9,862 research outputs found
Single Maximal versus Combination Punch Kinematics
The aim of this study was to determine the influence of punch type (Jab, Cross, Lead Hook and Reverse Hook) and punch modality (Single maximal, ‘In-synch’ and ‘Out of synch’ combination) on punch speed and delivery time. Ten competition-standard volunteers performed punches with markers placed on their anatomical landmarks for 3D motion capture with an eight-camera optoelectronic system. Speed and duration between key moments were computed. There were significant differences in contact speed between punch types (F 2,18,84.87 = 105.76, p = 0.001) with Lead and Reverse Hooks developing greater speed than Jab and Cross. There were significant differences in contact speed between punch modalities (F 2,64,102.87 = 23.52, p = 0.001) with the Single maximal (M ± SD: 9.26 ± 2.09 m/s) higher than ‘Out of synch’ (7.49 ± 2.32 m/s), ‘In-synch’ left (8.01 ± 2.35 m/s) or right lead (7.97 ± 2.53 m/s). Delivery times were significantly lower for Jab and Cross than Hook. Times were significantly lower ‘In-synch’ than a Single maximal or ‘Out of synch’ combination mode. It is concluded that a defender may have more evasion-time than previously reported. This research could be of use to performers and coaches when considering training preparations
The order-disorder transition in colloidal suspensions under shear flow
We study the order-disorder transition in colloidal suspensions under shear
flow by performing Brownian dynamics simulations. We characterize the
transition in terms of a statistical property of time-dependent maximum value
of the structure factor. We find that its power spectrum exhibits the power-law
behaviour only in the ordered phase. The power-law exponent is approximately -2
at frequencies greater than the magnitude of the shear rate, while the power
spectrum exhibits the -type fluctuations in the lower frequency regime.Comment: 11 pages, 10 figures, v.2: We have made some small improvements on
presentation
Stroke outcome in clinical trial patients deriving from different countries
<p><b>Background and Purpose:</b> Stroke incidence and outcome vary widely within and across geographical locations. We examined whether differences in index stroke severity, stroke risk factors, mortality, and stroke outcome across geographical locations remain after adjusting for case mix.</p>
<p><b>Methods:</b> We analyzed 3284 patients from the Virtual International Stroke Trials Archive (VISTA). We used logistic regression to examine the incidence of mild index stroke, functional, and neurological outcomes after accounting for age, medical history, year of trial recruitment, and initial stroke severity in the functional and neurological outcome analyses. We examined mortality between geographical regions using a Cox proportional hazards model, accounting for age, initial stroke severity, medical history, and year of trial recruitment.</p>
<p><b>Results</b> Patients enrolled in the USA and Canada had the most severe index strokes. Those recruited in Austria and Switzerland had the best functional and neurological outcomes at 90 days (P<0.05), whereas those enrolled in Germany had the worst functional outcome at 90 days (P=0.013). Patients enrolled in Austria, Switzerland, Belgium, Netherlands, Finland, Germany, Greece, Israel, Spain, and Portugal had a significantly better survival rate when compared with those enrolled in USA and Canada. Patients enrolled in trials after 1998 had more severe index strokes, with no significant difference in outcome compared with those enrolled before 1998.</p>
<p><b>Conclusion:</b> We identified regional variations in index stroke severity, outcome, and mortality for patients enrolled in ischemic stroke clinical trials over the past 13 years that were not fully explained by case mix. Index stroke severity was greater in patients enrolled after 1998, with no significant improvement in outcomes compared to those enrolled before 1998.</p>
Mismatch-based delayed thrombolysis: a meta-analysis
<p><b>Background and Purpose</b>: Clinical benefit from thrombolysis is reduced as stroke onset to treatment time increases. The use of "mismatch" imaging to identify patients for delayed treatment has face validity and has been used in case series and clinical trials. We undertook a meta-analysis of relevant trials to examine whether present evidence supports delayed thrombolysis among patients selected according to mismatch criteria.</p>
<p><b>Methods</b>: We collated outcome data for patients who were enrolled after 3 hours of stroke onset in thrombolysis trials and had mismatch on pretreatment imaging. We selected the trials on the basis of a systematic search of the Web of Knowledge. We compared favorable outcome, reperfusion and/or recanalization, mortality, and symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage between the thrombolyzed and nonthrombolyzed groups of patients and the probability of a favorable outcome among patients with successful reperfusion and clinical findings for 3 to 6 versus 6 to 9 hours from poststroke onset. Results are expressed as adjusted odds ratios (a-ORs) with 95% CIs. Heterogeneity was explored by test statistics for clinical heterogeneity, I2 (inconsistency), and L’Abbé plot.</p>
<p><b>Results</b>: We identified articles describing the DIAS, DIAS II, DEDAS, DEFUSE, and EPITHET trials, giving a total of 502 mismatch patients thrombolyzed beyond 3 hours. The combined a-ORs for favorable outcomes were greater for patients who had successful reperfusion (a-OR=5.2; 95% CI, 3 to 9; I2=0%). Favorable clinical outcome was not significantly improved by thrombolysis (a-OR=1.3; 95% CI, 0.8 to 2.0; I2=20.9%). Odds for reperfusion/recanalization were increased among patients who received thrombolytic therapy (a-OR=3.0; 95% CI, 1.6 to 5.8; I2=25.7%). The combined data showed a significant increase in mortality after thrombolysis (a-OR=2.4; 95% CI, 1.2 to 4.9; I2=0%), but this was not confirmed when we excluded data from desmoteplase doses that were abandoned in clinical development (a-OR=1.6; 95% CI, 0.7 to 3.7; I2=0%). Symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage was significantly increased after thrombolysis (a-OR=6.5; 95% CI, 1.2 to 35.4; I2=0%) but not significant after exclusion of abandoned doses of desmoteplase (a-OR=5.4; 95% CI, 0.9 to 31.8; I2=0%).</p>
<p><b>Conclusions</b>: Delayed thrombolysis amongst patients selected according to mismatch imaging is associated with increased reperfusion/recanalization. Recanalization/reperfusion is associated with improved outcomes. However, delayed thrombolysis in mismatch patients was not confirmed to improve clinical outcome, although a useful clinical benefit remains possible. Thrombolysis carries a significant risk of symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhage and possibly increased mortality. Criteria to diagnose mismatch are still evolving. Validation of the mismatch selection paradigm is required with a phase III trial. Pending these results, delayed treatment, even according to mismatch selection, cannot be recommended as part of routine care.</p>
Stability of Uniform Shear Flow
The stability of idealized shear flow at long wavelengths is studied in
detail. A hydrodynamic analysis at the level of the Navier-Stokes equation for
small shear rates is given to identify the origin and universality of an
instability at any finite shear rate for sufficiently long wavelength
perturbations. The analysis is extended to larger shear rates using a low
density model kinetic equation. Direct Monte Carlo Simulation of this equation
is computed with a hydrodynamic description including non Newtonian rheological
effects. The hydrodynamic description of the instability is in good agreement
with the direct Monte Carlo simulation for , where is the mean
free time. Longer time simulations up to are used to identify the
asymptotic state as a spatially non-uniform quasi-stationary state. Finally,
preliminary results from molecular dynamics simulation showing the instability
are presented and discussed.Comment: 25 pages, 9 figures (Fig.8 is available on request) RevTeX, submitted
to Phys. Rev.
Transport Far From Equilibrium --- Uniform Shear Flow
The BGK model kinetic equation is applied to spatially inhomogeneous states
near steady uniform shear flow. The shear rate of the reference steady state
can be large so the states considered include those very far from equilibrium.
The single particle distribution function is calculated exactly to first order
in the deviations of the hydrodynamic field gradients from their values in the
reference state. The corresponding non-linear hydrodynamic equaitons are
obtained and the set of transport coefficients are identified as explicit
functions of the shear rate. The spectrum of the linear hydrodynamic equation
is studied in detail and qualitative differences from the spectrum for
equilibrium fluctuations are discussed. Conditions for instabilities at long
wavelengths are identified and disccused.Comment: 32 pages, 1 figure, RevTeX, submitted to Phys. Rev.
Mass transport of an impurity in a strongly sheared granular gas
Transport coefficients associated with the mass flux of an impurity immersed
in a granular gas under simple shear flow are determined from the inelastic
Boltzmann equation. A normal solution is obtained via a Chapman-Enskog-like
expansion around a local shear flow distribution that retains all the
hydrodynamic orders in the shear rate. Due to the anisotropy induced by the
shear flow, tensorial quantities are required to describe the diffusion process
instead of the conventional scalar coefficients. The mass flux is determined to
first order in the deviations of the hydrodynamic fields from their values in
the reference state. The corresponding transport coefficients are given in
terms of the solutions of a set of coupled linear integral equations, which are
approximately solved by considering the leading terms in a Sonine polynomial
expansion. The results show that the deviation of these generalized
coefficients from their elastic forms is in general quite important, even for
moderate dissipation.Comment: 6 figure
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