How performance analysis of elite long jumping can inform representative training design through identification of key constraints on competitive behaviours

Analysing performance in competitive environments enables identification of key constraints which shape behaviours, supporting designs of more representative training and learning environments. In this study, competitive performance of 244 elite level jumpers (male and female) was analysed to identify the impact of candidate individual, environmental and task constraints on performance outcomes. Findings suggested that key constraints shaping behaviours in long jumping were related to: individuals (e.g. particularly intended performance goals of athletes and their impact on future jump performance); performance environments (e.g. strength and direction of wind) and tasks (e.g. requirement for front foot to be behind foul line at take-off board to avoid a foul jump). Results revealed the interconnectedness of competitive performance, highlighting that each jump should not be viewed as a behaviour in isolation, but rather as part of a complex system of connected performance events which contribute to achievement of competitive outcomes. These findings highlight the potential nature of the contribution of performance analysis in competitive performance contexts. They suggest how practitioners could design better training tasks, based on key ecological constraints of competition, to provide athletes with opportunities to explore and exploit functional intentions and movement solutions high in contextual specificity

Australian grades 4 to 6 teachers’ beliefs and practices about teaching writing to low SES students

The current study examined writing beliefs and practices of 187 grades 4 to 6 teachers who taught writing in schools serving predominantly low SES students in Queensland, Australia. These participants completed a mailed survey that assessed their perceptions of preparation to teach writing to low SES students, time spent on writing instruction, frequency of writing instruction, students’ time spent on writing, efficacy beliefs for teaching writing, beliefs about these students’ cognitive attributes for successful writing, beliefs about the suitability of basic writing instruction for low SES students, frequency of teaching basic writing skills and frequency of teaching advanced writing skills. As predicted, these teachers did not feel that they were prepared adequately to teach writing to low SES students. Neither did they consider in-service support sufficient. These teachers spent limited time on teaching writing, with a majority (81 %) spending 1 or 2 h or less teaching writing each week. Most teachers held deficit beliefs about low SES students, considering them lacking cognitive and motivational attributes for successful writing. Most also considered basic writing instruction appropriate for low SES students. As expected, most teachers taught basic writing skills more often than advanced writing skills. The results of multiple regression analyses showed that teachers’ efficacy beliefs predicted frequency of teaching basic and advanced skills and moderated the effects of other teacher beliefs on how often basic writing skills were taught to low SES students

Malignancy risk for solitary and multiple nodules in Hürthle cell–predominant thyroid fine‐needle aspirations: A multi‐institutional study

Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/153015/1/cncy22213.pdfhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/153015/2/cncy22213_am.pd

Expression and regulation of drug transporters in vertebrate neutrophils.

There remains a need to identify novel pro-resolution drugs for treatment of inflammatory disease. To date, there are no neutrophil-specific anti-inflammatory treatments in clinical use, perhaps due to our lack of understanding of how drugs access this complex cell type. Here we present the first comprehensive description and expression of both major classes of drug transporters, SLC and ABC, in resting human blood neutrophils. Moreover, we have studied the expression of these carriers in the tractable model system, the zebrafish (Danio rerio), additionally examining the evolutionary relationship between drug transporters in zebrafish and humans. We anticipate that this will be a valuable resource to the field of inflammation biology and will be an important asset in future anti-inflammatory drug design

Pneumovirus in Dogs with Acute Respiratory Disease

To determine which respiratory viruses circulate among confined dogs, we analyzed nasal and pharyngeal swab specimens from shelter dogs with acute respiratory disease. An unknown virus was isolated. Monoclonal antibody testing indicated that it was probably a pneumovirus. PCR and sequence analysis indicated that it was closely related to murine pneumovirus

Control of Dendritic Morphogenesis by Trio in Drosophila melanogaster

Abl tyrosine kinase and its effectors among the Rho family of GTPases each act to control dendritic morphogenesis in Drosophila. It has not been established, however, which of the many GTPase regulators in the cell link these signaling molecules in the dendrite. In axons, the bifunctional guanine exchange factor, Trio, is an essential link between the Abl tyrosine kinase signaling pathway and Rho GTPases, particularly Rac, allowing these systems to act coordinately to control actin organization. In dendritic morphogenesis, however, Abl and Rac have contrary rather than reinforcing effects, raising the question of whether Trio is involved, and if so, whether it acts through Rac, Rho or both. We now find that Trio is expressed in sensory neurons of the Drosophila embryo and regulates their dendritic arborization. trio mutants display a reduction in dendritic branching and increase in average branch length, whereas over-expression of trio has the opposite effect. We further show that it is the Rac GEF domain of Trio, and not its Rho GEF domain that is primarily responsible for the dendritic function of Trio. Thus, Trio shapes the complexity of dendritic arbors and does so in a way that mimics the effects of its target, Rac

Evaluation of Carbonic Anhydrase IX as a Therapeutic Target for Inhibition of Breast Cancer Invasion and Metastasis Using a Series of in vitro Breast Cancer Models

This research was financed in part by a Grant of the 7th Framework Program of the European Union (METOXIA project; HEALTH‐F2‐2009‐222741) and the NGI Pre- Seed grant (NWO n° 93613002).Triple negative, resistant or metastatic disease are major factors in breast cancer mortality, warranting novel approaches. Carbonic anhydrase IX (CAIX) is implicated in survival, migration and invasion of breast cancer cells and inhibition provides an innovative therapeutic strategy. The efficacy of 5 novel ureido-substituted sulfamate CAIX inhibitors were assessed in increasingly complex breast cancer models, including cell lines in normoxia and hypoxia, 3D spheroids and an ex-vivo explant model utilizing fresh biopsy tissue from different breast cancer subtypes. CAIX expression was evaluated in a tissue microarray (TMA) of 92 paired lymph node and primary breast cancers and 2 inhibitors were appraised in vivo using MDA-MB-231 xenografts. FC11409B, FC9398A, FC9403, FC9396A and S4 decreased cell proliferation and migration and inhibited 3D spheroid invasion. S4, FC9398A and FC9403A inhibited or prevented invasion into collagen. FC9403A significantly reversed established invasion whilst FC9398A and DTP348 reduced xenograft growth. TMA analysis showed increased CAIX expression in triple negative cancers. These data establish CAIX inhibition as a relevant therapeutic goal in breast cancer, targeting the migratory, invasive, and metastatic potential of this disease. The use of biopsy tissue suggests efficacy against breast cancer subtypes, and should provide a useful tool in drug testing against invasive cancers.Publisher PDFPeer reviewe

Groundwater–surface water interactions in an ephemeral savanna catchment, Kruger National Park

The semi-arid conditions in savanna landscapes ensure that ephemeral drainage dominates the hydrological network in these dryland systems. Quantification of their hydrological processes is important to inform ecosystem understanding and future conservation efforts under a changing climate, and to provide guidance for restoration. By combining in situ hydrometric observations, hydrochemistry, remote sensing and a soil water balance model, we characterise the groundwater–surface water interactions in ephemeral low-order catchments of the granitoid regions of the southern Kruger National Park (KNP). Streams at the lowest orders are augmented by lateral interflows from the catena, although the second-and third-order stream reaches are conduits for groundwater recharge to the fractured rock aquifer; the soils of the crests and foot-slopes also show preferential flow, and are truly recharge soils, whilst the duplex soils of the midslopes clearly show their responsive nature to a low soil moisture deficit in the shallow horizons. Actual evaporation (aET) differed between catena elements with surprisingly little variation at third-order hillslopes, with the greatest overall aET at the first order. Meanwhile, soil water balances demonstrated a significant variation in storage of the riparian zones as a result of interflow from upslope and aET losses. Furthermore, data support broader-scale observations that groundwater recharge through the vadose zone to the fractured rock aquifer is dependent upon threshold antecedent precipitation conditions. Moderate precipitation events (5 mm/day – 35 mm/day) over a 2–3 week period initiate groundwater responses with a 2–3 month lag, whilst intense precipitation events (>100 mm/day) are expressed within 2–3 weeks

Viral testing of 10 cases of Theiler's disease and 37 in-contact horses in the absence of equine biologic product administration: A prospective study (2014-2018)

Background A novel equine parvovirus (EqPV-H) was recently discovered in the equine liver with Theiler's disease. Objectives To determine the prevalence of EqPV-H infection in naturally occurring Theiler's disease cases and in-contact horses in the absence of historical equine biologic product administration. Animals Ten cases of Theiler's disease from 6 separate properties were included in the study, based on the criteria of acute onset of clinical signs of liver failure with laboratory or histopathologic findings characteristic of Theiler's disease and no history of receiving an equine biologic product within the preceding 4 months. In addition, 37 in-contact horses from 4 of the 6 properties were screened for EqPV-H infection and hepatitis. Methods In prospective case series, cases were diagnosed with Theiler's disease by the attending veterinarian and were tested for EqPV-H by PCR of liver or serum. In-contact horses were assessed via serum chemistry and PCR at the attending veterinarian's discretion. Hepatitis was defined as serum gamma-glutamyltransferase activity above reference interval. The association of EqPV-H with hepatitis was determined by Fisher's exact test. Results Nine of 10 (90%) Theiler's disease cases and 54% of tested in-contact horses were EqPV-H positive. Hepatitis was significantly associated with EqPV-H infection (P = .036). Conclusions and Clinical Importance Although further study is required to identify EqPV-H as the causative agent of Theiler's disease, EqPV-H appears strongly associated with cases of fatal Theiler's disease and subclinical hepatitis in horses in contact with those cases. The prevalence of EqPV-H infection on affected properties can be high

Re-evaluating syndicalist opposition to the First World War

It has been argued that support for the First World War by the important French syndicalist organisation, the Confédération Générale du Travail (CGT) has tended to obscure the fact that other national syndicalist organisations remained faithful to their professed workers’ internationalism: on this basis syndicalists beyond France, more than any other ideological persuasion within the organised trade union movement in immediate pre-war and wartime Europe, can be seen to have constituted an authentic movement of opposition to the war in their refusal to subordinate class interests to those of the state, to endorse policies of ‘defencism’ of the ‘national interest’ and to abandon the rhetoric of class conflict. This article, which attempts to contribute to a much neglected comparative historiography of the international syndicalist movement, re-evaluates the syndicalist response across a broad geographical field of canvas (embracing France, Italy, Spain, Ireland, Britain and America) to reveal a rather more nuanced, ambiguous and uneven picture. While it highlights the distinctive nature of the syndicalist response compared with other labour movement trends, it also explores the important strategic and tactical limitations involved, including the dilemma of attempting to translate formal syndicalist ideological commitments against the war into practical measures of intervention, and the consequences of the syndicalists’ subordination of the political question of the war to the industrial struggle