Analysis of the joint kinematics of the 5 iron golf swing

The purpose of this study was to identify the performance determining factors of the 5-iron golf swing. Joint kinematics were obtained from thirty male golfers using a twelve camera motion analysis system. Participants were divided into two groups, based on their ball launch speed (high vs. low). Those in the high ball speed group were deemed to be the more skillful group. Statistical analysis was used to identify the variables which differed significantly between the two groups, and could therefore be classified as the performance determining factors. The following factors were important to performance success: (i) the ability of the golfer to maintain a large X Factor angle and generate large X Factor angular velocity throughout the downswing, (ii) maintain the left arm as straight as possible throughout the swing, (iii) utilise greater movement of the hips in the direction of the target and a greater extension of the right hip during the downswing and (iv) greater flexion of both shoulders and less left shoulder internal rotation during the backswing

Decentralising a service-oriented architecture

Service-oriented computing is becoming an increasingly popular paradigm for modelling and building distributed systems in open and heterogeneous environments. However, proposed service-oriented architectures are typically based on centralised components, such as service registries or service brokers, that introduce reliability, management, and performance issues. This paper describes an approach to fully decentralise a service-oriented architecture using a self-organising peer-to-peer network maintained by service providers and consumers. The design is based on a gradient peer-to-peer topology, which allows the system to replicate a service registry using a limited number of the most stable and best performing peers. The paper evaluates the proposed approach through extensive simulation experiments and shows that the decentralised registry and the underlying peer-to-peer infrastructure scale to a large number of peers and can successfully manage high peer churn rates.</p

Beyond free will:Understanding approaches to agency and their suitability for Bandersnatch-like titles

When Bandersnatch (2018) was released on Netflix, interactive storytelling became accessible to a mainstream audience on a new scale. While this interactive film lets audiences make binary choices, the influence they have over the plot is limited, and at times the correlation between a choice and the resulting story is difficult to recognize. Although it can be argued that this constitutes a thematic design choice for this particular title, we think there is general room for improvement for this type of highly restrictive, branching structure film, in order to make the format applicable to a wider range of themes and stories. In this paper, Bandersnatch is examined as a representative of its format in order to develop and identify approaches to increasing agency. We use Hartmut Koenitz's SPP model to understand the title and its format, and the hermeneutic strip extension to assess the perceived agency. Then, we introduce and examine potential approaches to increased agency from other interactive narratives to understand their adaptability and impact. Our discussion concludes that the most promising design idea for increased agency in Bandersnatch-like titles is invisible agency; an approach in which a player model is generated based on identifiable traits in the audience behaviour and used to select matching plotlines. This approach would allow audiences to see the results of their choices immediately, but also allow the impact of the choices to accumulate as the plot progresses, thereby increasing the overall sense of agency.</p

Alice Dalí augmented reality: Evaluating a cultural outdoors game for intergenerational play

Serious Games have been shown to have many uses, such as for learning and cultural engagement. Furthermore, research has shown that some types of game experiences can have significant social benefits, such as a study by Wang, Taylor and Sun, which showed that playing cooperative video games can improve family satisfaction and closeness. In this article, we present the design and evaluation of Alice Dalí AR (2022), a locative augmented-reality smartphone game designed as a cultural experience for families to engage with art, music and storytelling. Alice Dalí AR features 12 illustrations produced by Dalí in 1969 for the iconic story Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carrol. We applied a multisensory design methodology based on synesthesia, where art shapes and color palettes from Dalí’s paintings were “transposed” to music genre and music language. The play experience involves using a radar to find AR music art encounters through which a story of Wonderland emerges. The design offers a cultural and social play experience that can help strengthen family connections and knowledge exchange across generations, and at the same time encourage players to spend time outside in healthy walking activities. We present the results of a user study, which shows evidence of cultural engagement and increased intergenerational emotional bonding. The Alice Dalí AR app is available from the Google and Apple app stores

CD31 defines a subpopulation of human adipose-derived regenerative cells with potent angiogenic effects

Cellular heterogeneity represents a major challenge for regenerative treatment using freshly isolated Adipose Derived Regenerative Cells (ADRCs). Emerging data suggest superior efficacy of ADRCs as compared to the ex vivo expanded and more homogeneous ADRCs (= ASCs) for indications involving (micro)vascular deficiency, however, it remains unknown which ADRC cell subtypes account for the improvement. Surprisingly, we found regarding erectile dysfunction (ED) that the number of injected CD31+ ADRCs correlated positively with erectile function 12 months after one bolus of autologous ADRCs. Comprehensive in vitro and ex vivo analyses confirmed superior pro-angiogenic and paracrine effects of human CD31+ enriched ADRCs compared to the corresponding CD31− and parent ADRCs. When CD31+, CD31− and ADRCs were co-cultured in aortic ring- and corpus cavernous tube formation assays, the CD31+ ADRCs induced significantly higher tube development. This effect was corroborated using conditioned medium (CM), while quantitative mass spectrometric analysis suggested that this is likely explained by secretory pro-angiogenic proteins including DKK3, ANGPT2, ANAX2 and VIM, all enriched in CD31+ ADRC CM. Single-cell RNA sequencing showed that transcripts of the upregulated and secreted proteins were present in 9 endothelial ADRC subsets including endothelial progenitor cells in the heterogenous non-cultured ADRCs. Our data suggest that the vascular benefit of using ADRCs in regenerative medicine is dictated by CD31+ ADRCs.</p

Analysis of the 5 iron golf swing when hitting for maximum distance

Most previous research on golf swing mechanics has focused on the driver club. The aim of this study was to identify the kinematic factors that contribute to greater hitting distance when using the 5 iron club. Three-dimensional marker coordinate data were collected (250 Hz) to calculate joint kinematics at eight key swing events, while a swing analyser measured club swing and ball launch characteristics. Thirty male participants were assigned to one of two groups, based on their ball launch speed (high: 52.9 ± 2.1 m · s(-1); low: 39.9 ± 5.2 m · s(-1)). Statistical analyses were used to identify variables that differed significantly between the two groups. Results showed significant differences were evident between the two groups for club face impact point and a number of joint angles and angular velocities, with greater shoulder flexion and less left shoulder internal rotation in the backswing, greater extension angular velocity in both shoulders at early downswing, greater left shoulder adduction angular velocity at ball contact, greater hip joint movement and X Factor angle during the downswing, and greater left elbow extension early in the downswing appearing to contribute to greater hitting distance with the 5 iron club