Influence of Baseball Catcher Mask Design, Impact Location and Ball Trajectory on Head Acceleration

International Journal of Exercise Science 9(5): 567-575, 2016. The general aim was to contrast accelerations caused by baseball impacts for different catcher mask designs. Study1 focused on impact locations for a perpendicular ball trajectory. Study2 examined perpendicular and oblique trajectories striking a single mask location. A 5.9 kg head model instrumented with a 3-d accelerometer recording at 512 Hz was mounted upright with springs in a shallow ball joint. A pitching machine fired a standard baseball at ~28 m/s for all tests. Transverse plane resultant peak acceleration was gathered from 5 trials in each experimental combination. In Study1, effects of mask design (T=traditional, H=hockey, and M=modified traditional) and impact location (high or low and center or lateral) effects were examined via 3x2x2 ANOVA. For Study2, design and ball trajectory effects were analyzed via 3x2 ANOVA. In Study1, the triple interaction was significant. For high/center collisions, T & H were 41% lower than M; for low/center impacts, H was 40% less than T & M; for high/side strikes, H was 33% less than T which was 32% less than M; and all 3 designs were equivalent for low/side contacts. T and H utilized different protection schemes. For T, energy transfer was reduced when equipment was displaced. For H, the more angled mask deflected the ball’s energy. Both mechanisms were impaired for M. In Study2, no significant effects were identified. The trajectory conditions may have relied solely on the mask padding. Both the T and H designs offer protection, with the H performing somewhat better for the conditions tested here

Differential Dynamic Microscopy Enhanced with Convolutional Neural Networks

Optical microscopy methods are commonly employed to measure rheological properties, like viscosity or viscoelasticity, of materials from biological tissues to colloidal suspensions. Such rheological properties are important for applications such as formulating pharmaceutical ointments to tailoring the mouthfeel of foods and for answering many fundamental questions such as how phase separation proceeds and how the material properties of the cytoplasm respond to stimuli. In recent years, an optical microscopy technique for performing rheological measurements known as differential dynamic microscopy (DDM) has grown in popularity. However, a drawback of DDM is that one typically needs to acquire movies of ~1000 frames of a sample to quantify that sample\u27s properties. If multiple samples or multiple locations within a sample need studying, this is a time-consuming process. Therefore, we devised a method to record a movie of our sample as we scan the sample using a motorized stage. This allows us to measure properties across a large region of the sample (or possibly multiple samples) quickly. However, because the sample is moving as we record images, the computational image analysis becomes more complicated. We discuss the computational image processing methods, including digital Fourier analysis and machine learning, we employ to tackle this problem

The moments balance method in electron transport theory

In this thesis an attempt is made to formulate closed sets of transport equations which are applicable to inhomogeneous and time-dependent situations in semiconductor hot electron transport problems. The basis of the formalism is the Boltzmann Transport Equation from which macroscopic, phenomenological transport . Equations are generated by the Moments Balance Method. The equations describe the behaviour of the electron distribution function in terms of the spatial and time-dependence of its moments. When the behaviour of the electron system is assumed to be typified by that of a finite number of its moments, the components of momentum and energy being the most important members of the set, then closed systems of transport equations are obtained. In the regime of small and slowly-varying density gradients, a theory of electronic diffusion has been developed. For isotropic, single valleys it is possible to derive a set of generalised Einstein relations which express the diffusion coefficients of the electrons in terms of their mobility, differential mobility and temperature. For many valley, ellipsoidal band structures, the results cannot in general be expressed in terms of simple relations such as the generalised Einstein relations although the theory does provide a semi-analytical' framework within which diffusion may be understood in terms of macroscopic quantities. The theory is applied to n-type gallium,arsenide and silicon. The effects of anisotropic electron-phonon scattering and electron-electron scattering in silicon have also been examined in some detail and were found to be small in determining the values of the velocity characteristic and diffusion coefficients. The transport equations derived from the Moment Balance formalism may be modified to form the basic of constitutive equations for the Gunn Effect. These equations are able to give a unified account for the roles of diffusion, intervalley scattering and energy transport in the propagation properties of Gunn Domains, in a manner that is consistent with the Boltzmann Equation. The dynamics of domain propagation are studied. by a simulation technique. It is found that heat currents and intervalley scattering have a crucial effect on domain shapes and propagation velocity

Identification, analysis, and linkage mapping of expressed sequence tags from the Australian sheep blowfly

Background: The Australian sheep blowfly Lucilia cuprina (Wiedemann) (Diptera: Calliphoridae) is a destructive pest of the sheep, a model organism for insecticide resistance research, and a valuable tool for medical and forensic professionals. However, genomic information on L. cuprina is still sparse.Results: We report here the construction of an embryonic and 2 larval cDNA libraries for L. cuprina. A total of 29,816 expressed sequence tags (ESTs) were obtained and assembled into 7,464 unique clusters. The sequence collection captures a great diversity of genes, including those related to insecticide resistance (e.g., 12 cytochrome P450s, 2 glutathione S transferases, and 6 esterases). Compared to Drosophila melanogaster, codon preference is different in 13 of the 18 amino acids encoded by redundant codons, reflecting the lower overall GC content in L. cuprina. In addition, we demonstrated that the ESTs could be converted into informative gene markers by capitalizing on the known gene structures in the model organism D. melanogaster. We successfully assigned 41 genes to their respective chromosomes in L. cuprina. The relative locations of these loci revealed high but incomplete chromosomal synteny between L. cuprina and D. melanogaster.Conclusions: Our results represent the first major transcriptomic undertaking in L. cuprina. These new genetic resources could be useful for the blowfly and insect research community

Association of C-reactive protein and metabolic risk with cognitive effects of lurasidone in patients with schizophrenia

BACKGROUND: Accumulating evidence has implicated insulin resistance and inflammation in the pathophysiology of cognitive impairments associated with neuropsychiatric disorders. This post-hoc analysis based on a placebo-controlled trial investigated the effect of inflammation (indexed by CRP) and metabolic risk factors on cognitive performance in patients with schizophrenia treated with lurasidone. METHODS: Acutely exacerbated patients with schizophrenia were randomized to lurasidone (80 or 160 mg/day), quetiapine XR 600 mg/day, or placebo. A wide range CRP test and a cognitive assessment using the CogState computerized battery were performed at baseline and week 6 study endpoint. Associations between log-transformed CRP, high density lipoprotein (HDL), homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) and treatment response were evaluated. RESULTS: CRP combined with HDL, triglyceride-to-HDL (TG/HDL) ratio, or HOMA-IR at study baseline were significant moderators of the improvement in cognitive performance associated with lurasidone 160 mg/day (vs. placebo) treatment (p \u3c .05). Greater placebo-corrected treatment effect size on the CogState composite score was observed for patients in the lurasidone 160 mg/day treatment group who had either low CRP and high HDL (d = 0.43), or low CRP and low HOMA-IR (d = 0.46). Interactive relationships between CRP, HDL, TG/HDL, HOMA-IR and the antipsychotic efficacy of lurasidone or quetiapine XR were not significant. There were no significant associations between antipsychotic treatment and changes in CRP level at study endpoint. CONCLUSIONS: Findings of this post-hoc analysis based on a placebo-controlled trial in patients with schizophrenia suggest that baseline CRP level combined with measures of metabolic risk significantly moderated the improvement in cognitive performance associated with lurasidone 160 mg/day (vs. placebo) treatment. Our findings underscore the importance of maintaining a low metabolic risk profile in patients with schizophrenia

Evolution of lithium ordering with (de)-lithiation in β- LiVOPO4: Insights through solid state NMR and first principles DFT calculations

The lithium ion battery cathode material β-VOPO4 is capable of intercalating more than one Li ion per transition metal ion due to the accessibility of both the V5+/V4+ and V4+/V3+ redox couples at ~4.5 V and ~2.3 V vs. Li, respectively, giving a theoretical capacity greater than ~300 mAh g−1. The ability to perform full and reversible two Li-ion intercalation in this material, however, has been a matter of debate and the poor crystallinity of the fully lithiated phase has thus far precluded its complete structural characterization by conventional diffraction-based methods. In this work, 7Li and 31P NMR spectroscopy, in combination with first principles DFT calculations, indicate that chemical lithiation results in a single phase β-Li2VOPO4 exhibiting a complex Li ordering scheme with lithium ions occupying multiple disordered environments. 2D NMR 7Li correlation experiments were used to deduce the most likely Li ordering for the β-Li2VOPO4 phase from amongst several DFT optimised structures. In contrast, electrochemically lithiated β-Li2-xVOPO4 discharged to 1.6 V exhibits, in addition to β-Li2VOPO4, a β-Li1.5VOPO4 phase. The existence of β-Li1.5VOPO4 is not reflected in the flat galvanostatic charge and discharge curves nor is evident from diffraction-based methods due to the very close structural similarity between the β-Li1.5VOPO4 phase and β-Li2VOPO4 phases. We demonstrate that solid state NMR spectroscopy, in combination with DFT results provides a powerful tool for identifying intermediate states formed during charge/discharge of these complex phosphates as these phases can be distinguished from the end member phases primarily by the nature of the lithium ordering.NECCES, an Energy Frontier Research Center funded by the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Science, Office of Basic Energy Sciences under Award Number DE-SC0012583

Kidney health for everyone everywhere - from prevention to detection and equitable access to care

The global burden of chronic kidney disease (CKD) is rapidly increasing, with a projection of becoming the 5th most common cause of years of life lost globally by 2040. Aggravatingly, CKD is a major cause of catastrophic health expenditure. The costs of dialysis and transplantation consume up to 3% of the annual healthcare budget in high-income countries. Crucially, however, the onset and progression of CKD is often preventable. In 2020, the World Kidney Day campaign highlights the importance of preventive interventions – be it primary, secondary or tertiary. This article focuses on outlining and analyzing measures that can be implemented in every country to promote and advance CKD prevention. Primary prevention of kidney disease should focus on the modification of risk factors and addressing structural abnormalities of the kidney and urinary tract, as well as exposure to environmental risk factors and nephrotoxins. In persons with pre-existing kidney disease, secondary prevention, including blood pressure optimization and glycemic control, should be the main goal of education and clinical interventions. In patients with advanced CKD, management of co-morbidities such as cardiovascular disease is a highly recommended preventative intervention to avoid or delay dialysis or kidney transplantation. Political efforts are needed to support the preventive approach. While national policies and strategies for non-communicable diseases might be present in a country, specific policies directed toward education and awareness about CKD screening, management and treatment are often lacking. Hence, there is an urgent need to increase the awareness of the importance of preventive measures among populations, professionals and policy makers

Fertility, pregnancy and delivery in women after biventricular repair for double outlet right ventricle

Objectives: To investigate outcome of pregnancy and fertility in women with double outlet right ventricle (DORV). Methods: Using 2 congenital heart disease registries, 21 female patients with DORV (aged 18-39 years) were retrospectively identified. Detailed recordings of each patient and their completed (>20 weeks gestation) pregnancies were recorded. Results: Overall, 10 patients had 19 pregnancies, including 3 spontaneous miscarriages (16%). During the 16 live birth pregnancies, primarily (serious) noncardiac complications were observed, e.g. premature labor/delivery (n = 7 and n = 3, respectively), small for gestational age (n = 4), preeclampsia (n = 2) and recurrence of congenital heart disease (n = 2). Except for postpartum endocarditis and deterioration of subpulmonary obstruction, only mild cardiac complication pregnancies were recorded. Two women with children reported secondary female infertility. Several menstrual cycle disorders were reported: secondary amenorrhea (n = 4), primary amenorrhea (n = 3) and oligomenorrhea (n = 2). Conclusion: Successful pregnancy in women with DORV is possible. Primarily noncardiac complications were observed and only few (minor) cardiac complications. Infertility and menstrual cycle disorders appear to be more prevalent. Copyrigh

Chronic adiponectin deficiency leads to Alzheimer’s disease-like cognitive impairments and pathologies through AMPK inactivation and cerebral insulin resistance in aged mice

(a) Immunoblotting analysis of IRβ in the hippocampus and frontal cortex of 18-month old wildtype and APN-KO mice. (b) Densitometric analysis of the ratio of IRβ. Mean ± S.E.M.; ***p < 0.001, n.s. statistically not significant; Scale bar: 100 μm. (JPG 30 kb

Differential actions of glycodelin-A on Th-1 and Th-2 cells: A paracrine mechanism that could produce the Th-2 dominant environment during pregnancy

Background: The maternalfetal interface has a unique immunological response towards the implanting placenta. It is generally accepted that a T-helper type-2 (Th-2) cytokine prevailing environment is important in pregnancy. The proportion of Th-2 cells in the peripheral blood and decidua is significantly higher in pregnant women in the first trimester than in non-pregnant women. Glycodelin-A (GdA) is a major endocrine-regulated decidual glycoprotein thought to be related to fetomaternal defence. Yet the relationship between its immunoregulatory activities and the shift towards Th-2 cytokine profile during pregnancy is unclear. Methods GdA was immunoaffinity purified from human amniotic fluid. T-helper, T-helper type-1 (Th-1) and Th-2 cells were isolated from the peripheral blood. The viability of these cells was studied by XTT assay. Immunophenotyping of CD4/CD294, cell death and GdA-binding were determined by flow cytometry. The mRNA expression, surface expression and secretion of Fas/Fas ligand (FasL) were determined by quantitative polymerase chain reaction, flow cytometry and ELISA, respectively. The activities of caspase-3, -8 and -9 were measured. The phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERK), p38 and, c-Jun N-terminal kinase was determined by western blotting. Results Although GdA bound to both Th-1 and Th-2 cells, it had differential actions on the two cell-types. GdA induced cell death of the Th-1 cells but not the Th-2 cells. The cell death was mediated through activation of caspase -3, -8 and -9 activities. GdA up-regulated the expression of Fas and inhibited ERK activation in the Th-1 cells, which might enhance the vulnerability of the cells to cell death caused by a trophoblast-derived FasL. Conclusions The data suggest that GdA could be an endometrial factor that contributes to the Th-2/Th-1 shift during pregnancy. © 2011 The Author.postprin