Improved Physical Health in Middle-Older Aged Golf Caddies Following 24 Weeks of High-Volume Physical Activity.

BACKGROUND: The physical demands of golf caddying, including walking while carrying a golf bag, may potentially affect body composition, and markers of metabolic, cardiovascular, and musculoskeletal health. Therefore, this study examined the impact of 24 weeks of caddying on physical health in middle-older aged males. METHODS: Eleven full-time experienced male caddies (age: 59 [8] y; caddying experience: 14 [12] y) were recruited from a local golf course. The following were assessed at preseason and after 24 weeks of caddying (March-September 2022): body composition, heart rate, blood pressure, blood lipids, and performance tests (static and dynamic balance, strength, and submaximal fitness). Physical activity (PA) levels were assessed at preseason and at the mid-point of the caddying season. Across the caddying season, participants completed a monthly average of 24.0 (3.8) rounds. RESULTS: Following the caddying season, improvements in static balance (Δ = 13.5 s), dynamic balance (Δ = -1.8 s), and lower back absolute strength (Δ = 112.8 N), and muscle quality (Δ = 2.0 N·kg-1) were observed (all P < .05). Additionally, blood lipids, including total cholesterol (Δ = -0.6 mmol·L-1), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (Δ = 0.1 mmol·L-1), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (Δ = -0.6 mmol·L-1) (all P < .05), and body composition, including body mass (Δ = -2.7 kg), fat mass (Δ = -1.9 kg), fat percentage (Δ = -1.4%), fat-to-muscle ratio (Δ = -0.03), and body mass index (Δ = -0.9 kg·m-2) (all P < .05) improved. Caddying did not offer beneficial changes to cardiovascular variables or cardiorespiratory fitness (P > .05), while coronary heart disease risk score decreased (Δ = -3.3%) (P < .05). In relation to PA, light- (Δ = 145 min) and moderate-intensity (Δ = 71 min) PA, moderate to vigorous PA (Δ = 73 min), and total PA (Δ = 218 min) between preseason and the mid-point of the caddying season increased, while sedentary time (Δ = -172 min) decreased (all P < .05). CONCLUSION: Golf caddying can provide several physical health benefits such as improvements in various markers of cardiometabolic health, lower back absolute strength, and static and dynamic balance. The physical health improvements that caddying offers is likely contributed to by increased PA volume and intensity through walking on the golf course. Therefore, caddying may represent a feasible model for increasing PA volume and intensity and achieve physical health-related benefits.

Golf and Physical Health: A Systematic Review.

BACKGROUND: No previous systematic review has examined the physical health benefits of playing golf or caddying. OBJECTIVE: To establish the influence of golf participation and physical health in golfers and caddies. More specifically, the review intended to explore the domains of cardiovascular, metabolic and musculoskeletal health, in addition to body composition. DESIGN: Systematic review. DATA SOURCES: Electronic literature searches were conducted using PubMed, SPORTDiscus and CINAHL databases in July 2021. ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA: Experimental (randomised controlled trials, quasi-experiment, pre-post) and non-experimental (case-control, cross-sectional, cohort) articles relating to health and golf, written in English and published in peer-reviewed journals. RESULTS: Of the 572 articles initially identified, 109 full-text articles were assessed for eligibility with 23 meeting the inclusion criteria. Sixteen articles were rated 'good 'and seven 'fair'. The influence of golf on physical health was mixed, although various articles displayed improvements in balance, systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP), high density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C) and the ratio of HDL to total cholesterol within golfers. Caddies observed improvements in bone mineral density (BMD), stiffness index and strength. Most of the findings indicate that playing golf or caddying does not influence body mass index (BMI); however, playing golf can positively change other body composition markers such as lean and fat mass. CONCLUSION: This review demonstrated that golf participation may be an effective method for improving musculoskeletal and cardiovascular health, although mixed findings were observed. Moreover, limited longitudinal evidence suggests that playing golf can positively impact metabolic health and the influence on body composition may be parameter dependent. Additionally, the initial evidence suggests that caddying may improve musculoskeletal health. However, the studies included were limited by their methodological inconsistencies such as: study design, participant demographics and intervention prescription. PROSPERO REGISTRATION: CRD42021267664.

The Impact of the Closure and Reopening of Golf Courses in the United Kingdom on Wellbeing During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Multi-Study Approach.

The purpose of this multi-study was to assess what impact the closure and reopening of golf courses had on: personal competence; sense of belonging; enjoyment; self-esteem; self-confidence; resilience; social connections; wellbeing and life satisfaction (hereafter referred to collectively as "key variables of interest") during the COVID-19 pandemic. Golfers (Study 1: n = 298, Study 2: n = 124) ≥16 years old residing in the UK participated in this study which collected data using online surveys. Study 1 was conducted during a period of quarantine restrictions (4-12th May 2020), whilst study 2 took place following the easing of the COVID-19 quarantine restrictions (6-14th July 2020). Within study 1 and study 2, key variables of interest levels were also collected to investigate the association with golf related activities. The findings of study 1 highlighted that negligible and non-significant correlations were observed between golf physical and sedentary activities and key variables of interest (r < 0.3, p > 0.05) except sense of belonging and sedentary golf activities (r = 0.178, p = 0.003). Study 2 highlighted that sense of belonging, enjoyment and wellbeing were significantly associated with outdoor golf course activity (r = 0.186-0.252, p ≤ 0.05). Furthermore, when comparing study 1 and study 2, sense of belonging and life satisfaction significantly improved (p < 0.05, d = 0.2). Based on these findings, playing golf on outdoor golf courses appears to be positively related to sense of belonging, enjoyment and wellbeing. Also, with the reopening of golf courses life satisfaction improved which, together, highlights the beneficial impact that outdoor golf can impart.

A Social Support Intervention to Reduce Intentions to Drop-out from Youth Sport: The GAA Super Games Centre / Una intervención basada en el apoyo social para reducir la intención de abandonar el deporte juvenil: el Centro de Superjuegos GAA

Research has highlighted that drop-out from youth sport has emerged to become a global trend with drop-out rates exceeding 30% in some countries. This study aimed to investigate the effect of a change in perceived support on intentions to drop out from youth sport at the end of a social support intervention. A pre-intervention examination of the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) in 2012 identified a 19.38% drop-out rate involving 3,491 participants between the ages of 12-16 years. A psychosocial intervention developed for the GAA called the Super Games Centre was delivered and evaluated over a 24-week period to 103 participants. The findings demonstrated that higher perceived available support was significantly associated with lower levels of intentions to drop out at the end of the intervention. Furthermore, social identity emerged as a significant mediating factor in explaining the association between changes in perceived support and intentions to drop out. A post-intervention examination in 2018 found that the GAA had established 95 Super Games Centres since 2015, and this has led to an increase in 7,012 new participants between the ages of 12-16 years. Future research and implications for social support intervention methodology are discussed

La investigación ha destacado que el abandono del deporte juvenil se ha convertido en una tendencia mundial con tasas que superan el 30% en algunos países. Este estudio tiene como objetivo investigar el efecto de un cambio en el apoyo percibido sobre la intención de abandonar el deporte juvenil al finalizar una intervención basada en el apoyo social. La Asociación Atlética Gaélica (GAA) en 2012 identificó una tasa de abandono del 19.38% que involucraba a 3,491 participantes de edades comprendidas entre 12-16 años. Una intervención psicosocial desarrollada para la GAA, llamada Centro de Superjuegos (Super Games Centre), se realizó con 103 participantes y se evaluó durante un período de 24 semanas. Los resultados muestran que la percepción de una mayor disponibilidad de apoyo social se asocia significativamente a niveles más bajos de intención de abandono al final de la intervención. Además, la identidad social demostró ser un importante factor de mediación para explicar la asociación entre los cambios en el apoyo percibido y la intención de abandono. Un examen posterior a la intervención en 2018 encontró que la GAA había creado 95 Centros de Superjuegos desde 2015, lo que ha llevado a un aumento de 7,012 nuevos participantes en el mismo rango de edad (12-16 años). Se debaten las investigaciones futuras y las implicaciones para la metodología de intervención basada en el apoyo social

Contrasting Pathways for Anaerobic Methane Oxidation in Gulf of Mexico Cold Seep Sediments.

Gulf of Mexico sediments harbor numerous hydrocarbon seeps associated with high sedimentation rates and thermal maturation of organic matter. These ecosystems host abundant and diverse microbial communities that directly or indirectly metabolize components of the emitted fluid. To investigate microbial function and activities in these ecosystems, metabolic potential (metagenomic) and gene expression (metatranscriptomic) analyses of two cold seep areas of the Gulf of Mexico were carried out. Seeps emitting biogenic methane harbored microbial communities dominated by archaeal anaerobic methane oxidizers of phylogenetic group 1 (ANME-1), whereas seeps producing fluids containing a complex mixture of thermogenic hydrocarbons were dominated by ANME-2 lineages. Metatranscriptome measurements in both communities indicated high levels of expression of genes for methane metabolism despite their distinct microbial communities and hydrocarbon composition. In contrast, the transcription level of sulfur cycle genes was quite different. In the thermogenic seep community, high levels of transcripts indicative of syntrophic anaerobic oxidation of methane (AOM) coupled to sulfate reduction were detected. This syntrophic partnership between the dominant ANME-2 and sulfate reducers potentially involves direct electron transfer through multiheme cytochromes. In the biogenic methane seep, genes from an ANME-1 lineage that are potentially involved in polysulfide reduction were highly expressed, suggesting a novel bacterium-independent anaerobic methane oxidation pathway coupled to polysulfide reduction. The observed divergence in AOM activities provides a new model for bacterium-independent AOM and emphasizes the variation that exists in AOM pathways between different ANME lineages. IMPORTANCE Cold seep sediments are complex and widespread marine ecosystems emitting large amounts of methane, a potent greenhouse gas, and other hydrocarbons. Within these sediments, microbial communities play crucial roles in production and degradation of hydrocarbons, modulating oil and gas emissions to seawater. Despite this ecological importance, our understanding of microbial functions and methane oxidation pathways in cold seep ecosystems is poor. Based on gene expression profiling of environmental seep sediment samples, the present work showed that (i) the composition of the emitted fluids shapes the microbial community in general and the anaerobic methanotroph community specifically and (ii) AOM by ANME-2 in this seep may be coupled to sulfate reduction by Deltaproteobacteria by electron transfer through multiheme cytochromes, whereas AOM by ANME-1 lineages in this seep may involve a different, bacterium-independent pathway, coupling methane oxidation to elemental sulfur/polysulfide reduction.

Comparative metagenomics of hydrocarbon and methane seeps of the Gulf of Mexico.

Oil and gas percolate profusely through the sediments of the Gulf of Mexico, leading to numerous seeps at the seafloor, where complex microbial, and sometimes animal communities flourish. Sediments from three areas (two cold seeps with contrasting hydrocarbon composition and a site outside any area of active seepage) of the Gulf of Mexico were investigated and compared. Consistent with the existence of a seep microbiome, a distinct microbial community was observed in seep areas compared to sediment from outside areas of active seepage. The microbial community from sediments without any influence from hydrocarbon seepage was characterized by Planctomycetes and the metabolic potential was consistent with detrital marine snow degradation. By contrast, in seep samples with methane as the principal hydrocarbon, methane oxidation by abundant members of ANME-1 was likely the predominant process. Seep samples characterized by fluids containing both methane and complex hydrocarbons, were characterized by abundant Chloroflexi (Anaerolinaceae) and deltaproteobacterial lineages and exhibited potential for complex hydrocarbon degradation. These different metabolic capacities suggested that microorganisms in cold seeps can potentially rely on other processes beyond methane oxidation and that the hydrocarbon composition of the seep fluids may be a critical factor structuring the seafloor microbial community composition and function.

UK adults' implicit and explicit attitudes towards obesity: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Anti-fat attitudes may lead to stigmatisation of and lowered self-esteem in obese people. Examining anti-fat attitudes is warranted given that there is an association with anti-fat behaviours. Previous studies, mainly outside the UK, have demonstrated that anti-fat attitudes are increasing over time. METHODS: The study was cross-sectional with a sample of 2380 participants (74.2 % female; aged 18-65 years). In an online survey participants reported demographic characteristics and completed a range of implicit and explicit measures of obesity related attitudes. RESULTS: Perceptions of obesity were more negative than reported in previously. Main effects indicated more negative perceptions in males, younger respondents and more frequent exercisers. Attitudes about obesity differed in relation to weight category, and in general were more positive in obese than non-obese respondents. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first study to demonstrate anti-fat attitudes across different sections of the UK population. As such, this study provides the first indication of the prevalence of anti-fat attitudes in UK adults. Interventions to modify these attitudes could target specific groups of individuals with more negative perceptions as identified here. Future work would be useful that increases understanding of both implicit and explicit attitudes towards obesity.

Efficacy of physical activity interventions in post-natal populations: systematic review, meta-analysis and content coding of behaviour change techniques.

This systematic review and meta-analysis reports the efficacy of post-natal physical activity change interventions with content coding of behaviour change techniques (BCTs). Electronic databases (MEDLINE, CINAHL and PsychINFO) were searched for interventions published from January 1980 to July 2013. Inclusion criteria were: (i) interventions including ≥1 BCT designed to change physical activity behaviour, (ii) studies reporting ≥1 physical activity outcome, (iii) interventions commencing later than four weeks after childbirth and (iv) studies including participants who had given birth within the last year. Controlled trials were included in the meta-analysis. Interventions were coded using the 40-item Coventry, Aberdeen & London - Refined (CALO-RE) taxonomy of BCTs and study quality assessment was conducted using Cochrane criteria. Twenty studies were included in the review (meta-analysis: n = 14). Seven were interventions conducted with healthy inactive post-natal women. Nine were post-natal weight management studies. Two studies included women with post-natal depression. Two studies focused on improving general well-being. Studies in healthy populations but not for weight management successfully changed physical activity. Interventions increased frequency but not volume of physical activity or walking behaviour. Efficacious interventions always included the BCTs 'goal setting (behaviour)' and 'prompt self-monitoring of behaviour'.

A Social Identity Approach to Sport Psychology: Principles, Practice, and Prospects.

Drawing on social identity theory and self-categorization theory, we outline an approach to sport psychology that understands groups not simply as features of sporting contexts but rather as elements that can be, and often are, incorporated into a person's sense of self and, through this, become powerful determinants of their sport-related behavior. The underpinnings of this social identity approach are outlined, and four key lessons for sport that are indicative of the analytical and practical power of the approach are presented. These suggest that social identity is the basis for sports group (1) behavior, (2) formation and development, (3) support and stress appraisal, and (4) leadership. Building on recent developments within sport science, we outline an agenda for future research by identifying a range of topics to which the social identity approach could fruitfully contribute.

Adaptation and validation of the sport multidimensional perfectionism scale-2 (SMPS-2) for the brazilian sport context / Adaptação e validação da escala multidimensional de perfeccionismo no esporte-2 (SMPS-2) para o contexto brasileiro / Adaptación y validación de la escala multidimensional de perfeccionismo en el deporte-2 (SMPS-2) para el contexto brasileño

The purpose of this paper was to adapt and validate the Sport-Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale-2 (SMPS-2) for the Brazilian population using a three-step approach. For content validity, four participants translated the SMPS-2 to Portuguese and six experts adapted the content. Construct validity sample was tested with 395 athletes from a set of individual and team sports. Temporal validity was evaluated with an independent sample of 80 athletes with two data collections. Data analysis was conducted through Content Validity Coefficient (CVC), Cronbach's alpha, Composite Reliability (CR) and Exploratory (EFA) and Confirmatory (CFA) analyses. Results showed that the Portuguese version contained clear and relevant questions (CVC > .80) and good internal consistency (α > .70/CR > .70); EFA model revealed a four factor solution with 24 items as more satisfying while CFA confirmed the SMPS-2 model with 24 items was adequate. Multi-group analysis showed partial gender invariance. Temporal stability was achieved in all 24 items of the scale (ICC > .75). We concluded that the SMPS-2 is a valid measure for the assessment of perfectionism of the Brazilian sport context.

O objetivo do presente trabalho foi adaptar e validar a Sport-Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale-2 (SMPA-2) para uso em população brasileira por meio de três etapas. Para a validação do conteúdo, quatro participantes traduziram a SMPS-2 para o português e seis especialistas adaptaram o conteúdo. A amostra de validação de constructo foi composta por 395 atletas de modalidades esportivas individuais e coletivas. A validade temporal foi avaliada com uma amostra independente de 80 atletas com duas coletas de dados. A análise dos dados foi realizada com o Coeficiente de Validade de Conteúdo (CVC), o alfa de Cronbach, a Confiabilidade Composta (CC) e a Análise Fatorial Exploratória (AFE) e Confirmatória (AFC). Os resultados evidenciaram que a versão em português contém questões claras e relevantes (CVC > 0,80); além disso, a SMPS-2 apresentou consistência interna satisfatória (α > 0,70/CC > 0,70). A AFE revelou uma solução de quatro fatores com 24 itens como mais satisfatória, enquanto a AFC confirmou que o modelo da SMPS-2 com 24 itens teve ajuste satisfatório. A análise multigrupos apontou invariância de gênero parcial. Foi obtida a estabilidade temporal da escala com 24 itens (ICC > 0,75). Concluiu-se que a SMPS-2 é um instrumento válido para a avaliação do perfeccionismo no contexto esportivo brasileiro.

El objetivo del presente trabajo ha sido adaptar al portugués y validar la Sport-Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale-2 (SMPS-2) para uso en población brasileña a través de tres pasos. Para ello, cuatro participantes han traducido la SMPS-2 al portugués y seis especialistas han adaptado el contenido. La muestra de validación de constructo ha sido compuesta por 395 deportistas de modalidades individuales y colectivas. La validación temporal fue avaluada con una muestra independiente de 80 jugadores en dos momentos. Para el análisis de los datos, se han utilizado el Coeficiente de Validez de Contenido (CVC), el alfa de Cronbach, la Confiabilidad Compuesta (CC) y el Análisis Factorial Exploratorio (AFE) y Confirmatorio (AFC). De los resultados se desprende que la versión en portugués contiene preguntas claras y relevantes (CVC > 0,80). Además la SMPS-2 ha presentado consistencia interna satisfactoria (α > 0,70/CR > 0,70). El AFE reveló solución de cuatro factores con 24 artículos como más satisfactorios, ya que la AFC confirmado que el modelo de 24 SMPS-2 tenía los elementos de ajuste satisfactorios. El análisis multigrupos ha señalado que no hay varianza de género parcial. Se ha obtenido estabilidad temporal de la escala con 24 artículos (ICC > 0,75). Se puede concluir que la SMPS-2 es un instrumento válido para la evaluación del perfeccionismo en el contexto deportivo brasileño.

Family experiences of living with an eating disorder: a narrative analysis.

Families are considered important in the management and treatment of eating disorders. Yet, rarely has research focused on family experiences of living with an eating disorder. Addressing this gap, this study explores the experiences of an elite 21-year-old triathlete with an eating disorder in conjunction with the experiences of her parents. Family members attended interviews individually on three separate occasions over the course of a year. In line with the narrative approach adopted, whereby stories are considered the primary means to construct experience, interviews encouraged storytelling through an open-ended, participant-led structure. Narrative analysis involved repeated readings of the transcripts, sensitising towards issues of narrative content (key themes) and structure (overarching plot). Family difficulties arose when personal experiences strayed from culturally dominant narrative forms and when family members held contrasting narrative preferences. Suggestions are forwarded as to how an appreciation of eating disorder illness narratives might inform treatment and support.

Counter-Conditioning as an Intervention to Modify Anti-Fat Attitudes.

This study examined the effect of anti-fat attitude counter-conditioning using positive images of obese individuals participants completed implicit and explicit measures of attitudes towards fatness on three occasions: no intervention; following exposure to positive images of obese members of the general public; and to images of obese celebrities. Contrary to expectations, positive images of obese individuals did not result in more positive attitudes towards fatness as expected and, in some cases, indices of these attitudes worsened. Results suggest that attitudes towards obesity and fatness may be somewhat robust and resistant to change, possibly suggesting a central and not peripheral processing route for their formation.

Eating disorders in sport: a call for methodological diversity

Desde la aparición de estudios aislados en los primeros años de la década de 1980 hasta la creciente y concentrada investigación básica de la actualidad, los académicos de la psicología del deporte se han interesado por el problema d elos trastornos de la alimentación en el deporte. La literatura existente, fuertemente influenciada por el modelo médico de investigación científica, ofrece un conocimiento muy relevante acerca de su prevalencia y de sus etiologías. A pesar de este progreso, hay bastantes aspectos acerca de los trastornos alimentarios de los deportistas que no se comprenden correctamente, y las aproximaciones existentes son vulnerables a una considerable crítica. Este artículo pone en relieve algunos de los problemas fundamentales del modelo médico, y se argumenta que su actual preponderancia se ha generado a partir de una base muy reducida. Se propone que un aumento en los enfoques cualitativo e interpretativo, que priorice la subjetividad de la experiencia por encima de los listados de síntomas, es necesario si se desea conseguir una comprensión equilibrada y más completa de los trastornos de la alimentación en el deporte (AU)

From the emergence of isolated studies in the early 1980s to the concentrated and burgeoning research base of the present day, scholars within sport psychology have been motivated to address the problem of eating disorders in sport. Heavily influenced by the medical model of scientific inquiry, the extant literature offers important insights into prevalence and aetiology. Despite this progress, there is much that is poorly understood about athlete eating disorders and existing approaches are vulnerable to considerable critique. This paper highlights some of the fundamental problems with the medical model and argues that its current dominance has created an overly narrow knowledge base. It is proposed that an increase in qualitative, interpretive accounts, that prioritize the subjectivity of experience over the serialization of symptoms, is necessary if we are to achieve a balanced and more complete understanding of eating disorders in sport (AU)

Athletic identity levels reduce in countries who fail to be awarded the Olympic and Paralympic Summer Games / Os níveis de identidade atlética se reduzem em países que não são escolhidos como sede dos Jogos Olímpicos e Paralímpicos de Verão

The degree to which people identify with the sporting component of their self-concept is known as athletic identity, and this construct helps guide and organise the processing of self-related information following events of national importance. Athletic identity was assessed among countries with candidate cites bidding to host the 2012 and 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Candidate cities had significantly lower athletic identity levels across the population three months before and after the decision to host the event, except for the country with the elected host cities which had athletic identity levels that did not significantly change. These results indicate the importance of the effects of events of national importance on the degree to which individuals identify with the sporting component of their self-concept.

O grau com que as pessoas se identificam com o componente esportivo de seu auto-conceito é conhecido como identidade atlética, e esse construto ajuda a guiar e organizar os processamento de informação relacionadas ao selfI em sequência a um evento de importancia nacional. Identidade atlética foi avaliada entre países que apresentaram cidades como candidatas a sediar os jogos Olímpicos e Paralímpicos de 2012 e 2016. Cidade candidatas apresentaram níveis significativamente menores entre a populaçao três meses antes e após a decisão de sediar o evento, exceto nos países cujas cidades foram eletias sede, que tiveram níveis de identidade atlética sem variação significativa. Esses resultados indicam a importância do efeito de eventos de relevância nacional no grau com que os indivíduos se identificam com o component esportivo do auto-conceito.

Professional development themes in strength and conditioning coaches.

The purpose of this study was to explore professional development themes in experienced strength and conditioning coaches. Strength and conditioning coaches (N = 15, mean age = 34.3 years, SD = 5.2 years) with 11.4 (SD = 4.9) years experience working with elite, professional, or talented athletes were interviewed about their professional development. The interviews were transcribed verbatim and content analyzed. Over time, subjects' service-delivery practices became more flexible and client driven. Their role understanding also broadened to include various dimensions, such as the need to consider various stakeholders and the value of good relationships with athletes. The subjects shifted from relying on external justification for professional decision making to their experience-based knowledge. The subjects believed athlete work experience, interactions with senior strength and conditioning coaches and other colleagues, the professional literature, and nonprofessional experiences, such as their own athletic experience and sales or managerial training, were the primary influences on their professional development. Typically, the subjects experienced anxiety about their competence, both early in their careers and when working in new contexts or with new athlete groups, but over time, they developed increased confidence. In addition, the subjects experienced reduced narcissism over time about the control they had over athletes and their competitive results. The current results provide information about the characteristics of effective strength and conditioning coaches, the ways they develop their competencies to help athletes, and the emotions they experience throughout their careers. These results may help strength and conditioning practitioners in planning and optimizing their professional development and effectiveness with athletes.

Efficient, physiologically realistic lung airflow simulations.

One of the key challenges for computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations of human lung airflow is the sheer size and complexity of the complete, multiscale geometry of the bronchopulmonary tree. Since 3-D CFD simulations of the full airway tree are currently intractable, researchers have proposed reduced geometry models in which multiple airway paths are truncated downstream of the first few generations. This paper investigates a recently proposed method for closing the CFD model by application of physiologically correct boundary conditions at truncated outlets. A realistic, reduced geometry model of the lung airway based on CT data has been constructed up to generation 18, including extrathoracic, bronchi, and bronchiole regions. Results indicate that the new method yields reasonable results for pressure drop through the airway, at a small fraction of the cost of fully resolved simulations.

Variability in muscle dysmorphia symptoms: the influence of weight training.

The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of a weight training session on muscle dysmorphia symptoms in young men who regularly weight trained. Using a within-subjects crossover design, 30 men (mean ± SD; 20.93 ± 2.60 years, 86.87 ± 10.59 kg, and 1.76 ± 0.01 m) were randomly allocated to 1 of 2 groups, and completed the Muscle Dysmorphic Disorder Inventory twice, once each on 2 separate days. One day 1, group 1 completed the questionnaire after a weight training session and group 2 on a rest day. One day 2, group 1 completed the questionnaire on a rest day and group 2 after a weight training session. The mean score for drive for size was significantly higher on a rest day (18.00) than on a training day (15.87; p = 0.001, d = 1.03). The mean score for appearance intolerance was significantly higher on a rest day (10.10) compared with that on a training day (8.97; p = 0.001, d = 0.69). The mean score for functional impairment was significantly higher on a rest day (10.20) than on a training day (9.47; p = 0.037, d = 0.40). These results provide evidence that muscle dysmorphia symptoms have state-like properties and may be influenced by situational variables. The results may indicate that strength and conditioning specialists and mental health professionals need to observe clients over time and take into account environmental variables before making decisions about the presence or absence of the condition.

A preliminary development of the Re-Injury Anxiety Inventory (RIAI).

OBJECTIVES: The present paper outlines the initial development of an instrument to measure re-injury anxiety. METHODS: Face, content and factorial validity were examined over three stages of exploratory factor analyses. PARTICIPANTS: 248 injured sport participants completed the scale. RESULTS: A 28-item measure was produced to measure re-injury anxiety, comprising of two factors: re-injury anxieties regarding rehabilitation (RIA-R: 15 items) and re-injury anxieties regarding returning to training/competition (RIA-RE: 13 items). These two factors accounted for 80.56% of the total variance. The internal consistency for both factors was above the .70 criterion value; rehabilitation re-injury anxiety (alpha=.98); re-entry into competition re-injury anxiety (alpha=.96). CONCLUSIONS: Future research needs to test the proposed 2-factor model presented in the current research using confirmatory factor analysis.