Factor VIIa administration in traumatic brain injury: an AAST-MITC propensity score analysis.

Background:Recombinant factor VIIa (rFVIIa) has been used off-label as an adjunct in the reversal of warfarin therapy and management of hemorrhage after trauma. Only a handful of these reports are rigorous studies, from which results regarding safety and effectiveness have been mixed. There remains no clear consensus as to the role of rFVIIa in traumatic brain injury (TBI). Methods:Eleven level 1 trauma centers provided clinical data and head CT scans of patients with a Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score of ≤13 and radiographic evidence of TBI. A propensity score (PS) to receive rFVIIa in those surviving ≥2 days was calculated for each patient based on patient demographics, comorbidities, physiology, Injury Severity Score, admission GCS score, and treatment center. Patients receiving rFVIIa within 24 hours of admission were matched to patients who did not receive rFVIIa for outcomes assessment. Subgroup analysis evaluated patients with primary head injury with PS matching. Results:There were 4284 patient observations; 129 received rFVIIa. Groups were comparable after matching. No differences in mortality or morbidity were found. Improvement in GCS score from admission to discharge was less among those receiving rFVIIa (5.5 vs. 2.4; P value 0.001); however, there was no difference in average GCS score at discharge. No significant differences in outcomes were identified in patients with isolated TBI receiving rFVIIa. Discussion:rFVIIa in early management of TBI is not associated with a decreased risk of mortality or morbidity, and may negatively impact recovery and functional status at discharge in the severely injured patient with polytrauma. Level of evidence:Level III. Study type:Therapeutic/care management

USING EXPERT KNOWLEDGE TO INFORM MULTIVARIATE ANALYSES

This paper outlines methods and reasoning that advocate for the use of expert Coach and Athlete knowledge in support of mutivaraite analyses in Sport Biomechanincs and related disciplines. It argues that human movement research involving the collection of multiple dependent variables suffers similar problems to other areas of behavioural science, in that models proposed for analyses are inadequately constrained by other data and are vulnerable to a-posteori modification that lacks sound theoretical or evidential justification. An approach is presented where expert accounts of how successful movements are performed are captured and analysed qualitatively, in order to present data themes that may be used to identify important events and variables for analyses when quantitatively examining movement. This paper argues for the utility of a specific mixed-methods approach to movement research involving multiple dependent variables

European Novel Foods Policy at a critical juncture: drawing lessons for future Novel Food Governance through a retrospective examination of Regulation 258/97

This paper presents a timely analysis of the European Union (EU) Novel Foods Regulation EC 258/97, identifying trends in the policy process and the applications that have been made under the regulation. The ways that the Novel Foods Regulation has functioned to govern new foods placed on the European market is considered, and a number of important trends are described. A historical account of EU policy regarding novel foods is presented, including an analysis of the changes to Novel Foods Regulation and an analysis of data drawn from the European Commission’s own records of novel foods applications is conducted. The ways Novel Foods Regulation has functioned to govern new foods placed on the European market is revealed. A number of important trends in full applications are explored, along with substantial equivalence applications and unapproved foods that are placed on the market. This data is used to analyze the empirical legitimacy of the recent amendments to EU novel foods governance which will come into force in 2018, suggesting that change was needed, and supports the centralizing approach taken by the Commission. However, the analysis identifies potential risks and uncertainties in recent amendments to EU novel foods governance and considers the challenges of Brexit to the novel foods regime

THE DIFFERENCES IN SPINAL KINEMATICS AND LOADING IN HIGH PERFORMANCE FEMALE ROWERS DURING ERGOMETER AND ON WATER ROWING

Low back pain (LBP) is the most prevalent injury in rowing. The high use of ergometers have been associated win increased LBP and sliding ergometers has proposed to reduce this stress. The purpose of this study was to examine the lumbar flexion angles on fixed and sliding ergometers versus on water conditions. Four elite female adult rowers volunteered for this study and completed a 1,000 meter maximal test on the stationary and fixed ergometers and then on water. Lumbar curvature (% flexion) was calculated) for the first 0.47 s following the catch position. Standardized mean differences (effect size) were calculated to examine differences in %ROM over time for each condition and between conditions. Results found that fixed rowers ergometers induced the greatest amount if lumbar flexion, with some reduction for sliding ergometers compared to on water

BACKSWING LENGTH AND SWING PATH TENDENCIES FROM AMATEUR GOLFERS

The purpose of this study was to identify if shorter backswings off the tee influence the ‘outside-in’ ball impact (i.e. tendency to slice, fade or pull). Participants motion data were obtained on a reduced-size driving range, using a SmartSwing driver club (3D data sampling at 1000 Hz). Findings from a representative sample of the amateur golfers’ population (N=13, 531 swings) indicate a pattern where a shorter backswing reduced the tendency for ‘outside-in’ (-17.8%) while increasing ‘parallel’ (+6.9%) and ‘inside-out’ ball impacts by (+10.8%). For golfers who suffer from repetitive overuse or ageing-related reduced range movement or back pain, shortening the backswing is a viable option when considering safety and risk of injury. The findings can help golf swing coaching, as well as competitive/strategic and recreational aspects of self-management

CONSTRAINTS-LED APPROACH TO COACHING THE POWER CLEAN

The purpose of this study was to apply a constraints-led approach to the acquisition of the power clean. Strength and conditioning coaches need to coach complex motor skills, where the common method involves explicit instruction and task decomposition. However, contemporary skill acquisition theory is in conflict with this explicit and reductionist approach. Through three case studies the examination of individualised task constraints were used to allow a self-organization process to skill development to take place. The constraints employed for the all three case studies achieved movement change in the predicted direction. In two of the three cases, the movement changes resulted in performance improvements measured through 1RM. In conclusion, the constraints-led approach was an effective method for changing movement behaviour in the context of strength and conditioning

Light and circadian regulation of clock components aids flexible responses to environmental signals

The circadian clock measures time across a 24h period, increasing fitness by phasing biological processes to the most appropriate time of day. The interlocking feedback loop mechanism of the clock is conserved across species; however, the number of loops varies. Mathematical and computational analyses have suggested that loop complexity affects the overall flexibility of the oscillator, including its responses to entrainment signals. We used a discriminating experimental assay, at the transition between different photoperiods, in order to test this proposal in a minimal circadian network (in Ostreococcus tauri) and a more complex network (in Arabidopsis thaliana). Transcriptional and translational reporters in O.tauri primarily tracked dawn or dusk, whereas in A.thaliana, a wider range of responses were observed, consistent with its more flexible clock. Model analysis supported the requirement for this diversity of responses among the components of the more complex network. However, these and earlier data showed that the O.tauri network retains surprising flexibility, despite its simple circuit. We found that models constructed from experimental data can show flexibility either from multiple loops and/or from multiple light inputs. Our results suggest that O.tauri has adopted the latter strategy, possibly as a consequence of genomic reduction

Science at sea: voyages of exploration and the making of marine knowledge, 1837-1843

This thesis is about the historical geography of scientific knowledge production at sea. It focuses on three expeditions of exploration and discovery undertaken, respectively, by France, the United States of America, and Britain, that in the late 1830s sailed into the southern oceans. These voyages marked the last such expeditions to travel by sail alone and came before an acknowledged period of specialized interest in investigating the oceans and the marine environment, exemplified by the sailing of HMS Challenger in 1872. The expeditions share a commonality of period and of destination: their study together provides a hitherto overlooked opportunity to analyse practices of experimentation on, and investigation of, the natural history and physical properties of the marine environment that were integral to the construction of scientific knowledge about the oceans at that time. By attention to archival records, personal correspondence, diaries, published travel narratives and representations of marine phenomena in the form of illustrations, sketches, preserved specimens and displays of numerical material, this thesis examines quotidian shipboard practices to show how the production of scientific ‘facts’ was a matter of constant negotiation between people, weather, instruments and vessels – that occurred as a by-product of the running of the ship as well as of more defined programmes of study by civilian naturalists and naval staff. Informed by work in the history of science, Science and Technology Studies (STS) and Actor-Network Theory (ANT), this thesis highlights how attending to practice in the ambiguous, heterotopic space that was the expedition vessel can reveal the origins of a new, specialized, discipline: what I call here a proto-oceanography. This covers those scientific practices undertaken primarily at sea and from the ship: depth measurement, sea temperature and chemistry, the height of waves, collection of marine specimens and coastal topography, but not those primarily land-based activities such as astronomy, meteorology and terrestrial magnetism. By focusing on work carried out on board ship rather than on land, this thesis offers new insights into the practices of marine investigation and experimentation and the complexities of interrogating a space which was visualised primarily through instruments. This thesis examines how at-sea cultures of collection, measurement and representation can inform geographically nuanced analyses of the production of scientific knowledge

ISBS 2018 AUCKLAND CONFERENCE CLOSING MIDDLE EARTH BANQUET PROGRAMME

The closing social event is themed. Delegates walk into the “Middle Earth” adorned atrium. Delegates will receive a bubbly, beer, juice or mineral water on entry. Dr Sarah-Kate Millar, will outline the evening’s activities and will provide the Karakia. AUT Group Chef Matthew Farley, AUT Hospitality Services will explain the food and the Sileni wine for the evening. Food is available from the “Middle Earth” themed areas. Prizes for the competitions at the Kiwiana Opening and during the week at the Industry Partner Playing Field will be awarded. Live band “Off the Wall” https://www.offthewallnz.com/ will be the four piece band for the closing banquet party. With the Middle Earth themed dinner and surrounds, the closing banquet is going to be a highlight of the conference for networking and relaxing after the quality academic presentations