Publications by authors named "Spears I"

Tuberculous (TB) meningitis is the deadliest form of extrapulmonary TB which disproportionately affects children and immunocompromised individuals. Studies in pulmonary TB have shown that Mycobacterium tuberculosis can alter host lipid metabolism to evade the immune system. Cholesterol lowering drugs (i.

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Introduction: Indoor cycling at home has grown rapidly in recent years facilitated by advances in technology and gamification. However, there is limited data on individual's training practices when cycling indoors.

Methods: Using a single-time point, cross-sectional questionnaire, we gathered information on equipment, environmental considerations, training practices and nutrition during indoor cycling.

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Objective: Childhood obesity is a growing public health concern in the United States. Obesity has been shown to lead to increased complications with regards to orthopaedic injuries, such as more severe fracture patterns, notably observed in injuries like lateral condyle fractures of the humerus. However, there is currently a gap in the literature regarding the relationship between obesity and the healing potential of these fractures.

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Cognitive gerontology research requires consideration of performance as well as perceptions of performance. While subjective memory is positively associated with memory performance, these correlations typically are modest in magnitude, leading to the need to consider whether certain people may show weaker or stronger linkages between performance and perceptions. The current study leveraged personality (NEO Big Five), memory performance (i.

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Genetic risk for Late Onset Alzheimer Disease (AD) has been associated with lower cognition and smaller hippocampal volume in healthy young adults. However, whether these and other associations are present during childhood remains unclear. Using data from 5556 genomically-confirmed European ancestry youth who completed the baseline session of the ongoing the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Study (ABCD Study®), our phenome-wide association study estimating associations between four indices of genetic risk for late-onset AD (i.

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Objectives: Purposeful adults may experience greater cognitive resilience because sense of purpose may help buffer against the effects of depressive symptoms and loneliness. We also evaluated whether these associations differed by race.

Design: This study uses a wave of self-report data from the SPAN study of psychosocial aging.

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Horizontal jumps are discrete, fast, over-ground movements requiring coordination of the centre of mass (CoM) and base of support and are routinely assessed in sports settings. There is currently no biomechanics-based system to aid in their quick and objective large-scale assessment. We describe a practical system combining a single low-cost depth-sensing camera and point-cloud processing (PCP) to capture whole-body CoM and foot kinematics.

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Background: Medical educators juggle competing demands as they seek to integrate medical advancements and new technology with the call for earlier introduction to clinical experiences. Newer models of medical education place even greater emphasis on the importance of deliberate training of providers who can deliver compassionate patient-centered care. The need for adaptable, effective communication skills training has never been more relevant than now, in our high-tech and ever-evolving learning climate.

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A growing body of research has addressed the application of movement-based biofeedback techniques for improving sports performers' gross motor skills. Unlike in previous research, we aimed in this study to quantify the effects of this "external" biofeedback on selected performance and technique variables for the boxing jab among both novices and experts. The technical setup included two inertial measurement units linked wirelessly to a video game system with audio output.

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Richardson, MC, Murphy, S, Macpherson, T, English, B, Spears, I, and Chesterton, P. Effect of sand on knee load during a single-leg jump task: implications for injury prevention and rehabilitation programs. J Strength Cond Res 34(11): 3164-3172, 2020-The purpose of the study was to determine potential differences in landing strategies and subsequent joint loads at the knee (knee abduction moment [KAM], anterior-posterior [AP] tibial translation, and total knee shear force) when jumping onto sand and firm ground from both a level surface and a 30-cm height.

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Purpose: To quantify changes in differential ratings of perceived exertion (dRPE) across a 2-wk repeated-sprint-training intervention that improved high-intensity intermittent-running ability and linear speed of semiprofessional soccer players.

Methods: Thirteen players completed 3 (sessions 1-3) or 4 (sessions 4-6) sets of 7 sprints (group 1 [n = 7]: 30-m straight; group 2 [n = 6]: 2 × 10-m shuttle), with 20 s and 4 min of recovery between sprints and sets, respectively. Postset perceptions of breathlessness (RPE-B) and leg-muscle exertion (RPE-L) were rated using the CR100 scale.

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(1) Background: Differential RPE (dRPE) separates scores for breathlessness (RPE-B), leg muscle exertion (RPE-L) and technical/cognitive exertion (RPE-T). Limited information for dRPE is available in soccer match play, yet these measurements may help inform practitioners training and recovery strategies. This preliminary study investigated the effects of playing position and contextual factors on elite soccer players' dRPE.

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This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to assess studies which have investigated cooling methodologies, their timing and effects, on endurance exercise performance in trained athletes (Category 3; VO ≥ 55 mL·kg·min) in hot environmental conditions (≥28 °C). Meta-analyses were performed to quantify the effects of timings and methods of application, with a narrative review of the evidence also provided. A computer-assisted database search was performed for articles investigating the effects of cooling on endurance performance and accompanying physiological and perceptual responses.

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We aimed to compare differentiated training loads (TL) between fitness responders and non-responders to an eight-week pre-season training period in a squad of thirty-five professional rugby union players. Differential TL were calculated by multiplying player's perceptions of breathlessness (sRPE-B) and leg muscle exertion (sRPE-L) with training duration for each completed session. Performance-based fitness measures included the Yo-Yo Intermittent Recovery Test Level 1 (YYIRTL1), 10-, 20-, and 30-m linear sprint times, countermovement jump height (CMJ) and predicted one-repetition maximum back squat (P1RM Squat).

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Background: Sport science can play a critical role in reducing health inequalities. The inverse relationship between life expectancy, cardiorespiratory fitness, and socioeconomic status could be addressed by performing high-intensity training (HIT), delivered in a class salient and accessible approach. Commercially available exergames have shown encouraging compliance rates but are primarily designed for entertainment purposes rather than focusing on health-related outcomes.

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Background: The associations between internal and external measures of training load and intensity are important in understanding the training process and the validity of specific internal measures.

Objectives: We aimed to provide meta-analytic estimates of the relationships, as determined by a correlation coefficient, between internal and external measures of load and intensity during team-sport training and competition. A further aim was to examine the moderating effects of training mode on these relationships.

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Background: Musculoskeletal injuries and attrition incurred during basic military training are a significant socioeconomic burden across many Defence Forces. In order to plan an injury prevention strategy, the purpose of this study was to quantify the regiment-specific musculoskeletal injury patterns and training outcomes.

Methods: This was a prospective observational study of the Parachute (n=734), Guards (n=1044), Line (n=3472) and Gurkha (n=458) Regiments of the British Army recruits during a 26-week basic military training programme over a 2-year period.

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Objectives: To investigate the application of differential ratings of perceived exertion (dRPE) to team-sport training.

Design: Single cohort, observational study.

Methods: Twenty-nine professional rugby union players were monitored over a six-week intensified training period.

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The ability to repeatedly perform sprints has traditionally been viewed as a key performance measure in team sports, and the relationship between repeated-sprint ability (RSA) and performance has been explored extensively. However, when reviewing the repeated-sprint profile of team-sports match play it appears that the occurrence of repeated-sprint bouts is sparse, indicating that RSA is not as important to performance as commonly believed. Repeated sprints are, however, a potent and time-efficient training strategy, effective in developing acceleration, speed, explosive leg power, aerobic power, and high-intensity-running performance--all of which are crucial to team-sport performance.

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Purpose: To compare the effects of 2 repeated-sprint training programs on fitness in soccer.

Methods: Fifteen semiprofessional soccer players (age: 24 ± 4 y; body mass: 77 ± 8 kg) completed 6 repeated-sprint training sessions over a 2-week period. Players were assigned to a straight-line (STR) (n = 8; 3-4 sets of 7 × 30 m) or change of direction (CoD) (n = 7; 3-4 sets of 7 × 20-m) repeated-sprint training group.

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There is currently no suitable kinematic system for a large-scale prospective trial assessing risk factors of musculoskeletal disorders. A practical kinematic system is described which involves the use of a single low-cost depth-sensing camera for the real-time measurement of 3-dimensional linear and angular pelvic and trunk range-of-movement (ROM). The method is based on the creation and processing of dynamic point clouds taken from the posterior surface of the pelvis and trunk.

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Purpose: To investigate the sensitivity of differential ratings of perceived exertion (dRPE) as measures of internal load.

Methods: Twenty-two male university soccer players performed 2 maximal incremental-exercise protocols (cycle, treadmill) on separate days. Maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max), maximal heart rate (HRmax), peak blood lactate concentration (B[La]peak), and the preprotocol-to-postprotocol change in countermovement-jump height (ΔCMJH) were measured for each protocol.

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Background: Musculoskeletal injuries during initial military training are a significant medical problem facing military organisations globally. In order to develop an injury management programme, this study aims to quantify the incidence and rehabilitation times for injury specific diagnoses.

Methods: This was a prospective follow-up study of musculoskeletal injuries in 6608 British Army recruits during a 26-week initial military training programme over a 2-year period.

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Background: Repeated-sprint training appears to be an efficient and practical means for the simultaneous development of different components of fitness relevant to team sports.

Objective: Our objective was to systematically review the literature and meta-analyse the effect of repeated-sprint training on a selection of field-based measures of athletic performance, i.e.

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Purpose: To quantify the effects of a 12-wk isolated core-training program on 50-m front-crawl swim time and measures of core musculature functionally relevant to swimming.

Methods: Twenty national-level junior swimmers (10 male and 10 female, 16±1 y, 171±5 cm, 63±4 kg) participated in the study. Group allocation (intervention [n=10], control [n=10]) was based on 2 preexisting swim-training groups who were part of the same swimming club but trained in different groups.

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