WHO analgesic ladder gone astray: wider implications

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Risk-Return Profiles of New Ventures: An Empirical Study

This study examines how risk evolves in private, venture capital backed companies. It finds that the stochastic Ito processes assumed for public companies probably apply to young, private companies as well. However, the parameters, drift rate and standard deviation, are generally higher. Venture capitalists have viewed companies as evolving through stages, and this study assesses the probabilities of success and failure at each stage. The underlying process of price evolution appears much smoother than the stage model may suggest. The valuation mediods developed for public securities, including option pricing, should apply to private companies as well. This study is a step toward measuring the needed parameters

Valuation of Early-Stage Ventures: Option Valuation Models vs. Traditional Approaches

This paper presents a new method for valuing early stage ventures, a method which views new ventures as multi-stage call options. It examines the traditional methods for valuing such ventures--the ubiquitous Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) Method using a risk adjusted discount rate, and the Venture Capital method which uses high discount rates to offset optimistic forecasts--and describes their conceptual disadvantages visa vis the Option Method. In order to make the Option Method a practical alternative to traditional approaches, the paper presents an algorithm for valuing multi-stage options, and it develops the needed input data using venture capital archives and public offerings. The Option Method is applied to a typical early-stage investment, producing values close to those predicted by venture capital rules of thumb. In contrast, the DCF method badly underestimates the value of the venture. At this time the Option Method is a practical way to value early-stage ventures, both internal ventures and start-up companies. It offers many advantages over the venture capitalists\u27 s rules of thumb

Simultaneous calculation of elastic scattering, fusion, and direct cross sections for reactions of weakly-bound projectiles

Simultaneous analyses are performed for cross section data of elastic scattering, fusion, Coulomb breakup, and other direct yields for the $^{6}$He+$^{209}$Bi system at near-Coulomb-barrier energies. The bare and dynamical polarization potentials are constructed microscopically from the structure of the colliding nuclei and they reproduce all the data well with only one adjustable parameter. This method of calculation can be successfully applied to the reactions of weakly-bound and exotic projectiles with heavy targets.Comment: 7 pages, 4 figure

A COMPARISON OF YOUTH PITCHING KINEMATICS ACROSS PREPUBESCENT AND PUBESCENT PITCHERS

To reduce injuries in youth baseball pitchers coaches teach proper mechanics at a young age. Unfortunately, the mechanics taught to beginning pitchers are based on data from adolescent pitchers and may result in techniques that could injure younger pitchers. Thus, the purpose of this study was to identify differences between the pitching mechanics of prepubescent and pubescent baseball pitchers. Of the 20 parameters analyzed in the study, 7 were observed to be different between the two groups. The findings of this study indicate that the mechanics currently being taught to youth pitchers may not be appropriate for all ages and that furthur study is needed to help identify what mechanics are correct for all ages of pitchers. The data produced in this study may help clinicians appreciate the mechanical differences between pitchers of various ages and better understand the etiology of pitching injuries as they relate to age

A KINEMATIC DESCRIPTION OF THE POST PUBESCENT WINDMILL SOFTBALL PITCHING MOTION

The purpose of this study was to describe the kinematics of the windmill softball pitch. Throughout the first three phases of the movement, both the pelvis and the trunk were rotated to a closed position while the throwing shoulder was flexed and externally rotated, and the throwing elbow was flexed. During the latter stages of the movement, the pelvis and torso opened up to face the plate, the throwing shoulder moved through an arc of hyperextension and was internally rotated while the throwing elbow extended. The kinematics identified may contribute to overuse injuries commonly reported by post pubescent softball pitchers. However, due to the limited data describing the windmill softball pitch, addition research is needed

EXAMINATION OF GLUTEAL MUSCLE FIRING and KINETICS OF THE LOWER EXTREMITY DURING THE WINDMILL SOFTBALL PITCH

The purpose of this study was to examine the muscle activation and kinetic data of the lower extremity during the windmill softball pitch. Limited research has documented the lower extremity in the windmill softball pitch. Seven female post-pubescent softball players volunteered for the study. Pitchers were analyzed with surface electromyography and motion analysis software. There was no relationship observed between gluteal activation and ground reaction forces at SFP and maximum force. Only one investigation prior to this study reported ground reaction forces of windmill softball pitchers, however they did not examine the EMG activity

IMPROVED MUSCLE ACTIVATION IN PERFORMING A BODY WEIGHT LUNGE COMPARED TO THE TRADITIONAL BACK SQUAT

The purpose of this study was to examine the muscle activity during the body weight lunge and back squat at three depths, 90°, 60°, and 30°. Eight female collegiate athletes volunteered for the study. Each participant performed 5 squats at each depth and the body weight lunge. Surface EMG data and video were recorded to analyze the motion. The lunge activated most of the lower muscles greater than the squat. Sport performance is often initiated from a ready stance, similar to that of the squat however, upon movement the athlete typically steps into a lunged position. Therefore, with the similarities in sport motion to that of the lunge, and equal if not greater activation of the lower extremity, the lunge is an ideal activity to train athletes

RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN HIP AND SHOULDER ROTATION DURING BASEBALL PITCHING

Baseball pitching is one of the most dynamic movements in sports. Due to the violent nature of the pitching motion, baseball pitchers experience an extremely high rate of injury, particularly to the shoulder. One factor thought to be related to overuse injury at the shoulder is the high magnitude of shoulder external rotation. Because the pitching motion can be viewed as a kinematic chain in which the actions of individual segments have a direct impact on the actions of other segments, angles of internal/external rotation observed for the hip may be related to internal/external rotation observed at the shoulder. Thus, the purpose of the current project is to analyze internal/external rotation for both the shoulder and the hip in an attempt to identify a relationship between these two parameters. It is hypothesized that hip rotation will positively correlate with shoulder rotation

THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN GLUTEAL ACTIVITY AND PELVIC KINEMATICS DURING THE WINDMILL SOFTBALL PITCH

Historically a number of pitch delivery methods have been used, with the windmill pitching motion becoming the most common and accepted pitch delivery method in recent years. Although millions of girls participate in softball, there are few studies investigating the mechanics of the windmill softball pitch. Thus, the purpose of this study is to quantify the activity of the gluteus maximus and gluteus medius on the dominant side; and to further determine if an increase in gluteal activity throughout each phase results in an increase of linear velocity of the pelvis at phase endpoint