessments at baseline, post-treatment, and 6-month follow-up, or an equivalent time period for the treatment as usual group. The two groups were compared at baseline on background measures using independent samples t-tests, Chi-Square tests, and Mann-Whitney U tests. To analyze primary and secondary outcomes, a non-parametric approach was used due the small sample size and that many of our outcomes did not meet assumptions for parametric analyses. Friedman's test was conducted followed by post hoc pairwise comparisons within each group using Wilcoxon Signed-Rank tests with Bonferroni corrected post hoc contrasts, which allowed us to examine for differences between time points. ResultsOf 30 subjects, 15 were assigned to CWMT. Significant training effects were noted in 1 of 3 primary attentional outcomes (DKEFS Color-Word Interference Test), 2 of 3 secondary attentional outcomes (Letter-Number Sequencing, Digit Span), and 1 mood scale (Hospital Anxiety and Depression scale (HADS) - Depression Subscale), ps < .025. No significant changes were observed in the treatment as usual group. ConclusionThis pilot study demonstrates that cognitive training with CWMT has the potential to improve attention/working memory in PwMS, as well as a potential positive effect on mood, in PwMS. Further exploration of this intervention in PwMS with attention/working memory impairment is warranted.

Effects of 16months of high intensity resistance training on thigh muscle fat infiltration in elderly men with osteosarcopenia.

Osteosarcopenia is characterized by a progressive decline in muscle function and bone strength and associated with muscle fat accumulation. This study aimed to determine the effect of long-term high intensity resistance training (HIRT) on thigh muscle fat infiltration in older men with osteosarcopenia. Forty-three community-dwelling men (72years and older) were randomly assigned to either an exercise group (EG, n = 21) or an inactive control group (CG, n = 22). EG participants performed a supervised single-set exercise training with high effort two times per week. Participants of both groups were individually provided with dietary protein to reach a cumulative intake of 1.5-1.6g/kg/day or 1.2-1.3g/kg/day (EG/CG), respectively, and Up to 10,000IE/week of Vitamin-D were supplemented in participants with 25 OH Vitamin-D 3 levels below 100nmol/l. Magnetic resonance (MR) imaging was performed to determine muscle and adipose tissue volume and fat fraction of the thigh. At baseline, there were no significant differences between the two groups. After 16month,, there were significant training effects of 15% (p = 0.004) on intermuscular adipose tissue (IMAT) volume, which increased in the CG (p = 0.012) and was stable in the EG. In parallel, fat fraction within the deep fascia of the thigh (Baseline, EG: 18.2 vs CG: 15.5, p = 0.16) significantly differed between the groups (Changes, EG: 0.77% vs. CG: 7.7%, p = 0.009). The study confirms the role of fat infiltration of the muscles as an advanced imaging marker in osteosarcopenia and the favorable effects of HIRT on adipose tissue volume of the thigh, in men with osteosarcopenia.