The Athletic Intelligence Quotient and performance in the National Basketball Association.

Prior to selecting an NBA player, teams consider multiple factors, including game film and tests of agility, strength, speed, anthropometry, and personality. In recent years, as the other major professional sports have begun to place greater emphasis on the measurement of cognitive abilities, so too have representatives in the NBA. In this study, the predictive validity of an empirically-supported measure of cognitive ability (AIQ) was examined vis-à-vis performance outcomes in the NBA. Specifically, AIQ scores were obtained from 356 NBA prospects prior to their draft between 2014 and 2019. The players' professional status and subsequent performance were assessed through composite and isolated NBA statistics. ANOVAs demonstrated that there were significant differences between NBA and non-NBA players, and subsequent independent samples t-tests revealed that NBA players had significantly higher AIQ scores than non-NBA players for 3 out of 4 factors and the Full Scale AIQ Score. Additionally, using hierarchical multiple regression analyses, it was demonstrated that the AIQ predicted some modest statistically significant relationships with multiple NBA stats (e.g., Player Efficiency Rating, Effective Field Goal Percentage), after controlling for the impact of draft placement. While the effect sizes for these differences and relationships were somewhat small, such findings are consistent with sport analytics and the restricted range when evaluating professional athletes. Given the expanding role of analytics and cognitive assessment in the NBA, the potential importance of the AIQ is considered in the draft process.

The Athletic Intelligence Quotient and Performance Outcomes in Professional Baseball.

The focus on quantifiable data in sport performance has led to incremental advantages in baseball and has played an important role in the development of new hitting, pitching, fielding, and coaching strategies. Recently, researchers and team representatives have considered the impact of additional factors in baseball, including cognitive functioning. In this study, predictive validity for the Athletic Intelligence Quotient (AIQ) was examined vis-à-vis performance outcomes in professional baseball. Specifically, AIQ scores were obtained from 149 Minor League Baseball (MiLB) players prior to the 2014 baseball season and their subsequent performance was assessed through traditional and newly emphasized baseball statistics. Using hierarchical multiple regression, it was demonstrated that the AIQ predicted statistically significant relationships with hitting and pitching statistics, after controlling for other variables. Given the recent impact of analytics in professional sports, the potential importance of the AIQ in the selection and coaching process was discussed.

Short communication: Herd-level analysis of antimicrobial use and mortality in veal calves: Do herds with low usage face higher mortality?

The veal calf sector fears that a too-rapid and large decrease in antimicrobial use (AMU) as demanded by European authorities would increase mortality, causing economic and welfare issues. To determine whether this concern is justified, the relationship between AMU (total and different classes) and mortality in dairy-type white veal calves, managed by 2 large veal companies, was explored. A retrospective cohort study was performed on electronically collected antimicrobial consumption and mortality data from the largest Belgian veal practice during the period 2014 to 2016. Mixed linear [mortality (%) as continuous outcome] and generalized linear mixed models with binary outcome for event and trial approach were built to identify factors associated with mortality. Data consisted of 76 production cycles from 29 farms managed by 2 veal companies (1 and 2) and covering 45,001 calves. Average AMU was 30.1 ± 10.4 defined daily doses for animals per year (± standard deviation) and was higher in veal company 2 than in veal company 1 (35.9 ± 9.3 and 22.4 ± 5.7 defined daily doses for animals per year, respectively). In contrast, mean mortality was lower in veal company 2 (2.3 ± 1.4%) than in veal company 1 (4.1 ± 1.4%). Both models showed a positive association between AMU and mortality in veal company 1 and no association in veal company 2. The final linear model identified increasing herd size and the use of third- or fourth-generation cephalosporins as risk factors for mortality and the use of long-acting macrolides as a protective factor. The final logistic model identified an increased mortality risk with increased use of third- or fourth-generation cephalosporins and sulfonamides-trimethoprim and decreased mortality when using long-acting macrolides. Based on these data, at the current levels of AMU in Belgian veal calves, an increase in mortality when reducing AMU could not be evidenced. Differences in herd size and factors other than AMU likely better explain why one veal company faces almost double the mortality of another one. Abandoning the use of long-acting macrolides might have negative consequences for mortality under the current state of the industry. The most ethical way to further reduce AMU in veal calves is likely simultaneously monitoring AMU and animal welfare parameters, starting with, but not limited to, mortality.

Risk factors for antimicrobial use in veal calves and the association with mortality.

The intensive use of antimicrobials in the veal industry is heavily criticized, but drivers for antimicrobial usage (AMU) are still poorly understood. The industry fears that a drastic reduction in AMU would increase mortality, creating an unacceptable welfare issue. The objectives of the present study were to identify risk factors for AMU and to explore the relationship between AMU and mortality. A retrospective cohort study was performed on the antimicrobial registration data from the largest Belgian veterinary veal practice. The data set contained 295 production cycles from 78 farms, representing 146,014 calves and 8 veal companies (also called integrations). The average AMU was 32.3 defined daily dose animal per year (standard deviation: 11.04), of which 76.2% was administered orally and 23.8% parentally. The AMU remained stable between 2014 and 2016 with only a slight, but significant increase in total AMU between 2015 (31.0 defined daily dose animal per year, standard deviation: 10.5) and 2016 (35.1, 10.8). Use of almost all antimicrobial classes decreased over 2014 to 2016; however, use of long-acting macrolides, doxycycline, and aminosides increased significantly. Analysis identified breed (higher use in beef calves compared with dairy and crossbreeds), month of arrival (lower use when arrived in April or May compared with winter months), and veal company as risk factors. The veal company not only significantly affected total AMU, but also affected the majority of the antimicrobial classes. Additionally, breed differences were present for oxytetracycline, colistin, and classic macrolides, and a month effect was present for doxycycline only. These data illustrate that this veterinary practice realized a reduction of 46% in total AMU and of 96% in critically important antibiotics (fluoroquinolones, cephalosporins of the third and fourth generation) compared with the Belgian benchmark from 2007 to 2009. Replacement of critically important drugs by an increased use of long-acting macrolides is worrisome. Mortality risk was very low compared with benchmarks referenced internationally and did not increase with decreasing AMU. Use of trimethoprim-sulfonamides was a risk factor, whereas use of oxytetracycline was a protective factor for mortality. The absence of a relationship with mortality at the current levels of AMU suggests that a further rational reduction is possible. Attention should be paid to consider different AMU benchmarks for different breeds and to include the veal company as a target for antibiotic awareness campaigns.

Evolution of models to support community and policy action with science: Balancing pastoral livelihoods and wildlife conservation in savannas of East Africa.

We developed a "continual engagement" model to better integrate knowledge from policy makers, communities, and researchers with the goal of promoting more effective action to balance poverty alleviation and wildlife conservation in 4 pastoral ecosystems of East Africa. The model involved the creation of a core boundary-spanning team, including community facilitators, a policy facilitator, and transdisciplinary researchers, responsible for linking with a wide range of actors from local to global scales. Collaborative researcher-facilitator community teams integrated local and scientific knowledge to help communities and policy makers improve herd quality and health, expand biodiversity payment schemes, develop land-use plans, and fully engage together in pastoral and wildlife policy development. This model focused on the creation of hybrid scientific-local knowledge highly relevant to community and policy maker needs. The facilitation team learned to be more effective by focusing on noncontroversial livelihood issues before addressing more difficult wildlife issues, using strategic and periodic engagement with most partners instead of continual engagement, and reducing costs by providing new scientific information only when deemed essential. We conclude by examining the role of facilitation in redressing asymmetries in power in researcher-community-policy maker teams, the role of individual values and character in establishing trust, and how to sustain knowledge-action links when project funding ends.

Sensitivity to Spatiotemporal Percepts Predicts the Perception of Emotion.

The present studies examined how sensitivity to spatiotemporal percepts such as rhythm, angularity, configuration, and force predicts accuracy in perceiving emotion. In Study 1, participants (N = 99) completed a nonverbal test battery consisting of three nonverbal emotion perception tests and two perceptual sensitivity tasks assessing rhythm sensitivity and angularity sensitivity. Study 2 (N = 101) extended the findings of Study 1 with the addition of a fourth nonverbal test, a third configural sensitivity task, and a fourth force sensitivity task. Regression analyses across both studies revealed partial support for the association between perceptual sensitivity to spatiotemporal percepts and greater emotion perception accuracy. Results indicate that accuracy in perceiving emotions may be predicted by sensitivity to specific percepts embedded within channel- and emotion-specific displays. The significance of such research lies in the understanding of how individuals acquire emotion perception skill and the processes by which distinct features of percepts are related to the perception of emotion.

A brucellosis disease control strategy for the Kakheti region of the country of Georgia: an agent-based model.

Brucellosis has been reported in livestock and humans in the country of Georgia with Brucella melitensis as the most common species causing disease. Georgia lacked sufficient data to assess effectiveness of the various potential control measures utilizing a reliable population-based simulation model of animal-to-human transmission of this infection. Therefore, an agent-based model was built using data from previous studies to evaluate the effect of an animal-level infection control programme on human incidence and sheep flock and cattle herd prevalence of brucellosis in the Kakheti region of Georgia. This model simulated the patterns of interaction of human-animal workers, sheep flocks and cattle herds with various infection control measures and returned population-based data. The model simulates the use of control measures needed for herd and flock prevalence to fall below 2%. As per the model output, shepherds had the greatest disease reduction as a result of the infection control programme. Cattle had the greatest influence on the incidence of human disease. Control strategies should include all susceptible animal species, sheep and cattle, identify the species of brucellosis present in the cattle population and should be conducted at the municipality level. This approach can be considered as a model to other countries and regions when assessment of control strategies is needed but data are scattered.

Transcatheter aortic valve implantation: durability of clinical and hemodynamic outcomes beyond 3 years in a large patient cohort.

BACKGROUND: Although short- and medium-term outcomes after transcatheter aortic valve implantation are encouraging, long-term data on valve function and clinical outcomes are limited. METHODS AND RESULTS: Consecutive high-risk patients who had been declined as surgical candidates because of comorbidities but who underwent successful transcatheter aortic valve implantation with a balloon-expandable valve between January 2005 and December 2006 and survived past 30 days were assessed. Clinical, echocardiographic, and computed tomographic follow-up examinations were performed. Seventy patients who underwent successful procedures and survived longer than 30 days were evaluated at a minimum follow-up of 3 years. At a median follow-up of 3.7 years (interquartile range 3.4 to 4.3 years), survival was 57%. Survival at 1, 2, and 3 years was 81%, 74%, and 61%, respectively. Freedom from reoperation was 98.5% (1 patient with endocarditis). During this early procedural experience, 11 patients died within 30 days, and 8 procedures were unsuccessful. When these patients were included, overall survival was 51%. Transaortic pressure gradients increased from 10.0 mm Hg (interquartile range 8.0 to 12.0 mm Hg) immediately after the procedure to 12.1 mm Hg (interquartile range 8.6 to 16.0 mm Hg) after 3 years (P=0.03). Bioprosthetic valve area decreased from a mean of 1.7±0.4 cm(2) after the procedure to 1.4±0.3 cm(2) after 3 years (P<0.01). Aortic incompetence after implantation was trivial or mild in 84% of cases and remained unchanged or improved over time. There were no cases of structural valvular deterioration, stent fracture, deformation, or valve migration. CONCLUSIONS: Transcatheter aortic valve implantation demonstrates good medium- to long-term durability and preserved hemodynamic function, with no evidence of structural failure. The procedure appears to offer an adequate and lasting resolution of aortic stenosis in selected patients.

Motivating factors influencing college students' choice of academic major.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the factors, motivations, and nonacademic influences that affected the choice of major among pharmacy and nonpharmacy undergraduate students. METHODS: A survey was administered to 618 pharmacy and nonpharmacy majors to assess background and motivational factors that may have influenced their choice of major. The sample consisted of freshman and sophomore students enrolled in a required speech course. RESULTS: African-American and Hispanic students were less likely to choose pharmacy as a major than Caucasians, whereas Asian-Americans were more likely to choose pharmacy as a major. Pharmacy students were more likely to be interested in science and math than nonpharmacy students. CONCLUSION: Students' self-reported racial/ethnic backgrounds influence their decision of whether to choose pharmacy as their academic major. Results of this survey provide further insight into developing effective recruiting strategies and enhancing the marketing efforts of academic institutions.

Physician-patient and pharmacist-patient communication: geriatrics' perceptions and opinions.

OBJECTIVE: Earlier research examined the perceptions of the pharmacist-patient relationship quality using data from a systematic random sample of non-institutionalized elderly in the United States. The purposes of this study were to determine: (1) how the findings of this study, conducted in a culturally diverse urban area in Queens, New York, compare with the earlier study; (2) how community-dwelling elderly patients in a metropolitan area perceive their relationship with the pharmacist compared to the physician; and (3) the extent to which their perceived relationship quality predicts medication-related knowledge, medication-related outcomes, and self-efficacy for medication management. METHODS: One hundred and twenty-one elderly individuals aged 65 and over who took at least one prescription medication, selected from three senior centers, participated in the study. Of the total responses, 102 were useable. RESULTS: Our sample demonstrated significantly lower levels of perceived quality of relationship with their pharmacist compared to earlier research. In contrast, the participants in this study perceived a better quality of relationship with their physicians than pharmacists. Further, the quality of relationship with physician predicted medication-related knowledge, medication-related outcome expectations, and self-efficacy for medication management. CONCLUSION: The findings of this study suggest that pharmacists still have a way to go to fully meet patients' healthcare needs, particularly in culturally diverse urban settings. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: Further research is needed to examine ways to improve pharmacist-patient interactions and, therefore, patients' perceptions of pharmacists.

New insights into the link between cardiovascular disease and depression.

INTRODUCTION: Although the association between depression and cardiovascular disease (CVD) is well documented, the underlying mechanisms for this relationship remain unclear. In this paper, we present three possible models which account for the comorbidity between depression and cardiovascular disease. MODELS: The first model outlines depression as a risk factor for CVD and the second model presents CVD as a risk factor for depression. The third model proposes a common underlying pathway related to the effects of chronic stress on the body in manifesting as depression or cardiovascular disease. CONCLUSIONS: If the proposed model holds true, it may be possible that an intervention initiated before overt manifestations of CVD or depression become apparent, may delay or prevent the onset of these serious clinical entities.

An assessment of tree health and trace element accumulation near a coal-fired generating station, Manitoba, Canada.

A forest health assessment was performed in stands dominated by bur oak and trembling aspen to study the potential effects of airborne emissions from a 132 MW coal-fired station. Forty-two stands were sampled within a 16-km radius of the station for both foliar stress symptoms and trace element toxicology. The concentrations of tracer elements (As, Ba, Sr, and V) in the leaf litter were not spatially congruent with airborne emission deposition models (except Ba, which showed elevated levels immediately SE of the station), nor were they at phytotoxic levels. Elemental concentrations were significantly related to soil parameters including organic matter and texture. No patterns were found in forest health along directional or distance gradients from the generating station. Trembling aspen stands demonstrated little decline in general, but three of the 19 bur oak plots, all located on thin sandy soils developed on calcareous till, demonstrated branch dieback. In addition to poor soil conditions, two of these sites also had high water tables, and exhibited tree mortality. The bur oak decline did not appear to be related to emissions from the station, but is suspected to be a result of poor site quality, with urban development as a confounding factor.

Salmeterol powder provides significantly better benefit than montelukast in asthmatic patients receiving concomitant inhaled corticosteroid therapy.

STUDY OBJECTIVES: Comparison of inhaled salmeterol powder vs oral montelukast treatment in patients with persistent asthma who remained symptomatic while receiving inhaled corticosteroids. DESIGN: Randomized, double-blind, double-dummy, parallel-group, multicenter trials of 12-week duration. SETTING: Outpatients in private and university-affiliated clinics. PATIENTS: Male and female patients > or = 15 years of age with a diagnosis of asthma (baseline FEV(1) of 50 to 80% of predicted) and symptomatic despite receiving inhaled corticosteroids. INTERVENTIONS: Inhaled salmeterol xinafoate powder, 50 microg bid, or oral montelukast, 10 mg qd. MEASUREMENTS AND RESULTS: Treatment with salmeterol powder resulted in significantly greater improvements from baseline compared with montelukast for most efficacy measurements, including morning peak expiratory flow (35.0 L/min vs 21.7 L/min; p < 0.001), percentage of symptom-free days (24% vs 16%; p < 0.001), and the percentage of rescue-free days (27% vs 20%; p = 0.002). Total supplemental albuterol use was decreased significantly more in the salmeterol group compared with the montelukast group (- 1.90 puffs per day vs - 1.66 puffs per day; p = 0.004) and nighttime awakenings per week decreased significantly more with salmeterol than with montelukast (- 1.42 vs - 1.32; p = 0.015). Patients treated with inhaled salmeterol were significantly more satisfied with their treatment regimen and how well, how fast, and how long it worked than were patients who were treated with oral montelukast. The safety profiles for the two treatments were similar. CONCLUSION: In patients with persistent asthma who remain symptomatic while receiving inhaled corticosteroids, adding inhaled salmeterol powder provided significantly greater improvement in lung function and asthma symptoms and was preferred by patients over oral montelukast.

Infrared patient positioning for stereotactic radiosurgery of extracranial tumors.

We report on a novel, non-invasive patient positioning system for radiosurgery of extracranial tumors. The system consisted of infrared cameras and reflective markers attached to the skin. Because localization accuracy is critical in radiosurgery, we performed a theoretical analysis of the accuracy of the system. A computer simulation program modeled errors in marker position, and was used to predict errors in targeting and study methods for minimizing errors. The use of redundant markers improved the overall accuracy of targeting. Experimental data was collected using a rigid torso phantom and correlated with theoretical results. The accuracy of the infrared system was compared with existing systems.

Children's decoding of emotion in expressive body movement: the development of cue attunement.

Little research has focused on children's decoding of emotional meaning in expressive body movement: none has considered which movement cues children use to detect emotional meaning. The current study investigated the general ability to decode happiness, sadness, anger, and fear in dance forms of expressive body movement and the specific ability to detect differences in the intensity of anger and happiness when the relative amount of movement cue specifying each emotion was systematically varied. Four-year-olds (n = 25), 5-year-olds (n = 25), 8-year-olds (n = 29), and adults (n = 24) completed an emotion contrast task and 2 emotion intensity tasks. Decoding ability exceeding chance levels was demonstrated for sadness by 4-year-olds; for sadness, fear, and happiness by 5-year-olds: and for all emotions by 8-year-olds and adults. Children as young as 5 years were shown to rely on emotion-specific movement cues in their decoding of anger and happiness intensity. The theoretical significance of these effects across development is discussed.

Del(18p) shown to be a cryptic translocation using a multiprobe FISH assay for subtelomeric chromosome rearrangements.

We have previously described a fluorescence in situ hybridisation (FISH) assay for the simultaneous analysis of all human subtelomeric regions using a single microscope slide. Here we report the use of this multiprobe FISH assay in the study of a patient whose karyotype was reported by G banding analysis as 46,XX,del(18)(p11.2). Although the proband had some features suggestive of a chromosomal abnormality, relatively few of the specific features of del(18p) were present. She was a 37 year old female with mild distal spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), arthritis of the hands, an abnormal chest shape (pectus excavatum), and an unusual skin condition (keratosis pilaris). Reverse chromosome painting with degenerate oligonucleotide primer-polymerase chain reaction (DOP-PCR) amplified del(18p) chromosomes as a probe confirmed the abnormality as del(18p), with no evidence of any other chromosome involvement. Subsequently, the multiprobe FISH assay confirmed deletion of 18p subtelomeric sequence. However, the assay also showed that sequences corresponding to the 2p subtelomeric probe were present on the tip of the shortened 18p. The patient is therefore monosomic for 18p11.2-pter and trisomic for 2p25-pter, and the revised karyotype is 46,XX,der(18)t(2;18)(p25; p11.2). We believe that a proportion of all cases reported as telomeric deletions may be cryptic translocations involving other chromosome subtelomeric regions. Further studies such as this are necessary to define accurately the clinical characteristics associated with pure monosomy in chromosomal deletion syndromes.

Adenosine A2a receptor activation delays apoptosis in human neutrophils.

Adenosine has both pro- and anti-inflammatory effects on neutrophils. Exposure of cultured neutrophils to 2-chloroadenosine or 5'-N-ethylcarboxamidoadenosine (NECA) decreased apoptosis after 16 h, with half-maximal responses for NECA and 2-chloroadenosine of 7.1 +/- 7.7 and 59.0 +/- 32.0 nM, respectively. Adenosine receptor agonists exhibited a rank order of potency for decreasing apoptosis of 2-p-(2-carboxyethyl)phenethylamino-5'-N-ethylcarboxamidoadenosine (CGS 21680) > NECA > or = 2-chloro-N6-cyclopentyladenosine >> 2-chloro-N6-(3-iodobenzyl)adenosine-5'-N-methyluronamide, which is consistent with the affinity order profile established for human A2a receptors. The reduction in apoptosis in cultured neutrophils at 16 h by CGS 21680 was due to a delay in apoptosis. The addition of CGS 21680 (100 nM) increased the half-life for the appearance of apoptosis from 10.9 +/- 3.1 to 21.0 +/- 1.0 h. Addition of the non-xanthine phosphodiesterase inhibitor 4-(3-butoxy-4-methoxybenzyl)-2-imidazalidinone (Ro-20-1724; 1 microM) enhanced the effects of CGS 21680 at all agonist concentrations. PGE1 (10 microM), PGE2 (0.1-10 microM), and dibutyryl cAMP (5-500 microM) all decreased apoptosis in cultured neutrophils. The enhancement of the effect of adenosine by a phosphodiesterase inhibitor and the similar actions of PGE2, PGE1, and dibutyryl cAMP suggest that this decrease in apoptosis may be mediated by a cAMP-dependent pathway.

Hypertext support for remedial students and students with learning disabilities.

Student use of pop-up text windows that support or extend information found in a high school social studies text provides a detailed look into the instructional effectiveness of a set of hypermedia study guides. Twenty-five students, 19 male and 6 female, with a mean age of 14.6 years participated in this study. Thirteen were students with learning disabilities and 12 were remedial students. Findings from the study indicate that hypertext (text-only) support provides adequate reinforcement to move remedial students and students with learning disabilities toward continued, unprompted use of a hypermedia study guide, and that short-term and long-term retention of information can be expected from text-only information support. Students who had access to the hypermedia study guides exhibited better information retention than students who did not use the hypermedia study guides.

First metatarsal head-shaft angle: a method of determination.

The distal metatarsal angle (DMAA) is a measurement of the relationship between the longitudinal axis of the first metatarsal and the articular surface of the metatarsal head. We measured the DMAA on radiographs with and without markers on the articular edges and compared them with measurements of the anatomic specimens. Based on the studies, the significance of the radiographic measurements to the actual DMAA and the normal distribution of the measurement were determined.