Effects of long-haul transmeridian travel on player preparedness: Case study of a national team at the 2014 FIFA World Cup

© 2016 Sports Medicine Australia Objectives Describe the effects of eastward long-haul transmeridian air travel on subjective jet-lag, sleep and wellness in professional football (soccer) players prior to the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil. Design Single cohort involving twenty-two male professional football players representing a national football team. Methods Data was collected from players prior to and following international travel from Sydney, Australia to Vitoria, Brazil. In total there were three flights, 19-h and 14,695 km of travel east across 11 time-zones. Training load and wellness measures were obtained in the week prior to and following travel, whilst sleep and jet-lag measures were collected on the day prior to travel (Pre), the day of arrival and for five days following travel (Post 1–5). Results Compared to Pre, perceived jet-lag was significantly increased on Post 1 to 4, with significantly greater levels on Post 1 compared to Post 5 (p < 0.05). Self-reported sleep duration during travel was 5.9 (4.8–7.0) h, which was significantly lower than all other nights (p ˂ 0.01), except for the night of arrival, where time in bed and sleep duration were significantly reduced compared to Post 1–4 (p ˂ 0.01). Lastly, compared to the week prior to travel, mean wellness was significantly reduced during the week following travel (p ˂ 0.01). Conclusions Self-reported sleep disruption during and following eastward long-haul transmeridian air travel, together with exacerbated jet-lag symptoms may result in reduced player wellness. Consequently, player preparedness for subsequent training and competition may be impeded, though physical performance data is lacking

Effects of sleep hygiene and artificial bright light interventions on recovery from simulated international air travel

© 2014, Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg. Purpose: Despite the reported detrimental effects of international air travel on physical performance, a paucity of interventions have been scientifically tested and confirmed to benefit travelling athletes. Consequently, the aim of the present study was to examine the effects of sleep hygiene and artificial bright light interventions on physical performance following simulated international travel. Methods: In a randomized crossover design, 13 physically active males completed 24 h of simulated international travel with (INT) and without (CON) the interventions. The mild hypoxia and cramped conditions typically encountered during commercial air travel were simulated in a normobaric, hypoxic room. Physical performance, subjective jet-lag symptoms and mood states were assessed in the morning and evening on the day prior to and for two days post-travel. Sleep quantity and quality were monitored throughout each trial. Results: Sleep duration was significantly reduced during travel in both trials (P  0.05) performance, were significantly reduced the evening of day 1 and 2 post-travel, with no differences between trials (P > 0.05). Furthermore, vigour was significantly greater (P = 0.04) the morning of day 2 in INT [5.3 (3.9–6.7)] compared to CON [2.8 (1.4–4.2)], and subjective jet-lag symptoms and mood states were significantly worse on day 2 in CON only (P < 0.05). Conclusions: Whilst reducing travel-induced sleep disruption may attenuate travel fatigue, no improvements in the recovery of physical performance were apparent

Workshop problem-solving for improved student engagement and increased learning in Engineering Control

Study of Engineering Control is often perceived by students as highly complex and a difficult hurdle to pass. The authors of this paper were prompted to propose changes to the teaching of a final year control unit of a BEng (Hons) Degree in Electrical and Electronic Engineering after numerous students had expressed concern about their ability to be successful in this subject. The average exam grade had also been low for several years. Teaching previously had been didactic in nature, based on lectures, predefined laboratory exercises and tutorial sessions. Use of appropriate based workshop study sessions can lead to higher levels of attainment and development, and student perception is that the experience is informal, engaging but appropriately challenging. A series of workshop sessions were introduced into term two of the unit teaching over a period of several weeks. Students worked individually on learning improvement activities, within cooperative groups in an informal workshop environment. The tasks set to the students were challenging and designed to improve general skills in Control, and students were encouraged to explore further areas that interested them. Results presented in this paper describe an improvement in student engagement, confidence in exam preparation and communication of learning measured by grades since the introduction of the workshop sessions, and improved feedback from students. The workshop sessions were integrated into the teaching scheme rather than being elective, and did not require any additional timetable sessions

Sleep Hygiene and Light Exposure Can Improve Performance Following Long-Haul Air Travel.

PURPOSE:To assess the efficacy of a combined light exposure and sleep hygiene intervention to improve team-sport performance following eastward long-haul transmeridian travel. METHODS:Twenty physically trained males underwent testing at 09:00 and 17:00 hours local time on 4 consecutive days at home (baseline) and the first 4 days following 21 hours of air travel east across 8 time zones. In a randomized, matched-pairs design, participants traveled with (INT; n = 10) or without (CON; n = 10) a light exposure and sleep hygiene intervention. Performance was assessed via countermovement jump, 20-m sprint, T test, and Yo-Yo Intermittent Recovery Level 1 tests, together with perceptual measures of jet lag, fatigue, mood, and motivation. Sleep was measured using wrist activity monitors in conjunction with self-report diaries. RESULTS:Magnitude-based inference and standardized effect-size analysis indicated there was a very likely improvement in the mean change in countermovement jump peak power (effect size 1.10, ±0.55), and likely improvement in 5-m (0.54, ±0.67) and 20-m (0.74, ±0.71) sprint time in INT compared with CON across the 4 days posttravel. Sleep duration was most likely greater in INT both during travel (1.61, ±0.82) and across the 4 nights following travel (1.28, ±0.58) compared with CON. Finally, perceived mood and motivation were likely worse (0.73, ±0.88 and 0.63, ±0.87) across the 4 days posttravel in CON compared with INT. CONCLUSIONS:Combined light exposure and sleep hygiene improved speed and power but not intermittent-sprint performance up to 96 hours following long-haul transmeridian travel. The reduction of sleep disruption during and following travel is a likely contributor to improved performance

Tradition and Innovation in Classical Sociology: Tenth Anniversary Report of JCS

Perhaps the very idea of ‘classical sociology’ is a contradiction in terms; sociology was originally that social science peculiarly concerned with the study of the processes of modernization and the condition of modernity, that is, with the critical examination of ‘post-traditional’ developments and hence ‘post-classical’ forms of social organization. Its concerns have broadened subsequently, but the focus of sociology remains on the exploration of the nature and development of social structure and social action in the post-traditional world. In the nineteenth century, sociologists invented new concepts and experimented with new methods to study the emergence of unprecedented social phenomena and the rise of a type of society that was variously called ‘modern society’, ‘industrial society’, and ‘capitalist society’. In the twentieth century, there was a further elaboration of key sociological concepts, and it became increasingly popular to proclaim the rise of yet another form of society, described as ‘post-industrial society’, ‘late modern society’, ‘post-modern society’, or ‘network society’. In the current century, the idea of globalization has swept everything before it, leading to the notion that ‘society’ has now been replaced by flows and networks of people, objects, and ideas. With the transition from traditional to modern societies, the integrative power of Gemeinschaft began to compete with the systemic power of Gesellschaft; with the transition from modern to late modern societies, the local horizons of our Lebenswelt appear to be increasingly shaped by the deterritorialized networks of the Weltgesellschaft. If we are ‘post-traditional’, surely we are also ‘post-classical’. It is hardly surprising, therefore, that many contemporary sociologists have some difficulty accepting the very idea of classical sociology

Development of Non-Natural Flavanones as Antimicrobial Agents

With growing concerns over multidrug resistance microorganisms, particularly strains of bacteria and fungi, evolving to become resistant to the antimicrobial agents used against them, the identification of new molecular targets becomes paramount for novel treatment options. Recently, the use of new treatments containing multiple active ingredients has been shown to increase the effectiveness of existing molecules for some infections, often with these added compounds enabling the transport of a toxic molecule into the infecting species. Flavonoids are among the most abundant plant secondary metabolites and have been shown to have natural abilities as microbial deterrents and anti-infection agents in plants. Combining these ideas we first sought to investigate the potency of natural flavonoids in the presence of efflux pump inhibitors to limit Escherichia coli growth. Then we used the natural flavonoid scaffold to synthesize non-natural flavanone molecules and further evaluate their antimicrobial efficacy on Escherichia coli, Bacillus subtilis and the fungal pathogens Cryptococcus neoformans and Aspergillus fumigatus. Of those screened, we identified the synthetic molecule 4-chloro-flavanone as the most potent antimicrobial compound with a MIC value of 70 µg/mL in E. coli when combined with the inhibitor Phe-Arg-ß-naphthylamide, and MICs of 30 µg/mL in S. cerevesiae and 30 µg/mL in C. neoformans when used alone. Through this study we have demonstrated that combinatorial synthesis of non-natural flavonones can identify novel antimicrobial agents with activity against bacteria and fungi but with minimal toxicity to human cells

Compared to conventional, ecological intensive management promotes beneficial proteolytic soil microbial communities for agro-ecosystem functioning under climate change-induced rain regimes

Projected climate change and rainfall variability will affect soil microbial communities, biogeochemical cycling and agriculture. Nitrogen (N) is the most limiting nutrient in agroecosystems and its cycling and availability is highly dependent on microbial driven processes. In agroecosystems, hydrolysis of organic nitrogen (N) is an important step in controlling soil N availability. We analyzed the effect of management (ecological intensive vs. conventional intensive) on N-cycling processes and involved microbial communities under climate change-induced rain regimes. Terrestrial model ecosystems originating from agroecosystems across Europe were subjected to four different rain regimes for 263 days. Using structural equation modelling we identified direct impacts of rain regimes on N-cycling processes, whereas N-related microbial communities were more resistant. In addition to rain regimes, management indirectly affected N-cycling processes via modifications of N-related microbial community composition. Ecological intensive management promoted a beneficial N-related microbial community composition involved in N-cycling processes under climate change-induced rain regimes. Exploratory analyses identified phosphorus-associated litter properties as possible drivers for the observed management effects on N-related microbial community composition. This work provides novel insights into mechanisms controlling agro-ecosystem functioning under climate change

No Detectable Fertility Benefit from a Single Additional Mating in Wild Stalk-Eyed Flies

Background: Multiple mating by female insects is widespread, and the explanation(s) for repeated mating by females has been the subject of much discussion. Females may profit from mating multiply through direct material benefits that increase their own reproductive output, or indirect genetic benefits that increase offspring fitness. One particular direct benefit that has attracted significant attention is that of fertility assurance, as females often need to mate multiply to achieve high fertility. This hypothesis has never been tested in a wild insect population.Methodology/Principal Findings: Female Malaysian stalk-eyed flies (Teleopsis dalmanni) mate repeatedly during their lifetime, and have been shown to be sperm limited under both laboratory and field conditions. Here we ask whether receiving an additional mating alleviates sperm limitation in wild females. In our experiment one group of females received a single additional mating, while a control group received an interrupted, and therefore unsuccessful, mating. Females that received an additional mating did not lay more fertilised eggs in total, nor did they lay proportionately more fertilised eggs. Female fertility declined significantly through time, demonstrating that females were sperm limited. However, receipt of an additional mating did not significantly alter the rate of this decline.Conclusions/Significance: Our data suggest that the fertility consequences of a single additional mating were small. We discuss this effect (or lack thereof), and suggest that it is likely to be attributed to small ejaculate size, a high proportion of failed copulations, and the presence of X-linked meiotic drive in this species

Risk factors for delayed presentation and referral of symptomatic cancer: Evidence for common cancers

Background:It has been suggested that the known poorer survival from cancer in the United Kingdom, compared with other European countries, can be attributed to more advanced cancer stage at presentation. There is, therefore, a need to understand the diagnostic process, and to ascertain the risk factors for increased time to presentation.Methods:We report the results from two worldwide systematic reviews of the literature on patient-mediated and practitioner-mediated delays, identifying the factors that may influence these.Results:Across cancer sites, non-recognition of symptom seriousness is the main patient-mediated factor resulting in increased time to presentation. There is strong evidence of an association between older age and patient delay for breast cancer, between lower socio-economic status and delay for upper gastrointestinal and urological cancers and between lower education level and delay for breast and colorectal cancers. Fear of cancer is a contributor to delayed presentation, while sanctioning of help seeking by others can be a powerful mediator of reduced time to presentation. For practitioner delay, ‘misdiagnosis’ occurring either through treating patients symptomatically or relating symptoms to a health problem other than cancer, was an important theme across cancer sites. For some cancers, this could also be linked to inadequate patient examination, use of inappropriate tests or failing to follow-up negative or inconclusive test results.Conclusion:Having sought help for potential cancer symptoms, it is therefore important that practitioners recognise these symptoms, and examine, investigate and refer appropriately. © 2009 Cancer Research UK All rights reserved