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The aim of the study was to investigate the influence of two different routine integration strategies on volleyball float-serve performance, and on the structure of players' mental representations. Thirty female players participated in our study. One group trained routines using imagery, another group trained using the method of routines introduction, and the third group acted as control group. Players' imagery ability, hand and ball velocity, serve accuracy, and players' movement mental representation were assessed. The imagery group served significantly more accurate with significantly increased ball velocity, and players' movement mental representation covered more clearly these of the experts.

Significant positive effects, particularly on psychological state in patients who completed the follow-up pulmonary rehabilitation programs, are indicated by a large number of studies. Yet, a remarkable proportion of selected patients drop out from these programs. In this study, we investigated existing differences on psychological variables among COPD patients who complete and those who drop out from pulmonary rehabilitation programs. The study included 144 patients, 43 (29.9%) of whom did not complete the program. SCL-90 was used for the assessment of psychological symptoms. On the SCL-90-R scale 55.6% of patients had abnormal findings. Patients who discontinued the program had higher rates of depression and somatization compared to those who completed it. Regarding the psychopathology scales of SCL-90R, we found that patients who discontinued the program showed higher levels of psychopathology on the scales of somatization, depression, paranoid ideation, and psychotism compared to those who completed the program. The final regression model showed that patients with low educational status and psychotism were more likely to leave the program. In conclusion, psychopathology contributes to patients dropping out from a COPD rehabilitation program; thus, psychological assessment prior to inclusion in rehabilitation programs may reduce dropouts.

Visual information is utilized in gymnastics vaulting. The question remains as to which informational sources are used to regulate handspring performance. The purpose of this study was to examine springboard and vaulting table position as informational sources in gymnastics vaulting. The hypothesis tested was that the approach-run and handspring kinematics change as a function of the position of the springboard and the position of the vaulting table.Kinematic parameters of 14 female expert gymnasts' approach runs and handsprings on vault were examined, while manipulating the position of the springboard, the position of the vaulting table, or both.The results revealed that feet positioning during the approach run and takeoff varied predominantly as a function of the position of the springboard. The positioning of the hands on the vaulting table varied as a function of the position of the vaulting table. Furthermore, a combined manipulation of both the position of the springboard and the position of the vaulting table led to differences in feet positioning during the approach run and during takeoff, as well as to differences in hand positioning during the repulsion phase and differences in the duration of the second flight phase.Findings suggest that the positions of the springboard and the vaulting table are relevant informational sources in gymnastics vaulting, whereas the effect of both informational sources unfolds on different kinematic parameters. Training programs aiming to enhance gymnasts' ability to use visual information during vaulting may be fruitful in motor skill acquisition in gymnastics.

Purpose. The aims of this study were, first, to investigate visual spotting and, second, to explore the functional relationships between movement structure and gaze behavior in gymnasts as they perform preparatory giant swings (traditional and scooped technique) and dismounts (single straight and double tucked salto) with increasing difficulty on the high bar. It was predicted that visual spotting would occur in all experimental tasks. Methods. Relationships between gaze behavior and movement kinematics were explored to provide a clearer picture of how gaze is interconnected with the kinematics of dismounts on the high bar. For this purpose, kinematic parameters were measured with an optical movement-analysis system while gaze behavior was measured by using a portable and wireless eye-tracking system. Results. The measurement of gaze behavior revealed that gymnasts use visual spotting in all three tasks showing fixations throughout the whole movement. Each task was furthermore characterized by a sequence of visual fixations that was thought to serve specific movement goals. In particular, fixations during the downswing phase of the preparatory giant swings were significantly correlated with the movement phases when beginning the hip extension and flexion in the "kick through" as well as with the athlete's distance of flight during the dismounts. Conclusions. The findings suggest that gymnasts can use visual spotting during preparatory giant swings and dismounts on the high bar and that there are functional relationships between different fixations and specific movement goals.

In most everyday actions the eyes look towards objects and locations they are engaged with in a specific task and this information is used to guide the corresponding action. The question is, however, whether this strategy also holds for skills incorporating a whole-body rotation in sport. Therefore, the goal of this study was to investigate relationships between gaze behaviour and movement behaviour in a complex gymnastics skill, namely the backward salto performed as a dismount on the uneven bars. Thirteen expert gymnasts were instructed to fixate a light spot on the landing mat during the downswing phase when performing a backward salto as dismount. The location of the light spot was varied systematically with regard to each gymnast’s individual landing distance. Time-discrete kinematic parameters of the swing motion and the dismount were measured. It was expected that fixating the gaze towards different locations of the light spot on the landing mat would directly affect the landing location. We had, however, no specific predictions on the effects of manipulating gaze direction on the remaining kinematic parameters. The hip angle at the top of the backswing, the duration of the downswing phase, the hip angle prior to kick-through, and the landing distance varied clearly as a function of the location of the light spot. It is concluded that fixating the gaze towards the landing mat serves the function to execute the skill in a way to land on a particular location.

The purpose of this study was to examine the clinical usefulness of preoperative lymphoscintigraphy (PLS) for sentinel node identification in patients undergoing lymphatic mapping during surgery for early cervical cancer.Day-before PLS was performed in 42 patients who were candidates for open radical hysterectomy and intraoperative lymphatic mapping, using a combination of radiocolloid and blue dye technique.In 39 patients, at least one sentinel node (SN) was evident either in the lymphoscintigram or during the operation (detection rate 92.8%). Lymphoscintigraphy revealed unilateral SNs in 24 (61.5%) cases and bilateral SNs in 15 (38.5%). A total of 56 SNs were identified. Intraoperatively, 5 out of 24 patients with unilateral SNs on PLS had bilateral identification. The total number of SNs retrieved was 103 (2.6/patient). While one SN was identified in 25 cases on PLS, 32 patients had two or more SNs intraoperatively. The agreement between preoperative and intraoperative detection regarding laterality, number and location of SNs was poor (Kappa0.69).PLS is of limited clinical value for intraoperative SN detection in early cervical cancer.

The purpose of this study was to examine the overhand volleyball service routines of the German Youth Female National Team. Mental representations of this movement were reconstructed using the Structure Dimensional Analysis-Motoric method. The Routine Questionnaire was administered to collect self-report data. Results indicated that the mental representations of routines are organized in a hierarchical, tree-like structure. The movement mental representations of players not selected to the national team were organized in a less hierarchical manner. The coach's performance ranking was significantly correlated to the athlete's mental representation invariance values (structure quality), indicating a close relationship between mental representation and performance.

The sentinel lymph node (SLN) technique aims at predicting the absence of regional nodal metastasis and seems promising in the management of cervical cancer patients.Forty patients undergoing surgery for early cervical cancer were submitted to the SLN procedure, using Blue Patente alone in 3, radiocolloid injection alone in 4 and both methods in 33 (82.5%). All patients underwent radical hysterectomy and pelvic lymphadenectomy.The detection rate was as follows: overall 85%, blue dye alone 66%, radiocolloid alone 75%, dual method 87%. Detection was successful in 34 patients, with one false-negative result. No micrometastases were demonstrated during ultrastaging of the sentinels. The detection rate was higher in tumors2 cm (94.1%) than in larger tumors (78.2%, p0.09). Significant negative correlation between lymphatic vascular space invasion (LVSI) and detection rate was found (p0.001).SLN detection is feasible in early cervical cancer but presence of LVSI and a tumor size2 cm negatively affect the detection rate and may increase the incidence of false negatives.