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Rates of head contacts, body contacts, suspected injuries, and mechanisms of injury in club versus university volleyball: a video analysis study
No full textBackground:
Despite being classified as a non-contact sport, volleyball has a high injury burden among youth in Canada. Recent data rank it among the top five sports for injury prevalence in adolescents, with a notable proportion of concussion reported in both youth and university-level play (from 1.0% in boy’s youth volleyball to 19.8% in men’s university volleyball).
Objectives:
To compare the incidence rate of head contacts (HCs), body contacts (BCs), and non-contact suspected injuries (NCSIs) between 1) male Winnipeg 15U-17U club, 2) female Winnipeg 15U-17U club, 3) men’s CanadaWest USPORTS, and 4) women’s CanadaWest USPORTS volleyball athletes in the 2023-2024 volleyball season and to understand the contact and injury mechanisms.
Methods:
Game-footage of male and female athletes from Winnipeg 15U-17U club teams and Canada West USPORTS teams were analyzed from the 2023-2024 season. Using validated coding protocols in Dartfish, HCs, BCs, and NCSIs were identified as well as other contextual gameplay characteristics. Poisson regression was used to calculate incidence rate ratios (IRRs) per 100 player-match hours, comparing by sex and competition level.
Results:
USPORTS athletes had lower BC rates than club athletes in both females (IRR = 0.74; 95% CI: 0.67–0.82) and males (IRR = 0.74; 95% CI: 0.68–0.80). HC rates did not differ significantly between leagues for females (IRR = 1.86; 95% CI: 0.89–3.89) or males (IRR = 0.61; 95% CI: 0.36–1.03). Across leagues, males had higher BC rates than females, and male club athletes had higher HC rates (IRR = 3.21; 95% CI: 1.61–6.37). Contextual analyses showed BCs and HCs occurred most often during blocking and defense compared to other actions. Eighteen suspected injuries were identified, including two suspected concussions. Most contacts were low intensity; moderate/high intensity events were less frequent. No differences were observed between regular season and playoffs.
Conclusion:
Male club volleyball athletes are exposed to more frequent contact events, compared to female club and male and female university athletes. Although most contacts were minor, findings support the development of position- and level-specific prevention strategies. These could include increased educational interventions or policy adjustments such as automatic stoppages following head contact.Children's Hospital Research Institute of Manitoba Travel Grant; 500 (2025)
Tri-Agency Top-Up Award; 7,500 (2024-2025)
Canadian Concussion Network Visiting Trainee Program Travel Fund; 22,000 (2023-2024)October 202
Is Adulthood Required? Examining the Accuracy of Pelvic Sex Estimation Throughout Pubertal Growth
No full textReliable morphological sex estimation in non-adult skeletons continues to be problematic in juvenile osteology. Methodological exploration has focused on infants and children (0–12 years of age), but less attention has been given to adolescents (12–19 years of age). A critical challenge to non-adult sex estimation is that the full expression of sexual dimorphism in areas of the skeleton that have garnered the most attention due to their use in adult sex estimation (i.e., pelvis) does not occur until adulthood. Little research has been conducted to determine if a threshold along the pubertal growth curve that may yield high sex estimation accuracy exists. This study examined the relationship between pelvic sexual dimorphism and stages of pubertal growth from four skeletal traits. Eighteen pelvic traits outlined by Schutkowski (1993) and Rogers and Saunders (1994) were examined on 128 non-adults (4 months–20 years of age) from the Hamann-Todd and Terry Collections. Pubertal stage was examined on 98 individuals between 8 and 20 years of age. Sex estimation accuracies for each trait and combined traits were assessed for each stage. Statistical significance of correct sex estimates was tested using chi-square and Fisher’s exact tests. This study demonstrated that reaching the post-pubertal period was not required for the full expression of sexual dimorphism of all 18 traits. Surpassing peak height velocity, the period of fastest growth, was more critical given that high accuracy (i.e., > 80%) was observed for sex estimates using five individual pelvic traits and the combination of all 18 traits by the deceleration stage
Functional molecular liquids for singlet fission and spintronics
No full textFunctional molecular liquids (FMLs) are an emerging field in organic research due to their distinct advantages over solid materials such as ease of handling, processability, high thermal stability, flexibility and their versatile optoelectronic properties. This thesis describes the synthesis and potential of liquid organic chromophores in two novel concepts in synthetic organic chemistry: singlet fission in FMLs and FMLs for organic spintronics.
Chapter 01 gives a fundamental overview on FMLs including their key properties, their potential applications and a comprehensive exploration of the strategies employed to achieve liquefaction. Chapter 02 presents the role of liquidity in singlet fission from the motivation of answering the Cristopher J. Bardeen’s question regarding the enhanced singlet fission efficiency of molten rubrene. The design principles, synthesis strategies and characterization of rubrene derivatives are explained in this chapter up to the rubrene in solid state unsubstituted intermediates and up to the stage of propargyl alcohols in novel substituted liquid rubrene derivatives. This chapter explains the design principles, synthesis strategies and characterization of rubrene derivatives starting from solid-state unsubstituted intermediates and progressing to the formation of novel substituted liquid rubrene derivatives, specifically up to the stage involving propargyl alcohols. Chapter 03 extends the concept of FMLs into the organic spintronics by exploring how liquidity impacts the spin transport and stability of radicals and merge the two concepts inspired by the recent studies of Takahashi Nakanishi’s spin hydrodynamic generation. The chapter explains the synthesis of stable, solid state organic radicals with propensity to liquefaction is described in this chapter.
Overall, this thesis demonstrates that introducing liquidity into functional organic materials can be used to control electronic, photophysical and spin dependent properties
which opens new pathways in next generation of optoelectronic, photovoltaics and spintronic devices.October 202
Silymarin as a feed additive in swine and poultry production: a comprehensive review
No full textThe widespread ban on in‐feed antibiotics in many regions has driven the search for natural alternatives to maintain health and production efficiency in swine and poultry. Phytogenic feed additives (PFAs) derived from herbs and plant extracts have emerged as promising candidates owing to their antioxidant, anti‐inflammatory, and antimicrobial properties. Among these, silymarin—a flavonolignan complex extracted from milk thistle (Silybum marianum)—has attracted particular attention due to its hepatoprotective and growth‐promoting activities. This review summarizes the chemical characteristics and mechanisms of action of silymarin/silybin. Also, evidence from both experimental and field studies shows that silymarin improves growth performance, nutrient digestibility, gut health, and reproductive outcomes. Advances in formulation technologies, such as micellization, have been addressed for improved bioavailability of silymarin. Despite these promising results, further long-term field studies and economic evaluations are needed to fully integrate silymarin into commercial animal production systems
On channel estimation and memory inference in MIMO systems
No full textThe design of robust channel estimation algorithms is essential to meet the increasing demands of next-generation wireless systems. Massive multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) and ultra-dense antenna deployments present new opportunities for spatial multiplexing and spectral efficiency, but they also introduce challenges that are often overlooked in conventional estimation frameworks. One such challenge is the presence of mutual coupling (MC) among closely spaced antenna elements, which degrades channel state information (CSI) accuracy if not modeled properly. We address this issue by proposing a physically consistent Kalman filtering framework that accounts for MC effects in compact MIMO arrays through impedance-aware modeling. By embedding coupling transformations into the channel observation model, our method enables recursive tracking of the wireless channel while accurately reflecting the mutual coupling behavior of the antenna array. Simulation results demonstrate significant performance gains over conventional least squares and LMMSE estimators, particularly under strong spatial correlation and compact array configurations. Building on the spatial-domain improvements in the first part of the thesis, we next address the temporal behavior of the channel. Even with MC-aware estimation, pilot-based updates can be costly in fast-changing or resource-limited settings. Instead of estimating the full CSI at every step, we investigate whether the channel’s memory and its stability over time can be inferred directly from received signal sequences to guide smarter update decisions. While most estimation algorithms assume quasi-static or memoryless fading, realistic wireless environments exhibit time correlation that can be exploited for prediction and adaptation. We leverage Dynamic Mode Decomposition (DMD) to analyze the evolution of the CSI over time. By processing sequences of received signals, DMD identifies dominant temporal modes whose spectral properties reveal the channel's memory structure. We also compare DMD with principal component analysis (PCA) and simulation results demonstrate that, unlike PCA, the spectrum of the DMD operator effectively captures the channel memory. Together, these two contributions form a comprehensive estimation framework that integrates physical modeling with data-driven inference. The results highlight the importance of accounting for both spatial and temporal effects in wireless channel estimation and point toward more resilient and adaptive communication strategies for 6G and beyond.October 202
High-density lipoprotein cholesterol, particles and subspecies and the risk of chronic kidney disease: The PREVEND prospective study
No full textAbstract Background The relationships between high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), HDL particle concentration (HDL-P), and HDL subspecies with the development of chronic kidney disease (CKD) have not been well characterized. This study aimed to examine these associations and evaluate the role of alcohol consumption as a potential confounder or effect modifier. Methods Data was analyzed from 4,179 individuals (mean age: 52 years; 47.6% male) participating in the PREVEND cohort. Baseline measurements included HDL-P and its subfractions (small, medium, and large), quantified by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, and self-reported alcohol intake. Incident CKD was defined using criteria from the KDIGO guidelines. Cox proportional hazards models were used to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for each HDL metric per 1 standard deviation (SD) increment. Results Over a median follow-up of 8.3 years, 565 participants developed CKD. After adjusting for multiple confounders, including alcohol use, HDL-P, medium HDL, and H3P showed modest inverse associations with CKD risk, with adjusted HRs (95% CIs) of 0.90 (0.83–0.98), 0.91 (0.83–1.00), and 0.90 (0.82–0.99), respectively. Conversely, H7P was positively associated with CKD risk (HR 1.11, 95% CI: 1.00–1.22). Significant interactions with sex were observed for medium HDL, small HDL, and H1P. Alcohol intake neither significantly modified the associations nor showed a direct relationship with CKD risk. Conclusions This study suggests distinct associations of HDL parameters with CKD risk as well as sex differences in the associations of these parameters with CKD risk. The findings underscore the heterogeneity of HDL subspecies and the need to consider sex-specific differences in future studies. Alcohol consumption had no impact on these associations
Investigating the dynamic behaviour of neurofilaments in Zebrafish
No full textNeurofilaments transport is essential for axonal integrity, yet its dynamics in zebrafish remain largely unexplored. In this study, we applied mathematical modelling and computational simulations to analyse neurofilaments transport in zebrafish, comparing it with established findings in mammals. Using the pulse-spread model of Boyer \textit{et. al} \cite{boyer2022neurofilament}, we estimated key transport parameters but found it insufficient to fully capture pausing states and anterograde and retrograde velocities. To address this, we developed a partial differential equation (PDE) model that incorporated bidirectional transport, pausing, anterograde and retrograde dynamics. Additionally, we derived pure exchange, pure transport, and transport-exchange sub-models, offering deeper insights into the transport of neurofilaments. Using data from Bomont's lab pulse-spread experiments (NeuroMyoGène Institute, Lyon, France), our findings confirmed that the transport of neurofilaments is bidirectional, with an anterograde bias that reverses with age. Increasing the central window length significantly extends the quantified residence time of neurofilaments within the central region. Additionally, when considering reversible pausing, we found that exchange dominates transport and defined the steady state neurofilaments organization. This study advances our understanding of neurofilaments transport in zebrafish and establishes a framework for future investigations into axonal transport mechanisms across species, with potential implications for neurodegenerative disease research.October 202
The impact of religious conformity, peer presence, and self-monitoring on donation behavior
No full textThis study examines the three-way interaction between religious conformity, peer presence, and self-monitoring in their influence on consumers’ donation behavior. While past studies have focused on the relationship between religion and charity, findings remain mixed regarding whether religious individuals are more likely to donate to religious or secular causes, especially when they donate in non-private settings. This study tries to fill this gap by examining how the religious conformity of the donor affects their donation behavior.
We investigated our hypotheses through two studies. Study 1 focuses on the effect of the religious conformity of donors (high vs. low religious conformity) on their preference to donate to religious versus nonreligious causes. In Study 2, we introduce the presence of an observer while individuals are donating to different causes. Specifically, we show that religious conformists shift their donation preferences toward nonreligious causes when they are being observed by a person they know as being nonreligious compared to an observer they know as being religious. In addition, our results indicate that changes in donation choices are more significant for religious conformists with higher levels of self-monitoring.
This research makes both theoretical and practical contributions. It provides insights into the roles of religious conformity and visibility of the donation in charitable giving, particularly in the presence of social influence. It also offers important contributions to marketing and charitable fundraising strategies as it shows how religious conformity and the need to retain religious identity shape donation behaviors in a public setting.October 202
Observing tuberculosis and brucellosis in the Austrian Avar population
No full textThe Avar people were a semi-nomadic population from medieval Eurasia who migrated from the Eastern Asian Steppes to Western European countries that are modernly known as Hungary, Croatia, Slovakia, Serbia, Czech Republic, Romania and Austria. The objectives of this research are to 1) understand the experience of tuberculosis and brucellosis in the Avar population from medieval Austria, 2) gain insight into related lifestyle and cultural practices that had an impact on population health, and 3) address the challenges of skeletal diagnosis between tuberculosis and brucellosis in the hopes of advancing methodology. It is hypothesized that 1) given the high transmission rates of tuberculosis and its confirmed presence in medieval Europe, a frequency of tuberculosis at 17% or greater would be expected in the medieval Avar population (Pedersen et al., 2019), 2) given the lower transmission rates of brucellosis than tuberculosis and its rare observation in archaeological contexts, a lower frequency of brucellosis in comparison to tuberculosis would be expected in the medieval Avar population (Bendrey et al., 2020; D’Anastasio et al., 2010), and 3) given that brucellosis is more common in populations with ties to husbandry and farming given its zoonotic origin, brucellosis is expected to be observed in this population (Fournie et al., 2017; McKeown, 2009; Moreno, 2014; Zuckerman et al., 2014).
Data for the project was based on a visual osteological analysis complemented by radiographic and photographic images, as well as a Fisher’s exact test based on pathological scoring. Pathological scoring and biological profiles were completed on the skeletal remains of Avar individuals who are a part of the Bruckneudorf collection at the Naturhistorisches Museum and the Hirschstetten collection in the City Archaeology Department at the Museen der Stadt Wien in Vienna. Results suggest that there is a connection between animals, people, and the environment. The frequency of tuberculosis within the studied population being 35.58% and the frequency of brucellosis being nearly 7.40% could be attributed to different Avar lifestyle factors such as increased husbandry, unique utilization of horses in battle, increasing contacts with migration, nomadism to sedentarism, and even housing structures. Results suggest alignment with all three hypotheses. Concluding remarks found that the Fisher’s exact test used to determine frequency of tuberculosis would work best when paired with a proteomic or aDNA component to further strengthen both the claim for diagnosis and the validity of the model. Additionally, the use of the biocultural, multidisciplinary, and one health approaches should be implemented in further paleopathological research projects, and these guidelines need to be developed in a way that allows paleopathologists and bioarcheologists to address the osteological paradox in their framework.October 202
Surveillance of antimicrobial resistant pathogens in Canadian retail meat using a One-Health lens: linkages to the human sector through the farm-to-fork continuum
No full textAntimicrobial resistance (AMR) remains a pressing public health issue and has been emphasized in Canadian and global public health priorities. AMR pathogens have arisen and spread across clinical, animal, and environmental sectors, which together can be studied using a One-Health perspective. Using this framework, the farm-to-fork continuum links agri-food and human clinical sectors, where AMR pathogens may spread to humans through the exposure and consumption of retail meat. Beyond foodborne pathogens, retail meat has been noted as a source of AMR pathogens often associated with the nosocomial environment; however, linkages to human clinical infections typically rely on traditional typing methods.
This study reports a low prevalence of Clostridioides difficile (0.9%, 3/318), methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) (0.9%, 3/318), and varying prevalences of carbapenemase-producing (CP) organisms (Acinetobacter spp.: 4.1%, 13/318; Pseudomonas spp.: 4.1%, 13/317; Aeromonas spp.: 59.8%, 189/316) from retail meat samples collected through the Canadian Integrated Program for Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance (CIPARS). When available, whole genome sequencing was used to evaluate genomic linkages between retail meat and human clinical infections collected through the Canadian Nosocomial Infection Surveillance Program (CNISP) or the Canadian Ward Study (CANWARD). Comparisons were performed with C. difficile, MRSA, and CP-Acinetobacter spp., where retail meat isolates shared sequence types with human clinical isolates, whereas core genome multilocus sequence typing and single-nucleotide variant analysis showed varying degrees of relatedness.
Further genomic investigation identified species-associated, chromosomal carbapenemases across CP-organisms where cphA-type, blaOXA-type, and blaPFM-type/blaPOM-1 were identified from Aeromonas spp., Acinetobacter spp., and Pseudomonas spp., respectively. Two Pseudomonas paracarnis tested positive for carbapenemase production in vitro, but no carbapenemases were identified in silico, indicating potential novel carbapenemases in these isolates. All genera harboured additional resistance genes beyond carbapenemases, including the presence of mcr in 10/311 Aeromonas spp.
Together, this study shows that retail meat is a source of exposure to AMR pathogens along the farm-to-fork continuum, harbouring organisms that have previously been involved in human clinical infections in Canada, and a reservoir of species-associated carbapenemases and other AMR genes of high importance. Future work is required to demonstrate the direct transmission of AMR pathogens from retail meat to humans.Government of Canada Shared Priority Project, Genomics Research and Development Initiative, project GRDI-AMR-One-HealthOctober 202