INTRA- AND INTER-RATER RELIABILITY OF A VIDEO-BASED METHOD TO QUANTIFY STROKE SYNCHRONISATION IN CREW-BOAT SPRINT KAYAKING

The purpose of this study was to assess the reliability of a method to quantify stroke synchronisation in crew-boat sprint kayaking from video analysis. One sub-elite K2 crew was recorded from a sagittal view at 120 Hz during a 200-m time trial. Video analysis identified the timing difference (termed “offset”) between the front and back paddlers at four meaningful positions of the stroke (catch, immersion, extraction and release), with zero offset indicating perfect synchronisation. The anlaysis was performed twice by the same rater, as well as independently by two other raters. Results showed almost perfect intra-rater reliability, where intra-class correlation coefficients (ICC) ranged from .87 to 1.00, and standard error of measurement (SEM) from 0 to 5 milliseconds (ms). Inter-rater reliability was substantial to almost perfect (ICC .72 – .94, SEM 2 – 6 ms)

CONSISTENCY IN STROKE SYNCHRONISATIOM PATTERNS OF CREW-BOAT (K2) SPRINT KAYAKING OVER A FOUR-WEEK PERIOD

The purpose of this study was to compare the stroke synchronisation patterns of a sprint kayak crew (two-seater K2) over a four-week precompetition period. This case study centred on two female paddlers from a national sprint kayak team. High-speed (120 Hz) sagittal-view videos were recorded of a 200-m timetrial each week, for four weeks. Video analysis identified the extent of stroke synchronisation within the crew at four key positions of the stroke cycle (catch, immersion, extraction and release). Results showed similar patterns of offset across the four sessions, whereby the back paddler was either in time or slower to reach the catch position (91% of all strokes analysed), but faster to reach the release position (81% of all strokes analysed). It is likely that an experienced sprint kayak crew may be identified by their stroke synchronisation pattern

A COMPARISON OF STROKE CHARACTERISTICS BETWEEN TEAM BOAT (K2) AND INDIVIDUAL (K1) SPRINT KAYAKING

The purpose of this study was to compare the stroke characteristics of sprint kayakers in team boat (K2) versus individual (K1) 200-m racing. This case study centred on two male 200-m specialists from a national sprint kayak team. High-speed (120 Hz) videos were recorded from the sagittal view during an important selection time trial. Thereafter, video analysis was performed to identify stroke characteristics for each paddler in both K2 and K1, including stroke rate and a four-phase stroke breakdown of entry, pull, exit and aerial sub-phases. Results showed that the kayakers’ stroke profile were more similar when comparing between K2 and K1 for the same person, rather than within both paddlers during the K2. It is likely that sprint kayakers have individually preferred stroke profiles but it is not clear how these profiles may be adapted for successful team boat performance

The 2021 MW 6.2 Mamuju, West Sulawesi, Indonesia earthquake: partial rupture of the Makassar Strait thrust

On the 2021 January 15 (local date), an MW 6.2 earthquake struck the Mamuju and Majene regions of West Sulawesi, Indonesia. This event killed more than 100 inhabitants, leaving at least 30 000 people displaced from their homes, and damaged almost 8000 buildings within a radius of ∼30 km from the main shock's epicentre location (as shown on our damage proxy map). This event was generated by an active fault that continues to the Makassar Strait Thrust (MST) offshore West Sulawesi. The hazard potential of this fault remains poorly understood. In this study, we use seismic and Global Positioning System (GPS) data to investigate the source characteristics of the main shock. The results suggest that the main shock partially ruptured one segment of the MST, activated a secondary fault structure, and likely brought the updip unruptured section of the MST segment closure to failure. Our analysis of interseismic GPS velocities indicates that the Mamuju and Majene regions have a higher crustal strain rate than other nearby regions. The results (partial rupture of the MST segment, the updip unruptured section of the MST and high strain rate in the Mamuju and Majene regions) together suggest a significant seismic hazard potential in West Sulawesi, particularly in the Mamuju and Majene areas.Ministry of Education (MOE)National Research Foundation (NRF)Published versionIM is supported by RISPRO LPDP Indonesia Endowment Fund for Education S-303/LPDP.4/2022. SR is supported by the Indonesian Ministry of Research, Technology, and Higher Education through a scholarship program of ‘Pendidikan Magister Menuju Doktor Untuk Sarjana Unggul (PMDSU) Batch IV (2018)’. RS, KL, KB, CT and S-HY are supported by the Earth Observatory of Singapore (EOS) via its funding from the National Research Foundation Singapore and the Singapore Ministry of Education under the Research Centres of Excellence Initiative. RS is further supported by the National Research Foundation Investigatorship Scheme (award no. NRF-NRFI05-2019-0009 to Emma Hill)

Enhancing Mentoring in Palliative Care: An Evidence Based Mentoring Framework

Background: Growing concerns over ethical issues in mentoring in medicine and surgery have hindered efforts to reinitiate mentoring for Palliative Care (PC) physicians following the easing of COVID-19 restrictions. Ranging from the misappropriation of mentee’s work to bullying, ethical issues in mentoring are attributed to poor understanding and structuring of mentoring programs, underlining the need for a consistent approach to mentoring practices. Methods: Given diverse practices across different settings and the employ of various methodologies, a novel approach to narrative reviews (NR)s is proposed to summarize, interpret, and critique prevailing data on novice mentoring. To overcome prevailing concerns surrounding the reproducibility and transparency of narrative reviews, the Systematic Evidenced Based Approach (SEBA) adopts a structured approach to searching and summarizing the included articles and employed concurrent content and thematic analysis that was overseen by a team of experts. Results: A total of 18 915 abstracts were reviewed, 62 full text articles evaluated and 41 articles included. Ten themes/categories were ascertained identified including Nature; Stakeholders; Relationship; Approach; Environment; Benefits; Barriers; Assessments; Theories and Definitions. Conclusion: By compiling and scrutinizing prevailing practice it is possible to appreciate the notion of the mentoring ecosystem which sees each mentee, mentor, and host organization brings with them their own microenvironment that contains their respective goals, abilities, and contextual considerations. Built around competency based mentoring stages, it is possible to advance a flexible yet consistent novice mentoring framework. </jats:sec

Linear B-cell epitopes in the spike and nucleocapsid proteins as markers of SARS-CoV-2 exposure and disease severity

BACKGROUND Given the unceasing worldwide surge in COVID-19 cases, there is an imperative need to develop highly specific and sensitive serology assays to define exposure to Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). METHODS Pooled plasma samples from PCR positive COVID-19 patients were used to identify linear B-cell epitopes from a SARS-CoV-2 peptide library of spike (S), envelope (E), membrane (M), and nucleocapsid (N) structural proteins by peptide-based ELISA. Hit epitopes were further validated with 79 COVID-19 patients with different disease severity status, 13 seasonal human CoV, 20 recovered SARS patients and 22 healthy donors. FINDINGS Four immunodominant epitopes, S14P5, S20P2, S21P2 and N4P5, were identified on the S and N viral proteins. IgG responses to all identified epitopes displayed a strong detection profile, with N4P5 achieving the highest level of specificity (100%) and sensitivity (&gt;96%) against SARS-CoV-2. Furthermore, the magnitude of IgG responses to S14P5, S21P2 and N4P5 were strongly associated with disease severity. INTERPRETATION IgG responses to the peptide epitopes can serve as useful indicators for the degree of immunopathology in COVID-19 patients, and function as higly specific and sensitive sero-immunosurveillance tools for recent or past SARS-CoV-2 infections. The flexibility of these epitopes to be used alone or in combination will allow for the development of improved point-of-care-tests (POCTs)

Mentoring in palliative medicine in the time of covid-19: a systematic scoping review : Mentoring programs during COVID-19.

IntroductionThe redeployment of mentors and restrictions on in-person face-to-face mentoring meetings during the COVID-19 pandemic has compromised mentoring efforts in Palliative Medicine (PM). Seeking to address these gaps, we evaluate the notion of a combined novice, peer-, near-peer and e-mentoring (CNEP) and interprofessional team-based mentoring (IPT) program.MethodsA Systematic Evidence Based Approach (SEBA) guided systematic scoping review was carried out to study accounts of CNEP and IPT from articles published between 1st January 2000 and 28th February 2021. To enhance trustworthiness, concurrent thematic and content analysis of articles identified from structured database search using terms relating to interprofessional, virtual and peer or near-peer mentoring in medical education were employed to bring together the key elements within included articles.ResultsFifteen thousand one hundred twenty one abstracts were reviewed, 557 full text articles were evaluated, and 92 articles were included. Four themes and categories were identified and combined using the SEBA's Jigsaw and Funnelling Process to reveal 4 domains - characteristics, mentoring stages, assessment methods, and host organizations. These domains suggest that CNEP's structured virtual and near-peer mentoring process complement IPT's accessible and non-hierarchical approach under the oversight of the host organizations to create a robust mentoring program.ConclusionThis systematic scoping review forwards an evidence-based framework to guide a CNEP-IPT program. At the same time, more research into the training and assessment methods of mentors, near peers and mentees, the dynamics of mentoring interactions and the longitudinal support of the mentoring relationships and programs should be carried out