Psychophysiology, Cognitive Function, and Musculoskeletal Status Holistically Explain Tactical Performance Readiness and Resilience.

ABSTRACT: Thompson, AG, Ramadan, JH, Alexander, JS, and Galster, SM. Psychophysiology, cognitive function, and musculoskeletal status holistically explain tactical performance readiness and resilience. J Strength Cond Res 37(12): 2443-2456, 2023-This study aimed to advance the techniques used in quantifying holistic readiness and resilience within military personnel. Tactical performers, instructors, and applied human performance scientists designed a weeklong competition to reflect realistic operational demands, test specific underlying performance constructs, and elucidate how modernized assessments could drive programmatic action. By placing first in their installation's local preliminary competition, 34 active-duty Marines earned the opportunity to compete in a series of 7 intense events for the title of champion. All inferential statistics were set to a p ≤ 0.05 level of significance. Morning heart rate variability identified top from bottom quartile finishers before a single competition event. By day 3, morning countermovement jump force production (normalized reactive strength index-modified) and cognitive psychomotor vigilance were significant indicators of performance resilience and final competition group rank. Heart rate variability also tracked performer readiness across time, identifying within-group and between-group differences among top, bottom, and field. Collectively, these holistic assessments proved significant markers of acute and chronic tactical performance capabilities. In summary, the incorporation of psychophysiological monitoring, cognitive performance testing, and musculoskeletal force plate evaluations could help inform selection and support needs, drive workload or recovery modulation, and provide critical metrics for evaluating training efficacy and operational readiness. Defense organizations should consider routinely incorporating and actioning similar holistic status monitoring strategies in training and operational settings. Moreover, leveraging other tactical competitions may provide key opportunities for advancing the standard of practice through additional scientific investigation.

Assessing the Accuracy of Popular Commercial Technologies That Measure Resting Heart Rate and Heart Rate Variability.

Commercial off-the shelf (COTS) wearable devices continue development at unprecedented rates. An unfortunate consequence of their rapid commercialization is the lack of independent, third-party accuracy verification for reported physiological metrics of interest, such as heart rate (HR) and heart rate variability (HRV). To address these shortcomings, the present study examined the accuracy of seven COTS devices in assessing resting-state HR and root mean square of successive differences (rMSSD). Five healthy young adults generated 148 total trials, each of which compared COTS devices against a validation standard, multi-lead electrocardiogram (mECG). All devices accurately reported mean HR, according to absolute percent error summary statistics, although the highest mean absolute percent error (MAPE) was observed for CameraHRV (17.26%). The next highest MAPE for HR was nearly 15% less (HRV4Training, 2.34%). When measuring rMSSD, MAPE was again the highest for CameraHRV [112.36%, concordance correlation coefficient (CCC): 0.04], while the lowest MAPEs observed were from HRV4Training (4.10%; CCC: 0.98) and OURA (6.84%; CCC: 0.91). Our findings support extant literature that exposes varying degrees of veracity among COTS devices. To thoroughly address questionable claims from manufacturers, elucidate the accuracy of data parameters, and maximize the real-world applicative value of emerging devices, future research must continually evaluate COTS devices.

Processing of Real-World, Dynamic Natural Stimuli in Autism is Linked to Corticobasal Function.

Many individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have been shown to perceive everyday sensory information differently compared to peers without autism. Research examining these sensory differences has primarily utilized nonnatural stimuli or natural stimuli using static photos with few having utilized dynamic, real-world nonverbal stimuli. Therefore, in this study, we used functional magnetic resonance imaging to characterize brain activation of individuals with high-functioning autism when viewing and listening to a video of a real-world scene (a person bouncing a ball) and anticipating the bounce. We investigated both multisensory and unisensory processing and hypothesized that individuals with ASD would show differential activation in (a) primary auditory and visual sensory cortical and association areas, and in (b) cortical and subcortical regions where auditory and visual information is integrated (e.g. temporal-parietal junction, pulvinar, superior colliculus). Contrary to our hypotheses, the whole-brain analysis revealed similar activation between the groups in these brain regions. However, compared to controls the ASD group showed significant hypoactivation in the left intraparietal sulcus and left putamen/globus pallidus. We theorize that this hypoactivation reflected underconnectivity for mediating spatiotemporal processing of the visual biological motion stimuli with the task demands of anticipating the timing of the bounce event. The paradigm thus may have tapped into a specific left-lateralized aberrant corticobasal circuit or loop involved in initiating or inhibiting motor responses. This was consistent with a dual "when versus where" psychophysical model of corticobasal function, which may reflect core differences in sensory processing of real-world, nonverbal natural stimuli in ASD. Autism Res 2020, 13: 539-549. © 2020 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc. LAY SUMMARY: To understand how individuals with autism perceive the real-world, using magnetic resonance imaging we examined brain activation in individuals with autism while watching a video of someone bouncing a basketball. Those with autism had similar activation to controls in auditory and visual sensory brain regions, but less activation in an area that processes information about body movements and in a region involved in modulating movements. These areas are important for understanding the actions of others and developing social skills.

Can Symptoms Differentiate Between Chronic Adenoiditis and Chronic Rhinosinusitis in Pediatric Patients.

The purpose of this article is to differentiate pediatric patients with chronic adenoiditis from those with chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) based on presenting symptoms. A chart review from a tertiary care facility with pediatric patients who presented with suspected CRS from 2006 to 2014 was identified. We compared patient characteristics, clinical symptoms, duration of symptoms, and past medial history using univariate and multivariate logistic regression models. Based on recent literature, utilizing the computed tomography (CT) score, we identified those children with CRS versus those with chronic adenoiditis. Of the 99 pediatric patients included, 22 patients had diagnosis of adenoiditis and 77 had diagnosis of CRS. When purulent rhinorrhea was present with facial pain, CRS was statistically more prevalent than chronic adenoiditis (P = .017). Symptoms including cough (P = .022), rhinorrhea (P = .27), and facial pressure (P = .98) were not predictive of one diagnosis over the other. Past medical history of asthma or allergy was similar in both groups. Smoke exposure was associated with CT scores >5 (odds ratio 2.4, 95% confidence interval, 0.799-7.182). We conclude that purulent rhinorrhea in the presence of facial pain is more indicative of CRS versus chronic adenoiditis. For all other children, an adenoidectomy without the need for a CT scan can be entertained.