2,561 research outputs found
ON THE STRUCTURE AND ACQUISITION OF TELICITY AND UNACCUSATIVITY IN VIETNAMESE
In this paper, we investigate Chinese L2 learners' knowledge of two grammatical constraints in Vietnamese: the first, a constraint on the aspectual interpretation of accomplishment predicates, the second pertaining to alternations in the position of embedded subjects in mono-clausal lam causatives. Whereas the former constraint is shared by Vietnamese and Chinese, the two languages differ with respect to the latter. The results of three judgment tasks provide statistically reliable support for the idea that L2 interlanguage grammars are not ultimately limited by Ll patterns; given the absence of explicit teaching and only limited exposure to relevant structures, it is suggested that learners' performance may be guided by UG information
Blood and Oil: The Dangers and Consequences of America’s Growing Dependency on Imported Petroleum
Tobacco smoking and acute exercise on immune-inflammatory responses among relative short and longer smoking histories
© 2019 Elsevier Ltd This study examined the acute effects of combined tobacco smoking and exercise on immune-inflammatory responses in smoker populations with shorter or longer smoking history. The cohort comprised 14 young male adult (YSM) and 12 middle-aged (MSM) male active cigarette smokers matched for aerobic fitness and smoking behavior. Following an initial familiarization and baseline testing session, participants completed a smoking and exercise protocol. This protocol involved the inhalation of two cigarettes (12 mg tar, 1 mg nicotine) within 15 min, and following a 10 min recovery period, 40 min of cycling at 50% peak aerobic workload. Venous blood was obtained pre- and post-protocol for analysis of interleukin (IL)-6, IL-1receptor antagonist (ra), IL-1beta (β) and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) and total leukocyte count. There was no baseline differences between age groups for IL-6 or MCP-1 (p > 0.05), although higher basal IL-1ra was evident in YSM (p 0.05) were observed; although higher concentrations of basophils immediately post and 4 h post-exercise, and higher eosinophils at 4 h post-exercise were evident in MSM (p < 0.05). The current study highlights that prolonged elevations in MCP-1, alongside leukocytosis, accompany inhalation of tobacco smoke prior to exercise
The effect of an acute sleep hygiene strategy following a late-night soccer match on recovery of players
© 2016 Taylor & Francis. Elite soccer players are at risk of reduced recovery following periods of sleep disruption, particularly following late-night matches. It remains unknown whether improving sleep quality or quantity in such scenarios can improve post-match recovery. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the effect of an acute sleep hygiene strategy (SHS) on physical and perceptual recovery of players following a late-night soccer match. In a randomised cross-over design, two highly-trained amateur teams (20 players) played two late-night (20:45) friendly matches against each other seven days apart. Players completed an SHS after the match or proceeded with their normal post-game routine (NSHS). Over the ensuing 48 h, objective sleep parameters (sleep duration, onset latency, efficiency, wake episodes), countermovement jump (CMJ; height, force production), YoYo Intermittent Recovery test (YYIR2; distance, maximum heart rate, lactate), venous blood (creatine kinase, urea and c-reactive protein) and perceived recovery and stress markers were collected. Sleep duration was significantly greater in SHS compared to NSHS on match night (P = 0.002, d = 1.50), with NSHS significantly less than baseline (P 0.05); although maximum heart rate during the YYIR2 was significantly higher in NSHS than SHS at 36 h post-match (P = 0.01; d = 0.81). There were no significant differences between conditions for perceptual “overall recovery” (P = 0.47) or “overall stress” (P = 0.17). Overall, an acute SHS improved sleep quantity following a late-night soccer match; albeit without any improvement in physical performance, perceptual recovery or blood-borne markers of muscle damage and inflammation
Playing not once, not twice but three times in a day: the effect of fatigue on performance in junior tennis players
© 2018 Cardiff Metropolitan University. This study examined physical and perceptual responses to multiple daily tennis matches. Six junior males completed 3 × 90 min singles matches, each separated by 45 min recovery. Physical capacity (agility, countermovement jump [CMJ]), shoulder internal and external rotation (IR, ER), serve performance, creatine kinase (CK) and perceptual (soreness, pain and fatigue) measures were performed before match 1 and following each match. During matches, distances and speeds covered, stroke count and stroke acceleration magnitudes were assessed. Between-match changes (effect size ±90% confidence interval [CI]) ≥75% likely to exceed the smallest important effect size (ES =.20) were considered practically important. Movement distance (−.63 ±.90, 81% likely) and mean speed (−.61 ±.82, 82% likely) decreased only in match 2. Total strokes played also reduced in match 2 (−11.0 ± 17.7, 84% likely), without changes in stroke acceleration magnitudes. Serve accuracy declined post-match 3 (.76 ± 1.15, 81% likely), though speed did not change. CMJ height was unchanged, though shoulder IR and ER declined (−.57 ±.44, 92% likely), as did agility (.75 ±.35, 99% likely) by post-match 3. CK, pain, fatigue and soreness ratings increased throughout. Same-day tennis matches impair physical capacities and increase fatigue and soreness. Between-match fluctuations in stroke count and movement also infer altered technical elements of match-play
Determining Stroke and Movement Profiles in Competitive Tennis Match-Play From Wearable Sensor Accelerometry.
ABSTRACT: Perri, T, Reid, M, Murphy, A, Howle, K, and Duffield, R. Determining stroke and movement profiles in competitive tennis match-play from wearable sensor accelerometry. J Strength Cond Res XX(X): 000-000, 2022-This study determined stroke and movement accelerometry metrics from a wearable sensor and compared between court surface (grass vs. hard) and match outcome (win vs. loss) during competitive tennis match-play. Eight junior high-performance tennis players wore a trunk-mounted global positioning system, with in-built accelerometer, magnetometer, and gyroscope during singles matches on hard and grass courts. The manufacturer software calculated accelerometer-derived total player load (tPL). A prototype algorithm classified forehands, backhands, serves, and "other" strokes, thereby calculating stroke PL (sPL) from individual strokes. Movement PL (mPL) was calculated as the difference between tPL and sPL, with all metrics reported as absolute and relative (min-1, %, and ·stroke). Analysis of accelerometer load and stroke count metrics was performed through a two-way (surface [grass vs. hard] × match outcome [win vs. loss]) analysis of variance (p 0.05). Increased mPL% featured on grass courts, whereas sPL% was increased on hard courts (p = 0.04, d = 1.18[0.31-2.02]). Elevated sPL·min-1 existed on hard courts (p = 0.04, d = 1.19[0.32-2.04]), but no differences in tPL·min-1 and mPL·min-1 were evident for surface or outcome (p > 0.05). Relative forehand sPL (FH-sPL·min-1) was higher on hard courts (p = 0.03, d = 1.18[0.31-2.02]) alongside higher forehand counts (p = 0.01, d = 1.29[0.40-2.14]). Hitting demands are heightened on hard courts from increased sPL and counts. Conversely, increased mPL% on grass courts likely reflects the specific movement demands from point-play. Physical preparation strategies during training blocks can be tailored toward movement or hitting loads to suit competitive surfaces
Biological maturation and match running performance: A national football (soccer) federation perspective
© 2019 Sports Medicine Australia Objectives: To examine the influence of maturation and its interaction with playing position upon physical match performances in U15 footballers from a national federation. Design: Observational study. Methods: 278 male outfield players competing in a national tournament were assessed for somatic maturity and match physical performances according to playing position. Stature, sitting height, and body mass were measured and entered into an algorithm to estimate the age at peak height velocity (APHV). Players match movements were recorded by Global Positioning System devices (10 Hz), to determine peak speed, and total- (TD), low-speed running (LSR; ≤13.0 km h−1), high-speed running (HSR; 13.1–16.0 km h−1), very high-speed running (VHSR; 16.1–20.0 km h−1) and sprint distances (SPR; >20.0 km h−1) expressed relative to match exposure (m min−1). Results: Linear-mixed models using log transformed response variables revealed a significant contribution of estimated APHV upon TD (1.01; 95% CI: 0.99–1.02 m·min−1; p < 0.001), HSR (1.05; 95% CI: 0.98–1.13 m min−1; p < 0.001) and VHSR (1.07; 95% CI: 1.00–1.14 m min−1; p = 0.047). An increase by one year in APHV was associated with an increase of 0.6, 5.4 and 6.9% in TD, HSR and VHSR respectively. No effects of APHV were observed for LSR, SPR, and peak speed. Further, no APHV effects were observed relative to players’ field position. Conclusions: Later maturing players covered substantially more higher-intensity (HSR and VHSR) running in matches, irrespective of playing position. The greater match intensity of later maturing players may inform talent identification and athletic development processes within a national federation
Harnessing ward-level administrative data and expert knowledge to improve staffing decisions: A multi-method case study
© 2019 John Wiley & Sons Ltd Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of changes to bed configuration and patient mix on nurses’ workload in a single ward. Design: Multi-method case study. Method: The study was undertaken in an acute 28-bed ward in a tertiary referral public hospital in Queensland, Australia. Ward-level administrative data were obtained for a 2-year period, 12 months before bed configuration changes in October 2015 and 12 months after. These data included patient activity (bed occupancy, transfers, length of stay and casemix) and nurse staffing (budgeted and actual staffing levels, employment status and skillmix). Semi-structured interviews were conducted with ward nurses (N = 17) to explore the impact of the bed configuration changes on their workload. Results: Administrative data showed that the bed configuration changes resulted in more complex and dependent patients, increased patient transfers and greater variability in casemix. The interview data found these changes to patient complexity and activity intensified workloads, which were further increased by staffing decisions that resulted in greater reliance on temporary staff. Conclusion: Hospitals already possess the data and expert knowledge needed to improve staffing and bed management decisions without the need for additional, costly workload systems. Impact: Determining appropriate nurse staffing in light of the complexities and variation of patient needs at the ward level remains a challenge. This study identified increases in patient complexity, dependency, variability and churn that increased workload. Staffing grew but hidden factors associated with temporary staffing and skillmix further intensified nurses’ workload. Harnessing existing data and the expertise and experience of nursing unit managers (NUMs) would help staff wards more efficiently and effectively, providing reasonable workloads and appropriate skillmix that can enhance the safety and quality of patient care. To facilitate this, NUMs need access to accurate, timely, data and authority in staffing and bed management decisions
Post-match sleeping behavior based on match scheduling over a season in elite football players
© 2017, © 2017 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group. Objectives: (1) To objectively monitor and describe sleeping patterns of elite football players after matches during a competitive season and (2) to describe the variability in sleeping patterns between these contexts. Methods: Actimetry was used to determine sleeping patterns of 25 elite players from 1 Portuguese First League (Liga NOS) club for at least 3 normal training days (TDs) as a baseline and then after various matches, including home (HM), away (AM), day (DM) and night (NM). Actimetry-derived sleep measures included total sleep duration (TSD), sleep onset latency, sleep efficiency (SE) and wake episode duration. Results: On TD, both TSD (6:36 h) and SE (85%) were below recommended healthy ranges of 7–8 h and >90%, respectively. TSD was even less after NM compared to both TD (–65 min) and DM (–65 min) (P 0.05). Additionally, TSD was greater in AM compared to HM (+77 min, P = 0.001). Conclusions: The primary findings of this study were the significant reduction in total sleep duration and later bedtime following (night) matches compared to normal training days
Impaired sleep and recovery after night matches in elite football players
© 2016 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group. ABSTRACT: Despite the perceived importance of sleep for elite footballers, descriptions of the duration and quality of sleep, especially following match play, are limited. Moreover, recovery responses following sleep loss remain unclear. Accordingly, the present study examined the subjective sleep and recovery responses of elite footballers across training days (TD) and both day and night matches (DM and NM). Sixteen top division European players from three clubs completed a subjective online questionnaire twice a day for 21 days during the season. Subjective recall of sleep variables (duration, onset latency, time of wake/sleep, wake episode duration), a range of perceptual variables related to recovery, mood, performance and internal training loads and non-exercise stressors were collected. Players reported significantly reduced sleep durations for NM compared to DM (−157 min) and TD (−181 min). In addition, sleep restfulness (SR; arbitrary scale 1 = very restful, 5 = not at all restful) and perceived recovery (PR; acute recovery and stress scale 0 = not recovered at all, 6 = fully recovered) were significantly poorer following NM than both TD (SR: +2.0, PR: −2.6), and DM (SR: +1.5; PR: −1.5). These results suggest that reduced sleep quantity and quality and reduced PR are mainly evident following NM in elite players
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