QUANTIFYING THE UNDERWATER TRAJECTORY OF A SWIMMING START

The underwater phase of the swimming start has been found to be the most important factor in determining overall start performance. This research project aimed to find the minimum number of anatomical landmarks, which when digitised still provide a sufficient characterisation of the whole body centre of gravity (CoG) trajectory during the underwater phase of a swimming start. In order to assess this, 10 dive trials were analysed using a variety of combinations of anatomical landmarks to allow for determination of the 2D CoG of each body segment. It was found that five landmarks is the most accurate representation of total body CoG, however fewer can be used. The findings from this study will allow for a more efficient and less time consuming method of quantifying the underwater trajectory of a swimming start in future studies

Can intrinsic and extrinsic metacognitive cues shield against distraction in problem solving?

We investigated the capacity for two different forms of metacognitive cue to shield against auditory distraction in problem solving with Compound Remote Associates Tasks (CRATs). Experiment 1 demonstrated that an intrinsic metacognitive cue in the form of processing disfluency (manipulated using an easy-to-read vs. difficult-to-read font) could increase focal task engagement so as to mitigate the detrimental impact of distraction on solution rates for CRATs. Experiment 2 showed that an extrinsic metacognitive cue that took the form of an incentive for good task performance (i.e., 80% or better CRAT solutions) could likewise eliminate the negative impact of distraction on CRAT solution rates. Overall, these findings support the view that both intrinsic and extrinsic metacognitive cues have remarkably similar effects. This suggests that metacognitive cues operate via a common underlying mechanism whereby a participant applies increased focal attention to the primary task so as to ensure more steadfast task engagement that is not so easily diverted by task-irrelevant stimuli

Climate Change Impact: The Experience of the Coastal Areas of Bangladesh Affected by Cyclones Sidr and Aila

Bangladesh is considered one of the countries most at risk to the effects of climate change and its coastal area is most vulnerable. This study tries to explore the experiences of cyclones Sidr and Aila affected people living in the coastal areas of Bangladesh. This study was conducted in the cyclone Sidr affected Amtali Upazila of Barguna District and in the cyclone Aila affected Koyra Upazila of Khulna District. Primary data collection was done using Focus Group Interview and then a thematic analysis approach was used for analysis. Three core themes emerged from the analysis and they are, firstly, impacts of climate change on the socioeconomic condition of the people, secondly, the impact on the health status of the population, and finally the impact on vulnerable people. Findings show that the effects of climate change have serious consequences on the livelihood patterns of the affected population and on their overall health status. As a result, the unfavorable health condition of these affected people makes them more vulnerable to various emerging diseases

Time dependent HPLC analysis of the product ratio of enzymatically reduced prodrug CB1954 by a modified and immobilised nitroreductase

Directed enzyme prodrug therapy is a chemotherapy strategy that utilises prodrug-activating enzymes to activate prodrugs at the tumour location, thus reducing off-target effects. The most commonly investigated enzyme for use with the CB1954 prodrug is the NfnB nitroreductase from E. coli. Literature states that CB1954 is reduced by NfnB at the 2- or 4-position at a 1:1 ratio; deviation from this ratio has been observed in the literature, but not further investigated. The kinetic parameters for the genetically-modified enzymes; NfnB-his, NfnB-cys and AuNP-NfnB-cys were assessed and HPLC analysis was used to determine the hydroxylamine product ratios formed when reacted with CB1954. Time-dependent HPLC studies were carried out to assess how this ratio changes over time. It was shown that the hydroxylamine ratio formed by the reduction of CB1954 by a nitroreductase changes over time and that this change in ratio relates directly to the kinetics of the reaction. Thus, the hydroxylamine ratio measured using HPLC at a given time point was not a true indication of the preference of the nitroreductase enzymes during catalysis. These results question how nitroreductases are evaluated in terms of the hydroxylamine ratio and it is suspected that this phenomenon may also apply to other enzyme/prodrug combinations

Student expectations: what is university really about?

Students spend 12 to 14 years in school learning in a carefully controlled and structured system.  It appears that many students enter university with unrealistic conceptions of what is expected of them in many aspects of teaching and learning, including assessment. Hence, when they reach university they are faced with the challenge of adjusting to radically different styles of teaching, learning and assessment. It follows that this lack of preparedness is key reason why students drop out or take longer to complete their studies.  To compound the issue, university teachers may not fully appreciate students' expectations and are unable to anticipate and address these in curriculum development and delivery.  Therefore, developing a better understanding of students’ perceptions, expectations and experiences is crucial to being able to deliver programmes of study that support students in the transition from school to university and as they move through their university life.  This paper explores the perceptions of Level 5 and Level 6 students on two LJMU programmes in the Faculty of Education, Health and Community with the overarching aim to investigate key aspects of the student experience relating to induction, support and transition.  By exploring students’ ideas around key areas we hope to be able to better understand what the student expectation is and identify strategies to bridge any gap that exists between staff and student beliefs

Effectiveness of Physical Therapy Interventions for Women with Dysmenorrhea: a Systematic Review

Background and aims: Primary dysmenorrhea, or painful menstruation, is common in menstruating females. However, in some, it can cause intense pain, disrupt activities of daily living, and impact quality of life. The treatment of dysmenorrhea does not traditionally include physical therapy. A systematic review was conducted to explore the role of physical therapy in treating dysmenorrhea. Methods: A search was performed in August 2020 and January 2021 using EBSCOhost, Academic Search Ultimate, CINAHL Complete, and MEDLINE. Search terms included exercise or physical activity or fitness AND dysmenorrhea or menstrual pain or painful menstruation. Inclusion criteria were articles that were peer-reviewed, published in the last 10 years, and available in full text in English. All articles included in the review were analyzed for quality on a hierarchy of evidence scale. Results: 22 results were included in this systematic review. 19 articles were level 2 and 3 articles were level 3 on the hierarchy of evidence scale. The Visual Analog Scale and Menstrual Distress Questionnaire were the widely utilized outcome measures used to determine the effectiveness of the interventions. Interventions including aerobic exercise, stretching, kinesio taping, aquatic therapy, acupressure, yoga, core stability, positional activities, spinal manipulation, and patient education have shown to be effective. Conclusions: Physical therapy can assist in the reduction of pain and other symptoms associated with dysmenorrhea. Overall, articles indicated that aerobic exercise, stretching, and core stability yielded the greatest improvement in patient symptoms of dysmenorrhea. Physicians should consider recommending physical therapy to patients with symptoms that disrupt their activities of daily living.https://digitalcommons.misericordia.edu/research_posters2021/1029/thumbnail.jp

Risk, response and review: multi-agency safeguarding: a thematic analysis of child practice reviews in Wales 2023

Child Practice Reviews (CPRs) are undertaken in circumstances of a significant incident where abuse or neglect of a child is known or suspected. The purpose of a child practice review is to generate professional and organisational learning and promote improvement in future inter-agency child protection practice. The analysis provides a deep dive into the complexities surrounding multi-agency safeguarding and the challenges in achieving a collective safeguarding responsibility. None of these factors are singular or offer simple solutions and all require concerted collective commitment at all levels, to further reduce risk and ensure that good practice is sustained over the long term. The report contains actionable recommendations to support practitioners, leaders and policymakers to maximise effective working across all agencies involved with children and families. In addition, there are recommendations to ensure that CPRs are of high quality with clear review processes to provide greater transparency to prevent future harms. Lead author Michelle McManus, Professor of Safeguarding and Violence Prevention at Manchester Met, said: “Our analysis aims to be constructive, not critical. While it revealed several key issues that require urgent prioritisation, it also highlighted examples of good practice that should be acknowledged.

Risks, responses and review: analysis and key recommendations from Child Practice Reviews

Where children suffer significant harm resulting in serious and permanent damage or death within their families, a Child Practice Review (CPR) provides the opportunity to understand issues and improve professional and organisational practice. This poster summarises the findings of an analytical review of 33 Child Practice Reviews (CPRs) that were undertaken by the six Regional Safeguarding Boards (RSBs) in Wales between 2013 and 2021. Mixed-methods analyses examined key risk factors, multi-agency responses and the review proces