An Economic Analysis of Twitching Behaviour and Species Rarity

Avid birdwatchers, or ‘twitchers’, expend a considerable amount of money and time pursuing viewing experiences of rare or vagrant species. By vagrant species we mean a species found outside its normal range/distribution. To enhance our understanding of this form of behaviour, we present results from a UK survey of twitchers. First, we examine the relationship between cost and rarity based on actual viewing experiences. Our statistical results reveal that the relationship between cost and rarity is positive and very inelastic. Second, we present results from a hypothetical Best-Worst Scaling exercise examining aspects of species rarity. We find that rarity is a more nuanced construct than simply the frequency with which a vagrant species has appeared. Our results provide insights into the meaning of rarity, as well as the economic value attach to it and why

A preliminary audit of medical and aid provision in English Rugby union clubs:compliance with Regulation 9

BackgroundGoverning bodies are largely responsible for the monitoring and management of risks associated with a safe playing environment, yet adherence to regulations is currently unknown. The aim of this study was to investigate and evaluate the current status of medical personnel, facilities, and equipment in Rugby Union clubs at regional level in England.MethodsA nationwide cross-sectional survey of 242 registered clubs was undertaken, where clubs were surveyed online on their current medical personnel, facilities, and equipment provision, according to regulation 9 of the Rugby Football Union (RFU).ResultsOverall, 91 (45. 04%) surveys were returned from the successfully contacted recipients. Of the completed responses, only 23.61% (n = 17) were found to be compliant with regulations. Furthermore, 30.56% (n = 22) of clubs were unsure if their medical personnel had required qualifications; thus, compliance could not be determined. There was a significant correlation (p = −0.029, r = 0.295) between club level and numbers of practitioners. There was no significant correlation indicated between the number of practitioners/number of teams and number of practitioners/number of players. There were significant correlations found between club level and equipment score (p = 0.003, r = −0.410), club level and automated external defibrillator (AED) access (p = 0.002, r = −0.352) and practitioner level and AED access (p = 0.0001, r = 0.404). Follow-up, thematic analysis highlighted widespread club concern around funding/cost, awareness, availability of practitioners and AED training.ConclusionThe proportion of clubs not adhering overall compliance with Regulation 9 of the RFU is concerning for player welfare, and an overhaul, nationally, is required

Boing Project Report 2019 - 2021

Boing was launched in 2014 to support practitioners (coaches, coach developers, teachers, sports development professionals, volunteers and many more!) to deliver highly engaging physical activity, sport and physical education. This report focuses on a Sport England funded pilot project (2019-2021) conceived of to develop an understanding of: 1. What is required to build meaningful relationships across the Active Partnerships Network and across the sector as a whole. 2. The potential impact of bespoke partnerships/influencing on the way we support and educate the workforce. 3. The impact of an educational programme of workshops on practitioners and children

Infant Social Avoidance Predicts Autism but Not Anxiety in Fragile X Syndrome

Objective: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD), attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and anxiety are three of the most common childhood psychiatric disorders. Early trajectories of social avoidance have been linked with these psychiatric disorders in previous studies, but it remains unclear how social avoidance differentially predicts comorbid disorders in a high-risk genetic subgroup. Here, we delineate the association between trajectories of social avoidance from infancy and subsequent ASD, ADHD, and anxiety outcomes at preschool in children with fragile X syndrome (FXS), a well-characterized single-gene disorder highly associated with social avoidance as well as elevated rates of ASD, ADHD, and anxiety.Method: Males with FXS (n = 78) aged 4–62 months participated in a longitudinal study resulting in 201 assessments. The Social Avoidance Scale (SAS) documented socially avoidant behaviors from infancy in three domains—physical movement, facial expression, and eye contact during both the first minute and the last hour of an interaction. ASD, ADHD, and anxiety symptom outcomes at preschool were measured via parent-report questionnaires.Results: Increased social avoidance across infancy and preschool predicted elevated ASD symptom severity but reduced ADHD and anxiety symptom severity in males with FXS.Conclusion: ASD, ADHD, and anxiety symptoms relate inconsistently to social avoidance behaviors, providing new insight toward the debate of independence or overlap among these disorders in FXS and other disorders (i.e., ASD). The results suggest that the nuanced profile of the developmental and temporal aspects of social avoidance may inform more the accuracy of differential diagnoses of comorbid psychiatric disorders in FXS

An investigation into the gain in knowledge of, attitudes towards and confidence to deliver a games-based Physical Literacy concept in practitioners across the UK

Physical Literacy (PL) is a key consideration in the Physical Activity (PA) and learning landscape. Facilitating PL through practitioner education has emerged as a viable avenue to promote PL and subsequently PA in young people. This spoken presentation presents the first findings from an evaluative project exploring a practitioner education programme forced on PL called Boing. Current knowledge and confidence of practitioner to deliver is poor across the UK. However, workshop training was found to be effective at improving knowledge, confidence and attitude. Further research is required to established how this translates into the practitioners practice

Prevalence of Bleeding and Thrombosis in Critically Ill Patients with Chronic Liver Disease

INTRODUCTION:  Hemorrhage and venous thromboembolism (VTE) are recognized complications of chronic liver disease (CLD), but their prevalence and risk factors in critically ill patients are uncertain. PATIENTS AND METHODS:  We studied a retrospective cohort of patients with CLD nonelectively admitted to a specialist intensive care unit (ICU) determining the prevalence and timing of major bleeding and VTE (early, present on admission/diagnosed within 48 hours; later, diagnosed >48 hours post-ICU admission). Associations with baseline clinical and laboratory characteristics, multiorgan failure (MOF), blood product administration, and mortality were explored. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated using logistic regression. RESULTS:  Of 623 patients with median age 52, bleeding (>48 hours after admission) occurred in 87 (14%) patients. Bleeding was associated with greater illness severity and increased mortality. Gastrointestinal bleeding accounted for 72% of events, secondary to portal hypertension in >90%. Procedure-related bleeding was uncommon. VTE occurred in 125 (20%) patients: early VTE in 80 (13%) and involving the portal vein in 85%. Later VTE affected 45 (7.2%) patients. Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and nonalcoholic liver disease were independently associated with early VTE (OR: 2.79, 95% CI: 1.5-5.2 and OR: 2.32, 95% CI: 1.4-3.9, respectively), and HCC, sepsis, and cryoprecipitate use with late VTE (OR: 2.45, 95% CI: 1.11-5.43; OR: 2.26, 95% CI: 1.2-4.3; and OR: 2.60, 95% CI: 1.3-5.1). CONCLUSION:  VTE was prevalent on admission to critical care and less commonly developed later. Bleeding was associated with MOF and increased mortality. Severe MOF was not associated with an increased rate of VTE which was linked with HCC, and specific etiologies of CLD

The Digital Future of Coaching

Digital is here. So, this is not so much a report about a digital future, but instead a pulse check on how, where, why and when coaches employ digital tools to support all that they do in their myriad of roles. Exacerbated by the pandemic, this is the time to support coaches as they return to play. The recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic brings a desire to rebuild and reinvent a more vibrant, relevant, and sustainable sector than ever before. At the heart of our sector is the coaching workforce – a valuable asset – whose people will make ‘the rebuild’ of the sport and physical activity sector possible. However, the Great Coaching Comeback Report (UK Coaching, 2021) has highlighted that a third of coaches report a ‘lack of confidence’ and a ‘fear of a reduction in their skill sets’ as major issues on their return to practice. Moreover, pre-pandemic research (UK Coaching, 2019) found a third of coaches did not have the resources they need to perform their roles effectively, and almost half had no mentor or person they could turn to for support in their coaching

Evidence for vibration coding of sliding tactile textures in auditory cortex

Introduction: Psychophysical studies suggest texture perception is mediated by spatial and vibration codes (duplex theory). Vibration coding, driven by relative motion between digit and stimulus, is involved in the perception of very fine gratings whereas coarse texture perception depends more on spatial coding, which does not require relative motion.Methods: We examined cortical activation, using functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging associated with fine and coarse tactile spatial gratings applied by sliding or touching (sliding vs. static contact) on the index finger pad.Results: We found regions, contralateral to the stimulated digit, in BA1 in S1, OP1, OP3, and OP4 in S2, and in auditory cortex, which were significantly more activated by sliding gratings but did not find this pattern in visual cortex. Regions in brain areas activated by vibrotactile stimuli (including auditory cortex) were also modulated by whether or not the gratings moved. In a control study we showed that this contrast persisted when the salience of the static condition was increased by using a double touch.Discussion: These findings suggest that vibration from sliding touch invokes multisensory cortical mechanisms in tactile processing of roughness. However, we did not find evidence of a separate visual region activated by static touch nor was there a dissociation between cortical response to fine vs. coarse gratings as might have been expected from duplex theory

Exploring the domain of the cerebellar timing system

ABSTRACT. Tile ability of all animal to process temporal information has adaptive significance across different emporal ranges. The ability to encode and utilize temporal information allows an animal to predict and anticipate vents. However, the lime scales var3. ' widely. The predictable vent might be based on information that changes over relatively long periods such as a year or a day. or over periods comprising much shorter durations, events that change within a few minutes or milliseconds. Are there a single set of neural mechanisms thai are essential for representing temporal information over these different scales? Despite the facl thai numerous neural sln~clures have been linked to successfid performance on a varieD ' of timing tasks, this question has received relalively little allen!ion. In this chapler, we will focus on the role of the cerebellum in a varie.ty of timing tasks. We will review the hypothesis that the cerebellum can be conceptualized asa relatively task-independent tinting mechanism. An important feature of this hypothesis is that the range of the cerebellar tinting s.vslem is assumed to be relatively reslriclcd. Specifically, we assume thai the cerebellum is capable of representing temporal information ranging from a few milliseconds to an upper bound of a few seconds. What remains unclear is whether the cerebellum is involved on tasks spanning longer durations. Cognitive processes such as attention and memor3. ' become clearly imporlant here. and indeed, may dominate performance for longer inlervals. The animal literature points!o non-cerebellar stn~ctures a playing a crilical role in these tasks and we will provide a brief review of this work. Finally. we will present he preliminary resulls from two experimenls designed to directly test the hypothesis that the cerebeilum's temporal capabilities are limilcd Io rclalivcly shorl durations. 1. Studies with patients with cerebellar lesions Ivry and Keele (1989) assessed the performance of a variety of neurological patients and age-matched control subjects on two tasks that were designed t