An Explorative Investigation of the Warm-up Practices of Professional and Amateur Rugby League Players

This study aimed to assess warm-up practices within professional and amateur Rugby League players, specifically to determine players’ perceptions why particular methods were used and discover whether any differences existed in warm-up practices and perceptions between the two separate standards. The study used a 10 question online questionnaire to investigate 30 professional and 53 amateur players warm-up protocols and their perceptions behind their practices. To provide a richer understanding regarding the practices and perceptions surrounding warm-up protocols, the questionnaire was followed by two focus groups (professionals and amateurs), which included four participants in each. Following analysis of the questionnaire responses, it was discovered that professional players warm-up protocols were significantly longer in duration than amateur players (P = 0.009). However, for all other variables assessed including; specific warm-up protocols, static stretch duration, and perceptions and beliefs concerning warm-up protocols, there were no significant differences between professionals and amateurs. Overall findings demonstrated the widespread use of static stretching within warm-up for both professionals and amateurs; 71 of 83 players (86%) reported usage. It was also highlighted that injury prevention was the most commonly perceived benefit from performing a warm-up across both standards [(Professional; 15 of 30, 50%) (Amateur; 27 of 53, 51%)]. Findings from the focus group generally supported questionnaire responses, and it was identified that the warm-up practices and protocols of Rugby League players were influenced by others such as coaches and strength and conditioning coaches which emphasises the importance of the role such practitioners

An explorative investigation into the warm-up practices of both professional and amateur rugby league players

PURPOSE: Rugby League (RL) players require high levels of speed, strength, power, agility and psychological readiness. Optimum preparation for performance via warm-up (WU) routines has been an area of research speculation in recent years. This study aimed to survey the WU protocols of professional and amateur RL players, to determine player’s perceptions of their featured WU procedures and to establish any significant differences in WU practices and perceptions between the two populations. METHODS: An online questionnaire was used to investigate 30 professional and 53 amateur players’ WU protocols and their perceptions behind their practices, providing both statistical and descriptive analysis. For a more in depth understanding into the practices and perceptions of the featured protocols, the questionnaire was followed up by two focus groups which included four participants in each (one professional group and one amateur). Raw data was produced from the focus groups which was then placed within higher-order themes and general dimensions. RESULTS: The questionnaire revealed a significant between-group difference for the duration of the WU’s between the two separate standards (P = 0.009). Professionals’ WU protocols were considerably longer in duration compared to the amateurs’ protocols; 67% of professional players performed WU routines for 15+ min whereas only 42% of amateur players claimed to WU for 15+ min. However, no between-group differences existed for protocols, perception variables, static stretching (SS) duration and similarity of the WU protocol (P > 0.05). The questionnaire also revealed the prevalence of SS; 83% of amateur participants and 90% of professional players claimed to perform SS during their WU. The focus group revealed that RL players’ protocols and perceptions of their regime are due to the influences of others such as coaches, strength and conditioning practitioners and physiotherapists and emphasises the importance the role such professionals play. CONCLUSIONS: The results showed that professional participants WU for a longer period in comparison to amateurs. The high prevalence of SS within RL WU protocols at both a professional and amateur standard was clearly apparent, contradicting the vast amount of literature that would advocate the removal of SS in sports requiring explosive power due to the associated links with decrements in performance. Most professional and amateur RL participants were discovered to perform SS for a duration that has been proven to impair desired physiological attributes. Furthermore, the study revealed the dynamic element of a WU is being consistently placed before SS, by both the professional and amateur domain, which has been previously linked to decreases in body temperature and associated mechanisms related mechanisms. Players associated that there WU practice was heavily influenced by RL coaches and associated practitioners. PRACTICAL APPLICTIONS: It is recommended that coaches, strength and conditioning practitioners and other key influential figures are educated on optimal evidence based WU procedures prior to prescription. Important aspects for consideration and education include WU duration, intensity, protocol order and SS elongation, volume and duration. Whilst it is important to link the research in WU to performance, practitioners should be mindful of changing regimes abruptly and the idiosyncratic nature of how athletes prefer to prepare physically and mentally

Learning the game: Breakdowns, breakthroughs and player strategies

Digital games are rich learning environments that require players to engage with challenging situations in order to progress. Recent research indicates that game-play involves overcoming breakdowns and achieving breakthroughs in relation to player action, understanding and involvement. In particular, breakthroughs involve moments of insight where learning occurs which, in turn, can help increase involvement. However, little is known about how players actually achieve breakthroughs. We applied the breakdown/breakthrough “lens” to explore how players attempt to achieve breakthroughs in relation to two single player games. We identified a finite number of strategies that illustrate how players learn in games. These strategies are considered in relation to producing playable and engaging games

Hydrogeological Characterization Of Crystalline Bedrock Using Borehole Magnetic Resonance At A Mining Development Site, Northern Finland

The Borehole Magnetic Resonance (BMR) method was tested for measuring porosity and estimating groundwater flow parameters required for hydrogeological modelling in a crystalline rock setting at the Sakatti Ni‐Cu‐PGE mining project site in Northern Finland. The characterization of hydraulic properties of deep bedrock, shallow fractured bedrock, surficial deposits as well as groundwater and surface water flow patterns and interactions between them is informative already during ore prospecting phase. Although BMR is widely used for determining storage and flow properties in sedimentary rocks forming hydrocarbon reservoirs, there have been few studies in basement rocks as described here. The BMR method allows the detection of water in the subsurface by applied electromagnetic fields in a continuous manner with decimetre‐scale measurements along the boreholes. The measured response is inverted to give a continuous distribution of relaxation time T2 which is a direct measure of the amount of water, or pore volume. This can further be divided into bound water and free water using specific cut‐off values for each lithology, which can then be used to calculate estimates of hydraulic conductivity. The Sakatti Cu‐Ni‐PGE deposit, located several hundred meters below the Natura2000‐protected Viiankiaapa mire, displays complex and heterogeneous subsurface geology, hydrogeology and deformational history. The BMR data was acquired from six drillholes in order to obtain specific information about the structural heterogeneity and free water content within the depth interval of 50 to 360m, and thus estimations of the local flow parameters. Other available survey data, such as natural gamma ray, acoustic image data, core logging and packer tests were compared with the BMR data in order to compare and calibrate the groundwater flow parameters calculated based on these measurements. The initial results indicate that BMR is a suitable tool for studying lithologically and hydrogeologically heterogeneous fractured crystalline rocks. Flow parameters derived from the measured T2 distributions vary significantly throughout the intervals. In this crystalline bedrock setting, independently from the lithological composition, the measured intervals locally display relatively high hydraulic conductivities, and may be correlated to the more intensely fractured and/or brecciated zones. In addition, BMR may reduce more time‐consuming methods such as packer tests or replace them altogether in regions where borehole conditions prevent the likelihood of successful testing. Furthermore, the BMR log provides continuous data over fractured crystalline basement rocks. This will include questions dealing with interactions between surface water, shallow groundwater as well as groundwater in fractured and weathered bedrockPeer reviewe

Genetic diversity of clinical isolates of Bacillus cereus using multilocus sequence typing

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p><it>Bacillus cereus </it>is most commonly associated with foodborne illness (diarrheal and emetic) but is also an opportunistic pathogen that can cause severe and fatal infections. Several multilocus sequence typing (MLST) schemes have recently been developed to genotype <it>B. cereus </it>and analysis has suggested a clonal or weakly clonal population structure for <it>B. cereus </it>and its close relatives <it>B. anthracis </it>and <it>B. thuringiensis</it>. In this study we used MLST to determine if <it>B. cereus </it>isolates associated with illnesses of varying severity (e.g., severe, systemic vs. gastrointestinal (GI) illness) were clonal or formed clonal complexes.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>A retrospective analysis of 55 clinical <it>B. cereus </it>isolates submitted to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention between 1954 and 2004 was conducted. Clinical isolates from severe infections (n = 27), gastrointestinal (GI) illness (n = 18), and associated isolates from food (n = 10) were selected for analysis using MLST. The 55 isolates were diverse and comprised 38 sequence types (ST) in two distinct clades. Of the 27 isolates associated with serious illness, 13 clustered in clade 1 while 14 were in clade 2. Isolates associated with GI illness were also found throughout clades 1 and 2, while no isolates in this study belonged to clade 3. All the isolates from this study belonging to the clade 1/cereus III lineage were associated with severe disease while isolates belonging to clade1/cereus II contained isolates primarily associated with severe disease and emetic illness. Only three STs were observed more than once for epidemiologically distinct isolates.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>STs of clinical <it>B. cereus </it>isolates were phylogenetically diverse and distributed among two of three previously described clades. Greater numbers of strains will need to be analyzed to confirm if specific lineages or clonal complexes are more likely to contain clinical isolates or be associated with specific illness, similar to <it>B. anthracis </it>and emetic <it>B. cereus </it>isolates.</p

Monitoring the movements of a critical marine resource: tracking a forage fish in Puget Sound

Forage fish are small, schooling, pelagic fish that form a critical link in marine food webs between plankton and larger fish, marine mammals, and seabirds. In Puget Sound, the forage fish assemblage includes Pacific herring, Pacific sand lance, surf smelt, and northern anchovy. There are significant information gaps on basic life history, distribution, movements, and stock abundances for these species, making management of this resource challenging. To begin addressing some of these gaps, we initiated a study of the movements of surf smelt during their spawning period in November 2012. We captured fish near a well-documented spawning beach in Sinclair Inlet (Ross Point), implanted them with acoustic transmitters, and monitored their movements around central Puget Sound. Inasmuch as telemetry studies have not previously been conducted for surf smelt, the goals of this initial effort were to: 1) assess methods to handle, anesthetize, and surgically implant acoustic transmitters into surf smelt, 2) describe the movements of tagged fish in Sinclair Inlet and Central Puget Sound, and 3) document the risk of recapture by recreational or commercial fishing effort in Sinclair Inlet. We collected, tagged, and released 12 adult smelt (mean 167 mm FL, 43 g) at Ross Point and implanted them with acoustic transmitters that had an expected battery life of 73 days. Study fish were given a secondary mark for easy visual identification, and we established a reward for the return of tagged fish captured through recreational or commercial fishing effort. We deployed 13 acoustic telemetry monitoring stations including near the spawning beach at Ross Point, Port Washington Narrows, Port Orchard, Rich Passage, Agate Passage, Liberty Bay and Eagle Harbor. In addition to these sites the tagged fish could have been detected by compatible acoustic telemetry stations deployed in Puget Sound by other agencies, for example, at Admiralty Inlet, the Strait of Juan de Fuca, and in the San Juan Islands. All study fish were detected within a few days of their release, suggesting that the fish handling, anesthesia, and tagging procedures that were developed for this species did not result in significant short-term mortality. Study fish were only detected at Ross Point (all individuals) and at the Port Washington Narrows (one individual). Although the reward program was well advertised and recreational fishing pressure at Ross Point was consistent throughout the study period, none of the tagged fish were returned through recreational or commercial fishers. More intensive monitoring of surf smelt movements in Sinclair Inlet is planned for 2014 to build upon this initial work

A Novel Approach to an Autonomous and Dynamic Satellite Control System Using On-Orbit Machine Learning

Classical control methods require deep analytical understanding of the system to be successfully controlled. This can be particularly difficult to accomplish in space systems where it is difficult, if not impossible, to truly replicate the operational environment in a laboratory. As a result, many missions, especially in the CubeSat form factor, fly with control systems that regularly fail to meet their operational requirements. Failure of a control system might result in diminished science collection or even a total loss of mission in severe circumstances. Additionally, future SmallSat use cases (such as for orbital debris collection, repair missions, or deep space prospecting) shall place autonomous spacecraft in situations where mission operations cannot be fully simulated prior to deployment and a more dynamic control scheme is required. This paper explores the use of a student/teacher machine learning model for the purpose of training an Artificial Intelligence to fly a spacecraft in much the same way a human pilot may be taught to fly a spacecraft. With dedicated Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning hardware onboard the satellite, it is also hypothesized that deploying an active learning algorithm in space may allow it to rapidly adapt to unforeseen circumstances without direct human intervention. Full development of a magnetorquer only control scheme was conducted with testing ranging from a software-in-the-loop 3D physics engine to a hemispherical air bearing, and finally a planned on-orbit demonstration. Further work is planned to expand this research to translational operations in future missions

Recovery of a Burkholderia thailandensis-like isolate from an Australian water source

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p><it>Burkholderia thailandensis</it>, a close relative of <it>Burkholderia pseudomallei</it>, has previously been reported only from Southeast Asia and North America. It is biochemically differentiated from <it>B. pseudomallei </it>by the ability to utilize arabinose. During the course of environmental sampling for <it>B. pseudomallei </it>in the Northern Territory of Australia, an isolate, MSMB 43, was recovered that is arabinose positive.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Genetic analysis using 16S rDNA sequencing and DNA/DNA hybridization indicates that MSMB 43 is most similar to <it>B. thailandensis </it>although multi-locus sequence typing indicates that this isolate is divergent from both <it>B. pseudomallei </it>and other described <it>B. thailandensis</it>.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>We report the isolation and initial characterization of strain MSMB 43, which is a <it>B. thailandensis</it>-like isolate recovered in Australia.</p

Biogenesis of JC Polyomavirus Associated Extracellular Vesicles

JC polyomavirus (JCPyV) is a small, non-enveloped virus that persists in the kidney in about half the adult population. In severely immune-compromised individuals JCPyV causes the neurodegenerative disease progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) in the brain. JCPyV has been shown to infect cells by both direct and indirect mechanisms, the latter involving extracellular vesicle (EV) mediated infection. While direct mechanisms of infection are well studied indirect EV mediated mechanisms are poorly understood. Using a combination of chemical and genetic approaches we show that several overlapping intracellular pathways are responsible for the biogenesis of virus containing EV. Here we show that targeting neutral sphingomyelinase 2 (nSMase2) with the drug cambinol decreased the spread of JCPyV over several viral life cycles. Genetic depletion of nSMase2 by either shRNA or CRISPR/Cas9 reduced EV-mediated infection. Individual knockdown of seven ESCRT-related proteins including HGS, ALIX, TSG101, VPS25, VPS20, CHMP4A, and VPS4A did not significantly reduce JCPyV associated EV (JCPyV(+) EV) infectivity, whereas knockdown of the tetraspanins CD9 and CD81 or trafficking and/or secretory autophagy-related proteins RAB8A, RAB27A, and GRASP65 all significantly reduced the spread of JCPyV and decreased EV-mediated infection. These findings point to a role for exosomes and secretory autophagosomes in the biogenesis of JCPyV associated EVs with specific roles for nSMase2, CD9, CD81, RAB8A, RAB27A, and GRASP65 proteins