Leveling the Playing Field: A New Proposed Method to Address Relative Age- and Maturity-Related Bias in UK Male Academy Soccer Players

Relative age selection bias persists within all major soccer leagues and youth soccer academies across the globe, with the relative age effect (RAE) being typically characterized as the over selection of relatively older players (who have sometimes also been shown to be early maturing). The aim of this study was to examine if a new allocation method (i) eliminates the RAE, and (ii) reduces the presence of any additional maturity-related differences in anthropometric and physical fitness characteristics which may exist between players within the same selection category. In the first phase, 1,003 academy soccer players [under (U) 9–16] from 23 UK professional soccer clubs were sampled and a clear RAE per birth quarter (Q) was observed for the overall sample (Q1 = 45.0% vs. Q4 = 9.8%) as well as for the different age categories. Using the newly suggested reallocation method, youth players were divided by allocation date which was defined as the midway point between the chronological age and the estimated developmental (ED) birthdate. Stature was used as an anthropometric reference point on the P50 of the growth curve to determine the developmental birthdate for this new method. After the reallocation of the players using ED, the distribution of players was more equally spread (Q1 = 25.3%, Q2 = 25.6%, Q3 = 22.4%, Q4 = 26.7%). After reallocation, the mean delta stature was reduced by 16.6 cm (from 40.3 ± 7.08 to 23.7 ± 4.09 cm, d = 2.87). The mean delta body mass difference after allocation was reduced by 6.7kg (from 33.2 ± 6.39 to 26.5 ± 4.85 kg, d = 1.18). The mean age difference increased from 1.8 to 3.9 years. A total of 42.7% of the sample would have been reallocated to a different age group compared to the current one. After reallocation, 45% of the anthropometric and physical fitness comparisons showed reductions in the within-group variation expressed as a percentage of coefficient of variation (CV%). The U10 players demonstrated the largest reduction in CV% (−7.6%) of the anthropometric characteristics. The U10 squad also showed the largest reduction in CV% for various physical fitness characteristics (−7.5%). By both eliminating the RAE and reducing temporary maturity-related anthropometric and physical fitness differences, soccer academies across the world may diversify and increase the size of the talent pool both for clubs and national youth teams. In conclusion, this study provides further evidence that the newly proposed allocation method shows the potential to remove the RAE and to create a more “leveled playing field” by reducing the within-group variation of anthropometric and physical fitness characteristics affording relatively younger, and eventually, late-maturing players the opportunity to develop their talent fairly

Baywide anchovy study sub-program : milestone report no. 4 (2011)

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Readthrough of nonsense mutations in Rett syndrome: evaluation of novel aminoglycosides and generation of a new mouse model

Thirty-five percent of patients with Rett syndrome carry nonsense mutations in the MECP2 gene. We have recently shown in transfected HeLa cells that readthrough of nonsense mutations in the MECP2 gene can be achieved by treatment with gentamicin and geneticin. This study was performed to test if readthrough can also be achieved in cells endogenously expressing mutant MeCP2 and to evaluate potentially more effective readthrough compounds. A mouse model was generated carrying the R168X mutation in the MECP2 gene. Transfected HeLa cells expressing mutated MeCP2 fusion proteins and mouse ear fibroblasts isolated from the new mouse model were treated with gentamicin and the novel aminoglycosides NB30, NB54, and NB84. The localization of the readthrough product was tested by immunofluorescence. Readthrough of the R168X mutation in mouse ear fibroblasts using gentamicin was detected but at lower level than in HeLa cells. As expected, the readthrough product, full-length Mecp2 protein, was located in the nucleus. NB54 and NB84 induced readthrough more effectively than gentamicin, while NB30 was less effective. Readthrough of nonsense mutations can be achieved not only in transfected HeLa cells but also in fibroblasts of the newly generated Mecp2R168X mouse model. NB54 and NB84 were more effective than gentamicin and are therefore promising candidates for readthrough therapy in Rett syndrome patients

Linking scales and disciplines : an interdisciplinary cross-scale approach to supporting climate-relevant ecosystem management

CITATION: Berger, C. et al. 2019. Linking scales and disciplines : an interdisciplinary cross-scale approach to supporting climate-relevant ecosystem management. Climatic Change, 156:139–150, doi:10.1007/s10584-019-02544-0.The original publication is available at https://www.springer.com/journal/10584Southern Africa is particularly sensitive to climate change, due to both ecological and socioeconomic factors, with rural land users among the most vulnerable groups. The provision of information to support climate-relevant decision-making requires an understanding of the projected impacts of change and complex feedbacks within the local ecosystems, as well as local demands on ecosystem services. In this paper, we address the limitation of current approaches for developing management relevant socio-ecological information on the projected impacts of climate change and human activities.We emphasise the need for linking disciplines and approaches by expounding the methodology followed in our two consecutive projects. These projects combine disciplines and levels of measurements from the leaf level (ecophysiology) to the local landscape level (flux measurements) and from the local household level (socio-economic surveys) to the regional level (remote sensing), feeding into a variety of models at multiple scales. Interdisciplinary, multi-scaled, and integrated socio-ecological approaches, as proposed here, are needed to compliment reductionist and linear, scalespecific approaches. Decision support systems are used to integrate and communicate the data and models to the local decision-makers.https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10584-019-02544-0Publisher's versio

Self-Compassion, emotion regulation and stress among australian psychologists: Testing an emotion regulation model of self-compassion using structural equation modeling

Psychologists tend to report high levels of occupational stress, with serious implications for themselves, their clients, and the discipline as a whole. Recent research suggests that selfcompassion is a promising construct for psychologists in terms of its ability to promote psychological wellbeing and resilience to stress; however, the potential benefits of self-compassion are yet to be thoroughly explored amongst this occupational group. Additionally, while a growing body of research supports self-compassion as a key predictor of psychopathology, understanding of the processes by which self-compassion exerts effects on mental health outcomes is limited. Structural equation modelling (SEM) was used to test an emotion regulation model of self-compassion and stress among psychologists, including postgraduate trainees undertaking clinical work (n = 198). Self-compassion significantly negatively predicted emotion regulation difficulties and stress symptoms. Support was also found for our preliminary explanatory model of self-compassion, which demonstrates the mediating role of emotion regulation difficulties in the self-compassion-stress relationship. The final self-compassion model accounted for 26.2% of variance in stress symptoms. Implications of the findings and limitations of the study are discussed

The institutions of archaic post-modernity and their organizational and managerial consequences: The case of Portugal

The long march of modernization of the Western societies tends to be presented as following a regular sequence: societies and institutions were pre-modern, and then they were modernized, eventually becoming post-modern. Such teleology may provide an incomplete or distorted narrative of societal evolution in many parts of the world, even in the ‘post-modern heartland’ of Western Europe, with Portugal being a case in point. The concept of archaic post-modernity has been developed by a philosopher, José Gil, to show how Portuguese institutions and organizations combine elements of pre-modernity and post-modernity. The notion of an archaic post-modernity is advanced in order to provide an alternative account of the modernization process, which enriches discussion of the varieties of capitalism. Differences in historical experiences create singularities that may be considered in the analysis of culture, management and organization