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We investigated the role of saccades and microsaccades when different levels of basketball players were engaged in an ecological free-throw condition. All participants made more correct than incorrect shoots, with a movement time initiation shorter in amateurs than in near-expert groups. Near-experts had more stable gaze fixation than amateurs, with higher microsaccade rate and duration and lower peak velocity. Amateurs showed higher saccade rate, peak velocity, and amplitude than near-experts. The temporal sequence of near-experts' microsaccade rate increased after the saccade peak; on the contrary, in amateurs, the saccade peak is shown after the decrement in microsaccade rates. The spatiotemporal characteristics of microsaccades and saccades may reflect an optimal sampling method by which the brain discretely acquires visual information and can differentiate between participants who use a fixation before the critical movement time and participants who move their eyes to catch more visual cues to make decisions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the present study was to explore the relationship between gaze behaviour, motor responses and the direction of visual attention when different levels of basketball players were engaged in a basketball three-point shot. Twelve near-experts and 12 amateur basketball players, wearing an eye tracker and an inertial sensor, performed 20 shots on a basketball field, receiving the ball from a teammate, who then acted as the opponent. The trial sequence was subdivided into catching, aiming and ball flight phases. The analysis demonstrated that near-experts exhibited longer fixation durations and saccades of lower amplitude and peak velocity than amateurs. The gaze behaviour showed that all players utilized fixations during the last part of the catching phase, during most of the aiming phase, and during the final part of the ball flight phase. The greatest number of saccades was exhibited between the aiming and the ball flight phases, when the ball was released by the players. Saccades were oriented toward the teammate during the catching phase. Instead, during the aiming and ball flight phases, saccade orientations were not polarized toward a specific visual cue. In conclusion, vision plays a critical role in every aspect of the three-point shot in basketball, from catching the ball, to aiming preparation, and shot execution. It is a key factor in decision-making, spatial awareness, and overall performance in team sports. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pulsed Electromagnetic Field (PEMF) therapy is a non-invasive treatment that utilizes electromagnetic fields to stimulate and promote natural healing processes within the body. PEMF therapy works by emitting low-frequency electromagnetic pulses, which penetrate deep into tissues and cells, enhancing cellular function and health. PEMF applications are vast, ranging from enhancing recovery in athletes to supporting overall well-being in everyday individuals. PEMF therapy is increasingly recognized in the realm of sports and physical activity for its profound benefits in enhancing performance, accelerating recovery, and preventing injuries. By improving circulation, enhancing tissue oxygenation, and promoting the body's natural healing processes, PEMF therapy has become an invaluable tool in sports medicine, contributing to optimized physical health and prolonged athletic careers. In this review, we explore the effects of PEMF on exercise and the underlying physiological mechanisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In many daily and sport situations, people have to simultaneously perceive and process multiple objects and scenes in a short amount of time. A wrong decision may lead to a disadvantage for a team or for a single athlete, and during daily life (i.e., driving, surgery), it could have more dangerous consequences. Considering the results of different studies, the ability to distribute visual attention depends on different levels of expertise and environment-related constraints. This article is a narrative review of the current scientific evidence in the field of eye movements in sports, focusing on the role of microsaccades in sporting task situations. Over the past 10 years, microsaccades have become one of the most increasing areas of research in visual and oculomotor studies and even in the area of sport science. Here, we review the latest findings and discuss the relationships between microsaccades and attention, perception, and action in sports. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigated gaze behavior of expert goalkeepers during the prediction of penalty kicks in different spatiotemporal constraints: penalties taken from 11 and 6 m. From 11 m, goalkeepers were more successful in predicting ball direction, with longer movement time initiation and a visual strategy with more fixations and greater saccade rates than penalties from 6 m, where they exhibited fewer fixations with higher microsaccade rates. As long as the opponent's distance is large and time pressure low, gaze can be frequently shifted between the kicker's body and the ball, due to the low cost of saccades. Conversely, when the objects are close, there is increased reliance on foveal and parafoveal information. In conclusion, when the spatiotemporal constraint is less severe, goalkeepers adopt a visual strategy with more fixations and small saccades. When the spatiotemporal constraint is more severe, they rely on peripheral vision to monitor kickers' movements through the use of microsaccades. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Disgorgement is a legal remedy requiring those who gain from illegal or wrongful acts to give up any profits they made as a result of that conduct. The current state of disgorgement is uncertain, marked by rising tension between limitations in recent Supreme Court jurisprudence and newly enacted statutory authority granted to the Securities Exchange Commission (SEC) by Congress. Problems emerging from this regime threaten to render adjudication of disgorgement actions ineffective and inconsistent, potentially damaging the integrity of the financial system and eroding public trust in the markets. A comprehensive legislative framework is needed to fill in the gaps; one that firmly delineates the bounds of the disgorgement remedy and also sheds light on its ambiguities. This note paints a full picture of the pertinent legal landscape. In doing so, the intricate knots tying the Supreme Court's Liu v. SEC opinion to the text of 15 U.S.C. § 78u are unraveled and disgorgement's duality as equitable and statutory is revealed. In light of the apparent bifurcation, this note proposes additional legislation on the matter in order for litigation to meaningfully move forward under a single theory in future SEC enforcement actions. Setting aside uncertainty on this topic is necessary as disgorgement awards have made up the largest monetary recovery in recent years. With clearer guidance from this legislative framework, the SEC's time and resources can be more effectively utilized in educating Main Street investors rather than spent on litigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: Sports practice leads athletes to develop a specific body composition, coordination patterns, and basic motor skills based on the different tactical and physical needs. Objectives: To present and compare a wide range of functional movement patterns and body composition (BC) parameters of high-level male athletes playing different sports and to determine if there was a relationship between the parameters examined. Design: Cross-sectional study. Setting: Team facilities. Participants: A total of 30 volleyball, 25 soccer, and 30 rugby players (age = 25.9 [5.0] y and body mass index = 25.6 [4.1] kg/m²). Interventions: Functional movement patterns and anthropometric measurements were collected by a physician specifically trained. Main Outcome Measures: Body mass index, fat mass, fat-free mass, upper-arm muscle and fat area, calf muscle and fat area, thigh muscle and fat area, and functional movement screen (FMS) scores. In addition to considering the FMS total score, the authors separated the screen into 3 parts: FMSmove, FMSflex, and FMSstab. Results: The rugby players showed a higher number of asymmetrical and dysfunctional movements than the other athletes (P < .01), while the highest scores in FMSflex were obtained by the volleyball players (P < .01). In addition, most of the asymmetrical and painful movements in the athletes were measured on the shoulder mobility test. Muscle and fat areas differed significantly among the athletes (P < .05). Significant associations were found between movement patterns and several BC variables. In particular, large negative correlations were measured between percentage of fat mass (r = -.616; F < .0 1), upper-arm fat area (r = -.519; P < .0 1), and FMS total score. Conclusions: Functional movement patterns and BC differ in athletes according to the sport practiced. Furthermore, reaching an optimal BC is essential to achieve a satisfactory quality of movement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The characterization of ceria deposited on alumina is for the first time carried out under severe oxidizing and reducing condition. It is found that most of the structural modifications operated by ceria under oxidated conditions is observed at around 1373 K, and this is temperature is therefore critical in the study of the system.