DEVELOPMENT OF A CRITERION METHOD TO DETERMINE PEAK MECHANICAL POWER OUTPUT IN A COUNTERMOVEMENT JUMP

The ability of players to repeatedly generate high levels of muscular power is a key determinant for success in many sports. Variations of the countermovement vertical jump (CMJ) have long been used as a means of measuring lower body power (LBP) (Fox and Mathews 1972). The criterion method of measuring of LBP is based on performance in a CMJ off a force platform (FP) (Hatze, 1999). Instantaneous power is determined from the product of the vertical ground reaction force (VGRF) and the velocity of the whole body centre of gravity, velocity being derived by the integration of the resultant VGRF. However, there seems to be no published standard protocol for the criterion method. The purpose of this study was to establish a standard protocol for the criterion method

Paternal low protein diet programs preimplantation embryo gene expression, fetal growth and skeletal development in mice

Defining the mechanisms underlying the programming of early life growth is fundamental for improving adult health and wellbeing. While the association between maternal diet, offspring growth and adult disease risk is well-established, the effect of father's diet on offspring development are largely unknown. Therefore, we fed male mice an imbalanced low protein diet (LPD) to determine the impact on post-fertilisation development and fetal growth. We observed that in preimplantation embryos derived from LPD fed males, expression of multiple genes within the central metabolic AMPK pathway was reduced. In late gestation, paternal LPD programmed increased fetal weight, however, placental weight was reduced, resulting in an elevated fetal:placental weight ratio. Analysis of gene expression patterns revealed increased levels of transporters for calcium, amino acids and glucose within LPD placentas. Furthermore, placental expression of the epigenetic regulators Dnmt1 and Dnmt3L were increased also, coinciding with altered patterns of maternal and paternal imprinted genes. More strikingly, we observed fetal skeletal development was perturbed in response to paternal LPD. Here, while offspring of LPD fed males possessed larger skeletons, their bones comprised lower volumes of high mineral density in combination with reduced maturity of bone apatite. These data offer new insight in the underlying programming mechanisms linking poor paternal diet at the time of conception with the development and growth of his offspring

Implementation Support Improves Outcomes of a Fluency-Based Mathematics Strategy: A Cluster-Randomized Controlled Trial

The Say-All-Fast-Minute-Every-Day-Shuffled (SAFMEDS) strategy promotes fast and accurate recall. The existing literature suggests that the strategy can help learners improve academic outcomes. Through a cluster randomized controlled trial, we assessed the impact of implementation support on children’s mathematics outcomes during a teacher-led SAFMEDS intervention. Following training and prior to baseline assessments, we randomly allocated schools to receive either no (n = 31) or ongoing (n = 33) support from a researcher. Support consisted of three in-situ visits and email contact. Assessors remained blind to the condition of the schools throughout. We analyzed the outcomes of children (nSupport = 294, nNoSupport = 281) using a multi-level mixed-effects model; accounting for the children nested within schools. The results suggest that implementation support has a small effect on children’s fluency of arithmetic facts (Mathematics Fluency and Calculation Tests (MFaCTs): Grades 1–2, d = 0.23, 95% CI: 0.06–0.40; MFaCTs: Grades 3–5, d = 0.25, 95% CI: 0.08–0.42). These results are larger than the average effect sizes reported within professional development literature that apply coaching elements to mathematics programs

Health care utilization and mortality for people with epilepsy during <scp>COVID</scp>‐19: A population study

ObjectiveThis study was undertaken to characterize changes in health care utilization and mortality for people with epilepsy (PWE) during the COVID-19 pandemic.MethodsWe performed a retrospective study using linked, individual-level, population-scale anonymized health data from the Secure Anonymised Information Linkage databank. We identified PWE living in Wales during the study “pandemic period” (January 1, 2020–June 30, 2021) and during a “prepandemic” period (January 1, 2016–December 31, 2019). We compared prepandemic health care utilization, status epilepticus, and mortality rates with corresponding pandemic rates for PWE and people without epilepsy (PWOE). We performed subgroup analyses on children (65 years old), those with intellectual disability, and those living in the most deprived areas. We used Poisson models to calculate adjusted rate ratios (RRs).ResultsWe identified 27 279 PWE who had significantly higher rates of hospital (50.3 visits/1000 patient months), emergency department (55.7), and outpatient attendance (172.4) when compared to PWOE (corresponding figures: 25.7, 25.2, and 87.0) in the prepandemic period. Hospital and epilepsy-related hospital admissions, and emergency department and outpatient attendances all reduced significantly for PWE (and all subgroups) during the pandemic period. RRs [95% confidence intervals (CIs)] for pandemic versus prepandemic periods were .70 [.69–.72], .77 [.73–.81], .78 [.77–.79], and .80 [.79–.81]. The corresponding rates also reduced for PWOE. New epilepsy diagnosis rates decreased during the pandemic compared with the prepandemic period (2.3/100 000/month cf. 3.1/100 000/month, RR = .73, 95% CI = .68–.78). Both all-cause deaths and deaths with epilepsy recorded on the death certificate increased for PWE during the pandemic (RR = 1.07, 95% CI = .997–1.145 and RR = 2.44, 95% CI = 2.12–2.81). When removing COVID deaths, RRs were .88 (95% CI = .81–.95) and 1.29 (95% CI = 1.08–1.53). Status epilepticus rates did not change significantly during the pandemic (RR = .95, 95% CI = .78–1.15).SignificanceAll-cause non-COVID deaths did not increase but non-COVID deaths associated with epilepsy did increase for PWE during the COVID-19 pandemic. The longer term effects of the decrease in new epilepsy diagnoses and health care utilization and increase in deaths associated with epilepsy need further research.Key PointsPeople with epilepsy have increased rates of hospital, emergency department, and outpatient attendance when compared to people without epilepsy.These rates (and rates of new epilepsy diagnoses) reduced significantly during our pandemic study period (January 1, 2020–June 30, 2021).Rates of status epilepticus did not change during the pandemic period.All-cause non-COVID deaths did not increase for people with epilepsy.There was a small increase in non-COVID deaths with epilepsy listed as a cause for people with epilepsy