Kinematic and kinetic comparisons between American and Korean professional baseball pitchers

The purpose of this study was to quantify and compare kinematic, temporal, and kinetic characteristics of American and Korean professional pitchers in order to investigate differences in pitching mechanics, performance, and injury risks among two different cultures and populations of baseball pitchers. Eleven American and eight Korean healthy professional baseball pitchers threw multiple fastball pitches off an indoor throwing mound positioned at regulation distance from home plate. A Motion Analysis three-dimensional automatic digitizing system was used to collect 200 Hz video data from four electronically synchronized cameras. Twenty kinematic, six temporal, and 11 kinetic variables were analyzed at lead foot contact, during the arm cocking and arm acceleration phases, at ball release, and during the arm deceleration phase. A radar gun was used to quantify ball velocity. At lead foot contact, the American pitchers had significantly greater horizontal abduction of the throwing shoulder, while Korean pitchers exhibited significantly greater abduction and external rotation of the throwing shoulder. During arm cocking, the American pitchers displayed significantly greater maximum shoulder external rotation and maximum pelvis angular velocity. At the instant of ball release, the American pitchers had significantly greater forward trunk tilt and ball velocity and significantly less knee flexion, which help explain why the American pitchers had 10% greater ball velocity compared to the Korean pitchers. The American pitchers had significantly greater maximum shoulder internal rotation torque and maximum elbow varus torque during arm cocking, significantly greater elbow flexion torque during arm acceleration, and significantly greater shoulder and elbow proximal forces during arm deceleration. While greater shoulder and elbow forces and torques generated in the American pitchers helped generate greater ball velocity for the American group, these greater kinetics may predispose this group to a higher risk of shoulder and elbow injuries.     

青少年的跳跃训练手段

经常可以见到一些青少年队员由于缺乏很好的身体条件比赛时不能形成有效的起跳。解决这个问题可以利用一种提高跳跃力量的训练计划,这个计划可从9—11岁少年开始实施。经过研究发现9—11岁少年使用这个计划和手段效果最好,特别是采用向上、向下、向前的越过各种障碍物的跳深练习。这些手段中也包括肌肉力量、耐力、灵活性、协调性的练习。各种方式的练习组合可从下列动作中选择出来进行:     

A study of medical and health queries to web search engines

This paper reports findings from an analysis of medical or health queries to different web search engines. We report results: (i). comparing samples of 10000 web queries taken randomly from 1.2 million query logs from the AlltheWeb.com and Excite.com commercial web search engines in 2001 for medical or health queries, (ii). comparing the 2001 findings from Excite and AlltheWeb.com users with results from a previous analysis of medical and health related queries from the Excite Web search engine for 1997 and 1999, and (iii). medical or health advice-seeking queries beginning with the word 'should'. Findings suggest: (i). a small percentage of web queries are medical or health related, (ii). the top five categories of medical or health queries were: general health, weight issues, reproductive health and puberty, pregnancy/obstetrics, and human relationships, and (iii). over time, the medical and health queries may have declined as a proportion of all web queries, as the use of specialized medical/health websites and e-commerce-related queries has increased. Findings provide insights into medical and health-related web querying and suggests some implications for the use of the general web search engines when seeking medical/health information.     

How to create successful partnerships-a review of the literature

This literature review covers a wide range of publications (articles, books, reports and government publications) that provide an overview of the wider topic of partnership working. It is not a systematic review, but the authors' personal review, drawing largely on the resources available in the King's Fund Library. Partnership working is a key component of the UK government's modernization agenda, particularly in the health field. However, the principles of achieving successful partnership are generally applicable. The review therefore concentrates on literature that can provide guidance for people planning to set up a partnership, or re-evaluating an existing partnership. The sections of this review comprise: definition of partnership working; types of partnership; partnership initiatives; drivers; critical success factors; barriers; benefits; the process of partnership working; evaluation and assessment tools; demolishing the Berlin Wall: government policy on partnership working; exemplars of library information service partnerships.     

Child characteristics which impact accuracy of recall and suggestibility in preschoolers: is age the best predictor?

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of the present study was to determine whether individual difference factors of metamemory, intelligence, and temperament can improve the ability to predict accuracy of recall and suggestibility in preschoolers. METHOD: Fifty-six children ranging in age from 43 months to 83 months (M = 61, SD = 9) were recruited from 13 child care centers in a rural southeastern town. Children participated in a "Circus Day" event conducted by two female undergraduate psychology students dressed as clowns. Approximately 10 days (M = 10; SD = 2) after the event, children were interviewed regarding their experiences. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: Bivariate correlations and multiple regression analyses were performed in order to determine which factors were related and unique contributors to accuracy of recall and suggestibility. Of principal importance is the finding that child characteristics such as metamemory ability, intellectual functioning, and temperament may indeed be helpful in determining a child's capacity to accurately recall information in an interview, although for the most part age is the best predictor. Findings also underscore the importance of considering a child's SES and race when planning and conducting interviews with young children. Possible explanations for these findings as well as implications for future research and clinical application are discussed.     

A library-based bioinformatics services program

Support for molecular biology researchers has been limited to traditional library resources and services in most academic health sciences libraries. The University of Washington Health Sciences Libraries have been providing specialized services to this user community since 1995. The library recruited a Ph.D. biologist to assess the molecular biological information needs of researchers and design strategies to enhance library resources and services. A survey of laboratory research groups identified areas of greatest need and led to the development of a three-pronged program: consultation, education, and resource development. Outcomes of this program include bioinformatics consultation services, library-based and graduate level courses, networking of sequence analysis tools, and a biological research Web site. Bioinformatics clients are drawn from diverse departments and include clinical researchers in need of tools that are not readily available outside of basic sciences laboratories. Evaluation and usage statistics indicate that researchers, regardless of departmental affiliation or position, require support to access molecular biology and genetics resources. Centralizing such services in the library is a natural synergy of interests and enhances the provision of traditional library resources. Successful implementation of a library-based bioinformatics program requires both subject-specific and library and information technology expertise.