Interjoint Coordination in Kicking a Moving Target: A Comparison Between Elite and Nonelite Taekwondo Players.

Patterns of interjoint coordination in the kicking legs of taekwondo players were investigated to understand movement pattern variability as a functional property of skill level. Elite and nonelite players performed roundhouse kicks against a custom-built moving target fitted with an accelerometer, and movements were recorded by motion capture. Average foot segment velocities of 13.6 and 11.4 m/s were recorded for elite and nonelite players, respectively (P < .05), corresponding to target accelerations of 87.5 and 70.8g (P < .05). Gradient values derived from piecewise linear regression of continuous relative phase curves established the comparative incoordination of nonelite taekwondo players in the form of an overshoot behavior during the crucial period leading to target impact (P < .05). This overshoot was apparent in both knee-hip and ankle-knee continuous relative phase curves. Elite players generated greater limb speed and impact force through more effective limb segment coordination. The combination of continuous relative phase and piecewise linear regression techniques allowed identification of alternate joint control approaches in the 2 groups

Effect of ambient temperature during acute aerobic exercise on short-term appetite, energy intake, and plasma acylated ghrelin in recreationally active males

Ambient temperature during exercise may affect energy intake regulation. Compared with a temperate (20 °C) environment, 1 h of running followed by 6 h of rest tended to decrease energy intake from 2 ad libitum meals in a hot (30 °C) environment but increase energy intake in a cool (10 °C) environment (p = 0.08). Core temperature changes did not appear to mediate this trend; whether acylated ghrelin is involved is unclear. Further research is warranted to clarify these findings

A preliminary assessment of water partitioning and ecohydrological coupling in northern headwaters using stable isotopes and conceptual runoff models

Funded by European Research Council ERC. Grant Number: GA 335910 VEWA Swedish Science Foundation (SITES) Future Forest Formas (ForWater) SKB the Kempe foundation Environment Canada the Garfield Weston Foundation the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) the Northwest Territories Cumulative Impacts Monitoring ProgramPeer reviewedPublisher PD

The proficiency of the original host species determines community-level plasmid dynamics

Plasmids are common in natural bacterial communities, facilitating bacterial evolution via horizontal gene transfer. Bacterial species vary in their proficiency to host plasmids: Whereas plasmids are stably maintained in some species regardless of selection for plasmid-encoded genes, in other species, even beneficial plasmids are rapidly lost. It is, however, unclear how this variation in host proficiency affects plasmid persistence in communities. Here, we test this using multispecies bacterial soil communities comprising species varying in their proficiency to host a large conjugative mercury resistance plasmid, pQBR103. The plasmid reached higher community-level abundance where beneficial and when introduced to the community in a more proficient host species. Proficient plasmid host species were also better able to disseminate the plasmid to a wider diversity of host species. These findings suggest that the dynamics of plasmids in natural bacterial communities depend not only upon the plasmid's attributes and the selective environment, but also upon the proficiency of their host species

Synthesis and biodistribution of immunoconjugates of a human IgM and polymeric drug carriers

The synthesis and purification of radiolabelled immunoconjugates, composed of a human IgM monoclonal antibody directed against an intracellular tumour-associated antigen and either poly (alpha-L-glutamic acid) (PGA) or poly[N5-(2-hydroxyethyl)-L-glutamine] (PHEG) is described. Coupling of polymers to the antibody was performed through disulfide bond formation involving a single thiol group at the C-terminus of the polymer chain and 2-pyridyldisulfide groups introduced onto the antibody. The antibody was iodinated with 131I before conjugation. The polymers contained tyrosinamide in a low degree of substitution and were radiolabelled with 125I. 125I-labelled PGA and PHEG were found to be stable for at least 3 days in murine and human plasma. The biodistribution in mice of the doubly labelled immunoconjugates was studied and was compared with the pharmacokinetics of the individual components.\ud \ud PHEG showed a relatively slow blood clearance, the half-life being approximately 10 h with low uptake in liver, kidneys and spleen. PGA was rapidly cleared from the circulation and was significantly taken up in liver, kidneys and spleen. The biodistribution of both immunoconjugates was indistinguishable from that of the IgM proper, with plasma half-lives of approximately 6 h, indicating that the pharmacokinetic properties of the immunoconjugates are largely determined by the antibody part

Intra-Class Testing of Abstract Class Features

One of the characteristics of the increasingly widespread use of object-oriented libraries and the resulting intensive use of inheritance is the proliferation of dependencies on abstract classes. Such classes defer the implementation of some features, and are typically used as a specification or design tool. However, since their features are not fully implemented,abstract classes cannot be instantiated, and thus pose challenges for execution-based testing strategies. This paper presents a structured approach that supports the testing of features in abstract classes. Core to the approach is a series of static analysis steps that build a comprehensive view of the inter-class dependencies in the system under test. We then leveraged this information to define a test order for the methods in an abstract class that minimizes the number of stubs required during testing, and clearly identifies the required functionality of these stubs. Our approach is based on a comprehensive taxonomy of object-oriented classes that provides a framework for our analysis. First we describe the algorithms to calculate the inter-class dependencies and the test-order that minimizes stub creation. Then we give an overview of our tool, AbstractTestJ that implements our approach by generating a test order for the methods in an abstract Java class. Finally, we harness this tool to provide an analysis of 12 substantial Java applications that demonstrates both the feasibility of our approach and the importance of this technique

Characteristic magnetic field and speed properties of interplanetary coronal mass ejections and their sheath regions

Prediction of the solar wind conditions in near-Earth space, arising from both quasi-steady and transient structures, is essential for space weather forecasting. To achieve forecast lead times of a day or more, such predictions must be made on the basis of remote solar observations. A number of empirical prediction schemes have been proposed to forecast the transit time and speed of coronal mass ejections (CMEs) at 1 AU. However, the current lack of magnetic field measurements in the corona severely limits our ability to forecast the 1 AU magnetic field strengths resulting from interplanetary CMEs (ICMEs). In this study we investigate the relation between the characteristic magnetic field strengths and speeds of both magnetic cloud and noncloud ICMEs at 1 AU. Correlation between field and speed is found to be significant only in the sheath region ahead of magnetic clouds, not within the clouds themselves. The lack of such a relation in the sheaths ahead of noncloud ICMEs is consistent with such ICMEs being skimming encounters of magnetic clouds, though other explanations are also put forward. Linear fits to the radial speed profiles of ejecta reveal that faster-traveling ICMEs are also expanding more at 1 AU. We combine these empirical relations to form a prediction scheme for the magnetic field strength in the sheaths ahead of magnetic clouds and also suggest a method for predicting the radial speed profile through an ICME on the basis of upstream measurements

Changes in the capacity of visual working memory in 5- to 10-year-olds

Using the Luck and Vogel change detection paradigm, we sought to investigate the capacity of visual working memory in 5-, 7-, and 10-year-olds. We found that performance on the task improved significantly with age and also obtained evidence that the capacity of visual working memory approximately doubles between 5 and 10 years of age, where it reaches adult levels of approximately three to four items

Inactivation Efficacy of Atmospheric Air Plasma and Airborne Acoustic Ultrasound Against Bacterial Bioflms

Bioflms are complex microbial communities that present serious contamination risks to our environment and health. In this study, atmospheric air plasma and airborne acoustic ultrasound technology were applied to inactivate Escherichia coli and Listeria innocua bioflms. Both technologies were efcient in controlling, or completely inactivating, the target bacterial bioflms. Viability and metabolic assays, along with microscopy analysis, revealed that atmospheric air plasma and airborne acoustic ultrasound damaged both the bacterial bioflm cells and its structural integrity. Scanning electron microscopy images highlighted the disruption of the bioflms and pore formation in bacterial cells exposed to both the plasma and acoustic treatments. Elevated reactive oxygen and nitrogen species in bacterial cells treated with atmospheric air plasma, demonstrated their primary role in the observed bacterial inactivation process. Our fndings provide potential antimicrobial strategies to combat bacterial bioflms in the food and healthcare sectors

Expanding the application of cassava value chain technologies through UPoCA project

Root and Tuber . IITA TechnologiesCassava has long been expected to play a key role in rural economic growth in Africa, but are we there yet? Although research partnerships have produced elite cassava varieties with 50% more yielding potential and demonstrated technologies to boost processing and marketing of cassava, the sub-sector is constrained by low productivity and marketing dificulties. In DR Congo, Ghana, Malawi and Sierra Leone, for example, cassava value chain actors are yet to respond to 2007 estimated $59 million trade opportunities through substitution of imported wheat lour with locally produced high quality cassava lour. Industrial pull for cassava would also aggravate hunger and poverty if yields do not increase from current national averages of 5 to 19t/ha to more than 25t/ha expected of released varieties under low input agriculture. In 2008, USAID and IITA initiated the project “Unleashing the Power of Cassava in Response to Food Price Crisis (UPOCA) as a multi-country and inter-institutional partnership enabling cassava sub-sectors to realize their full potential in rural economies. UPoCA project covers DR Congo, Ghana, Malawi, Mozambique, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, and Tanzania. UPoCA project draws on prior research results to increase on-farm cassava productivity and value adding processing for markets. By end 2009, small holder beneiciaries associated with 55 partner organizations and 11 agricultural related irms established 306 community cassava stem multiplication sites and root production farms totalling 10,097ha with 58 improved varieties. Through experiential learning at 24 hands-on short-term courses, 345 men and 142 women learnt improved techniques in cassava production, processing, product development, and packaging/labelling and 8 technologies were introduced to rural communities. Seven other papers in this symposium, based on these evolving UPoCA achievements, show that a longer-term cassava research for development partnership platform of this nature will enable cassava sub-sectors to contribute signiicantly to rural economic growth in Africa