Observational review and analysis of concussion : a method for conducting a standardized video analysis of concussion in rugby league

Background: Several professional contact and collision sports have recently introduced the use of sideline video review for club medical staff to help identify and manage concussions. As such, reviewing video footage on the sideline has become increasingly relied upon to assist with improving the identification of possible injury. However, as yet, a standardized method for reviewing such video footage in rugby league has not been published. The aim of this study is to evaluate whether independent raters reliably agreed on the injury characterization when using a standardized observational instrument to record video footage of National Rugby League (NRL) concussions. Methods: Video footage of 25 concussions were randomly selected from a pool of 80 medically diagnosed concussions from the 2013–2014 NRL seasons. Four raters (two naive and two expert) independently viewed video footage of 25 NRL concussions and completed the Observational Review and Analysis of Concussion form for the purpose of this inter-rater reliability study. The inter-rater reliability was calculated using Cohen’s kappa (κ) and intra-class correlation (ICC) statistics. The two naive raters and the two expert raters were compared with one another separately. Results: A considerable number of components for the naive and expert raters had almost perfect agreement (κ or ICC value ≥ 0.9), 9 of 22 (41%) components for naive raters and 21 of 22 (95%) components for expert raters. For the concussion signs, however, the majority of the rating agreement was moderate (κ value 0.6–0.79); both the naive and expert raters had 4 of 6 (67%) concussion signs with moderate agreement. The most difficult concussion sign to achieve agreement on was blank or vacant stare, which had weak (κ value 0.4–0.59) agreement for both naive and expert raters. Conclusions: There appears to be value in expert raters, but less value for naive raters, in using the new Observational Review and Analysis of Concussion (ORAC) Form. The ORAC Form has high inter-rater agreement for most data elements, and it can be used by expert raters evaluating video footage of possible concussion in the NRL

North American Hard Yellow Liver Disease: An Old Problem Readdressed

Hard yellow liver disease or fatty cirrhosis periodically affects cattle, sheep, goats, pronghorn antelope (Antilocapra americana) and whitetail deer (Odocoileus virginianus texanus) within several Texas counties in the United States. Clinically it presents as chronic liver disease with progressive hepatic necrosis and fibrosis, icterus and liver failure. The damaged livers are yellow and many have multiple firm, often gritty foci that are scattered throughout all lobes. Early investigations included feeding studies using potential toxic plants, climate and forage studies, infectious disease surveys and various mycotoxin studies and analyses. None have definitively reproduced the disease or identified the inciting cause. However, the problem continues and recent outbreaks have allowed the collection of additional frozen tissues, and numerous paraffin tissue blocks and slides for additional studies. The objectives for this work are to evaluate and compare the microscopic changes, special histochemical studies, microbial and fungal surveys and chemical assays for dehyro-pyrrolizidine alkaloid (DHPA) metabolites of these additional cases with historical reports. These bovine livers had a spectrum of lesions including lipid degeneration and necrosis, eosinophilic granulomatous hepatitis, focal follicular lymphoid proliferation and chronic fibrosing hepatitis with dystrophic mineralization. No pyrrolizidine alkaloid metabolites were detected in any of the livers and select special stains did not reveal any fungal, bacterial or parasitic etiologies. The lack of findings and mixed histologic presentation suggest that this syndrome is a collection of chronic diseases probably of various etiologies. Earlier animal surveillance work is needed in endemic areas to better understand the etiology and pathogenesis of this syndrome

Ptychographic hyperspectral spectromicroscopy with an extreme ultraviolet high harmonic comb

We demonstrate a new scheme of spectromicroscopy in the extreme ultraviolet (EUV) spectral range, where the spectral response of the sample at different wavelengths is imaged simultaneously. It is enabled by applying ptychographical information multiplexing (PIM) to a tabletop EUV source based on high harmonic generation, where four spectrally narrow harmonics near 30 nm form a spectral comb structure. Extending PIM from previously demonstrated visible wavelengths to the EUV/X-ray wavelengths promises much higher spatial resolution and more powerful spectral contrast mechanism, making PIM an attractive spectromicroscopy method in both the microscopy and the spectroscopy aspects. Besides the sample, the multicolor EUV beam is also imaged in situ, making our method a powerful beam characterization technique. No hardware is used to separate or narrow down the wavelengths, leading to efficient use of the EUV radiation

Predictors and correlates of perceived cognitive decline in retired professional rugby league players

Objective: Rugby league is an international full-contact sport, with frequent concussive injuries. Participation in other full-contact sports such as American football has been considered to be a risk factor for neuropsychiatric sequelae later-in-life, but little research has addressed the mental and cognitive health of retired professional rugby league players. We examined predictors and correlates of perceived (self-reported) cognitive decline in retired National Rugby League (NRL) players. Methods: Participants were 133 retired male elite level rugby league players in Australia. Participants completed clinical interviews, neuropsychological testing, and self-report measures. The Informant Questionnaire on Cognitive Decline in the Elderly, self-report (IQCODE-Self), measured perceived cognitive decline. Results: The median age of the sample was 55.0 (M = 53.1, SD = 13.9, range = 30–89) and the median years of education completed was 12.0 (M = 11.9, SD = 2.6, range = 7–18). The retired players reported a median of 15.0 total lifetime concussions (M = 28.0, SD = 36.6, range = 0–200). The mean IQCODE-Self score was 3.2 (SD = 0.5; Range = 1.3–5.0); 10/133 (7.5%) and 38/133 (28.6%) scored above conservative and liberal cutoffs for cognitive decline on the IQCODE-Self, respectively. Perceived cognitive decline was positively correlated with current depressive symptoms, negatively correlated with years of professional sport exposure and resilience, and unrelated to objective cognition and number of self-reported concussions. A multiple regression model with perceived cognitive decline regressed on age, concussion history, professional rugby league exposure, depression, resilience, objective cognitive functioning, daytime sleepiness, and pain severity showed depression as the only significant predictor. Conclusion: This is the first large study examining subjectively experienced cognitive decline in retired professional rugby league players. Similar to studies from the general population and specialty clinics, no relationship was found between objective cognitive test performance and perceived cognitive decline. Depressive symptoms emerged as the strongest predictor of perceived cognitive decline, suggesting that subjective reports of worsening cognition in retired elite rugby league players might reflect psychological distress rather than current cognitive impairment

The structure of quantum Lie algebras for the classical series B_l, C_l and D_l

The structure constants of quantum Lie algebras depend on a quantum deformation parameter q and they reduce to the classical structure constants of a Lie algebra at $q=1$. We explain the relationship between the structure constants of quantum Lie algebras and quantum Clebsch-Gordan coefficients for adjoint x adjoint ---> adjoint. We present a practical method for the determination of these quantum Clebsch-Gordan coefficients and are thus able to give explicit expressions for the structure constants of the quantum Lie algebras associated to the classical Lie algebras B_l, C_l and D_l. In the quantum case also the structure constants of the Cartan subalgebra are non-zero and we observe that they are determined in terms of the simple quantum roots. We introduce an invariant Killing form on the quantum Lie algebras and find that it takes values which are simple q-deformations of the classical ones.Comment: 25 pages, amslatex, eepic. Final version for publication in J. Phys. A. Minor misprints in eqs. 5.11 and 5.12 correcte

Drug repurposing: tolfenamic acid inactivates PrbP, a transcriptional accessory protein in liberibacter asiaticus

CLIBASIA_01510, PrbP, is a predicted RNA polymerase binding protein in Liberibacter asiaticus. PrbP was found to regulate expression of a small subset of ribosomal genes through interactions with the β-subunit of the RNA polymerase and a short, specific sequence on the promoter region. Molecular screening assays were performed to identify small molecules that interact with PrbP in vitro. Chemical hits were analyzed for therapeutic efficacy against L. asiaticus via an infected leaf assay, where the transcriptional activity of L. asiaticus was found to decrease significantly after exposure to tolfenamic acid. Similarly, tolfenamic acid was found to inhibit L. asiaticus infection in highly symptomatic citrus seedlings. Our results indicate that PrbP is an important transcriptional regulator for survival of L. asiaticus in planta, and the chemicals identified by molecular screening assays could be used as a therapeutic treatment for huanglongbing disease.Fil: Gardner, Christopher L.. University of Florida; Estados UnidosFil: Pagliai, Fernando A.. University of Florida; Estados UnidosFil: Pan, Lei. University of Florida; Estados UnidosFil: Bojilova, Lora. University of Florida; Estados UnidosFil: Torino, Maria Ines. University of Florida; Estados Unidos. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Tucumán. Centro de Referencia para Lactobacilos; ArgentinaFil: Lorca, Graciela L.. University of Florida; Estados UnidosFil: Gonzalez, Claudio F.. University of Florida; Estados Unido

Glutamate Neurotransmission in Rodent Models of Traumatic Brain Injury

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a leading cause of death and disability in people younger than 45 and is a significant public health concern. In addition to primary mechanical damage to cells and tissue, TBI involves additional molecular mechanisms of injury, termed secondary injury, that continue to evolve over hours, days, weeks, and beyond. The trajectory of recovery after TBI is highly unpredictable and in many cases results in chronic cognitive and behavioral changes. Acutely after TBI, there is an unregulated release of glutamate that cannot be buffered or cleared effectively, resulting in damaging levels of glutamate in the extracellular space. This initial loss of glutamate homeostasis may initiate additional changes in glutamate regulation. The excitatory amino acid transporters (EAATs) are expressed on both neurons and glia and are the principal mechanism for maintaining extracellular glutamate levels. Diffusion of glutamate outside the synapse due to impaired uptake may lead to increased extrasynaptic glutamate signaling, secondary injury through activation of cell death pathways, and loss of fidelity and specificity of synaptic transmission. Coordination of glutamate release and uptake is critical to regulating synaptic strength, long-term potentiation and depression, and cognitive processes. In this review, we will discuss dysregulation of extracellular glutamate and glutamate uptake in the acute stage of TBI and how failure to resolve acute disruptions in glutamate homeostatic mechanisms may play a causal role in chronic cognitive symptoms after TBI

Movements of Spawning and Non-Spawning Shovelnose Sturgeon in the Missouri River Above Fort Peck Reservoir

During the last 40 yrs there has been a lack of pallid sturgeon (Scaphirhynchus albus) recruitment in the upper Missouri River (UMR). However, shovelnose sturgeon (Scaphirhynchus platorynchus) continue to exhibit recruitment in the UMR. Understanding the recruitment dichotomy between species is receiving much attention throughout their range. The objectives of this study were to identify the effects of varying discharge on spawning locations and spawning movements for pallid and shovelnose sturgeon. Two female pallid sturgeon, 32 gravid female shovelnose sturgeon, and 32 non-reproductively active female shovelnose sturgeon were radio tagged at three locations and tracked from 1 May to 5 July 2009. Unfortunately, no data are available for spawning pallid sturgeon movements because fish were not reproductively active. Upstream movement by gravid shovelnose sturgeon varied from 20 percent of the fish tagged at Judith Landing to 56 percent of the fish tagged at Coal Banks Recreation Area (CBRA). Mean maximum upstream movement of gravid shovelnose sturgeon varied from 35.7 km at CBRA to 87.9 km at Fred Robinson Bridge (FRB), mean maximum downstream movement varied from 24.9 km at FRB to 80.3 km at CBRA. Reproductively inactive shovelnose sturgeon exhibited lower mean maximum movements than reproductively active fish (mean maximum distance 5.7 km). Shovelnose sturgeon in the UMR exhibit both upstream and downstream movements prior to spawning and are using several spawning areas. Thus, maintaining spawning habitat throughout a regulated river is important with regard to shovelnose sturgeon conservation

Barriers and Facilitators to Implementing Healthy Food Retail Programs: Extension Agents’ Perceptions

The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to understand the perceptions Extension professionals have about healthy food retail programs (HFRPs). Family and Consumer Science (FCS) agents from one state in the southeastern United States were interviewed about their definitions of HFRPs, what challenges and benefits existed, and strategies for successful HFRP implementation. Participants reported that HFRPs would bring immense benefits to their communities, including expanding the recognition of Extension. However, one specific suggestion that was identified was hands-on training needed before initiating HFRPs, particularly on strategies for relationship development with retail store owners