York University

About: York University is a education organization based out in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Poison control. The organization has 18899 authors who have published 43357 publications receiving 1568560 citations.

When “where” is more important than “when”: Birthplace and birthdate effects on the achievement of sporting expertise

Abstract: In this study, we assessed whether contextual factors related to where or when an athlete is born influence their likelihood of playing professional sport. The birthplace and birth month of all American players in the National Hockey League, National Basketball Association, Major League Baseball, and Professional Golfer's Association, and all Canadian players in the National Hockey League were collected from official websites. Monte Carlo simulations were used to verify if the birthplace of these professional athletes deviated in any systematic way from the official census population distribution, and chi-square analyses were conducted to determine whether the players' birth months were evenly distributed throughout the year. Results showed a birthplace bias towards smaller cities, with professional athletes being over-represented in cities of less than 500,000 and under-represented in cities of 500,000 and over. A birth month/relative age effect (in the form of a distinct bias towards elite athletes being relatively older than their peers) was found for hockey and baseball but not for basketball and golf. Comparative analyses suggested that contextual factors associated with place of birth contribute more influentially to the achievement of an elite level of sport performance than does relative age and that these factors are essentially independent in their influences on expertise development.

Synthesis of Black TiOx Nanoparticles by Mg Reduction of TiO2 Nanocrystals and their Application for Solar Water Evaporation

Abstract: TiOx (x < 2) nanoparticles with tunable colors from white to gray to blue–gray to black are synthesized by magnesium (Mg) reduction of white P25 TiO2 nanocrystals followed by removal of excess Mg with aqueous HCl and distilled water Increasing amounts of Mg smoothly decrease the oxygen content in TiOx which is responsible for the gradual increase in light absorption and concomitant darkening of its color from white to black with decreasing values of x The as-synthesized TiOx nanoparticles are spin-coated onto the surface of a stainless steel mesh followed by surface superhydrophobization in order to test their performance as a solar water evaporator Results from the tests show that the black TiOx efficiently generates water vapor with a solar thermal conversion efficiency as high as 50% under solar-simulated light irradiance at an intensity of 1000 W m–2 (1 Sun) Moreover, TiOx nanoparticles have inherent advantages over other materials used for solar water desalination, such as their tunable light absorption, low-cost, low-toxicity, superhydrophobicity, and chemical stability

The benefits associated with volunteering among seniors: : A critical review and recommendations for future research

Abstract: There is an urgent need to identify lifestyle activities that reduce functional decline and dementia associated with population aging. The goals of this article are to review critically the evidence on the benefits associated with formal volunteering among older adults, propose a theoretical model of how volunteering may reduce functional limitations and dementia risk, and offer recommendations for future research. Database searches identified 113 papers on volunteering benefits in older adults, of which 73 were included. Data from descriptive, cross-sectional, and prospective cohort studies, along with 1 randomized controlled trial, most consistently reveal that volunteering is associated with reduced symptoms of depression, better self-reported health, fewer functional limitations, and lower mortality. The extant evidence provides the basis for a model proposing that volunteering increases social, physical, and cognitive activity (to varying degrees depending on characteristics of the volunteer placement) which, through biological and psychological mechanisms, leads to improved functioning; we further propose that these volunteering-related functional improvements should be associated with reduced dementia risk. Recommendations for future research are that studies (a) include more objective measures of psychosocial, physical, and cognitive functioning; (b) integrate qualitative and quantitative methods in prospective study designs; (c) explore further individual differences in the benefits associated with volunteering; (d) include occupational analyses of volunteers' specific jobs in order to identify their social, physical, and cognitive complexity; (e) investigate the independent versus interactive health benefits associated with volunteering relative to engagement in other forms of activity; and (f) examine the relationship between volunteering and dementia risk.