Allocation of academic staff in universities

This article is concerned with allocation of academic staff between departments in a university. The article considers general principles of staff allocation and then goes on to consider specific techniques for university staff allocation. Practical problems likely to be associated with implementing the results of a given method of staff allocation are also discussed. Finally the question of decentralised decision-making and possibility of allowing some freedom of choice between appointment of academic staff and other resources is considered.     

Identifying playing talent in professional football using artificial neural networks

ABSTRACT

The aim of the current study was to objectively identify position-specific key performance indicators in professional football that predict out-field players league status. The sample consisted of 966 out-field players who completed the full 90 minutes in a match during the 2008/09 or 2009/10 season in the Football League Championship. Players were assigned to one of three categories (0, 1 and 2) based on where they completed most of their match time in the following season, and then split based on five playing positions. 340 performance, biographical and esteem variables were analysed using a Stepwise Artificial Neural Network approach. The models correctly predicted between 72.7% and 100% of test cases (Mean prediction of models = 85.9%), the test error ranged from 1.0% to 9.8% (Mean test error of models = 6.3%). Variables related to passing, shooting, regaining possession and international appearances were key factors in the predictive models. This is highly significant as objective position-specific predictors of players league status have not previously been published. The method could be used to aid the identification and comparison of transfer targets as part of the due diligence process in professional football.     

Validation of a Skinfold Prediction Equation Based on Dual-Energy X-Ray Absorptiometry to Estimate Body Fat Percentage in Women

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study was to validate an alternative skinfold equation for women created from dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA). Anthropometrics and a whole-body DXA scan were completed on 77 women (mean age: 28.0 ± 10.2 years). Four Jackson-Pollack (JP) skinfold prediction equations and the DXA criterion (DC) equation were compared to DXA-derived body fat percentage (%BF). One-way repeated measures ANOVA revealed significant differences (p ≤ .001) in the %BF with post hoc-comparisons revealing significant differences among JP7 (21.3 ± 5.7), JP4 (21.4 ± 5.7), JP3a (22.2 ± 5.9), and JP3b (22.6 ± 5.7) when compared to the DXA-derived %BF; no significant difference existed between DC %BF (26.5 ± 5.6) and DXA-derived %BF (26.5 ± 5.4) (p = 1.0). The DC equation more accurately predicted %BF in women volunteers compared to Jackson-Pollack equations.     

Body Composition Comparison: Bioelectric Impedance Analysis with Dual-Energy X-Ray Absorptiometry in Adult Athletes

The primary purpose of this study was to investigate the accuracy of the DF50 (ImpediMed Ltd, Eight Mile Plains, Queensland, Australia) bioelectrical impedance analysis device using dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry as the criterion in two groups: endurance athletes and power athletes. The secondary purpose was to develop accurate body fat percentage prediction equations for each group based on bioelectrical impedance analysis data and/or the combination of bioelectrical impedance analysis and anthropometric data.

Eighty male athletes (40 elite endurance athletes and 40 were power athletes), age 19–48 with body mass indexes ranging from 18.9 to 37.4 were recruited. Anthropometric measurements were taken. Body composition was assessed by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry and bioelectrical impedance analysis. An athlete-specific bioelectrical impedance analysis prediction equation was developed by stepwise regression analysis using dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry as the criterion and bioelectrical impedance analysis data and anthropometric measurements as predictor variables.

The DF50 bioelectrical impedance analysis significantly overestimated body fat percentage by 6.4 ± 0.5 in the entire group (p < .001) and in both the endurance group (6.1 ± .6, p < .001) and the power group (6.7 ± 0.7, p < .001). The endurance and power group showed no significant difference in the error of estimation by bioelectrical impedance analysis (p = .554), indicating that bioelectrical impedance analysis has the same error in both groups. The final prediction equation incorporated both anthropometric variables as well as bioelectrical impedance analysis variables and produced an adjusted r² of .982 and a standard error of the estimate (SEE) of 1.98 for the entire group. This prediction equation used bioelectrical impedance analysis measurements and anthropometric measurements, specifically trunk measurements, to account for trunk size, a common source of error in bioelectrical impedance analysis equations. Follow-up validation studies are necessary to further validate the equations produced.     

The validation of a swimming turn wall-contact-time measurement system: a touchpad application reliability study

The effectiveness of the swimming turn is highly influential to overall performance in competitive swimming. The push-off or wall contact, within the turn phase, is directly involved in determining the speed the swimmer leaves the wall. Therefore, it is paramount to develop reliable methods to measure the wall-contact-time during the turn phase for training and research purposes. The aim of this study was to determine the concurrent validity and reliability of the Pool Pad App to measure wall-contact-time during the freestyle and backstroke tumble turn. The wall-contact-times of nine elite and sub-elite participants were recorded during their regular training sessions. Concurrent validity statistics included the standardised typical error estimate, linear analysis and effect sizes while the intraclass correlating coefficient (ICC) was used for the reliability statistics. The standardised typical error estimate resulted in a moderate Cohen’s d effect size with an R² value of 0.80 and the ICC between the Pool Pad and 2D video footage was 0.89. Despite these measurement differences, the results from this concurrent validity and reliability analyses demonstrated that the Pool Pad is suitable for measuring wall-contact-time during the freestyle and backstroke tumble turn within a training environment.     

Development and Experimental Application of an HPLC Procedure for the Determination of Capsaicin and Dihydrocapsaicin in Serum Samples from Human Subjects

Total capsaicins are extracted from 2 mL aliquots of serum or plasma using methyl-isobutyl ketone, evaporation of the extract to dryness and reconstitution with 200 μL of acetonitrile. The HPLC mobile phase is 40:60 water:acetonitrile. The absorbance of the eluent is monitored at 205 nm. Standardisation uses a known mixture of pure capsaicin and dihydrocapsaicin. Accuracies are 98.9 and 100.6 % for capsaicin and dihydrocapsaicin respectively. Inter batch reproducibility for both is 15 %. The limits of detection are 2.6 and 3.8 ng/mL for capsaicin and dihydrocapsaicin respectively. Analyses of sera obtained previously from human subjects who had eaten chilli containing meals showed that in those that absorbed capsaicins (N = 30) then the median, mean and SD of their serum capsaicin were: 13.4, 18.9 and 16.3 ng/mL. The corresponding data for those sera (N = 13) that had measurable levels of dihydrocapsaicin were: 6.9, 7.5 and 3.6 ng/mL. This procedure is suitable for use in prospective studies of the metabolism of orally ingested chilli.     

Key parameters of the swimming start and their relationship to start performance

The swimming start is typically broken into three sub-phases; on-block, flight, and underwater phases. While overall start performance is highly important to elite swimming, the contribution of each phase and important technical components within each phase, particularly with the new kick-start technique, has not been established. The aim of this study was to identify technical factors associated with overall start performance, with a particular focus on the underwater phase. A number of parameters were calculated from 52 starts performed by elite freestyle and butterfly swimmers. These parameters were split into above-water and underwater groupings, before factor analysis was used to reduce parameter numbers for multiple regression. For the above-water phases, 81% of variance in start performance was accounted for by take-off horizontal velocity. For the underwater water phase, 96% of variance was accounted for with time underwater in descent, time underwater in ascent and time to 10 m. Therefore, developing greater take-off horizontal velocity and focussing on the underwater phase by finding the ideal trajectory will lead to improved start performance.     

Engaging Non-participants in Formal Education: Considering a contribution from trade union education

This paper contributes to the debate about participation and non-participation in formal education by supporting the importance of context as a key factor mediating the engagement of non-participants. Adult women and men who are not engaged in formal education may have no ambition and see no relevance for learning in their lives. They may pass their local college, adult education centre or university with little or no recognition/awareness that it is there and no awareness of the benefit that they could get from its activity. This paper draws on evidence from a study of one group of participants in trade union education that suggests the importance of voluntary engagement in trade union practice was the driver for their enrolment in formal education.