Physical profiling of international cricket players: an investigation between bowlers and batters

Objective: This study aims to develop a physical profile of international cricketers, and investigate if positional differences exist between bowlers and batters. Methods: Nineteen, international male cricketers, eleven bowlers (age 24.1 ± 5.2 years; height 179.73 ± 5.27 cm; weight 73.64 ± 6.65 kg), and eight batters (age 22.9 ± 3.8 years; height 180.25 ± 5.57 cm; weight 77.01 ± 8.99 kg) participated in this study. The physical test battery included; power, speed, strength and aerobic fitness tests. Results: Batters demonstrated significantly higher scores for the countermovement jump (p < 0.03; ES = -1.55) and squat jump (p < 0.03; ES = -0.98). Batters showed non-significant but small ES for faster 0-5 m (ES = 0.40) and 0-10 m (ES = 0.35) sprint times, superior hand grip strength (ES = -0.20), and higher Yo-Yo intermittent recovery test scores (ES = -0.46). Bowlers showed non-significant but small ES for faster 5 km time trials (ES = -0.51), lower bodyweight (ES = -0.42) and body fat percentage (ES = -0.30). Intra-positional (i.e., seam and spin bowlers) and individual differences amongst players were observed. Conclusion: This study provides a physical profile of international cricketers. Batters demonstrated superior lower-body power compared to bowlers and other physical test results were similar across positions. However, individual scores for each physical test demonstrated that differences exist amongst players. This should be accounted for by strength and conditioning coaches when using physical profiling data to inform the design and evaluation of their programs

Penghilangan Interferensi Fe dan Mn dengan Ekstraksi Pelarut pada Penentuan Co dan Cu dalam Pirolusit Menggunakan Spektrometri Serapan Atom

Research on the removal of Fe and Mn interference by solvent extraction on the determination of Co and Cu in pyrolusite using atomic absorption spectrometry with an air-acetylene flame have been investigated. Dissolution of pyrolusite sample was done by wet destruction method with solution of aqua regia and HF in the ratio of 3:4 (v/v). Interference studies were carried out for the absorbance of Co and Cu with the addition of iron and manganese in the concentration range 100-1000 ug/mL for iron and 100-5000 ug/mL for manganese measured at the wavelength 240.7 nm and slit width 0.2 nm for Co and wavelength 324.7 nm and slit width 0.7 nm for Cu.The results showed that Fe at concentrations of 100-1000 ug/mL and Mn at the concentrations of 100­5000 ug/mL could interfere the absorbance of Co and Cu, i.e. increase the absorbance of Co and decrease the absorbance of Cu. The interference of Fe can be overcome by solvent extraction with methyl isobutyl ketone in 7 M HCl medium. The interference of Mn can be overcome by masking with 0.10 M EDTA, then Co and Cu were extracted into chloroform by complexing them with sodium diethyldithiocarbamate at pH 2. The content of Fe and Mn in the pyrolusite measured by AAS were 67.35±0.61 mg/g and 545.00±6.25 mg/g, respectively. The content of Co and Cu before extraction were 773.33±25.17 ug/g and 2166.67±101.04 ug/g, respectively and after extraction were 487.18±11.10 ug/g and 2733.33±80.36 ug/g, respectively. These results have high precision with relative standard deviation (RSD) value of each elements less than 5%

Challenges facing young African scientists in their research careers: A qualitative exploratory study

Background: Africa accounts for 14% of world’s population, and the economies of most African countries are considered to be growing, but this is not reflected in the amount of research published by Africans. This study aimed at identifying the challenges that young African scientists face in their career development.Methods: This was a qualitative exploratory study involving young researchers who attended the Teaching and Research in Natural Sciences for Development (TReND) in Africa scientific writing and communication workshop, which was held in Malawi in September 2015. A semi-structured questionnaire was sent to all workshop participants who consented to taking part in the survey. In total, 28 questionnaires were sent via email and 15 were returned, representing a response rate of 53.6%. Data were analysed using thematic analysis.Results: Young Africans develop their research interests various ways. The most common career-promoting factors identified by the study participants included formal classroom learning, aspirations to attain academic qualifications, work satisfaction, and the desire to fulfill parents’ dreams. Challenges cited by survey respondents included a lack of mentorship, funds, and research and writing skills. Lack of interest in research by policymakers, lack of motivation by peers, and heavy workload (leaving little time for research) were also reported as challenges. Respondents suggested that grants specifically targeting young scientists would be beneficial. Participants also urged for the establishment of mentorship programmes, increasing motivation for research, and more frequent training opportunities.Conclusions: There is need for improved funding for institutional and research network strengthening in Africa, with particular attention given to expanding opportunities for young researchers

Correlating Soil Test Phosphorus Losses in Runoff

Phosphorus in agricultural runoff is often a major cause of accelerated eutrophication of lakes and streams. Previous research has indicated that the amount of dissolved P (DP) in runoff is directly related to P content of the surface soil. Decades of fertilizer application at rates exceeding those of crop uptake have elevated soil test P (STP) levels in areas of intensive crop and livestock production, making this the major source of DP loss in runoff. The objective of our experiment was to relate STP content of Captina silt loam to P concentration and loss in runoff, and determine which STP method correlates best to P levels in runoff. The 57 grass plots used in this study had a wide range of STP levels. A representative soil sample was composited from the 0-2 cm depth of each plot, and STP content was determined by Mehlich III, distilled water, and iron oxide paper strip extraction methods. Simulated rain was applied at 100 mm h-1. Runoff samples were filtered and analyzed for DP content. Regression methods showed STP (regardless of extraction method) was directly related to runoff DP, but extractions with distilled water or iron oxide paper strips gave results that correlated most closely with runoff DP concentrations. Because plot runoff totals were highly variable, total DP load did not correlate well with STP

Use of Artificial Intelligence as an Innovative Method for Liver Graft Macrosteatosis Assessment

The worldwide implementation of a liver graft pool using marginal livers (ie, grafts with a high risk of technical complications and impaired function or with a risk of transmitting infection or malignancy to the recipient) has led to a growing interest in developing methods for accurate evaluation of graft quality. Liver steatosis is associated with a higher risk of primary nonfunction, early graft dysfunction, and poor graft survival rate. The present study aimed to analyze the value of artificial intelligence (AI) in the assessment of liver steatosis during procurement compared with liver biopsy evaluation. A total of 117 consecutive liver grafts from brain-dead donors were included and classified into 2 cohorts: ≥30 versus &lt;30% hepatic steatosis. AI analysis required the presence of an intraoperative smartphone liver picture as well as a graft biopsy and donor data. First, a new algorithm arising from current visual recognition methods was developed, trained, and validated to obtain automatic liver graft segmentation from smartphone images. Second, a fully automated texture analysis and classification of the liver graft was performed by machine-learning algorithms. Automatic liver graft segmentation from smartphone images achieved an accuracy (Acc) of 98%, whereas the analysis of the liver graft features (cropped picture and donor data) showed an Acc of 89% in graft classification (≥30 versus &lt;30%). This study demonstrates that AI has the potential to assess steatosis in a handy and noninvasive way to reliably identify potential nontransplantable liver grafts and to avoid improper graft utilization

Are lay people good at recognising the symptoms of schizophrenia?

©2013 Erritty, Wydell. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.This article has been made available through the Brunel Open Access Publishing Fund.Aim: The aim of this study was to explore the general public’s perception of schizophrenia symptoms and the need to seekhelp for symptoms. The recognition (or ‘labelling’) of schizophrenia symptoms, help-seeking behaviours and public awareness of schizophrenia have been suggested as potentially important factors relating to untreated psychosis. Method: Participants were asked to rate to what extent they believe vignettes describing classic symptoms (positive and negative) of schizophrenia indicate mental illness. They were also asked if the individuals depicted in the vignettes required help or treatment and asked to suggest what kind of help or treatment. Results: Only three positive symptoms (i.e., Hallucinatory behaviour, Unusual thought content and Suspiciousness) of schizophrenia were reasonably well perceived (above 70%) as indicating mental illness more than the other positive or negative symptoms. Even when the participants recognised that the symptoms indicated mental illness, not everyone recommended professional help. Conclusion: There may be a need to improve public awareness of schizophrenia and psychosis symptoms, particularly regarding an awareness of the importance of early intervention for psychosis

Ion-Collision Emission Excitation Cross Sections for Xenon Electric Thruster Plasmas

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/76738/1/AIAA-33657-821.pd

Lineage-specific evolution of the vertebrate Otopetrin gene family revealed by comparative genomic analyses

Background: Mutations in the Otopetrin 1 gene (Otop1) in mice and fish produce an unusual bilateral vestibular pathology that involves the absence of otoconia without hearing impairment. The encoded protein, Otop1, is the only functionally characterized member of the Otopetrin Domain Protein (ODP) family; the extended sequence and structural preservation of ODP proteins in metazoans suggest a conserved functional role. Here, we use the tools of sequence-and cytogenetic-based comparative genomics to study the Otop1 and the Otop2-Otop3 genes and to establish their genomic context in 25 vertebrates. We extend our evolutionary study to include the gene mutated in Usher syndrome (USH) subtype 1G (Ush1g), both because of the head-to-tail clustering of Ush1g with Otop2 and because Otop1 and Ush1g mutations result in inner ear phenotypes. Results: We established that OTOP1 is the boundary gene of an inversion polymorphism on human chromosome 4p16 that originated in the common human-chimpanzee lineage more than 6 million years ago. Other lineage-specific evolutionary events included a three-fold expansion of the Otop genes in Xenopus tropicalis and of Ush1g in teleostei fish. The tight physical linkage between Otop2 and Ush1g is conserved in all vertebrates. To further understand the functional organization of the Ushg1-Otop2 locus, we deduced a putative map of binding sites for CCCTC-binding factor (CTCF), a mammalian insulator transcription factor, from genome-wide chromatin immunoprecipitation-sequencing (ChIP-seq) data in mouse and human embryonic stem (ES) cells combined with detection of CTCF-binding motifs. Conclusions: The results presented here clarify the evolutionary history of the vertebrate Otop and Ush1g families, and establish a framework for studying the possible interaction(s) of Ush1g and Otop in developmental pathways