Attachment Styles Within the Coach-Athlete Dyad: Preliminary Investigation and Assessment Development

The present preliminary study aimed to develop and examine the psychometric properties of a new sport-specific self-report instrument designed to assess athletes’ and coaches’ attachment styles. The development and initial validation comprised three main phases. In Phase 1, a pool of items was generated based on pre-existing self-report attachment instruments, modified to reflect a coach and an athlete’s style of attachment. In Phase 2, the content validity of the items was assessed by a panel of experts. A final scale was developed and administered to 405 coaches and 298 athletes (N = 703 participants). In Phase 3, confirmatory factor analysis of the obtained data was conducted to determine the final items of the Coach-Athlete Attachment Scale (CAAS). Confirmatory factor analysis revealed acceptable goodness of fit indexes for a 3-first order factor model as well as a 2-first order factor model for both the athlete and the coach data, respectively. A secure attachment style positively predicted relationship satisfaction, while an insecure attachment style was a negative predictor of relationship satisfaction. The CAAS revealed initial psychometric properties of content, factorial, and predictive validity, as well as reliability

Improving the assessment of gestational age in a Zimbabwean population

Objectives: To evaluate the performance and the utility of using birthweight‐adjusted scores of Dubowitz and Ballard methods of estimating gestational age in a Zimbabwean population. Method: The Dubowitz and the Ballard methods of estimating gestational age were administered to 364 African newborn infants with a known last menstrual period (LMP) at Harare Maternity Hospital. Results: Both methods were good predictors of gestational age useful in differentiating term from pre‐term infants. Our regression line was Y(LMP gestational age)=23.814+0.301*score for the Dubowitz and Y(LMP gestational age)=24.493+0.420*score for the Ballard method. Addition of birthweight to the regression models improved prediction of gestational age; Y(LMP gestational age)=23.512+0.219*score+0.0015*grams for Dubowitz and Y(LMP gestational age)=24.002+0.292*score+0.0016*grams for Ballard method. Conclusions: We recommend the use of our birthweight‐adjusted maturity scales; the Dubowitz for studies of prematurity, and the Ballard for routine clinical practice.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/135611/1/ijgo7.pd

Time evolution of damage under variable ranges of load transfer

We study the time evolution of damage in a fiber bundle model in which the range of interaction of fibers varies through an adjustable stress transfer function recently introduced. We find that the lifetime of the material exhibits a crossover from mean field to short range behavior as in the static case. Numerical calculations showed that the value at which the transition takes place depends on the system's disorder. Finally, we have performed a microscopic analysis of the failure process. Our results confirm that the growth dynamics of the largest crack is radically different in the two limiting regimes of load transfer during the first stages of breaking.Comment: 8 pages, 7 figures, revtex4 styl

Higher cortisol:cortisone ratios in the preovulatory follicle of completely unstimulated IVF cycles indicate oocytes with increased pregnancy potential

BACKGROUND: Conception following gonadotrophin-stimulated IVF and embryo transfer has been associated with a higher intrafollicular cortisol:cortisone ratio and decreased metabolism of cortisol to cortisone. The role of glucocorticoids in human oocyte maturation is not fully understood, but active glucocorticoid (cortisol) may be important. This study relates intrafollicular cortisol and cortisone concentrations to oocyte fertilization and embryo implantation in unstimulated cycles. METHODS: Patients aged <40 years with favourable sperm underwent unstimulated IVF–embryo transfer. Study 1 related intrafollicular cortisol levels to oocyte and IVF outcome: (i) fertilized, pregnant (n = 9); (ii) fertilized, not pregnant (n = 21); and (iii) unfertilized (n = 12). Study 2 was a case–control study of 27 patients (same outcome groups of equal size) which measured intrafollicular cortisol, cortisone and the cortisol:cortisone ratio. RESULTS: Conception cycles demonstrated higher cortisol concentrations compared with the fertilized group (study 1) [median (95% confidence interval): 299 (249–330) versus 227 nmol/l (185–261); P < 0.05] and higher cortisol:cortisone ratios when compared with the unfertilized group (study 2) [7.38 (5.23–9.19) versus 3.56 (1.75–7.46) respectively; P = 0.02]. Of the women with cortisol:cortisone ratios greater than the outcome independent mean of 5.90, 58% conceived compared with only 13% with ratios <5.90 (P < 0.02). CONCLUSION: Higher cortisol:cortisone ratios in conception cycles suggest that active glucocorticoid may be important for final oocyte maturation and embryo implantation in unstimulated cycles

Total cortisol levels are reduced in the periovulatory follicle of infertile women with minimal-mild endometriosis

PROBLEM: To measure and compare concentrations of total and free glucocorticoids with oocyte fertilizing capacity in the follicular fluid (FF) of women with minimal–mild endometriosis and tubal damage.METHOD OF STUDY: Follicular fluid was collected from individual periovulatory follicles during oocyte retrieval for in vitro fertilization (IVF) in natural cycles. Total and free levels of cortisol and cortisone were measured using specific radioimmunoassays after chloroform extraction.RESULTS: Cortisol concentrations in women with minimal–mild endometriosis were significantly lower compared with controls (women with tubal infective damage) (258 versus 328 nmol/L, P < 0.02). There was no correlation between total or free concentrations of cortisol or cortisone and the fertilization capacity of the oocyte.CONCLUSIONS: Total cortisol levels are lower in the follicles of women with endometriosis. Our findings provide further evidence of follicular dysfunction contributing to the subfertility associated with minimal–mild endometriosis