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Rugby player testing
No full textThe game of rugby has evolved over the last 10-20 years, particularly with the introduction of professionalism, but also as trainers and coaches’ knowledge and understanding of the game and its demands have increased. The game of rugby union played at a senior level now involves more movement of the ball, bigger collision impacts, and tougher defensive lines. Therefore, the fitness requirements of the senior club player have also changed. In this chapter we reveal what we consider the most important fitness requirements of our senior club-level players. Coaches and trainers of younger players would need to adapt these requirements to the age level of their own players. Superior performance of today’s athletes is the result of a complex blend of many things including biomechanics, training, social support, psychological factors and so on. In addition, because rugby is a collision sport that can take a toll on the body, building injury resistance to maximise playing/game time throughout the season is also important. Modern coaches recognise that the most consistently effective methods of preparing athletes for competition is one which is based on proven scientific principles rather than on trial and error or on judgement alone. It is therefore more and more common for the coach and athlete to seek input from the sport scientist for the athlete to achieve their full potential. In many cases the sport scientist will test several aspects of fitness specific to the sport. The results from testing players are valuable in several ways for the coach and trainer. Fitness testing allows the coach to figure out where the players fitness levels are currently (and therefore what they may need to improve on and/or positions the player may be more suited to). Such testing also improves motivation for the player (if they know they are being judged on fitness gains), gives feedback to the coach on which players are putting the effort in, and allows the strength and conditioning coach to gauge the effectiveness of their training program
Bruised and confused: An autoethnography of concussion in rugby union
No full textIn this autoethnography, I explore my experiences with sport-related concussion. I portray the challenges that the symptoms presented, but I also provide a wider social, cultural and political context that includes the normalisation of pain and injury in collision sports and the discourses that contribute to a culture where players minimise the severity of, and play through, concussion. Following my career, this article showcases a ‘culture of knocks’, highlighting how these discourses are learned and reproduced, the complex relationship between teams and medical staff, and anxiety over long-term consequences
Model analysis of electrostatic interactions of ATP-IDE interactions by quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics (QM/MM) calculation and molecular dynamic (MD) simulations : A thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy at Lincoln University
No full textThe insulin-degrading enzyme (IDE) plays a significant role in the degradation of the amyloid beta (Aβ), a peptide found in regions of the brain of patients with early Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) allosterically regulates the Aβ-degrading activity of IDE. Electrostatic interactions between ATP-IDE including thermostabilities/flexibilities of IDE residues, at the allosteric site of IDE, are essential for drug design. These electrostatic interactions and the thermostabilities/flexibilities of IDE residues at the ATP-binding domain have not yet been systematically understood. The present study elucidates the electrostatic interactions of ATP-IDE interactions and the thermostabilities/flexibilities of the IDE residues.
Computational modelling based on (QM/MM) calculation method and molecular dynamic (MD) simulations may offer great opportunities to understand biological interactions. In this study, we apply QM/MM to the proposed computational model for exploring the electrostatic interactions of ATP and IDE. Molecular dynamic (MD) simulations are performed at different heat-shock temperatures for identifying thermostable and flexible residues of IDE at ATP-binding domain. The proposed computational model contains five main procedures, including initial structure preparation, molecular docking, molecular mechanics (MM) equilibration, QM/MM minimisation and MD simulation.
Since the allosteric effects resulting from the interactions of Aβ peptide can influence the conformational change at ATP-binding domain, we create two systems for comparing the difference between system with and without the interaction of Aβ peptide. Subsequently, the binding affinity of the electrostatic interactions of ATP-IDE interactions can be identified after performing QM/MM minimisations. Furthermore, we perform the MD simulations to explore the thermostabilities/flexibilities of the IDE residues at the different temperatures (300K, 321.15 K and 315.15 K), which 321.15 K and 315.15 K are the temperatures induce a heat-shock response (a protective mechanism) of IDE.
The proposed computational model predicts QM/MM minimised structures. Subsequently, it reveals the IDE residues with high binding affinity (LYS530 and ASP385). Considering root-mean-square-fluctuation (RMSF) values during the MD simulations at the heat-shock temperatures, it indicates that LYS530 and ASP385 are also the thermostable residues of IDE, whereas SER576 and LYS858 have high flexibilities with compromised thermostabilities. The present study sheds light on the phenomenon of biological recognition and interactions at the ATP-binding domain within the IDE which has important implications for pharmacological drug design. The proposed computational model may facilitate the development of allosteric IDE activators/inhibitors which mimic ATP interactions
Digitalization in agriculture. Towards an integrative approach
No full textFarm systems around the world have become less complex, dominated by monocultures, but at the same time much more complicated due to the increasing demands from society, leading to ever increasing compliance and regulatory requirements. Digital technologies have the potential to help alleviate such complications by virtue of their capacity to handle large quantities of information and by automating tasks. However, the opposite seems to be happening. The continuous proliferation of technologies being marketed to farmers adds to the complexity of farming. Farmers are feeling overwhelmed by the abundance of alternative technologies and are complaining about a lack of compatibility between them. We took the view that all the digital elements on farm need to be considered as a system, rather than looking at each component in isolation. We call such system the “digital layer” of a farm. Taking an engineering approach, we started by cataloguing the tasks that a generic farmer would routinely perform. We described 178 farm tasks, including strategic (11), operational (130) and reporting (37) tasks. This catalogue was organized in the form of an ontology, and guided us to develop a systematic description of the functional requirements of the digital layer. The inventory of functional requirements is a critical element in the design of the digital layer. We conducted a network analysis considering the data interdependencies between tasks, and observed a relatively high level of interconnectivity between tasks. This explains why digital technologies developed in isolation are struggling with interoperability issues, and, at least in part the reasons for farmers’ frustrations. This led us to conclude that the farm digital layer needs to be holistically designed, delivered, and supported, to support farm tasks coherently. This would require a much higher degree of coordination than we currently observe in the agri-tech sector, and possibly the need for central coordination entities
Perspective chapter: Numerical solutions for modelling complex systems with Stochastic Differential and Partial Differential Equations (SDEs/SPDEs)
No full textUnderstanding phenomena ranging from biological processes to financial markets involves uncertainty. Stochastic Differential Equations (SDEs) and Stochastic Partial Differential Equations (SPDEs) serve as robust mathematical frameworks for modelling such systems. Given the stochastic influences within these models, comprehending the dynamics of complex systems becomes pivotal for accurately predicting system behaviour. However, traditional numerical techniques frequently encounter challenges in effectively addressing the intricacies and stochastic properties inherent in these equations. This chapter explores several numerical methods that offer streamlined and dependable solutions capable of handling the complexities inherent in stochastic differential and partial differential equations. Also, numerical challenges associated with these methods are discussed and the solution strategies are also suggested
Greened shopping spaces and pedestrian shopping interactions: The case of Christchurch
No full textPurpose – The New Zealand city of Christchurch provides a leading example of post-disaster rebuilding in a Central Business District (CBD) area. In its rebuilding programme, the city has given emphasis to the greening of hospitality and traditional retail space through a combination of development of shared pedestrian spaces (with traffic exclusion and calming) and the integration of greening within the streetscape design. This paper aims to assess whether the development of greened pedestrian areas leads to higher retail spending and, thus, retail rental rates.
Design/methodology/approach – This study uses pedestrian movement data collected from several CBD locations, as well as spending data on retail and hospitality, to assess relationships between pedestrian movements and spending. This study explores retail spending in greened pedestrian shared spaces, and explores how this differs from retail spending in traditional street areas within the Christchurch CBD.
Findings – Spending patterns are location-related, depending on the characteristics of pedestrian space in the selected area. Greened shared pedestrian areas have the highest spending per measured pedestrian for retail and hospitality, whereas traditional street areas have lower spending for retail and hospitality per measured pedestrian, demonstrating the benefits in redeveloped central city areas.
Originality/value – The scope of smart data continues to develop as a research area within urban studies to develop an open and connected city. This research demonstrates the use of innovative technologies for data collection, use and sharing. The results support commercial benefits of greening and pedestrianisation of retail and hospitality areas for CBDs and providing an example for other cities to follow
A review of economic, relational, social and environmental measures of agricultural cooperatives performance: Trends, sectoral, and geographical association
No full textThere is increasing interest in the performance of agricultural cooperatives. However, there is little consensus on what measures are most appropriate to use or how best to capture the social and environmental impact of these organisations. Despite this, to date, there are no studies that review the literature on agricultural cooperative performance to establish how the most used performance measures have evolved over time and any relationship between the sectors and locations of agricultural cooperatives. Thus, this paper seeks to address this gap by (i) identifying the foremost measures that have been used to evaluate the performance of agricultural cooperatives; and (ii) exploring the trends, sectoral and geographical association with the use of these performance measures.
A multistage analytical framework, comprising a journal article network analysis and a qualitative meta-analysis is used to extract relevant information from 124 journal articles and perform content analysis. Subsequently, a non-parametric test is used to examine the association between the year of publication, sector and geographical location of agricultural cooperatives and the performance measures.
The results highlight a diverse list of indicators utilised to assess the performance of agricultural cooperatives. However, there is a narrow focus and dominant use of short-term economic metrics, and limited use of environmental and sustainability measures. Also, the results show a significant increase in the use of liquidity indicators in more recent publications. There exists a significant association between the sector of the agricultural cooperative and the most used performance measures but no association with the geographical location. The findings highlight the need to develop performance measures that evaluate the positive spill-over effects of agricultural cooperative activities on non-members, communities, and the natural environment. Also, the findings provide a rubric for benchmarking the performance and identifying best practices that can be shared across different cooperatives
The use of weather, water, ice, and climate (WWIC) information in the Polar Regions: What is known after the decadelong Polar Prediction Project?
No full textThe polar regions are facing a wide range of compounding challenges, from climate change to increased human activity. Infrastructure, rescue services, and disaster response capabilities are limited in these remote environments. Relevant and usable weather, water, ice, and climate (WWIC) information is vital for safety, activity success, adaptation, and environmental protection. This has been a key focus for the World Meteorological Organization’s (WMO) Polar Prediction Project (PPP), and in particular its “Societal and Economic Research and Applications” (PPP-SERA) Task Team, which together over a decade have sought to understand polar WWIC information use in relation to operational needs, constraints, and decision contexts to inform the development of relevant services. To understand research progress and gaps on WWIC information use during the PPP (2013–23), we undertook a systematic bibliometric review of aligned scholarly peer-reviewed journal articles (n = 43), examining collaborations, topics, methods, and regional differences. Themes to emerge included activity and context, human factors, information needs, situational awareness, experience, local and Indigenous knowledge, and sharing of information. We observed an uneven representation of disciplinary backgrounds, geographic locations, research topics, and sectoral foci. Our review signifies an overall lack of Antarctic WWIC services research and a dominant focus on Arctic sea ice operations and risks. We noted with concern a mismatch between user needs and services provided. Our findings can help to improve WWIC services’ dissemination, communication effectiveness, and actionable knowledge provision for users and guide future research as the critical need for salient weather services across the polar regions remains beyond the PPP
Soil ecosystem multifunctionality is strongly linked with crop yield after four decades chemical fertilization in black soil
No full textSoil ecosystem multifunctionality (EMF), the ability of an ecosystem to perform multiple functions, remains uncertain in its contribution to crop production, especially in the context of long-term fertilization ecosystems. This study was carried out on a 40-year-old long-term fertilization experiment in black soil in China. Soil samples were collected from four treatments: control (CK); nitrogen (N) fertilizer; phosphorus (P) fertilizer; and a combination of nitrogen and phosphorus (NP) in both maize and wheat planting seasons. The results showed significant effects of N, P fertilizers and crop season on soil biotic and abiotic properties, especially on soil enzyme activities. Crop productivity and soil EMF showed a similar pattern across different treatments and both crop seasons, with significant higher values recorded in treatments with N addition (i.e. N and NP). Soil EMF was strongly associated with crop productivity in both maize and wheat seasons, while soil pH had a negative impact on crop yield. Random forest analysis revealed that microbial functional gene structure was significantly correlated with both soil ecosystem multifunctionality and crop yield. This suggested that fertilization leads to alterations in soil nutrients and the composition of functional microbial communities, subsequently impacting ecological functions and crop growth. These findings indicated that mineral fertilizers can enhance crop yield through soil EMF in the black soils, while exerted substantial impact on soil properties, raising concerns about the sustainability of soils under continuous chemical fertilization
A global insight on sensitivity of nitrate leaching to drainage in arable cropping systems
No full textNitrate (NO₃⁻) leaching leads to widespread deterioration of water quality. NO₃⁻ leaching can be regulated by both biochemical and hydrological processes. However, the extent to which drainage accounts for the variation in NO₃⁻ leaching and the sensitivity of NO₃⁻ leaching to drainage remain unclear, particularly at the global scale. This raises uncertainties in prioritizing the regulation of hydrological (e.g., drainage) processes for reduced NO₃⁻ leaching. A global meta-analysis was conducted for arable cropping systems to test two hypotheses: (1) Global variations in NO₃⁻ leaching are explained more by drainage and associated influencing factors (e.g., water input); (2) NO₃⁻ leaching is more sensitive to the changes in drainage under conditions with lower risks of preferential flow. In this meta-analysis, the average NO₃⁻ leaching loss from arable cropping systems was 22.2 kg N ha¯¹ year¯¹. Water input, followed by N input, were the most influential in explaining global variations in NO₃⁻ leaching. Compared with NO₃⁻ concentration, drainage and associated influencing factors explained more of the global variations in NO₃⁻ leaching losses. NO₃⁻ leaching was more sensitive to drainage in soils with finer texture and higher soil organic carbon content, in regions with low to medium mean annual temperature (200 kg N ha¯¹), and where conservation tillage systems (no-tillage or non-inversion tillage) were adopted. Therefore, more attention should be given to avoiding excessive water application in soils characterized by low risk of preferential flow. Preferential flow reduces the chance for drainage water to interact with NO₃⁻ in the soil matrix, particularly in areas with high N inputs. While this study has successfully tested our hypotheses, it further highlights the importance of water input management for mitigating global NO₃⁻ leaching risks, particularly under environments and changing climate conditions more conducive to drainage events