The origins of the Asian Cold War: Malaya 1948

From the 1970s most scholars have rejected the Cold War orthodoxy that the Malayan Emergency (1948–60) was a result of instructions from Moscow, translated into action by the Malayan Communist Party (MCP). They have instead argued that local factors precipitated violence, and that the MCP was relatively unprepared when the Emergency was declared. This article puts the international element back into the picture. It shows that the change from a ‘united front’ to a ‘two camp’ international communist line from 1947 played a significant role in deciding local debates in favour of revolt. It also demonstrates how the MCP had plans for a graduated build-up to armed revolt before an Emergency was declared. This article therefore offers a model for a dynamic, two-way relationship between the international and local levels of Cold War

Nonverbal behavior accompanying challenge and threat states under pressure

Objectives This study examined if challenge and threat states predicted nonverbal behavior during a pressurized soccer penalty task. Design A predictive design was employed. Method Forty-two participants (Mage = 24 years, SD = 7) completed the task. Before the task, challenge and threat states were assessed via demand resource evaluations and cardiovascular reactivity. During the task, nonverbal behavior was recorded, and later used to rate participants on six scales: (1) submissive–dominant, (2) unconfident–confident, (3) on edge–composed, (4) unfocused–focused, (5) threatened–challenged, and (6) inaccurate–accurate. Results Participants who evaluated the task as a challenge (coping resources exceed task demands) were deemed more dominant, confident, composed, challenged, and competent from their nonverbal behavior than those who evaluated it as a threat (task demands exceed coping resources). Cardiovascular reactivity did not predict nonverbal behavior. Conclusions Athletes' challenge and threat evaluations might be associated with nonverbal behavior under high-pressure

The Role of Attentional Control in Sport Performance

Attentional Control Theory-Sport (ACT-S) states that performance under stress or anxiety may be underpinned by attentional processes. The attentional processes outlined in ACT-S are a group of executive functions (EFs) including inhibition, shifting, and updating. However, research grounded within ACT-S has typically assessed attention through visual gaze often captured with an eye-tracker. The key aim of the thesis was to try and better understand how EFs and visual attention (VA) interact to influence sport performance and extend ACT-S. A series of four studies, and one pilot study, were conducted in order to test the idea that EF and VA may indeed work together in successful sport performance. An initial systematic review outlined several research gaps (e.g., a lack of research examining a holistic EF model). Specifically, the review identified that research had often failed to consider EF and VA in the same analyses and rarely considered the distinction between effectiveness and efficiency. After pilot data showed no difference between in-person and online conditions, an online study examined the relationship between tasks of inhibition, shifting, and updating and VA tasks for the first time, and found associations through confirmatory factor analysis. To increase ecological validity, two experimental studies examined the relationship between EF, VA (obtained via eye-trackers), and objective sport performance (i.e., soccer penalty performance). Cross-sectional results suggested the relationship between EF and soccer penalty performance was mediated by VA. Longitudinal results were not completely in line with this finding and suggested that VA alone may be a better influence of soccer penalties over time. However, the search rate and inhibition relationship showed promise. Overall, there appears to be a relationship between EF and VA for sport performance and the components should be considered independent contributors to “attention” within ACT-S, though the long-term relations are not clear

Do Challenge and Threat States Predict Performance, Attention and Nonverbal Behaviour during the Performance of a Pressurised Soccer Penalty Task?

Athletes who display a challenge state thrive under pressure, while athletes who display a threat state struggle. The present thesis had two main aims. First, it tested the predictions of the integrated framework of stress, attention, and visuomotor performance to better understand how challenge and threat states effect performance. Second, it examined the influence of challenge and threat states on nonverbal behaviour (NVB) to provide a new method of identifying athletes who are experiencing challenge and threat states. Forty-two participants completed a pressurised soccer penalty task. Before the task, challenge and threat states were measured via demand resource evaluations and cardiovascular reactivity. During the task, a mobile eye tracker and digital video camera were used to record attentional control and NVB, respectively. After the task, performance (i.e., distance from the centre of the goal), attentional control (i.e., time to first fixation on goalkeeper, percentage viewing time on the goalkeeper and goal, and quiet eye duration), and NVB (i.e., submissive–dominant, unconfident–confident, on edge–composed, unfocused–focused, and inaccurate–accurate), were determined via video analysis. Finally, challenge and threat states were measured before a second trial on the pressurised soccer penalty task. The results revealed that challenge state was associated with more accurate performance (p = <.001), and more time spent fixating on the goalkeeper (p = .044). Also, the results suggest challenge state might be associated with the amount of time spent fixating on the goal (p = .059), and longer quiet eye durations (p = .066). In addition, a challenge state in trial one might be associated with experiencing a challenge state in trial two (p = .062). While better performance in trial one was linked to challenge evaluations in trial two (p = .009). Finally, a challenge state was associated with more dominant (p = .031), confident (p = .012), composed NVB (p = .004), and associated with increased likelihood of an accurate penalty (p = .045). Collectively, these findings partially support the integrated framework, suggesting that a challenge state might benefit sports performance by optimising goal-directed attentional control. Furthermore, the findings imply that NVB may offer a potential new method of identifying challenge and threat states among athletes in pressurised situations

Challenge and threat states, performance, and attentional control during a pressurized soccer penalty task

 This is the author accepted manuscript. The final version is available from American Psychological Association via the DOI in this recordThe integrative framework of stress, attention, and visuomotor performance was developed to explain the benefits of responding to competitive pressure with a challenge rather than a threat state. However, the specific predictions of this framework have not been tested. Forty-two participants completed 2 trials of a pressurized soccer penalty task. Before the first trial, challenge and threat states were assessed via demand and resource evaluations and cardiovascular reactivity. Performance and gaze behavior were then recorded during the first trial. Before the second trial, challenge and threat states were measured again through demand and resource evaluations and cardiovascular reactivity. A challenge state, indexed by evaluations that coping resources matched or exceeded task demands, and higher cardiac output and/or lower total peripheral resistance reactivity, was associated with superior performance, with the cardiovascular response predicting performance more strongly. Furthermore, a challenge- like cardiovascular response was related to longer quiet eye durations and lower search rates, marginally more fixations toward the goal and ball, and more time spent fixating on the goal and other locations (e.g., ground). However, none of the attentional variables mediated the relationship between challenge and threat states and performance, suggesting more research is needed to elucidate underlying mechanisms. Finally, although performing well on Trial 1 was marginally associated with evaluating the second trial as a challenge, no support was found for the other feedback loops. The findings offer partial support for the integrative framework and imply that practitioners should foster a challenge state to optimize performance under pressure

Definition of important early morbidities related to paediatric cardiac surgery

BACKGROUND: Morbidity is defined as a state of being unhealthy or of experiencing an aspect of health that is "generally bad for you", and postoperative morbidity linked to paediatric cardiac surgery encompasses a range of conditions that may impact the patient and are potential targets for quality assurance. METHODS: As part of a wider study, a multi-disciplinary group of professionals aimed to define a list of morbidities linked to paediatric cardiac surgery that was prioritised by a panel reflecting the views of both professionals from a range of disciplines and settings as well as parents and patients. RESULTS: We present a set of definitions of morbidity for use in routine audit after paediatric cardiac surgery. These morbidities are ranked in priority order as acute neurological event, unplanned re-operation, feeding problems, the need for renal support, major adverse cardiac events or never events, extracorporeal life support, necrotising enterocolitis, surgical site of blood stream infection, and prolonged pleural effusion or chylothorax. It is recognised that more than one such morbidity may arise in the same patient and these are referred to as multiple morbidities, except in the case of extracorporeal life support, which is a stand-alone constellation of morbidity. CONCLUSIONS: It is feasible to define a range of paediatric cardiac surgical morbidities for use in routine audit that reflects the priorities of both professionals and parents. The impact of these morbidities on the patient and family will be explored prospectively as part of a wider ongoing, multi-centre study

A Theory of Challenge and Threat States in Athletes: a revised conceptualization

The Theory of Challenge and Threat States in Athletes (TCTSA) provides a psychophysiological framework for how athletes anticipate motivated performance situations. The purpose of this review is to discuss how research has addressed the 15 predictions made by the TCTSA, to evaluate the mechanisms underpinning the TCTSA in light of the research that has emerged in the last ten years, and to inform a revised TCTSA (TCTSA-R). There was support for many of the 15 predictions in the TCTSA, with two main areas for reflection identified; to understand the physiology of challenge and to re-evaluate the concept of resource appraisals. This re-evaluation informs the TCTSA-R which elucidates the physiological changes, predispositions, and cognitive appraisals that mark challenge and threat states. First, the relative strength of the sympathetic nervous system response is outlined as a determinant of challenge and threat patterns of reactivity and we suggest that oxytocin and neuropeptide Y are also key indicators of an adaptive approach to motivated performance situations and can facilitate a challenge state. Second, although predispositions were acknowledged within the TCTSA, how these may influence challenge and threat states was not specified. In the TCTSA-R it is proposed that one’s propensity to appraise stressors as a challenge that most strongly dictates acute cognitive appraisals. Third, in the TCTSA-R a more parsimonious integration of Lazarusian ideas of cognitive appraisal and challenge and threat is proposed. Given that an athlete can make both challenge and threat primary appraisals and can have both high or low resources compared to perceived demands, a 2x2 bifurcation theory of challenge and threat is proposed. This reflects polychotomy of four parts; high challenge, low challenge, low threat, and high threat. For example, in low threat, an athlete can evince a threat state but still perform well so long as they perceive high resources. Consequently, we propose suggestions for research concerning measurement tools and a reconsideration of resources to include social support. Finally, applied recommendations are made based on adjusting demands and enhancing resources.N/

Endogenous Bak inhibitors Mcl-1 and Bcl-xL: differential impact on TRAIL resistance in Bax-deficient carcinoma

Although both Mcl-1 and Bcl-xL keep proapoptotic Bak in check, it is the loss of Mcl-1 that sensitizes cells to death receptor–mediated apoptosis