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This study aimed to assess, for the first time, how self-reported sleep, mental toughness, and reaction time are impacted by a professional padel tournament. In addition, we evaluated whether sex, age, and/or ranking play a role in this possible effect of a tournament on these variables. Twenty-three professional players (15 men, Mage = 24 ± 6 years; eight women, Mage = 21 ± 5 years) were evaluated on two occasions: (a) baseline, in a noncompetitive week and (b) postmeasure, the morning after an individual was eliminated from the tournament. The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, the Mental Toughness Questionnaire, and the psychomotor vigilance task were used to evaluate the dependent variables. Wilcoxon tests or paired samples t tests were employed to assess the effect of participating in the tournament. To test correlations between variables, Pearson correlation coefficients (quantitative variables) or chi-square distributions (qualitative variables) were employed. Results showed that self-reported sleep (p < .01), mental toughness (p = .01), and reaction time (p = .04) were significantly impaired by the tournament. Exploring moderating variables, results showed that mental toughness did not correlate with sleep impairments (p > .05). In contrast, a nearly significant correlation between sleep impairments and higher reaction times was found (p = .066). No significant effects of age, sex, and ranking were observed. In conclusion, participating in a padel competition impairs the self-reported sleep, mental toughness, and reaction time of professional padel players. A trend toward a significant correlation between the competition-related impairment in sleep and reaction time was observed, whereas age, ranking, and sex were not found to be moderators of any of these impairments.

Experts have highlighted the importance of coaches knowing the level of mental fatigue (MF) induced by different tasks. This study aimed to compare the mentally fatiguing nature of cognitive, physical, and combined tasks and, additionally, assess the effect of different moderating variables on MF. Twenty-three physically active (16 males: Mage = 24 years; seven females: Mage = 22.57 years) participants performed three experimental sessions: (a) physically fatiguing: 30 min of cycloergometer work (at 65%–75% of maximum heart rate), (b) mentally fatiguing: 30 min of an incongruent Stroop task, and (c) mixed fatiguing: 30 min of combining the physically and mentally fatiguing protocols. Subjective MF (visual analog scale), reaction time (psychomotor vigilance task), and cognitive performance (Stroop) were measured throughout the different protocols. Results showed significant increments in subjective MF after all tasks, with the mental and mixed protocols showing significantly higher increases. Only the mentally fatiguing protocol caused significant impairments in reaction time. No significant effects of sex, years of experience, or degree of mental toughness were observed. These results suggest that the use of all these tasks, and especially the mentally fatiguing exercises, should be avoided immediately prior to competitions due to the negative consequences of MF on performance. Moreover, this effect seems to be independent of the sex, years of experience, or mental toughness of athletes.

Bumblebees (Apidae:Bombusspp.) are a major group of wild and domesticated bees that provide crucial ecosystem services through wildflower and crop pollination. However, most of bee populations, including bumblebees, are declining worldwide, partly because of parasite spill-over and spill-back between bumblebee commercial colonies and wild populations. Breeders have to cope with invasions by a vast array of bumblebees’ parasites, and techniques need to be developed to prevent such invasions to support breeders and wild bee populations. Our 10-year study is based on 327 nests of seven bumblebee species (B. humilis,B. hypnorum,B. lapidarius,B. lucorum,B. pascuorum,B. sylvarum,B. terrestris) reared in outdoor boxes. Some boxes were equipped with parasite-preventing techniques, namely (i) an airlock (n= 2) or (ii) an additional chamber with natural fragrances (n= 74). We recorded the invasion of the nests by the wax mothAphomia sociella, the eulophidMelittobia acastaand the cuckoo bumblebeesBombussubgenusPsithyrusspp. Overall, 8.26%, 1.53% and 3.67% of the colonies were invaded byA. sociella,M.acastaandPsithyrusspp., respectively, without coinfection. Neither the airlock nor the additional chamber with natural fragrances preventedA. sociellainfestation. Despite that no nest equipped with an airlock or an additional chamber with natural fragrances was invaded byM. acastaorPsithyrusspp., we lacked replicates to properly demonstrate the efficiency of these techniques. Nest inspection remains a time-consuming but powerful technique to reduce artificial nest spoilage by parasites, yet it is inefficient against tiny invaders (< 1 mm) that are left unnoticed. We therefore encourage further studies to actively seek for parasite-preventing techniques to reduce artificial nest spoilage and to mitigate spill-over towards wild populations. Surveillance des parasites dans les colonies de bourdons issues de la nidification contrôlée de reines sauvages(Hymenoptera : Apidae :Bombus) Les bourdons (Apidae :Bombusspp.) représentent un groupe important d’abeilles sauvages et domestiquées qui fournissent des services écosystémiques cruciaux à travers la pollinisation de fleurs sauvages et de cultures. Toutefois, la plupart des populations d’abeilles, bourdons inclus, sont en déclin à l’échelle mondiale, en partie à cause du transfert de parasites entre les colonies domestiquées de bourdons et les populations sauvages. Les éleveurs doivent faire face à l’invasion de nombreux parasites de bourdons, et des techniques doivent être développées pour empêcher de telles invasions afin de soutenir les éleveurs et protéger les populations d’abeilles sauvages. Notre étude s’étend sur 10 ans et se base sur 327 colonies de sept espèces de bourdons (B.humilis,B. hypnorum,B. lapidarius,B. lucorum,B. pascuorum,B. sylvarumetB. terrestris) élevées dans des boîtes placées à l’extérieur. Certaines boites étaient équipées de mécanismes permettant d’empêcher l’invasion de parasites, à savoir (i) un sas (n=2) ou (ii) une chambre additionnelle avec des odeurs naturelles (n= 74). Nous avons enregistré l’invasion de ces colonies par la pyrale du bourdonAphomia sociella, l’eulophideMelittobia acastaet les bourdons cleptoparasitesBombussous-genrePsithyrusspp. Au total, 8,26 %, 1,53 % et 3,67 % des colonies furent envahies parA. sociella,M. acastaetPsithyrusspp., respectivement, sans trace de co-infection. Ni l’utilisation du sas ni l’utilisation d’une chambre additionnelle avec des odeurs naturelles n’ont empêché l’invasion parA. sociella. Bien qu’aucune des colonies équipées d’un sas ou d’une chambre additionnelle avec des odeurs naturelles n’ait été envahie parM. acastaouPsithyrusspp., nous manquons de réplicas pour démontrer l’efficacité significative de ces techniques. L’inspection des colonies reste une technique chronophage mais efficace pour réduire la perte de colonies domestiques par des parasites, quoique cette méthode reste inefficace face aux petits envahisseurs (< 1 mm) qui ne peuvent être remarqués. Nous encourageons ainsi de futures études à chercher activement des techniques pour faire face aux parasites afin de réduire la perte de colonies domestiques et atténuer le transfert de parasites vers les populations sauvages.

Background The negative effect of mental fatigue (MF) on physical performance has recently been questioned. One reason behind this could lie in the interindividual differences in MF-susceptibility and the individual features influencing them. However, the range of individual differences in mental fatigue-susceptibility is not known, and there is no clear consensus on which individual features could be responsible for these differences. Objective To give an overview of interindividual differences in the effects of MF on whole-body endurance performance, and individual features influencing this effect. Methods The review was registered on the PROSPERO database (CRD42022293242). PubMed, Web of Science, SPORTDiscus and PsycINFO were searched until the 16th of June 2022 for studies detailing the effect of MF on dynamic maximal whole-body endurance performance. Studies needed to include healthy participants, describe at least one individual feature in participant characteristics, and apply at least one manipulation check. The Cochrane crossover risk of bias tool was used to assess risk of bias. The meta-analysis and regression were conducted in R. Results Twenty-eight studies were included, with 23 added to the meta-analysis. Overall risk of bias of the included studies was high, with only three presenting an unclear or low rating. The meta-analysis shows the effect of MF on endurance performance was on average slightly negative (g = − 0.32, [95% CI − 0.46; − 0.18], p Conclusions The present review confirmed the negative impact of MF on endurance performance. However, no individual features influencing MF-susceptibility were identified. This can partially be explained by the multiple methodological limitations such as underreporting of participant characteristics, lack of standardization across studies, and the restricted inclusion of potentially relevant variables. Future research should include a rigorous description of multiple different individual features (e.g., performance level, diet, etc.) to further elucidate MF mechanisms.

INTRODUCTION: Mental fatigue, a psychobiological state that is induced when engaging in prolonged cognitive activity, affects both cognitive as well as physical performance. However, the significance and magnitude of these effects has recently been questioned. One of the underlying reasons could be the interindividual differences that are present in mental fatigue-effects. However, it’s not known yet whether these interindividual differences are trait or state-related, or which internal and/or external factors mediate these interindividual differences. The aim of this systematic review and meta-regression was to give an overview of interindividual differences in the effects of mental fatigue on physical performance, and possible internal factors influencing this effect. METHODS: Pubmed, Web of Science, SPORTDiscus and PsycINFO were searched for studies detailing the effect of mental fatigue on dynamic maximal whole body endurance performance. Studies needed to feature healthy participants with the inclusion of at least one internal factor in participants’ characteristics, and were required to include at least one manipulation check. The Cochrane crossover risk of bias tool was used to assess risk of bias. The meta-analysis and regression itself were conducted in R. RESULTS: 29 studies were selected for inclusion, with 24 studies eventually added to the overall random-effects meta-analysis (with 34 distinct effects) based on the successful induction of mental fatigue. This meta-analysis showed a small but significant effect of mental fatigue on endurance performance (g = - 0.31, 95% CI [-0.44; -0.17], t = -4.83, p < 0.001). The multiple meta-regression analysis (incorporating 11 effects) showed a significant influence of physical fitness level on mental fatigue-effects (estimate = 0.18, SE = 0.06, t = 2.84, p = 0.0296). However, this effect was only present when incorporated within the model together with sex ratio, mean age and body mass index. CONCLUSION: The present review confirms findings of the overall literature regarding the mediating influence of physical fitness level on the negative effects of mental fatigue on endurance performance. However, this influence is only apparent when different individual factors, such as sex, are taken into account. Moreover, multiple limitations still undermine these conclusions, from the overall underreporting of different participant characteristics to significant publication bias. An overall experimental study incorporating multiple different internal factors is therefore necessary to draw a definitive conclusion on this subject

In the published publication [...]

Mental fatigue (MF) is a psychobiological state negatively impacting both cognitive and physical performance. Although recent research implies that some table tennis (TT) performance outcomes are impaired by MF, open skill sports such as TT require a more detailed overview of MF-related performance decrements. Moreover, research into MF and sport-specific psychomotor performance lacks the inclusion of brain-related measurements to identify MF mechanisms. Eleven experienced TT players participated in this randomized counterbalanced crossover trial. Participants were either required to perform an individualized Stroop task (MF condition) or watch a documentary (control condition). The primary outcomes were reaction time on a sport-specific visuomotor task and EEG activity throughout the trial. The subjective feeling of MF was significantly different between both conditions and confirmed that the MF condition induced the mentally fatigue state of participants (p < 0.001), though no behavioral indicators (i.e., decrease in performance on Stroop and flanker task) of MF. MF worsened reaction time on the visuomotor task, while other secondary measurements remained largely ambiguous. Spectral power (i.e., decreases in upper α band and θ band) was influenced by MF, while ERPs measured during the visuomotor task remained unaltered. The present study confirms that MF negatively impacts table tennis performance, specifically inhibitory stimuli during the visuomotor task. These findings also further augment our understanding of the effects of MF on human performance.

Summary Background Cataract surgery is one of the most common operations in health care. Femtosecond laser-assisted cataract surgery (FLACS) enables more precise ocular incisions and lens fragmentation than does phacoemulsification cataract surgery (PCS). We hypothesised that FLACS might improve outcomes in cataract surgery compared with PCS despite having higher costs. Methods We did a participant-masked randomised superiority clinical trial comparing FLACS and PCS in two parallel groups (permuted block randomisation stratified on centres via a centralised web-based application, allocation ratio 1:1, block size of 2 or 4 for unilateral cases and 2 or 6 for bilateral cases). Five French University Hospitals enrolled consecutive patients aged 22 years or older who were eligible for unilateral or bilateral cataract surgery. Participants, outcome assessors, and technicians carrying out examinations were masked to the surgical treatment allocation until the last follow-up visit and a sham laser procedure was set up for participants randomly assigned to the PCS arm. The primary clinical endpoint was the success rate of surgery, defined as a composite of four outcomes at a 3-month postoperative visit: absence of severe perioperative complication, a best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) of 0·0 LogMAR (logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution) or better, an absolute refractive error of 0·75 dioptres or less, and unchanged postoperative corneal astigmatism power (≤0·5 dioptres) and axis (≤20°). The primary economic endpoint was the incremental cost per additional patient who had treatment success at 3 months. Primary outcomes were assessed in all randomly assigned patients who met all eligibility criteria (missing data considered as failure). We used mixed logistic regression models or mixed linear regression models for statistical comparisons, adjusted on centres and whether cataract surgery was bilateral or unilateral. The study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov , NCT01982006 . Findings Of the 907 patients (1476 eyes) randomly assigned between Oct 9, 2013, and Oct 30, 2015, 870 (704 eyes in FLACS group and 685 eyes in the PCS group) were analysed. We identified no significant difference in the success rate of surgery between the FLACS and PCS groups (FLACS: 41·1% [289 eyes]; PCS: 43·6% [299 eyes]); adjusted odds ratio 0·85, 95% CI 0·64–1·12, p=0·250). The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio was €10 703 saved per additional patient who had treatment success with PCS compared with FLACS. We observed no severe adverse events during the femtosecond laser procedure, and most of the complications in the FLACS group related to the primary outcome measures occurred during the phacoemulsification phase or postoperatively. Interpretation Despite its advanced technology, femtosecond laser was not superior to phacoemulsification in cataract surgery and, with higher costs, did not provide an additional benefit over phacoemulsification for patients or health-care systems. Funding French Ministry of Social Affairs and Health.

Introduction: Mental fatigue (MF) is a psychobiological state caused by prolonged cognitive activity, which negatively impacts human performance. Research has shown that MF impairs sport-specific psychomotor performance across a myriad of sports, including table tennis (TT). Although some research already exists implying that some TT-performance outcomes are impaired by MF, sports such as TT require a more detailed overview of MF-performance decrements, such as visuomotor inhibitory control ability. Methods: Eleven trained TT players participated in this randomized counterbalanced crossover study. Participants were either required to perform a Stroop task (MF) or watch a documentary (control). The primary outcome was reaction time, assessed by using a TT-specific visuomotor task that included both simple (i.e. non-inhibitory) and inhibitory stimuli. Electroencephalography was measured throughout the trials. Secondary outcome measures include the subjective level of MF experience, motivation, rating of perceived exertion (RPE) and other traditional parameters. Results: Subjective mental fatigue was significantly higher in the MF-condition compared to the control condition (p