Classifying batted ball outcomes from Division I collegiate baseball players.

Modern technology challenges anecdotal beliefs on baseball performance. The study's purpose examines these beliefs by classifying batted ball outcomes. Three categories of independent variables (anthropometry, in-game situation, technique-based), from 1,922 batted ball outcomes produced by 230 players, were used to classify the likelihood of hits during 2021 college baseball games. Anthropometry included player's heights and weights. In-game situation entailed batter side, same side, ahead count, and pitch type. Technique-based variables measured by TrackMan radar included exit speed (ExSp), launch angle (LA), batted ball distance (BBD), and hang time (HT). Binary logistic regression analysis was performed with batted ball outcome as the dependent variable. Independent variables provided a good fit (χ2 (10) = 522.358, p < 0.01) and correctly classified nearly three-fourths of outcomes. Height (ß = 0.030, p < 0.05), ExSp (ß = 0.023, p < 0.05), LA (ß = 0.028, p < 0.01), and BBD (ß = 0.067, p < 0.01) each had significant positive associations, yet HT (ß = -1.661, p < 0.01) had a significant negative association, with batted ball outcomes. TrackMan provided four significant independent variables. Anthropometry's contribution to batting outcome was modest, while in-game situation's impact was non-significant; results contradict anecdotal beliefs of their importance.

Palm cooling temperatures on thermal, physiological, perceptual, and ergogenic indices from rowing workouts in a thermoneutral environment.

Gel pack temperatures were compared for responses to thermal, physiological, perceptual, and ergogenic indices from healthy women (n = 12) and men (n = 8). They did three rowing workouts to identify an ideal temperature. In a randomised sequence, and as subjects wore gloves equipped with mesh pouches during workouts, gel packs at one of the three average temperatures (10.6, 12.6, or 14.9°C) were inserted into the pouches. Data were collected before, during and after multi-stage workouts. Thermal, physiological, and perceptual data were each compared with three-factor (condition, gender, time) mixed effect model ANCOVAs, with repeated measures for condition and time, and gender as a between subjects' factor. Distance rowed was assessed with two-factor (condition, gender) mixed effect model ANCOVAs, with repeated measures for condition, and gender as a between subjects' factor. Within-subject contrasts was the post-hoc, and α = 0.05 denoted significance. Despite small differences for distance rowed, many dependent variables had significant inter-condition effects, whereby 10.6°C gel packs had the best thermal and physiological responses. The 10.6°C temperature 1): likely removed the most body heat, perhaps through cold-induced vasodilation and, 2): may be optimal, as it evoked the best thermal and physiological responses.

Petroleum coke exposure leads to altered secretome profiles in human lung models.

Petroleum coke (PC) is a coal-like product that is produced during the refinement of crude oil and bituminous sand. Fugitive dust from open storage of PC in urban areas is a potential human health concern. Animal inhalation studies suggest that PC leads to an adverse pulmonary histopathology, including areas of fibrosis and chronic inflammation; however, little is known about its impact on human health. In order to identify biomarkers and cellular pathways that are associated with exposure, we performed two-dimensional liquid chromatography-mass spectrometric analyses on secreted proteins from two human lung culture models. A total of 2795 proteins were identified and relatively quantified from an immortalized cell line and 2406 proteins from primary cultures that were either mock treated or exposed to particulate matter with a diameter of 2.5-10 µm PC or filtered urban air particulates for 16 h. Pathway analysis on secretomes from primary lung cultures indicated that PC exposure suppressed the secretion of proteins involved in the organization of the extracellular matrix and epithelial differentiation. Because these cellular processes could facilitate fibrosis, we performed chronic 12-day exposure studies on three-dimensional human lung cultures consisting of epithelia and stromal fibroblasts. Relative to mock-treated cells, matrix metallopeptidase 9 levels in the conditioned media were lower by 4 days postexposure and remained suppressed for the duration of the experiment. Immunocytochemical staining of collagen III, a marker associated with fibrosis, showed increased accumulation in the epithelial layer and at the air-liquid interface.

Intermittent Palm Cooling's Impact on Resistive Exercise Performance.

To examine palm cooling's (15 °C) impact, subjects performed 3 four-set leg press workouts in a randomized sequence. Per workout they received 1 of 3 treatments: no palm cooling, palm cooling between sets, or palm cooling between sets and post-exercise. Dependent variables were examined with three-way ANOVAs; average power underwent a three-way ANCOVA with body fat percentage as the covariate. Simple effects analysis was our post hoc and α=0.05. Left hand skin temperatures produced a two-way interaction (no palm cooling, palm cooling between sets>palm cooling between sets and post-exercise at several time points). A "high responder" subset had their data analyzed with an additional three-way ANOVA that again produced a two-way interaction (palm cooling between sets>no palm cooling>palm cooling between sets and post-exercise at multiple time points). Blood lactate results included a two-way interaction (no palm cooling>palm cooling between sets, palm cooling between sets and post-exercise at 0 min post-exercise). Average power yielded a two-way interaction (palm cooling between sets, palm cooling between sets>no palm cooling for the fourth set). Intermittent palm cooling hastened heat removal and blood lactate clearance, as well as delayed average power decrements.

The serine protease inhibitor elafin maintains normal growth control by opposing the mitogenic effects of neutrophil elastase.

The serine protease inhibitor, elafin, is a critical component of the epithelial barrier against neutrophil elastase (NE). Elafin is downregulated in the majority of breast cancer cell lines compared with normal human mammary epithelial cells (HMECs). Here, we evaluated the role of elafin and NE on proliferation and tumorigenesis. Elafin is induced in growth factor-deprived HMECs as they enter a quiescent (G0) state, suggesting that elafin is a counterbalance against the mitogenic effects of NE in G0 HMECs. Stable knockdown of elafin compromises the ability of HMECs to maintain G0 arrest during long-term growth factor deprivation; this effect can be reversed by re-expression of wild-type elafin but not elafin-M25G lacking protease inhibitory function. These results suggest that NE, which is largely contributed by activated neutrophils in the tumor microenvironment, may be negatively regulating the ability of elafin to arrest cells in G0. In fact when purified NE was added to elafin-knocked down HMECs, these cells demonstrated greater sensitivity to the growth-promoting effects of purified NE. Activation of ERK signaling, downstream of toll-like receptor 4, was essential to the mitogenic effect of NE on HMECs. These findings were next translated to patient samples. Immunohistochemical analysis of normal breast tissue revealed robust elafin expression in the mammary epithelium; however, elafin expression was dramatically downregulated in a significant proportion of human breast tumor specimens. The loss of elafin expression during breast cancer progression may promote tumor growth as a consequence of increased NE activity. To address the role of NE in mammary tumorigenesis, we next examined whether deregulated NE activity enhances mammary tumor growth. NE knockout in the C3(1)TAg mouse model of mammary tumorigenesis suppressed proliferation and reduced the kinetics of tumor growth. Overall, the imbalance between NE and its inhibitors, such as elafin, presents an important therapeutic target in breast cancer.

The magnitude of blood lactate increases from high speed workouts.

To examine blood lactate concentrations from high-speed exercise resistive exercise, subjects performed workouts on an inertial kinetic exercise (Oconomowoc, WI) device. Workouts entailed two 60-s sets of elbow flexor (curling) repetitions. Pre- and post-exercise blood lactate concentrations were measured, via a fingertip blood drop, with an analyzer. From workouts the average acceleration, maximum force and total torque were derived. Blood lactate concentrations were analyzed with a 2 (gender)×2 (time) ANOVA, with repeated measures for time. Average acceleration, maximum force and total torque were analyzed with one-way (gender) ANOVAs. With an α=0.05, blood lactate concentrations had a time (prewomen) effects. Current blood lactate concentrations were commensurate with other studies that used a modest level of resistance and engaged a small muscle mass. Given the current workout protocol and muscle mass engaged, as well as parallels to other results, our study appears to offer a valid portrayal of subsequent changes in blood lactate concentrations from high-speed resistive exercise.

Determination of organophosphate flame retardants and plasticizers in sediment samples using microwave-assisted extraction and gas chromatography with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry.

A procedure for the determination of 10 organophosphates, used as flame retardants and plasticizers, in sediment samples is presented. Microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) and gas chromatography with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (GC-ICP-MS) were used for sample preparation and analytes determination, respectively. Influence of different variables on the performance of extraction and determination processes is thoroughly discussed. Temperature, type and amount of organic solvent showed a major effect on the yield of MAE. Regarding GC-ICP-MS detection, the combination of pulsed splitless injection with low radio frequency (rf) power, hard extraction conditions (referred to lens voltage) and addition of nitrogen (0.03 L min(-1)) to the argon plasma provided the best sensitivity. Under final working conditions, recoveries between 78% and 105%, for samples spiked at different concentration levels, and limits of quantification from 2 to 4 ng g(-1) were achieved. Analysis of unspiked sediments confirmed the excellent selectivity of the proposed method for real-life polluted sample analysis.

Anthropometry as a predictor of high speed performance.

To assess anthropometry as a predictor of high-speed performance, subjects performed four seated knee- and hip-extension workouts with their left leg on an inertial exercise trainer (Impulse Technologies, Newnan GA). Workouts, done exclusively in either the tonic or phasic contractile mode, entailed two one-minute sets separated by a 90-second rest period and yielded three performance variables: peak force, average force and work. Subjects provided the following anthropometric data: height, weight, body mass index, as well as total, upper and lower left leg lengths. Via multiple regression, anthropometry attempted to predict the variance per performance variable. Anthropometry explained a modest (R2=0.27-0.43) yet significant degree of variance from inertial exercise trainer workouts. Anthropometry was a better predictor of peak force variance from phasic workouts, while it accounted for a significant degree of average force and work variance solely from tonic workouts. Future research should identify variables that account for the unexplained variance from high-speed exercise performance.

Common causes of open-circuit recreational diving fatalities.

Diving fatalities causes were investigated in 947 recreational open-circuit scuba diving deaths from 1992-2003. Where possible, cases were classified at each step of a four step sequence: trigger, disabling agent, disabling injury, cause of death (COD). The most frequent adverse events within each step were: (a) triggers 41% insufficient gas, 20% entrapment, 15% equipment problems; (b) disabling agents--55% emergency ascent, 27% insufficient gas, 13% buoyancy trouble; (c) disabling injuries--33% asphyxia, 29% arterial gas embolism (AGE), 26% cardiac incidents; and (d) COD--70% drowning, 14% AGE, 13% cardiac incidents. We concluded that disabling injuries were more relevant than COD as drowning was often secondary to a disabling injury. Frequencies and/ or associations with risk factors were investigated for each disabling injury by logistic regression. (The reference group for each injury was all other injuries.) Frequencies and/or associations included: (a) asphyxia--40% entrapment (Odds Ratio, OR > or = 30), 32% insufficient gas (OR = 15.9), 17% buoyancy trouble, 15% equipment trouble (OR = 4.5), 11% rough water, drysuit (OR = 4.1), female gender (OR = 2.1); (b) AGE--96% emergency ascent (OR > or = 30), 63% insufficient gas, 17% equipment trouble, 9% entrapment; (c) cardiac incidents--cardiovascular disease (OR = 10.5), age > 40 (OR = 5.9). Minimizing the frequent adverse events would have the greatest impact on reducing diving deaths.

Selenium speciation analysis using inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry.

Selenium exists in several oxidation states and a variety of inorganic and organic compounds, and the chemistry of selenium is complex in both the environment and living systems. Selenium is an essential element at trace levels and toxic at greater levels. Interest in speciation analysis for selenium has grown rapidly in this last decade, especially in the use of chromatographic separation coupled with inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Complete characterization of selenium compounds is necessary to understand selenium's significance in metabolic processes, clinical chemistry, biology, toxicology, nutrition and the environment. This review describes some of the essential background of selenium, and more importantly, some of the currently used separation methodologies, both chromatographic and electrophoretic, with emphasis on applications of selenium speciation analysis using ICP-MS detection.

Continuous monitoring of conventional parameters to assess receiving water quality in support of combined sewer overflow abatement plans.

As part of its long-term control plan for combined sewer overflow (CSO) abatement, the city of Buffalo, New York, maintained a network of Hydrolab Datasondes (Hydrolab-Hach Company, Loveland, Colorado) to assess receiving water-quality effects by continuously logging dissolved oxygen, pH, temperature, conductivity, and turbidity. Although the effect of individual CSOs could be visualized, turbidity levels entering the Buffalo River from the upper watershed often were greater than from CSO discharges. Turbidity data showed that the Buffalo River was a net-sediment sink. Low dissolved oxygen levels were observed in the summer during dry weather, baseflow, and watershed-wide storms and CSO events. Some CSOs did not produce dissolved oxygen sags in the receiving waters, but others did. This information, together with the sampling done for organic and inorganic contaminants, can aid the decisionmaking process when prioritizing outfalls for abatement work and provides a baseline against which receiving water-quality improvements can be measured.

Arsenic and its speciation analysis using high-performance liquid chromatography and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry.

It is known that arsenic has different toxicological properties dependent upon both its oxidation state for inorganic compounds, as well as the different toxicity levels exhibited for organic arsenic compounds. The field of arsenic speciation analysis has grown rapidly in recent years, especially with the utilization of high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) coupled to inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), a highly sensitive and robust detector system. Complete characterization of arsenic compounds is necessary to understand intake, accumulation, transport, storage, detoxification and activation of this element in the natural environment and living systems. This review describes the essential background and toxicity of arsenic in the environment, and more importantly, some currently used chromatographic applications and sample handling procedures necessary to accurately detect and quantify arsenic in its various chemical forms. Applications and work using only HPLC-ICP-MS for arsenic speciation of environmental and biological samples are presented in this review.

Intraosseous hypertonic saline solution for resuscitation of uncontrolled, exsanguinating liver injury in young Swine.

Fluid resuscitation administered before hemorrhage control for trauma victims sustaining blunt abdominal injury is controversial. Prehospital fluid resuscitation is limited by difficulty in delivering large volumes of fluid in the field and time delays associated with gaining vascular access. Venous access is often a clinical dilemma in severely hypovolemic children. Intraosseous infusion is considered a useful technique for the administration of fluids in emergency situations when peripheral intravascular access is not possible. This study investigated the effectiveness of intraosseous versus intravenous infusion of hypertonic saline solution in an uncontrolled hemorrhagic shock swine model. We also tested the effect of the different sites of infusion on the intra-abdominal bleeding. Relevant hemodynamic parameters were monitored and blood samples were collected. After liver injury, 20 anesthetized immature pigs were randomized to three groups: intraosseous access, intravenous access and control. After 20 min of uncontrolled hemorrhage, the hypertonic saline solution begins in the intraosseous access and intravenous access groups of animals. Thirty minutes later, the animals were killed and intra-abdominal blood loss was measured. All the pigs presented lower pressures and lower cardiac output after 20 min of hemorrhagic shock. The intravenous and intraosseous access groups did not show a better hemodynamic performance after 10 min of fluid resuscitation. At the end of the experiment, all animals were hemodynamically similar without an improved answer to a fluid resuscitation. There were no significant differences between groups regarding intra-abdominal blood loss. It was concluded that the hypertonic saline solution in this experimental model did not promote hemodynamic improvement and there were no differences between the two sites of fluid resuscitation regarding intra-abdominal blood loss.

Tissue Doppler imaging and echo-Doppler findings associated with a mitral valve stenosis with an immobile posterior valve leaflet in a bull terrier.

A mitral valve stenosis was diagnosed in a 2-year-old female Bull Terrier by use of two-dimensional (2-D) and M-mode echocardiography, colour-flow imaging and spectral Doppler examinations. Tissue Doppler Imaging was also performed to assess the segmental radial myocardial motion. The mitral valve stenosis was characterized by a decreased mitral orifice area/left ventricle area ratio (0.14), an increased early diastolic flow velocity (E wave = 1.9 m/s), a prolonged pressure half-time (106 ms) and a decreased E-F slope (4.5 cm/s) on pulsed-wave Doppler examination. This mitral stenosis was associated with an immobile posterior leaflet, as seen on 2-D and M-mode echocardiography. Immobility of the posterior mitral leaflet is considered to be a rare finding in humans and, to our knowledge, has not been precisely documented in dogs with mitral valve stenosis.

Effect of arsenic on benzo[a]pyrene DNA adduct levels in mouse skin and lung.

Concomitant exposures to arsenic and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) such as benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) are widespread. While BaP acts by binding to and inducing mutations in critical sites on DNA, the mechanism(s) of arsenic carcinogenesis remains unknown. Data from epidemiological studies of arsenic copper smelter workers and arsenic ingestion in drinking water suggest a positive interaction for arsenic exposure and smoking and lung cancer. A previous in vitro study showed that arsenic potentiated the formation of DNA adducts at low doses of BaP and arsenic. The present study was conducted to test the effect of arsenic on BaP-DNA adduct formation in vivo. We hypothesized that arsenic co-treatment would significantly increase BaP adduct levels in C57BL/6 mouse target organs: skin and lung. Treatment groups were: five mice, -BaP/-arsenic; five mice, -BaP/+arsenic; 15 mice, +BaP/-arsenic; 15 mice, +BaP/+arsenic. Mice in the appropriate groups were provided sodium arsenite in drinking water (2.1 mg/l), ad libitum, for 13 days (starting 9 days before BaP treatment), and 200 nmol BaP/25 ml acetone (or acetone alone) was applied topically, once per day for 4 days. DNA was extracted from skin and lung and assayed by (32)P-postlabeling. Statistical comparisons were made using independent t-tests (unequal variances assumed). BaP-DNA adduct levels in the +BaP groups were significantly higher than -BaP controls. Arsenic co-treatment increased average BaP adduct levels in both lung and skin; the increase was statistically significant in the lung (P = 0.038). BaP adduct levels in the skin of individual animals were positively related to skin arsenic concentrations. These results corroborate our in vitro findings and provide a tentative explanation for arsenic and PAH interactions in lung carcinogenesis.

Mesenteric lymph duct ligation prevents shock-induced RBC deformability and shape changes.

OBJECTIVES: The exact mechanisms that lead to RBC deformability and shape changes after trauma/hemorrhagic shock remain unknown. We hypothesize that RBC injury is caused in part by gut injury and is mediated by gut-derived factors carried in the intestinal lymph. MATERIALS AND METHODS: RBC deformability was measured by a laser-assisted ektacytometer before and after trauma/hemorrhagic shock (T/HS) in 6 rats whose mesenteric lymph duct had been ligated and in 10 rats subjected to T/HS without duct ligation. In this assay a decrease in the elongation index is a marker of decreased RBC deformability. RBC shape was examined by scanning electron microscopy. RESULTS: In the T/HS rats, the RBC elongation index decreased after T/HS from a preshock value of 0.064 +/- 0.011 to 0.052 +/- 0.009 (P < 0.01) and remained low (0.049 +/- 0.010) even at 3 h after resuscitation. In contrast, the elongation index did not decrease after T/HS in the lymph duct-ligated rats (0.062 +/- 0.004 vs. 0.056 +/- 0.005, P = NS). Likewise, the T/HS rats, but not the duct-ligated T/HS rats, had a significant increase in the percentage of abnormally shaped RBCs when studied by electron microscopy. CONCLUSIONS: Interruption of lymph flow from the gut into the bloodstream by lymph duct ligation prevents T/HS-induced RBC damage. Because decreased RBC deformability contributes to impaired perfusion of the microcirculation, preservation of RBC deformability may decrease the incidence of T/HS-induced organ dysfunction.