Physical profiles of elite,sub-elite,regional and age-group netballers

Physical profile data from elite, sub-elite, regional, under 21s (U21), under 19s (U19) and under 17s (U17) (n = 845) players from a state netball association in Australia were analysed. Within season changes were examined for the elite and sub-elite players. Longitudinal changes were examined for the elite across four consecutive netball seasons.

Elite were significantly older (24.3 ± 3.4years), taller (182.4 ± 7.2cm) and heavier (73.42 ± 6.95kg) than other playing levels (p < 0.001, ES 0.49–3.26) and had higher vertical jump (VJ) data compared to all groups (p < 0.001, ES 0.47–0.93). U17’s were significantly faster than elite, sub-elite and U19 players over 5m (p < 0.05, ES 0.36–0.58) while elite were faster over 20m compared to all groups (p < 0.01, ES 0.45–0.72). Elite achieved a greater distance (1350.8m; p < 0.05, ES 0.32–0.50) in the Yo-YoIRT1 compared to the sub-elite, regional, U19 and U17. VJ height significantly increased from the 2014 (51.6 ± 4.8cm) to the 2017 season (59.6 ± 6.3cm) for the elite players (p < 0.01, ES 1.18). Yo-YoIRT1 test scores increased significantly between the pre-season and in-season phases (p < 0.05, ES 0.17).     

Muscle force characteristics of male and female collegiate cross-country runners during overground running

ABSTRACT

Males and females demonstrate unique running mechanics that may contribute to sex-related differences in common running related injuries. Understanding differences in muscle forces during running may inform intervention approaches, such as gait retraining addressing muscle force distribution. The purpose of this study was to compare muscle force characteristics and inter-trial variability between males and females during running. Twenty female and 14 male collegiate cross-country runners were examined. Three-dimensional kinetic and kinematic data were collected during overground running and used to estimate muscle forces via musculoskeletal modelling. Principle components analysis was used to capture the primary sources of variance from the muscle force waveforms. The magnitude of the forces for the hamstrings, gastrocnemius, and soleus muscles were higher across the majority of stance in male runners regardless of footstrike pattern. Males also demonstrated greater inter-trial variability in the timing of the peak gluteus maximus force and the magnitude of local peaks in the gastrocnemius force waveform. Male and female collegiate cross-country runners appear to employ unique lower extremity muscle force characteristics during overground running.     

No public value without a valued public

This study aims to enlighten the controversial discussion about the term public value in an innovative way. Instead of normative pronouncements and paternalistic posits, this study combines a theoretical, literature-based conception with an empirical quantitative approach. For this, the key term, public value, is split into its constituent parts of customer value and citizen value and is transformed into measurable attributes. By means of a choice-based conjoint analysis on panel data for Germany and the United Kingdom, we explore which performance attributes of public service broadcasters are the most important. Based on the results, we create a conception of public value from the perspective of the license fee payers as the main stakeholder of public service broadcasters. Our findings may unlock existing potential to increase our understanding of what is meant by the term public value.     

Analytical attractions and the techno-continuum: Conceptualising data obsessions and consequences in elite sport

The proliferation of sports science and technological innovation within performance settings has precipitated the generation of increasing volumes of data to aid athletes. Copious data production has also perpetuated the privileging of scientific information, and a ‘thirst’ for ‘more data’ as an unproblematic ‘truth’. Of significance is not merely the use of technology for the production of data-for-data's sake, or the utility of data for a greater cause (e.g. the good of the team), but the quest for personalised data for individual athletes to be analysed, and reflected upon ad nauseam. Furthering scholarship on disciplining bodies, we argue that increased technological consumption, and the related excessive quantification of athletes’ bodies via data production, adds further insecurity into performance sports work. Finally, attention is given to the cultural step-change new techno-dispositions may now present.     

Approaches to the study of traditional behaviors of free-living animals

I review literature on four different approaches to the study of traditions in animals: observation of free-living animals, laboratory experiment, armchair analysis, and field experiment. Because, by definition, a tradition entails social learning of some kind, it is difficult, perhaps impossible, to establish that a behavior is in fact traditional without knowledge of how it develops. Observations of free-living animals often provide strong circumstantial evidence of a tradition. However, even in the view of several researchers who have studied possibly traditional behaviors in natural populations, observation alone has not proven sufficient to show that social learning contributes to development of behaviors of interest. The relevance of laboratory experiments to the understanding of the development of behaviors in free-living animals is always open to challenge. Armchair analyses of field data can produce interesting hypotheses but cannot test them. Field experiments to determine how behaviors of interest develop in population members provide a promising way forward.     

Physician assistants as members of social service child protection units.

A nationwide survey of county departments of social services revealed a need for medical services and consultation to child protection units. Over 92% of the 84 counties surveyed stated they had a problem meeting their medical needs and would be willing to hire a physician assistant as medical consultant to their county's child protection team. No county refused to consider a physician assistant, but 7% felt their medical requirements were being met. Needs the counties most commonly identified were providing parent education/anticipatory guidance (69%), interviewing (65.5%), interpreting medical information to a multidisciplinary child protection team (58.3%), review of medical records (45.8%), and physical examinations (42.9%). Over 17% of the counties had money to fund a full-time physician assistant, and over 60% of the counties could provide a partial salary, with 70.5% willing to share a salary with adjacent counties and 76.9% with the county's public health department.     

A Measure of Relative Dispersion

This paper suggests a measure of dispersion which is invariant with respect to linear transformations and distinguishes between large and small spreads.     

Small medical libraries can help also

The Regional Medical Library program of the Dana Medical Library (Burlington, Vermont) is described. Practical problems of a regional program are discussed. A plea is made for providing regional service, however little or much, without waiting for surveys and large grants.