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JOINT KINEMATICS DURING INDOOR BEND SPRINTING
Get PDFThe aim of this study was to identify the effect of radius on lower extremity joint kinematics during indoor bend sprinting. Kinematic data (250 Hz) were collected from eight well-trained sprinters during two ~80 m sprints in banked lanes 2 and lane 4. One-dimensional Statistical Parametric Mapping was used to analyse lower extremity joint kinematics during the stance phase. Similar to previous bend sprinting research, this study found the left limb appears to adopt an adduction and eversion strategy during left stance to control the movement demands of bend sprinting. Furthermore, significant inter-limb asymmetry occurred primarily in lane 2, highlighting that tightening the radii of the lane brought about increased inter-limb asymmetry
The Astonishing Phantom and Other Works
No full textMy thesis is a collection of fiction and creative nonfiction works that explore the theme of grief—how it manifests, how it informs identity, and the relationships that can emerge therefrom. In this thesis, I use fiction as a medium through which to investigate how grief affects people of various ages and backgrounds. As with all fictional characters, mine are to an extent reflections of my own experiences with trauma and loss, but they also serve as a vessel to explore the differing ways grief presents itself with changes in place, historical setting, and the type of loss witnessed. The personal essays included in this thesis center around the death of my mom, and are my attempts to situate my own grief in a context larger than my immediate reality. Even in experiences that are deeply personal, there are always connections that can be drawn to the wider world—links that can be made between the intimate and universal. Whether it be by addressing a stranger, contemplating the nature of remembrance and legacy, or paralleling my story to those of figures like Auguste Piccard and Laika the Soviet space dog, these essays try to uncover such links
The Relationship Between Cognitive Flexibility and Rumination: From Laboratory to Daily Life
Get PDFCognitive flexibility has been considered one of the risk factors for anxiety. People with high levels of anxiety tend to stick to more maladaptive strategies such as rumination. The interaction between cognitive flexibility and rumination may help explain the contribution of cognitive flexibility to the development of anxiety. This study investigated the relationship between cognitive flexibility and rumination. Each individual’s level of cognitive flexibility, anxiety, and rumination were measured through questionnaires and computer tasks. Daily changes in emotion and rumination were assessed using the experience sampling method. The results showed interesting relationship between rumination (both trait and momentary) and cognitive flexibility (self-report and task-based). Furthermore, it was cognitive flexibility but not trait rumination that predicted the mean momentary rumination
Understanding Parent-School Communication and Involvement of Children Receiving Title 1 Services
Get PDFThis qualitative, phenomenological research study was designed to gain an understanding of the experiences of parents of elementary school children receiving Title 1 services with a specific focus on parent-school communication and involvement. This study includes information gleaned from six interviews with parents of elementary students receiving Title 1 services from three separate elementary schools within the Northern Lakes School district (pseudonym), located in the Upper Midwest. Participant responses revealed the following themes:
Parental expectation of responsive two-way communication
Preference for frequent communication regarding student learning and progress
Communication to inform home-based school involvement
Parent interviews allow for reflection and making sense of experience
The study’s findings could allow educators to improve parent communication and involvement plans that will be more accommodating to the needs of parents
Assessment of a 100 m sprint performance
Get PDFProblem Title: Assessment of a 100 m sprint performance
Course Level: Undergraduate Introductory
Learning Outcomes: Qualitatively identify and describe the phases of sprinting through observation Interpret time-motion graphs to identify and explain sprinting performance Analyse sprint timing data to calculate velocity and acceleration to illustrate difference between sprint performance
Development of a Nucleic Acid Based Fluorescence ATP Biosensor
Get PDFSecondary structures formed by single-stranded DNA aptamers can allow for the binding of small-molecule ligands. Some of these secondary structures are highly stable in solution and are great candidates for use in the development of biosensors for disease markers, environmental impact, and many other applications. In this research, we explored these unique properties of aptamers in developing a fluorescence-based biosensor for ATP (adenosine triphosphate) and related small molecules. The effectiveness of the biosensor was determined by measuring the binding affinity and specificity of the ATP biosensor on a molecular level, towards different, but structurally similar, ligands. We observed strong and similar binding affinity towards ATP and ATP analogs with Kd range (73-347 µM). However, when probed against other deoxyribonucleotide triphosphates (dNTPs), little to no binding was observed indicating the biosensor specifically targets only ATP analogs. The ATP aptamer sequence can also form noncanonical G4 secondary structure depending on the solution conditions. We investigated the involvement of the G-quartets in the aptamer sequence in ligand binding and found that both G-quartets contribute to ligand binding
LOWER LIMB LANDING RESPONSES BY YOUNG FEMALE GYMNASTS ON DIFFERENT TYPES OF MATS: A PRELIMINARY STUDY
Get PDFLanding is a fundamental skill in artistic gymnastics, practiced continually throughout all levels and using various types of landing mats. The aim of the current study was to investigate how the vertical ground reaction forces (VGRF), knee and ankle joint kinematics changes during gymnasts landing on different types of landing mats with FIG certification. Four young active female gymnasts performed 10 trials of landing to two type of mats. Synchronized kinematic and kinetic data were collected for each trial. Effect size statistics determined individual and group mean differences between landing conditions. The preliminary results of the current study suggested that the PROTOTYPE of landing mat reduces the VGRF and thus may decrease the impact forces acting on the lower limbs in gymnastics
USING UNSUPERVISED LEARNING TO CHARACTERIZE MOVEMENT PATTERNS – AN EXPLORATIVE APPROACH
Get PDFThe purpose of this study was to explore the ability of Kohonen neural network self-organizing maps (SOM) to visualize and characterize different movement patterns during sidestepping. The marker trajectories of 631 sidestepping trials were used to train a SOM. Out of 63731 input vectors, the SOM identified 1250 unique stick figures, determined by the markers. Visualizing the movement trajectories and adding the latent parameter time, allows for the investigation of different movement patterns. Additionally, the SOM can be used to identify zones with increased injury risk, by adding more latent parameters which opens the option to monitor athletes and give feedback. The results highlight the ability of unsupervised learning to visualize movement patterns and to give further insight into an individual athlete’s status without the necessity of a-priory assumptions
COMPARING TIBIAL ACCELERATIONS BETWEEN DELIVERY AND FOLLOW-THROUGH FOOT STRIKES IN CRICKET FAST BOWLING
Get PDFThe kinematics of the fast bowling follow-through are often reported, yet the follow-through is unassessed. This study compared magnitudes of tibial accelerations across the delivery and follow-through foot strikes in fast bowlers. Fifteen sub-elite male fast bowlers performed 24 deliveries during training. Tibial accelerations were measured using tibial-mounted inertial measurement units. Peak tibial acceleration magnitudes were recorded at the foot contacts of the delivery and follow-through strides. A linear mixed model showed statistical significance between foot strike events (p \u3c .001) with the greatest magnitude of tibial acceleration occurring at back foot re-contact. The tibial acceleration peak reported at back foot re-contact may have implications for load quantification and injury risk, therefore representing an important avenue for future fast bowling research