Changes in anthropometry, upper-body strength, and nutrient intake in professional Australian football players during a season

©2016 Human Kinetics,Inc. The purpose of this study was to examine the seasonal changes in body composition, nutrition, and upper-body (UB) strength in professional Australian Football (AF) players. The prospective longitudinal study examined changes in anthropometry (body mass, fat-free soft-tissue mass [FFSTM], and fat mass) via dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry 5 times during an AF season (start preseason, midpreseason, start season, midseason, end season) in 45 professional AF players. Dietary intakes and strength (bench press and bench pull) were also assessed at these time points. Players were categorized as experienced (>4 y experience, n = 23) or inexperienced (1 y to develop the appropriate levels of FFSTM in young players and take a long-term view when developing the physical and performance abilities of inexperienced players

Phosphorus adsorption onto an enriched biochar substrate in constructed wetlands treating wastewater

Phosphorus (P) is an essential nutrient, which in excessive concentrations from sewage treatment systems can cause eutrophication of waterways. The use of adsorption substrates is becoming a common method for P-removal from wastewater. To achieve sustained P-removal from passive wastewater treatment systems, such as constructed wetlands, it is essential to select substrates with a high capacity to retain P which can be replaced when saturated. An enriched hemp biochar substrate was added to experimental constructed wetland cells to treat domestic wastewater. Hemp feedstock was treated with hematite, melanterite and dolomite prior to pyrolysis at 400 °C. The amount of P which was present in the wastewater from the biochar wetlands cells after treatment was compared to gravel control wetland cells. During the 7-month study period, the wetlands containing the enriched biochar consistently reduced PO4-P concentrations in primary treated sewage to lower levels than in the control wetlands, with an average inlet P concentration of 15.5 mg/L, to below 2 mg/L. Various analytical methods were used to characterise the changes in the biochar substrate. Concentration of P in the substrate increased by 77% over the test period. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis revealed iron phosphate formation. Scanning electron microscopy together with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM–EDX) showed P captured on the biochar surface was associated with aluminium, silica, iron, magnesium and calcium-rich mineral phases. This study showed that an enriched biochar can be used as a substrate to capture phosphorus in passive wastewater treatment

Optimization of pH as a strategy to improve enzymatic saccharification of wheat straw for enhancing bioethanol production

In this work, wheat straw (WS) was used as a lignocellulosic substrate to investigate the influence of pH on enzymatic saccharification. The optimum enzymatic hydrolysis occurred at pH range 5.8 – 6.0, instead of 4.8 - 5.0 as has been widely reported in research. Two enzymes cocktails, Celluclast® 1.5L with Novozymes 188, Cellic® CTec2 and endo-1, 4-β-Xylanase, were used for the pH investigation over a pH range of 3.0 – 7.0. The highest concentration of total reduced sugar was found at pH 6.0 for all the different enzymes used in this study. The total reduced sugar produced from the enzymatic saccharification at pH 6.0 was found to be 7.0, 7.4 and 10.8 (g L-1) for Celluclast® 1.5L with Novozymes 188, endo-1, 4-β-Xylanase and Cellic® CTec2, respectively. By increasing the pH from 4.8 to 6.0, the total reduced sugar yield increased by 25% for Celluclast® 1.5L with Novozymes 188 and endo-1, 4-β-Xylanase and 21% for Cellic® CTec2. The results from this study indicate that WS hydrolysis can be improved significantly by elevating the pH at which the reaction occurs to the range of 5.8 to 6.0

960-86 Implications of Alternative Classifications of Sudden Cardiac Death: A Prospective Analysis of 109 Deaths in Defibrillator Trials

In order to explore the implications of using varied definitions of sudden cardiac death (SCD), a classification (CL) committee (3 cardiologists) prospectively evaluated 109 deaths over a period of 19 months in patients with an implantable cardioverter defibriliator (ICD). The basis for CL was the CAST approach with additional assessments of the consequences of considering autopsy and ICD interrogation information. Concordance and/or discordance between committee members was recorded.ResultsOf the 834 patients followed for 19 months, there were 109 deaths: 17 were classified SCD, 51 non-SCD. and 40 non-cardiac. Of the deaths classified as SCD, 10/17 were unwitnessed as compared to 6/51 non-SCD and 3/40 non-cardiac deaths; p < 0.001. ICD detections occurred in 5/17 SCD <1 hour, 7/17 SCD <6 hours; therefore, 10/17 SCD had no ICD detection or information available. There was committee discordance in 5/17 SCD compared to 18/51 non-SCD and 16/40 non-cardiac. SCD rates as high as 3.6% (30/834) can be estimated if all SCD cases Cl by ≥1 member was counted as SCD. Likewise. a SCD rate as low as 0.8% (7/834) is possible if SCD is limited to witnessed SCD ≤1 hour; (a 4-fold difference). Autopsy information was available in 29/109 deaths. In 7 cases, autopsy findings resulted in changing a “SCD” CL (5 witnessed; 2 unwitnessed) to either non-SCD or non-cardiac [ruptured abdominal (N=21 or thoracic aortic (N=1) aneurysm, acute MI (N=1), cerebral infarction (N=1). pulmonary embolism (N=2)]. Thus, had autopsy information been unavailable or not considered, the SCD rate would have increased to 24/834 12.9%). ICD interrogation was unavailable in 51/109 (47%), most commonly due to being buried with the patient or programmed off prior to death.ConclusionA 4-fold spectrum of SCD rates is possible to report from the identical data-set. ICD interrogation has significant limitations for use in death CL, in contrast to its utility in clinical management. Autopsy results clarify cause-specific mortality in deaths that are temporally quite “sudden.” Total mortality is the most objective primary end point

Parents’ experiences of health visiting for children with Down syndrome

© MA Healthcare Limited.Children with Down syndrome have an increased likelihoodof experiencing serious health conditions. Health visitors canhave an important role in monitoring and promoting healthand development for young children with Down syndrome.This study aimed to explore parents’ experiences of healthvisiting services for children with Down syndrome. Twentyfour parents of children with Down syndrome aged 0–5 yearscompleted a brief questionnaire about the number and natureof visits from health visitors in the previous 12 months andtheir support needs. Some parents commented that otherprofessionals met the needs of their child, whereas others saidthat they would like more advice and support from healthvisitors. A further exploration of broader health serviceprovision, including health visiting, for young children withDown syndrome is needed.Peer reviewedFinal Accepted Versio

Electrical breakdown studies with Mycalex insulators

Insulating materials such as alumina and glass-bonded mica (Mycalex) are used in accelerator systems for high voltage feedthroughs, structural supports, and barriers between high voltage insulating oil and the vacuum beam pipe in induction accelerator cells. Electric fields in the triple points should be minimized to prevent voltage breakdown. Mechanical stress can compromise seals and result in oil contamination of the insulator surface. We have tested various insulator cleaning procedures including ultrasonic cleaning with a variety of aqueous-based detergents, and manual scrubbing with various detergents. Water sheeting tests were used to determine the initial results of the cleaning methods. Ultimately, voltage breakdown tests will be used to quantify the benefits of these cleaning procedures

ELECTRICAL BREAKDOWN STUDIES WITH MYCALEX INSULATORS*

Abstract Insulating materials such as alumina and glassbonded mica (Mycalex) are used in accelerator systems for high voltage feedthroughs, structural supports, and barriers between high voltage insulating oil and the vacuum beam pipe in induction accelerator cells. Electric fields in the triple points should be minimized to prevent voltage breakdown. Mechanical stress can compromise seals and result in oil contamination of the insulator surface. We have tested various insulator cleaning procedures including ultrasonic cleaning with a variety of aqueous-based detergents, and manual scrubbing with various detergents. Water sheeting tests were used to determine the initial results of the cleaning methods. Ultimately, voltage breakdown tests will be used to quantify the benefits of these cleaning procedures

A new liver perfusion and preservation system for transplantation Research in large animals

A kidney perfusion machine, model MOX-100 (Waters Instruments, Ltd, Rochester, MN) was modified to allow continuous perfusion of the portal vein and pulsatile perfusion of the hepatic artery of the liver. Additional apparatus consists of a cooling system, a membrane oxygenator, a filter for foreign bodies, and bubble traps. This system not only allows hypothermic perfusion preservation of the liver graft, but furthermore enables investigation of ex vivo simulation of various circulatory circumstances in which physiological perfusion of the liver is studied. We have used this system to evaluate the viability of liver allografts preserved by cold storage. The liver was placed on the perfusion system and perfused with blood with a hematocrit of approximately 20% and maintained at 37°C for 3 h. The flows of the hepatic artery and portal vein were adjusted to 0.33 mL and 0.67 mL/g of liver tissue, respectively. Parameters of viability consisted of hourly bile output, oxygen consumption, liver enzymes, electrolytes, vascular resistance, and liver histology. This method of liver assessment in large animals will allow the objective evaluation of organ viability for transplantation and thereby improve the outcome of organ transplantation. Furthermore, this pump enables investigation into the pathophysiology of liver ischemia and preservation. © 1990 Informa UK Ltd All rights reserved: reproduction in whole or part not permitted

Craniofacial identification standards: a review of reliability, reproducibility, and implementation

There are numerous anatomical and anthropometrical standards that can be utilised for craniofacial analysis and identification. These standards originate from a wide variety of sources, such as orthodontic, maxillofacial, surgical, anatomical, anthropological and forensic literature, and numerous media have been employed to collect data from living and deceased subjects. With the development of clinical imaging and the enhanced technology associated with this field, multiple methods of data collection have become accessible, including Computed Tomography, Cone-Beam Computed Tomography, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Radiographs, Three-dimensional Scanning, Photogrammetry and Ultrasound, alongside the more traditional in vivo methods, such as palpation and direct measurement, and cadaveric human dissection. Practitioners often struggle to identify the most appropriate standards and research results are frequently inconsistent adding to the confusion. This paper aims to clarify how practitioners can choose optimal standards, which standards are the most reliable and when to apply these standards for craniofacial identification. This paper describes the advantages and disadvantages of each mode of data collection and collates published research to review standards across different populations for each facial feature. This paper does not aim to be a practical instruction paper; since this field encompasses a wide range of 2D and 3D approaches (e.g., clay sculpture, sketch, automated, computer-modelling), the implementation of these standards is left to the individual practitioner