Height Categories Research Articles

Anthropometric and physical fitness characteristics of male university cricket club players in accordance to player position and height categories

Background: The scientific research into the varied factors that influence cricket performance has become a focal area for overall improved performance. Although there has been documented evidence for both anthropometry and physical fitness among elite cricketers, there is a paucity of evidence among the club cricket cohort. This pilot study aims to evaluate the anthropometric and fitness measurements among a pilot sample of university club cricketers (n = 17; 9 batsmen and 8 bowlers) in South Africa. Methods: Retrospective data were collected from the university’s male first cricket team of the 2019/2020 season. The data included both anthropometric (height, body mass, and body mass index) and physical fitness (explosive power, strength, Yo-Yo, speed and agility) parameters. The results exhibited for every parameter were presented according to height categories and player positions (batsman and bowler). Student t-tests were performed to determine the differences between fitness and anthropometric variables among both height categories and player positions. All data were analysed using SPSS (Version 26, IBM). The level of significance was set at p<0.05. Results: The results indicated significant differences for height categories with regards to stature (p = 0.000) and agility (p = 0.03). Significant differences were also evident for different player positions with regards to body fat percentage (p = 0.02) and vertical jump distance (p = 0.03). Conclusions: The findings of this pilot study indicated that cricketers who are shorter in stature are less superior with regards to anthropometric and fitness capabilities than their taller counterparts. In addition to being aware of the variances that exist for anthropometry, stature and fitness among cricketers at any level; this study provides implications for both coaches and sports scientists at the club level (under-researched level) in terms of how this can translate to player performances in accordance to height categories and player positions.

Different heights of resprouting by trees: Response to small-scale environmental restrictions in a non-fire-prone Caatinga tropical dry forest

Resprouting is an ecological strategy widely adopted by trees in response to different restrictive factors, in which the stems can be emitted at different heights of the tree. Although the patterns of resprouting height are already known in response to some restrictive factors (such as fire), their occurrence is not well elucidated in non-fire prone dry environments where continuous resource restriction may stimulate resprouting. Here, we assessed the general ecological dominance of resprouting trees in the community and the ecological dominance of trees resprouting at different heights in response to environmental restrictions in a tropical dry forest (TDF). We used multi-stemmed trees as a proxy for resprouting in response to the local restrictive factors. Our hypotheses were: i) resprouting trees have greater ecological dominance (more trees and stems and higher biomass) in more restrictive plots; ii) the ecological dominance of lower-height resprouting trees is greater in more restrictive plots, while the dominance of upper-height resprouting trees is greater in less restrictive plots. For this, we used a dataset of 27 TDF plots where we measured and identified the trees that met the inclusion criterion (3 cm of diameter at breast height) and collected soil samples to gather data on environmental restriction. Multi-stemmed trees were classified according to the height of additional-stem emission (below-ground, ground-level, and above-ground), considering the bottom-most stem originating from the main stem. We then evaluated whether the ecological dominance of resprouting trees and trees with different resprouting heights varied significantly in response to environmental restrictiveness, and patterns of species composition in the height categories. We found a greater dominance of resprouting trees in more restrictive environments, with lower-height resprouting trees dominating the most restrictive plots (two hypotheses confirmed). This finding may be associated with physiological mechanisms of drought response because resprouting height is directly associated with the level of damage inflicted on the internal structure of trees. We also found that the species varied in their ability for stem emission at different heights, whereby the most plastic species were more dominant compared to those with just one height of emission. This finding indicates that different restrictive factors can produce similar resprouting expressions, reinforcing the need to advance the knowledge on the importance of resprouting in TDF.

Are we missing the forest for the trees? Conspecific negative density dependence in a temperate deciduous forest.

One of the central goals of ecology is to determine the mechanisms that enable coexistence among species. Evidence is accruing that conspecific negative density dependence (CNDD), the process by which plant seedlings are unable to survive in the area surrounding adults of their same species, is a major contributor to tree species coexistence. However, for CNDD to maintain community-level diversity, three conditions must be met. First, CNDD must maintain diversity for the majority of the woody plant community (rather than merely specific groups). Second, the pattern of repelled recruitment must increase in with plant size. Third, CNDD should extend to the majority of plant life history strategies. These three conditions are rarely tested simultaneously. In this study, we simultaneously test all three conditions in a woody plant community in a North American temperate forest. We examined whether understory and canopy woody species across height categories and dispersal syndromes were overdispersed-a spatial pattern indicative of CNDD-using spatial point pattern analysis across life history stages and strategies. We found that there was a strong signal of overdispersal at the community level. Across the whole community, larger individuals were more overdispersed than smaller individuals. The overdispersion of large individuals, however, was driven by canopy trees. By contrast, understory woody species were not overdispersed as adults. This finding indicates that the focus on trees for the vast majority of CNDD studies may have biased the perception of the prevalence of CNDD as a dominant mechanism that maintains community-level diversity when, according to our data, CNDD may be restricted largely to trees.

The impact of neonatal morbidities on child growth and developmental outcomes in very low birth weight infants: a nationwide cohort study

Growth in preterm infants has long-term implications for neurodevelopmental outcomes. We aimed to estimate the nationwide growth outcomes from birth to 5years in infants born under 1500g and to analyze the effects of major morbidities in preterm infants on growth. In total, 2961 children born in 2013 with a birth weight under 1500g who underwent an infant health checkup between 2013 and 2018 according to the National Health Insurance Service database were included. Checkups were conducted at 4-6, 9-12, 18-24, 30-36, 42-48, and 54-60months of age. Information was obtained from the International Classification of Diseases-10 codes or a questionnaire administered during the check-up. At 60months of age, the mean percentiles of weight, height, and head circumference fell within only the 30-40th percentile of normal growth values. About 30% of infants had growth parameters below the 10th percentile and showed worse neurodevelopmental outcomes. Using multiple logistic regression, infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia showed a significantly higher incidence of growth restriction in all three categories of weight (odds ratio [OR] 1.50), height (OR 1.33), and head circumference (OR 1.36) at 60months. Sepsis was associated with growth restriction in weight (OR 1.43) and head circumference (OR 1.33). Periventricular leukomalacia infants had relatively small head circumferences (OR 1.91) and poor developmental screening results (OR 2.89).Conclusion: Catch-up growth remains a major issue in infants born under 1500g, especially those with some morbidities from preterm birth. Regular checkups to monitor and early intervention to achieve normal growth are essential. What is Known: • Growth in preterm infants has long-term implications for neurodevelopmental and cardiometabolic outcomes. • Data are lacking on the time-serial effects of many preterm morbidities simultaneously on long-term growth outcomes. What is New: • All growth parameters of VLBW infants, including weight, height, and head circumference, fell within the 30-40th percentile of normal growth for infants at 60 months of age, indicating that catch-up growth for VLBW infants remains an issue. • VLBW infants with major preterm morbidities, including BPD, PVL, and sepsis, showed difficulties in achieving normal catch-up growth and neurodevelopment at 60 months of age.

Adult height and diabetes control: is there an association?

Background: Obesity is commonly associated with diabetes mellitus (DM). The most frequent anthropometric index utilised to assess obesity is the body mass index (BMI), which uses height and weight as variables, but eliminates height as an independent analytical variable. Currently there are no data available on the relationship between adult height and glycaemic control in patients living with diabetes (PLWD) within the context of HIV infection.Objectives: This study aimed to determine an association between final adult height and glycaemic control in an HIV endemic area.Methods: Standardised clinic sheets were used from the DM clinic at Edendale Hospital, Pietermaritzburg, South Africa, from January 1, 2019 to December 31, 2019. Statistical analysis was done.Results: This study had 957 PLWD. In the height categories of < 1.40 m, 1.40–1.49 m, 1.50–1.59 m, 1.60–1.69 m, 1.70–1.79 m, 1.80–1.89 m and ≥ 1.90 m, there were 11, 60, 321, 343, 121, 26 and 2 patients respectively (with 73 patients having no height recorded). Taller patients had smaller waist circumferences and had poorer glycaemic control. In the lowest vs. highest height (< 1.40 m vs ≥ 1.90 m) categories, the HbA1c values were 8.49% vs. 12.45%, respectively, p = 0.019. Height had a strong positive association with diastolic blood pressure (DBP) (p = 0.001). Those PLWD in the 1.80–1.89 m height cohort had higher triglyceride levels and lower high-density lipoprotein (HDL) levels when compared with the other height categories. Shorter PLWD with uncontrolled glycaemic control had significantly elevated systolic blood pressure. Gender and HIV infection had a non-significant role on height categories in PLWD.Conclusion: Taller height categories had poorer glycaemic control. Increasing height was strongly associated with increasing DBP. A higher DBP and triglyceride level with lower HDL level places these PLWD in a higher cardiovascular risk category. Strong emphasis needs to be placed on the monitoring of lipids and blood pressure in PLWD, this more especially in taller patients.

Investigation of Social Appearance Anxiety in University Students

The aim of this study is to investigate Social Appearance Anxiety in university students according to gender, type of faculty, grade level, body weight and height. The present study was conducted on students of Sakarya University who were between the ages of 17 and 25. 247 of the participants were female and 256 were male. The social appearance anxiety scale filled in by 503 students was evaluated. T-test, one-way analysis of variance and LSD tests were used in statistical operations. In this study, the Social appearance anxiety scale score was found to be slightly lower in women than in men in the comparison made by gender. This difference did not show a statistically significant difference according to gender (p&gt;0.05). The social appearance anxiety score differs statistically significantly according to the type of education and training faculties (p&lt;0.001). Social appearance anxiety changes significantly according to education level (p&lt;0.001). It was found that the students who were satisfied with their body weight and height had lower social appearance anxiety than the students who were not satisfied. Social appearance anxiety varies according to height and body weight category (p&lt;0.001). In conclusion, social appearance anxiety was found to be similar according to gender in this study. It differed according to the field of study of the students. The social appearance anxiety levels of the students receiving sports education are the lowest. Anxiety levels of students who receive art education are higher than those who receive sports education. The social appearance anxiety of the students who did not receive sports and art education is the highest. In order to reduce social appearance anxiety, students should be supported in sports and art education and practice. Keywords: University student, Social Appearance Anxiety, Sports, Education, Age and Height

Assesment of trap color and trap height above the ground on the capture of Ips sexdentatus and Thanasimus formicarius

The six-toothed pine bark beetle Ips sexdentatus is one of the most devastating bark beetles of Eurasian pine forests. Pheromone traps are used to monitor and control Ips sexdentatus populations. In this study, the effect of trap color and trap height on the capture of Ips exdentatus and its predator the ant beetle Thanasimus formicarius was investigated. The research was conducted in Pinus sylvestris stands within Yayla Forest Enterprise Chief (Kastamonu-Daday) in Turkey. In the study area, 25 Scandinavian type three-funnel traps of 5 different colors (yellow, white, green, black, and red traps with five replications) were used. Traps were placed at the same height, 1.5 m above ground. For the second part of the study, a total of 20 traps (5 per height category) was placed 1.0 m, 1.5 m, 2.0 m, and 2.5 m above ground. Traps were controlled at intervals of 7-10 days and captured Ips exdentatus and Thanasimus formicarius were counted. The results of the study were as follows: 1) Significant differences in the number of captures by trap color, and 2) No significant differences in the numbers of Ips sexdentatus and Thanasimus formicarius captured between the trap heights.

Regionalization of an Existing Global Forest Canopy Height Model for Forests of the Southern United States

A large-scale global canopy height map (GCHM) is essential for global forest aboveground biomass estimation. Four GCHMs have recently been built using data from the Geoscience Laser Altimeter System (GLAS) sensor aboard the Ice, Cloud, and land Elevation Satellite (ICESat), along with auxiliary spatial and climate information. The main objectives of this research were to find out how well a selected GCHM agrees with airborne lidar data from locations in the southern United States and to recalibrate that GCHM to more closely match the forest canopy heights found in the region. The airborne lidar resource was built from data collected between 2010 and 2012, available from in-house and publicly available sources, for sites that included a variety of vegetation types across the southern United States. EPA ecoregions were used to provide ecosystem information for the southern United States. The airborne lidar data were pre-processed to provide lidar-derived metrics, and assigned to four height categories—namely, returns from above 0 m, 1 m, 3 m, and 5 m. The assessment phase results indicated that the 90th and 95th percentiles of the airborne lidar height values were well-suited for use in the recalibration phase of the study. Simple linear regression was used to generate a new, recalibrated GCHM. It was concluded that the characterization of the agreement of a selected GCHM with local data, followed by the recalibration of the existing GCHM to the local region, is both viable and essential for future GCHMs in studies conducted at large scales.

Nutritional status of children and adolescents in three Serbian enclaves in Kosovo and Metohija

ObjectiveTo evaluate nutritional status of children and adolescents living in three Serbian enclaves in Kosovo and Metohija.MethodsWe conducted an observational cross-sectional, population-based study, enrolling children and adolescents who underwent a pediatric screening performed in the three Serbian enclaves of Gračanica, Gornje Kusce and Velika Hoča in Kosovo and Metohija. Children and adolescents (5–19 years) of all ethnic groups were evaluated in one of the three free outpatient medical facilities in rural villages in Kosovo. Body weight and height were measured, height-for-age z- scores (HAZ) and BMI-for-age z-scores (BAZ) indicators were analyzed. The anthropometric indicators HAZ and BAZ distributions were compared between sex and ages using Fisher’s exact test. A two-sample Z-test for proportions was used to detect differences in individual categories of height- and BMI-for-age categories across sexes and age classes.ResultsThree hundred twenty-eight children and adolescents (184 females, 56.1% and 144 males, 43.9%) aged between 5 and 19 years were enrolled in the study. 241/328 participants showed a normal linear growth; with significantly more girls (78.3%) than boys (67.4%) being in the normal category. Similarly, a significant difference in BAZ distribution between sexes was noted, with more females being in the normal BMI category compared to males (63.0% vs 50.0%, respectively). Underweight and severe underweight subjects showed a prevalence of 1.5 and 0.6%, respectively. Overweight and obesity prevalence was 19.5 and 9.1%, respectively, which was comparable to World Health Organization overweight and obesity prevalence data for Serbia.ConclusionsPrevalence of undernutrition and severe undernutrition in children and adolescents living in three Serbian enclaves in Kosovo and Metohija is small. By contrast, a tendency to an increase in overweight and obesity, especially in the male population, was noted.

The Effect of Family Income on Stunting Incident in Preschool Children at Bogor City During COVID-19 Pandemic

Background: The global COVID-19 pandemic has increased the risk of malnutrition in young children,including stunting,especially those under five years old. Stunting incident was often found in low incomefamilies who were unable to afford nutritious food. During COVID-19 pandemic, certain types of foodmight not be available and affordable for some families. The stunting incident could be increased due todecline in family income, change in food availability and disruption to health and social services.Objective: To determine the effect of family income during COVID-19 pandemic on the incidence ofstunting in preschool children at PuspaBangsa Kindergarten, Bogor City.Method: This type of research was analytical survey with cross sectional approach. The total sample was35 families who had their children studied at PuspaBangsa Kindergarten. The instrument in this studywas filling out a questionnaire using Google Form on family income and weight of preschool children todetermine the incidence of stunting in preschool children.Conclusion: 7 participants (20%) were found with family income less than the Regional Minimum Wage.The results of univariate analysis for stunting incident variables were as followed: normal height category23 (65.7%) and very short height category 4 (11.4%). The statistical analysis obtained p-value = 0.02, whichmeans there was significant relationship between family income and the incidence of stunting at PuspaBangsa Kindergarten, Bogor City.

Association between height and hypertension among US adults: analyses of National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2007\u201318

BackgroundPrevious studies that investigated association of height with prevalence and control of hypertension found mixed results. This cross-sectional study explored these associations among US adults (≥20 years).MethodsThe National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2007–18 data was analyzed. Height was measured in meters and was converted into centimeters (cm) and was further divided into quartiles: Q1 (135.3–159.2 cm), Q2 (159.3–166.2 cm), Q3 (166.3–173.6 cm), Q4 (173.7–204.5 cm). Hypertension definition of the ‘2017 American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Guideline’ was used. Logistic regression analyses were conducted to find out the association between the dependent variable and the covariates. Linear regression analyses were conducted to find out the association of height with systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), pulse pressure (PP), and the covariates among the individuals who were not taking any antihypertensive drugs. Crude odds ratio, adjusted odds ratio (AOR), and adjusted beta-coefficient (for linear regression) with 95% confidence interval (CI) were reported. The following covariates were included: age, gender, race/ethnicity, family income, education level, cholesterol level, high-density lipoprotein level, chronic kidney disease status, diabetes status, smoker, aerobic leisure-time physical activity, and survey period. Sample weight of NHANES was adjusted.ResultsAmong the 21,935 participants (47.1% males), the prevalence of hypertension was 46.1%. Among 6154 participants taking medication (43.0% males), 57.2% had uncontrolled hypertension. In the final logistic regression analyses, participants in Q2 height quartile had 20% lower odds of being hypertensive compared to those in Q4 height quartile (AOR: 0.8; 95% CI: 0.7,1.0). Other height categories did not reveal any significant association. Compared to Q4 height category, Q1 (AOR: 1.7; 95% CI: 1.2,2.3), Q2 (AOR: 1.4; 95% CI: 1.1,1.8), and Q3 (AOR: 1.3; 95% CI: 1.1,1.6) height categories had higher odds of uncontrolled hypertension. PP was inversely associated and DBP was positively associated with height.ConclusionsAlthough height was not associated with prevalence of hypertension, it had inverse association with uncontrolled hypertension. It was also significantly associated with DBP and PP among the individuals with untreated hypertension.

Prediction of global damage index of reinforced concrete building using artificial neural network

Determination of structural damage index (DI) is tedious and time consuming process using the available conventional methods. Traditional multivariable regression (MVR) model had been fitted by researchers to find out global damage index (GDI) of buildings although the outcome was not up to the mark. In this paper, the GDI of 18 samples of 8-storey and 12-storey reinforced concrete (RC) buildings with nine irregular plans in each height category have been predicted using artificial neural network (ANN). The results show that maximum damage occurs at the ground storey and minimum damage occurs at the top storey for all cases considered. From the MVR model, it has been found that, inter-storey drift (IDR) and stiffness are not significant input parameters whereas, joint rotation, dissipated hysteretic energy, ductility, and peak roof displacement are the significant input parameters. Based on the numerical results derived, an ANN based GDI prediction model has been derived. In comparison to MVR model, the performance of ANN model is found to be satisfactory.

A New Atmospheric Dataset for GIIRS Sampled from ERA5 Using Shannon Entropy Method

Geostationary Interferometric Infrared Sounder (GIIRS) on board the new Chinese geostationary meteorological satellite Fengyun-4A is aimed to obtain three-dimensional atmospheric information regularly at the regional scale. Since the existing atmospheric datasets are global covered and they are not representative of the GIIRS detection area, a diverse and local representative atmospheric dataset is required for GIIRS in training transmittance parameterization scheme of fast radiative transfer model and retrieving atmospheric profiles. The new atmospheric dataset for GIIRS application in this paper is sampled from the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) fifth-generation reanalysis (ERA5) 2019 dataset using Shannon entropy sampling method. The new dataset demonstrates the feature of uniform distribution within multiple atmospheric variables’ (i.e. atmospheric temperature, specific humidity, 2 meter temperature) variation ranges and GIIRS’s spatial coverage. To address the issue derived from the climate difference and the varied vertical pressure structure of regions with great differences in topographic height, the study area is divided into six categories regarding of topographic height categories where atmospheric dataset are sampled separately. Seasonal variation is also taken into account in the process of sampling. Compared with the initial randomly sampled dataset, the atmospheric and 2 meter temperature in the new dataset demonstrate a higher level of uniformity within their variation ranges. The statistical results indicate that the differences between samples in the new dataset are enlarged, meanwhile, the new dataset well retains the statistical characteristics of the original ERA5 dataset. The new dataset has a potential in the study of the utility of GIIRS data in the numerical weather forecast.

Comparative Kinematic Analysis of Hurdle Clearance Technique in Dogs: A Preliminary Report

Simple SummaryHurdle jumping is part of the increasingly popular canine agility competition. Although the jumping characteristics of agility dogs have been examined in recent years, there is currently a lack of data related to the suspension phase. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the biomechanics of the suspension phase of the agility jump and to analyze the kinematic differences in dogs with different jumping abilities. Two groups of dogs competing at different skill levels and assessed as excellent jumpers and less-skilled jumpers, respectively, were analyzed and compared. Excellent jumpers showed longer and faster jumps with flatter jump trajectories than less-skilled jumpers. In less-skilled jumpers, the distance in front of the hurdle was notably greater than the distance behind it, while the difference between these two distances was less in excellent jumpers. Length and duration of the jump, maximal height of the jumping trajectory, take-off and landing distances to the hurdle, time of occurrence of maximal jump height, and time of change in back orientation essentially defines the suspension phase of the agility jump. This study presents preliminary evidence that the kinematic characteristics of hurdle clearance are different in excellent jumper dogs and in less-skilled jumper dogs.Although the jumping characteristics of agility dogs have been examined in recent years, there is currently a lack of data related to the suspension phase. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the biomechanics of the suspension phase of the agility jump and to analyze the kinematic differences in dogs with different jumping abilities. Two groups of dogs of the same height category (large dogs) competing at different skill levels and assessed as excellent jumpers (n = 4) and less-skilled jumpers (n = 3), respectively, were analyzed and statistically compared. Excellent jumpers showed longer and faster jumps with flatter jump trajectories than less-skilled jumpers. In less-skilled jumpers, the distance in front of the hurdle was notably greater than the distance behind it, while the difference between these two distances was less in excellent jumpers. Length and duration of the jump, maximal height of the jumping trajectory, take-off and landing distances to the hurdle, time of occurrence of maximal jump height, and time of change in back orientation essentially defines the suspension phase of the agility jump. This study presents preliminary evidence that the kinematic characteristics of hurdle clearance are different in excellent jumper dogs and in less-skilled jumper dogs.

Cross sectional comparison of chemical treatment on plant biodiversity at Neudamm farm, Namibia

This study determined the impact of Tebuthiuron application on plant biodiversity over a three-year period at Neudamm farm. A total of 40 (1m2) quadrats were randomly nested in three 250 m2 belt transects per each treatment to record the herbaceous plant density, species composition, dry matter and ground cover. Woody plant density, heights and canopy diameters were measured in each 250 m2 belt transects. A General Linear Model (GLM) procedure of SAS (2007) was used for analyses. The herbaceous biomass production was significantly higher (P &lt; 0.05) in chemically treated site of 2015 (975 Kg DM ha-1) and least in the other two sites. The chemically treated site of 2016 had greater (P &lt; 0.05) ground cover percentage than the other treatment sites. The canopy cover and woody plant densities in all woody height categories were higher (P &lt; 0.05) in the control and chemically treated site of 2017, than the other two sites. The study concluded that the Tebuthiuron had impacted on the plant biodiversity of treated rangelands by improving the herbaceous plant species, biomass yields and reduced bush density. The study recommends that aftercare practices and application of arboricides be carried out routinely to allow herbaceous plants recovery.&#x0D; Keywords: Bush encroachment, arboricides, plant density, biomass production, canopy

Forest fragmentation and defaunation drive an unusual ecological cascade: Predation release, monkey population outburst and plant demographic collapse

Anthropogenic habitat fragmentation combined with differential defaunation triggers complex trophic cascades. Here we test a Fragmentation-Defaunation Cascade Hypothesis by examining how a medium-sized monkey population outbreak, occurring in a predator-free forest fragment, lead to the decline of a dominant plant. We computed long-term population dynamics of Euterpe edulis (“palmito”) plants in a Brazilian Atlantic Forest landscape, where the palmito predator, capuchin monkey, becomes hyper-abundant in fragments devoid of monkey predators. Palmito plants (N = 1193) were marked and measured to define stage (height and diameter) categories in 2005, and then annually censused (2006–2015). Newly recruited plants within plots were marked and monitored throughout the 10-year period. Lefkovitch matrices for each transition year, population growth rate (λ), elasticity, and plant stage distribution showed a strong trend of demographic decline due to monkey lethal consumption of palm hearts. Indeed, λ calculations revealed that, by the end of the study period, palmito population was decreasing by 34% annually. A major shift in plant stage distribution occurred, in which the population became increasingly dominated by infants, while reproductives continuously declined, indicating that palmito will soon become extinct in this predator-free fragment. We conclude that differential defaunation in a forest fragment resulted insmall- and medium-sized mammal outbreaks negatively impacting the demography of a previously dominant host plant population. We posit that fragmentation-selective defaunation can disrupt animal communities, driving cascading effects which include plant demographic collapse and, potentially, severely altered forest community structure.

A perceptual pathway for voicing-conditioned vowel duration

When codas and vowels are cross-spliced, vowels originally produced with voiced codas are perceived as longer than vowels of the same duration produced with voiceless codas. The spliced coda has the opposite effect: Vowels presented with voiced codas are perceived as shorter. To explain what characteristics make vowels produced with voiced codas sound longer than vowels produced with voiceless codas, four experiments tested how acoustic correlates of voicing affect English speakers’ perception of vowel duration. Vowels were manipulated in a ten-step duration continuum, and listeners categorized each vowel as ‘long’ or ‘short.’ Study 1 tested effects of vowel height categories (/æ, ε, ɪ/) and within-category F1. Study 2 tested effects of intensity contour. Study 3 tested effects of spectral tilt. Perceived vowel duration increased with vowel height and rising intensity. Perceived vowel duration decreased with falling intensity and with higher spectral tilt. There was no effect of within-category F1. Study 4 confirmed that the effect of the original coda environment is not specific to English stimuli. The effects of spectral tilt and intensity contour on perceived duration provide a possible perceptual pathway for the development of voicing-conditioned vowel duration; coda voicing influences these characteristics and they in turn influence perceived vowel duration.

Wrist weight-bearing tolerance in healthy adults

Study DesignCross-sectional. IntroductionNo information is available in the literature regarding the amount of weight-bearing tolerance in a normal human wrist. Purpose of the StudyTo establish the normal limits of human wrist weight-bearing tolerance and to determine if gender, age and height are predictors of this weight-bearing tolerance. MethodsA sample (N = 465) of healthy adults ages 18-64 completed a questionnaire indicating their gender, age range and height. Subjects were instructed in performing a wrist weight-bearing tolerance test using a calibrated analog scale. The amount of pressure that the subject was able to apply to the scale in 3 independent trials was recorded and analyzed. ResultsA strong positive correlation was found between average weight- bearing values achieved through the right and left hands for the subjects of this study, r(463)= .97, P < .001. A 2-way analysis of covariance revealed main effects for both gender (20.9, 95% CI [15.7, 26.0] pounds, P < .001) and age (F(4, 454) = 6.143, P < .001, partial η2 = .051). The highest weight-bearing tolerance was observed in males and individuals 25-34 years of age. Multiple regression analysis affirmed that gender, height and age categories of 45-54 and 55 to 64 were all statistically significant predictors of wrist weight-bearing tolerance, P < .01. DiscussionThese results establish normal wrist weight-bearing tolerance values and demonstrate that gender, age and height are predictors of this weight-bearing tolerance. ConclusionThese results could allow identification of pathologies associated with wrist instability.

Impact of maternal height on birthweight classification in singleton births at term: a cohort study in The Netherlands

Objective To assess the association between maternal height and birthweight in a healthy population and to study the effect of maternal height on the classification of birthweight as small for gestational age (SGA) and large for gestational age (LGA). Methods A descriptive, observational retrospective study was conducted in a low risk population in the Netherlands. The study included term singleton healthy nonsmoking pregnant women with normal body mass index (n = 9291). We calculated the impact of maternal height on birthweight using multiple linear regression analyses with adjustment for gestational age, gender, and parity. We calculated the number of newborns classified as SGA and LGA using the cutoff point of the Dutch Birthweight chart, which does not customize for maternal height. Subsequently, we calculated the changes in classification from SGA and LGA to appropriate for gestational age (AGA) in case of customization for maternal height. Results A significant association was found between maternal height and birthweight; 15.0 g higher birthweight per extra cm maternal height (95% confidence interval 13.8–16.1; p<.001; R 2 model = 0.28). The incidence of SGA was 7.1% (range 17.4–2.0% form shortest to tallest maternal height category) and of LGA 8.4% (range 1.9–21.5% from shortest to tallest maternal height category). We calculated a shift in classification: 114 newborns (17.3%) in shorter (<167 cm) women previously SGA and 165 newborns (21.1%) in taller (>173 cm) women previously LGA were classified as AGA when controlling for maternal height. Conclusions Maternal height is significantly associated with birthweight. Birthweight charts customized for maternal height change classification in one out of six SGA or LGA newborns at term.

The effect of small versus large clog size on emergency response time: A randomized controlled trial.

To assess the effect on healthcare professional emergency response time and safety of small compared to large clog size. Randomized controlled trial. The intensive care unit of a single university medical centre in The Netherlands. Intensive care medicine professionals. Participants were randomized to wear European size 38 clogs (US male size 6½, US female size 7½) or European size 47 clogs (US male size 13½, US female size 14½) clogs and were required to run a 125m course from the coffee break room to the elevator providing access to the emergency department. The primary outcome was the time to complete the running course. Height, shoe size, self-described fitness, age and staff category were investigated as possible effect modifiers. Secondary endpoints were reported clog comfort and suspected unexpected clog-related adverse events (SUCRAEs). 50 participants were randomized (25 to European size 38 clogs and 25 to size 47 clogs). Mean age was 37years (SD 12) and 29 participants (58%) were female. The primary outcome was 4.4s (95% CI -7.1; -1.6) faster in the size 5 clogs group compared to the size 12 clogs group. This effect was not modified by any of the predefined participant characteristics. No differences were found in reported clog comfort or SUCRAEs. European size 38 clogs lead to faster emergency response times than size 47 clogs. NCT04406220.