"Hero Imagery" - Are there performance advantages associated with imagining yourself as your favourite athlete?

Objectives: This study examined whether there are performance advantages associated with a single bout of imagery when imagining yourself ‘as your favourite athlete’, or imagining yourself performing a strength-based task. Design: A blind 2 (Imagery ability: high, low) x 3 (imagery condition: self, “hero”, control) mixed factorial design was used. Methods: Participants (n = 17 male; Mage = 19.7 ± 2.7) completed the Sport Imagery Ability Questionnaire then viewed a standardised video demonstrating the grip strength (GS) task. Three baseline trials separated by one minute were then executed. Three imagery scripts (control, self, hero) were then presented to participants via an MP3 player in a counterbalanced order (an interval of 1-minute was provided between each condition). The conclusion of each imagery script prompted participants to perform the GS task. Performance in each condition was conceptualised as delta change scores (Imagery condition – baseline average). Results: No main effects were present but there was a group x condition interaction (F(2,28) = 4.27, p = .02. ƞ_p^2= .23. The interaction suggests that for individuals with high imagery ability, simply “doing the imagery that they already do” is preferable compared to a scripted self- or hero-imagery condition. For individuals with a low imagery ability, a simple script whether that is self- or hero- based may enhance strength performance, compared to “what they already do”. Conclusion: Imagery ability may influence the effectiveness of a brief imagery intervention. Further examination of processes and outcomes associated with “hero-imagery” is recommended

Interpersonal emotion regulation in team sport: mechanisms and reasons to regulate teammates' emotions examined

The interpersonal dimension of emotion regulation in the field of sport has lately received a burgeoning interest. Nevertheless, how and why athletes regulate their teammates' emotions in competitive setting remains unclear. Across two studies within a team sport context, we uncovered athletes' mechanisms for, and reasons to regulate teammates' emotions during competition. In Study 1, we investigated how rugby (N = 22 males) players' emotions were self- and interpersonally regulated during games. Findings revealed the emergence of a continuum of self-involvement in the regulatory processes, wherein two forms of emotion regulation co-existed: self-regulation (total self-involvement) and interpersonal regulation, which included co-regulation (partial self-involvement; regulation with others) and extrinsic regulation (no self-involvement; regulation by/of others). In Study 2, we examined the motives that lead rugby (n = 30 males) players to use interpersonal extrinsic regulation strategies during games. Interview data indicated that players regulated teammates' emotions for altruistic reasons (to help a teammate), egoistic reasons (for one's own benefits), or both. Overall, our findings further knowledge to better understand interpersonal emotion regulation within competitive team sport contexts. From an applied perspective, findings highlight the role that both individual goals and ego involvement may play in optimising efficient interpersonal regulation during competition at team level

Phenotypic heterogeneity and genetic modification of P102L inherited prion disease in an international series

The largest kindred with inherited prion disease P102L, historically Gerstmann-Sträussler-Scheinker syndrome, originates from central England, with émigrés now resident in various parts of the English-speaking world. We have collected data from 84 patients in the large UK kindred and numerous small unrelated pedigrees to investigate phenotypic heterogeneity and modifying factors. This collection represents by far the largest series of P102L patients so far reported. Microsatellite and genealogical analyses of eight separate European kindreds support multiple distinct mutational events at a cytosine-phosphate diester-guanidine dinucleotide mutation hot spot. All of the smaller P102L kindreds were linked to polymorphic human prion protein gene codon 129M and were not connected by genealogy or microsatellite haplotype background to the large kindred or each other. While many present with classical Gerstmann-Sträussler-Scheinker syndrome, a slowly progressive cerebellar ataxia with later onset cognitive impairment, there is remarkable heterogeneity. A subset of patients present with prominent cognitive and psychiatric features and some have met diagnostic criteria for sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. We show that polymorphic human prion protein gene codon 129 modifies age at onset: the earliest eight clinical onsets were all MM homozygotes and overall age at onset was 7 years earlier for MM compared with MV heterozygotes (P = 0.02). Unexpectedly, apolipoprotein E4 carriers have a delayed age of onset by 10 years (P = 0.02). We found a preponderance of female patients compared with males (54 females versus 30 males, P = 0.01), which probably relates to ascertainment bias. However, these modifiers had no impact on a semi-quantitative pathological phenotype in 10 autopsied patients. These data allow an appreciation of the range of clinical phenotype, modern imaging and molecular investigation and should inform genetic counselling of at-risk individuals, with the identification of two genetic modifiers

The role of emotions on consumers’ satisfaction within the fitness context

Previous studies have suggested that consumption-related emotions are important to understand post-purchase reactions. This study examines the relationship between fitness consumers’ emotions and overall satisfaction. After an initial step of free-thought listing and content validity, followed by a pre-test, a survey was conducted among consumers of five different fitness centers (n=786). The questionnaire included measures to assess positive and negative emotions, as well as overall satisfaction with the fitness center. The results gathered through a structural equation model provide evidence that negative emotion experienced by consumers impacts negatively overall satisfaction, while positive emotion have a positive effect on overall satisfaction. These findings suggest managerial implications, such as the need to collect consumers’ perceptions of both tangible and intangible aspects of the services, listen costumers’ opinions in a regular basis, and provide regular training to staff members, in order to identify the triggers of positive emotions and contribute to increased levels of overall satisfaction. Guidelines for future research within the fitness context are also suggested.Estudos precedentes sugerem que as emoções relacionadas com o consumo são importantes para compreender as reações dos consumidores após a compra. Este estudo analisa a relação entre as emoções dos consumidores de fitness e satisfação global. Depois de uma etapa inicial de listagem de pensamento-livre e validade de conteúdo, seguido de um pré-teste, foi realizada uma pesquisa entre os consumidores de cinco centros de fitness diferentes (n = 786). O questionário incluiu medidas para avaliar as emoções positivas e negativas, bem como a satisfação global com o centro de fitness. Os resultados obtidos através de um modelo de equações estruturais forneceram evidências de que as emoções negativas vivenciadas pelos consumidores impactam negativamente a satisfação global, enquanto as emoções positivas têm um efeito positivo sobre a satisfação global. Estes resultados sugerem implicações para os gestores, tais como a necessidade de recolher informação sobre a perceção dos consumidores dos aspetos tangíveis e intangíveis dos serviços, ouvir regularmente as opiniões dos consumidores e facultar formação regular aos colaboradores. Isto permitirá identificar os aspetos que desencadeiam emoções positivas e contribuir para o aumento dos níveis de satisfação global. Orientações para futuras pesquisas no contexto de fitness também são sugeridas.Sin financiación0.185 SJR (2015) Q3, 1090/1779 Medicine (miscellaneous); Q4, 177/229 Health (social science), 112/128 Sports scienceUE

HECTD2 Is Associated with Susceptibility to Mouse and Human Prion Disease

Prion diseases are fatal transmissible neurodegenerative disorders, which include Scrapie, Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE), Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD), and kuru. They are characterised by a prolonged clinically silent incubation period, variation in which is determined by many factors, including genetic background. We have used a heterogeneous stock of mice to identify Hectd2, an E3 ubiquitin ligase, as a quantitative trait gene for prion disease incubation time in mice. Further, we report an association between HECTD2 haplotypes and susceptibility to the acquired human prion diseases, vCJD and kuru. We report a genotype-associated differential expression of Hectd2 mRNA in mouse brains and human lymphocytes and a significant up-regulation of transcript in mice at the terminal stage of prion disease. Although the substrate of HECTD2 is unknown, these data highlight the importance of proteosome-directed protein degradation in neurodegeneration. This is the first demonstration of a mouse quantitative trait gene that also influences susceptibility to human prion diseases. Characterisation of such genes is key to understanding human risk and the molecular basis of incubation periods