Stories of success: Cultural narratives and personal stories of elite and professional athletes

Using a narrative methodology to explore the stories Olympic and elite athletes tell about success, we identified three alternatives to the dominant conception of success as the achievement of performance outcomes. In these alternatives, success is storied as: (1) ‘I did the best that I could’ – a controllable and sustainable story of effort and application; (2) ‘It’s the closest thing you can get to flying’ – a story where success relates to embodied experience and discovery; (3) ‘People I made the journey with’ – which prioritises relationships and connection between people. We reflect on three key insights: (1) success is a multidimensional concept, broader than the singular conception encapsulated within the dominant performance narrative; (2) through various narrative strategies, experienced athletes resist cultural pressures towards a singular conception of success; (3) for long-term performance and well-being, it is necessary to work towards multiple forms of success over time and across contexts

De hervormde kerk te Britsum. Een verzwegen kerk onderzocht en gewaardeerd

The Dutch Reformed church of Britsum is situated at the highest point of the characteristic Frisian terp village Britsum, some 12 kilometres to the north of Leeuwarden. The village of Britsum occurs early on in history as ‘Bruggenheim’ in the property registers of the abbey of Fulda. As the source material of the church is scarce, we will have to rely on research of the building itself tor the reconstruction of its building history. The church is of the hall-church type, as customary for Frisian village churches, with as special element the reduced western block, consisting of a tower with flanking adjacent spaces provided with a floor. Research proved that this western block is among the early examples of brick architecture, with a Romanesque detail probably dating from the period l180-1190. The ribless dome vaults of the ground floor were built somewhat later, in the 13th century. Originally. the western block was not vaulted. The greater part of the superstructure of the tower was renovated in the 17th and 18th centuries. Traces of older roof connections at the eastern side of the tower indicate that the present nave was preceded by an older (possibly tuff) hall-nave. The present hall-nave, also completely built of brick, with a choir with slightly recessed semicircular apse, is vaulted with early Romanesque-Gothic domes with sturdy round ribs. In each dome the ribs form a mutually divergent pattern. The course of the ribs and the star patterns and circles in the cresting of the vaults are still somewhat clumsily executed, which indicates an early date. Consequently, the type of vault, the construction and the rib patterns show similarities with the vaults of chiefly 13th century churches in e.g. Groningen and German East Friesland. Because of the construction of this vaulted nave the original circular-arched openings in the eastern front of the western block had to be closed. Nave and western block clearly do not belong together. In the northern wall of the nave and the chevet the remainder of the original, small windows with slightly pointed arches became visible. Furthermore, under the present wall-arches the cut-off pointed-arch shapes of an older vaulting phase came to light in the nave, directly above the old windows. It is not clear whether the vaults belonging to these arches were actually executed or whether the plans for the final vaulting were changed. The research appears to point to the second option, since the masonry of the nave-walls above the older wall-arches continues undisturbedly. It is quite likely that the hall-nave and choir were executed between 1240 and 1250 and the vaulting around 1260 at the latest. The later closed-off, older doorways found in the western bay may still be the original northern and southern doorways, but in view of their protracted circular-arch closings they must at least have been rebuilt (widened). The present, probably 19th-century northern and southern entrance are to the west of these old doorways. In the 15th century large pointed arch windows were applied in the southern wall of the nave and the southern chevet. Possibly this operation was related to the rebuilding of the doorways and the replacement of the first roof by the present oak roof construction dated directly after 1465 by means of dendrochronological research. After several smaller renovations in the 17th and 18th centuries a fundamental operation took place in 1875, when the church acquired an entirely new neo-Gothic exterior clamp in smooth red brick with accents in yellow stone. In 1895 the present outfit of the reduced western block and tower in brick (possibly built earlier) appears, varied with plastered details in an eclectic form language. Recently the restoration of the exterior took place (1992-93) and of the interior with paintings

Extended bidomain modeling of defibrillation: quantifying virtual electrode strengths in fibrotic myocardium

Defibrillation is a well-established therapy for atrial and ventricular arrhythmia. Here, we shed light on defibrillation in the fibrotic heart. Using the extended bidomain model of electrical conduction in cardiac tissue, we assessed the influence of fibrosis on the strength of virtual electrodes caused by extracellular electrical current. We created one-dimensional models of rabbit ventricular tissue with a central patch of fibrosis. The fibrosis was incorporated by altering volume fractions for extracellular, myocyte and fibroblast domains. In our prior work, we calculated these volume fractions from microscopic images at the infarct border zone of rabbit hearts. An average and a large degree of fibrosis were modeled. We simulated defibrillation by application of an extracellular current for a short duration (5 ms). We explored the effects of myocyte-fibroblast coupling, intra-fibroblast conductivity and patch length on the strength of the virtual electrodes present at the borders of the normal and fibrotic tissue. We discriminated between effects on myocyte and fibroblast membranes at both borders of the patch. Similarly, we studied defibrillation in two-dimensional models of fibrotic tissue. Square and disk-like patches of fibrotic tissue were embedded in control tissue. We quantified the influence of the geometry and fibrosis composition on virtual electrode strength. We compared the results obtained with a square and disk shape of the fibrotic patch with results from the one-dimensional simulations. Both, one- and two-dimensional simulations indicate that extracellular current application causes virtual electrodes at boundaries of fibrotic patches. A higher degree of fibrosis and larger patch size were associated with an increased strength of the virtual electrodes. Also, patch geometry affected the strength of the virtual electrodes. Our simulations suggest that increased fibroblast-myocyte coupling and intra-fibroblast conductivity reduce virtual electrode strength. However, experimental data to constrain these modeling parameters are limited and thus pinpointing the magnitude of the reduction will require further understanding of electrical coupling of fibroblasts in native cardiac tissues. We propose that the findings from our computational studies are important for development of patient-specific protocols for internal defibrillators

Fecundity compensation and tolerance to a sterilizing pathogen in <em>Daphnia</em>

Hosts are armed with several lines of defence in the battle against parasites: they may prevent the establishment of infection, reduce parasite growth once infected or persevere through mechanisms that reduce the damage caused by infection, called tolerance. Studies on tolerance in animals have focused on mortality, and sterility tolerance has not been investigated experimentally. Here, we tested for genetic variation in the multiple steps of defence when the invertebrate Daphnia magna is infected with the sterilizing bacterial pathogen Pasteuria ramosa: anti-infection resistance, anti-growth resistance and the ability to tolerate sterilization once infected. When exposed to nine doses of a genetically diverse pathogen inoculum, six host genotypes varied in their average susceptibility to infection and in their parasite loads once infected. How host fecundity changed with increasing parasite loads did not vary between genotypes, indicating that there was no genetic variation for this measure of fecundity tolerance. However, genotypes differed in their level of fecundity compensation under infection, and we discuss how, by increasing host fitness without targeting parasite densities, fecundity compensation is consistent with the functional definition of tolerance. Such infection-induced life-history shifts are not traditionally considered to be part of the immune response, but may crucially reduce harm (in terms of fitness loss) caused by disease, and are a distinct source of selection on pathogens

Introduction: Economics Meets Sociology in Strategic Management

Sociolog

Spread of common native and invasive grasses and ruderal trees following anthropogenic disturbances in a tropical dry forest

Introduction A fundamental challenge to the integrity of tropical dry forest ecosystems is the invasion of non-native grass species. These grasses compete for resources and fuel anthropogenic wildfires. In 2012, a bulldozer from the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority cleared a 570-m trail from a state road into a mature dry forest section of Guánica Forest to control a wildfire. We monitored colonization by a non-native invasive grass (Megathyrsus maximus), a highly invasive tree (Leucaena leucocephala), and a native grass (Uniola virgata), as well as natural regeneration, along the bulldozer trail. We determined whether bulldozing facilitated colonization by these species into the forest and the extent of spread. Results Distance from propagule source and temporal variations strongly influenced colonization by our three focal species. Megathyrsus maximus invaded along the trail from source populations by the state road. The establishment of new colonies of M. maximus seedlings went as far as 570 m inside the forest (i.e., at the end of the bulldozer trail), but we found most new colonies within 270 m of the road. Leucaena leucocephala exhibited a similar spreading pattern. Before disturbance, Uniola virgata was distributed widely across the forest, but the highest densities were found in areas near the latter portion (\u3e 401 m) of the bulldozer trail. Subsequently, the species formed new clumps along more than half of the trail (250 to 570 m), apparently colonizing from undisturbed patches nearby. Conclusions Bulldozing facilitated the invasion of non-native vegetation. The projected community assemblage will be more fire-prone than before since M. maximus carries fire across the landscape better than U. virgata, emphasizing the capacity of invasive plant colonization to alter local ecological processes after only a single wildfire and bulldoze event. Our results provide a valuable baseline for short-term vegetation response to anthropogenic disturbances in tropical semi-deciduous dry forests

We haven't got a seat on the bus for you or All the seats are mine: Narratives and career transitions in professional golf

In this article we explore how the stories an athlete tells throughout life in sport affect her career transition experiences. We base our enquiry on a social constructionist conception of narrative theory which holds that storytelling is integral to the creation and maintenance of identity and sense of self. Life stories were gathered through interviews with two professional women golfers (Christiana and Kandy) over a six‐year period. Through a narrative analysis of structure and form we explored each participant’s stories of living in and withdrawing from professional golf. We suggest Christiana told monological performance‐oriented stories which, while aligning with the culture of elite sport, resulted in an exclusive athletic identity and foreclosure of alternative selves and roles. On withdrawal, Christiana experienced narrative wreckage, identity collapse, mental health difficulties and considerable psychological trauma. In contrast, Kandy told dialogical discovery‐oriented stories which, while being in tension with the dominant performance narrative, created and sustained a multidimensional identity and self. Her stories and identity remained intact, authentic and continuous on withdrawal from tournament golf and she experienced few psychological problems

3D Fiber Orientation in Atherosclerotic Carotid Plaques

Atherosclerotic plaque rupture is the primary trigger of fatal cardiovascular events. Fibrillar collagen in atherosclerotic plaques and their directionality are anticipated to play a crucial role in plaque rupture. This study aimed assessing 3D fiber orientations and architecture in atherosclerotic plaques for the first time.Seven carotid plaques were imaged ex-vivo with a state-of-the-art Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI) technique, using a high magnetic field (9.4. Tesla) MRI scanner. A 3D spin-echo sequence with uni-polar diffusion sensitizing pulsed field gradients was utilized for DTI and fiber directions were assessed from diffusion tensor measurements. The distribution of the 3D fiber orientations in atherosclerotic plaques were quantified and the principal fiber orientations (circumferential, longitudinal or radial) were determined.Overall, 52% of the fiber orientations in the carotid plaque specimens were closest to the circumferential direction, 34% to the longitudinal direction, and 14% to the radial direction. Statistically no significant difference was measured in the amount of the fiber orientations between the concentric and eccentric plaque sites. However, concentric plaque sites showed a distinct structural organization, where the principally longitudinally oriented fibers were closer to the luminal side and the principally circumferentially oriented fibers were located more abluminally. The acquired unique information on 3D plaque fiber direction will help understanding pathobiological mechanisms of atherosclerotic plaque progression and pave the road to more realistic biomechanical plaque modeling for rupture assessment

Electroencephalographic density spectral array monitoring during propofol/sevoflurane coadministration in children, an exploratory observational study

Introduction: Propofol and sevoflurane have a long history in pediatric anesthesia. Combining both drugs at low dose levels offers new opportunities. However, monitoring the hypnotic effects of this drug combination in children is challenging, because the currently available processed EEG-based systems are insufficiently validated in young children and the co-administration of anesthetics. This study investigated electroencephalographic density spectral array monitoring during propofol/sevoflurane coadministration with fixed sevoflurane- and variable propofol dosages. Patients and methods: We analyzed the density spectral array pattern recorded during propofol/sevoflurane anesthesia in pediatric patients from birth to 11 years of age. Data from 78 patients were suitable for analysis. The primary outcome parameter of this study was the correlation between variable propofol dosages and the expression of the four electroencephalogram frequency bands β, α, θ, and δ. The main secondary outcome parameters were the intra-operative total EEG power and the prevalence of burst suppression. Results: In patients above the age of 1 year, a dose-dependent correlation between the propofol dosage and the relative percentage of β (−12.2%, p &lt; 0.001) and δ (5.1%, p &lt; 0.001) was found. There was an age-dependent trend toward increasing mean EEG power, with the most significant increase in the first year of life. In 14.1% of our patients, at least one episode of burst suppression occurred. Conclusion: DSA-guided augmentation of propofol anesthesia with sevoflurane provides sufficient depth of anesthesia at doses usually considered sub-anesthetic in children, leading to less anesthetic drug exposure for the individual child.</p

Electroencephalographic density spectral array monitoring during propofol/sevoflurane coadministration in children, an exploratory observational study

Introduction: Propofol and sevoflurane have a long history in pediatric anesthesia. Combining both drugs at low dose levels offers new opportunities. However, monitoring the hypnotic effects of this drug combination in children is challenging, because the currently available processed EEG-based systems are insufficiently validated in young children and the co-administration of anesthetics. This study investigated electroencephalographic density spectral array monitoring during propofol/sevoflurane coadministration with fixed sevoflurane- and variable propofol dosages. Patients and methods: We analyzed the density spectral array pattern recorded during propofol/sevoflurane anesthesia in pediatric patients from birth to 11 years of age. Data from 78 patients were suitable for analysis. The primary outcome parameter of this study was the correlation between variable propofol dosages and the expression of the four electroencephalogram frequency bands β, α, θ, and δ. The main secondary outcome parameters were the intra-operative total EEG power and the prevalence of burst suppression. Results: In patients above the age of 1 year, a dose-dependent correlation between the propofol dosage and the relative percentage of β (−12.2%, p &lt; 0.001) and δ (5.1%, p &lt; 0.001) was found. There was an age-dependent trend toward increasing mean EEG power, with the most significant increase in the first year of life. In 14.1% of our patients, at least one episode of burst suppression occurred. Conclusion: DSA-guided augmentation of propofol anesthesia with sevoflurane provides sufficient depth of anesthesia at doses usually considered sub-anesthetic in children, leading to less anesthetic drug exposure for the individual child.</p