bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Virtual reflections in electronic acoustic architecture
Authors: van Munster Bjorn
Published: October 2013

In the era of the ancient Greeks and Byzantines, the first attempts for increasing reverberation time are noted. In the 1950s, the Ambiophonic system accomplished this by means of an electronic device, for the first time. The early systems only increased the reverberation time by delaying the picked-up reverberation. With the introduction of multichannel feedback-based systems, the reverberation level also could be increased. Later, it was understood that it was important to also fill in the missing reflections, address reflection density, frequency dependence, etc. This resulted in the development of the SIAP concept. Current DSP technology led to the development of a processor whereby density, length, level, and the frequency content can be controlled for different areas in the same room or different rooms, leading to the concept of the acoustic server. electronic acoustic architecture has become the current state-of-the-art approach for solving acoustic deficiencies in, among others, rehearsal rooms, theaters, churches, and multipurpose venues. Incorporation of complementary passive acoustic solutions provides an optimum solution for all room problems. This paper discusses the utilization of virtual reflections in the new approach of electronic acoustic architecture for different environments. Measurements performed in the Sejong Performing Arts Centre, Seoul, South Korea, show the power of this approach.
Vibration signature of human footsteps on the ground and in buildings
Authors: Sabatier James , Ekimov Alexander
Published: October 2013

Vibration and acoustic responses of the ground and floor in a building to human footsteps were experimentally investigated in the broad frequency range, starting from 0.5 Hz up to ultrasonic frequencies. It was experimentally shown that human footsteps have low- and high-frequency components. The low-frequency component is well known in the literature and generated by the force component normal to the ground/floor. This force is a function of a person’s weight and a manner of motion (walking, running), or gait. The second high-frequency vibration and acoustical components of human footsteps are generated by the tangential to the ground/floor force from footstep and ground reaction, or friction force. The interactions of these two forces produce the friction noise. The low-frequency forces due to tangential motion between two contacted surfaces generate the high-frequency friction noise. The parameters of this friction noise, such as frequency band and vibration, and sound magnitudes as functions of a distance and walking style (shoes or barefoot) and ground/floor structures were studied. The results of indoor and outdoor tests are presented and discussed. [Work supported by Department of the Army, Army Research Office Contract W911NF-04-1-0190.]
Midsagittal tongue motion patterns in English: More than pivots and arches
Authors: Epstein Melissa A. , Stone Maureen
Published: October 2013

The transitional motion patterns of the tongue in the midsagittal plane appear to consist primarily of pivoting and arching. A pivot is a region of minimal motion and an arch is a region of maximal motion. It has been found that the location and number of pivots and arches is dependent on the phonemic content of the articulation. The aim of the present study is to systematically investigate these phonemic effects by constraining the transitions between consonants and vowels using CVCVs. Early results of this work [Epstein and Stone, J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 117, 2575 (2005)] indicate that these two patterns are extreme descriptions of a continuum of shape patterns in which arches and pivots occur simultaneously. This is because the tongue is a nonrigid body and therefore tongue motions are not homogeneous. Canonical tongue shape alone was not enough to indicate which motion pattern would occur. Therefore, this study considers the effect of tongue height, place, and shape on transitional patterns. The study will track locations of minimum (pivot) and maximum (arch) motions in the vocal tract to determine the effects of physiological and linguistic constraints.
Monophthongs and formant movement in North American English
Authors: Hagiwara Robert
Published: October 2013

This poster describes dynamism in vowel production using data derived from two experimental studies, one in Southern California, the other in southern Manitoba. In both studies, young adults read from a script containing multiple repetitions of target vowels in /hVd/ context. The frequencies of the first four formants were measured at three time points (25%, 50%, 75% of vowel duration) in each vowel. Analyses were conducted in both linear (hertz) and auditorily transformed (bark distance) terms. Many dialects of English clearly have diphthongal production of the tense vowels, especially /e, o/, which would be indicated by movement of the formants toward the periphery of the vowel space. For the two populations studied here, none of the tense vowels /i, e, o, u/ show net movement toward the periphery. While there are individual and group differences, simplex vowels in both dialects show very little movement between time points one and two, and only non-targeted, transitional movement between time points two and three. This suggests monophthongal basic representations, though not ‘‘flat’’ or steady productions, for these two dialects. Implications for North American dialectology and for dynamic vowel models will be considered.
Development of method for assessing traffic noise in certain typical conditions
Authors: Wu Weixiong
Published: October 2013

Assessing traffic noise is difficult in certain typical conditions in New York City due to changed street geometries, challenges of collection of non-traffic noise components, and levels of existing noise affected by heavy traffic at adjacent streets, among other variables. In general, a proportional model, i.e., a logarithmic equation to compute total passenger car equivalents (PCEs), is employed to assess traffic noise impacts based upon the noise methodology and the noise criteria under the City Environmental Quality Review (CEQR) guidelines. However, in some typical conditions, such as significant changes in roadway or street geometry, roadways that currently carry no or very low traffic volumes, and existing noise levels that are the result of multiple sources, the FHWA Traffic Noise Model (TNM) can be used to better compute project-generated traffic components. This paper presents a development of noise analysis method dealing with these conditions. Once a proportional model identifies any potential noise impacts for screening purposes, TNM computations can be conducted for more thorough and detailed noise analyses. The results demonstrate that while a proportional model provides a practical and convenient noise analysis for most situations, TNM can provide more accurate noise assessments for the conditions listed above.
An investigation of the noise levels surrounding the Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) Brown Line during peak and off-peak hours of operation
Authors: Lee Connie G. , Muzzy Philip , Lalk Samuel , Cappiello Michael , Bailey Nicholas , Brown Judson , Dareing Megan , Fitzgerald Edward , Martin Coleman , Nuner Justin , Schlezinger Yotam
Published: October 2013

The Chicago Transit Authority’s (CTA) Brown Line train is part of the Chicago ‘‘El’’ system and passes mostly through residential neighborhoods. Currently at maximum capacity, the Brown Line will be undergoing expansion, increasing the train length from six to eight cars. By taking sound-level measurements during morning peak hours and evening off-peak hours, this study analyzes the contribution of the Brown Line trains to the existing neighborhood noise floor. Data analysis reveals a significant disparity between the L90 and higher Leq readings. As the sole contributor to the L10 levels, this study finds that the Brown Line trains are highly influential to the elevated Leq. It is interesting to note that, while exempt from the city’s evening noise ordinance, the Leq is in excess of the prescribed level of 55 dB.
Vowel production in Korean, Korean-accented English, and American English
Authors: Lee Jimin , Weismer Gary
Published: October 2013

The current study compares vowel formant frequencies and durations produced by ten native speakers of Korean, those same speakers producing American English vowels, and ten native speakers of American English. The Korean speakers were chosen carefully to have a minimum of 2 years, and maximum of 5 years residence in the United States; all speakers were between the ages of 22 and 27. In addition, the native speakers of Korean were chosen, by means of a small-scale dialect-severity experiment, from a larger pool of speakers to achieve some homogeneity in their mastery of English phonetics. The full vowel systems of both languages were explored, and a rate condition was included (conversational versus fast) to test the hypothesis that the English vowel space is modified by rate differently for native speakers of Korean who produce English, versus native speakers of English. Results will be discussed in terms of language- and rate-induced adjustments of the vowel systems under study.
Some articulatory details of emotional speech
Authors: Lee Sungbok , Yildirim Serdar , Bulut Murtaza , Kazemzadeh Abe , Narayanan Shrikanth
Published: October 2013

Differences in speech articulation among four emotion types, neutral, anger, sadness, and happiness are investigated by analyzing tongue tip, jaw, and lip movement data collected from one male and one female speaker of American English. The data were collected using an electromagnetic articulography (EMA) system while subjects produce simulated emotional speech. Pitch, root-mean-square (rms) energy and the first three formants were estimated for vowel segments. For both speakers, angry speech exhibited the largest rms energy and largest articulatory activity in terms of displacement range and movement speed. Happy speech is characterized by largest pitch variability. It has higher rms energy than neutral speech but articulatory activity is rather comparable to, or less than, neutral speech. That is, happy speech is more prominent in voicing activity than in articulation. Sad speech exhibits longest sentence duration and lower rms energy. However, its articulatory activity is no less than neutral speech. Interestingly, for the male speaker, articulation for vowels in sad speech is consistently more peripheral (i.e., more forwarded displacements) when compared to other emotions. However, this does not hold for female subject. These and other results will be discussed in detail with associated acoustics and perceived emotional qualities. [Work supported by NIH.]
A tour of ANSI S3.35-2005
Authors: Warren Daniel M.
Published: October 2013

ANSI Standard S3.35-2005, ‘‘Method of measurement of performance characteristics of hearing aids under simulated real-ear working conditions,’’ is a revision of an earlier, 1985 standard for measuring insertion gain and directional figures-of-merit for hearing aids on a head-and-torso testing manikin. The primary feature of the new revision is the measurement of directionality based on a three-dimensional array of sound sources rather than sources arrayed in a single plane. The author of the new revision will give an overview, highlighting distinctions from the 1985 revision. The methods for measurement of directionality in three dimensions will be described in detail.
Reliablity of measurements from ultrasound images
Authors: Hardin Sarah M. , Frisch Stefan A.
Published: October 2013

As ultrasound imaging gains popularity in phonetic and speech science research, examining the reliability of measures taken from ultrasound images becomes important. This study assesses the reliability of hand measures of ultrasound data collected by graduate student researchers at the University of South Florida ultrasound imaging lab. Speech production data from two different experiments, ‘‘Ultrasound analysis of velar fronting’’ (Wodzinski, 2004) and ‘‘Ultrasound study of errors in speech production’’ [Frisch, (2003)] were analyzed by two different researchers to obtain inter-rater reliability measures. In addition, one data set was measured twice by the same researcher, once when inexperienced with ultrasound analysis and 7 months later after considerable experience had been gained. The study compared researcher’s choice of image to analyze, the measures of the location of articulatory landmarks, and the measures used to quantify articulatory postures. Overall, hand measures of ultrasound images were found to be reliable. There were some differences in the absolute measures obtained, however, different researcher’s measures of the same data led to the same conclusions about articulation. In addition, it was found that the measurements of different researchers became more similar to one another with experience.
Long-Incubation-Time Gamma Interferon Release Assays in Response to Purified Protein Derivative, ESAT-6, and/or CFP-10 for the Diagnosis of Mycobacterium tuberculosis Infection in Children
Authors: Schepers K. , Mouchet F. , Dirix V. , De Schutter I. , Jotzo K. , Verscheure V. , Geurts P. , Singh M. , Van Vooren J. P. , Mascart F.
Published: October 2013

The diagnosis of childhood active tuberculosis (aTB) and latentMycobacterium tuberculosis(M. tuberculosis) infection (LTBI) remains a challenge, and the replacement of tuberculin skin tests (TST) with commercialized gamma interferon (IFN-γ) release assays (IGRA) is not currently recommended. Two hundred sixty-six children between 1 month and 15 years of age, 214 of whom were at risk of recentM. tuberculosisinfection and 51 who were included as controls, were prospectively enrolled in our study. According to the results of a clinical evaluation, TST, chest X ray, and microbiological assessment, each children was classified as noninfected, having LTBI, or having aTB. Long-incubation-time purified protein derivative (PPD), ESAT-6, and CFP-10 IGRA were performed and evaluated for their accuracy in correctly classifying the children. Whereas both TST and PPD IGRA were suboptimal for detecting aTB, combining the CFP-10 IGRA with a TST or with a PPD IGRA allowed us to detect all the children with aTB with a specificity of 96% for children who were positive for the CFP-10 IGRA. Moreover, the combination of the CFP-10 IGRA and PPD IGRA detected 96% of children who were eventually classified as having LTBI, but a strong IFN-γ response to CFP-10 (defined as >500 pg/ml) was highly suggestive of aTB, at least among the children who were <3 years old. The use of long-incubation-time CFP-10 IGRA and PPD IGRA should help clinicians to quickly identify aTB or LTBI in young children.
Detection of Resistance to Beta-Lactamase Inhibitors in Strains with CTX-M Beta-Lactamases: a Multicenter External Proficiency Study Using a Well-Defined Collection of Escherichia coli Strains
Authors: Ripoll Aida , Galán Juan-Carlos , Rodríguez Cristina , Tormo Nuria , Gimeno Concepción , Baquero Fernando , Martínez-Martínez Luis , Cantón Rafael
Published: October 2013

Under the auspices of the Spanish Society for Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology Quality Control program, 14Escherichia colistrains masked as blood culture isolates were sent to 68 clinical microbiology laboratories for antimicrobial susceptibility testing to β-lactam antibiotics. This collection included three control strains (E. coliATCC 25922, an IRT-2 producer, and a CMY-2 producer), six isogenic strains with or without the OmpF porin and expressing CTX-M β-lactamases (CTX-M-1, CTX-M-15, and CTX-M-14), one strain carrying a double mechanism for β-lactam resistance (i.e., carrying CTX-M-15 and OXA-1 enzymes), and four strains carrying CTX-M variants with different levels of resistance to β-lactams and β-lactam–β-lactamase inhibitor (BLBLI) combinations. The main objective of the study was to ascertain how these variants with reduced susceptibilities to BLBLIs are identified in clinical microbiology laboratories. CTX-M variants with high resistance to BLBLIs were mainly identified as inhibitor-resistant TEM (IRT) enzymes (68.0%); however, isogenic CTX-M mutant strains with reduced susceptibilities to BLBLIs and cephalosporins were mainly associated with extended-spectrum β-lactamase production alone (51 to 80%) or in combination with other mechanisms (14 to 31%). Concerning all β-lactams tested, the overall interpretative discrepancy rate was 11.5%, of which 38.1% were the consequence of postreading changes in the clinical categories when a resistance mechanism was inferred. Therefore, failure to recognize these complex phenotypes might contribute to an explanation of their apparent absence in the clinical setting and might lead to inadequate drug treatment selection. A proposal for improving recognition is to adhere strictly to the current CLSI or EUCAST guidelines for detecting reduced susceptibility to BLBLI combinations, without any interpretative modification.
Pre-Multidrug-Resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis Beijing Strain Associated with Disseminated Tuberculosis in a Pet Dog
Authors: Botelho Ana , Perdigão João , Canto Ana , Albuquerque Teresa , Leal Nuno , Macedo Rita , Portugal Isabel , Cunha Mónica V.
Published: October 2013

Resistance to isoniazid, ethambutol, and streptomycin was detected in a
Mycobacterium tuberculosis
strain, belonging to the Beijing family lineage, isolated from two nodule exudates of a Yorkshire terrier with generalized tuberculosis. This report alerts medical practitioners to the risk of dissemination of pre-multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (preMDR-TB) through exposure to
M. tuberculosis
-shedding pets.
Mutations in the Amino Terminus of Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1 gL Can Reduce Cell-Cell Fusion without Affecting gH/gL Trafficking
Authors: Zhou Wenbo , Chen Feng , Klyachkin Yuri , Sham Yuk Y. , Geraghty Robert J.
Published: October 2013

The gH/gL heterodimer represents two of the four herpes simplex virus glycoproteins necessary and sufficient for membrane fusion. We generated deletions and point mutations covering gL residues 24 to 43 to investigate that region's role in gH/gL intracellular trafficking and in membrane fusion. Multiple mutants displayed a 40 to 60% reduction in cell fusion with no effect on gH/gL trafficking. The amino terminus of gL plays an important role in the gH/gL contribution to membrane fusion.
Resistance to Infection, Early and Persistent Suppression of Simian Immunodeficiency Virus SIVmac251Viremia, and Significant Reduction of Tissue Viral Burden after Mucosal Vaccination in Female Rhesus Macaques
Authors: Manrique Mariana , Kozlowski Pamela A. , Cobo-Molinos Antonio , Wang Shainn-Wei , Wilson Robert L. , Martinez-Viedma Maria del Pilar , Montefiori David C. , Carville Angela , Aldovini Anna
Published: October 2013

The efficacy of oral, intestinal, nasal, and vaginal vaccinations with DNA simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV)/interleukin-2 (IL-2)/IL-15, SIV Gag/Pol/Env recombinant modified vaccinia virus Ankara (rMVA), and AT-2 SIVmac239inactivated particles was compared in rhesus macaques after low-dose vaginal challenge with SIVmac251. Intestinal immunization provided better protection from infection, as a significantly greater median number of challenges was necessary in this group than in the others. Oral and nasal vaccinations provided the most significant control of disease progression. Fifty percent of the orally and nasally vaccinated animals suppressed viremia to undetectable levels, while this occurred to a significantly lower degree in intestinally and vaginally vaccinated animals and in controls. Viremia remained undetectable after CD8+T-cell depletion in seven vaccinated animals that had suppressed viremia after infection, and tissue analysis for SIV DNA and RNA was negative, a result consistent with a significant reduction of viral activity. Regardless of the route of vaccination, mucosal vaccinations prevented loss of CD4+central memory and CD4+/α4β7+T-cell populations and reduced immune activation to different degrees. None of the orally vaccinated animals and only one of the nasally vaccinated animals developed AIDS after 72 to 84 weeks of infection, when the trial was closed. The levels of anti-SIV gamma interferon-positive, CD4+, and CD8+T cells at the time of first challenge inversely correlated with viremia and directly correlated with protection from infection and longer survival.
PLC-γ1 Signaling Plays a Subtype-Specific Role in Postbinding Cell Entry of Influenza A Virus
Authors: Zhu Liqian , Ly Hinh , Liang Yuying
Published: October 2013

Host signaling pathways and cellular proteins play important roles in the influenza viral life cycle and can serve as antiviral targets. In this study, we report the engagement of host phosphoinositide-specific phospholipase γ1 (PLC-γ1) in mediating cell entry of influenza virus H1N1 but not H3N2 subtype. Both PLC-γ1-specific inhibitor and short hairpin RNA (shRNA) strongly suppress the replication of H1N1 but not H3N2 viruses in cell culture, suggesting that PLC-γ1 plays an important subtype-specific role in the influenza viral life cycle. Further analyses demonstrate that PLC-γ1 activation is required for viral postbinding cell entry. In addition, H1N1, but not H3N2, infection leads to the phosphorylation of PLC-γ1 at Ser 1248 immediately after infection and independent of viral replication. We have further shown that H1N1-induced PLC-γ1 activation is downstream of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) signaling. Interestingly, both H1N1 and H3N2 infections activate EGFR, but only H1N1 infection leads to PLC-γ1 activation. Taking our findings together, we have identified for the first time the subtype-specific interplay of host PLC-γ1 signaling and H1N1 virus that is critical for viral uptake early in the infection. Our study provides novel insights into how virus interacts with the cellular signaling network by demonstrating that viral determinants can regulate how the host signaling pathways function in virally infected cells.
Control of Simian Immunodeficiency Virus Replication by Vaccine-Induced Gag- and Vif-Specific CD8
+
T Cells
Authors: Iwamoto Nami , Takahashi Naofumi , Seki Sayuri , Nomura Takushi , Yamamoto Hiroyuki , Inoue Makoto , Shu Tsugumine , Naruse Taeko K. , Kimura Akinori , Matano Tetsuro
Published: October 2013

For development of an effective T cell-based AIDS vaccine, it is critical to define the antigens that elicit the most potent responses. Recent studies have suggested that Gag-specific and possibly Vif/Nef-specific CD8
+
T cells can be important in control of the AIDS virus. Here, we tested whether induction of these CD8
+
T cells by prophylactic vaccination can result in control of simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) replication in Burmese rhesus macaques sharing the major histocompatibility complex class I (MHC-I) haplotype
90-010-Ie
associated with dominant Nef-specific CD8
+
T-cell responses. In the first group vaccinated with Gag-expressing vectors (
n
= 5 animals), three animals that showed efficient Gag-specific CD8
+
T-cell responses in the acute phase postchallenge controlled SIV replication. In the second group vaccinated with Vif- and Nef-expressing vectors (
n
= 6 animals), three animals that elicited Vif-specific CD8
+
T-cell responses in the acute phase showed SIV control, whereas the remaining three with Nef-specific but not Vif-specific CD8
+
T-cell responses failed to control SIV replication. Analysis of 18 animals, consisting of seven unvaccinated noncontrollers and the 11 vaccinees described above, revealed that the sum of Gag- and Vif-specific CD8
+
T-cell frequencies in the acute phase was inversely correlated with plasma viral loads in the chronic phase. Our results suggest that replication of the AIDS virus can be controlled by vaccine-induced subdominant Gag/Vif epitope-specific CD8
+
T cells, providing a rationale for the induction of Gag- and/or Vif-specific CD8
+
T-cell responses by prophylactic AIDS vaccines.
PILOT VALIDATION OF THE CLINICAL USE PHYSICAL ACTIVITY QUESTIONNAIRE FOR PREGNANCY (CPAQPREG)
Authors: Power JJ , Evans GM , Tsintzas K
Published: October 2013

Aim

The Clinical Use Physical Activity Questionnaire for Pregnancy (CPAQpreg) is proposed as a rapid, simple and accurate method to identify pregnant women whose levels of physical activity fail to meet those recommended by the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG).1

Methods

A pilot validation of CPAQpreg was performed at Leeds General Infirmary, UK. Each participant completed CPAQpreg and the Pregnancy Physical Activity Questionnaire (PPAQ). PPAQ has previously been validated for use in pregnancy but is both time consuming and difficult to interpret.2Total amounts of physical activity (MET minutes/week−1) were calculated for each questionnaire and subdivided by intensity; moderate, vigorous and combined (moderate+vigorous). Each participant was classified as active or inactive in accordance with RCOG physical activity guidance.

Results

A total of 191 participants completed the minimum data set (86.8% response rate). The prevalence of inactivity was 29.8%. CPAQpreg showed excellent levels of agreement with PPAQ in the identification of inactive individuals (Cohen's Kappa=0.758, p<0.001) with a high sensitivity (96.5%, 95%CI 86.8–99.4) and high specificity (85.8%, 95% CI 78.5–91.0) Correlation between questionnaires for combined (moderate+vigorous) intensity physical activity was good (Spearman's correlation coefficient =0.072 p<0.01) but wide levels of agreement (−9772 to 5104 MET minutes/week−1) and a negative bias (−2335 MET minutes/week−1) were shown on Bland Altman plots.

Conclusions

The CPAQpreg showed excellent levels of agreement with the PPAQ in the identification of inactive pregnant women. Further studies comparing the CPAQpreg with an objective measure would further enhance its validity and support the recommendation that the CPAQpreg is used at every contact between pregnant women and healthcare providers to identify inactive individuals quickly and accurately.
QT INTERVALS IN ATHLETES
Authors: Milne CJ , Stewart K , Hillis WS
Published: October 2013

Aim

To determine factors affecting the QT interval in athletes and find an improved means of QT correction (QTc)

Method

Data was gathered from the CAYA (Cardiovascular Assessment in Young Athletes) screening programme for athletes aged 35 and under. This included assessment of personal/family history, clinical examination, ECG and echocardiogram. This study used ECG data of heart rate, measured QT interval and Bazett1corrected QT interval (QTc). Athletes were divided into age groups and sex to provide age and sex related comparisons. Analysis was performed using co-efficients to determine significant factors affecting QTc. This was then added to linear regression models to provide a most accurate correlation of QT interval based on these factors.

Results

Complete data was held for 1545 athletes (1280 males, 265 females) aged 10–35. Overall data showed a mean age of 18.03. Heart rate varied from 34–123 bpm. Bazett QTc interval varied from 308–592 ms. Mean Bazett QTc of the males was 406.6 ms, and 422.5 ms. From the CAYA data, statistical significance was shown for the factors of age, sex and heart rate in determining QT interval. This provided the following conversion for most accurate determination of QT interval based on the statistically significant factors: QT=515.7–(1.984×HR)+(0.601×Age)+(9.33 if female)

Conclusion

QT interval is dependent on heart rate, sex and age, and all factors should be taken into account when determining QTc. The above formula provides the most accurate means of determining a QT interval based on an athlete's individual details. However, further work is ongoing to determine a new formula for means of QT correction that also accounts for these factors, as Bazett's does not. This will then allow a fairer comparison between individual athletes.
THE IMPACT OF THE TACKLE: SHOULDER INJURIES IN A RUGBY UNION TEAM
Authors: Whitham RDJ
Published: October 2013

Background

Rugby Union (rugby) is the third most popular contact sport in the world and has one of the highest reported incidences of injuries amongst all sports. Thoroughly characterising these injuries may help develop preventative methods to reduce absence from rugby at professional and amateur levels. Although the tackle event is most commonly associated with concussion and cervical nerve root injuries, shoulder injuries are responsible for up to 46% of days lost to participation at a professional level.

Aims

This study sought to evaluate the circumstances, severity, and type of shoulder injuries over the course of one season at a professional rugby team.

Method

All shoulder injuries from matches and training during the 2010–11 season at a Welsh regional rugby team were identified retrospectively using theSportsCodevideo analysis programme. Data recorded for circumstances included direction and height of a tackle, and player movement and the nature of a tackle (e.g. stopping tackle). Severity was measured by number of days lost from competition and/or training. Type of shoulder injury was classified using the Orchard Sports Injury Classification System (OSICS) version 10.1.

Results

There were 24 injuries (3 training injuries and 21 match-related) during the 2010–2011 season. The tackle event caused 92% of injuries (n=22) and resulted in 99% (399 of 405 days) of time lost to shoulder injuries. Cumulatively, players who were tackled remained injured for longer than those tackling (266 days vs. 133 days). Of the 19 videos available for analysis of injury circumstance, injuries most frequently occurred when tackles were high (74%), front-on (53%) and when players were moving with speed (68%). The commonest injuries sustained were acromioclavicular joint sprains (n=9), yet per injury the most severe were dislocation injuries (mean severity, 51.5 days).

Discussion

The tackle event causes the majority of shoulder injuries in professional rugby and is the commonest cause of days lost due to shoulder injuries. Therefore, potential methods of “prehabilitation” such as strengthening muscles around the joint to stabilise the shoulder and coaching correct tackle techniques are essential in minimising time lost. A larger study across a greater number of professional rugby teams, using immediate post-injury video analysis, is needed before evidence-based recommendations for shoulder injury prevention can be made.
REPRODUCIBILITY OF OUTDOOR 5 KM RUNNING TIME-TRIAL IN A COMPETITIVE ENVIRONMENT
Authors: Hurst P , Board L
Published: October 2013

Competitive performance research in endurance sports is limited. The applicability of sports research requires high reliability and ecological validity for the understanding of sport performance parameters. This study aimed at determining the reproducibility of a weekly 5 km performance time trial in competitive endurance runners. Twenty competitive male endurance runners (mean±s: Age=32±4 y; Height=175.60±7.10 cm; Weight=71.40±6.48 kg, 5 km personal best: 19:04±1:09 minutes) volunteered to participate in two 5 km competitive time trials over a three week period. No differences were observed between test 1 and test 2 (1217±85s, 95% CI=1170 to 1264svs. 1216±79s, +1172 to 1260s,P>0.05). Mean coefficient of variation was reported at 0.95±0.65% (95% CI=0.59 to 1.31%) and typical error was estimated at 15 s. Reliability analysis indicated an intra-class correlation coefficient of 0.984 (0.951 to 0.995) and an r-value of r=0.97 (0.91 to 0.99,P<0.01). This study confirms the reliability and sensitivity of an outdoor 5 km competitive time trial. The use of this type of event for future research is a possibility for the effectiveness of endurance performance interventions.
ASSESSING NUTRITIONAL KNOWLEDGE AND SUPPLEMENTATION PRACTICES IN ELITE BADMINTON PLAYERS
Authors: Brown F , Speed C
Published: October 2013

Badminton is an “intermittent” racquet sport, requiring technical skill and sport-specific-fitness. This study aimed to assess the nutritional knowledge of badminton players to shape the delivery of future support, and to facilitate fuelling and recovery strategies. In addition, the suitability and safety of current supplementation practices was assessed amongst these players. A dietary questionnaire on nutritional knowledge and supplement use was administered online to 26 players on the GB Badminton Squad. The questionnaire was comprised of the following sections; 1) awareness of dietary recommendations; 2) knowledge of food sources of nutrients; 3) making practical food choices; 4) awareness of diet-disease associations; and (5) knowledge of antioxidant vitamins. Players scored 71% on awareness of dietary recommendations, 62% on knowledge of food sources of nutrients, and 68% on using knowledge to make food choices. However, the group scored far lower on the technical questions regarding disease-associations and antioxidants (48% and 18%, respectively). The group scored highest on questions mentioning sugar, and lower for questions mentioning fat (73% vs 55%, p=0.01). Although 24 athletes (92.3%) were aware of the “100% ME” initiative, and the World Anti-Doping Agency's list of banned substances, 10 athletes (39%) considered their knowledge of “supplement safety”, as only capable of scoring of 1 or 2 out of 5. Future education should use this awareness of healthy eating and knowledge of carbohydrate and protein to shape educational strategies on fuelling and recovery, whilst strategies should also focus on increasing athletes’ knowledge of “supplement safety”.
FLUID BALANCE IN ELITE SHORT TRACK SPEED SKATERS
Authors: Currell K , Simpson E , Mears S , James L
Published: October 2013

The aim of this study was to investigate sweat loss in elite short track speed skaters across 6 different training sessions over a three day period, and sweat sodium loss in one on ice training session. Nine male and three female elite short track speed skaters participated in the study (age 22±3 years, Body Weight: 68.1±10.2 kg). Six training sessions, comprising of an on ice speed session (Sp), on ice endurance session (En), on ice speed endurance session (SpEn), off ice strength session (St), a 40 minute aerobic off ice session (Ae) and an off ice sport specific conditioning session (SpCo). Sweat loss was calculated for each session by weighing the participants before and after each training session, as well as weighing fluid/ food consumed and urine produced during training. Sweat sodium concentration [Na+] was calculated from forehead sweat patch analysis during En. Whole body sodium loss was calculated from sweat loss and [Na+] for En. A One Way ANOVA was used to compare sweat loss in different training sessions. There was a difference in sweat loss between training sessions (F5,66=4.24, P=0.02), with both En (700±248 ml) and SpEn (681±304 ml) being different from St (299±162 ml). However, sweat loss in SP (514±242 ml), Ae (572±267 ml) and SpCo (522±128 ml) was not different from other sessions. During all sessions, no participants lost more than 2% in body weight, suggesting participants adequately consumed fluid during training to prevent dehydration. During En sweat sodium loss was 1.9±0.6 g, with a mean [Na+] of 51±16 mmol/L. In conclusion, short track speed skaters consume adequate fluid to maintain fluid balance during a range of training sessions.
A REVIEW OF THE ROLE OF PROBIOTICS IN SPORT
Authors: Wakeman M
Published: October 2013

Probiotics are defined as living microorganisms which when administered in adequate amounts confer a health benefit on the host. Health benefits can be attributed to an ability to assist the natural microflora, either to re-establish itself following imbalance or upregulate vital metabolic functions of the bacteria. Only a few select cultures have actually been proven to be beneficial and justifiably be called ‘Probiotics’ and include certain strains of Lactic Acid Bacteria (includingLactobacilliandBifidobacteria) which have conclusive health benefits on the host. Gut microbiota play a vital role in: maintenance of appropriate gut pH; digestive function through enzyme activity; modulation of immune function; production of antimicrobial substances, thus defending against invaders and maintaining a balance of microflora; synthesis of certain vitamins; production of amino acids and recycling of nitrogen; synthesis of short chain fatty acids; detoxification and transformation of many substances. There is growing evidence that probiotic supplementation may be helpful in some specific conditions, notably side effects of antibiotics, IBS, general immune support, allergy and upper respiratory tract infection (URTI) reduction. Given these potential benefits there is interest in the use of probiotics specifically in athletes to help maintain overall general health, enhance immune function or reduce URTI incidence and symptom severity/duration. To date, most studies of probiotic interventions in athletes have been relatively small scale, but there is growing evidence pointing to a benefit in a number of areas which will be of interest to athletes in terms of their ability to maintain and/or boosting immune function through well understood mechanisms of action. There may also be more specific conditions where use might be relevant. This review assesses the evidence of the value of probiotic usage in sport.
THE COMPULSORY USE OF HELMETS ON SCHOOL SKI TRIPS
Authors: Stanley M , Duncan MJ , Price M , Wright S Leddington , Coad J
Published: October 2013

Head injuries in skiing have been a cause for concern due to the high incidence of injury particularly in young people. Furthermore, head trauma is the leading cause of death overall in skiing. Encouraging individuals to wear helmets can be problematic, especially since helmets are not compulsory in many resorts, are an additional expense and not seen as a necessity. The aim was (1) To synthesise information regarding head injuries and helmet use in young people. (2) To make a recommendation for the appropriateness of helmets use. Following ethical approval and informed consent, 101 responses were gathered from an electronic survey. This was administered to secondary schools across England which organise ski trips to identify helmet use. Electronic databases were searched for articles dating back 15 years and synthesised with grey literature as a narrative review to inform current concepts on helmet use in young people. The pooled narrative findings from literature suggest helmet use has reduced the number and severity of injuries to the head. The overall consensus is for helmets to be recommended, especially in the young. From 101 secondary schools surveyed, 96% of teachers expect young people to wear helmets whilst skiing. Discussion: The compulsory wearing of helmets in several resorts has helped to increase the awareness and importance of helmet use. A potential impact on not wearing a helmet is the concern that holiday insurance could be invalidated if injured. One British insurer now stipulates for the mandatory wearing of helmets within their policy. Findings show helmet use has been associated with a reduced risk of head injuries and the International Ski Federation recommends that all skiers regardless of ability and age use helmets. Ski helmets should be included within the ski rental package to decrease financial barriers.
MAGNETIC RESONANCE ELASTOGRAPHY OF SKELETAL MUSCLE CAPTURES INDIVIDUAL HETEROGENEITY IN A KNEE EXTENSION TASK
Authors: Barnhill E , Kennedy P , Brown C , van Beek E , Roberts N
Published: October 2013

The viscoelastic properties of muscle have been measured for more than a century to describe muscle disease, damage, recovery and performance. Magnetic Resonance Elastography (MRE) (Muthupillaiet al.Science1995;5232:1854–7) measures viscoelastic parameters of soft tissuein vivo. New software developed by the Clinical Research Imaging Centre (CRIC), MRE-J (Barnhillet al. Proc Image J Dev Conf, Oct 2012), enables the creation of maps of skeletal muscle viscoelastic properties through the transverse plane with MRE. In the present study, thigh muscle stiffness maps were created of ten subjects in a knee extension task. MRE data were acquired for ten subjects using a Siemens Verio 3T MRI Scanner (Erlangen, Germany), in a transverse section of the thigh with the tissue vibrated at 50Hz, during knee extension. Stiffness (storage modulus) maps were created with MRE-J. Quadriceps median stiffness in the knee extension condition increased from 1317 to 1617 Pa, with sigma of 116 Pa. Additionally, the stiffness maps captured heterogeneous approaches to the knee extension task, with subjects activating eithervastus lateralis (2 subjects),vastus intermedius (1 subject),orvastus medialis (7 subjects)as the stiffest muscle. Individual activation patterns differed widely compared to the mean for each subject, and for global medians for each muscle. The MRE scans captured wide individual variation in the knee extension patterns that were not captured in the individual or global mean stiffness values. With its ability to capture individual variation in these tasks, MRE offers a novel way to analyse and target therapies and training regimens based on a subject's individual movement patterns.
A RANDOMISED PLACEBO CONTROLLED TRIAL TO COMPARE THE EFFECTS OF TWO DOSAGES OF OMEGA-3 PUFA ON EXERCISE-INDUCED BRONCHOCONSTRICTION (EIB)
Authors: Williams NC , Hunter K , Johnson MA , Sharpe GR
Published: October 2013

Treatment of EIB often involves drug interventions, but long-term use may cause systemic side effects (Dahl,Respir Med2006;8:1307–1317). Supplementing the diet of EIB sufferers with fish oil rich in omega-3 (ω-3) polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) improved post-exercise lung function and reduced systemic markers of inflammation and the need for bronchodilator use (Mickleboroughet al.Am J Respir Crit Care Med2003;168:1181–1189; Mickleboroughet al. Chest 2006;129:39–49). However, these studies used high dosages of ω-3 PUFA (5–6 g·day−1), so we examined (and report preliminary data for) the effects of two different dosages of ω-3 PUFA on EIB in asthmatics.

Six physically active EIB positive (≥ −10%ΔFEV1after eucapnic voluntary hyperventilation, EVH) males and 6 (age and activity matched) non-EIB males (CTRL) volunteered for the randomised, double-blind placebo (PLA) controlled crossover study. Subjects completed (in a counterbalanced fashion) three 21 day experimental conditions: (A) HIGH dose: 6.2 g·day−1ω-3 PUFA (3.7 g EPA, 2.5 g DHA) (B) HALF dose 3.1 g·day−1(1.8 g EPA, 1.3 g DHA) and (C) PLA (medium chain triglyceride). EIB response to EVH was assessed on days 0 and 21, with a 14 day washout period between conditions. For CTRLs, FEV1was not different after EVH within or between conditions. In the EIB group, the %ΔFEV1at 6-min post-EVH was improved equally after HIGH and HALF, both being better than PLA (P<0.05): at day 21 the %ΔFEV16 min post-EVH was −32±20% (PLA), −21±18% (HIGH), and −19±18% (HALF). From day 0 to 21, %ΔFEV1at 6 min post-EVH showed 38±16% and 36±21% improvements for HIGH and HALF respectively and PLA showed no change (−6±19%) (P>0.05). These data suggest that lower dosages (3.1 g·day−1) of ω-3 PUFA are as effective in aiding the treatment of EIB as high (6.2 g·day−1) dosages.
Investigation of alcohol-related social norms among youth aged 14–17 years in Perth, Western Australia: protocol for a respondent-driven sampling study
Authors: Hildebrand Janina , Maycock Bruce , Howat Peter , Burns Sharyn , Allsop Steve , Dhaliwal Satvinder , Lobo Roanna
Published: October 2013

Introduction

Alcohol use among young people is a major public health concern in Australia and internationally. Research elucidating social norms influencing alcohol use supports the desire to conform to peers. However, there is a lack of evidence on how social norms are transmitted from the community to young people and between family members and peers, as previous studies are limited to mainly school and university environments. This article describes the proposed process to investigate common alcohol-related norms held by 14-year-olds to 17-year-olds in Perth, Western Australia, and to clarify the process and pathways through which proalcohol norms are transmitted to adolescents.

Methods and analysis

This cross-sectional quantitative study will use respondent-driven sampling (RDS) to recruit a sample of 672 adolescents from sporting groups, youth programmes and the community in Perth. Data will be collected with a previously developed and validated multidimensional online survey instrument. A variety of strategies will be explored to aid participation including face-to-face recruitment and survey administration, web-based RDS and a ‘mature minor’ consent assessment protocol. Data analysis will include descriptive statistics of demographic characteristics, as well as social network and dyadic analyses, to explore the connections between shared understanding of norms and behaviours among individuals and how these translate into reported practices.

Ethics and dissemination

This research is expected to extend our understanding of normative development pathways to inform future interventions, and will be widely disseminated through conference presentations, peer-reviewed papers, media channels and community seminars. A study reference group of key health industry stakeholders will be established to encourage integration of study findings into policy and practice, and results will guide the development of community interventions. The Curtin University Human Research Ethics Committee has granted approval for this research.
RESEARCH FRONTIERS OF MEMBRANE COMPUTING: OPEN PROBLEMS AND RESEARCH TOPICS
Authors: GHEORGHE MARIAN , PĂUN GHEORGHE , PÉREZ-JIMÉNEZ MARIO J. , ROZENBERG GRZEGORZ
Published: October 2013

This paper discusses research frontiers of membrane computing by presenting current open problems and research topics, together with the relevant background and motivation.
RATIONALIZATION OF BUSINESS SOFTWARE SYSTEMS DEVELOPMENT AND ENHANCEMENT PROJECTS INVESTMENT DECISIONS ON THE BASIS OF FUNCTIONAL SIZE MEASUREMENT
Authors: CZARNACKA-CHROBOT BEATA
Published: October 2013

Each rational investment decision, including those made by clients with regard to Business Software Systems (BSS) Development and Enhancement Projects (D&EP), should meet two measurable criteria: effectiveness and economic efficiency. However, in the case of BSS D&EP, the assumption concerning the measurability of these criteria is often treated as controversial. Meanwhile, the so-called concept of BSS D&EP Functional Assessment (FA), proposed by the author and verified in practice, allows for using the potential offered by the Functional Size Measurement (FSM) concept and methods in the area of the quantitative evaluation of these two criteria. Thus, the paper aims at presenting and proving the capabilities of using the functional assessment concept in the quantitative evaluation of BSS D&EP effectiveness and economic efficiency. Linking FSM issues with managerial aspects through the FA concept may contribute to a better understanding of the FSM importance, which is still underestimated by business managers, as in the subject literature this issue is usually considered from a technical perspective. Meanwhile, BSS D&EP FA can constitute the basis for rational decisions not only for BSS providers, but also for BSS clients. These issues classify into economics problems of software engineering research and practice.