The influence of hamstring extensibility on preselected saddle height within experienced competitive cyclists

Background: Contemporary studies have investigated the effects of bicycle saddle height for optimal performance and injury prevention. A recent review established a dynamic knee flexion angle of 25˚-30˚ for optimal economy, anaerobic power, and knee tracking (Bini et al., 2011: Sports Medicine, 41, 463-476). Muyor et al, (2011: Journal of Human Kinetics, 29, 15-23), investigated hamstring extensibility within 96 highly trained cyclists. They concluded that shortened hamstrings had a negative influence over thoracic spinal curvature, yet no influence over saddle height. Whereas, Ferrer-Roca et al (2012: Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 26, 3025- 3029) examined 23 high level competitive male road cyclists and concluded that a lack of flexibility may have an influence over lower preselected saddle heights (> 40˚ knee flexion angle). Consequently, there remains uncertainty whether preselected saddle height may be dependent on hamstring extensibility. Purpose: The purpose of the study was to investigate the influence of hamstring extensibility on preselected saddle height within experienced competitive cyclists. It was suggested that preselected saddle height may be dependent on hamstring extensibility to enable a 25˚-30˚ knee flexion angle. Methods: Participants consisted of 32 moderate to high level male and female road cyclists (35.8 ± 8.4 years; 178.22 ± 11.0 cm; 77.7 ± 13.4 kg). They used their own individually set-up road bicycle, which was placed on an indoor wind trainer. Hamstring extensibility was measured using the passive knee extension test. Dynamic 2D analysis was used to measure bicycle knee flexion and passive knee extension angles. A cycling questionnaire was also used to determine experience, training and competition levels. Results: Pearson’s correlation coefficients revealed bicycle knee flexion angle, years cycling (r = -0.35, p 0.05). Discussion: Results suggest that sustained time period on the bike rather than hamstring extensibility determines preselected saddle height. In particular, being competitive for a longer duration precedes either volume or number of years cycling. However, it is apparent that in agreement with Muyor et al., (2011) a single variable such as hamstring length does not predetermine optimal saddle height. In addition, as suggested by Ferrer-Roca et al., (2012), experienced cyclists are unable to achieve a knee flexion angle of 25˚, unless they have sufficient flexibility. Conclusion: Results reveal that with experience, a competitive cyclist’s subjective and objective interpretation of their preselected saddle height becomes more consistent. Although hamstring extensibility does not appear to influence pre-selected saddle height, an initial 35˚ rather than 25˚ knee flexion angle is recommended. Future research should consider mixed methodologies, to further establish safe and effective recommendations for optimising bicycle fit. References Bini, R., Hume, P.A., & Croft, J.L. (2011). Effects of bicycle saddle height on knee injury risk and cycling performance. Sports Medicine, 41, 463-476. Ferrer-Roca, V., Roig, A., Galilea, P., & Garcia Lopez, J. (2012). Influence of saddle height on lower limb kinematics in well trained cyclists: static vs dynamic evaluation in bike fitting. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 26, 3025- 3029. Muyor, J. M., Alacid, F., & Lopez-Minarro, P.A. (2011). Influence of hamstring muscles extensibility on spinal curvatures and pelvic tilt in highly trained cyclists. Journal of Human Kinetics, 29, 15-23

Placental bilharziasis

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Learning to Teach Argumentation: Research and development in the science classroom

The research reported in this study focuses on an investigation into the teaching of argumentation in secondary science classrooms. Over a one-year period, a group of 12 teachers from schools in the greater London area attended a series of workshops to develop materials and strategies to support the teaching of argumentation in scientific contexts. Data were collected at the beginning and end of the year by audio and video recording lessons where the teachers attempted to implement argumentation. To assess the quality of argumentation, analytical tools derived from Toulmin's argument pattern (TAP) were developed and applied to classroom transcripts. Analysis shows there was development in teachers' use of argumentation across the year. Results indicate that the pattern of use of argumentation is teacher-specific, as is the nature of change. To inform future professional development programmes, transcripts of five teachers, three showing a significant change and two no change, were analysed in more detail to identify features of teachers' oral contributions that facilitated and supported argumentation. The analysis showed that all teachers attempted to encourage a variety of processes involved in argumentation and that the teachers whose lessons included the highest quality of argumentation (TAP analysis) also encouraged higher order processes in their teaching. The analysis of teachers' facilitation of argumentation has helped to guide the development of in-service materials and to identify the barriers to learning in the professional development of less experienced teachers

The key challenges of discussing end-of life stroke care with patients and families: a mixed-methods electronic survey of hospital and community healthcare professionals

Background: Communication between professionals, patients and families about palliative and end-of-life care after stroke is complex and there is a need for educational resources in this area. Methods: To explore the key learning needs of healthcare professionals, a multidisciplinary, expert group developed a short electronic survey with open and closed questions, and then distributed it to six UK multiprofessional networks and two groups of local clinicians. Results: A total of 599 healthcare professionals responded. Educational topics that were either definitely or probably needed were: ensuring consistent messages to families and patients (88%); resolving conflicts among family members (83%); handling unrealistic expectations (88%); involving families in discussions without them feeling responsible for decisions (82%); discussion of prognostic uncertainties (79%); likely mode of death (72%); and oral feeding for 'comfort' in patients at risk of aspiration (71%). The free-text responses (n = 489) and 82 'memorable' cases identified similar themes. Conclusion: Key topics of unmet need for education in end-of-life care in stroke have been identified and these have influenced the content of an open access, web-based educational resource

Prediction of enteric methane production, yield and intensity of beef cattle using an intercontinental database

Enteric methane (CH4) production attributable to beef cattle contributes to global greenhouse gas emissions. Reliably estimating this contribution requires extensive CH4 emission data from beef cattle under different management conditions worldwide. The objectives were to: 1) predict CH4 production (g d¬-1 animal-1), yield [g (kg dry matter intake; DMI)-1] and intensity [g (kg average daily gain)-1] using an intercontinental database (data from Europe, North America, Brazil, Australia and South Korea); 2) assess the impact of geographic region, and of higher- and lower-forage diets. Linear models were developed by incrementally adding covariates. A K-fold cross-validation indicated that a CH4 production equation using only DMI that was fitted to all available data had a root mean square prediction error (RMSPE; % of observed mean) of 31.2%. Subsets containing data with ≥ 25% and ≤ 18% dietary forage contents had an RMSPE of 30.8 and 34.2%, with the all-data CH4 production equation, whereas these errors decreased to 29.3 and 28.4%, respectively, when using CH4 prediction equations fitted to these subsets. The RMSPE of the ≥ 25% forage subset further decreased to 24.7% when using multiple regression. Europe- and North America-specific subsets predicted by the best performing ≥ 25% forage multiple regression equation had RMSPE of 24.5 and 20.4%, whereas these errors were 24.5 and 20.0% with region-specific equations, respectively. The developed equations had less RMSPE than extant equations evaluated for all data (22.5 vs. 23.2%), for higher-forage (21.2 vs. 23.1%), but not for the lower-forage subsets (28.4 vs. 27.9%). Splitting the dataset by forage content did not improve CH4 yield or intensity predictions. Predicting beef cattle CH4 production using energy conversion factors, as applied by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, indicated that adequate forage content-based and region-specific energy conversion factors improve prediction accuracy and are preferred in national or global inventories

Sheep -Wool I AN INTEGRATED GENOMICS APPROACH TO IMPROVING WOOL PRODUCTIVITY AND QUALITY

SUMMARY This paper summarises the approach taken in a national research program designed to "identify and utilise genes of importance in the sheep industries". The sheepgenomics program as it was known, comprised meat, wool and parasite subprograms with an underpinning core technology subprogram. The wool subprogram used a combination of gene association and functional biology studies to identify genes and gene networks amenable to manipulation or selection to improve wool production and quality. Significant progress was made in identifying genes involved in wool follicle initiation, hair cycle regulation, recessive black pigmentation and fleece rot. Manipulation of key windows of foetal development resulted in lifetime positive changes in wool production, an important proof of concept in functional, developmental genomics. INTRODUCTION The Australian wool industry operates in a highly-competitive, global, textile fibre market in which it currently captures a small and diminishing share of the consumer's expenditure on apparel clothing. To remain competitive in this market, the industry must address a number of pressing issues which are limiting productivity, profitability and consumer acceptance of the products. These include mulesing, dark fibre contamination, fleece rot, flystrike, anthelminthic resistance, relatively coarse fibres, weak fibres, prickle in garments, poor easy-care attributes and high price relative to competitors. At the time of inception of the sheepGENOMICS program (2004), molecular genetics applied to animal breeding was in its infancy, with great expectations attached to the discovery of quantitative trait loci (QTL) for difficult-to-measure traits. Since then, high throughput single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) genotyping has paved the way for whole genome selection and more targeted SNP marker identification. Developments in bioinformatics, and in particular, networked pathway analyses, now allow more functionally-relevant interpretation of gene expression studies. The wool subprogram of the sheepGENOMICS initiative developed an integrated, functional genomics approach to dissect the molecular and cellular events involved in the critical periods of development of the follicle population in the skin of developing sheep foetuses. A suite of techniques for gene detection, gene expression, gene localisation, gene transfection, in vitro cell functional assays, gene network analysis and biochemical manipulations were targeted at key windows of skin development and at the longstanding problems of fleece rot and recessive black fibre pigmentation. These techniques and a summary of progress to date are the subject of this paper

Comprehensive mRNA Expression Profiling Distinguishes Tauopathies and Identifies Shared Molecular Pathways

Background: Understanding the aetiologies of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease (AD), Pick's disease (PiD), Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP) and Frontotemporal dementia (FTD) is often hampered by the considerable clinical and molecular overlap between these diseases and normal ageing. The development of high throughput genomic technologies such as microarrays provide a new molecular tool to gain insight in the complexity and relationships between diseases, as they provide data on the simultaneous activity of multiple genes, gene networks and cellular pathways. Methodology/Principal Findings: We have constructed genome wide expression profiles from snap frozen post-mortem tissue from the medial temporal lobe of patients with four neurodegenerative disorders (5 AD, 5 PSP, 5 PiD and 5 FTD patients) and 5 control subjects. All patients were matched for age, gender, ApoE-e and MAPT (tau) haplotype. From all groups a total of 790 probes were shown to be differently expressed when compared to control individuals. The results from these experiments were then used to investigate the correlations between clinical, pathological and molecular findings. From the 790 identified probes we extracted a gene set of 166 probes whose expression could discriminate between these disorders and normal ageing. Conclusions/Significance: From genome wide expression profiles we extracted a gene set of 166 probes whose expression could discriminate between neurological disorders and normal ageing. This gene set can be further developed into an accurate microarray-based classification test. Furthermore, from this dataset we extracted a disease specific set of genes and identified two aging related transcription factors (FOXO1A and FOXO3A) as possible drug targets related to neurodegenerative disease

Quantifying Water-Mediated Protein–Ligand Interactions in a Glutamate Receptor: A DFT Study

It is becoming increasingly clear that careful treatment of water molecules in ligand–protein interactions is required in many cases if the correct binding pose is to be identified in molecular docking. Water can form complex bridging networks and can play a critical role in dictating the binding mode of ligands. A particularly striking example of this can be found in the ionotropic glutamate receptors. Despite possessing similar chemical moieties, crystal structures of glutamate and α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazole-propionic acid (AMPA) in complex with the ligand-binding core of the GluA2 ionotropic glutamate receptor revealed, contrary to all expectation, two distinct modes of binding. The difference appears to be related to the position of water molecules within the binding pocket. However, it is unclear exactly what governs the preference for water molecules to occupy a particular site in any one binding mode. In this work we use density functional theory (DFT) calculations to investigate the interaction energies and polarization effects of the various components of the binding pocket. Our results show (i) the energetics of a key water molecule are more favorable for the site found in the glutamate-bound mode compared to the alternative site observed in the AMPA-bound mode, (ii) polarization effects are important for glutamate but less so for AMPA, (iii) ligand–system interaction energies alone can predict the correct binding mode for glutamate, but for AMPA alternative modes of binding have similar interaction energies, and (iv) the internal energy is a significant factor for AMPA but not for glutamate. We discuss the results within the broader context of rational drug-design

Economic hardship associated with managing chronic illness: a qualitative inquiry

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Chronic illness and disability can have damaging, even catastrophic, socioeconomic effects on individuals and their households. We examined the experiences of people affected by chronic heart failure, complicated diabetes and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease to inform patient centred policy development. This paper provides a first level, qualitative understanding of the economic impact of chronic illness.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Interviews were conducted with patients aged between 45 and 85 years who had one or more of the index conditions and family carers from the Australian Capital Territory and Western Sydney, Australia (n = 66). Content analysis guided the interpretation of data.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The affordability of medical treatments and care required to manage illness were identified as the key aspects of economic hardship, which compromised patients' capacity to proactively engage in self-management and risk reduction behaviours. Factors exacerbating hardship included ineligibility for government support, co-morbidity, health service flexibility, and health literacy. Participants who were on multiple medications, from culturally and linguistically diverse or Indigenous backgrounds, and/or not in paid employment, experienced economic hardship more harshly and their management of chronic illness was jeopardised as a consequence. Economic hardship was felt among not only those ineligible for government financial supports but also those receiving subsidies that were insufficient to meet the costs of managing long-term illness over and above necessary daily living expenses.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>This research provides insights into the economic stressors associated with managing chronic illness, demonstrating that economic hardship requires households to make difficult decisions between care and basic living expenses. These decisions may cause less than optimal health outcomes and increased costs to the health system. The findings support the necessity of a critical analysis of health, social and welfare policies to identify cross-sectoral strategies to alleviate such hardship and improve the affordability of managing chronic conditions. In a climate of global economic instability, research into the economic impact of chronic illness on individuals' health and well-being and their disease management capacity, such as this study, provides timely evidence to inform policy development.</p