Settlement calculation is one of the three major issues in foundation engineering and it has not yet been resolved completely. Especially settlement calculation of super high-rise buildings still remains the most difficult problem for engineers. Due to lack of practical settlement data, there is few systematic research result and rarer monograph to investigate this special problem. This bo…
Stock identification involves delineation of population structure of fishery resourcesda central theme in fisheries science and management. Developments in molecular biology and chemistry and advances in image analysis and tagging technologies have prompted revolutionary changes in many stock identification approaches. Stock identification is developing as an increasingly interdisciplinary fiel…
The provision of earthquake resistant structures and facilities is one ofthe main concerns of Civil and Earthquake Engineering Profession. As such, the main objective of seismic instrumentation program for civil engineering structural systems is to improve our understanding of the behavior and potential for damage of structures under the dynamic loads of earthquakes. As a result of this und…
In the present decade, the world has witnessed many great earthquakes like Bhujj in India in 2001, Iran in 2003, the Asian Tsunami in Indonesia in 2004 and Pakistan in 2005 resulting in the death of thousands of people and significant property damage. Housing and safety are basic human needs. Structures adequately designed for usual loads need not necessarily be safe for earthquake forces.…
1 In Benin cashew plantations, yields and nut quality are lost mainly as a result of insect pests. In the present study, we investigated the effectiveness of the African weaver ant Oecophylla longinoda as a biocontrol agent against Beninese cashew pests. 2 In a 2-year study, nut yield and quality were compared among: (i) trees with weaver ants O. longinoda; (ii) trees where weaver ants we…
Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) is a promising crop for food security in dry areas. Studies have been conducted to define nitrogen (N) fertilization levels and to understand the responses of quinoa to drought, but little is known about the response of this crop to N fertilization under drought stress. The aim of this study was to investigate whether N fertilization could improve quinoa yield…
Despite the importance of mucilage for soil–plant relations, little is known about the effect of soil drying on mucilage exudation. We introduce a method to collect mucilage from maize growing in wet and dry soils. Mucilage was collected from brace roots. The amount of mucilage exuded did not change with soil water content and transpiration rate. Mucilage exuded in dry soils had a higher …
Summary .— This study assessed the concurrent and construct validity of the Borg 6–20 Scale and WHEEL Scale during arm ergometry exercise stress testing in ( n = 24) adolescents and adults with spina bifi da. Signifi cant, moderate, positive correlations were observed between power output and relative heart rate and power output to relative VO 2 peak. Further, a moderate, signifi cant corre…
Summary .— Sensory information from the environment is used for body orientation and maintaining posture for eff ective movement, and the eff ects of specifi c senses on orientation and posture can be tested by removing input. In the present study, fi eld dependence was used to evaluate the importance of vision in the perception of verticality when an upside-down posture was adopted under wat…
Summary .— Visual fi xation patterns were analyzed to gain insight into developmental changes in attention allocation in a cross-modal task. Two patterns that have been associated with increased task diffi culty, gaze aversion and fi xation duration,were recorded using an eye-tracker. In this exploratory study, 37 elementary age children ( M age 7–10 yr.) and 23 undergraduates engaged in vi…
Summary .— The motor skill required to decrease the variability in muscle force steadiness can be challenging. The purposes of this study were to determine whether muscle force steadiness improved following repeated trials and whether the number of trials varied for healthy younger adults, healthy older adults, and older adults who have fallen to obtain stable muscle force steadiness measure…
Summary .— This study investigated the postural response of kayakers and rowers to imposed optic fl ow. The athletes, with experience in unstable water environments,should have a specifi c postural response to optic fl ow. 12 male participants with kayaking and rowing experience and 12 with no specifi c sports experience were asked to stand still with and without room motion. This study varie…
Summary .— Currently, almost all online materials use hyperlinks to provide users access to background, supplemental, or alternative information presented in context, greatly increasing the potential integration of information. However, a major problem is that people do not navigate hyperlinks eff ectively when the links become more topologically complex. Thus, identifi cation of the variable…
Summary .— The goal was to identify the advantages and disadvantages of using intentional guidance to teach to discriminate between good and bad circumstances to shoot in basketball. A simulated shot-adequacy learning task was developed,in which participants were asked to decide, in each trial, whether the player in possession of the ball should shoot or not. After each decision, they receive…
Summary .— Asthma is a chronic lung disease characterized by airway hyper-reactivity,infl ammation, and obstruction. Asthma is also a leading cause of school absenteeism,and thus of concern to physical educators and health professionals. The purpose of this study was to assess aerobic performance by children with and without asthma. All participants were tested on the Progressive Aerobic Car…
Summary .— The purpose of this study was to examine the predictors and trends of gross motor skills in children from low-income families. The participants were 1,460 children ( M age = 8.39 yr., SD = 1.83; K–6th grade) recruited from three Title I schools. The Test of Gross Motor Development–2nd Edition (TGMD–2) assessed motor skills, FITNESSGRAM assessed health-related fi tness, and pe…
Summary .— When navigating, people tend to overestimate distances when routes contain more turns, termed the route-angularity eff ect . Three experiments examined the source and generality of this eff ect. The fi rst two experiments examined whether route-angularity eff ects occur while viewing maps and might be related to sex diff erences or sense of direction. The third experiment tested wh…
Summary .— Anticipation is informed by experience. Having focused on action eff ects in the past will lead to diff erences when the focus is now on the eff ector. Boules-type throwing movements were presented as point-light displays of shoulder and arm-markers. Activation in motor-related areas measured with functional magnetic resonance imaging was compared between two tasks: Task A anticipa…
Summary .— Using functional near-infrared spectroscopy, the present study investigated how listening to diff erently valenced music is associated with changes in hemoglobin concentrations in the prefrontal cortex area, indicating changes in neural activity. Thirty healthy people (15 men; M age = 24.8 yr., SD = 2.4; 15 women; M age = 25.2 yr., SD = 3.1) participated. Prefrontal cortex activati…
Summary .— Markey, Chin, Vanepps, and Loewenstein (2014 ) demonstrated six methods for the induction of boredom. However, a clear and testable defi nition of boredom should be established prior to experimental manipulation of the construct. Defi ning boredom from a functional emotion perspective is one approach that aff ords a defi nition separable from the outcomes associated with boredom an…
Summary .— Listening to music during strength workouts has become a very common practice. The goal of this study was to assess the eff ect of listening to self-selected music on strength performances. Thirty-one resistance-trained men ( M age = 24.7 yr., SD = 5.9; M height = 178.7 cm, SD = 4.7; M body mass = 83.54 kg,SD = 12.0) were randomly assigned to either a Music group ( n = 19) or to a…
Summary .— Evidence suggests that task-based training approaches can improve the performance of children with handwriting diffi culties. The present case study tests the effi cacy of the Handwriting Task Program (HTP). Three male children (9–10 yr. old) with poor handwriting skills and diff erent developmental disorders participated in the HTP, twice per week, for 13 wk. Handwriting legibi…
We consider a general auction market model with divisible commodities and price functions of participants and show that it can be suitable for proper description of complex systems with active elements. Using its equivalent variational inequality reformulation, we obtain a general existence result under mild additional conditions on price functions.We show that the basic network flow equilibri…
Summary .— This study provided validity evidence for the Godin-Shephard Leisure-Time Physical Activity Questionnaire (GSLTPAQ) to classify respondents into active and insuffi ciently active categories. Members of a fi tness center [45 women and 55 men; mean ( SD ) age = 45.5 (10.6) yr.] completed the questionnaire. Using only moderate and strenuous scores, those with a leisure score index ≥…
Summary .— The aim of this study was to investigate the eff ect of proprioception on working memory. It was also of interest whether an acute and highly intensive period of exercise would yield working memory gains. The training group completed a series of proprioceptively demanding exercises. There were also control classroom and yoga groups. Working memory was measured using a backward dig…
Summary .— This study assessed the relative age eff ect (RAE) in judo athletes who participated in the Olympic Games from 1964 to 2012. The names and birthdates of the Olympic judo athletes were collected from open-access websites. Data from male ( n = 1,762) and female ( n = 665) competitors were analyzed separately. Chi-squared tests were performed to investigate REA in medalists, and by w…
Background: Osgood-Schlatter disease (OSD) is a traction apophysitis of the tibial tuberosity. Ultrasonography (US) is able to detect pathologic changes, such as cartilage swelling and fragmentation of the tibial tubercle ossification center. Purpose: To compare the US stages of tibial tuberosity development and the physical features and prevalence of OSD in this patient cohort. Study Design:…
Background: Several previous investigations have determined potential risk factors for stress fractures in athletes and military personnel. Purpose: To determine factors associated with the development of stress fractures in female athletes. Study Design: Case-control study; Level of evidence, 3. Methods: A total of 88 female athletes (cross-country, n ¼ 29; soccer, n ¼ 15; swimming, n ¼ …
Background: There are limited data on injuries sustained during men’s lacrosse. As the sport gains popularity, practitioners will be more likely to treat lacrosse players. Purpose: To analyze data from the 2010 World Lacrosse Championships. Study Design: Descriptive epidemiology study. Methods: This was a prospective observational study of injuries reported during the 2010 World Lacrosse C…
Background: Superficial skin injuries are considered minor, and their incidence is probably underestimated. Insight into the incidence and mechanism of acute skin injury can be helpful in developing suitable preventive measures and safer playing surfaces for soccer and other field sports. Purpose: To gain insight into the incidence and severity of skin injuries related to soccer and to describ…
Background: Tibial tubercle osteotomy (TTO) is performed in a predominantly young and often female population due to the prevalence of patellofemoral disorders in this group. While considered a procedure that falls within the realm of sports surgeries,the procedure can carry significant morbidity, including infection, fracture, and deep vein thrombosis (DVT). The incidence of postoperative DVT …
Background: Single-leg balance (SLB) can be chronically impaired after low back pain (LBP). Impaired SLB is a risk factor for recurrent LBP and lower extremity injury. In the United States military, the special forces operator (SFO) deploys on high-risk missions under extreme conditions, and impaired SLB can potentially threaten SFO safety and mission success. Purpose: To compare SLB in fully …
Background: Hamstring injuries are the second most common injury causing missed days in professional baseball field players. Recent studies have shown the preventive benefit of eccentric conditioning on the hamstring muscle group in injury prevention. Specifically, Nordic-type exercises have been shown to decrease the incidence of acute hamstring injuries in professional athletes. Purpose: Thi…
Background: Traumatic knee dislocation is becoming more prevalent because of improved recognition and increased exposure to high-energy trauma, but long-term results are lacking. Purpose: To present 2 cases with minimum 20-year follow-up and a review of the literature to illustrate some of the fundamental principles in the management of the dislocated knee. Study Design: Review and case repor…
Background: Repetitive tensile stresses from valgus torque can induce elbow injury in adolescent baseball players. Insufficient hip range ofmotion (ROM) can change throwingmechanics, reducing the transfer of energy from the lower to the upper extremities. Thus,hip ROM limitations may force the upper extremities to bear the burden of a strong throw. Improper pitching mechanics caused by insuffic…
Background: There has been recent interest in the effect of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications on musculoskeletal healing. No studies have yet addressed the effect of these medications on meniscal healing. Hypothesis: The administration of ketorolac in the perioperative period will result in higher rates of meniscal repair clinical failure.Study design: Cohort study; Level of evidence,…
Background: Bone block length for bone–patellar tendon–bone (BPTB) anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction has traditionally been 25mm in length. The previous surgical technique did not require the surgeon to pay particular attention to the length of the bone block, and therefore, there is scant evidence in the literature describing ideal lengths. With the gaining popularity of acce…
Background: Hip endoscopy facilitates the treatment of extra-articular disorders of the proximal femur. Unfortunately, current knowledge of proximal femur anatomy is limited to qualitative descriptions and lacks surgically relevant landmarks. Purpose: To provide a quantitative and qualitative analysis of proximal femur anatomy in reference to surgically relevant bony landmarks. Study Design: …
Background: A delay in pediatric and adolescent anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction is associated with an increase in the number of concomitant meniscal and chondral injuries. Factors that contribute to this delay have not been well described. Hypothesis: Socioeconomic and demographic factors are related to ACL surgery timing. Study Methods: Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3. Me…
Background: Articular cartilage (AC) injuries and malformations are commonly noticed because of trauma or age-related degeneration. Many methods have been adopted for replacing or repairing the damaged tissue. Currently available AC repair methods, in several cases, fail to yield good-quality long-lasting results, perhaps because the reconstructed tissue lacks the cellular and matrix properties…
Background: Osteochondritis dissecans (OCD) of the capitellum is a well-recognized cause of elbow pain and disability in adolescent athletes. However, little is known about the prevalence of OCD in adolescent baseball players. Purpose: To determine the prevalence of OCD in baseball players aged 10 to 12 years based on ultrasonographic findings and to investigate the clinical characteristics of…
Background: Medial meniscus root tear (MMRT) is a recently recognized yet frequently missed meniscal tear pattern that biomechanically creates an environment approaching meniscal deficiency. Hypothesis/Purpose: The purpose of this study was to assess the effect of MMRT on tibiofemoral kinematics and arthrokinematics during daily activities by comparing the injured knees of subjects with isolat…
Background: Little knowledge exists on postoperative recovery of pain and shoulder function following arthroscopic removal of calcific deposits of the supraspinatus tendon (ACDSSP). Certain factors may influence outcome, including acromial morphology. Purpose: To examine postoperative recovery following ACDSSP without acromioplasty and to analyze influential outcome factors. Study Design: Cas…
Background: With improved understanding of the biomechanical importance of the medial patellofemoral ligament (MPFL), its reconstruction for patellar dislocation has become increasingly popular. The aim of this systematic review was to critically determine the effectiveness of MPFL reconstruction for patellar dislocation. Hypothesis: MPFL reconstruction for patellar dislocation leads to a low …
Background: Many studies have compared the diagnostic capabilities of low-field magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanners to high-field MRI scanners; however, few have evaluated the low-field MRI diagnoses compared with intraoperative findings. Purpose: To determine the accuracy and sensitivity of low-field MRI scanners in diagnosing lesions of the rotator cuff and glenoid labrum. Study Desig…
Identifying and communicating uncertainty is core to effective environmental assessment (EA). This study evaluates the extent to which uncertainties are considered and addressed in Canadian EA practice. We reviewed the environmental protection plans, follow-up programs, and panel reports (where applicable) of 12 EAs between 1995 and 2012. The types of uncertainties and levels of disclosure var…
Purpose – One would not commonly associate democracy with Singapore, instead scholars have often described Singapore as an illiberal democracy and an authoritarian state. At the same time, all Singaporean school students recite the national pledge of allegiance in school every morning, in which they pledge “to build a democratic society based on justice and equality”.What do students …
Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to provide a critical analysis of recent examples of action competence among young people engaged in democratic participatory action in sustainability programs in Australia. It explores examples of priorities identified for citizen action, the forms this action takes and the ways that democratic participation can achieve positive outcomes for future …
Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explain why Singapore has succeeded in curbing the problem of police corruption and to identify the six lessons which other Asian countries can learn from Singapore’s experience. Design/methodology/approach – The paper analyzes the causes of police corruption in Singapore during the British colonial period and describes the measures adopted …
Purpose – Higher education teaching is analogous to delivering services in various business sectors. Students are regarded as customers of universities having specific needs and wants, which, if well recognized, can lead to creating delightful student experiences. This paper aims to identify the core ideas about excellent teaching in business schools which faculty members may notice in ord…