Visual function,performance,and processing of basketball players vs.sedentary individuals

Background:Athletes tend to have better visuo-motor performance than do sedentary individuals.However,several basic visual-function and perceptual parameters remain unexplored to date.In this study,we investigated whether differences exist in visual function,performance,and processing between basketball players and individuals without a sport-involvement background.Methods:A total of 33 healthy men with no visual impairment or pathology were divided into 2 groups,depending on the involvement in sport(semi-professional basketball players and sedentary individuals).We tested their baseline heart-rate variability in the resting position apart from subjective questionnaires to determine their physical fitness level,and we checked their visual function,performance,and processing through an extended battery of optometric tests.Results:The 2 groups differed in resting heart-rate variability parameters(p<0.001),confirming their dissimilarities in regular time practising sports per week.The basketball players showed a closer breakpoint and recovery nearpoint of convergence,a higher fusional-vergence rate,better discriminability halos,and better eye-hand coordination(all p values<0.05).Conclusion:These results show evidence that athletes,basketball players in this case,exhibit better performance in several visual abilities in comparison to a group of individuals without sporting backgrounds,suggesting an improvement due to the systematic involvement of those skills during basketball practice.

海峡文化艺术中心

理念与建筑的互慕相成福州,是中国古代海上丝绸之路的起点之一,也是21世纪海上丝绸之路的战略支点城市。作为福州市的文化地标,海峡文化艺术中心必然将是一座肩负着文化传承与创新重任,并兼具地域性和国际性的中国建筑。以此作为本次设计的出发点,是中国、芬兰两国设计团队在设计之初就达成的高度共识。《茉莉花》是歌剧《图兰朵》中广为传唱的东方小调,并早已成为中国文化的代表符号之一。同时,茉莉花是福州市的市花,在西汉时期就已在福州被栽种,是福州文化的重要组成部分。可以说,茉莉花是中西文化的交汇点,是中国与世界相互连接的桥梁之一。由此,茉莉花这一自然天成的形象,成为中芬两国设计师的共同选择。