The effects of medial and lateral wedges on iliotibial band strain during overground running

Background: Iliotibial band syndrome (ITBS) is the leading cause of lateral knee pain in runners. Previous research has theorized that higher ITB strain rate leads to ITBS development. Orthotics are commonly used to correct gait mechanics and may reduce ITB strain and strain rate. The purpose of this research was to investigate how wedge inserts and gender affect kinematics, kinetics, and ITB strain and strain rate during running. Methods: Thirty (15 male, 15 female) participants ran with lateral 7°, lateral 3°, no wedge, medial 3°, and medial 7° wedges. A motion capture system and force platform were used to collect kinematic and kinetic data. Joint angles and joint moments were calculated during the stance phase. ITB strain and strain rate were determined using a six degree of freedom musculoskeletal model. Findings: There were no significant differences for ITB strain or strain rate between wedge conditions or genders. The lateral 7° wedge resulted in significantly higher ankle eversion angles and lower ankle plantar flexion moments than no wedge. The medial 7° wedge resulted in significantly lower ankle eversion angles, higher hip internal rotation angles, lower ankle plantar flexion moments, lower ankle inversion moments, and higher external knee varus moments. Males had significantly higher knee valgus angles, knee internal rotation angles, ankle plantar flexion moments, ankle inversion moments, and knee extension moments. Interpretation: Results indicate that wedge inserts do not have a significant effect upon ITB strain and strain rate for healthy runners. While wedge orthotics may correct ankle/foot alignment problems, higher external knee varus moments with a medial 7° wedge are of concern

ACES RED Experiment #1 Environmental Test Results for Industrial Grade, Non-traditional, and Other Components Lacking Flight Heritage

Results of the thermal vacuum chamber (TVAC) testing and vibrational testing of the ACES RED Experiment #1 are presented. Performance of commercial-off-the-shelf components such as the Avnet PicoZed, the Xiphos Q7, the MAI-400, and a NovaTel GNSS during TVAC testing are provided and analyzed. To our knowledge, this is the first orbital flight of this version of the GNSS, this version of the MAI-400, and the PicoZed. The experiment utilizes a novel structural concept for ease of electronics assembly and disassembly. The health monitoring system measures temperatures, vibration, voltages, and currents for situational awareness of each of these component\u27s relative performance. An assessment and progression of the technology readiness level of the hardware is also presented

Detection of a glitch in the pulsar J1709-4429

We report the detection of a glitch event in the pulsar J1709$-$4429 (also known as B1706$-$44) during regular monitoring observations with the Molonglo Observatory Synthesis Telescope (UTMOST). The glitch was found during timing operations, in which we regularly observe over 400 pulsars with up to daily cadence, while commensally searching for Rotating Radio Transients, pulsars, and FRBs. With a fractional size of $\Delta\nu/\nu \approx 52.4 \times10^{-9}$, the glitch reported here is by far the smallest known for this pulsar, attesting to the efficacy of glitch searches with high cadence using UTMOST.Comment: 3 pages, 1 figur

Patterns of Ecosystem Structure and Wildfire Carbon Combustion Across Six Ecoregions of the North American Boreal Forest

Increases in fire frequency, extent, and severity are expected to strongly impact the structure and function of boreal forest ecosystems. An important function of the boreal forest is its ability to sequester and store carbon (C). Increasing disturbance from wildfires, emitting large amounts of C to the atmosphere, may create a positive feedback to climate warming. Variation in ecosystem structure and function throughout the boreal forest is important for predicting the effects of climate warming and changing fire regimes on C dynamics. In this study, we compiled data on soil characteristics, stand structure, pre-fire C pools, C loss from fire, and the potential drivers of these C metrics from 527 sites distributed across six ecoregions of North America’s western boreal forests. We assessed structural and functional differences between these fire-prone ecoregions using data from 417 recently burned sites (2004–2015) and estimated ecoregion-specific relationships between soil characteristics and depth from 167 of these sites plus an additional 110 sites (27 burned, 83 unburned). We found that northern boreal ecoregions were generally older, stored and emitted proportionally more belowground than aboveground C, and exhibited lower rates of C accumulation over time than southern ecoregions. We present ecoregion-specific estimates of depth-wise soil characteristics that are important for predicting C combustion from fire. As climate continues to warm and disturbance from wildfires increases, the C dynamics of these fire-prone ecoregions are likely to change with significant implications for the global C cycle and its feedbacks to climate change

PNPLA3 gene polymorphism is associated with predisposition to and severity of alcoholic liver disease

The genetic polymorphism with an isoleucine-to-methionine substitution at position 148 (rs738409 C>G) in the patatin-like phospholipase domain protein 3 (PNPLA3) gene confers risk of steatosis. PNPLA3 polymorphism is shown to be associated with alcoholic liver disease (ALD). We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to examine association of this genetic polymorphism with ALD spectrum and its severity.METHODS:Medline, Embase, and Cochrane Library were searched for studies on association of PNPLA3 polymorphism and ALD spectrum: alcoholic fatty liver (AFL), alcoholic liver injury (ALI), alcoholic cirrhosis (AC), and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Pooled data are reported as odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence interval. Heterogeneity was assessed using the I 2 statistics and publication bias using Egger's test and Begg and Mazumdar's test. Individual participant data obtained from five studies were used for subgroup analyses.RESULTS:Among 10 studies included in this pooled analysis, compared with controls, OR for rs738409 CG and GG among ALI patients was 1.45 (1.24-1.69) and 2.22 (1.50-3.28), respectively, compared with CC. Respective OR among AC patients was 2.09 (1.79-2.44) and 3.37 (2.49-4.58) and among AC patients with HCC was 2.87 (1.61-5.10) and 12.41 (6.99-22.03). Data for AFL were inconsistent. Among ALD patients, OR of CG and GG genotypes was 2.62 (1.73-3.97) and 8.45 (2.52-28.37), respectively, for AC compared with fatty liver (FL) patients. Similar OR for AC compared with ALI was 1.98 (1.24-3.17) and 3.86 (1.18-12.60). The OR for CG and GG genotypes among AC patients for HCC occurrence was 1.43 (0.76-2.72) and 2.81 (1.57-5.01), respectively. Individual participant data analysis showed age to predispose to AC among ALI patients.CONCLUSIONS:PNPLA3 genetic polymorphism (rs738409 C>G) is associated with increased risk for the entire spectrum of ALD among drinkers including ALI, AC, and HCC. Studies are needed to clarify association of PNPLA3 polymorphism and steatosis in alcoholics. PNPLA3 gene may potentially be a therapeutic target in ALD

Breed-Specific Hematological Phenotypes in the Dog: A Natural Resource for the Genetic Dissection of Hematological Parameters in a Mammalian Species

Remarkably little has been published on hematological phenotypes of the domestic dog, the most polymorphic species on the planet. Information on the signalment and complete blood cell count of all dogs with normal red and white blood cell parameters judged by existing reference intervals was extracted from a veterinary database. Normal hematological profiles were available for 6046 dogs, 5447 of which also had machine platelet concentrations within the reference interval. Seventy-five pure breeds plus a mixed breed control group were represented by 10 or more dogs. All measured parameters except mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC) varied with age. Concentrations of white blood cells (WBCs), neutrophils, monocytes, lymphocytes, eosinophils and platelets, but not red blood cell parameters, all varied with sex. Neutering status had an impact on hemoglobin concentration, mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH), MCHC, and concentrations of WBCs, neutrophils, monocytes, lymphocytes and platelets. Principal component analysis of hematological data revealed 37 pure breeds with distinctive phenotypes. Furthermore, all hematological parameters except MCHC showed significant differences between specific individual breeds and the mixed breed group. Twenty-nine breeds had distinctive phenotypes when assessed in this way, of which 19 had already been identified by principal component analysis. Tentative breed-specific reference intervals were generated for breeds with a distinctive phenotype identified by comparative analysis. This study represents the first large-scale analysis of hematological phenotypes in the dog and underlines the important potential of this species in the elucidation of genetic determinants of hematological traits, triangulating phenotype, breed and genetic predisposition