The Effect of Functional Movement Screen-Based Circuit Training On Balance and Postural Stability

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The immunogenicity of staphylococcal delta-haemolysin

Native delta-haemolysin of Staphylococcus aureus was poorly immunogenic in the mouse, inducing low anti-delta-haemolysin antibody titres in only 50% of immunised animals. Treatment of delta-haemolysin with formaldehyde at pH 5 or pH 7.5 caused a rapid loss of haemolytic activity and, on treatment for 7 days at pH 5, gave a product of higher immunogenicity than the native material. Treatment of delta-haemolysin with formaldehyde at pH 9.5 for 7 days reduced the haemolytic activity by 97% that failed to enhance the immunogenicity. Antisera to formaldehyde-treated delta-haemolysin contained antibodies directed against antigenic sites not present on the native molecule. Formaldehyde-treated delta-haemolysin had an increased electrophoretic mobility and a reduced isoelectric point but there was no evidence of polymerisation. The enhanced immunogenicity may be due to a reduced affinity for phospholipids, resistance to enzymic digestion, increased rigidity and/or the masking of a suppressor determinant on the molecule. Treatment of delta-haemolysin with glutaraldehyde under acid, neutral or alkaline conditions produced a rapid loss of haemolytic and immunogenic activities. High doses of delta-haemolysin (62.5 - 1000 mug) gave enhanced vascular permeability (EVP) when injected intradermally in the rabbit. The response was obtained at a critical time of 1 h between injection of sample intradermally and of Pontamine Sky Blue Dye intravenously. The EVP activity was resistant to heating at 10

Running quietly reduces ground reaction force and vertical loading rate and alters foot strike technique

This study aimed to determine if a quantifiable relationship exists between the peak sound amplitude and peak vertical ground reaction force (vGRF) and vertical loading rate during running. It also investigated whether differences in peak sound amplitude, contact time, lower limb kinematics, kinetics and foot strike technique existed when participants were verbally instructed to run quietly compared to their normal running. A total of 26 males completed running trials for two sound conditions: normal running and quiet running. Simple linear regressions revealed no significant relationships between impact sound and peak vGRF in the normal and quiet conditions and vertical loading rate in the normal condition. t-Tests revealed significant within-subject decreases in peak sound, peak vGRF and vertical loading rate during the quiet compared to the normal running condition. During the normal running condition, 15.4% of participants utilised a non-rearfoot strike technique compared to 76.9% in the quiet condition, which was corroborated by an increased ankle plantarflexion angle at initial contact. This study demonstrated that quieter impact sound is not directly associated with a lower peak vGRF or vertical loading rate. However, given the instructions to run quietly, participants effectively reduced peak impact sound, peak vGRF and vertical loading rate

Effects of Static and Dynamic Hamstring Stretching on Anaerobic Exercise Performance

Please view abstract in the attached PDF file