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The validity and reliability of a battery of field-based performance tests was examined. The opinions of coaches, fitness professionals and players (n=170, 172 and 101 respectively) on the importance of performance testing were established using a questionnaire. On 2 occasions, separated by 7 days, 80 elite, young soccer players (mean±SD [and range]: age 13.2±2.6 [8.9-19.1] years; stature 1.59±0.18 m [1.32-1.91]; body mass 50.6±17.1 [26.5-88.7] kg) completed a battery of field-based tests comprised of heart rate response to a submaximal Multi-stage fitness test, 3 types of vertical jump, sprints over 10 and 20 m, and an agility test. Physical performance testing was considered important by coaches (97%), fitness professionals (94%) and players (83%). The systematic bias ratio and the random error components of the 95% ratio limits of agreement for the first and second tests, for the U9-U11 vs. U12-U14 vs. U15-U18 age groups, were [Systematic bias (*/÷ ratio limits)]: Heart rate (Level 5): 0.983 (*/÷ 1.044) vs. 0.969 (*/÷ 1.056) vs. 0.983 (*/÷ 1.055); Rocket jump: 0998 (*/÷ 1.112) vs. 0.999 (*/÷ 1.106) vs. 0.996 (*/÷ 1.093); 10 m sprint: 0.997 (*/÷ 1.038) vs. 0.994 (*/÷ 1.033) vs. 0.994 (*/÷ 1.038); Agility test: 1.010 (*/÷1.050) vs. 1.014 (*/÷1.050) vs. 1.002 (*/÷1.053). All tests, except heart rate recovery from the Multi-stage fitness test, were able to distinguish between different ability and age groups of players (p0.05). Thus, the field-test battery demonstrated logical and construct validity, and was shown to be a reliable and objective tool for assessing elite, young soccer players.

To undertake a prospective epidemiological study of the injuries sustained in English professional football over two competitive seasons.Player injuries were annotated by club medical staff at 91 professional football clubs. A specific injury audit questionnaire was used together with a weekly form that documented each club's current injury status.A total of 6,030 injuries were reported over the two seasons with an average of 1.3 injuries per player per season. The mean (SD) number of days absent for each injury was 24.2 (40.2), with 78% of the injuries leading to a minimum of one competitive match being missed. The injury incidence varied throughout the season, with training injuries peaking during July (p0.05) and match injuries peaking during August (p0.05). Competition injuries represented 63% of those reported, significantly (p0.01) more of these injuries occurring towards the end of both halves. Strains (37%) and sprains (19%) were the major injury types, the lower extremity being the site of 87% of the injuries reported. Most injury mechanisms were classified as being non-contact (58%). Re-injuries accounted for 7% of all injuries, 66% of these being classified as either a strain or a sprain. The severity of re-injuries was greater than the initial injury (p0.01).Professional football players are exposed to a high risk of injury and there is a need to investigate ways of reducing this risk. Areas that warrant attention include the training programmes implemented by clubs during various stages of the season, the factors contributing to the pattern of injuries during matches with respect to time, and the rehabilitation protocols employed by clubs.

Group B streptococcal (GBS) capsular polysaccharide is an important virulence factor, and its role in invasion of cultured respiratory epithelial cells was investigated. A type III GBS clinical isolate, COH1, and asialo and unencapsulated isogenic transposon capsule mutants of it were compared in an in vitro invasion assay. The results demonstrated that capsule attenuated the invasion process. Invasion was not affected when the A549 epithelial cells were preincubated with purified type III GBS capsular polysaccharide. Polyclonal type III GBS capsule antibody inhibited invasion by COH1 but did not affect invasion by the capsule mutants. Serotypes Ia, Ib, Ia/c, II, and III all invaded respiratory epithelial cells but demonstrated some strain variation in magnitude of invasion. These observations led us to conclude that type III capsular polysaccharide was not essential for invasion of respiratory epithelial cells by GBS and that bacterial factors other than capsule were responsible for respiratory epithelial cell invasion.

Objectives:To undertake a prospective epidemiological study of the injuries sustained in English youth academy football over two competitive seasons.Methods:Player injuries were annotated by medical staff at 38 English football club youth academies. A specific injury audit questionnaire was used together with a weekly return form that documented each club’s current injury status.Results:A total of 3805 injuries were reported over two complete seasons (June to May) with an average injury rate of 0.40 per player per season. The mean (SD) number of days absent for each injury was 21.9 (33.63), with an average of 2.31 (3.66) games missed per injury. The total amount of time absent through injury equated to about 6% of the player’s development time. Players in the higher age groups (17–19 years) were more likely to receive an injury than those in the younger age groups (9–16 years). Injury incidence varied throughout the season, with training injuries peaking in January (pConclusions:Footballers are at high risk of injury and there is a need to investigate ways of reducing this risk. Injury incidence at academy level is approximately half that of the professional game. Academy players probably have much less exposure to injury than their full time counterparts. Areas that warrant further attention include the link between musculoskeletal development and the onset of youth related conditions such as Sever’s disease and Osgood-Schlatter’s disease, the significant number of non-contact injuries that occur in academy football, and the increased rates of injury during preseason training and after the mid season break. This study has highlighted the nature and severity of injuries that occur at academy level, and the third part of the audit process now needs to be undertaken: the implementation of strategies to reduce the number of injuries encountered at this level.

Objective: To conduct a detailed analysis of hamstring injuries sustained in English professional football over two competitive seasons. Methods: Club medical staff at 91 professional football clubs annotated player injuries over two seasons. A specific injury audit questionnaire was used together with a weekly form that documented each clubs' current injury status. Results: Completed injury records for the two competitive seasons were obtained from 87% and 76% of the participating clubs respectively. Hamstring strains accounted for 12% of the total injuries over the two seasons with nearly half (53%) involving the biceps femoris. An average of five hamstring strains per club per season was observed. A total of 13 116 days and 2029 matches were missed because of hamstring strains, giving an average of 90 days and 15 matches missed per club per season. In 57% of cases, the injury occurred during running. Hamstring strains were most often observed during matches (62%) with an increase at the end of each half (p

Aim: To conduct a detailed analysis of ankle sprains sustained in English professional football over two competitive seasons. Methods: Club medical staff at 91 professional football clubs annotated player injuries. A specific injury audit questionnaire was used together with a weekly form that documented each club's current injury status. Results: Completed injury records for the two competitive seasons were obtained from 87% and 76% of the participating clubs. Ankle ligament sprains accounted for 11% of the total injuries over the two seasons, with over three quarters (77%) of sprains involving the lateral ligament complex. A total of 12 138 days and 2033 matches were missed because of ankle sprains. More sprains were caused by contact mechanisms than non-contact mechanisms (59% v 39%) except in goalkeepers who sustained more non-contact sprains (21% v 79%, p

Warfarin resistance is a rare phenomenon, and most of the related literature obtained in a MEDLINE search from 1964-1995 consists of case reports. Warfarin resistance may develop as a result of noncompliance, exogenous consumption of vitamin K, and concurrent ingestion of other agents known to decrease warfarin's effects. There are three documented cases of hereditary resistance and one case of loose documentation of hereditary resistance with confirmation of similar resistant patterns in family members. Data on two of the three cases may support the postulation that hereditary resistance may be caused by the presence of an abnormal receptor or enzyme that has an increased affinity for vitamin K. To date, this receptor or enzyme has not been identified. To assess a subtherapeutic dose response to oral anticoagulation, the clinician must consider many possible causes of resistance, such as noncompliance, drug interactions, laboratory error, or pharmacokinetic changes. Once these have been ruled out, it is possible to consider that a tissue resistance to warfarin may be responsible.

In 58 infants and children with body weights between 2.8 and 20.5 kg carbon dioxide production (VCO2 ml min-1) was measured during halothane anaesthesia for minor surgical procedures. In 22 cases measurements were made during both spontaneous and controlled ventilation during the same operation. A non-rebreathing circuit was used. Expired ventilation volume was measured with a dry gas meter and expired gas collected during 3-5 min in a Douglas bag. The carbon dioxide fraction of exhaled gas was determined with a sampling Gould capnograph. A respiratory quotient (RQ) of 0.8 was used to calculate oxygen consumption (VO2 ml min-1). During spontaneous breathing, regression analysis of the relationship between VCO2 and kg and between VO2 and kg showed high intercepts while corresponding relations to kg3/4 revealed an almost direct proportionality. Thus, VCO2 and VO2 ought to be related to body weight in kg3/4 in spontaneously breathing children. The mean value (+/- 1 s.d.) for VCO2 was 11.4 +/- 3.1 ml kg-3/4 and for VO2 14.2 +/- 3.9 ml kg-3/4. During controlled ventilation, the relationship between kg b.w. showed for VCO2 as well as for VO2 an almost direct proportionality with a mean value (+/- 1 s.d.) for VCO2 of 6.3 +/- 1.6 ml min-1 kg-1 and for VO2 of 7.8 +/- 2.0 ml min-1 kg-1. Prediction of VO2 for infants and children of this size could be based upon 14 X kg3/4 during halothane anaesthesia and surgery.

Mise au point d'un dispositif de detection de la deglutition du bol alimentaire, afin de preciser la consommation du fourrage par les bovins en alimentation libre

(1942). DE LEER OVER DE GAVEN VAN DEN H. GEEST IN DEN ONGEDRUKTEN ISAIAS-KOMMEN-TAAR VAN ALBERTUS DEN GROOTE. Philosophische en Theologische Faculteiten der Nederlandsche Jezuieten: Vol. 5, No. 1, pp. 1-55.

In 23 infants and young children aged from 3 wk to 2 1/2 years, lung volume, by plethysmography, dynamic lung compliance and total pulmonary resistance with air-filled balloons and pneumotachography, have been measured in the supine and right lateral postures in order to observe any possible systematic differences in either body position. Fourteen subjects were studied under light sedation, the remaining nine under general anaesthesia before elective surgery. In the sedated group, no significant differences were found between the two positions for lung mechanics. In the anaesthetised group the only measurement that varied with position was dynamic lung compliance, being lower in the supine posture (P less than 0.05). In one of the sedated infants with predominantly left sided lung disease, large position dependent changes in lung volume and lung mechanics were observed suggesting that care should be taken in interpreting lung function tests in infants with unilateral lung disease. In the anaesthetised subjects, the finding of reduced ratios of esophageal to mouth pressure change during brief airway occlusions, suggests that under these conditions pleural pressure changes were unequally distributed.

A self‐pressurizing, two‐level automatic liquid‐nitrogen filler is described which utilizes the vapor from the natural evaporation of cryogen in both the research and supply Dewars to continuously pressurize the liquid‐nitrogen reservoir. The system has greatly improved response time compared to other self‐pressurizing systems while avoiding the disadvantages of using heating elements or external gas sources for pressurization.