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Effects of situational variables on the physical activity profiles of elite soccer players in different score line states
Get PDFThe aim of this study were to investigate the effects of playing position, pitch location, team ability and opposition ability on the physical activity profiles of English premier league soccer players in difference score line states. A validated automatic tracking system (Venatrack Ltd.) was used to track players in real time (at 25 Hz) for total distance covered, high speed running distance and sprint distance. This is the first study to include every team from an entire season in the English premier league, resulting in 376 games, 570 players and 35 000 rows of data from the 2011‐12 season being analyzed using multi‐level modelling. Multi‐level regression revealed an inverted “u” shaped association between total distance covered and goal difference (GD), with greater distances covered when GD was zero and reduced distances when GD was either positive or negative. A similar “u” shaped association was found with high speed distance covered at home. In addition distance covered (both at home and away) were predicted by playing position. All activity profiles (with the exception of sprint distance at home) were predicted by pitch location and time scored. Lastly, distance away from home and high speed running at home were predicted by opposition ability. Score line appears to effect player activity profiles across a number of situational factors and thus should be considered by managers when preparing and selecting teams to maximize performance. The current study also highlighted the need for more sensitive score line definitions in which to consider score line effects
Dividend policy in the banking sector in G-7 and GCC countries: A comparative study
Get PDFDividend policy has been a puzzling question for many years. This study attempts to identify the key factors affecting it in the financial sector that have been neglected in the literature. Using panel data on 621 Group of Seven (G-7) banks and 68 Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) banks, five main factors namely, banks’ size, profitability, growth, leverage, and last year’s dividend were empirically tested regarding their impact on dividend payout ratios. In addition to comparing the two economies descriptively, the researchers employed panel data analysis using multiple regression with random effects. The findings revealed that the dividend payout ratio for the GCC countries is higher than G-7 countries in every year of the examined period (2010-2015). Furthermore, for both G-7 and GCC banks, profitability and last year dividend had a significant positive influence while banks’ leverage had a significant negative influence on the dividend payout. It was found also that banks’ size is an important dividend determinant in the G-7 countries only
Guido and Am I Robot? A Case Study of Two Robotic Artworks Operating in Public Spaces
Get PDFThis article is a case study of two artworks that were commissioned for and exhibited in art venues in 2016 and 2017. The first artwork, Guido the Robot Guide, guided the visitors to an art-science exhibition, presenting the exhibits with a robot's perspective. Guido was the result of a collaboration between artists and engineers. The concept was an irreverent robot guide that could switch transparently from autonomous mode to operator control, allowing for seamless natural interaction. We examine how the project unfolded, its successes and limitations. Following on Guido, the lead artist developed the robotic installation Am I Robot? where the idea of a hybrid autonomous/remote-manual mode was implemented fully in a non-utilitarian machine that was exhibited in several art galleries. The article provides a concise contextualisation and details technical and design aspects as well as observations of visitors' interactions with the artworks. We evaluate the hybrid system's potential for creative robotics applications and identify directions for future research
CrossTalk proposal: Blood flow pulsatility in left ventricular assist device patients is essential to maintain normal brain physiology
Get PDFFor the first time in history, some humans live without a palpable pulse (Purohit et al. 2018). This remarkable physiology is the consequence of surgical implantation of a continuous‐flow left ventricular assist device (CF‐LVAD) in patients with end‐stage heart failure. Blood flow produced by CF‐LVADs has a low oscillatory profile in the aorta that results in significantly reduced pulsatility in all arterial compartments (Castagna et al. 2017; Fig. 1). Despite remarkable gains in quality of life and longevity, complications that affect not only morbidity, such as gastrointestinal bleeding, but also mortality, such as strokes, are still prevalent in CF‐LVAD patients. Low pulsatility has been proposed as a major culprit in contributing to these adverse events (Mancini & Colombo, 2015; Goldstein et al. 2018). In this CrossTalk proposal, we present the current arguments in favour of maintaining an appropriate amount of arterial pulsatility, in particular in the cerebral circulation, to lower risk in these patients
Tourism policy planning in Bangladesh: Background and some steps forward
No full textTourism policies and plans seek to resolve tourism development issues, safeguard the built and natural heritage, and achieve sustainable socioeconomic development in relation to the aspirations of current and future generations (Edgell & Swanson, 2013). However, performance of the tourism sector depend on various factors such as the policy formulation capacities of a country with the active involvements of key stakeholders. This conceptual research critically outlines dynamics of national tourism policy formulation with special reference to Bangladesh. Bangladesh has unique tourism resources and has the potential to develop tourism as an important means for its social and economic development. Sound and evidence-led tourism policies and political support along with participation of the private and voluntary sector are essential for Bangladesh become a successful and sustainable tourism destination. However, there is a felt need for further research on tourism policy, planning and management of Bangladesh tourism to develop a knowledge base and identify constraints and opportunities for its successful and sustainable development
Cardiovascular risk assessments at occupational health services: employee experiences
Get PDFBackground:
Across England in the UK, population screening for cardiovascular disease (CVD) primarily takes place within general practice in the form of the National Health Service Health Check. Additional screening sites such as occupational health are advocated to improve the population impact.
Aims:
To investigate participant experiences with cardiovascular and type 2 diabetes risk assessment (RA) at occupational health and subsequent support-seeking at general practice.
Methods:
Face-to-face interviews were conducted for this qualitative study. Participants were recruited at three workplaces; a steel works and two hospital sites. Using interpretive phenomenological analyses, themes were drawn from salient narratives and categorically organized.
Results:
There were 29 participants. Themes (n = 16) were organized into two domains; factors that facilitated (n = 9) or thwarted (n = 7) participant engagement with the RA and general practice. All participants described the RA as worthwhile and strongly valued RA at occupational health. Those with obesity and high CVD risk highlighted their difficulties in making lifestyle changes. Participants reported confusion and anxiety when GP advice about medication appeared to contradict what participants had interpreted during RA at occupational health.
Conclusions:
This study highlights factors that facilitate or thwart engagement in cardiovascular RA at occupational health services and general practice follow-up. Stakeholders can integrate these factors into standard operating procedures to enhance participant engagement and enable safeguards that minimize potential harm to participants
Comparison of virtual and physical dimensions in AM resin dental devices and fit of devices with conventionally produced base plates
Get PDFPurpose – The purpose of this study is to develop and apply clinically relevant methods of analysing the accuracy of dental appliances fabricated using additive manufacture (AM) compared to the computer-aided design (CAD) geometry. The study also comparedfit between conventionallylaboratory-fabricated and AM-produced base plates. Design/methodology/approach – The techniques were applied to two types of dental devices where AM fabrication methods could foreseeably be used as an alternative to laboratory production. “L” and cubic shapes of defined dimensions and spatial locations were positioned on the devices which were fabricated using AM. For assessing the dimensions, the“L”and cubic shapes were then measured on the physical builds ten times andcompared to the CAD model. To assess thefit of AM and lab-produced devices, three upper and three lower conventionally fabricated acrylic baseplates were compared to three upper and three lower plates. Silicone impression material was allowed to set between the casts and the base plateswhichfilled any discrepancy between the two surfaces. The thickness of this silicone media was measured ten times atfive different points on eachbase plate type and the results compared. Findings –The results indicated that the evaluated CAD/AM technique is able to produce dental appliance components that are consistent with tolerance levels that would be expected with conventional methods of base plate design. This research demonstrated that a fully CAD/AM methodology represents a potentially viable alternative to conventional lab-based methods for two types of dental appliances
Monitoring Training Load Using the Acute: Chronic Workload Ratio in Non-Elite Intercollegiate Female Athletes
Get PDFMonitoring training load and its progression in athletes is important to optimise adaptations to training while simultaneously preventing injury. A recent development in this field is the acute: chronic workload ratio (ACWR), which track s average acute training load against average chronic training load to describe training load progression. Furthermore, a new method of calculating the ACWR has been developed using exponentially weighted moving averages (EWMA) which accounts for the decay of fitness and fatigue. This study sought to investigate the relationship between the EWMA and ACWR (based upon session rating of perceived exertion (sRPE)), and injury risk in intercollegiate female athletes (N=4). Participants performed adductor squeeze tests (ASTs) once a week for 8 week s, while their training and wel lness were monitored with sRPE and a daily questionnaire respectively. A hierarchical regression demonstrated that monitoring of average sleep length, average stress, sRPE work loads and an EWMA provided the best model for predicting injury risk in athletes (R2 = 0.47). The findings indicate that the EWMA may be a effective training load monitoring tool than the ACWR model
Oxidative capacity and haemolytic activity of settled dust from moisture-damaged schools
Get PDFExposure to moisture-damaged indoor environments is associated with adverse respiratory health effects, but responsible factors remain unidentified. In order to explore possible mechanisms behind these effects, the oxidative capacity and haemolytic activity of settled dust samples (n=25) collected from moisture-damaged and non-damaged schools in Spain, The Netherlands and Finland were evaluated and matched against the microbial content of the sample. Oxidative capacity was determined with plasmid scission assay, and haemolytic activity by assessing the damage to isolated human red blood cells. The microbial content of the samples was measured with quantitative PCR assays for selected microbial groups and by analysing the cell wall markers ergosterol, muramic acid, endotoxins and glucans. The moisture observations in the schools were associated with some of the microbial components in the dust, and microbial determinants grouped together increased the oxidative capacity. Oxidative capacity was also affected by particle concentration and country of origin. Two out of 14 studied dust samples from moisture-damaged schools demonstrated some haemolytic activity. The results indicate that the microbial component connected with moisture damage is associated with increased oxidative stress, and that haemolysis should be studied further as one possible mechanism contributing to the adverse health effects of moisture-damaged buildings
“Artlift” Arts-on-Referral Intervention in UK Primary Care: Updated findings from an ongoing observational study
Get PDFBackground: Arts for health interventions are an accepted option for medical management of mental wellbeing in health care. Updated findings are presented from a prospective longitudinal follow-up (observational) design study of an arts on referral programme in UK general practice, over a 7-year period (2009–2016). Methods: Primary care process and mental wellbeing outcomes were investigated, including progress through the intervention, changes in mental wellbeing, and factors associated with those outcomes. A total of n =1297 patients were referred to an eight or 10-week intervention over a period from 2009 to 2016. Patient sociodemographic information was recorded at baseline, and patient progress (e.g. attendance) assessed throughout the intervention. Results: Of all referrals, 51.7% completed their course of prescribed art (the intervention). Of those that attended, 74.7% engaged with the intervention as rated by the artists leading the courses. A significant increase in wellbeing was observed from pre- to post-intervention (t = −19.29, df =523, P < 0.001, two-tailed) for those that completed and/or engaged. A sub sample (N =103) of these referrals self-reported multi-morbidities. These multiple health care service users were majority completers (79.6%), and were rated as having engaged (81.0%). This group also had a significant increase in well-being, although this was smaller than for the group as a whole (t = −7.38, df =68, P < 0.001). Conclusion: Findings confirm that art interventions can be effective in the promotion of well-being for those that complete, including those referred with multi-morbidity, with significant changes in wellbeing evident across the intervention periods