title: Effect of footwear and overhead goal on the Landing Error Scoring System

authors: Boswell-Smith, Caleb

subjects: Anterior Cruciate Ligament

abstract: A large proportion of the population undertakes sport and exercise either for recreation or competition. However, with increased participation in sport and exercise, the occurrence of sport-related injuries also increases. Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) injuries are injuries to the knee and one of the most common injuries in a sporting environment that occur from noncontact mechanisms. The Landing Error Scoring System (LESS) is a common screening tool used to identify individuals who are more at risk of sustaining an ACL injury based on double-leg jump-landing (DLJL) kinematics. Despite the LESS demonstrating good-toexcellent reliability and predictive value, the LESS is sensitive to various factors (e.g., protocol alterations) and has been criticised for lacking sport specificity. Despite studies conducting the LESS both with and without footwear and using an overhead goal during jumping tasks to increase sport specificity, to date, there is no research comparing LESS outcomes based on the presence/absence of footwear or presence/absence of an overhead goal.
Chapter One summarises literature surrounding sports injuries, ACL injuries, injury aetiology, injury prevention models, and injury risk screening tools used in sports with a focus on the LESS. Footwear and cueing in sports are also addressed. Chapter Two is experimental and compares overall LESS scores, group- and individual-level injury risk categorisation, specific LESS errors, and jump heights between footwear and no footwear conditions. Chapter Three is experimental and compares these same outcome measures between overhead goal and no goal conditions. Chapter Four summarises the key findings from the two experimental chapters, and addresses the limitations, strengths, and future research directions arising from this Thesis.
In Chapter Two, 80 participants (55% male) performed a DLJL task where they landed from a 30-cm high box to 50% of their own body height and immediately jumped vertically for maximum height for LESS assessment. Participants completed three trials under two randomordered conditions: with and without footwear. Group mean LESS scores were greater (0.3 errors, p = 0.022) and jump heights were lower (0.6 cm, p = 0.029) in the footwear than barefoot condition, but differences were trivial and not clinically meaningful. Although the number of high-risk participants was comparable between groups (p = 1.000), categorisation was inconsistent for 16.25% of individuals and the occurrence of four of the 17 specific landing errors significantly differed between conditions. Based on the study findings, footwear does not appear to meaningfully influence mean LESS scores, risk categorisation, or jump height at a group level. At an individual level, footwear can affect risk categorisation and landing strategies. Hence, use of a consistent protocol is recommended in clinical setting, and use of footwear is advised for assessing injury risk given the predictive value of the LESS barefoot is unknown.
In Chapter Three, 76 participants (51% male) performed a DLJL task where they landed from a 30-cm high box to 50% of their own body height and immediately jumped vertically for maximum height for LESS assessment. Participants completed three trials under two randomordered conditions: with and without an overhead goal. Mean LESS scores were greater (0.3 errors, p < 0.001) with the overhead goal, but this small difference was not clinically meaningful. Similarly, although the number of high-risk participants was significantly greater with the overhead goal (p = 0.039), the 9.2% difference was trivial. Participants jumped 2.7 cm higher with the overhead goal (p < 0.001) without affecting the occurrence of any specific LESS errors. Based on the results found, performing the LESS with an overhead goal enhances sport specificity and elicits greater vertical jump performances with minimal change in landing errors and risk categorisation. Adding an overhead goal to LESS might enhance its suitability for injury risk screening, although the predictive value of LESS with an overhead goal needs confirmation.

text: Effect of footwear and overhead goal on the Landing Error Scoring System A large proportion of the population undertakes sport and exercise either for recreation or competition. However, with increased participation in sport and exercise, the occurrence of sport-related injuries also increases. Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) injuries are injuries to the knee and one of the most common injuries in a sporting environment that occur from noncontact mechanisms. The Landing Error Scoring System (LESS) is a common screening tool used to identify individuals who are more at risk of sustaining an ACL injury based on double-leg jump-landing (DLJL) kinematics. Despite the LESS demonstrating good-toexcellent reliability and predictive value, the LESS is sensitive to various factors (e.g., protocol alterations) and has been criticised for lacking sport specificity. Despite studies conducting the LESS both with and without footwear and using an overhead goal during jumping tasks to increase sport specificity, to date, there is no research comparing LESS outcomes based on the presence/absence of footwear or presence/absence of an overhead goal.
Chapter One summarises literature surrounding sports injuries, ACL injuries, injury aetiology, injury prevention models, and injury risk screening tools used in sports with a focus on the LESS. Footwear and cueing in sports are also addressed. Chapter Two is experimental and compares overall LESS scores, group- and individual-level injury risk categorisation, specific LESS errors, and jump heights between footwear and no footwear conditions. Chapter Three is experimental and compares these same outcome measures between overhead goal and no goal conditions. Chapter Four summarises the key findings from the two experimental chapters, and addresses the limitations, strengths, and future research directions arising from this Thesis.
In Chapter Two, 80 participants (55% male) performed a DLJL task where they landed from a 30-cm high box to 50% of their own body height and immediately jumped vertically for maximum height for LESS assessment. Participants completed three trials under two randomordered conditions: with and without footwear. Group mean LESS scores were greater (0.3 errors, p = 0.022) and jump heights were lower (0.6 cm, p = 0.029) in the footwear than barefoot condition, but differences were trivial and not clinically meaningful. Although the number of high-risk participants was comparable between groups (p = 1.000), categorisation was inconsistent for 16.25% of individuals and the occurrence of four of the 17 specific landing errors significantly differed between conditions. Based on the study findings, footwear does not appear to meaningfully influence mean LESS scores, risk categorisation, or jump height at a group level. At an individual level, footwear can affect risk categorisation and landing strategies. Hence, use of a consistent protocol is recommended in clinical setting, and use of footwear is advised for assessing injury risk given the predictive value of the LESS barefoot is unknown.
In Chapter Three, 76 participants (51% male) performed a DLJL task where they landed from a 30-cm high box to 50% of their own body height and immediately jumped vertically for maximum height for LESS assessment. Participants completed three trials under two randomordered conditions: with and without an overhead goal. Mean LESS scores were greater (0.3 errors, p < 0.001) with the overhead goal, but this small difference was not clinically meaningful. Similarly, although the number of high-risk participants was significantly greater with the overhead goal (p = 0.039), the 9.2% difference was trivial. Participants jumped 2.7 cm higher with the overhead goal (p < 0.001) without affecting the occurrence of any specific LESS errors. Based on the results found, performing the LESS with an overhead goal enhances sport specificity and elicits greater vertical jump performances with minimal change in landing errors and risk categorisation. Adding an overhead goal to LESS might enhance its suitability for injury risk screening, although the predictive value of LESS with an overhead goal needs confirmation.

year: 2022

title: Biomarker Detection in Association Studies: Modeling SNPs Simultaneously via Logistic ANOVA

authors: Jung, Yoonsuh

subjects: BIC

abstract: In genome-wide association studies, the primary task is to detect biomarkers in the form of Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) that have nontrivial associations with a disease phenotype and some other important clinical/environmental factors. However, the extremely large number of SNPs comparing to the sample size inhibits application of classical methods such as the multiple logistic regression. Currently the most commonly used approach is still to analyze one SNP at a time. In this pa- per, we propose to consider the genotypes of the SNPs simultaneously via a logistic analysis of variance (ANOVA) model, which expresses the logit transformed mean of SNP genotypes as the summation of the SNP effects, effects of the disease phenotype and/or other clinical variables, and the interaction effects. We use a reduced-rank representation of the interaction-effect matrix for dimensionality reduction, and employ the L1-penalty in a penalized likelihood framework to filter out the SNPs that have no associations. We develop a Majorization-Minimization algorithm for computational implementation. In addition, we propose a modified BIC criterion to select the penalty parameters and determine the rank number. The proposed method is applied to a Multiple Sclerosis data set and simulated data sets and shows promise in biomarker detection.

text: Biomarker Detection in Association Studies: Modeling SNPs Simultaneously via Logistic ANOVA In genome-wide association studies, the primary task is to detect biomarkers in the form of Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) that have nontrivial associations with a disease phenotype and some other important clinical/environmental factors. However, the extremely large number of SNPs comparing to the sample size inhibits application of classical methods such as the multiple logistic regression. Currently the most commonly used approach is still to analyze one SNP at a time. In this pa- per, we propose to consider the genotypes of the SNPs simultaneously via a logistic analysis of variance (ANOVA) model, which expresses the logit transformed mean of SNP genotypes as the summation of the SNP effects, effects of the disease phenotype and/or other clinical variables, and the interaction effects. We use a reduced-rank representation of the interaction-effect matrix for dimensionality reduction, and employ the L1-penalty in a penalized likelihood framework to filter out the SNPs that have no associations. We develop a Majorization-Minimization algorithm for computational implementation. In addition, we propose a modified BIC criterion to select the penalty parameters and determine the rank number. The proposed method is applied to a Multiple Sclerosis data set and simulated data sets and shows promise in biomarker detection.

year: 2014-06-12

title: Te Whatu Kakahu: Assessment in Kaupapa Maori Early Childhood Practice

authors: Rameka, Lesley Kay

subjects: Kaupapa Maori

abstract: Through the exploration of Kaupapa Māori assessment approaches, I examine the reclaiming and reframing of Māori ways of knowing and being within early childhood practice. Assessment is the vehicle for reclaiming and reframing while Kaupapa Māori theory is the fuel that ignites and drives the vehicle.

The effects of successive education policies remain today with Māori children, and their families continuing to disengage from education and consistently receiving disproportionately lower outcomes, opportunities and benefits. Reclaiming and reframing Māori ways of knowing and being within early childhood assessment thinking and practice is a means of addressing the cultural and educational disparities faced by Māori children within an education system that upholds western cultural and educational superiority, privilege and truths.  Key questions in this process of reclaiming and reframing are: Who has the power to define?  Whose truths are being reflected and how are these truths constructed? 

The metaphor of whatu kākahu or weaving of clothing has been used to frame this thesis. The process has involved weaving the Kaupapa Māori theory elements of conscientisation, resistance, transformative praxis and Māori ways of knowing and being, across and within historical, cultural and educational paradigms and understandings, to fashion assessment kākahu that afford comfort, warmth and flexibility in a contemporary early childhood context. This research case studies the progress of three Māori early childhood services and kōhanga reo towards the development of Kaupapa Māori early childhood assessment understandings and framings (kākahu), that reflect their particular ways of knowing and being, context and aspirations for children. This thesis has been about their assessment journeys. These journeys are a work in progress and that work continues.

A qualitative, Kaupapa Māori research methodology was used to gather, collate and analyse data in this research.  In accordance with Kaupapa Māori research aspirations and expectations, this research focuses on areas of importance and concern for Māori, and involved retrieving space for Māori voices to be heard. This research can be seen as a means of privileging Māori approaches, perspectives and ways of knowing and being in early childhood assessment practice.

Kaupapa Māori assessment is an important agenda for early childhood.   It builds upon Māori philosophical and epistemological understandings that express Māori ways of knowing and being. Kaupapa Māori assessment is able to contribute significantly to children’s learning and potential growth and is an important tool in constructing educational outcomes for Māori children. It is therefore an important agenda for early childhood.

text: Te Whatu Kakahu: Assessment in Kaupapa Maori Early Childhood Practice Through the exploration of Kaupapa Māori assessment approaches, I examine the reclaiming and reframing of Māori ways of knowing and being within early childhood practice. Assessment is the vehicle for reclaiming and reframing while Kaupapa Māori theory is the fuel that ignites and drives the vehicle.

The effects of successive education policies remain today with Māori children, and their families continuing to disengage from education and consistently receiving disproportionately lower outcomes, opportunities and benefits. Reclaiming and reframing Māori ways of knowing and being within early childhood assessment thinking and practice is a means of addressing the cultural and educational disparities faced by Māori children within an education system that upholds western cultural and educational superiority, privilege and truths.  Key questions in this process of reclaiming and reframing are: Who has the power to define?  Whose truths are being reflected and how are these truths constructed? 

The metaphor of whatu kākahu or weaving of clothing has been used to frame this thesis. The process has involved weaving the Kaupapa Māori theory elements of conscientisation, resistance, transformative praxis and Māori ways of knowing and being, across and within historical, cultural and educational paradigms and understandings, to fashion assessment kākahu that afford comfort, warmth and flexibility in a contemporary early childhood context. This research case studies the progress of three Māori early childhood services and kōhanga reo towards the development of Kaupapa Māori early childhood assessment understandings and framings (kākahu), that reflect their particular ways of knowing and being, context and aspirations for children. This thesis has been about their assessment journeys. These journeys are a work in progress and that work continues.

A qualitative, Kaupapa Māori research methodology was used to gather, collate and analyse data in this research.  In accordance with Kaupapa Māori research aspirations and expectations, this research focuses on areas of importance and concern for Māori, and involved retrieving space for Māori voices to be heard. This research can be seen as a means of privileging Māori approaches, perspectives and ways of knowing and being in early childhood assessment practice.

Kaupapa Māori assessment is an important agenda for early childhood.   It builds upon Māori philosophical and epistemological understandings that express Māori ways of knowing and being. Kaupapa Māori assessment is able to contribute significantly to children’s learning and potential growth and is an important tool in constructing educational outcomes for Māori children. It is therefore an important agenda for early childhood.

year: 2012