Sports Medicine Potpourri

Objectives: At the conclusion of this talk, the learner will be: Thoroughly confused by the whirlwind of information presented But...able to delve into any of the topics at greater length when time permits. Presentation: 52:03 Audio for PowerPoint slides

Isogrid design handbook

Handbook has been published which presents information needed for design of isogrid triangular integral-stiffened structures. It develops equations, methods, and graphs to handle wide variety of loadings, materials, and geometry. Handbook is divided into seven sections. Handbook may be used by marine and civil engineers and by students and designers without access to computers

Quality of life in patients with intermittent claudication

© 2017, The Author(s). Background: Intermittent claudication (IC) is a common condition that causes pain in the lower limbs when walking and has been shown to severely impact the quality of life (QoL) of patients. The QoL is therefore often regarded as an important measure in clinical trials investigating intermittent claudication. To date, no consensus exits on the type of life questionnaire to be used. This review aims to examine the QoL questionnaires used in trials investigating peripheral arterial disease (PAD). Material and methods: A systematic review of randomised clinical trials including a primary analysis of QoL via questionnaire was performed. Trials involving patients with diagnosed PAD were included (either clinically or by questionnaire). Any trial which had QoL as the primary outcome data was included with no limit being placed on the type of questionnaire used. Results: The search yielded a total of 1845 articles of which 31 were deemed appropriate for inclusion in the review. In total, 14 different QoL questionnaires were used across 31 studies. Of the questionnaires 24.06% were missing at least one domain when reported in the results of the study. Mean standard deviation varied widely based on the domain reported, particularly within the SF36. Discussion: Despite previous recommendations for Europewide standardisation of quality of life assessment, to date no such tool exists. This review demonstrated that a number of different questionnaires remain in use, that their completion is often inadequate and that further evidence-based guidelines on QoL assessment are required to guide future research

What is the most effective treatment for acute low back pain?

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are more effective than placebo for pain relief in patients with acute low back pain (grade of recommendation: A). There is no consistent evidence that NSAIDs are more effective than acetaminophen (grade: D). Muscle relaxants are effective for short-term relief of acute low back pain (grade: A), but there is no added benefit when they are used in combination with NSAIDs (grade: B). Advice to remain active speeds recovery compared with short-term bed rest (grade: A). There is no consistent evidence that epidural steroid injections are effective for acute low back pain (grade: D). Spinal manipulation or back exercises are no more effective than medications alone (grade: B)

Confirmatory factor analysis of the Test of Performance Strategies (TOPS) among adolescent athletes

The aim of the present study was to examine the factorial validity of the Test of Performance Strategies (TOPS; Thomas et al., 1999) among adolescent athletes using confirmatory factor analysis. The TOPS was designed to assess eight psychological strategies used in competition (i.e. activation, automaticity, emotional control, goal-setting, imagery, negative thinking, relaxation and self-talk,) and eight used in practice (the same strategies except negative thinking is replaced by attentional control). National-level athletes (n = 584) completed the 64-item TOPS during training camps. Fit indices provided partial support for the overall measurement model for the competition items (robust comparative fit index = 0.92, Tucker-Lewis index = 0.88, root mean square error of approximation = 0.05) but minimal support for the training items (robust comparative fit index = 0.86, Tucker-Lewis index = 0.81, root mean square error of approximation = 0.06). For the competition items, the automaticity, goal-setting, relaxation and self-talk scales showed good fit, whereas the activation, emotional control, imagery and negative thinking scales did not. For the practice items, the attentional control, emotional control, goal-setting, imagery and self-talk scales showed good fit, whereas the activation, automaticity and relaxation scales did not. Overall, it appears that the factorial validity of the TOPS for use with adolescents is questionable at present and further development is required

Toward an understanding of optimal development environments within elite English soccer academies

This study examined the factors perceived by successful coaches to underpin optimal development environments within elite English soccer academies. A semistructured interview guide was developed to interview 10 expert coaches about the environments they create for players at a key stage in their development. The interviews were transcribed verbatim and inductively content analyzed. The results identified a wide range of factors resulting in a conceptual framework that explained how these factors interact to underpin an optimal environment. Subcomponents of this framework included organizational core (e.g., advocate a player-driven ideology), adaptability (e.g., embrace novel ideas & approaches), player welfare (e.g., understand players' world-view), key stakeholder relationships (e.g., build trust with parents), involvement (e.g., encourage players' ideas/feedback), and achievement oriented (e.g., establish an explicit pathway to senior level). Collectively, the findings highlight the importance of establishing strong, dynamic, organizational cultures at elite youth soccer academies. Ways that academies might be helped to establish such environments are discussed

Barriers to cyber information sharing

As our reliance on the Internet grows, our interconnected networks become more vulnerable to cyberattacks. Cyberattacks and other cyber threats can cause disastrous results, especially if a coordinated targeted attack hits multiple networks at the same time. For this reason, cyber information-sharing among public and private organizations becomes necessary and important to defend our networks. Many cyber threats are difficult to detect and identify by a single organization. Information sharing can help detect these potential risks, prevent cyberattacks, and facilitate incident response to better defend networks. Although the public and private sectors have begun to share cybersecurity information, there are still many barriers that stop agencies from sharing more. This research identifies and reviews what the barriers are to sharing cyber information and possible ways that the barriers can be overcome.http://archive.org/details/barrierstocyberi1094544574Information Technology Specialist, U.S. Department of Homeland SecurityApproved for public release; distribution is unlimited

EOS MLS observations of dehydration in the 2004-2005 polar winters

We prove various estimates for the first eigenvalue of the magnetic Dirichlet Laplacian on a bounded domain in two dimensions. When the magnetic field is constant, we give lower and upper bounds in terms of geometric quantities of the domain. We furthermore prove a lower bound for the first magnetic Neumann eigenvalue in the case of constant field.Comment: 19 page

Search and modelling of remnant radio galaxies in the LOFAR Lockman Hole field

Accepted for publication in Astronomy & Astrophysics. Reproduced with permission from Astronomy & Astrophysics, © 2017 ESO.The phase of radio galaxy evolution after the jets have switched off, often referred to as the remnant phase, is poorly understood and very few sources in this phase are known. In this work we present an extensive search for remnant radio galaxies in the Lockman Hole, a well-studied extragalactic field. We create mock catalogues of low-power radio galaxies based on Monte Carlo simulations to derive first-order predictions of the fraction of remnants in radio flux limited samples for comparison with our Lockman-Hole sample. We have combined LOFAR observations at 150 MHz with public surveys at higher frequencies to perform a complete selection and have used, for the first time, a combination of spectral criteria (e.g. the classical ultra-steep spectral index and high spectral curvature) as well as morphological criteria (e.g. low radio core prominence and relaxed shapes). Mock catalogues of radio galaxies are created based on existing spectral and dynamical evolution models combined with observed source properties. We have identified 23 candidate remnant radio galaxies which cover a variety of morphologies and spectral characteristics. We suggest that these different properties are related to different stages of the remnant evolution. We find that ultra-steep spectrum remnants represent only a fraction of our remnant sample suggesting a very rapid luminosity evolution of the radio plasma. Results from mock catalogues demonstrate the importance of dynamical evolution in the remnant phase of low-power radio galaxies to obtain fractions of remnant sources consistent with our observations. Moreover, these results confirm that ultra-steep spectrum remnants represent only a subset of the entire population ($\sim$50%) when frequencies higher than 1400 MHz are not included in the selection process, and that they are biased towards old ages.Peer reviewe

Metal·locarborans i biologia molecular: la sorprenent interacció de dos mons aparentment independents

La capacitat d'autoassemblatge dels metal·locarborans ha estat molt investigada recentment. La seva habilitat per formar membranes monocapa ens induí a l'estudi de la interacció d'aquestes membranes sintètiques amb membranes biològiques. Aquest treball evidencia que l'anió cobaltabisdicarballur, [3,3'-Co(C2B9H11)2]− (COSAN), i el seu derivat diiodat, [3,3'-Co(8-I-C2B9H10)2]− (I2-COSAN), poden interaccionar amb membranes biològiques i creuar-les, de manera que s'acumulen a l'interior de cèl·lules vives. En aplicar aquests compostos a diferents tipus de cèl·lules en cultiu, s'indueix una inhibició completa, però alhora reversible, de la proliferació cel·lular, amb una recuperació total de l'activitat de divisió cel·lular un cop extret el metal·locarborà del medi.Metallacarborane’s self-assembly has been recently widely investigated. Its ability to form monolayer membranes led us to study the interaction of these synthetic membranes with biological membranes. This work evidences that the cobaltibisdicarbollide anion, [3,3’-Co(C2B9H11)2]− (COSAN), and its di-iodinated derivative, [3,3’-Co(8-I-C2B9H10)2]− (I2-COSAN), can interact with biological membranes and cross them, accumulating inside living cells. When applying these compounds to different cells in culture, complete but reversible cell proliferation suppression is induced, with a total recovery of the cell division activity after removal of the metallacarborane from the media