Gongbing Shan

This study examined how older Nigerian adults appraise and cope with fear of falling (FOF) and how local context and personality influence coping strategies and support preferences. Using Interpretive Description with reflexive thematic analysis, we analyzed qualitative interviews with 24 community-dwelling adults aged 60–75 in Abuja and Jos, located in North Central Nigeria. Three primary themes emerged from the qualitative narratives: (1) Living with Uncertainty as Place-Bound Appraisal, (2) Composure-In-Action: Turning Fear into Procedures and Meanings, and (3) Social Architectures of Safety: Co-Producing What One Body Cannot Do Alone. Fear was tied to specific situations rather than experienced as generalized anxiety. Rather than avoiding activity altogether, participants developed practical coping routines, such as pausing and concentrating on stairs, resting when dizziness occurs, and ensuring dry footing before stepping onto tiled surfaces. Many reframed fear as caution, drew on faith to set a steady state, and selected visible or discreet supports to protect dignity. Coping was co-produced with peers, clinicians, family members, and transport workers through groups, WhatsApp prompts, situated coaching, and real-time negotiation. Personality appeared to shape preferences for how support was delivered rather than acting as a fixed determinant of behavior. Findings provide African-based evidence relevant to Black aging scholarship and point to meso-level delivery models in Nigerian cities that protect mobility, dignity, and independence.

Double-under jump rope performance requires rapid force production and precise coordination under extreme temporal constraints; however, the biomechanical determinants of elite high-speed performance remain unclear. This ceiling-performance biomechanical study examined speed-dependent motor control in world champions (n = 3, 19.7 years) and junior national champions (n = 5, 14.0 years) during double-under performance at 120 double-unders/min, 140 double-unders/min, and individualized ceiling tempo. Three-dimensional motion capture (300 Hz) synchronized with force plates (1500 Hz) quantified kinetic and kinematic adaptations across tempo conditions. Compared with junior national champions, world champions demonstrated shorter contact times, greater rates of force development, reduced center-of-gravity height and oscillation, more compact posture control with widened upper-limb positioning, smaller rope–foot clearance heights, and an increasingly ankle-dominant coordinative pattern between wrist–hand control and lower-limb movement under ceiling-tempo conditions. Collectively, these findings indicate distinct expertise-dependent differences in force-production, postural-control, and rope-coordination characteristics under ceiling-tempo conditions. In contrast, junior national champions demonstrated less pronounced temporal compression, maintained a comparatively extended posture, and appeared to approach a performance plateau beyond 140 double-unders/min. The findings provide biomechanical benchmarks for understanding ceiling-tempo performance and may inform training, movement retraining, and injury-prevention strategies in high-speed cyclic movement tasks.

Manned deep‐sea submersibles rely entirely on static, constant artificial lighting, yet pilots must perform high‐precision visual tasks for prolonged periods—creating an acute conflict between lighting and visual demands.Visual ergonomics in such confined, lighting‐dependent environments is constrained by complex metrics, non‐quantifiable subjective ambiguity, and a lack of predictive tools. Here we propose a framework unifying multidimensional assessment with intelligent prediction. We simulated a deep‐sea cabin and measured task performance, physiological signals, and subjective responses from 15 participants under nine illuminance–color temperature combinations (200–750 lx; 3000–6000 K).For evaluation, we used an improved Delphi method to screen key indicators and built a multi‐step framework integrating CRITIC with fuzzy comprehensive evaluation. This framework serves as a quantitative model for assessing lighting visual ergonomics, enabling objective integration of multiple dimensions and handling of fuzzy information. For prediction, we introduced a Random Forest model, overcoming the traditional reliance on ex‐post evaluation.The 500 lx / 4500 K combination demonstrated the most balanced ergonomic performance, effectively reconciling task efficiency with fatigue mitigation.Our Random Forest achieved 92.59 percent accuracy (10‐fold cross‐validation), significantly outperforming SVM, k‐NN, and NB. The proposed framework provides a transferable approach for dynamically regulating lighting in deep‐diving operations, with direct implications for pilot efficiency and safety.

Human movement science has evolved from largely independent disciplinary traditions into an increasingly integrated research field

Background and Aims: Falls remain a major health challenge in aging, yet little is known about how personality traits influence falls risk and related psychological concerns. This scoping review mapped existing evidence on relationships among personality traits, falls, fear of falling, and fall self‐efficacy in older adults to identify key associations and research gaps. Methods: A comprehensive search of five databases (MEDLINE, APA PsycINFO, Web of Science, CINAHL, SPORTDiscus) was conducted from inception (1945) through December 2024. Eligible studies examined personality traits, assessed with validated instruments, in relation to falls, fear of falling, or fall self‐efficacy in older adults (≥ 50 years). All empirical designs were included. Data extraction followed PRISMA‐ScR guidance, and findings were synthesized descriptively. Results: Of 8060 records screened, eight studies met the inclusion criteria (three longitudinal, five cross‐sectional). High neuroticism and low conscientiousness were the most consistently associated with greater fall risk and higher fear of falling. Extraversion showed generally protective associations with fear of falling, while Type A behaviour predicted higher fall incidence among men but not women. Openness and agreeableness showed no consistent patterns. Evidence on fall self‐efficacy was limited to one study, and none addressed balance confidence. Measurement heterogeneity across personality and fall‐related constructs limited comparability across studies. Conclusion: Personality traits, particularly emotional instability and conscientiousness, appear relevant to fall risk and psychological concerns, though evidence remains sparse. Key gaps include limited work on fall self‐efficacy and balance confidence, under‐representation of clinical populations, and inconsistent measurement approaches. Future studies should use standardized instruments, longitudinal designs, and broader personality frameworks to inform personalised fall prevention strategies.

Fear of falling (FOF) can disrupt older adults’ mobility, autonomy, and emotional well-being. While psychological correlates are increasingly recognized, little is known about how personality traits shape coping responses to FOF as lived experience. This study used interpretive description informed by the transactional model of stress and coping to explore personality-linked coping orientations. Fifteen community-dwelling older Canadians (aged 65–84) completed in-depth interviews and a brief personality inventory. Reflexive thematic analysis revealed three coping orientations: cautious behavior as a meaning-making strategy, self-reliance and threats to autonomy, and adaptive engagement with support systems. Traits like conscientiousness and emotional stability influenced appraisals of control, while low extraversion tended to involve selective, trust-based support-seeking. Findings suggest that coping with FOF is not merely behavioral but reflects the dynamic interplay of personality, appraisal, and identity. These insights support the development of tailored, psychologically informed FOF interventions.

This case-study investigated the motor control strategies underpinning a world-record performance in short-duration, high-intensity rope skipping, focusing on control accuracy and temporal adaptations under extreme speed and fatigue. Methods included 3D motion capture, ground reaction force measurements, and biomechanical modeling. Biomechanical parameters were quantified to identify time-dependent changes and distinctive control strategies. Results demonstrated exceptional clearance accuracy, with left foot operating at mechanical limit and right providing a safety margin. Progressive adaptations of COG height and ROM reflected fatigue-related adjustments, revealing a three-phase adaptation model. Kinetic analyses indicated a functional division of labor, with left leg serving as the power limb and right as the timing limb. Kinematic findings further identified a hierarchical control strategy: trunk adjustments provided rhythmic scaffolding, left leg joints stabilized during contact, and right leg joints enhanced clearance mobility. These results illustrate how asymmetric, hierarchical coordination optimizes performance under extreme temporal and spatial constraints.

Aircraft mechanical maintenance involves high loads, repetitive movements, and awkward postures, significantly increasing the risk of work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs). Traditional static evaluation methods based on posture analysis fail to capture the complexity and dynamic nature of these tasks, limiting their applicability in maintenance settings. To address this limitation, this study introduces a novel quantitative WMSD risk assessment model that leverages 3D motion data collected through an optical motion capture system. The model evaluates dynamic human postures and employs an inverse trigonometric function algorithm to quantify the loading effects on working joints. Experimental validation was conducted through quasi-real-life scenarios to ensure the model’s reliability and applicability. The findings demonstrate that the proposed methodology provides both innovative and practical advantages, overcoming the constraints of conventional assessment techniques. Specifically, it enables precise quantification of physical task loads and enhances occupational injury risk assessments. The model is particularly valuable in physically demanding industries, such as aircraft maintenance, where accurate workload and fatigue monitoring are essential. By facilitating real-time ergonomic analysis, this approach allows managers to monitor worker health, optimize task schedules, and mitigate excessive fatigue and injury risks, ultimately improving both efficiency and workplace safety.

Objectives: To examine whether personality traits and health behaviors predict falls in community-dwelling older adults. Methods: Longitudinal data from the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (CLSA) at baseline (2011–2015) and follow-up two (2018–2021) were analyzed using logistic regression for 5270 adults aged 65 and older, with an alpha level of 0.05. Results: At baseline, participants’ mean age was 72 years, with 51.1% female. Most identified as White (96.7%) and had education beyond secondary (81.5%). Increased physical activity (OR: 1.012, 95% CI: 1.01–1.014), decreased alcohol consumption (OR: 1.634, 95% CI: 1.419–1.883), and smoking cessation (OR: 2.8, 95% CI: 2.198–3.568) increased fall risk, while conscientiousness (OR: 0.832, 95% CI: 0.792–0.874) and openness (OR: 0.959, 95% CI: 0.922–0.998) were protective at follow-up two. Personality changes significantly influence falls. Discussion: Findings highlight the complex interplay between personality traits, health behaviors, and falls, suggesting a one-size-fits-all approach to fall prevention may be insufficient.