Search results for: sports analytics
Commenced in January 2007
Frequency: Monthly
Edition: International
Paper Count: 1017

Search results for: sports analytics

177 Assessment of the Impact of the Application of Kinesiology Taping on Joint Position Sense in Knee Joint

Authors: Anna Słupik, Patryk Wąsowski, Anna Mosiołek, Dariusz Białoszewski

Abstract:

Introduction: Kinesiology Taping is one of the most popular techniques used for treatment and supporting physiological processes in sports medicine and physiotherapy. Often it is used to sensorimotor skills of lower limbs by athletes. The aim of the study was to determine the effect of the application of muscle Kinesiology Taping to feel the position setting in motion the joint active. Material and methods: The study involved 50 healthy people between 18 and 30 years of age, 30 men and 20 women (mean age 23.24 years). The participants were divided into two groups. The study group was qualified for Kinesiology Taping application (muscle application, type Y, for quadriceps femoris muscle), while the remaining people used the application made of plaster (placebo group). Testing was performed prior to applying taping, with the applied application (after 30 minutes), then 24 hours after wearing, and after removing the tape. Each evaluated joint position sense - Error of Active Reproduction of Joint Position. Results: The survey revealed no significant differences in measurement between the study group and the placebo group (p> 0.05). No significant differences in time taking into account all four measurements in the group with the applied CT application, which was supported by pairs (p> 0.05). Also in the placebo group showed no significant differences over time (p> 0.05). There was no significant difference between the errors committed in the direction of flexion and extension. Conclusions: 1. Application muscle Kinesiology Taping had no significant effect on the knee joint proprioception. Its use in order to improve sensorimotor seems therefore unjustified. 2. There are no differences between applications Kinesiology Taping and placebo indicates that the clinical effect of stretch tape is minimal or absent. 3. The results are the basis for the continuation of prospective, randomized trials of numerous and study group.

Keywords: joint position sense, kinesiology taping, knee joint, proprioception

Procedia PDF Downloads 374
176 Analysis of the Current and Ideal Situation of Iran’s Football Talent Management Process from the Perspective of the Elites

Authors: Mehran Nasiri, Ardeshir Poornemat

Abstract:

The aim of this study was to investigate the current and ideal situations of the process of talent identification in Iranian football from the point of view of Iranian instructors of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC). This research was a descriptive-analytical study; in data collection phase a questionnaire was used, whose face validity was confirmed by experts of Physical Education and Sports Science. The reliability of questionnaire was estimated through the use of Cronbach's alpha method (0.91). This study involved 122 participants of Iranian instructors of the AFC who were selected based on stratified random sampling method. Descriptive statistics were used to describe the variables and inferential statistics (Chi-square) were used to test the hypotheses of the study at significant level (p ≤ 0.05). The results of Chi-square test related to the point of view of Iranian instructors of the AFC showed that the grass-roots scientific method was the best way to identify football players (0.001), less than 10 years old were the best ages for talent identification (0.001), the Football Federation was revealed to be the most important organization in talent identification (0.002), clubs were shown to be the most important institution in developing talents (0.001), trained scouts of Football Federation were demonstrated to be the best and most appropriate group for talent identification (0.001), and being referred by the football academy coaches was shown to be the best way to attract talented football players in Iran (0.001). It was also found that there was a huge difference between the current and ideal situation of the process of talent identification in Iranian football from the point of view of Iranian instructors of the AFC. Hence, it is recommended that the policy makers of talent identification for Iranian football provide a comprehensive, clear and systematic model of talent identification and development processes for the clubs and football teams, so that the talent identification process helps to nurture football talents more efficiently.

Keywords: current situation, talent finding, ideal situation, instructors (AFC)

Procedia PDF Downloads 191
175 The Influence of Group Heuristics on Corporate Social Responsibility Messages Designed to Reduce Illegal Consumption

Authors: Kate Whitman, Zahra Murad, Joe Cox

Abstract:

Corporate social responsibility projects are suggested to motivate consumers to reciprocate good corporate deeds with their custom. When the projects benefit the ingroup vs the outgroup, such as locals rather than foreigners, the effect on reciprocity is suggested to be more powerful. This may be explained by group heuristics, a theory which indicates that favours to the ingroup (but not outgroup) are expected to be reciprocated, resulting in ingroup favouritism. The heuristic is theorised to explain prosocial behaviours towards the ingroup. The aim of this study is to test whether group heuristics similarly explain a reduction in antisocial behaviours towards the ingroup, measured by illegal consumption which harms a group that consumers identify with. In order to test corporate social responsibility messages, a population of interested consumers is required, so sport fans are recruited. A pre-registered experiment (N = 600) tests the influence of a focused “team” benefiting message vs a broader “sport” benefiting message on change in illegal intentions. The influence of group (team) identity and trait reciprocity on message efficacy are tested as measures of group heuristics. Results suggest that the “team” treatment significantly reduces illegal consumption intentions. The “sport” treatment interacted with the team identification measure, increasing illegal consumption intentions for low team identification individuals. The results suggest that corporate social responsibility may be effective in reducing illegal consumption, if the messages are delivered directly from brands to consumers with brand identification. Messages delivered on the behalf of an industry may have an undesirable effect.

Keywords: live sports, piracy, counterfeiting, corporate social responsibility, group heuristics, ingroup bias, team identification

Procedia PDF Downloads 52
174 An Education Profile for Indonesian Youth Development

Authors: Titia Izzati, Pebri Hastuti, Gusti Ayu Arwati

Abstract:

Based on the program of The Ministry of Youth and Sports of Republic of Indonesia, this study compares the Statistikdata of the educational factors and the number of young people to a survey conducted in the five years, 2009-2013. As a result, significant trends are traced through an era filled with events that deeply affected the lives of young people, such as the peak and the ending of the political issues. Changing values under examination include attitudes toward authority and obligations toward others; social values dealing with attitudes toward the work ethic; marriage, family, and the importance of money in defining the meaning of success; and self-fulfillment. While the largest portion of the sample contains college youth, other people between the ages of 16 and 30 are considered, including high school students, blue collar workers, housewives, and high school dropouts. The report provides an overview and interpretation of the data with the presents the research contrasting the values of the college and non-college youth. In the other hand, the youth education profile data also can be utilized in making arrange the youth development index, especially in educational dimension. In order to the formulation of this youth development index, the basic needs of youth in Indonesia have to be listed as the variables. So that, the indicators of the youth development index are really in accordance withthe actual conditions of Indonesian youth. The indicators are the average number of old-school youth, the rate of youth illiterate people, the numbers of youth who are continuing their studies or who have completed the study in college, the number of youth graduate high school/vocational or college graduates were engaged in the labor fair. The formula for the youth development index is arranged in educational dimension with all actual indicators

Keywords: education, young people, Indonesia, ministry programs, youth index development

Procedia PDF Downloads 255
173 A Longitudinal Study to Develop an Emotional Design Framework for Physical Activity Interventions

Authors: Stephanie Hewitt, Leila Sheldrick, Weston Baxter

Abstract:

Multidisciplinary by nature, design research brings together varying research fields to answer globally significant questions. Emotional design, a field which helps us create products that influence people’s behaviour, and sports psychology, containing a growing field of recent research which focuses on understanding the emotions experienced through sport and the effects this has on our health and wellbeing, are two research fields that can be combined through design research to tackle global physical inactivity. The combination of these research fields presents an opportunity to build new tools and methods that could help designers create new interventions to promote positive behaviour change in the form of physical activity uptake, ultimately improving people’s health and wellbeing. This paper proposes a framework that can be used to develop new products and services that focus on not only improving the uptake and upkeep of physical activity but also helping people have a healthy emotional relationship with exercise. To develop this framework, a set of comprehensive maps exploring the relationship between human emotions and physical activity across a range of factors was created. These maps were then further evolved through in-depth interviews, which analysed the reasons behind the emotions felt, how physical activity fits into the daily routine and how important regular exercise is to people. Finally, to progress these findings into a design framework, a longitudinal study was carried out to explore further the emotional relationship people of varying sporting abilities have overtime with physical activity. This framework can be used to design more successful interventions that help people to not only become more active initially but implement long term changes to ensure they stay active.

Keywords: design research, emotional design, emotions, intervention, physical activity, sport psychology

Procedia PDF Downloads 107
172 Development of Personal and Social Identity in Immigrant Deaf Adolescents

Authors: Marialuisa Gennari, Giancarlo Tamanza, Ilaria Montanari

Abstract:

Identity development in adolescence is characterized by many risks and challenges, and becomes even more complex by the situation of migration and deafness. In particular, the condition of the second generation of migrant adolescents involves the comparison between the family context in which everybody speaks a language and deals with a specific culture (usually parents’ and relatives’ original culture), the social context (school, peer groups, sports groups), where a foreign language is spoken and a new culture is faced, and finally in the context of the “deaf” world. It is a dialectic involving unsolved differences that have to be treated in a discontinuous process, which will give complex outcomes and chances depending on the process of elaboration of the themes of growth and development, culture and deafness. This paper aims to underline the problems and opportunities for each issue which immigrant deaf adolescents must deal with. In particular, it will highlight the importance of a multifactorial approach for the analysis of personal resources (both intra-psychic and relational); the level of integration of the family of origin in the migration context; the elaboration of the migration event, and finally, the tractability of the condition of deafness. Some psycho-educational support objectives will be also highlighted for the identity development of deaf immigrant adolescents, with particular emphasis on the construction of the adolescents’ useful abilities to decode complex emotions, to develop self-esteem and to get critical thoughts about the inevitable attempts to build their identity. Remarkably, and of importance, the construction of flexible settings which support adolescents in a supple, “decentralized” way in order to avoid the regressive defenses that do not allow for the development of an authentic self.

Keywords: immigrant deaf adolescents, identity development, personal and social challenges, psycho-educational support

Procedia PDF Downloads 235
171 The Effect of Relaxing Exercises in Water on Endorphin Hormone for the Beginner in Swimming

Authors: Yasmin Hussein Embaby

Abstract:

Introduction: Athletic Training has its essentials, rules, and methods that help individual in reaching the maximum possible athletic level during the exercised physical activity, therefore; it is important for those working in athletic field to recognize and understand what is going on inside our bodies. This will show the close relationship between physiology and athletic training as the science that explains the various changes that happen to respond to the practice of physical activities. Swimming is one of the water sports that play a major role in influencing the full compatibility of body parts and its systems during the practice of different swimming methods, which uses aqueous to move. It is the initial nucleus in swimming learning and through which the beginner gain a sense of security, safety and the ability to move in aqueous by learning basic skills. Research Methodology: The researcher used the experimental methodology by using pre and post measurement on two equal groups (experimental – control) because it is appropriate for the research. Conclusions: Through the results and information found by the researcher, and in light of the related studies, theoretical readings and the statistical treatments of data; the researcher reached the following conclusions: 1. Muscle relaxation exercises have a positive effect on performance level in crawl swimming and on endorphin hormone as it helps in increasing its normal rater in body, the improvement percentage for experimental group in the relaxation ability, level of endorphin hormone exceeds those of control group. 2. The validity of muscle relaxation exercises proposed for the application, which achieved its objectives, namely increasing the level of endorphin hormone in the body; where research results showed a statistically significant difference in the level of endorphin hormone in favor of the experimental sample.

Keywords: beginners, endorphin hormone, relaxing exercises, swimming

Procedia PDF Downloads 178
170 An Exploration of the Association Between the Physical Activity and Academic Performance in Internship Medical Students

Authors: Ali Ashraf, Ghazaleh Aghaee, Sedigheh Samimian, Mohaya Farzin

Abstract:

Objectives: Previous studies have indicated the positive effect of physical activity and sports on different aspects of health, such as muscle endurance and sleep cycle. However, in university students, particularly medical students, who have limited time and a stressful lifestyle, there have been limited studies exploring this matter with proven statistical results. In this regard, this study aims to find out how regular physical activity can influence the academic performance of medical students during their internship period. Methods: This was a descriptive-analytical study. Overall, 160 medical students (including 80 women and 88 men) voluntarily participated in the study. The Baecke Physical Activity Questionnaire was applied to determine the student’s physical activity levels. The student's academic performance was determined based on their total average academic scores. The data were analyzed in SPSS version 16 software using the independent t-test, Pearson correlation, and linear regression. Results: The average age of the students was 26.0±1.5 years. Eighty-eight students (52.4%) were male, and 142 (84.5%) were single. The student's mean total average academic score was 16.2±1.2, and their average physical activity score was 8.3±1.1. The student's average academic score was not associated with their gender (P=0.427), marital status (P=0.645), and age (P=0.320). However, married students had a significantly lower physical activity level compared to single students (P=0.020). The results indicated a significant positive correlation between student's physical activity levels and average academic scores (r=+0.410 and P<0.001). This correlation was independent of the student’s age, gender, and marital status based on the regression analysis. Conclusion: The results of the current study suggested that the physical activity level in medical students was low to moderate in most cases, and there was a significant direct relationship between student’s physical activity level and academic performance, independent of age, gender, and marital status.

Keywords: exercise, education, physical activity, academic performance

Procedia PDF Downloads 16
169 Developing Offshore Energy Grids in Norway as Capability Platforms

Authors: Vidar Hepsø

Abstract:

The energy and oil companies on the Norwegian Continental shelf come from a situation where each asset control and manage their energy supply (island mode) and move towards a situation where the assets need to collaborate and coordinate energy use with others due to increased cost and scarcity of electric energy sharing the energy that is provided. Currently, several areas are electrified either with an onshore grid cable or are receiving intermittent energy from offshore wind-parks. While the onshore grid in Norway is well regulated, the offshore grid is still in the making, with several oil and gas electrification projects and offshore wind development just started. The paper will describe the shift in the mindset that comes with operating this new offshore grid. This transition process heralds an increase in collaboration across boundaries and integration of energy management across companies, businesses, technical disciplines, and engagement with stakeholders in the larger society. This transition will be described as a function of the new challenges with increased complexity of the energy mix (wind, oil/gas, hydrogen and others) coupled with increased technical and organization complexity in energy management. Organizational complexity denotes an increasing integration across boundaries, whether these boundaries are company, vendors, professional disciplines, regulatory regimes/bodies, businesses, and across numerous societal stakeholders. New practices must be developed, made legitimate and institutionalized across these boundaries. Only parts of this complexity can be mitigated technically, e.g.: by use of batteries, mixing energy systems and simulation/ forecasting tools. Many challenges must be mitigated with legitimated societal and institutionalized governance practices on many levels. Offshore electrification supports Norway’s 2030 climate targets but is also controversial since it is exploiting the larger society’s energy resources. This means that new systems and practices must also be transparent, not only for the industry and the authorities, but must also be acceptable and just for the larger society. The paper report from ongoing work in Norway, participant observation and interviews in projects and people working with offshore grid development in Norway. One case presented is the development of an offshore floating windfarm connected to two offshore installations and the second case is an offshore grid development initiative providing six installations electric energy via an onshore cable. The development of the offshore grid is analyzed using a capability platform framework, that describes the technical, competence, work process and governance capabilities that are under development in Norway. A capability platform is a ‘stack’ with the following layers: intelligent infrastructure, information and collaboration, knowledge sharing & analytics and finally business operations. The need for better collaboration and energy forecasting tools/capabilities in this stack will be given a special attention in the two use cases that are presented.

Keywords: capability platform, electrification, carbon footprint, control rooms, energy forecsting, operational model

Procedia PDF Downloads 47
168 IRIS An Interactive Video Game for Children with Long-Term Illness in Hospitals

Authors: Ganetsou Evanthia, Koutsikos Emmanouil, Austin Anna Maria

Abstract:

Information technology has long served the needs of individuals for learning and entertainment, but much less for children in sickness. The aim of the proposed online video game is to provide immersive learning opportunities as well as essential social and emotional scenarios for hospital-bound children with long-term illness. Online self-paced courses on chosen school subjects, including specialised software and multisensory assessments, aim at enhancing children’s academic achievement and sense of inclusion, while doctor minigames familiarise and educate young patients on their medical conditions. Online ethical dilemmas will offer children opportunities to contemplate on the importance of medical procedures and following assigned medication, often challenging for young patients; they will therefore reflect on their condition, reevaluate their perceptions about hospitalisation, and assume greater personal responsibility for their progress. Children’s emotional and psychosocial needs are addressed by engaging in social conventions, such as interactive, daily, collaborative mini games with other hospitalised peers, like virtual competitive sports games, weekly group psychodrama sessions, and online birthday parties or sleepovers. Social bonding is also fostered by having a virtual pet to interact with and take care of, as well as a virtual nurse to discuss and reflect on the mood of the day, engage in constructive dialogue and perspective taking, and offer reminders. Access to the platform will be available throughout the day depending on the patient’s health status. The program is designed to minimise escapism and feelings of exclusion, and can flexibly be adapted to offer post-treatment and a support online system at home.

Keywords: long-term illness, children, hospital, interactive games, cognitive, socioemotional development

Procedia PDF Downloads 56
167 Influence of Esports Marketing Strategies on Consumer Behavior: A Case Study of Valorant

Authors: Alex Arghya Adhikari

Abstract:

Gaming and esports industry is one of the biggest and fastest growing industries in the world. Globally people have started investing more in this industry since now people believe just like traditional sports, esports can also sustain their future. Last year in the month of December, the Indian government also recognised esports as an official sport but there has not been any positive initiative by the government in encouraging people to enter esports. This is a problem which cannot be overlooked since we are already in the digital age and gaming and esports is the future industry. There is a need for multiple effective marketing strategies by the game publishers to stabilize the esports in the country. Purpose: To observe the marketing-communication strategies that are implemented by Riot Games’ Valorant and how those strategies influence the consumer behavior and the esports of the game. Methodology: Activities over the internet related to the game like livestreams, discord chats, Instagram posts and YouTube videos over a period of two months have been collected through the Digital Ethnography. To support and validate the observations of the data collected, in-depth online interviews have been conducted which includes streamers, journalists, LAN experienced players and casual players. Findings: The game publisher through its Dynamic Competitive Gaming Experience and Community-Engaged Ecosystem succeeded in making the game a Recreational activity and a Community which goes beyond the In-game experiences which helped in understanding the impact of audience engagement on esports and the loopholes and setbacks of Indian esports. Conclusion: The study provides a comprehensive analysis of how Valorant's successful marketing and community engagement strategies have contributed to its global popularity and competitive esports environment. It highlights the various strategies employed by Riot Games to keep players engaged and connected, and also the challenges in the Indian esports landscape which differentiates it from the global competition.

Keywords: esports, valorant, marketing, consumer behaviour

Procedia PDF Downloads 42
166 Body Types of Softball Players in the 39th National Games of Thailand

Authors: Nopadol Nimsuwan, Sumet Prom-in

Abstract:

The purpose of this study was to investigate the body types, size, and body compositions of softball players in the 39th National Games of Thailand. The population of this study was 352 softball players who participated in the 39th National Games of Thailand from which a sample size of 291 was determined using the Taro Yamane formula and selection is made with stratified sampling method. The data collected were weight, height, arm length, leg length, chest circumference, mid-upper arm circumference, calf circumference, subcutaneous fat in the upper arm area, the scapula bone area, above the pelvis area, and mid-calf area. Keys and Brozek formula was used to calculate the fat quantity, Kitagawa formula to calculate the muscle quantity, and Heath and Carter method was used to determine the values of body dimensions. The results of the study can be concluded as follows. The average body dimensions of the male softball players were the endo-mesomorph body type while the average body dimensions of female softball players were the meso-endomorph body type. When considered according to the softball positions, it was found that the male softball players in every position had the endo-mesomorph body type while the female softball players in every position had the meso-endomorph body type except for the center fielder that had the endo-ectomorph body type. The endo-mesomorph body type is suitable for male softball players, and the meso-endomorph body type is suitable for female softball players because these body types are suitable for the five basic softball skills which are: gripping, throwing, catching, hitting, and base running. Thus, people related to selecting softball players to play in sports competitions of different levels should consider factors in terms of body type, size, and body components of the players.

Keywords: body types, softball players, national games of Thailand, social sustainability

Procedia PDF Downloads 452
165 A Fermatean Fuzzy MAIRCA Approach for Maintenance Strategy Selection of Process Plant Gearbox Using Sustainability Criteria

Authors: Soumava Boral, Sanjay K. Chaturvedi, Ian Howard, Kristoffer McKee, V. N. A. Naikan

Abstract:

Due to strict regulations from government to enhance the possibilities of sustainability practices in industries, and noting the advances in sustainable manufacturing practices, it is necessary that the associated processes are also sustainable. Maintenance of large scale and complex machines is a pivotal task to maintain the uninterrupted flow of manufacturing processes. Appropriate maintenance practices can prolong the lifetime of machines, and prevent associated breakdowns, which subsequently reduces different cost heads. Selection of the best maintenance strategies for such machines are considered as a burdensome task, as they require the consideration of multiple technical criteria, complex mathematical calculations, previous fault data, maintenance records, etc. In the era of the fourth industrial revolution, organizations are rapidly changing their way of business, and they are giving their utmost importance to sensor technologies, artificial intelligence, data analytics, automations, etc. In this work, the effectiveness of several maintenance strategies (e.g., preventive, failure-based, reliability centered, condition based, total productive maintenance, etc.) related to a large scale and complex gearbox, operating in a steel processing plant is evaluated in terms of economic, social, environmental and technical criteria. As it is not possible to obtain/describe some criteria by exact numerical values, these criteria are evaluated linguistically by cross-functional experts. Fuzzy sets are potential soft-computing technique, which has been useful to deal with linguistic data and to provide inferences in many complex situations. To prioritize different maintenance practices based on the identified sustainable criteria, multi-criteria decision making (MCDM) approaches can be considered as potential tools. Multi-Attributive Ideal Real Comparative Analysis (MAIRCA) is a recent addition in the MCDM family and has proven its superiority over some well-known MCDM approaches, like TOPSIS (Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution) and ELECTRE (ELimination Et Choix Traduisant la REalité). It has a simple but robust mathematical approach, which is easy to comprehend. On the other side, due to some inherent drawbacks of Intuitionistic Fuzzy Sets (IFS) and Pythagorean Fuzzy Sets (PFS), recently, the use of Fermatean Fuzzy Sets (FFSs) has been proposed. In this work, we propose the novel concept of FF-MAIRCA. We obtain the weights of the criteria by experts’ evaluation and use them to prioritize the different maintenance practices according to their suitability by FF-MAIRCA approach. Finally, a sensitivity analysis is carried out to highlight the robustness of the approach.

Keywords: Fermatean fuzzy sets, Fermatean fuzzy MAIRCA, maintenance strategy selection, sustainable manufacturing, MCDM

Procedia PDF Downloads 120
164 Validity of a Timing System in the Alpine Ski Field: A Magnet-Based Timing System Using the Magnetometer Built into an Inertial Measurement Units

Authors: Carla Pérez-Chirinos Buxadé, Bruno Fernández-Valdés, Mónica Morral-Yepes, Sílvia Tuyà Viñas, Josep Maria Padullés Riu, Gerard Moras Feliu

Abstract:

There is a long way to explore all the possible applications inertial measurement units (IMUs) have in the sports field. The aim of this study was to evaluate the validity of a new application on the use of these wearable sensors, specifically it was to evaluate a magnet-based timing system (M-BTS) for timing gate-to-gate in an alpine ski slalom using the magnetometer embedded in an IMU. This was a validation study. The criterion validity of time measured by the M-BTS was assessed using the 95% error range against actual time obtained from photocells. The experiment was carried out with first-and second-year junior skiers performing a ski slalom on a ski training slope. Eight alpine skiers (17.4 ± 0.8 years, 176.4 ± 4.9 cm, 67.7 ± 2.0 kg, 128.8 ± 26.6 slalom FIS-Points) participated in the study. An IMU device was attached to the skier’s lower back. Skiers performed a 40-gate slalom from which four gates were assessed. The M-BTS consisted of placing four bar magnets buried into the snow surface on the inner side of each gate’s turning pole; the magnetometer built into the IMU detected the peak-shaped magnetic field when passing near the magnets at a certain speed. Four magnetic peaks were detected. The time compressed between peaks was calculated. Three inter-gate times were obtained for each system: photocells and M-BTS. The total time was defined as the time sum of the inter-gate times. The 95% error interval for the total time was 0.050 s for the ski slalom. The M-BTS is valid for timing gate-to-gate in an alpine ski slalom. Inter-gate times can provide additional data for analyzing a skier’s performance, such as asymmetries between left and right foot.

Keywords: gate crossing time, inertial measurement unit, timing system, wearable sensor

Procedia PDF Downloads 161
163 The Lonely Entrepreneur: Antecedents and Effects of Social Isolation on Entrepreneurial Intention and Output

Authors: Susie Pryor, Palak Sadhwani

Abstract:

The purpose of this research is to provide the foundations for a broad research agenda examining the role loneliness plays in entrepreneurship. While qualitative research in entrepreneurship incidentally captures the existence of loneliness as a part of the lived reality of entrepreneurs, to the authors’ knowledge, no academic work has to date explored this construct in this context. Moreover, many individuals reporting high levels of loneliness (women, ethnic minorities, immigrants, low income, low education) reflect those who are currently driving small business growth in the United States. Loneliness is a persistent state of emotional distress which results from feelings of estrangement and rejection or develops in the absence of social relationships and interactions. Empirical work finds links between loneliness and depression, suicide and suicide ideation, anxiety, hostility and passiveness, lack of communication and adaptability, shyness, poor social skills and unrealistic social perceptions, self-doubts, fear of rejection, and negative self-evaluation. Lonely individuals have been found to exhibit lower levels of self-esteem, higher levels of introversion, lower affiliative tendencies, less assertiveness, higher sensitivity to rejection, a heightened external locus of control, intensified feelings of regret and guilt over past events and rigid and overly idealistic goals concerning the future. These characteristics are likely to impact entrepreneurs and their work. Research identifies some key dangers of loneliness. Loneliness damages human love and intimacy, can disturb and distract individuals from channeling creative and effective energies in a meaningful way, may result in the formation of premature, poorly thought out and at times even irresponsible decisions, and produce hard and desensitized individuals, with compromised health and quality of life concerns. The current study utilizes meta-analysis and text analytics to distinguish loneliness from other related constructs (e.g., social isolation) and categorize antecedents and effects of loneliness across subpopulations. This work has the potential to materially contribute to the field of entrepreneurship by cleanly defining constructs and providing foundational background for future research. It offers a richer understanding of the evolution of loneliness and related constructs over the life cycle of entrepreneurial start-up and development. Further, it suggests preliminary avenues for exploration and methods of discovery that will result in knowledge useful to the field of entrepreneurship. It is useful to both entrepreneurs and those work with them as well as academics interested in the topics of loneliness and entrepreneurship. It adopts a grounded theory approach.

Keywords: entrepreneurship, grounded theory, loneliness, meta-analysis

Procedia PDF Downloads 96
162 Digital Twins in the Built Environment: A Systematic Literature Review

Authors: Bagireanu Astrid, Bros-Williamson Julio, Duncheva Mila, Currie John

Abstract:

Digital Twins (DT) are an innovative concept of cyber-physical integration of data between an asset and its virtual replica. They have originated in established industries such as manufacturing and aviation and have garnered increasing attention as a potentially transformative technology within the built environment. With the potential to support decision-making, real-time simulations, forecasting abilities and managing operations, DT do not fall under a singular scope. This makes defining and leveraging the potential uses of DT a potential missed opportunity. Despite its recognised potential in established industries, literature on DT in the built environment remains limited. Inadequate attention has been given to the implementation of DT in construction projects, as opposed to its operational stage applications. Additionally, the absence of a standardised definition has resulted in inconsistent interpretations of DT in both industry and academia. There is a need to consolidate research to foster a unified understanding of the DT. Such consolidation is indispensable to ensure that future research is undertaken with a solid foundation. This paper aims to present a comprehensive systematic literature review on the role of DT in the built environment. To accomplish this objective, a review and thematic analysis was conducted, encompassing relevant papers from the last five years. The identified papers are categorised based on their specific areas of focus, and the content of these papers was translated into a through classification of DT. In characterising DT and the associated data processes identified, this systematic literature review has identified 6 DT opportunities specifically relevant to the built environment: Facilitating collaborative procurement methods, Supporting net-zero and decarbonization goals, Supporting Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) and off-site manufacturing (OSM), Providing increased transparency and stakeholders collaboration, Supporting complex decision making (real-time simulations and forecasting abilities) and Seamless integration with Internet of Things (IoT), data analytics and other DT. Finally, a discussion of each area of research is provided. A table of definitions of DT across the reviewed literature is provided, seeking to delineate the current state of DT implementation in the built environment context. Gaps in knowledge are identified, as well as research challenges and opportunities for further advancements in the implementation of DT within the built environment. This paper critically assesses the existing literature to identify the potential of DT applications, aiming to harness the transformative capabilities of data in the built environment. By fostering a unified comprehension of DT, this paper contributes to advancing the effective adoption and utilisation of this technology, accelerating progress towards the realisation of smart cities, decarbonisation, and other envisioned roles for DT in the construction domain.

Keywords: built environment, design, digital twins, literature review

Procedia PDF Downloads 50
161 The Musician as the Athlete: Psychological Response to Injury

Authors: Shulamit Sternin

Abstract:

Athletes experience injuries that can have both a physical and psychological impact on the individual. In such instances, athletes are able to rely on the established field of sports psychology to facilitate holistic rehabilitation. Musicians, like athletes rely on their bodies to perform in much the same way athletes do and are also susceptible to injury. Due to the similar performative nature of succeeding as an athletes or a musician, these careers share many of the same primary psychological concerns and therefore it is reasonable that athletes and musicians may require similar rehabilitation post-injury. However, musicians face their own unique psychological challenges and understanding the needs of an injured athlete can serve as a foundation for understanding the injured musician but is not enough to fully rehabilitate an injured musician. The current research surrounding musicians and their injuries is primarily focused on physiological aspects of injury and rehabilitation; the psychological aspects have not yet received adequate attention resulting in poor musician rehabilitation post- injury. This review paper uses current models of psychological response to injury in athletes to draw parallels with the psychological response to injury in musicians. Search engines such as Medline and PsycInfo were systematically searched using specific key words, such as psychological response, injury, athlete, and musician. Studies that focused on post-injury psychology of either the musician or the athlete were included. Within the literature there is evidence to support psychological responses, unique to the musician, that are not accounted for by current models of response in athletes. The models of psychological response to injury in athletes are inadequate tools for application to the musician. Future directions for performance arts research that can fill the gaps in our understanding and modeling of musicians’ response to injury are discussed. A better understanding of the psychological impact of injuries on musicians holds significant implications for health care practitioners working with injured musicians. Understanding the unique barriers musicians face post-injury, and how support for this population must be tailored to properly suit musicians’ needs will aid in more holistic rehabilitation and a higher likelihood of musician’s returning to pre-injury performance levels.

Keywords: athlete, injury, musician, psychological response

Procedia PDF Downloads 178
160 The Effect of Aerobic Training and Aqueous Extract of C. monogyna (Hawthorn) on Plasma and Heart Angiogenic Mediators in Male Wistar Rats

Authors: Asieh Abbassi Daloii, Ahmad Abdi

Abstract:

Introduction: Sports information suggests that physical inactivity increases the risk of many diseases, including atherosclerosis. Coronary heart disease, stroke and peripheral vascular disease, atherosclerosis and clinical protests. However, exercise can have beneficial effects on risk factors for atherosclerosis by reducing hyperlipidemia, hypertension, obesity, plaque density, increased insulin sensitivity and glucose tolerance is improved. Despite these findings, there is little information about the molecular mechanisms of interaction between the body and its relation to sport and there arteriosclerosis. The present study aims to investigate the effect of six weeks of progressive aerobic training and aqueous extract of crataegus monogyna on vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) variations and angiopoetin-1/2 (ANG- 1/2) in plasma and heart tissue in male Wistar rats. Methods: 30 male Wistar rats, 4-6 months old, were randomly divided into four groups: control crataegus monogyna (N=8), training crataegus monogyna (N=8), control saline (N=6), and training saline (N=8). The aerobic training program included running on treadmill at the speed of 34 meters per minute for 60 minutes per day. The training was conducted for six weeks, five days a week. Following each training session, both experimental and control subjects of crataegus monogyna groups were orally fed with 0.5 mg crataegus monogyna extract per gram of the body weight. The normal saline group was given the same amount of the normal saline solution (NS). Eventually, 72 hours after the last training session, blood samples were taken from inferior Verna cava. Conclusion: It is likely that crataegus monogyna extract compared with aerobic training and even combination of both training and crataegus monogyna extract is more effective on angiogenesis.

Keywords: angiopoietin 1, 2, vascular endothelial growth factor, aerobic exercise

Procedia PDF Downloads 366
159 Harnessing Artificial Intelligence for Early Detection and Management of Infectious Disease Outbreaks

Authors: Amarachukwu B. Isiaka, Vivian N. Anakwenze, Chinyere C. Ezemba, Chiamaka R. Ilodinso, Chikodili G. Anaukwu, Chukwuebuka M. Ezeokoli, Ugonna H. Uzoka

Abstract:

Infectious diseases continue to pose significant threats to global public health, necessitating advanced and timely detection methods for effective outbreak management. This study explores the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) in the early detection and management of infectious disease outbreaks. Leveraging vast datasets from diverse sources, including electronic health records, social media, and environmental monitoring, AI-driven algorithms are employed to analyze patterns and anomalies indicative of potential outbreaks. Machine learning models, trained on historical data and continuously updated with real-time information, contribute to the identification of emerging threats. The implementation of AI extends beyond detection, encompassing predictive analytics for disease spread and severity assessment. Furthermore, the paper discusses the role of AI in predictive modeling, enabling public health officials to anticipate the spread of infectious diseases and allocate resources proactively. Machine learning algorithms can analyze historical data, climatic conditions, and human mobility patterns to predict potential hotspots and optimize intervention strategies. The study evaluates the current landscape of AI applications in infectious disease surveillance and proposes a comprehensive framework for their integration into existing public health infrastructures. The implementation of an AI-driven early detection system requires collaboration between public health agencies, healthcare providers, and technology experts. Ethical considerations, privacy protection, and data security are paramount in developing a framework that balances the benefits of AI with the protection of individual rights. The synergistic collaboration between AI technologies and traditional epidemiological methods is emphasized, highlighting the potential to enhance a nation's ability to detect, respond to, and manage infectious disease outbreaks in a proactive and data-driven manner. The findings of this research underscore the transformative impact of harnessing AI for early detection and management, offering a promising avenue for strengthening the resilience of public health systems in the face of evolving infectious disease challenges. This paper advocates for the integration of artificial intelligence into the existing public health infrastructure for early detection and management of infectious disease outbreaks. The proposed AI-driven system has the potential to revolutionize the way we approach infectious disease surveillance, providing a more proactive and effective response to safeguard public health.

Keywords: artificial intelligence, early detection, disease surveillance, infectious diseases, outbreak management

Procedia PDF Downloads 40
158 An Elaborated Software Solution: The Tennis Ranking System

Authors: Dionysios Kakaroumpas, Jesseka Farago, Stephen Webber

Abstract:

Athletes and spectators depend on the tennis ranking system to represent the truest caliber of athletic prowess; a careful look at the current ranking system though, reveals its main weakness: it undermines expectations of fans and players. Our study proposes several key changes to the existing ranking formula that provide a fair and accurate approach to measure player performance. The study proposes a modification of the system to value: participation, continued advancement, and overall achievement. The new ranking formula facilitates closing the trust gap, encouraging competition equality, engaging the fan base, attracting investment, and promoting tennis involvement worldwide. To probe the crux of our main contention we performed week-by-week comparisons between results procured from the current and proposed formulae. After performing this rigorous case-study of top players of each gender, the findings strongly indicated that there is identifiable inflation in the ranks and enhanced the conviction that the current system should be updated. The new system is accompanied by a web-based software package freely available to anyone involved or interested in tennis rankings. The software package is designed to automatically calculate new player rankings based on a responsive, multi-faceted formula that also generates projected point scenarios and provides separate rankings for the three different court surfaces. By taking a critical look at the current tennis ranking system with consideration to the perspective of fans, players, and businesses involved, an upgrade is in order for it to maintain the balance of trust between fans and the evaluation process. In closure, this proposed solution increases fair play competition, eliminates rank inflation, and better engages fans, players, and sponsors by bringing in a new era of professional tennis.

Keywords: measurement and evaluation, rules and regulations, sports management and marketing, tennis ranking system

Procedia PDF Downloads 249
157 Self-Congruence and Oppositional Brand Loyalty: The Role of Consumer Engagement, Consumer Brand Identification and Gender

Authors: Muhammad Sheeraz, Mehwish Ejaz

Abstract:

This study endeavors to enhance the understanding of the determinants of oppositional brand loyalty, particularly within the context of fans of a sports brand. The primary focus is on investigating how oppositional brand loyalty fosters rivalry among the fans and exploring the interplay between various variables, namely self-congruence, consumer brand identification, consumer brand engagement, and narcissism, in influencing the likelihood of endorsing a rival team. The research adopts a cross-sectional survey methodology, employing a structured questionnaire distributed both online and onsite to gather responses from a representative sample of 460 PSL fans in Pakistan. The data collection process involved obtaining responses from diverse settings, including universities, shopping malls, and other public spaces frequented by PSL enthusiasts. Participants were prompted to indicate their allegiance to a specific PSL team and subsequently respond to the questionnaire based on their preferences. The findings of the study reveal that narcissism, as a moderating factor, exhibits no significant influence on consumer brand identification, consumer brand engagement, and oppositional brand loyalty. However, it does emerge as a significant moderator in the relationship between self-congruence and consumer brand identification. Particularly, consumers express brand identification through self-congruence, elucidating the existence of oppositional sentiments among PSL fans and their counterparts supporting rival teams. The implications of these results underscore the importance for marketers to establish a brand identity that resonates with consumers on a personal level. Such an approach fosters a strong sense of identification with the brand, prompting consumers to vigorously defend and support their favored brands, even in the face of opposition from rival teams. Marketers are encouraged to focus on cultivating long-term consumer loyalty, as it proves pivotal in maintaining a competitive advantage over industry counterparts.

Keywords: oppositional brand loyalty, consumer brand identification, consumer brand engagement, narcissism, self-congruence

Procedia PDF Downloads 40
156 The Power of in situ Characterization Techniques in Heterogeneous Catalysis: A Case Study of Deacon Reaction

Authors: Ramzi Farra, Detre Teschner, Marc Willinger, Robert Schlögl

Abstract:

Introduction: The conventional approach of characterizing solid catalysts under static conditions, i.e., before and after reaction, does not provide sufficient knowledge on the physicochemical processes occurring under dynamic conditions at the molecular level. Hence, the necessity of improving new in situ characterizing techniques with the potential of being used under real catalytic reaction conditions is highly desirable. In situ Prompt Gamma Activation Analysis (PGAA) is a rapidly developing chemical analytical technique that enables us experimentally to assess the coverage of surface species under catalytic turnover and correlate these with the reactivity. The catalytic HCl oxidation (Deacon reaction) over bulk ceria will serve as our example. Furthermore, the in situ Transmission Electron Microscopy is a powerful technique that can contribute to the study of atmosphere and temperature induced morphological or compositional changes of a catalyst at atomic resolution. The application of such techniques (PGAA and TEM) will pave the way to a greater and deeper understanding of the dynamic nature of active catalysts. Experimental/Methodology: In situ Prompt Gamma Activation Analysis (PGAA) experiments were carried out to determine the Cl uptake and the degree of surface chlorination under reaction conditions by varying p(O2), p(HCl), p(Cl2), and the reaction temperature. The abundance and dynamic evolution of OH groups on working catalyst under various steady-state conditions were studied by means of in situ FTIR with a specially designed homemade transmission cell. For real in situ TEM we use a commercial in situ holder with a home built gas feeding system and gas analytics. Conclusions: Two complimentary in situ techniques, namely in situ PGAA and in situ FTIR were utilities to investigate the surface coverage of the two most abundant species (Cl and OH). The OH density and Cl uptake were followed under multiple steady-state conditions as a function of p(O2), p(HCl), p(Cl2), and temperature. These experiments have shown that, the OH density positively correlates with the reactivity whereas Cl negatively. The p(HCl) experiments give rise to increased activity accompanied by Cl-coverage increase (opposite trend to p(O2) and T). Cl2 strongly inhibits the reaction, but no measurable increase of the Cl uptake was found. After considering all previous observations we conclude that only a minority of the available adsorption sites contribute to the reactivity. In addition, the mechanism of the catalysed reaction was proposed. The chlorine-oxygen competition for the available active sites renders re-oxidation as the rate-determining step of the catalysed reaction. Further investigations using in situ TEM are planned and will be conducted in the near future. Such experiments allow us to monitor active catalysts at the atomic scale under the most realistic conditions of temperature and pressure. The talk will shed a light on the potential and limitations of in situ PGAA and in situ TEM in the study of catalyst dynamics.

Keywords: CeO2, deacon process, in situ PGAA, in situ TEM, in situ FTIR

Procedia PDF Downloads 267
155 An Investigation into the Social Factors that Influence Sport Participation: A Case of Gymnastics in the Western Cape

Authors: W. C. Lucas, S. Titus, M. E. M. Young

Abstract:

Gymnastics is the umbrella term that represents seven different and unique disciplines of gymnastics. Men and women of all ages and abilities practice this sport, and participation in gymnastics can develop both gross and fine motor skills, strength, flexibility, coordination and balance. There are various social factors, such as a family’s socioeconomic status or accessibility to sports facilities that may play a role in affecting levels of participation. The aim of this study is to investigate the social factors that have an influence on gymnastics participation in the Western Cape. To this end, a qualitative approach is adopted to collect data. This study also adopts the ecological systems theory as the theoretical framework, and is used to analyze and interpret current social factors that directly or indirectly influence participation in gymnastics. The study’s objectives were to ascertain which social factors hinder participation, and which social factors promote participation, thus, coaches, parents and gymnasts participated in focus group discussions. Key informant interviews took place with experts in the field of gymnastics in the Western Cape. A thematic analysis was conducted on transcriptions from the focus group discussions and key informant interviews. Social factors investigated in this study occurred in the chronosystem, macrosystem, exosystem, mesosystem, and microsystem, and had both a direct and indirect influence on the gymnast’s continued participation. These systems are defined as the environment of the individual, in which they grow and develop. The research findings of this paper are used to draw conclusions and make specific recommendations for practice and further research. The information gathered in this study can assist all stakeholders within the field of gymnastics, such as parents, judges, coaches, gymnasts, and the supporting community which surround the participating gymnast.

Keywords: developing child, ecological systems theory, facilities, federation, gymnastics, influence, participation, social factors, socioeconomic status, sport

Procedia PDF Downloads 275
154 Understanding Walkability in the Libyan Urban Space: Policies, Perceptions and Smart Design for Sustainable Tripoli

Authors: A. Abdulla Khairi Mohamed, Mohamed Gamal Abdelmonem, Gehan Selim

Abstract:

Walkability in civic and public spaces in Libyan cities is challenging due to the lack of accessibility design, informal merging into car traffic, and the general absence of adequate urban and space planning. The lack of accessible and pedestrian-friendly public spaces in Libyan cities has emerged as a major concern for the government if it is to develop smart and sustainable spaces for the 21st century. A walkable urban space has become a driver for urban development and redistribution of land use to ensure pedestrian and walkable routes between sites of living and workplaces. The characteristics of urban open space in the city centre play a main role in attracting people to walk when attending their daily needs, recreation and daily sports. There is significant gap in the understanding of perceptions, feasibility and capabilities of Libyan urban space to accommodate enhance or support the smart design of a walkable pedestrian-friendly environment that is safe and accessible to everyone. The paper aims to undertake observations of walkability and walkable space in the city of Tripoli as a benchmark for Libyan cities; assess the validity and consistency of the seven principal aspects of smart design, safety, accessibility and 51 factors that affect the walkability in open urban space in Tripoli, through the analysis of 10 local urban spaces experts (town planner, architect, transport engineer and urban designer); and explore user groups’ perceptions of accessibility in walkable spaces in Libyan cities through questionnaires. The study sampled 200 respondents in 2015-16. The results of this study are useful for urban planning, to classify the walkable urban space elements which affect to improve the level of walkability in the Libyan cities and create sustainable and liveable urban spaces.

Keywords: walkability, sustainability, liveability, accessibility

Procedia PDF Downloads 410
153 Reliability of Movement Assessment Battery for Children-2 Age Band 3 Using Multiple Testers

Authors: Jernice S. Y. Tan

Abstract:

Introduction: Reliability within and between testers is vital to ensure the accuracy of any motor assessment instrument. However, reliability checks of the Movement Assessment Battery for Children-2 (MABC-2) age band 3 using multiple testers assigned to different MABC-2 tasks for the same group of participants are uncommon. Multiple testers were not stated as a choice in the MABC-2 manual. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine the inter- and intra-tester reliability for using multiple testers to administer the test protocols of MABC-2 age band 3. Methods: Thirty volunteered adolescents (n = 30; 15 males, 15 females; age range: 13 – 16 years) performed the eight tasks in a randomised sequence at three different test stations for the MABC-2 task components (Manual Dexterity, Aiming and Catching, Balance). Ethics approval and parental consent were obtained. The participants were videotaped while performing the test protocols of MABC-2 age band 3. Five testers were involved in the data collection process. They were Sports Science graduating students doing their final year project and were supervised by experienced motor assessor. Inter- and intra-tester reliability checks using intra-class coefficient (ICC) were carried out using the videotaped data. Results: The inter-tester reliability between the five testers for the eight tasks ranged from rᵢcc = 0.705 to rᵢcc = 0.995. This suggests that the average agreement between them was considered good to excellent. With the exception of one tester who had rᵢcc = 0.687 for one of the eight tasks (i.e. zip-zap hopping), the intra-tester reliability within each tester ranged from rᵢcc = 0.728 to rᵢcc = 1.000, and this also suggested good to excellent consistency within testers. Discussion: The use of multiple testers with good intra-tester reliability for different test stations is feasible. This method allows several participants to be assessed concurrently at different test stations and saves overall data collection time. Therefore, it is recommended that the administering of MABC-2 with multiple testers should be extended to other age bands ensuring the feasibility of such method for other age bands.

Keywords: adolescents, MABC, motor assessment, motor skills, reliability

Procedia PDF Downloads 302
152 Business Intelligent to a Decision Support Tool for Green Entrepreneurship: Meso and Macro Regions

Authors: Anishur Rahman, Maria Areias, Diogo Simões, Ana Figeuiredo, Filipa Figueiredo, João Nunes

Abstract:

The circular economy (CE) has gained increased awareness among academics, businesses, and decision-makers as it stimulates resource circularity in the production and consumption systems. A large epistemological study has explored the principles of CE, but scant attention eagerly focused on analysing how CE is evaluated, consented to, and enforced using economic metabolism data and business intelligent framework. Economic metabolism involves the ongoing exchange of materials and energy within and across socio-economic systems and requires the assessment of vast amounts of data to provide quantitative analysis related to effective resource management. Limited concern, the present work has focused on the regional flows pilot region from Portugal. By addressing this gap, this study aims to promote eco-innovation and sustainability in the regions of Intermunicipal Communities Região de Coimbra, Viseu Dão Lafões and Beiras e Serra da Estrela, using this data to find precise synergies in terms of material flows and give companies a competitive advantage in form of valuable waste destinations, access to new resources and new markets, cost reduction and risk sharing benefits. In our work, emphasis on applying artificial intelligence (AI) and, more specifically, on implementing state-of-the-art deep learning algorithms is placed, contributing to construction a business intelligent approach. With the emergence of new approaches generally highlighted under the sub-heading of AI and machine learning (ML), the methods for statistical analysis of complex and uncertain production systems are facing significant changes. Therefore, various definitions of AI and its differences from traditional statistics are presented, and furthermore, ML is introduced to identify its place in data science and the differences in topics such as big data analytics and in production problems that using AI and ML are identified. A lifecycle-based approach is then taken to analyse the use of different methods in each phase to identify the most useful technologies and unifying attributes of AI in manufacturing. Most of macroeconomic metabolisms models are mainly direct to contexts of large metropolis, neglecting rural territories, so within this project, a dynamic decision support model coupled with artificial intelligence tools and information platforms will be developed, focused on the reality of these transition zones between the rural and urban. Thus, a real decision support tool is under development, which will surpass the scientific developments carried out to date and will allow to overcome imitations related to the availability and reliability of data.

Keywords: circular economy, artificial intelligence, economic metabolisms, machine learning

Procedia PDF Downloads 46
151 Tissue-Specific Distribution of Cytochrome P450 1A1 and 3A in Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)

Authors: Viktoriia Burkina, Vladimir Zlabek, Galia Zamaratskaia

Abstract:

Cytochromes P450 (CYP) are important family of enzymes in Phase I metabolism. Environmental pollutants often act as inducers of the gene expression and activities CYP1A1 and CYP3A-like isoforms in fish. The activities are generally measured in the fish liver or gills, and less is known about tissue distribution of expression. In present study, the CYP1A1 and CYP3A-like activities were measured in rainbow trout liver, gill, intestine, heart, brain and gonads. The activities of CYP1A1 and CYP3A-like proteins were estimated as the rates of 7-ethoxyresorufin-O-deethylation (EROD) and benzyloxy-4-trifluoromethylcoumarin-O-debenzyloxylation (BFCOD), respectively. The CYP1A1 and CYP3A-like activities were detectable in all investigated fish tissues, with the highest activity in hepatic tissue followed by heart > brain > gill > intestine > gonads. To confirm the presence of CYP1A1 in different tissues, EROD activity was measured in presence of the selective inhibitors ellipticine (CYP1A1), ketoconazole (CYP3A), 8-methoxypsoralen (human CYP2A) and diallyl sulphide (CYP2E1). It was found that ellipticine, ketoconazole and 8-methoxypsoralen inhibited hepatic EROD activity by 88-98%. Ellipticine inhibited gill, intestine, and gonad EROD activity by 50%. In conclusion, EROD and BFCOD activities were detected in rainbow trout liver, gill, intestine, heart, brain and gonads. Further studies are needed to fully identify all CYP450 isoforms responsible for these activities. Acknowledgement: The study was financially supported by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports of the Czech Republic - projects „CENAKVA “(No. CZ.1.05/2.1.00/01.0024), “CENAKVA Center Development “(No. CZ.1.05/2.1.00/19.0380), “CENAKVA II “(No. LO1205 under the NPU I program), and "Development of USB - International mobility (No. CZ.02.2.69/0.0/0.0/16_027/0008364).

Keywords: BFCOD, EROD, fish, phase I metabolism, selective inhibitors

Procedia PDF Downloads 135
150 Text Mining Past Medical History in Electrophysiological Studies

Authors: Roni Ramon-Gonen, Amir Dori, Shahar Shelly

Abstract:

Background and objectives: Healthcare professionals produce abundant textual information in their daily clinical practice. The extraction of insights from all the gathered information, mainly unstructured and lacking in normalization, is one of the major challenges in computational medicine. In this respect, text mining assembles different techniques to derive valuable insights from unstructured textual data, so it has led to being especially relevant in Medicine. Neurological patient’s history allows the clinician to define the patient’s symptoms and along with the result of the nerve conduction study (NCS) and electromyography (EMG) test, assists in formulating a differential diagnosis. Past medical history (PMH) helps to direct the latter. In this study, we aimed to identify relevant PMH, understand which PMHs are common among patients in the referral cohort and documented by the medical staff, and examine the differences by sex and age in a large cohort based on textual format notes. Methods: We retrospectively identified all patients with abnormal NCS between May 2016 to February 2022. Age, gender, and all NCS attributes reports were recorded, including the summary text. All patients’ histories were extracted from the text report by a query. Basic text cleansing and data preparation were performed, as well as lemmatization. Very popular words (like ‘left’ and ‘right’) were deleted. Several words were replaced with their abbreviations. A bag of words approach was used to perform the analyses. Different visualizations which are common in text analysis, were created to easily grasp the results. Results: We identified 5282 unique patients. Three thousand and five (57%) patients had documented PMH. Of which 60.4% (n=1817) were males. The total median age was 62 years (range 0.12 – 97.2 years), and the majority of patients (83%) presented after the age of forty years. The top two documented medical histories were diabetes mellitus (DM) and surgery. DM was observed in 16.3% of the patients, and surgery at 15.4%. Other frequent patient histories (among the top 20) were fracture, cancer (ca), motor vehicle accident (MVA), leg, lumbar, discopathy, back and carpal tunnel release (CTR). When separating the data by sex, we can see that DM and MVA are more frequent among males, while cancer and CTR are less frequent. On the other hand, the top medical history in females was surgery and, after that, DM. Other frequent histories among females are breast cancer, fractures, and CTR. In the younger population (ages 18 to 26), the frequent PMH were surgery, fractures, trauma, and MVA. Discussion: By applying text mining approaches to unstructured data, we were able to better understand which medical histories are more relevant in these circumstances and, in addition, gain additional insights regarding sex and age differences. These insights might help to collect epidemiological demographical data as well as raise new hypotheses. One limitation of this work is that each clinician might use different words or abbreviations to describe the same condition, and therefore using a coding system can be beneficial.

Keywords: abnormal studies, healthcare analytics, medical history, nerve conduction studies, text mining, textual analysis

Procedia PDF Downloads 72
149 Factors Promoting French-English Tweets in France

Authors: Taoues Hadour

Abstract:

Twitter has become a popular means of communication used in a variety of fields, such as politics, journalism, and academia. This widely used online platform has an impact on the way people express themselves and is changing language usage worldwide at an unprecedented pace. The language used online reflects the linguistic battle that has been going on for several decades in French society. This study enables a deeper understanding of users' linguistic behavior online. The implications are important and allow for a rise in awareness of intercultural and cross-language exchanges. This project investigates the mixing of French-English language usage among French users of Twitter using a topic analysis approach. This analysis draws on Gumperz's theory of conversational switching. In order to collect tweets at a large scale, the data was collected in R using the rtweet package to access and retrieve French tweets data through Twitter’s REST and stream APIs (Application Program Interface) using the software RStudio, the integrated development environment for R. The dataset was filtered manually and certain repetitions of themes were observed. A total of nine topic categories were identified and analyzed in this study: entertainment, internet/social media, events/community, politics/news, sports, sex/pornography, innovation/technology, fashion/make up, and business. The study reveals that entertainment is the most frequent topic discussed on Twitter. Entertainment includes movies, music, games, and books. Anglicisms such as trailer, spoil, and live are identified in the data. Change in language usage is inevitable and is a natural result of linguistic interactions. The use of different languages online is just an example of what the real world would look like without linguistic regulations. Social media reveals a multicultural and multilinguistic richness which can deepen and expand our understanding of contemporary human attitudes.

Keywords: code-switching, French, sociolinguistics, Twitter

Procedia PDF Downloads 109
148 Effective Teaching Pyramid and Its Impact on Enhancing the Participation of Students in Swimming Classes

Authors: Salam M. H. Kareem

Abstract:

Instructional or teaching procedures and their proper sequence are essential for high-quality learning outcomes. These actions are the path that the teacher takes during the learning process after setting the learning objectives. Teachers and specialists in the education field should include teaching procedures with putting in place an effective mechanism for the procedure’s implementation to achieve a logical sequence with the desired output of overall education process. Determining the sequence of these actions may be a strategic process outlined by a strategic educational plan or drawn by teachers with a high level of experience, enabling them to determine those logical procedures. While specific actions may be necessary for a specific form, many Physical Education (PE) teachers can work out on various sports disciplines. This study was conducted to investigate the impact of using the teaching sequence of the teaching pyramid in raising the level of enjoyment in swimming classes. Four months later of teaching swimming skills to the control and experimental groups of the study, we figured that using the tools shown in the teaching pyramid with the experimental group led to statistically significant differences in the positive tendencies of students to participate in the swimming classes by using the traditional procedures of teaching and using of successive procedures in the teaching pyramid, and in favor of the teaching pyramid, The students are influenced by enhancing their tendency to participate in swimming classes when the teaching procedures followed are sensitive to individual differences and are based on the element of pleasure in learning, and less positive levels of the tendency of students when using traditional teaching procedures, by getting the level of skills' requirements higher and more difficult to perform. The level of positive tendencies of students when using successive procedures in the teaching pyramid was increased, by getting the level of skills' requirements higher and more difficult to perform, because of the high level of motivation and the desire to challenge the self-provided by the teaching pyramid.

Keywords: physical education, swimming classes, teaching process, teaching pyramid

Procedia PDF Downloads 122