The Effects of Different Wearable Resistance Loads and Placements During Vertical Jumping and Sprint Running

Several training options are available to produce specific adaptations depending on the requirement of the sport and the athlete. Specific strength exercises that closely mimic the sporting performance action enable overload and most likely optimise transference of adaptation to the sport/activity of interest. An example of this is wearable resistance (WR) (i.e. an external load attached to the body) which enables movement specific actions to be performed with additional resistance attached to various areas of the body. WR may be a potential training option that allows athletes to train full body strength, speed and power exercises without compromising technique. Acute and longitudinal performance increases have been reported in jumping and sprint running with WR; however, clarity is lacking when specifying the optimum load and load placement position. Previous WR research has involved weighted vests, hand held weights or loads attached to the thigh, ankle or foot. However, recent technological developments have enabled WR loading configurations to be attached to multiple areas of the body allowing greater functional dynamic actions to be performed. Therefore, the purpose of this thesis was to determine the acute kinematic and kinetic changes in vertical jump (VJ) and sprint running performance with differing load magnitudes and load placements. The aim of the first study was to determine the acute changes in kinematics and kinetics when an additional load equivalent to 3 or 6% body mass (BM) was attached to the upper or lower body during vertical jumping. Twenty athletic subjects performed the counter movement jump (CMJ), drop jump (DJ) and pogo jump (PJ) in a randomised fashion wearing no external load, 3 or 6% BM affixed to the upper or lower body (three jumps per condition). The main finding in terms of the landing phase was that the effect of WR was non-significant. However, landing relative vertical ground reaction force (Fv) tended to be higher with the same magnitude of lower WR compared to upper WR. With regards to the propulsive phase the main findings were that: 1) for both the CMJ and DJ, WR resulted in a significant decrease in jump height (CMJ: -12 to -17%, DJ: -10 to -14%), relative peak power (CMJ: -8 to -17%, DJ: -7 to -10%) and peak velocity (CMJ: -4 to -7%, DJ: -3 to -8%); 2) there was no significant effect of load placement; and, 3) PJ reactive strength index was significantly reduced (-15 to -21%) with all WR conditions. Consideration should be given to the inclusion of WR in sports where VJ?s are important components as it may provide a novel training stimulus. The purpose of the second study was to determine the acute changes in kinematics and kinetics when an additional load equivalent to 3% BM was attached to the anterior or posterior surface of the lower limbs during sprint running. Nineteen male rugby athletes performed six 20 m sprints in a randomised fashion wearing no resistance or 3% BM affixed to the anterior or posterior surface of the lower limbs (two sprints per condition). No significant differences were found between the anterior and posterior WR conditions in any of the variables of interest. There was no significant change in sprint times over the initial 10 m; however the 10 to 20 m split times were significantly slower (-2 to -3%) for the WR conditions compared to the unloaded sprints. A significant change in the relative force-velocity (F-v) slope (-10 to -11%) and theoretical maximum velocity (V0) (-5 to -6%) was found, while a non-significant increase in theoretical maximum force (F0) (5%) occurred. WR of 3% BM may be a suitable training modality to enhance sprint running acceleration performance without negatively affecting sprint running kinematics, particularly for athletes requiring a more force dominant F-v profile. WR provides a novel overload training method for an athlete that enables vertical jumping and sprint running to be performed without negatively impacting on kinematics. WR training may benefit athletes for whom explosive lower-body movements such as jumping and sprint running are performed as part of training and competition

THE EFFECT OF LOWER LIMB WEARABLE RESISTANCE LOCATION ON SPRINT RUNNING STEP KINEMATICS

This study quantified changes in step kinematics between unloaded, thigh, and shank wearable resistance (WR) at 2% body mass (BM) during over ground sprint running. Eleven male athletes completed two maximal effort sprint trials over 52 m of in-ground force plates, for each condition. There were no significant (p \u3e 0.05) changes in sprint times between all conditions. Compared to unloaded sprinting, shank WR significantly changed step frequency (SF) (-2.1% acceleration phase and -2.5% max velocity phase (MVP)), contact times (CT) (2.1% MVP) and flight times (3.3% MVP); thigh WR significantly changed SF (-1.4% MVP) and CT (2.9% MVP). It appears peripheral loading (2% BM) of the thigh and shank affects SF and CT but not step length and width. Such differential loading could be used to train different mechanical determinants of speed

Dengue transmission risk in a changing climate: Bangladesh is likely to experience a longer dengue fever season in the future

Our changing climate is already affecting the transmission of dengue fever, the fastest growing vector-borne viral disease in the world. This issue presents a significant public health concern for some nations, such as Bangladesh, which already experience regular seasonal outbreaks of dengue fever under present day conditions. To provide guidance for proactive public health planning to potentially mitigate the severity of future outbreaks, we explored the impact of climate change on dengue infections by calculating the change in vectorial capacity (VC) of Aedes aegypti mosquitoes at a seasonal level for all regions in Bangladesh under two scenarios for future atmospheric greenhouse gas concentrations. For each of the four climate models used, and for both scenarios, our analysis revealed that the annual VC remains at a level that would enable potential dengue epidemic transmission in all regions in Bangladesh. We found a slight decline in VC in half of the regions examined during the last two decades of the 21st century for the lower-concentration scenario, with a pronounced decline in VC in all geographic regions beginning in 2060 for the higher-concentration scenario. The likely reason is that in many regions, warming will lead to sub-optimal mosquito breeding temperatures. However, seasonal differences in VC will dissipate as the climate warms, to the point that there is almost no observable seasonality for the higher-concentration scenario during the last two decades of this century. This finding suggests the dengue transmission season could eventually extend to all-year-round transmission, with outbreaks occurring at any time. Consequently, disease surveillance and control activities would need to be geographically and temporally adapted to mitigate dengue epidemic risk in response to climate change

Pharmacist awareness and views towards counterfeit medicine in Lebanon

Background:  Pharmacists, as healthcare professionals, have patients’ well-being and safety as their primary concern. However, the safety and efficacy of treatments may be compromised by the availability of counterfeit medicine (CFM) which could have serious consequences for public health. Objectives: To assess pharmacist awareness and views towards CFM in Lebanon. Methods: The study used convenience sampling and selected pharmacists based on their willingness to participate and used a questionnaire as a tool to determine their experiences and views towards CFM. The questionnaires were completed in different regions in Lebanon. Key findings: A total of 223 pharmacists participated in the study, and all were able to define CFM, however were inconsistent in their definitions. The majority reported identifying CFM by the medicine’s effect (67.7%), followed by cost (66.8%). Almost 43% reported knowing of pharmacists who dispensed CFM. Additionally, participants reported that they believed that pharmacists who dealt with CFM were unprofessional (89.2%) and unethical (86.5%), and that they did it for the ‘easy money’ (87.9%) and large profit (86.5%). Conclusion: The study highlighted the need for additional CFM awarenesscampaigns with an emphasis on the role that pharmacists have in protecting patients from using CFM. In addition, there is a need for an official CFM definition that distinguishes between the different types of counterfeiting. Furthermore, the Lebanese Ministry of Public Health and regulatory authorities should control and secure the supply chain of medicine in the country and enforce the law

Risk management to prioritise the eradication of new and emerging invasive non-native species

Robust tools are needed to prioritise the management of invasive non-native species (INNS). Risk assessment is commonly used to prioritise INNS, but fails to take into account the feasibility of management. Risk management provides a structured evaluation of management options, but has received little attention to date. We present a risk management scheme to assess the feasibility of eradicating INNS that can be used, in conjunction with existing risk assessment schemes, to support prioritisation. The Non-Native Risk Management scheme (NNRM) can be applied to any predefined area and any taxa. It uses semi-quantitative response and confidence scores to assess seven key criteria: Effectiveness, Practicality, Cost, Impact, Acceptability, Window of opportunity and Likelihood of re-invasion. Scores are elicited using expert judgement, supported by available evidence, and consensus-building methods. We applied the NNRM to forty-one INNS that threaten Great Britain (GB). Thirty-three experts provided scores, with overall feasibility of eradication assessed as ‘very high’ (8 species), ‘high’ (6), ‘medium’ (8), ‘low’ (10) and ‘very low’ (9). The feasibility of eradicating terrestrial species was higher than aquatic species. Lotic freshwater and marine species scored particularly low. Combining risk management and existing risk assessment scores identified six established species as priorities for eradication. A further six species that are not yet established were identified as priorities for eradication on arrival as part of contingency planning. The NNRM is one of the first INNS risk management schemes that can be used with existing risk assessments to prioritise INNS eradication in any area

Public and pharmacist perceptions towards counterfeit medicine in Lebanon using focus groups

Counterfeit medicine is a product that is deliberately and fraudulentlymislabelled with respect to identity or source. The international concern is the risk counterfeits pose for public health. To date, there are no published studies on public and pharmacist perceptions towards counterfeit medicine in Lebanon. Therefore, the aim of the study was to explore participants’ experiences, views and beliefs regarding counterfeit medicine by employing the mixed methods methodology.Methods: The study used four focus groups. The two public focus groups were recruited using the convenience sampling method from two schools in Mount Lebanon. The two pharmacists’ focus groups were recruited by the snowball approach from different pharmacy settings. All participants were above 18 years old.Results: The public and pharmacist focus groups had a total of 24 and 13 participants respectively. Using thematic analysis, themes and subthemes emerged from the discussions, and the common themes between the public and pharmacists were; awareness, trust, corruption and overcoming counterfeit medicine.Conclusions: The findings showed the perceived risk counterfeit medicine pose to individuals and public health. According to focus group participants, the situation is serious and requires more attention from the Ministry of Public Health and Order of Pharmacists. Therefore, the need is to establish strict control on medicine; implement and enforce the law; reactivate the central laboratory; create a counterfeit medicine reporting system, and develop continuous educational programs

Towards a risk ranking for improved management of discharges of fats, oils, and greases (FOGs) from food outlets

The understanding of fats, oils, and greases (FOGs) pathways in commercial kitchens is relatively poor. In this contribution, we extend our understanding of how FOG is perceived and managed by those working within food service establishments (FSEs). A questionnaire (n = 107) exposes awareness of and experiences with FOG and characterises two important behaviours: kitchen appliance cleaning regimes and waste management practices. Findings demonstrate that awareness of issues caused by FOG in sewer networks is independent of job role or position and that a majority of respondents (74%) are acquainted with the impacts of poor FOG management. Application of a risk ranking approach revealed a low risk of emissions from waste frying oils and exposed behaviours which can serve to reduce FOG emission potential including pre-rinsing of plates and cleaning of fryers and extraction hoods. Critically, 69% of FSEs had no means of managing their FOG emissions. We conclude that sampled FSEs were generally unaware of the relative contribution of FOG sources, thereby limiting their ability to respond to the behavioural and technological options available for minimising its impact. The risk ranking developed in this paper could be used to suggest efforts to reduce and mitigate FOG emissions from FSEs.Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC): EP/L15412/1. ACO Technologies plc.; Thames Water Utilities Lt

Recommendations for enterovirus diagnostics and characterisation within and beyond Europe.

Enteroviruses (EV) can cause severe neurological and respiratory infections, and occasionally lead to devastating outbreaks as previously demonstrated with EV-A71 and EV-D68 in Europe. However, these infections are still often underdiagnosed and EV typing data is not currently collected at European level. In order to improve EV diagnostics, collate data on severe EV infections and monitor the circulation of EV types, we have established European non-polio enterovirus network (ENPEN). First task of this cross-border network has been to ensure prompt and adequate diagnosis of these infections in Europe, and hence we present recommendations for non-polio EV detection and typing based on the consensus view of this multidisciplinary team including experts from over 20 European countries. We recommend that respiratory and stool samples in addition to cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and blood samples are submitted for EV testing from patients with suspected neurological infections. This is vital since viruses like EV-D68 are rarely detectable in CSF or stool samples. Furthermore, reverse transcriptase PCR (RT-PCR) targeting the 5'noncoding regions (5'NCR) should be used for diagnosis of EVs due to their sensitivity, specificity and short turnaround time. Sequencing of the VP1 capsid protein gene is recommended for EV typing; EV typing cannot be based on the 5'NCR sequences due to frequent recombination events and should not rely on virus isolation. Effective and standardized laboratory diagnostics and characterisation of circulating virus strains are the first step towards effective and continuous surveillance activities, which in turn will be used to provide better estimation on EV disease burden

ウェアラブルレジスタンスが加速疾走と地面反力に与える影響、スタート姿勢の違いが加速疾走パフォーマンスに与える影響に関する研究

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Recombination between Polioviruses and Co-Circulating Coxsackie A Viruses: Role in the Emergence of Pathogenic Vaccine-Derived Polioviruses

Ten outbreaks of poliomyelitis caused by pathogenic circulating vaccine-derived polioviruses (cVDPVs) have recently been reported in different regions of the world. Two of these outbreaks occurred in Madagascar. Most cVDPVs were recombinants of mutated poliovaccine strains and other unidentified enteroviruses of species C. We previously reported that a type 2 cVDPV isolated during an outbreak in Madagascar was co-circulating with coxsackieviruses A17 (CA17) and that sequences in the 3′ half of the cVDPV and CA17 genomes were related. The goal of this study was to investigate whether these CA17 isolates can act as recombination partners of poliovirus and subsequently to evaluate the major effects of recombination events on the phenotype of the recombinants. We first cloned the infectious cDNA of a Madagascar CA17 isolate. We then generated recombinant constructs combining the genetic material of this CA17 isolate with that of the type 2 vaccine strain and that of the type 2 cVDPV. Our results showed that poliovirus/CA17 recombinants are viable. The recombinant in which the 3′ half of the vaccine strain genome had been replaced by that of the CA17 genome yielded larger plaques and was less temperature sensitive than its parental strains. The virus in which the 3′ portion of the cVDPV genome was replaced by the 3′ half of the CA17 genome was almost as neurovirulent as the cVDPV in transgenic mice expressing the poliovirus cellular receptor gene. The co-circulation in children and genetic recombination of viruses, differing in their pathogenicity for humans and in certain other biological properties such as receptor usage, can lead to the generation of pathogenic recombinants, thus constituting an interesting model of viral evolution and emergence