Acute Alterations of Scapular Upward Rotation following a Functional Fatiguing Protocol in Male Tennis Players

Context: Alterations in scapular kinematics, specifically upward rotation, are associated with a variety of chronic shoulder conditions. Fatigue may exacerbate the mechanisms potentially resulting in microtrauma and impingement syndrome. Objective: To identify acute alterations of scapular upward rotation following a functional fatigue protocol. Design: Prospective longitudinal. Setting: Biomechanics research laboratory. Patients or Other Participants: Twenty healthy, male competitive tennis players with no history of shoulder injury participated in this study: 10 experimental subjects(19.4 ± 1.07 yrs., 180.09 + 8.92 cm 72 + 11.56 kg) and 10 control subjects (19.6 ± 1.17 yrs., 181.1 + 6.56 cm 81.56 + 13.51 kg). Interventions: Scapular upward rotation was measured three times per session on the dominant arm while at rest, 60˚, 90˚ and 120˚ of humeral elevation in the scapular plane. Participants in the experimental group performed a tennis serving protocol and maintained at least 90% maximal exertion of the tennis serve. Fatigue was defined as reaching a rating of 15 using Borg’s rate of perceived exertion scale as well as 70% HR max. Upward rotation measurements were taken before and immediately following the fatigue protocol, and 24, 48, and 72 hours post exercise. Control participants were tested at the same time intervals without the fatiguing protocol. Main Outcome Measures: Four 2 x 5 (group x session) repeated measures ANOVA’s were performed followed by simple contrasts as appropriate. Results: Significant group by time interaction for scapular upward rotation was found at all testing positions (rest, 60˚, 90˚ and 120˚). Contrasts revealed differences between the experimental group’s pre fatigue and post fatigue values at all testing positions (pre fatigue rest: 1.48 + 2.66 post fatigue rest: -.68+ 2.66 p\u3c.001; pre fatigue 60˚: 7.87+ 4.46 post fatigue 60˚: 5.67+ 4.72 p=.010; pre fatigue 90˚: 22.51+ 5.40 post fatigue 90˚: 19.29+ 5.16 p\u3c.001; pre fatigue 120˚: 37.34+ 6.91 post fatigue 120˚: 33.35+ 6.49 p\u3c.001; as well as at 60˚ pre fatigue and day four measurements(pre fatigue 60˚: 7.87+ 4.46 day 4 60˚: 7.67+ 4.55 p=.031) Conclusions: Fatigue appears to affect, specifically impairs, scapular upward rotation in male tennis players but returns to baseline values within twenty-four hours. Further research should identify when it returns to baseline to provide guidance for rest intervals for healthy male tennis players as well as if these changes are similar in a pathologic group of players

Toward Theoretical Techniques for Measuring the Use of Human Effort in Visual Analytic Systems

Visual analytic systems have long relied on user studies and standard datasets to demonstrate advances to the state of the art, as well as to illustrate the efficiency of solutions to domain-specific challenges. This approach has enabled some important comparisons between systems, but unfortunately the narrow scope required to facilitate these comparisons has prevented many of these lessons from being generalized to new areas. At the same time, advanced visual analytic systems have made increasing use of human-machine collaboration to solve problems not tractable by machine computation alone. To continue to make progress in modeling user tasks in these hybrid visual analytic systems, we must strive to gain insight into what makes certain tasks more complex than others. This will require the development of mechanisms for describing the balance to be struck between machine and human strengths with respect to analytical tasks and workload. In this paper, we argue for the necessity of theoretical tools for reasoning about such balance in visual analytic systems and demonstrate the utility of the Human Oracle Model for this purpose in the context of sensemaking in visual analytics. Additionally, we make use of the Human Oracle Model to guide the development of a new system through a case study in the domain of cybersecurity

The Effect of Participation in Organized Soccer on Fitnessgram Scores in 11-12 Year Old Girls

Purpose: Childhood obesity is increasing at an alarming rate throughout the United States and has been associated with multiple health complications such as heart disease and diabetes. Due to these increasing rates and health effects, there is a need to determine effective methods to measure physical activity as well as promote physical activity. One form of determining a child\u27s level of fitness is through the Fitnessgram. This study was designed to determine if formally testing fitness levels with the Fitnessgram in 11-12 year old girls participating in organized soccer is correlated with changes in fitness levels from pre-season to post-season, determine if using a measure such as the Fitnessgram influences the motivation to participate in organized and nonorganized physical activities, and determine if girls participating in organized soccer have higher fitness levels when compared to normative data. Subjects: Subjects were recruited from a soccer club and consisted of four female soccer players ages 11 to 12. Inclusion was based on participation in organized girls soccer and exclusion was based on parent/guardian and/or player\u27s refusal to consent to participation. Instrumentation: The Fitnessgram was used to provide feedback on whether or not the child achieved the criterion referenced age and gender specific standards for physical activity or fitness. In addition, participants were asked to complete questionnaires relative to the study. Procedure: Fitnessgram protocol was followed to evaluate strength, flexibility, body composition, and endurance. Subjects completed six tests both pre and post season which included curl-ups, trunk lifts, push-ups, PACER, skinfold measurements and sit and reach. Data Analysis: A related sample t-test compared pre and post-season measurements for curl-ups, trunk lift, push-ups, PACER test, and sit and each measurements. Results: Results of this study revealed no significant difference in preseason Fitnessgram scores compared to post-season scores. Conclusion and Clinical Implications: A major focus of physical therapy is to promote health and wellness across the lifespan. This includes advocating the benefits of exercise, encouraging participation in physical activity, and educating on the risks of obesity. In the future health professionals as well and educators could utilize the Fitnessgram to provide an objective measure of a child\u27s fitness level in reference to standardized age and gender specific norms

Inshore spawning of cobia (Rachycentron canadum) in South Carolina

We documented inshore spawning of the recreationally important cobia (Rachycentron canadum) in Port Royal Sound (PRS) and St. Helena Sound (SHS), South Carolina, during the period from April to June in both 2007 and 2008. Histological analysis of ovaries confirmed the presence of actively spawning females inshore, and gonadosomatic index (GSI) values from females collected inshore (mean=7.8) were higher than the values from females caught offshore (mean=5.6); both of these mean values indicate that spawning occurred locally. Additionally, we conducted an ichthyoplankton survey in 2008 and found cobia eggs and larvae as far as 10 and 15 km inshore from the mouths of SHS and PRS, respectively. A study of egg development that we conducted in 2007 and 2008 using hatchery-reared cobia eggs provided descriptions of embryological development of cobia. Comparison of visual and quantitative characteristics of the field-collected eggs with those of the hatchery-reared eggs allowed positive identification of eggs collected in plankton samples. The ages of field-collected eggs and presence of females with hydrated oocytes in PRS and SHS observed in our ichthyoplankton survey and histological analysis indicated that wild cobia spawn in the afternoon and early evening. The inshore migration of cobia from April to June, the presence of actively spawning females, significantly higher GSI values, and the collection of eggs inside PRS and SHS all confirm that these estuaries provide spawning habitat for cobia. Because of the potential for heavy exploitation by recreational anglers as cobia move inshore to spawn in South Carolina, current management strategies may require review

ENZYME ENGINEERING AT ALMAC: Case studies of enzyme discovery and engineering

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Pharmacological and Physiological Characterization of the Tremulous Jaw Movement Model of Parkinsonian Tremor: Potential Insights into the Pathophysiology of Tremor

Tremor is a cardinal symptom of parkinsonism, occurring early on in the disease course and affecting more than 70% of patients. Parkinsonian resting tremor occurs in a frequency range of 3–7 Hz and can be resistant to available pharmacotherapy. Despite its prevalence, and the significant decrease in quality of life associated with it, the pathophysiology of parkinsonian tremor is poorly understood. The tremulous jaw movement (TJM) model is an extensively validated rodent model of tremor. TJMs are induced by conditions that also lead to parkinsonism in humans (i.e., striatal DA depletion, DA antagonism, and cholinomimetic activity) and reversed by several antiparkinsonian drugs (i.e., DA precursors, DA agonists, anticholinergics, and adenosine A2A antagonists). TJMs occur in the same 3–7 Hz frequency range seen in parkinsonian resting tremor, a range distinct from that of dyskinesia (1–2 Hz), and postural tremor (8–14 Hz). Overall, these drug-induced TJMs share many characteristics with human parkinsonian tremor, but do not closely resemble tardive dyskinesia. The current review discusses recent advances in the validation of the TJM model, and illustrates how this model is being used to develop novel therapeutic strategies, both surgical and pharmacological, for the treatment of parkinsonian resting tremor