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Purpose: To investigate the effect of a newly developed hand rim in wheelchair tennis players from a lab and field perspective. Methods: Nine wheelchair tennis players performed a set of field and lab tests with the new rim (NR) and regular rim on the racket side. Each player had a 60- to 120-minute regular training session with the NR. Three wheelchair tennis field tests (20-m sprint, Illinois, spider) were completed on a hard court using inertial measurement units. The inertial measurement units enabled analysis of linear/rotational velocity and acceleration. In the lab, two 4-minute submaximal tests (at 1.5 and 2 m/s, 0.2 W/kg), followed directly by a 5-second sprint, on a wheelchair ergometer were completed. Force and velocity were measured continuously throughout all tests. Mixed linear models investigated the effect between the 2 hand rims. Results: During the spider test, mean rotational velocity to the racket side (−2%, P =.005) was lower in the NR, and end times were similar between hand-rim conditions. No differences were observed in the 20-m sprint and Illinois field tests. In the lab, contact angle (+6%, P =.04), cycle time (+12%, P =.007), and work per push (+13%, P =.005) were higher in the NR during submaximal propulsion. Work per push (+13%, P =.007), peak velocity (+3%, P <.001), and distance covered (+4%, P =.02) were higher with the NR during the 5-second sprint test. Conclusions: The NR seems slightly favorable compared with the regular rim during performance testing on a wheelchair ergometer in wheelchair tennis players. A longer practice time might show more insights between the hand-rim types. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the present study was to compare the differences in joint coordination patterns and variability in the lower extremity between the first and second landing phases of the drop jump. Eighteen resistance-trained men (age: 22.8 ± 1.8 years) performed drop jumps from a height of 0.40 m. An eight-camera motion capture system was utilized to record kinematic trajectories. Modified vector coding technique and circular statistics were used to determine the coordination pattern and variability of the following joint couples during the first and second landings: hip frontal–knee frontal (HfKf), hip sagittal–knee frontal (HsKf), hip sagittal–knee sagittal (HsKs), knee frontal–ankle frontal (KfAf), knee sagittal–ankle frontal (KsAf), and knee sagittal–ankle sagittal (KsAs). Statistical differences in the distribution frequencies of coupling angles and variability between the dominant and nondominant limbs across the two landing phases were compared using two-way repeated analysis of variance and Wilcoxon rank-sum tests. During the second landing phase, the proportion of HsKs, KfAf, and KsAs showing in-phase coordination was reduced but the proportion of KfAf and KsAs showing proximal joint (knee) coordination was increased (p <.05). Significant differences in bilateral asymmetry were observed only for the HfKf and KfAf patients (p <.05). HsKs, KfAf, and KsAf varied considerably during the second landing phase (p <.05). Joint coordination patterns during the second landing phase of the drop jump differed considerably from those during the first landing phase, thereby increasing the risk of knee and ankle injuries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We conducted an fMRI study to investigate the neural basis of bimanual coordination, which is fundamental to upper extremity control. Considering bimanual movement as a combination of bimanual chord formation and sequence control, we hypothesized that the areas with the learning effect of both chord formation and sequence learning are critical in bimanual coordination. We adopted the serial reaction time task (SRTT) to test this hypothesis. Thirty-five healthy right-handed volunteers practiced visually cued bimanual SRTT, including the “mirror” and more complex “parallel” modes of random movements or repeating fixed sequences to separately depict the neural substrates of bimanual posture control for chord formation and those of sequence. Random movements’ reaction time (RT) continuously declined, indicating learning of bimanual chord formation. The RT in the sequential condition declined more rapidly than in the random condition, confirming sequence learning. The parallel random conditions evoked a more prominent learning-related decrease of task-related activation in the left M1 and cerebellar vermis than the less difficult mirror random conditions. The left M1 showed learning-related enhancement of functional connectivity with the anterior cingulate cortex during the parallel random conditions compared with the mirror random conditions. Thus, the left M1, anterior cingulate cortex, and cerebellar vermis are related to learning bimanual chord formation. The left M1 and cerebellar vermis also showed sequence-specific learning-related activity increments more prominent in the parallel mode than in the mirror mode. Thus, the left M1 and cerebellar vermis are critical in the bimanual motor learning network. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Retos: Nuevas Perspectivas de Educación Física, Deporte y Recreación is the property of Federacion Espanola de Asociaciones de Docentes de Educacion Fisica and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Retos: Nuevas Perspectivas de Educación Física, Deporte y Recreación is the property of Federacion Espanola de Asociaciones de Docentes de Educacion Fisica and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Background/Aims: Asymmetry of the internal (IR) and external (ER) shoulder rotators can increase the risk of injuries in judokas. Discrete analyses are usually performed in time series data, but they can have biases by removing trends, so other approaches have been proposed to avoid these biases such as statistical parametric mapping (SPM) and principal component analysis (PCA). This study analyzed the asymmetry in the shoulder rotators in female judokas, comparing dominant (D) vs. non-dominant (ND) upper limbs. Methods: For this, 11 elite athletes (age: 20.1 ± 2.9 yrs.; experience: 4.0 ± 0.5 yrs.; body mass: 66.0 ± 14.6 kg; height: 1.6 ± 0.1 m; BMI: 24.8 ± 4.3 kg/m2), were evaluated in an isokinetic dynamometer (Cybex® Humac/Norm Dynamometer CSMI, 502140, Stoughton, MA, USA). All participants performed the concentric (CON/CON) isokinetic evaluations of internal and external rotation of the shoulder in 60°/s and 180°/s angular velocities. Results: There was no significative asymmetry between IR vs. ER at 60°/s; similar results were observed at 180°/s when analyzed by PCA or SPM methods (p > 0.05 for all comparison). There was no difference between peak torque at 60°/s or 180°/s (p > 0.05 for all comparison). Conclusions: no asymmetry was observed in IR and ER in elite female athletes, regardless of the analysis method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: There is a requirement for British Army personnel to operate in/around water. Assessing role-related swimming/water competence will support personnel to conduct their job-roles safely and effectively. OBJECTIVE: To undertake a Job-Task Analysis (JTA) of British Army personnel when working in/around water and use this information to develop a Swimming Representative Military Task (RMT) to assess swimming/water competence. METHODS: Workshops, surveys, and observations were used to conduct a JTA, which identified and described job-tasks conducted by British Army personnel in/around water. Ergonomic analysis of these job-tasks identified seven water-based physical actions, which were considered fundamental for all personnel to be competent in performing. These seven actions guided design of a Swimming RMT, which was subsequently conducted twice by 103 serving personnel (89 men, 11 women) and once by 65 recruits (49 men, 16 women). RESULTS: The RMT comprised of entering the water in combat fatigues and webbing, removing webbing, swimming 50 m, and staying afloat for up to 10 minutes. During RMT trials, in trial 1, 85% of serving personnel and 74% of recruits successfully completed the RMT, which increased to 93% in serving personnel for trial 2. Across trials 1 and 2, all three timed RMT elements showed moderate-high correlational reliability (ICC range: 0.462–0.791). On average, serving personnel were quicker to complete the 50 m swim phase compared to recruits (91±24 s vs. 100±26 s; U = 2575.0, rb = –0.192, p = 0.039). CONCLUSIONS: The JTA-informed Swimming RMT provides an assessment of the minimum role-related swimming/water competence standard for British Army personnel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background : The workload of organ transplant coordinators is increasing as administrative tasks become more diverse with changing laws and regulations. These changes have heightened the demand for organ transplant coordinators with expertise in the field. This study aimed to determine the status of human resources of organ transplant coordinators and conduct job analysis using the Developing A Curriculum (DACUM) method. Methods : We conducted a questionnaire survey with 107 transplant coordinators employed at medical centers across Korea. The questionnaire gathered data on general and job-related characteristics of organ transplant coordinators and assessed the importance, difficulty, and frequency of their task elements. Results : The job of organ transplantation was categorized into five duties, 14 tasks, and 97 task elements. These duties included recipient management, donor management, organ donation activation management, organ transplantation administration, and professional capability development. We noted statistically significant differences in the importance scores of organ donation activation based on age, as well as in the difficulty scores for recipient management and administrative tasks based on work experience. Furthermore, the frequency of task performance varied significantly according to the number of coworkers and the total number of transplants conducted. Conclusion : s: This study confirmed the current status of the workforce and task performance of organ transplant coordinators. The findings will serve as basic data to enhance the expertise of coordinators in the future.

Purpose: Wheelchair users and people with disabilities have limited access to physical exercise due to various factors, including medical follow-up and training facilities. Although tele-exercise guided by experts has become a viable option, there is limited knowledge about the acute performance decrement (APD) resulting from remote training methods. The current cross-sectional study aimed to: (1) assess the APD of muscle resistance strength after three synchronous tele-exercise training methods in wheelchair users and (2) compare the training loads associated with each training method. Materials and methods: Eighteen male and female wheelchair users who participated in tele-exercise strength practices were recruited. The participants performed a maximum resistance strength test by synchronous tele-assessment (push-up test, PUT) at baseline and immediately after three training methods: high-intensity interval training (HIIT), moderate-intensity continuous training (MICT) and sprint interval training (SIT). The primary outcome was the APD, which was measured by the percentage decrease in the number of repetitions of the PUT immediately after the training methods. Results: APD was observed for all three training methods, with no significant differences between them (–34.8%, −29.9% and −38.0% for MICT, SIT and HII, respectively), and presented a non-significant correlation with the training loads. HIIT had a significantly higher training load than MICT and SIT. Conclusions: APD occurred in all training sessions, but did not correlate with training load, indicating that it is not an appropriate metric for comparison. Findings provide insight into APD response and highlight the need to consider multiple metrics when comparing training protocols. Implications for Rehabilitation: Synchronous moderate-intensity continuous training (MICT), sprint interval training (SIT) and high-intensity interval training tele-exercises provided similar acute performance decrement in wheelchair users and people with disabilities. High-intensity interval training showed a higher training load compared to MICT and SIT performed remotely. Acute performance decrement did not correlate with the training load. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: This study aimed to compare the effects of requirement-based and test-based formative assessment methods on pre-clinical endodontic competence and performance of dental students. Methods: This interventional field study was conducted on dental students of Shahid Beheshti Dental School in the first and second semesters of 2021 academic year (third-year students), taking practical basic endodontics 1. After receiving theoretical instructions and practical demonstrations, the students in both groups were asked to perform root canal therapy for extracted maxillary anterior and mandibular/maxillary canine teeth as part of their requirement. Their errors were assessed and recorded by two calibrated instructors. Next, group 1 students performed root canal therapy for mandibular incisors and premolars as their requirement and returned the treated teeth on a specific date every 3 weeks. Group 2 students did not have a specific requirement and only participated in an examination which included endodontic treatment of the same group of teeth treated by group 1 students at the same designated dates. The treated teeth were assessed by instructors for errors. A final examination was held at the end of the semester for both groups. The two groups were compared by independent t-test, ANCOVA, Pearson Chi-square, and Mann-Whitney tests (alpha=0.05). Results: No significant difference was found between the two groups in access cavity preparation, root canal instrumentation, or obturation (P>0.05). Conclusion: Requirement-based and test-based formative assessment methods had similar effects on pre-clinical endodontic competence and performance of dental students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction It is critical to develop and implement lab-based computer experiments that simulate real-world tasks in order to characterize operational requirements and challenges or identify potential solutions. Achieving a high degree of laboratory control, operational generalizability, and ease-of-use for a task is challenging, often leading to the development of tasks that can satisfy some facets but not all. This can result in insufficient solutions that leave real-world stakeholders with unsolved problems. Materials and Methods This issue is addressed using a customized passive sonar simulator application that provides extensive researcher control over the design and manipulation of a sonar task; a visual appearance and cognitive demand similar to a true submarine-based sonar task; and a convenient and short training routine for sonar novices. The task requires participants to watch for multiple signal sources of varying appearance and salience and subsequently classify these signals into their respective categories. Results The current study investigated the effects of stimulus signal strength and signal density on sonar task performance—including metrics of classification accuracy, classification confidence, and response times—finding an interaction between signal density and signal strength that resulted in greater performance errors with high signal density at the weakest signal strength. Conclusions The lab-based sonar application provides new possibilities for research, not limited to signal intensity and signal density but also through the manipulation of parameters such as the number of unique targets, target appearance, and task duration. This application may illuminate the operational demands that each of these factors may have on operator behavior within the dynamic tasks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Long-time judo training can lead athletes to develop upper limb asymmetry and shoulder asymmetry during force production, mainly in the action of pulling, pushing, and throwing; that requires higher strength and velocity of the internal and external rotators of the shoulders, which may also result in shoulder injury, or a decrease in judo performance. OBJECTIVE: To investigate asymmetries in concentric force of the internal and external shoulder rotators of the dominant and non-dominant upper limbs in high-level judokas at angular velocities of 60, 180, and 300∘/s. METHODS: 14 highly trained male judokas (age 24.4 ± 4.8 yrs.; body mass 87.9 ± 18.7 kg; height 1.8 ± 0.1 m). All participants performed 5 attempts of movement concentric internal and external rotation of the shoulder with 3 angular velocities (60∘/s, 180∘/s, and 300∘/s) in an isokinetic dynamometer (Cybex® Humac Norm Dynamometer CSMI, model 502140). The data were analyzed by independent t-student (discrete analysis) a statistical parametric mapping (SPM) curve (one-dimensional analysis). RESULTS: There was no difference in dominant vs. non-dominant for discrete analysis (p > 0.05). There was no difference in dominant vs. non-dominant for SPM analysis. None of the comparisons surpassed the comparison cut-off (tcrit) for the t -test (p > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Based on results, judokas do not present significant asymmetries in concentric force of external or internal shoulder rotators when compared to the dominant vs. the non-dominant upper limb according to discrete and one-dimensional (SPM) analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Designing health IT aimed at supporting team-based care and improving patient safety is difficult. This requires a work system (i.e., SEIPS) evaluation of the technology by care team members. This study aimed to identify work system barriers and facilitators to the use of a team health IT that supports care transitions for pediatric trauma patients. We conducted an analysis on 36 interviews - representing 12 roles - collected from a scenario-based evaluation of T3. We identified eight dimensions with both barriers and facilitators in all five work system elements: person (experience), task (task performance, workload/efficiency), technology (usability, specific features of T3), environment (space, location), and organization (communication/coordination). Designing technology that meets every roles needs is challenging; in particular, when trade-offs need to be managed, e.g., additional workload for one role or divergent perspectives regarding specific features. Our results confirm the usefulness of a continuous work system approach to technology design and implementation.

BackgroundDysfunctional cognitive control processes are now well understood to be core features of schizophrenia (SZ). A body of work suggests that the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) plays a critical role in explaining cognitive control disruptions in SZ. Here, we examined relationships between DLPFC activation and drift rate (DR), a model-based performance measure that combines reaction time and accuracy, in people with SZ and healthy control (HC) participants.MethodsOne hundred fifty-one people with recent-onset SZ spectrum disorders and 118 HC participants performed the AX-Continuous Performance Task during functional magnetic resonance imaging scanning. Proactive cognitive control-associated activation was extracted from left and right DLPFC regions of interest. Individual behavior was fit using a drift diffusion model, allowing DR to vary between task conditions.ResultsBehaviorally, people with SZ showed significantly lower DRs than HC participants, particularly during high proactive control trial types ("B" trials). Recapitulating previous findings, the SZ group also demonstrated reduced cognitive control-associated DLPFC activation compared with HC participants. Furthermore, significant group differences were also observed in the relationship between left and right DLPFC activation with DR, such that positive relationships between DR and activation were found in HC participants but not in people with SZ.ConclusionsThese results suggest that DLPFC activation is less associated with cognitive control-related behavioral performance enhancements in SZ. Potential mechanisms and implications are discussed.

Observer, manual single-frame video, and automated computer vision measures of the Hand Activity Level (HAL) were compared. HAL can be measured three ways: (1) observer rating (HALO), (2) calculated from single-frame multimedia video task analysis for measuring frequency (F) and duty cycle (D) (HALF), or (3) from automated computer vision (HALC). This study analysed videos collected from three prospective cohort studies to ascertain HALO, HALF, and HALC for 419 industrial videos. Although the differences for the three methods were relatively small on average (

The ability to use past experience to effectively guide decision-making declines in older adulthood. Such declines have been theorized to emerge from either impairments of striatal reinforcement learning systems (RL) or impairments of recurrent networks in prefrontal and parietal cortex that support working memory (WM). Distinguishing between these hypotheses has been challenging because either RL or WM could be used to facilitate successful decision-making in typical laboratory tasks. Here we investigated the neurocomputational correlates of age-related decision-making deficits using an RL-WM task to disentangle these mechanisms, a computational model to quantify them, and magnetic resonance spectroscopy to link them to their molecular bases. Our results reveal that task performance is worse in older age, in a manner best explained by working memory deficits, as might be expected if cortical recurrent networks were unable to sustain persistent activity across multiple trials. Consistent with this, we show that older adults had lower levels of prefrontal glutamate, the excitatory neurotransmitter thought to support persistent activity, compared to younger adults. Individuals with the lowest prefrontal glutamate levels displayed the greatest impairments in working memory after controlling for other anatomical and metabolic factors. Together, our results suggest that lower levels of prefrontal glutamate may contribute to failures of working memory systems and impaired decision-making in older adulthood.

Background: Cancer burden in India is rapidly growing, with oral, breast, and uterine cervix being the three most commonly affected sites. It has a catastrophic epidemiological and financial impact on rural communities, the vast majority of whom are socio‐economically disadvantaged. Strengthening the health system is necessary to address challenges in the access and provision of cancer services, thus improving outcomes among vulnerable populations. Objective: To develop, test, and validate a health system capacity assessment (HSCA) tool that evaluates the capacity and readiness for cancer services provision in rural India. Methods: A multi‐method process was pursued to develop a cancer‐specific HSCA tool. Firstly, item generation entailed both a nominal group technique (to identify the health system dimensions to capture) and a rapid review of published and gray literature (to generate items within each of the selected dimensions). Secondly, tool development included the pre‐testing of questionnaires through healthcare facility visits, and item reduction through a series of in‐depth interviews (IDIs) with key local stakeholders. Thirdly, tool validation was performed through expert consensus. Results: A three‐step HSCA multi‐method tool was developed comprising: (a) desk review template, investigating policies and protocols at the state level, (b) facility assessment protocol and checklist, catering to the Indian public healthcare system, and (c) IDI topic guide, targeting policymakers, healthcare workforce, and other relevant stakeholders. Conclusions: The resulting HSCA tool assesses health system capacity, thus contributing to the planning and implementation of context‐appropriate, sustainable, equity‐focused, and integrated early detection interventions for cancer control, especially toward vulnerable populations in rural India and other low‐resource settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: As the number of nursing home residents with multiple healthcare needs grows, the demand for nursing expertise increases. The implementation of new care models involving nurses with expanded roles is crucial for ensuring quality care in nursing homes. Objectives: To investigate the characteristics and activities of nurses employed in nursing homes in expanded roles and the factors associated with variation in the activities performed. Methods: This multicentre cross‐sectional survey in Switzerland collected data from a convenience sample of 118 nursing homes between September 2018 and October 2019. From a subsample of 62 nursing homes, we analysed the characteristics and activities of 104 nurses in expanded roles. Associations between the activities performed and the educational background of the nurses in expanded roles, their direct supervisors' positions and the presence of physicians in the nursing homes were examined. Results: Most Registered Nurses in expanded roles were diploma educated (48%), with fewer having a bachelor's (35%) or master's degree (17%). Overall, direct clinical practice and guidance and coaching activities were conducted monthly to weekly; consultation, evidence‐based practice, collaboration and ethical decision‐making activities were conducted monthly. We saw variations where a higher educational background was associated with more frequent evidence‐based practice activities (z = 3.47, p < 0.001), and if direct supervisors were ward managers, nurses in expanded roles worked more frequently below their scope of practice (z = 4.10, p < 0.001). Conclusion: This is the first study to use Hamric's integrative Advanced Practice Nursing model to examine the activities of nurses in expanded roles in nursing homes. We found considerable variation in their activities, where nursing homes seem to adapt their roles to their educational background and the local context. Implications for Practice: Our findings show the importance of clarifying role expectations for Registered Nurses in expanded roles, allowing them to practice at the top of the licence to meet residents' complex healthcare needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study aimed to identify factors influencing nursing professionalism among outpatient nurses. Methods: Data were collected through a self-evaluation survey of 157 nurses from general and tertiary hospitals in Seoul and Gyeonggi-do, Korea. Data were analyzed using independent t-tests, one-way ANOVA, Importance-Performance Analysis, Pearson correlation coefficients, and multiple regression analysis. Results: The mean scores were as follows: importance, 3.29 out of 5; performance, 2.50 out of 4; role conflict, 3.23 out of 5; and nursing professionalism, 3.23 out of 5. There were statistically significant positive correlations between the importance (r=.32, p<.001) and performance (r=.38, p<.001) of nursing activities and professionalism. There were statistically significant negative correlations between role conflict and nursing professionalism (r=-.20, p=.014). Stepwise multiple regression analysis showed that the importance of nursing activities, performance of nursing activities, role conflict, working department, and sex explained 33.0% of outpatient nurses' professionalism (F=8.66, p<.001). Conclusion: The findings indicate educational system about important and highly accomplished tasks would be useful to improve nursing professionalism of outpatient nurses. Furthermore, reducing role conflicts by clearly distinguishing tasks is necessary to increase nursing professionalism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the critical aspect of match intensity in MMA bouts and its impact on performance. MMA is a physically demanding sport, and understanding the dynamics of intensity throughout matches is essential for both athletes and trainers. To achieve this goal, we adhered to the PRISMA guidelines for comprehensive and ethical reporting of our findings. We conducted a thorough search of electronic databases, including PubMed, Bireme, CINAHL, SportDiscus, EMBASE, SCOPUS, and Cochrane, to identify relevant articles. Our search terms included "mixed martial arts athletes," "movement time study," "male athletes," "female athletes," "lactate," "heart rate," and "motor action." Our meta-analysis yielded compelling results. We found a statistically significant difference between the third and second rounds (p=0.0001) for both total high-intensity and low-intensity time. Additionally, significant differences were observed when comparing the second round to the first round for total high-intensity time (p=0.52) and total low-intensity time (p=0.58). These findings indicate a progressive increase in intensity throughout the rounds, with the third round significantly affecting the fight's outcome. Our results suggest that trainers and athletes should consider a specific strategy for the third round to address potential metabolic fatigue. Future research should delve deeper into strategies that can effectively manage intensity throughout MMA bouts, with a focus on factors like nutrition, recovery, and psychological aspects, which could provide valuable insights into optimizing performance in this demanding sport. Keywords: Technical-tactical analysis; Task performance and analysis; Exercise physiology; Martial Arts.

Background: The isometric mid-thigh pull test (IMTP) is commonly used in sports performance assessment, but it remains underutilized among combat sports athletes. Aims: to evaluate whether Pan-American medalists (PM) showed differences when compared with other athletes (NM) when performing the IMTP. Methods: a total of 72 Karate [n=35 (♀12)] and Taekwondo [n=37 (♀15)] athletes were measured (22.4±3.7 yrs.; 67.4±11.5 Kg; 1.7±0.1 m; 22.1±2.8 kg/m2). From the total, 32 athletes were PM of their specific combat sport (♀11). All participants performed the IMTP 60-90 days before the competition. The following variables were measured: a) Impulse Net at 50; 100; 150 and 200 ms (N*s); b) absolute (N) and relative peak force (PF; N/Kg) and; c) Rating of force development (RFD) at 50; 100; 150 and 200 ms (N/s). Results: PM showed a better performance on absolute (2,398.5±623.1 vs. 2,096.2±559.3 N; p=0.034) and relative PF (34.6±5.0 vs. 31.2±5.1 N/Kg; p=0.006); RFD at 150 (5,273.4±2,670.8 vs. 3,963.4±1,904.2 N/s; p=0.0018) and 200ms (4,870.3±2,184.6 vs. 4,022.1±1,574.8 N/s; p=0.05). Relative PF (Τ=0.249; p=0.011) and RDF at 150 ms (Τ=0.208; p=0.033) showed a positive and significative correlation with the competition result. Conclusion: PM showed a high PF and RFD at 150 and 200 ms. Furthermore, the competition result was correlated with relative PF and RDF at 150 ms. Based on our findings, we recommend that coaches incorporate the IMTP into their evaluation routine for striking athletes. Keywords: martial arts, athletic performance, elite athlete, task performance and analysis.

To determine how much cognitive control to invest in a task, people need to consider whether exerting control matters for obtaining rewards. In particular, they need to account for the efficacy of their performance-the degree to which rewards are determined by performance or by independent factors. Yet it remains unclear how people learn about their performance efficacy in an environment. Here we combined computational modeling with measures of task performance and EEG, to provide a mechanistic account of how people (i) learn and update efficacy expectations in a changing environment and (ii) proactively adjust control allocation based on current efficacy expectations. Across 2 studies, subjects performed an incentivized cognitive control task while their performance efficacy (the likelihood that rewards are performance-contingent or random) varied over time. We show that people update their efficacy beliefs based on prediction errors-leveraging similar neural and computational substrates as those that underpin reward learning-and adjust how much control they allocate according to these beliefs. Using computational modeling, we show that these control adjustments reflect changes in information processing, rather than the speed-accuracy tradeoff. These findings demonstrate the neurocomputational mechanism through which people learn how worthwhile their cognitive control is.

BACKGROUND: While effective apprehensions of non-compliant suspects are central to public safety, the minimal force needed to transition a suspect from standing to the ground, vital for apprehension success, has not been established. OBJECTIVE: To examine the technical-tactical behaviors of general duty police officers during simulated apprehensions and quantify the minimum force required to destabilize non-compliant suspects. METHODS: Task simulations conducted with 91 officers were analyzed to identify common grappling movements, strikes, control tactics, and changes in body posture. A separate assessment of 55 male officers aimed to determine the minimum force required for destabilization in five body regions (wrist, forearm, shoulder, mid-chest, and mid-back). Data are presented as mean±standard deviation. RESULTS: On average, apprehensions took 7.3±3.2 seconds. While all officers used grappling movements (100%) and the majority employed control tactics (75%), strikes were seldom used (4%). Apprehensions typically began with a two-handed pull (97%; Contact Phase), 55% then attempted an arm bar takedown, followed by a two-handed cross-body pull (68%; Transition/Control Phase), and a two-handed push to the ground (19%; Ground Phase). All officers began in the upright posture, with most shifting to squat (75%), kneel (58%), or bent (45%) postures to complete the apprehension. The minimum force required to disrupt balance differed across body regions (wrist: 54±12 kg; forearm: 49±12 kg; shoulder: 42±10 kg; mid-chest: 44±11 kg; mid-back: 30±7 kg, all P < 0.05), except between the shoulder and chest (P = 0.19). CONCLUSION: These findings provide insights that can enhance the design and accuracy of future apprehension evaluations and inform the optimization of law enforcement physical employment standards. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Brazilian Jiu-jitsu (BJJ), match durations are determined by belt rank according to the rules. However, a detailed understanding of the dynamics in female matches across belt levels is lacking. Gaining this insight could refine training, better meeting the needs of female athletes at each progression stage. Therefore, this study aims to conduct a comparative time-motion analysis of combat phases among elite female practitioners across different belt ranks. Introduction. The sample was composed of White (n = 60), Blue (n = 150), Purple (n = 108), Brown (n = 56), and Black (n = 48) belts. All combats were analyzed using a BJJ time-motion protocol according to the sequential actions of the combats (i.e., approach, gripping, attack, defense, transition, guard, mount, side control, low-intensity movements, and total time), p ≤ 0.05. Material and Methods. The main results indicated longer time in the black belt division vs. white and blue belts in low-intensity movements [170(63;311.6) s vs. 75.1(39.7; 201.9)s, and 93.1 (34.2; 168.7)s], defensive actions [31(10.2;76.6)s vs. 12.2(50.5; 22.4)s, and 22.4(11; 49.4)s], and approach actions [9.1(5.5;23.3)s vs. 5.2(2.5; 9.9)s, and 4.8(1; 12)s], respectively.Results. No effects were observed in combat-determining domain actions such as gripping, transition actions, side control, and mount, even with differences in the rules, suggesting a progressive reduction in intensity accompanying the increase in total combat time as the rank in BJJ increases.Conclusions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. The main influencing factor in the success of the crisis management process is the group's readiness to deal with the crisis. Training models are a tool to maintain the preparation of personnel, increase their ability to achieve certain goals, and help them acquire information, skills, and ways of thinking. This research aimed to design and validate a training model for the staff of the hospital incident command system. Methods. The research method was a qualitative-quantitative (mixed method) approach. The statistical population in the qualitative part included experts in the field of incident command system, and in the quantitative part included managers and staff of this system in the hospitals of Guilan province in Iran. The sampling method in the qualitative part was the judgmental forecasting method. Also, the sampling method was cluster random in the quantitative part. According to the data saturation principle, the sample size in the qualitative section was 15 people, and in the quantitative section, 226 people were selected based on Cochran's formula. The data collection tool in the qualitative part was a semi-structured interview and in the quantitative part was a questionnaire extracted from the interview. Results. After analyzing the categories resulting from interviews with 15 experts, 43 open codes and 12 central codes were determined. Also, five selection codes were obtained as follows: design, analysis, evaluation and feedback, policymaking and determination of strategies, and implementation and support dimension. The findings showed that the design dimension had a more significant effect on designing the training model (path coefficient = 0.987 and t = 176.713). Also, all components had a significant relationship in pattern design. For data analysis, we used the MAXQDA2020 and SmartPls3 software in the qualitative part, and SPSS26 software in the quantitative part. Conclusion. The results of this research showed that effective command in possible incidents depends on the effective training of employees with a new and up-to-date model.

Context: A detailed analysis of wheelchair basketball skills in beginner wheelchair basketball players (WBP) can provide practitioners with important indications regarding the selection and prospective development of potential sports talents. A comprehensive WBP evaluation can be very time consuming, mainly during the initial phases of the training processes, which could be a barrier in clinical and practical settings. Moreover, the large number and the turnover of beginner WBP attending rehabilitation centers make the applicability of field and strength tests unfeasible. Objective: To verify the relationships between the medicine ball throw (MBT) and wheelchair basketball mobility performance field tests and the shoulder and trunk peak torque in male and female beginner WBP. Design: Cross-sectional study. Setting: Rehabilitation Hospital Network, Paralympic Program. Participants: Thirty-seven female and male beginner WBP. Main Outcomes Measures: Participants performed wheelchair basketball field tests (speed, agility, strength, and power tests) and the maximum strength test in the isokinetic dynamometer. The outcomes were correlated with the MBT results. Results: The MBT presented significantly very high and perfect correlations with all wheelchair basketball field tests assessed (5-m sprint, 20-m sprint, and zig-zag agility test with and without a ball), and peak torque (R2 ranging from .810 to .995; P ≤ .05) for male and female athletes. Conclusions: The MBT, a simple and feasible test, can be used for estimating and determining the wheelchair mobility performance of female and male beginner WBP. It is suggested to measure the distance of a 5-kg medicine ball thrown by athletes during training and testing routines to follow the players’ progression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Substantial evidence suggests that sensitivity to the difference between the major vs minor musical scales may be bimodally distributed. Much of this evidence comes from experiments using the "3-task." On each trial in the 3-task, the listener hears a rapid, random sequence of tones containing equal numbers of notes of either a G major or G minor triad and strives (with feedback) to judge which type of "tone-scramble" it was. This study asks whether the bimodal distribution in 3-task performance is due to variation (across listeners) in sensitivity to differences in pitch. On each trial in a "pitch-difference task," the listener hears two tones and judges whether the second tone is higher or lower than the first. When the first tone is roved (rather than fixed throughout the task), performance varies dramatically across listeners with median threshold approximately equal to a quarter-tone. Strikingly, nearly all listeners with thresholds higher than a quarter-tone performed near chance in the 3-task. Across listeners with thresholds below a quarter-tone, 3-task performance was uniformly distributed from chance to ceiling; thus, the large, lower mode of the distribution in 3-task performance is produced mainly by listeners with roved pitch-difference thresholds greater than a quarter-tone.

Healthy aging is accompanied by declines in the ability to learn associations between events, even when their relationship cannot be described. Previous functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies have attributed these implicit associative learning (IAL) deficits to differential engagement of the hippocampus and basal ganglia in older relative to younger adults in early and late stages of the task, respectively. However, these task stages have been confounded with age group differences in learning performance that emerge later and to a lesser degree in older adults. To disentangle the effects of task stage from learning stage (i.e., when there is significant evidence of learning) on age group differences in the neural substrates of IAL, we acquired fMRI data while 28 younger (20.8 ± 2.3 years) and 22 older (73.6 ± 6.8 years) healthy adults completed the Triplets Learning Task, in which the location of two cues predicted the location of a target with high (HF) or low (LF) frequency. When matched for task stage, results revealed worse learning performance and increased IAL-related activity in the hippocampus during the early stage and in the globus pallidum during the late stage in older relative to younger adults. However, when matched for learning stage, there were no significant age group differences in learning performance or IAL-related activity. Thus, although learning emerges later for older adults, they are engaging similar brain regions as younger adults when learning the associations, suggesting that previous reports of age group differences reflect effects of age on task stage, but not learning stage.

Human operators often experience large fluctuations in cognitive workload over seconds timescales that can lead to sub-optimal performance, ranging from overload to neglect. Adaptive automation could potentially address this issue, but to do so it needs to be aware of real-time changes in operators' spare cognitive capacity, so it can provide help in times of peak demand and take advantage of troughs to elicit operator engagement. However, it is unclear whether rapid changes in task demands are reflected in similarly rapid fluctuations in spare capacity, and if so what aspects of responses to those demands are predictive of the current level of spare capacity. We used the ISO standard detection response task (DRT) to measure cognitive workload approximately every 4 s in a demanding task requiring monitoring and refueling of a fleet of simulated unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). We showed that the DRT provided a valid measure that can detect differences in workload due to changes in the number of UAVs. We used cross-validation to assess whether measures related to task performance immediately preceding the DRT could predict detection performance as a proxy for cognitive workload. Although the simple occurrence of task events had weak predictive ability, composite measures that tapped operators' situational awareness with respect to fuel levels were much more effective. We conclude that cognitive workload does vary rapidly as a function of recent task events, and that real-time predictive models of operators' cognitive workload provide a potential avenue for automation to adapt without an ongoing need for intrusive workload measurements.

Purpose To compare the diagnostic performance of rectal CT with that of high-resolution rectal MRI and histopathology in assessing rectal cancer. Materials and Methods Sixty-seven patients with rectal cancer who underwent rectal CT with rectal distension using sonographic gel and high-resolution MRI were enrolled in this study. The distance from the anal verge/anorectal junction, distance to the mesorectal fascia (MRF), extramural depth (EMD), extramesorectal lymph node (LN) involvement, extramural venous invasion (EMVI), and T/N stages in rectal CT/MRI were analyzed by two gastrointestinal radiologists. The CT findings of 20 patients who underwent radical surgery without concurrent chemoradiotherapy were compared using histopathology. Interclass correlations and kappa statistics were used. Results The distance from the anal verge/anorectal junction showed an excellent intraclass correlation between CT and MRI for both reviewers. For EMD, the distance to the MRF, presence of LNs, extramesorectal LN metastasis, EMVI, T stage, and intermodality kappa or weighted kappa values between CT and MRI showed excellent agreement. Among the 20 patients who underwent radical surgery, T staging, circumferential resection margin involvement, EMVI, and LN metastasis on rectal CT showed acceptable concordance rates with histopathology. Conclusion Dedicated rectal CT may be on par with rectal MRI in providing critical information to patients with rectal cancer.

Background: Ethical managers provide mutual trust in the organization by increasing the authority to act, which increases interest in work. This study was conducted with the aim of investigating the Ethical leadership status and performance health of Education workers. Methods: This study was applied, descriptive and by survey method on 341 Education workers in Kerman province, in which the samples were selected by stratified random method and included in the study. Data collection was done on 46 questions and job performance questionnaire including 28 questions. 30 specialists used the Delphi technique to assess the components' dependability, and AMOS software was installed. A Cronbach's alpha coefficient greater than 0.7 revealed the items' internal consistency and verified their dependability. Software called SPSS-22 was utilized to analyze the data. Results: The results show that the status of ethical leadership and its components are favorable among employees, and the status of job performance and its task dimension are not favorable, and this variable was favorable only in the contextual dimension. The components of job enthusiasm (behavioral, cognitive and emotional) which are considered as predictors of job performance, have a significant difference in which there is a relationship between job enthusiasm and ethical leadership of healthcare workers. Conclusion: The results of job enthusiasm with the mediation of moral leadership show the strengthening of employees' performance health. By identifying the influencing factors related to job performance and work enthusiasm, managers can help to better understand the nature of employees' performance and work enthusiasm.

Introduction: Individuals with traumatic brain injury (TBI) frequently need assistance to manage complex everyday activities. However, little is known about the types of cognitive assistance that can be used to facilitate optimal independence. A conversion mixed method study using video analysis was conducted to describe assistance provided by trained occupational therapists during three everyday tasks carried out in the participants' homes and surrounding environments. Methods: Forty‐five people with moderate and severe TBI were tested by three occupational therapists using the Instrumental Activities of Daily Living Profile, an observation‐based assessment that documents independence in complex everyday activities and the minimal assistance required to attain task goals. Using video analysis, difficulties experienced by the people with TBI during a meal preparation and grocery shopping task, and the cognitive assistance provided by the occupational therapists in response to these difficulties, were documented. Statistical analyses were also completed to identify the main difficulties and types of cognitive assistance provided during the evaluation, for the whole group and depending on their level of independence. Results: Nine types of cognitive assistance were used by occupational therapists, including implicit (stimulating thought processes), and more explicit assistance (cueing), to facilitate task performance. When needed, motivational assistance, which consisted of encouraging participants to think for themselves, was also used. Stimulating thought processes was mostly used to support goal formulation and planning, whereas cueing was used in numerous instances. Participants with lower levels of independence received more assistance of almost all types to support them. Conclusion: Using these findings, training could be developed for caregivers and occupational therapists to support them in providing minimal and personalised cognitive assistance. Further research is needed to examine the extent to which all types of cognitive assistance are effective in helping various cognitive profiles of people with TBI attain optimal independence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Handgrip strength is a common, simple, and inexpensive method to measure muscle strength. On the other hand, the functional performance measurement involves a usual task which implies repeating elements between the individuals' interaction and the environment. This is fundamental for projecting their results to daily life situation. To explore the relationship between grip strength and measures of functional performance of the upper limbs (ULs) in people over 18 years of age, and to determine the influence of sociodemographic and anthropometric variables on the relationship. A cross-sectional study was conducted under the analytical empirical approach, using linear associations between handgrip strength and functional performance measurement tests (correspondence analysis). Three hundred sixty-two male and female individuals between 18 and 91 years of age from 4 Colombian cities participated. The grip strength of both ULs measured with a digital dynamometry was associated with the Box and Block Test (BBT, manual dexterity), Nine-Hole Peg Test (NHPT, daily living tasks), and Jebsen-Taylor Hand Function Test (JJT, ability to grasp, pick up, and place). Multiple linear regression analyzes were performed to assess possible explanatory factors of a sociodemographic and anthropometric order. A significant association was found between the grip strength of dominant and non-dominant ULs with all functional performance tests (ρ > 0.27 and p <.001), except for the writing and simulated feeding subtests of the JJT (ρ ≤ 0.16). An interactive effect of age was found in the relationship between grip strength and the 3 functional performance tests. These results support the association between grip strength with the NHPT, JJT, and BBT measures and the interactive effect of age on the performance of all tests. • Handgrip strength is a simple method used in rehabilitation to assess physical ability. • Handgrip strength is a prognostic predictor in different health conditions. • Functional performance measures project their results to situations of daily life. • Functional performance measures involve a habitual task. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Introduction: This study was to examine whether inter-user haptic feedback would have a differential impact on skill acquisition based on the nature of the surgical task involved. Specifically, we hypothesized that haptic feedback would facilitate target orientation more than cutting tasks in the context of laparoscopic surgery. Methods: Ten novice participants were recruited and assigned to one of two training groups. Each group underwent six half-hour training sessions dedicated to laparoscopic pattern-cutting tasks. In the haptic group, five participants received expert guidance during the training sessions, whereas the remaining five participants in the control group engaged in self-practice. All trials were recorded on video, enabling a comparative analysis of task performance between the participants' left hand (target manipulation) and right hand (cutting task). Additionally, the number of haptic feedback instances provided to the trainees in the haptic group was recorded. Results: Practice led to a reduction in total task time, grasping time, and cutting errors. However, no significant differences were observed between the two training groups, except for the grasping time, where haptic feedback significantly reduced the grasping time compared to the control group. Moreover, the frequency of haptic feedback instances provided to the trainees was notably higher for the grasping than for the cutting task. Discussion: Our study suggests that haptic feedback has a more substantial impact on orientation tasks than on cutting tasks in laparoscopic surgery training. However, we acknowledge that a larger sample size would provide a more robust evaluation of this effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Virtual arthroscopic training has become increasingly popular. However, there is a lack of efficiency-based tracking of the trainee, which may be critical for determining the specifics of training programs and adapting them for the needs of each trainee. This study aims to evaluate and compare the measures obtained with a non-invasive neurophysiological method with The Diagnostic Arthroscopy Skill Score (DASS), a commonly used assessment tool for evaluating arthroscopic skills. Methods: The study collected simulator performance scores, consisting of "Triangulation Right Hand", "Triangulation Left Hand", "Catch the Stars" and "Three Rings" and DASS scores from 22 participants (11 novices, 11 experts). These scores were obtained while participants underwent a structured program of exercises for the fundamentals of arthroscopic surgery training (FAST) and knee module using a simulator-based arthroscopy device. During the evaluation, data on oxy-hemoglobin and deoxy-hemoglobin levels in the prefrontal cortex were collected using the Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (fNIRS) imaging system. Performance scores, DASS scores, and fNIRS data were subsequently analyzed to determine any correlation between performance and cortex activity. Results: The simulator performance scores and the DASSPart2 scores were significantly higher in the expert group compared to the novice group (200.1 ± 28.5 vs 172.5 ± 48.9, p = 0.04 and 9.4 ± 5.6 vs. 5.4 ± 5.6 p = 0.02). In the expert group, fNIRS data showed a significantly lower prefrontal cortex activation during fundamental tasks in the FAST module, indicating significantly more efficient mental resource use. Conclusion: The analysis of cognitive workload changes during simulation-based arthroscopy training revealed a significant correlation between the trainees' DASS scores and fNIRS data. This correlation suggests the potential use of fNIRS data and DASS scores as additional metrics to create adaptive training protocols for each participant. By incorporating these metrics, the training process can be optimized, leading to more efficient arthroscopic training and better preparedness for clinical operations. Level of evidence: III. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. The main influencing factor in the success of the crisis management process is the group's readiness to deal with the crisis. Training models are a tool to maintain the preparation of personnel, increase their ability to achieve certain goals, and help them acquire information, skills, and ways of thinking. This research aimed to design and validate a training model for the staff of the hospital incident command system. Methods. The research method was a qualitative-quantitative (mixed method) approach. The statistical population in the qualitative part included experts in the field of incident command system, and in the quantitative part included managers and staff of this system in the hospitals of Guilan province in Iran. The sampling method in the qualitative part was the judgmental forecasting method. Also, the sampling method was cluster random in the quantitative part. According to the data saturation principle, the sample size in the qualitative section was 15 people, and in the quantitative section, 226 people were selected based on Cochran's formula. The data collection tool in the qualitative part was a semi-structured interview and in the quantitative part was a questionnaire extracted from the interview. Results. After analyzing the categories resulting from interviews with 15 experts, 43 open codes and 12 central codes were determined. Also, five selection codes were obtained as follows: design, analysis, evaluation and feedback, policymaking and determination of strategies, and implementation and support dimension. The findings showed that the design dimension had a more significant effect on designing the training model (path coefficient = 0.987 and t = 176.713). Also, all components had a significant relationship in pattern design. For data analysis, we used the MAXQDA2020 and SmartPls3 software in Conclusion. The results of this research showed that effective command in possible incidents depends on the effective training of employees with a new and up-to-date model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The hippocampus, well known for its role in episodic memory, might also be an important brain region for extracting structure from our experiences in order to guide future decisions. Recent evidence in rodents suggests that the hippocampus supports decision making by representing task structure in cooperation with the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC). Here, we examine how the human hippocampus and OFC represent task structure during an associative learning task that required learning of both context-determined and context-invariant probabilistic associations. We find that after learning, hippocampal and lateral OFC representations differentiated between context-determined and context-invariant task structures. The degree of this differentiation within the hippocampus and lateral OFC is highly correlated. These results advance our understanding of the hippocampus and suggest that the hippocampus and OFC support goal-directed behavior by representing information that guides the selection of appropriate decision strategies.

Previous work has demonstrated that action video game training produces enhancements in a wide range of cognitive abilities. Here we evaluate a possible mechanism by which such breadth of enhancement could be attained: that action game training enhances learning rates in new tasks (i.e., learning to learn). In an initial controlled intervention study, we show that individuals who were trained on action video games subsequently exhibited faster learning in the two cognitive domains that we tested, perception and working memory, as compared to individuals who trained on non-action games. We further confirmed the causal effect of action video game play on learning ability in a pre-registered follow-up study that included a larger number of participants, blinding, and measurements of participant expectations. Together, this work highlights enhanced learning speed for novel tasks as a mechanism through which action video game interventions may broadly improve task performance in the cognitive domain.

The hippocampus is critically important for a diverse range of cognitive processes, such as episodic memory, prospective memory, affective processing, and spatial navigation. Using individual-specific precision functional mapping of resting-state functional MRI data, we found the anterior hippocampus (head and body) to be preferentially functionally connected to the default mode network (DMN), as expected. The hippocampal tail, however, was strongly preferentially functionally connected to the parietal memory network (PMN), which supports goal-oriented cognition and stimulus recognition. This anterior-posterior dichotomy of resting-state functional connectivity was well-matched by differences in task deactivations and anatomical segmentations of the hippocampus. Task deactivations were localized to the hippocampal head and body (DMN), relatively sparing the tail (PMN). The functional dichotomization of the hippocampus into anterior DMN-connected and posterior PMN-connected parcels suggests parallel but distinct circuits between the hippocampus and medial parietal cortex for self- versus goal-oriented processing.

Knowledge without awareness, or implicit knowledge, influences a variety of behaviors. It is unknown however, whether implicit knowledge of statistical structure informs visual perceptual decisions or whether explicit knowledge of statistical probabilities is required. Here, we measured visual decision-making performance using a novel task in which humans reported the orientation of two differently colored translational Glass patterns; each color associated with different orientation probabilities. The task design allowed us to assess participants' ability to learn and use a general orientation prior as well as a color specific feature prior. Classifying decision-makers based on a questionnaire revealed that both implicit and explicit learners implemented a general orientation bias by adjusting the starting point of evidence accumulation in the drift diffusion model framework. Explicit learners additionally adjusted the drift rate offset. When subjects implemented a stimulus specific bias, they did so by adjusting primarily the drift rate offset. We conclude that humans can learn priors implicitly for perceptual decision-making and depending on awareness implement the priors using different mechanisms.

Participants with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) (n = 121, mean [SD] age: 14.6 [8.0] years) and typically developing (TD) controls (n = 40, 16.4 [13.3] years) were presented with a series of videos representing biological motion on one side of a computer monitor screen and non-biological motion on the other, while their eye movements were recorded. As predicted, participants with ASD spent less overall time looking at presented stimuli than TD participants (P

Retrospectively obvious events are frequently missed when attention is engaged in another task-a phenomenon known as inattentional blindness. Although the task characteristics that predict inattentional blindness rates are relatively well understood, the observer characteristics that predict inattentional blindness rates are largely unknown. Previously, expert radiologists showed a surprising rate of inattentional blindness to a gorilla photoshopped into a CT scan during lung-cancer screening. However, inattentional blindness rates were higher for a group of naïve observers performing the same task, suggesting that perceptual expertise may provide protection against inattentional blindness. Here, we tested whether expertise in radiology predicts inattentional blindness rates for unexpected abnormalities that were clinically relevant. Fifty radiologists evaluated CT scans for lung cancer. The final case contained a large (9.1 cm) breast mass and lymphadenopathy. When their attention was focused on searching for lung nodules, 66% of radiologists did not detect breast cancer and 30% did not detect lymphadenopathy. In contrast, only 3% and 10% of radiologists (N = 30), respectively, missed these abnormalities in a follow-up study when searching for a broader range of abnormalities. Neither experience, primary task performance, nor search behavior predicted which radiologists missed the unexpected abnormalities. These findings suggest perceptual expertise does not protect against inattentional blindness, even for unexpected stimuli that are within the domain of expertise.

The amount of mental effort we invest in a task is influenced by the reward we can expect if we perform that task well. However, some of the rewards that have the greatest potential for driving these efforts are partly determined by factors beyond ones control. In such cases, effort has more limited efficacy for obtaining rewards. According to the Expected Value of Control theory, people integrate information about the expected reward and efficacy of task performance to determine the expected value of control, and then adjust their control allocation (i.e., mental effort) accordingly. Here we test this theorys key behavioral and neural predictions. We show that participants invest more cognitive control when this control is more rewarding and more efficacious, and that these incentive components separately modulate EEG signatures of incentive evaluation and proactive control allocation. Our findings support the prediction that people combine expectations of reward and efficacy to determine how much effort to invest.

Electrical stimulation is a promising tool for modulating brain networks. However, it is unclear how stimulation interacts with neural patterns underlying behavior. Specifically, how might external stimulation that is not sensitive to the state of ongoing neural dynamics reliably augment neural processing and improve function? Here, we tested how low-frequency epidural alternating current stimulation (ACS) in non-human primates recovering from stroke interacted with task-related activity in perilesional cortex and affected grasping. We found that ACS increased co-firing within task-related ensembles and improved dexterity. Using a neural network model, we found that simulated ACS drove ensemble co-firing and enhanced propagation of neural activity through parts of the network with impaired connectivity, suggesting a mechanism to link increased co-firing to enhanced dexterity. Together, our results demonstrate that ACS restores neural processing in impaired networks and improves dexterity following stroke. More broadly, these results demonstrate approaches to optimize stimulation to target neural dynamics.

Episodic memory depends on interactions between the hippocampus and interconnected neocortical regions. Here, using data-driven analyses of resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data, we identified the networks that interact with the hippocampus-the default mode network (DMN) and a "medial temporal network" (MTN) that included regions in the medial temporal lobe (MTL) and precuneus. We observed that the MTN plays a critical role in connecting the visual network to the DMN and hippocampus. The DMN could be further divided into 3 subnetworks: a "posterior medial" (PM) subnetwork comprised of posterior cingulate and lateral parietal cortices; an "anterior temporal" (AT) subnetwork comprised of regions in the temporopolar and dorsomedial prefrontal cortex; and a "medial prefrontal" (MP) subnetwork comprised of regions primarily in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC). These networks vary in their functional connectivity (FC) along the hippocampal long axis and represent different kinds of information during memory-guided decision-making. Finally, a Neurosynth meta-analysis of fMRI studies suggests new hypotheses regarding the functions of the MTN and DMN subnetworks, providing a framework to guide future research on the neural architecture of episodic memory.

Activity‐based funding is a method of funding hospitals according to the type and volume of services provided and adjusted to their patient population. Currently, pharmacy practice is mainly evaluated with costs and volumes, which are insufficient to properly measure the contribution of pharmacists. Facing the province of Quebec statewide implementation of activity‐based funding, expert committees were set up to develop a set of indicators using a predefined framework to assess pharmacy performance throughout all hospital activities and patient care. Through consultations, partners and stakeholders showed strong support for the initiative, putting more emphasis on the assessment of appropriateness as well as quality and safety. Among the different roles of pharmacists, respondents favoured the assessment of the pharmaceutical care and education of trainees and colleagues. Of the 150 candidate indicators initially identified, 24 were selected, of which 13 were prioritised for experimentation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this project was to determine if there was any relationship between the sex of the clinician grader and the sex of the chiropractic student intern on student spinal manipulation assessment grades. Twelve thousand six hundred and thirty-one supervised patient adjustments by student interns were analyzed over a 3-year data collection window. Student interns were assessed by multiple male and female clinicians in a teaching clinic using a modified Dreyfus model scoring system on a 1–4 scale (1 = novice, 4 = proficient). A Mann-Whitney U test was used to compare the relationship between grader sex and student grade as well as student sex and student grade. Sex of the grader had a statistically significant effect on spinal manipulation assessment grade, p <.001, with male clinician graders assigning average scores of 2.81 ± 0.39 (mean ± SD) and female clinician graders scores of 3.01 ± 0.52, r =.18. Sex of the student had a statistically significant but negligible (r =.08) effect on spinal manipulation assessment grade, p <.001, with male students averaging slightly higher scores (2.93 ± 0.47) than females (2.86 ± 0.44) on the modified Dreyfus scale. Male clinicians tended to assign lower grades on spinal manipulation assessments than female clinicians. Male students on average received slightly higher scores than female students on spinal manipulation assessments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BackgroundDiminished visual monitoring of faces and activities of others is an early feature of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). It is uncertain whether deficits in activity monitoring, identified using a homogeneous set of stimuli, persist throughout the lifespan in ASD, and thus, whether they could serve as a biological indicator ("biomarker") of ASD. We investigated differences in visual attention during activity monitoring in children and adult participants with autism compared to a control group of participants without autism.MethodsEye movements of participants with autism (n = 122; mean age [SD] = 14.5 [8.0] years) and typically developing (TD) controls (n = 40, age = 16.4 [13.3] years) were recorded while they viewed a series of videos depicting two female actors conversing while interacting with their hands over a shared task. Actors either continuously focused their gaze on each other's face (mutual gaze) or on the shared activity area (shared focus). Mean percentage looking time was computed for the activity area, actors' heads, and their bodies.ResultsCompared to TD participants, participants with ASD looked longer at the activity area (mean % looking time: 58.5% vs. 53.8%, p  60] limited the ability to include individuals with substantial intellectual disability.ConclusionsDifferences in attention to faces could constitute a feature discriminative between individuals with and without ASD across the lifespan, whereas between-group differences in looking at activities may shift with development. These findings may have applications in the search for underlying biological indicators specific to ASD. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov identifier NCT02668991.

Temporal attention refers to the ability to orient attention in time, which serves to enhance performance such as target detection and discrimination and is a fundamental component of cognitive function. Although some research indicates that temporal attention ability is affected by working memory updating, it is unclear whether temporal attention is also affected by the availability of working memory stores. To address this, participants were presented a dual-task paradigm requiring zero, three, or six digits to be held in working memory while engaged in a temporally cued visual discrimination task. Results show that working memory load did not differentially affect the ability to benefit from predictive temporal cues during the visual discrimination task. This indicates that temporal attention is not affected by available working memory stores. Interestingly, posterior beta band (12-30 Hz) activity was differentially modulated by temporal attention and working memory load, such that it decreased prior to expected targets and increased with load. Analysis across participants indicated that those individuals who exhibited greater temporal attention-based modulation of beta activity (i.e., predictive