Transfer of motor and perceptual skills from basketball to darts

The quiet eye is a perceptual skill associated with expertise and superior performance; however, little is known about the transfer of quiet eye across domains. We attempted to replicate previous skill-based differences in quiet eye and investigated whether transfer of motor and perceptual skills occurs between similar tasks. Throwing accuracy and quiet eye duration for skilled and less-skilled basketball players were examined in basketball free throw shooting and the transfer task of dart throwing. Skilled basketball players showed significantly higher throwing accuracy and longer quiet eye duration in the basketball free throw task compared to their less-skilled counterparts. Further, skilled basketball players showed positive transfer from basketball to dart throwing in accuracy but not in quiet eye duration. Our results raise interesting questions regarding the measurement of transfer between skills

Review article: How does glacier discharge affect marine biogeochemistry and primary production in the Arctic?

Freshwater discharge from glaciers is increasing across the Arctic in response to anthropogenic climate change, which raises questions about the potential downstream effects in the marine environment. Whilst a combination of long-term monitoring programmes and intensive Arctic field campaigns have improved our knowledge of glacier-ocean interactions in recent years, especially with respect to fjord/ocean circulation, there are extensive knowledge gaps concerning how glaciers affect marine biogeochemistry and productivity. Following two cross-cutting disciplinary International Arctic Science Committee (IASC) workshops addressing the importance of glaciers for the marine ecosystem, here we review the state of the art concerning how freshwater discharge affects the marine environment with a specific focus on marine biogeochemistry and biological productivity. Using a series of Arctic case studies (Nuup Kangerlua/Godthäbsfjord, Kongsfjorden, Kangerluarsuup Sermia/Bowdoin Fjord, Young Sound and Sermilik Fjord), the interconnected effects of freshwater discharge on fjord-shelf exchange, nutrient availability, the carbonate system, the carbon cycle and the microbial food web are investigated. Key findings are that whether the effect of glacier discharge on marine primary production is positive or negative is highly dependent on a combination of factors. These include glacier type (marine- or land-terminating), fjord-glacier geometry and the limiting resource(s) for phytoplankton growth in a specific spatio-temporal region (light, macronutrients or micronutrients). Arctic glacier fjords therefore often exhibit distinct discharge-productivity relationships, and multiple case-studies must be considered in order to understand the net effects of glacier discharge on Arctic marine ecosystems

Crisis responses, opportunity, and public authority during Covid-19's first wave in Uganda, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and South Sudan.

Funder: Knowledge FrontiersDiscussions on African responses to Covid-19 have focused on the state and its international backers. Far less is known about a wider range of public authorities, including chiefs, humanitarians, criminal gangs, and armed groups. This paper investigates how the pandemic provided opportunities for claims to and contests over power in Uganda, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and South Sudan. Ethnographic research is used to contend that local forms of public authority can be akin to miniature sovereigns, able to interpret dictates, policies, and advice as required. Alongside coping with existing complex protracted emergencies, many try to advance their own agendas and secure benefits. Those they seek to govern, though, do not passively accept the new normal, instead often challenging those in positions of influence. This paper assesses which of these actions and reactions will have lasting effects on local notions of statehood and argues for a public authorities lens in times of crisis

Review Article: How does glacier discharge affect marine biogeochemistry and primary production in the Arctic?

Freshwater discharge from glaciers is increasing across the Arctic in response to anthropogenic climate change, which raises questions about the potential downstream effects in the marine environment. Whilst a combination of long-term monitoring programmes and intensive Arctic field campaigns have improved our knowledge of glacier–ocean interactions in recent years, especially with respect to fjord/ocean circulation, there are extensive knowledge gaps concerning how glaciers affect marine biogeochemistry and productivity. Following two cross-cutting disciplinary International Arctic Science Committee (IASC) workshops addressing the importance of glaciers for the marine ecosystem, here we review the state of the art concerning how freshwater discharge affects the marine environment with a specific focus on marine biogeochemistry and biological productivity. Using a series of Arctic case studies (Nuup Kangerlua/Godthåbsfjord, Kongsfjorden, Kangerluarsuup Sermia/Bowdoin Fjord, Young Sound and Sermilik Fjord), the interconnected effects of freshwater discharge on fjord–shelf exchange, nutrient availability, the carbonate system, the carbon cycle and the microbial food web are investigated. Key findings are that whether the effect of glacier discharge on marine primary production is positive or negative is highly dependent on a combination of factors. These include glacier type (marine- or land-terminating), fjord–glacier geometry and the limiting resource(s) for phytoplankton growth in a specific spatio-temporal region (light, macronutrients or micronutrients). Arctic glacier fjords therefore often exhibit distinct discharge–productivity relationships, and multiple case-studies must be considered in order to understand the net effects of glacier discharge on Arctic marine ecosystems

The developmental history of athletes questionnaire : towards a comprehensive understanding of the development of sport expertise

Knowledge of the training requirements and environmental factors associated with expert sports performance is essential for the design of effective sport programs and the creation of nurturing practice environments. However, several limitations in the sport expertise development literature restrict the application of current knowledge to practical settings. Results and recommendations from existing studies are inconsistent, with discrepancies likely related to a combination of small, homogenous sample sizes and differences in measurement tools. Furthermore, the questionnaires and interview guides utilized are generally poorly validated. To begin to address these limitations, the Developmental History of Athletes Questionnaire (DHAQ) was constructed and rigorously validated. Results highlighted a number of issues related to reliability of retrospective recall and sub-optimal questionnaire design. In an attempt to resolve these issues, modifications were made to the DHAQ, and it was converted to an online format to allow large scale distribution. Following modification and conversion, the DHAQ was subjected to further reliability analyses. While several reliability issues were still apparent and several further revisions were required, the amendments markedly strengthened the measurement tool and the DHAQ can now start to be utilised in investigations of sport expertise development. Continued assessments of validity of the updated, online DHAQ are recommended; however, it is proposed that the DHAQ be considered the emergent standard tool for the collection of athlete developmental history information, providing a major contribution towards a comprehensive understanding of the development of sport expertise

The influence of viewing perspective on decision-making and visual search behaviour in an invasive sport

Perceptual-cognitive skill was examined in a film-based task displayed from two different viewing perspectives. Nineteen skilled youth football players observed identical simulations filmed from two different viewing perspectives; a 'player' perspective designed to simulate that experienced by a player in a game, and an 'aerial' perspective filmed from an elevated position overlying the same location on the field. Observation of the aerial perspective resulted in superior decision-making performance, most likely a reflection of the additional specifying information available from this viewpoint. Visual search recordings demonstrated increased time spent observing open space in the aerial perspective, along with more fixations of lesser duration primarily due to an increase in the referential fixation transitions between the player in possession of the ball and other attacking features. For both perspectives, participants fixated on the correct option however in the player view this correct option was chosen less frequently.link_to_subscribed_fulltex

CREATINE SUPPLEMENTATION AND SWIM PERFORMANCE: A BRIEF REVIEW

Nutritional supplements are popular among athletes participating in a wide variety of sports. Creatine is one of the most commonly used dietary supplements, as it has been shown to be beneficial in improving performance during repeated bouts of high-intensity anaerobic activity. This review examines the specific effects of creatine supplementation on swimming performance, and considers the effects of creatine supplementation on various measures of power development in this population. Research performed on the effect of creatine supplementation on swimming performance indicates that whilst creatine supplementation is ineffective in improving performance during a single sprint swim, dietary creatine supplementation may benefit repeated interval swim set performance. Considering the relationship between sprint swimming performance and measurements of power, the effect of creatine supplementation on power development in swimmers has also been examined. When measured on a swim bench ergometer, power development does show some improvement following a creatine supplementation regime. How this improvement in power output transfers to performance in the pool is uncertain. Although some evidence exists to suggest a gender effect on the performance improvements seen in swimmers following creatine supplementation, the majority of research indicates that male and female swimmers respond equally to supplementation. A major limitation to previous research is the lack of consideration given to the possible stroke dependant effect of creatine supplementation on swimming performance. The majority of the research conducted to date has involved examination of the freestyle swimming stroke only. The potential for performance improvements in the breaststroke and butterfly swimming strokes is discussed, with regards to the biomechanical differences and differences in efficiency between these strokes and freestyl

Is practice the only determinant of sporting expertise? Revisiting Starkes (2000)

In this paper thw Authors revisit Starkes (2000), reflecting on how knowledge of the relationship between practice and performance has been advanced, and re-addressing the question, ‘is practice the only determinant of sport expertise?’. To answer this, 209 athletes completed the Developmental History of Athletes Questionnaire, providing details of involvement in a variety of practice activities. Practice history profiles were compared between Elite, Pre-Elite, and Non-Elite athletes. Although Elite athletes reported greater involvement in sport-specific physical practice and physical preparation activities, large variability in practice investments was observed. Results support previous findings that practice may be necessary, yet not sufficient for the development of sport expertise, and highlight that nearly 15 years after Starkes’ discussion, our understanding of the contribution of practice to expert performance is far from complete