Visual analog scale and pressure pain threshold for delayed onset muscle soreness assessment

Objectives: To investigate the relationship between two assessments to quantify delayed onset muscle soreness [DOMS]: visual analog scale [VAS] and pressure pain threshold [PPT]. Methods: Thirty-one healthy young men [25.8 ± 5.5 years] performed 10 sets of six maximal eccentric contractions of the elbow flexors with their non-dominant arm. Before and one to four days after the exercise, muscle pain perceived upon palpation of the biceps brachii at three sites [5, 9 and 13 cm above the elbow crease] was assessed by VAS with a 100 mm line [0 = no pain, 100 = extremely painful], and PPT of the same sites was determined by an algometer. Changes in VAS and PPT over time were compared amongst three sites by a two-way repeated measures analysis of variance, and the relationship between VAS and PPT was analyzed using a Pearson product-moment correlation. Results: The VAS increased one to four days after exercise and peaked two days post-exercise, while the PPT decreased most one day post-exercise and remained below baseline for four days following exercise [p < 0.05]. No significant difference among the three sites was found for VAS [p = 0.62] or PPT [p = 0.45]. The magnitude of change in VAS did not significantly correlate with that of PPT [r = −0.20, p = 0.28]. Conclusion: These results suggest that the level of muscle pain is not region-specific, at least among the three sites investigated in the study, and VAS and PPT provide different information about DOMS, indicating that VAS and PPT represent different aspects of pain.

Did you see that? Dissociating advanced visual information and ball flight constrains perception and action processes during one-handed catching

The integration of separate, yet complimentary, cortical pathways appears to play a role in visual perception and action when intercepting objects. The ventral system is responsible for object recognition and identification, while the dorsal system facilitates continuous regulation of action. This dual-system model implies that empirically manipulating different visual information sources during performance of an interceptive action might lead to the emergence of distinct gaze and movement pattern profiles. To test this idea, we recorded hand kinematics and eye movements of participants as they attempted to catch balls projected from a novel apparatus that synchronised or de-synchronised accompanying video images of a throwing action and ball trajectory. Results revealed that ball catching performance was less successful when patterns of hand movements and gaze behaviours were constrained by the absence of advanced perceptual information from the thrower's actions. Under these task constraints, participants began tracking the ball later, followed less of its trajectory, and adapted their actions by initiating movements later and moving the hand faster. There were no performance differences when the throwing action image and ball speed were synchronised or de-synchronised since hand movements were closely linked to information from ball trajectory. Results are interpreted relative to the two-visual system hypothesis, demonstrating that accurate interception requires integration of advanced visual information from kinematics of the throwing action and from ball flight trajectory.

Cataract surgery in eyes with low corneal astigmatism : implantation of the AcrySof IQ Toric SN6AT2 intraocular lens

Purpose The aim of this study is to assess the refractive and visual outcomes following cataract surgery and implantation of the AcrySof IQ Toric SN6AT2 intraolcular lens (IOL) (Alcon Laboratories, Inc) in patients with low corneal astigmatism. Materials and Methods A retrospective, consecutive, single surgeon series of ninety-eight eyes of 88 patients following cataract surgery and implantation of the AcrySof IQ Toric SN6AT2 IOL in eyes with low preoperative corneal astigmatism. Postoperative measurements were obtained at one month post surgery. Main outcome measures were monocular distance visual acuity and residual refractive astigmatism. Results The mean preoperative corneal astigmatic power vector (APV) was 0.38 ± 0.09 D. Following surgery and implantation of the toric IOL, mean postoperative refractive APV was 0.13 ± 0.10 D. Mean postoperative distance uncorrected visual acuity (UCVA) was 0.08 ± 0.09 logMAR. Postoperative spherical equivalent refraction (SER) resulted in a mean of - 0.23 ± 0.22 D, with 96% of eyes falling within 0.50 D of the target SER. Conclusions The AcrySof IQ Toric SN6AT2 IOL is a safe and effective option for eyes undergoing cataract surgery with low amounts of preoperative corneal astigmatism.

Development of Contact Lenses from a Biomaterial Point of View – Materials, Manufacture, and Clinical Application

Rigid lenses, which were originally made from glass (between 1888 and 1940) and later from polymethyl methacrylate or silicone acrylate materials, are uncomfortable to wear and are now seldom fitted to new patients. Contact lenses became a popular mode of ophthalmic refractive error correction following the discovery of the first hydrogel material – hydroxyethyl methacrylate – by Czech chemist Otto Wichterle in 1960. To satisfy the requirements for ocular biocompatibility, contact lenses must be transparent and optically stable (for clear vision), have a low elastic modulus (for good comfort), have a hydrophilic surface (for good wettability), and be permeable to certain metabolites, especially oxygen, to allow for normal corneal metabolism and respiration during lens wear. A major breakthrough in respect of the last of these requirements was the development of silicone hydrogel soft lenses in 1999 and techniques for making the surface hydrophilic. The vast majority of contact lenses distributed worldwide are mass-produced using cast molding, although spin casting is also used. These advanced mass-production techniques have facilitated the frequent disposal of contact lenses, leading to improvements in ocular health and fewer complications. More than one-third of all soft contact lenses sold today are designed to be discarded daily (i.e., ‘daily disposable’ lenses).

Ambivalent realities : postcolonial experiences in contemporary visual arts practice

This practice-led research project investigates how new postcolonial conditions require new methods of critique to fully engage with the nuances of real world, 'lived' experiences. Framed by key aspects of postcolonial theory, this project examines contemporary artists' contributions to investigations of identity, race, ethnicity, otherness and diaspora, as well as questions of locality, nationality, and transnationality. Approaching these issues through the lens of my own experience as an artist and subject, it results in a body of creative work and a written exegesis that creatively and critically examine the complexities, ambiguities and ambivalences of the contemporary postcolonial condition.

Criminal Laws : Materials and Commentary on Criminal Law and Process in NSW [Fifth Edition]

"The success of Criminal Laws lies both in its distinctive features and in its appeal to a range of readerships. As one review put it, it is simultaneously a "textbook, casebook, handbook and reference work". As such it is ideal for criminal law and criminal justice courses as a teaching text, combining as it does primary sources with extensive critical commentary and a contextual perspective. It is likewise indispensable to practitioners for its detailed coverage of substantive law and its extensive references and inter-disciplinary approach make it a first point of call for researchers from all disciplines. This fifth edition strengthens these distinctive features. All chapters have been systematically updated to incorporate the plethora of legislative, case law, statistical and research material which has emerged since the previous edition. The critical, thematic, contextual and interdisciplinary perspectives have been continued."--Publisher's website. Table of Contents: 1. Some themes -- 2. Criminalisation -- 3. The criminal process -- 4. Components of criminal offences -- 5. Homicide: murder and involuntary manslaughter -- 6. Defences -- 7. Assault and sexual assault -- 8. Public order offences -- 9. Drugs offences -- 10. Dishonest acquisition -- 11. Extending criminal liability: complicity, conspiracy and association -- 12. Sentencing and penality.

Tourism TV commercials : a delicate balance between aural and visual information load

This article content analyzes music in tourism TV commercials from 95 regions and countries to identify their general acoustic characteristics. The objective is to offer a general guideline in the postproduction of tourism TV commercials. It is found that tourism TV commercials tend to be produced in a faster tempo with beats per minute close to 120, which is rare to be found in general TV commercials. To compensate for the faster tempo (increased aural information load), less scenes (longer duration per scene) were edited into the footage. Production recommendations and future research are presented.

Representations of foreign places outside the news : an analysis of Australian newspaper travel sections

Despite continued growth over recent decades, travel journalism has so far gained little attention in journalism research, with scholars often ridiculing it and other forms of lifestyle journalism as not being real journalism. This paper aims to the shift the focus by arguing that non-news journalism is increasingly important as a site for research. It reports the results from a content analysis of Australian newspaper travel sections and examines the role they play in mediating foreign places. The results demonstrate that travel stories can be mostly classed as service stories in that they focus on destinations which are already popular with Australians. At the same time they report very little about local cultures at the destinations, demonstrating a focus on the tourist experience and a missed opportunity for improving inter-cultural understanding. A visual analysis of photographs shows stereotypical portrayals of destinations broadly in line with tourism promotion materials.

Towards robotic visual and acoustic stealth for outdoor dynamic target tracking

Covertly tracking mobile targets, either animal or human, in previously unmapped outdoor natural environments using off-road robotic platforms requires both visual and acoustic stealth. Whilst the use of robots for stealthy surveillance is not new, the majority only consider navigation for visual covertness. However, most fielded robotic systems have a non-negligible acoustic footprint arising from the onboard sensors, motors, computers and cooling systems, and also from the wheels interacting with the terrain during motion. This time-varying acoustic signature can jeopardise any visual covertness and needs to be addressed in any stealthy navigation strategy. In previous work, we addressed the initial concepts for acoustically masking a tracking robot’s movements as it travels between observation locations selected to minimise its detectability by a dynamic natural target and ensuring con- tinuous visual tracking of the target. This work extends the overall concept by examining the utility of real-time acoustic signature self-assessment and exploiting shadows as hiding locations for use in a combined visual and acoustic stealth framework.

Managing and analysing big audio data for environmental monitoring

Environmental monitoring is becoming critical as human activity and climate change place greater pressures on biodiversity, leading to an increasing need for data to make informed decisions. Acoustic sensors can help collect data across large areas for extended periods making them attractive in environmental monitoring. However, managing and analysing large volumes of environmental acoustic data is a great challenge and is consequently hindering the effective utilization of the big dataset collected. This paper presents an overview of our current techniques for collecting, storing and analysing large volumes of acoustic data efficiently, accurately, and cost-effectively.

Novelty-based visual obstacle detection in agriculture

This paper describes a novel obstacle detection system for autonomous robots in agricultural field environments that uses a novelty detector to inform stereo matching. Stereo vision alone erroneously detects obstacles in environments with ambiguous appearance and ground plane such as in broad-acre crop fields with harvested crop residue. The novelty detector estimates the probability density in image descriptor space and incorporates image-space positional understanding to identify potential regions for obstacle detection using dense stereo matching. The results demonstrate that the system is able to detect obstacles typical to a farm at day and night. This system was successfully used as the sole means of obstacle detection for an autonomous robot performing a long term two hour coverage task travelling 8.5 km.

Competition Hertz : the culture and practice of car audio competitions

The present paper explores extreme car audio systems and the culture and practices that surround car audio competitions. I begin by examining whether, and how, car audio can be thought of as a 'music scene' and in what ways the culture and practice of car audio may fit within post-subcultural discourses. Following this, I offer a description of car audio competitions, revealing some of the practices that define this aspect of car audio scenes. In particular, I concentrate on sound pressure level (SPL) competitions and some of the interesting aspects of the SPL scene. Finally, I briefly examine how the powerful effects (and affects) of bass frequencies are an important part of the attraction of loud car audio systems and how car audio systems contribute to the territorializing of urban spaces.

Medium and mode : relationships between visual experience and perception in an installation arts practice

Working primarily within the natural landscape, this practice-led research project explored connections between the artist's visual and perceptual experience of a journey or place while simultaneously emphasizing the capacity for digital media to create a perceptual dissonance. By exploring concepts of time, viewpoint, duration of sequences and the manipulation of traditional constructs of stop-frame animation, the practical work created a cognitive awareness of the elements of the journey through optical sensations. The work allowed an opportunity to reflect on the nature of visual experience and its mediation through images. The project recontextualized the selected mediums of still photography, animation and projection within contemporary display modes of multiple screen installations by analysing relationships between the experienced and the perceived. The resulting works added to current discourse on the interstices between still and moving imagery in a digital world.

The past, present and future of carbon labelling for construction materials – a review

Global climate change is one of the most significant environmental issues that can harm human development. One central issue for the building and construction industry to address global climate change is the development of a credible and meaningful way to measure greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. While Publicly Available Specification (PAS) 2050, the first international GHG standard, has been proven to be successful in standardizing the quantification process, its contribution to the management of carbon labels for construction materials is limited. With the recent publication of ISO 14067: Greenhouse gases – carbon footprint of products – requirements and guidelines for quantification and communication in May 2013, it is necessary for the building and construction industry to understand the past, present and future of the carbon labelling practices for construction materials. A systematic review shows that international GHG standards have been evolving in terms of providing additional guidance on communication and comparison, as well as less flexibility on the use of carbon labels. At the same time, carbon labelling schemes have been evolving on standardization and benchmarking. In addition, future actions are needed in the aspect of raising consumer awareness, providing benchmarking, ensuring standardization and developing simulation technologies in order for carbon labelling schemes for construction materials to provide credible, accurate and transparent information on GHG emissions.

Teaching fractions to adult learners enrolled in a civil construction course : knowledge, action and materials action in tandem

This paper investigates the teaching and learning of fractions to Indigenous adult learners in a Civil Construction Certificate Course. More specifically it explores why the use of materials is critical to building knowledge and understanding. This focus is important for two reasons. First, it allows for considerations of a trainer’s approach for teaching fractions and, second it provides insights into how adult learners can be supported with representing their practical experiences of fractions to make generalisation thus building on their knowledge and learning experiences. The paper draws on teaching episodes from an Australian Research Council funded Linkage project that investigates how mathematics is taught and learned in Certificate Courses, here, Certificate 11 in Civil Construction. Action research and decolonising methods (Smith, 1999) were used to conduct the research. Video excerpts which feature one trainer and three students are analysed and described. Findings from the data indicate that adult learners need to be supported with materials to assist with building their capacity to know and apply understandings of fractions in a range of contexts, besides construction. Without materials and where fractions are taught via pen and paper tasks, students are less likely to retain and apply fraction ideas to their Certificate Course. Further they are less likely to understand decimals because of limited understanding of fractions.