Effects of racket moment of inertia on racket head speed, impact location and shuttlecock speed during the badminton smash.

How the racket properties impact performance of the badminton smash is relatively unknown, and further insight could help players/coaches select the most appropriate racket. Three-dimensional position data of the racket and shuttlecock were collected (500 Hz) for 20 experienced badminton players performing a series of forehand smashes with five swingweight ([Formula: see text]) perturbed rackets, ranging from 85-106 kg·cm. [Formula: see text] was calculated using a balance board and simple pendulum method, and modal analysis was performed using laser vibrometry to capture the fundamental frequency and distal node location for each racket.

Kinetic and kinematic determinants of shuttlecock speed in the forehand jump smash performed by elite male Malaysian badminton players.

Badminton is the fastest racket sport in the world with smash speeds reaching over 111 m/s (400 kph). This study examined the forehand jump smash in badminton using synchronised force plates and full-body motion capture to quantify relationships to shuttlecock speed through correlations. Nineteen elite male Malaysian badminton players were recorded performing forehand jump smashes with the fastest, most accurate jump smash from each player analysed.

Effect of racket-shuttlecock impact location on shot outcome for badminton smashes by elite players.

A logarithmic curve fitting methodology for the calculation of badminton racket-shuttlecock impact locations from three-dimensional motion capture data was presented and validated. Median absolute differences between calculated and measured impact locations were 3.6 [IQR: 4.

Nerve injury drives a heightened state of vigilance and neuropathic sensitization in .

Injury can lead to devastating and often untreatable chronic pain. While acute pain perception (nociception) evolved more than 500 million years ago, virtually nothing is known about the molecular origin of chronic pain. Here we provide the first evidence that nerve injury leads to chronic neuropathic sensitization in insects.

Personal protective equipment solution for UK military medical personnel working in an Ebola virus disease treatment unit in Sierra Leone.

The combination of personal protective equipment (PPE) together with donning and doffing protocols was designed to protect British and Canadian military medical personnel in the Kerry Town Ebola Treatment Unit (ETU) in Sierra Leone. The PPE solution was selected to protect medical staff from infectious risks, notably Ebola virus, and chemical (hypochlorite) exposure. PPE maximized dexterity, enabled personnel to work in hot temperatures for periods of up to 2h, protected mucosal membranes when doffing outer layers, and minimized potential contamination of the doffing area with infectious material by reducing the requirement to spray PPE with hypochlorite.

Intraoperative floppy iris syndrome associated with risperidone intake.

Purpose: Intraoperative floppy iris syndrome (IFIS) has been strongly associated with intake of selective a1 adrenergic blockers, particularly tamsulosin. Intraoperative floppy iris syndrome has also been linked to the use of other drugs with some a antagonist activity.

Methods: We identified patients on long-term treatment with the antipsychotic agent risperidone who showed typical features of IFIS during cataract surgery.

Outcome of phacoemulsification in patients with uveitis.

Aims: To examine the visual outcome and identify risk factors for postoperative uveitis, macular oedema and neodymium-doped yttrium aluminium garnet (Nd:YAG) capsulotomy after phacoemulsification and intraocular lens (IOL) implantation in patients with uveitis.

Method: This is a retrospective review of the medical records of 101 eyes of 101 patients. One eye was randomly selected for inclusion in patients who had bilateral surgery.

Cytokine gene polymorphisms involved in chronicity and complications of anterior uveitis.

The aim of this study was to identify key cytokine polymorphisms associated with disease susceptibility, clinical phenotype, and outcome in patients with chronic anterior uveitis (CAU) as compared to those with recurrent self-limiting anterior uveitis (RAU). One hundred fifty seven British Caucasian patients with anterior uveitis were identified and divided into those where the inflammatory process lasted less than 3 months (RAU=118) and those where the inflammation persisted longer than 3 months (CAU=39). Patients with CAU were further sub-divided into idiopathic CAU, CAU associated with systemic disease, CAU with and without complications (posterior synechiae, posterior subcapsular lens opacity, raised intraocular pressure, cystoid macular oedema, and poor response to treatment).

Idiopathic retinal holes in monozygotic twins.

It remains controversial whether there is a significant genetic contribution to the pathogenesis of idiopathic giant retinal tears or retinal dialysis. In contrast, the underlying molecular genetic basis of several inherited vitreoretinal dystrophies is now well established, with also an increasing recognition of genetic factors in the development of myopia. We describe asymptomatic female monozygotic twins who were identified as having identical retinal holes.

Outcome of graft free Molteno tube insertion.

Aims: To determine the long term outcome of Molteno implants inserted using a modified surgical technique that eliminates the need for a donor scleral graft.

Methods: Retrospective case series involving a medical record analysis of 35 consecutive patients undergoing first Molteno implant surgery for refractory glaucoma. The main outcomes included life table analysis of intraocular pressure control following surgery and frequency of intraoperative and postoperative complications.

Multiplex cytokine detection versus ELISA for aqueous humor: IL-5, IL-10, and IFNgamma profiles in uveitis.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine levels of IL-2, -4, -5, -10, TNF-alpha, and IFN-gamma in aqueous humor (AH) from patients with active panuveitis, anterior uveitis (AU), and noninflammatory controls by using a flow cytometric mutiplex array (CBA) and to compare with results from ELISA.

Methods: Pooled normal AH was spiked with six cytokines at decreasing concentrations for evaluating the CBA. AH was also obtained from 10 controls (cataract patients) and 36 patients with active uveitis.

Combined orbital floor betamethasone and depot methylprednisolone in uveitis.

Purpose: To evaluate the outcome of orbital floor injection of betamethasone and methylprednisolone in the management of uveitis, with particular reference to its efficacy in avoiding increase in systemic immunosuppressive drugs.

Methods: A sample of all patients attending the Uveitis Service at Moorfields Eye Hospital was carried out over a three-month period. All patients who had received one or more orbital floor injections of betamethasone (4 mg) and methylprednisolone (Depo-Medrone; 40 mg) in the management of their uveitis were identified and the case notes reviewed.

The immunomodulatory role of human conjunctival epithelial cells.

Purpose: To characterize phenotypically the primary epithelial cells obtained from normal bulbar conjunctival biopsy specimens and a human conjunctival epithelial cell line (Wong-Kilbourne derivative of Chang conjunctiva; ChWK) with regard to their immunostimulatory function.

Methods: The effects on expression of HLA-DR and costimulatory molecules (CD80, CD86, ICAM-1, and CD40) on normal conjunctival epithelial cells and ChWK treated with various cytokines (IFN-gamma, TNF-alpha, IL-4, and IL-13) were determined using flow cytometry and confocal microscopy.

Results: Epithelial cells were successfully grown from conjunctival explants and cultures passaged three times, while retaining their cell surface markers.

Vitreous haemorrhage in the diabetic eye.

Vitreous haemorrhage is a serious sign indicating significant intraocular pathology in the diabetic eye and warranting prompt referral to an ophthalmologist for further assessment and management.

Diabetic retinopathy.

Diabetic retinopathy is the principal cause of irreversible blindness in patients of working age in the industrialized world (1,2). For some types of retinopathy (e.g.

Pseudo-hypopyon as the presenting feature in B-cell and T-cell intraocular lymphoma.

The clinicopathologic correlation of two patients with primary intraocular lymphoma is described, both of whom had a rare and unusual presentation of hypopyon uveitis. Sampling of aqueous fluid proved the cytopathologic diagnosis of B-cell lymphoma in the first patient. In the second patient an iris biopsy confirmed a T-cell lymphoma.

Behçet's disease in Japan and in Great Britain: a comparative study.

Behçet's disease (BD) is an important cause of visual morbidity throughout the world, but shows striking differences in racial predilection. Despite important advances in the therapeutic management of acute intraocular inflammation, the long-term impact of these new strategies on visual outcome of BD and their efficacy in different ethnic groups is unknown. A comparative study of patient characteristics, clinical ocular features and inflammatory score, and current therapy was undertaken on all patients fulfilling the International Study Group criteria for Behçet's disease and the Behçet's Disease Research Committee of Japan, who attended the Uveitis Clinics of Moorfields Eye Hospital (n=19) and Kurume University School of Medicine (KUS) (n=35) during a continuous consecutive four-week period.

Self-sealing sclerotomies for sutureless pars plana vitrectomy.

Objective: To determine the efficacy of self-sealing pars plana sclerotomies for vitrectomy and to identify complications associated with this new technique.

Method: There were 150 self-sealing sclerotomies performed in 50 patients undergoing pars plana vitrectomy between October 1996 and March 1998.

Results: Of the 150 sclerotomies, 115 (76.

Long-term follow-up of trabeculectomy with intraoperative 5-fluorouracil for uveitis-related glaucoma.

Purpose: To determine the effect of intraoperative application of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) on the long-term outcome of trabeculectomy in uveitis-related glaucoma.

Design: An open, prospective, noncomparative case study to evaluate the use of intraoperative application for 5 minutes of 25 mg/ml 5-FU in primary trabeculectomy for uveitis-related glaucoma.

Participants: Fifty eyes of 43 consecutive patients were enrolled in the study.

PCR-based evidence of bacterial involvement in eyes with suspected intraocular infection.

Purpose: To assess the usefulness of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in detection of bacteria in ocular samples.

Methods: Thirty-seven samples (aqueous and vitreous) were collected from 25 eyes showing typical symptoms and clinical signs of bacterial endophthalmitis. Ocular samples were also collected from 38 eyes that underwent routine surgery and from 15 eyes with intraocular inflammation due to nonbacterial causes.