Structural validation of three German versions of behavioral and motivational scales in high-risk sports

The aim of the present research was to validate German language versions of three inventories in high-risk sports to facilitate future research in the significant population of German speaking high-risk sports participants. We translated the Sensation Seeking, Emotion Regulation and Agency Scale (SEAS), the Risk-Taking Inventory and the Accidents and Close Calls in Sport Inventory into German, then tested the hypothesized factor structures with 719 high-risk sport participants from the European Alps using Bayesian structural equation modelling (BSEM). The final models were all good fits to the data, had good internal consistency and displayed adequate discriminant validity. All inventories displayed the same factor structure as in the English inventories bar the G?SEAS After inventory in which a three-factor model fitted better than a two-factor model. Possible reasons for this difference include differences in the sample population, translation bias, or cross-cultural differences; however it seems likely that the nuanced approach of BSEM allowed this study to disentangle emotion regulation transfer from agency transfer after participating in high-risk sport where previous attempts using other methods have failed to. This will allow future research in high-risk sport to be conducted beyond English speaking populations and more significantly, facilitate the investigation of differences between the transfer effects of agency and emotion regulation.     

Football transfers and moral responsibility

The main goal of this paper is to analyse the concept of social responsibility in sport management. By drawing on Hans Jonas, I shall analyse the concept of ‘corporate social responsibility’ in order to analyse several ambivalent cases within contemporary soccer such as the transfer of Gareth Bale to Real Madrid or the awarding of the 2022 World Cup to Qatar.     

Force-velocity characteristics of upper limb extension during maximal wheelchair sprinting performed by healthy able-bodied females

The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between force and velocity parameters during a specific multi-articular upper limb movement--namely, hand rim propulsion on a wheelchair ergometer. Seventeen healthy able-bodied females performed nine maximal sprints of 8 s duration with friction torques varying from 0 to 4 N x m. The wheelchair ergometer system allows measurement of forces exerted on the wheels and linear velocity of the wheel at 100 Hz. These data were averaged for the duration of each arm cycle. Peak force and the corresponding maximal velocity were determined during three consecutive arm cycles for each sprint condition. Individual force-velocity relationships were established for peak force and velocity using data for the nine sprints. In line with the results of previous studies on leg cycling or arm cranking, the force-velocity relationship was linear in all participants (r = -0.798 to -0.983, P < 0.01). The maximal power output (mean 1.28 W x kg(-1)) and the corresponding optimal velocity (1.49 m x s(-1)) and optimal force (52.3 N) calculated from the individual force-velocity regression were comparable with values reported in the literature during 20 or 30 s wheelchair sprints, but lower than those obtained during maximal arm cranking. A positive linear relationship (r = 0.678, P < 0.01) was found between maximal power and optimal velocity. Our findings suggest that although absolute values of force, velocity and power depend on the type of movement, the force-velocity relationship obtained in multi-articular limb action is similar to that obtained in wheelchair locomotion, cycling and arm cranking.     

Monitoring bullying behaviours may not enhance principal's awareness of the prevalence

Monitoring bullying behaviours is the key aspect of a successful anti-bullying intervention. Questionnaires among pupils and principals of the same schools were utilised to measure the agreement between pupil-reported frequency and principals' estimations of the prevalence of frequent bullying in the same schools and to identify monitoring methods associated with the best agreement. The correlation between the pupil-reported frequency and the principal's estimate of the prevalence was weak. Two-thirds of the principals estimated the prevalence of frequent bullying in their schools to be four percentage points lower than the prevalence, based on pupils' reports. Questionnaires that were developed and administered by the schools themselves and unspecified monitoring methods were associated with the best agreement between pupils' reports and principals' estimates of the prevalence of frequent bullying. There is a clear need to communicate better the nationally collected data back to schools. It seems that despite the monitoring efforts, school principals were not aware of the prevalence of frequent bullying as perceived by their pupils. Awareness of the problem may require more than just available evidence.     

Tour de France,Giro, Vuelta,and classic European races show a unique progression of road cycling speed in the last 20 years

Abstract

Road cycling ranks among the most intense endurance exercises. Previous studies and mathematical models describing road cycling have not analysed performances per se. We describe the evolution of road cycling performance over the past 116 years. We studied the top ten cyclists' mean speeds in eight famous classic races and three European Grand Tours, using a previously published multi-exponential model that highlights the different progression periods of an event during the century. In addition, we measured an indicator of difficulty for the Tour de France by calculating the climbing index (i.e. the total altitude climbed over total distance). The eleven races' mean speed increased progressively from 23.13 km · h^?1 in 1892 to 41.19 ± 2.03 km · h^?1 in 2008. Road cycling development, like other quantifiable disciplines, fits a piecewise progression pattern that follows three periods: before, between, and after the two World Wars. However, a fourth period begins after 1993, providing a speed progression of 6.38% from the third one. The Tour de France's climbing index also provided insight into a recent paradoxical relationship with speeds: when the climbing index increased, the winner's speed also increased. Our results show a major improvement (6.38%) in road cycling performance in the last 20 years and question the role of extra-physiological parameters in this recent progression.     

Force–velocity characteristics of upper limb extension during maximal wheelchair sprinting performed by healthy able-bodied females

The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between force and velocity parameters during a specific multi-articular upper limb movement – namely, hand rim propulsion on a wheelchair ergometer. Seventeen healthy able-bodied females performed nine maximal sprints of 8?s duration with friction torques varying from 0 to 4?N?·?m. The wheelchair ergometer system allows measurement of forces exerted on the wheels and linear velocity of the wheel at 100 Hz. These data were averaged for the duration of each arm cycle. Peak force and the corresponding maximal velocity were determined during three consecutive arm cycles for each sprint condition. Individual force–velocity relationships were established for peak force and velocity using data for the nine sprints. In line with the results of previous studies on leg cycling or arm cranking, the force–velocity relationship was linear in all participants (r?=??0.798 to ?0.983, P?<0.01). The maximal power output (mean 1.28?W?·?kg^?1) and the corresponding optimal velocity (1.49?m?·?s^?1) and optimal force (52.3?N) calculated from the individual force–velocity regression were comparable with values reported in the literature during 20 or 30?s wheelchair sprints, but lower than those obtained during maximal arm cranking. A positive linear relationship (r?=?0.678, P?<0.01) was found between maximal power and optimal velocity. Our findings suggest that although absolute values of force, velocity and power depend on the type of movement, the force–velocity relationship obtained in multi-articular limb action is similar to that obtained in wheelchair locomotion, cycling and arm cranking.     

Muscle oxygenation and EMG activity during isometric exercise in children

Abstract

The aim of this study was to examine the time-course of and the relationships between muscle oxygenation, blood volume and myoelectrical manifestations during isometric exercise in children. Twelve healthy children aged 12.5 ± 1.2 years (mean ± s) performed an isometric knee extension at 50% of their maximal voluntary contraction (MVC) until exhaustion to assess endurance time (limit time, T _lim). Changes in muscle oxygenation and blood volume were assessed by near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS). The root mean square (RMS) amplitude and the mean power frequency (MPF) from electromyogram (EMG) signals were obtained, as NIRS parameters, from the vastus lateralis. Mean T _lim was 117 ± 34 s. The muscle oxygenation and blood volume curves decreased immediately at the beginning of exercise. Maximal deoxygenation occurred at 50% T _lim, and fell by 76.9% from the resting value. Similarly, minimal blood volume was observed at 50% T _lim; it reached a plateau that lasted until the end of exercise. The kinetics of the MPF and RMS curves were inversely related to time. At the last set of exercises (after 75% T _lim), a steeper RMS curve and an abrupt decrease in the MPF curve were observed. Significant correlations (r) between muscle oxygenation, blood volume, root mean square amplitude and mean power frequency were observed, which ranged from 0.72 to 0.99. These findings suggest that the fatigue resulting from sustained isometric exercise is related to a decrease in oxygenation and blood volume.     

A comparison of lactate indices during ramp exercise using modelling techniques and conventional methods

Abstract

The aim of this study was to compare the lactate indices provided by single- and double-breakpoint models with lactate thresholds obtained with conventional methods. Arterial samples for the determination of lactate concentrations were drawn from eight participants at rest and every minute during a ramp test (15 W · min^?1) on a cycle ergometer. Lactate thresholds were determined from a blood lactate concentration equal to 4 mM (LT₄), from an increase of 1 mM above the resting level (Δ1 mM), and from indirect methods using ventilatory parameters. Other indices were computed from the modelling of the lactate curve using an exponential function (LSI), a polynomial function (Dmax), a semi-log model (SLog), a parabola plus delay model (Mod P), and a two-breakpoint model (Mod M). Mod P and Mod M showed poor agreement with the other methods. LT₄, Dmax, LSI, and respiratory exchange ratio equal to 1 were correlated with each other (0.81 ≤ R ≤ 0.92) and their mean differences ranged from 2.8 to 15 W, with limits of agreement within the range ± 24.6 to ± 42.4 W. These results question the interest in breakpoints models to detect lactate thresholds, knowing that LT₄, LSI, Dmax, and respiratory exchange ratio equal to 1 provide indices that occur at similar power outputs.     

Teaching and testing mathematical problem solving by offering optional assistance

Transfer capability is usually defined as theability to apply acquired knowledge and skillsin novel situations.The experiment reported here concerned transferin mathematics education. An experimental programme was constructed, based on strengtheningthe connection of strategic and domain specificknowledge and offering hints during teaching aswell as during testing.Subjects were first graders from secondaryeducation in the Netherlands, from two schools,two classes each. Students from these fourclasses were randomly allocated either to theexperimental or the control group.The experimental computer-supported teachingprogramme was offered once a week during sixweeks; the control group received regularmathematics instruction.After controlling for the effects of thecovariates intelligence, mathematics aptitudeand anxiety, it was shown that the experimentalsubjects performed significantly better on aposttest than subjects in the control group.The results suggest that the experimentalinstruction method enhances mathematics problemsolving ability more strongly than traditionalinstruction. Upon closer examination thiseffect appears to be restricted to subjectsalready relatively high in intelligence andmathematical ability. This finding is notuncommon in intervention research, and issometimes referred to as the Matthew orthe fan-spread effect.