You don't need to administer a placebo to elicit a placebo effect: Social factors trigger neurobiological pathways to enhance sports performance

The placebo effect is traditionally viewed as a positive outcome resulting from a person’s belief that an inert substance is in fact an active drug. In this context, it is often viewed as an intrapsychic phenomenon. However, most placebo effects reported in scientific research result from social interactions. These might be explicit, such as the description and administration of a treatment by a practitioner, or less explicit, for example, the recipient’s perceptions of the practitioner’s credibility, expertise, or confidence. On this basis, placebo effects are arguably social in origin. Many phenomena in sport are likewise social in origin, from the facilitation effects of a home field crowd or a cohesive team, to anxiety induced by an expert opponent or perceived underperformance. Such social effects have been the subject of research not only in social psychology, but also in experimental physiology. Emergent research in cognitive and evolutionary anthropology suggests that these social effects can be examined as a form of placebo effect. This suggestion is not a speculative position predicated on social and placebo effects sharing similar environmental cues and outcomes, but one based on a growing database indicating that drug, placebo, and social effects operate via common neurobiological mechanisms. In this paper, we examine the theoretical and empirical overlap between placebo and social effects and describe emergent research reporting specific brain pathways activated by socio-environmental cues as well as by drugs and placebos. We do so from three perspectives: the competitor, the teammate, the researcher

Changes in technique throughout a 1500-m speed skating time-trial in junior elite athletes: Differences between sexes, performance levels and competitive seasons

Speed skating is a technical endurance sport. Still, little is known about technical changes in junior speed skaters. Therefore, changes in technique throughout a 1500-m time-trial of elite junior speed skaters is investigated to explore differences between sexes, performance levels and competitive seasons. At (inter)national 1500-m competitions, knee and push-off angles were obtained for 120 elite junior speed skaters (56 female, 64 male, age 17.6±1.1 years) per lap at 250m (lap 1), 650m (lap 2), 1050m (lap 3) and 1450m (lap 4). Additionally, 1500m end-times and lap-times were obtained to divide skaters in faster and slower performance groups and to analyze pacing behavior. Fifteen skaters (8 female, 7 male, age 17.3 ±1.5 years) were measured again after 1.6±0.6 years. (Repeated measures) ANOVAs were used for statistical analyses (p<0.05). ICC, determined in a pilot study, was 0.55 for knee and 0.76 for push-off angles. Elite junior speed skaters increased their knee angles throughout the race (p<0.005), regardless of sex (p = 0.110) or performance level (p = 0.714). Push-off angles increased from lap 1–3 (p<0.001), in which men showed a larger decay than female skaters (p<0.05), this holds for both performance groups (p = 0.103). Faster skaters had smaller knee and push-off angles than slower skaters (p<0.05). Males showed smaller body angles than females (p<0.001). Faster male and female skaters showed a relative slower start and faster lap 3 compared to slower skaters (p<0.05). Development over competitive seasons showed a shift towards smaller push-off angles (p = 0.038) and less decay in knee angles from lap 2–3 (p = 0.026). The present study shows that technique throughout the 1500m deteriorates. Deterioration in technique is regardless of performance level, even with different pacing behaviors. Differences between sexes were found for push-off angles. The longitudinal development suggests changes in technique towards senior level and highlights the importance of studying juniors separate from seniors

Rapid Generation of MicroRNA Sponges for MicroRNA Inhibition

MicroRNA (miRNA) sponges are transcripts with repeated miRNA antisense sequences that can sequester miRNAs from endogenous targets. MiRNA sponges are valuable tools for miRNA loss-of-function studies both in vitro and in vivo. We developed a fast and flexible method to generate miRNA sponges and tested their efficiency in various assays. Using a single directional ligation reaction we generated sponges with 10 or more miRNA binding sites. Luciferase and AGO2-immuno precipitation (IP) assays confirmed effective binding of the miRNAs to the sponges. Using a GFP competition assay we showed that miR-19 sponges with central mismatches in the miRNA binding sites are efficient miRNA inhibitors while sponges with perfect antisense binding sites are not. Quantification of miRNA sponge levels suggests that this is at least in part due to degradation of the perfect antisense sponge transcripts. Finally, we provide evidence that combined inhibition of miRNAs of the miR-17∼92 cluster results in a more effective growth inhibition as compared to inhibition of individual miRNAs. In conclusion, we describe and validate a method to rapidly generate miRNA sponges for miRNA loss-of-function studies

Training of ambulance nurses with virtual reality: finding the business case

Virtual Reality (VR) can bridge the gap between theoretical educative materials and complex real-life situations that ambulance nurses face in practice⁠. The ability to simulate scenarios from a compelling caregiver perspective offers a powerful learning method⁠. We aim to contribute to the training of ambulance nurses by utilizing new opportunities that VR offers⁠. In this study we investigate which factors contribute to the implementation and long-term use of VR training by ambulance services for their employees⁠. Part of project: VRAMBO⁠. Virtual Reality voor AMBulanceverpleegkundig Onderwijs van complexe situaties

Assessing the effect of sample size, methodological quality and statistical rigour on outcomes of randomised controlled trials on mobilisation, manipulation and massage for low back pain of at least 6 weeks duration

Objectives: to assess the effect of sample size, methodological quality and statistical rigour on outcomes of randomised controlled trials (RCTs) on manual therapy (i.e. manipulation, mobilisation and/or massage) for non-specific low back pain (LBP) of at least 6 weeks duration, and to report results from RCTs with adequate sample size, methodological quality and statistical rigour.Data sources: MedLine, EMBASE, CINAHL, AMED, Cochrane, PEDro and the library collection of the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy.Review methods: RCTs were identified that compared manual therapy with a control or alternative intervention in adults with non-specific LBP of at least 6 weeks duration. The sample size, methodological quality (adapted 10-point van Tulder scale) and statistical rigour were then assessed. RCTs were regarded as higher quality if they fulfilled the following three criteria: (a) &gt;40 subjects in the manual therapy group; (b) scoring &gt;5/10 on the Van Tulder scale; and (c) reporting statistical tests that compared the change in the intervention group with the change in the control group.Results: ten RCTs were included in the review but only two qualified as higher quality RCTs. Results from smaller trials and lower quality RCTs showed more variation in differences between the intervention and control groups than larger or higher quality trials. Evidence from large, high-quality RCTs with adequate statistical analyses showed that, for improvement in pain and function, a mobilisation/manipulation package is an effective intervention [compared with general practitioner (GP) care], whilst manipulation used in isolation showed no real benefits over sham manipulation or an alternative intervention. No higher quality evidence considering massage was identified.Conclusions: many RCTs in the area of manual therapy for LBP have shortcomings in sample size, methodological quality and/or statistical rigour, but there remains evidence from higher quality RCTs to support the use of a manual therapy package, compared with GP care, for non-specific LBP of at least 6 weeks duratio

Pacing Behavior Development in Adolescent Swimmers: A Large-scale Longitudinal Data Analysis

Purpose Use a large-scale longitudinal design to investigate the development of the distribution of effort (e.g., pacing) in adolescent swimmers, specifically disentangling the effects of age and experience and differentiating between performance levels in adulthood. Methods Season best times and 50 m split times of 100 m and 200 m freestyle swimmers from five continents were gathered between 2000 and 2021. Included swimmers competed in a minimum of three seasons between 12-24 years old (5.3 ± 1.9 seasons) and were categorized by performance level in adulthood (elite, sub-elite, high-competitive) (100 m: n = 3498, 47% female; 200 m: n = 2230, 56% female). Multilevel models in which repeated measures (level 1) were nested within individual swimmers (level 2) were estimated to test the effects of age, race experience, and adult performance level on the percentage of total race time spent in each 50 m section (p < 0.05). Results In the 100 m, male swimmers develop a relatively faster first 50 m when becoming older. This behavior also distinguishes elite from high-competitive swimmers. No such effects were found for female swimmers. Conversely, more experienced male and female swimmers exhibit a slower initial 50 m. With age and race experience, swimmers develop a more even velocity distribution in the 200 m. Adolescent swimmers reaching the elite level adopt a more even behavior compared to high-competitive. This differentiation occurs at younger age in female (>13 years) compared to male (>16 years) swimmers. Conclusions Pacing behavior development throughout adolescence is driven by age-related factors besides race experience. Swimmers attaining a higher performance level during adulthood exhibit a pacing behavior which better fits the task demands during adolescence. Monitoring and individually optimizing the pacing behavior of young swimmers is an important step towards elite performance

Influence of all-out and fast start on 5-min cycling time trial performance

The purpose of this article is to examine the influence of two different fast-start pacing strategies on performance and oxygen consumption (V˙O2) during cycle ergometer time trials lasting ∼5 min

Evaluation of mobile and home based cognitive prosthetics

Those suffering from mild dementia exhibit impairments of memory, thought and reasoning. It has been recognised that the deployment of technological solutions to address such impairments may have a major positive impact on quality of life. In the current paper we present results from the CogKnow Project following the evaluation of a suite of mobile and home based cognitive prosthetics to assist persons suffering from mild dementia. The results following an evaluation of the technology conducted with 16 people with mild dementia (and their carers) across 3 different trial sites are outlined. The paper concludes with details describing the process by which the outcomes of the evaluation will be used to guide the developments of a second generation of both mobile and home based cognitive prosthetic

Processing methods of donor human milk evaluated by a blood plasma clotting assay

Donor human milk is the first alternative for preterm infants when mother's own milk is not available. Most available human milk banking guidelines recommend classical holder pasteurization to ensure safety by eliminating potential infectious microorganisms. Processing by heat treatment, however, negatively affects functionality and availability of bioactive components naturally present in human milk. Here we compared the effect of five different processing methods on the ability of human milk to induce blood plasma clotting, which was recently described as a bioactive function present in human milk. From thirty lactating women, milk samples were collected, and all milk samples were subjected to holder pasteurization (30 min at 62.5 °C), high-temperature-short-time pasteurization (15 s at 72 °C), high-pressure processing (5 min at 500 MPa), ultraviolet-C irradiation (4863 J/L), or thermo-ultrasonication (6 min at 60 W, at 40 °C). All methods significantly reduced the ability of milk to trigger blood plasma clotting compared to untreated milk, but ultraviolet-C irradiation and high-pressure processing were best at preserving this activity. Taken together, measuring the ability of milk to induce blood plasma clotting may offer a new tool to monitor the effect of human milk processing