Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2006. / Title from title screen (site viewed on Feb. 8, 2007). PDF text: 69 p. UMI publication number: AAT 3218334. Includes bibliographical references. Also available in microfilm and microfiche format.

Thesis (M.Sc.)--York University, 2004. Graduate Programme in Kinesiology and Health Science. / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 61-64). Also available on the Internet. MODE OF ACCESS via web browser by entering the following URL:http://gateway.proquest.com/openurl?url%5Fver=Z39.88-2004&res%5Fdat=xri:pqdiss&rft%5Fval%5Ffmt=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:dissertation&rft%5Fdat=xri:pqdiss:MQ99385

Ultraviolet radiation (UV-R) is an environmental factor known to increase the risk of developing an irreversible opacification of the lens (cataract). Increased irradiance of UV-R to the earth because of depletion of stratospheric ozone is of current concern considering cataract formation. Detailed metabolic information from the cornea, lens and aqueous humour might give valuable knowledge on the biochcemical processes occurring in the eye after exposure to UV-R, and thereby a better understanding of the mechanisms by which UV-R induces cataractogenesis. The purpose of this thesis was to study metabolic effects of exposure to UV-R on the anterior part of the eye. Effects of UV-B (280-315 nm) and UV-A (315-400 nm) on the aqueous humour, cornea and the lens from animal models were investigated by 1H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. Since the lens is composed of functionally distinct anatomical compartments, with different metabolic activity, biochemical changes in various compartments of the lens were analyzed. Application of NMR-based metabonomics was effective to analyze metabolic changes in the anterior part of the eye after exposure to UV-R. High-resolution (HR) magic angle spinning (MAS) 1H NMR spectroscopy provided high quality spectra from intact tissue of cornea and lens, and provided important information about metabolic alteration occurring in these tissues after exposure to UV-R. The results from this thesis show that in vivo UV-B radiation affects metabolism of the anterior compartments of the eye. Metabolic changes were observed in aqueous humour, cornea, lens and in the different compartments of the lens. The antioxidants, glutathione and ascorbate, several amino acids, high energetic phosphates, and compounds important for membrane building and osmoregulation were substantially altered after exposure to UV-B radiation. Several biochemical effects such as oxidation, membrane disruption, osmoregulatory problems, lipid peroxidation, problems with cellular signalling and impairment of growth and protein synthesis were suggested. After UV-A exposure, no observable metabolic alterations were found in the anterior part of the eye in the present animal models.

The purpose of this thesis was to study the injury characteristics in elite football, and risk factors for injury with special emphasis on anterior cruciate ligament injury. All five papers followed a prospective design using a standardised methodology. Individual training and match exposure was recorded for all players participating as well as all injuries resulting in time loss. Severe injury was defined as absence from play longer than 4 weeks. In Paper I, all 14 teams in the Swedish men’s elite league were studied during the 2001 season. In this paper, all tissue damage regardless of subsequent time loss was also recorded. There were no differences in injury incidence between the two injury definitions during match play (27.2 vs. 25.9 injuries per 1000 hours, p=0.66) or training (5.7 vs. 5.2 injuries per 1000 hours, p=0.65). Significantly higher injury incidences for training injury, overuse injury and re-injury were found during the pre-season compared to the competitive season. Thigh strain was the single most common injury (14%). In Paper II, 8% of all players in the Swedish men’s elite league 2001 had a history of previous ACL injury at the start of the study period. These players had a higher incidence of new knee injury during the season than players without previous ACL injury (4.2 vs. 1.0 injuries per 1000 hours, p=0.02). The higher incidence of new knee injury was seen both when using the player (relative risk 3.4, 95% CI 1.8-6.3) and the knee (relative risk 4.5, 95% CI 2.3-8.8) as the unit of analysis. In Paper III, eleven clubs in the men’s elite leagues of five European countries were studied during the 2001-2002 season. The incidence of match injury was higher for the English and Dutch teams compared to the Mediterranean teams (41.8 vs. 24.0 injuries per 1000 hours, p=0.008) as well as the incidence of severe injury (2.0 vs. 1.1 injuries per 1000 hours, p=0.04). Players having international duty had a higher match exposure (42 vs. 28 matches, p<0.001), but a tendency to a lower training injury incidence (4.1 vs. 6.2 injuries per 1000 hours, p=0.051). Thigh strain was the most common injury (16%) with posterior strains being more frequent than anterior ones (67 vs. 36, p<0.0001). In Paper IV, the national teams of all 32 countries that qualified for the men’s European Championship 2004, the women’s European Championship 2005 and the men’s Under-19 European Championship 2005 were studied during the tournaments. There were no differences in match and training injury incidences between the championships. Teams eliminated after the group stage in the women’s championship had a significantly higher match injury incidence compared to teams going to the semi-finals (65.4 vs. 5.0 injuries per 1000 hours, p=0.02). Non-contact mechanisms were ascribed for 41% of the match injuries and these injuries were more common in the second half. In Paper V, all 12 clubs in the Swedish women’s elite league and 11 of 14 clubs in the men’s elite league were studied during the 2005 season. The prevalence of a history of previous ACL injury at the start of the study was three times higher among the female players (15% vs. 5%, p=0.0002). During the season, 16 new ACL injuries were recorded. There was a tendency to a lower mean age at injury among the women (20 vs. 24 years, p=0.069). Adjusted for age, no gender-related difference in the incidence of ACL injury was seen (relative risk 0.99, 95% CI 0.37-2.6). Age was associated with ACL injury incidence in women where the risk decreased by 24% for each year increase in age (relative risk 0.76, 95% CI 0.59-0.96).

Introduction: Ballet dancers’ body weight and BMI have been shown to be below recommended levels, and total energy intake is often sustained at a level below the predicted energy requirement. Less is known about the ability of dancers to manage energy balance (EB) during the day, as energy requirements fluctuate as a result of periods of rest and intense activity. Compromised EB may result in decreased athletic performance, higher body fat percentage, and increased injury risk. Purpose: To assess within-day energy balance (WIDEB) during a typical training day in a group of pre-professional ballet dancers and dancers in the early years of professional careers, and to assess the relationship between inadequate EB and injury rates in these dancers. Methods: A two part assessment tool was developed to measure energy intake and energy expenditure hour by hour within a single 24 hour time period. Body mass index (BMI), resting energy expenditure, total day energy balance, and energy deficits > -400 kcal were also used in analysis. Participants were asked to document number of injuries incurred within the previous dance season, and how many days the injury resulted in one or more complete or partial sessions of time lost beyond the injury itself. Data analysis included descriptive statistics, t-tests, and Spearman’s correlation to evaluate relationships between EB and injury rates. Results: Data were collected from 21 (5 males, 16 females) pre-professional and professional ballet dancers from the Atlanta Ballet. Average BMI was 21.9 ±1.4 for male dancers (MD) and 19.1 ±1.0 for female dancers (FD). Negative energy balance (EB) was found at hour 24 in 90.5% participants. Average energy intake for all dancers was 2,382 kcal (± 921) and the average predicted energy expenditure was 3,317 kcal (± 592). Mean EB at hour 24 for all participants was -781.2 (±689.4). The average day EB for males was -223.6 (±629.7) and -1156.9 (±582.5) for females. The largest energy deficits (>900 kcal) compared to estimated expenditures were found between the hours 17 and 20. Participants spent an average of 660.0 (±192.6) minutes per day in negative EB > - 400 kcal. Total group (TG) injury days and energy deficit data (number of minutes > - 400 kcal) were not significantly correlated. Number of minutes > - 400 kcal and number of injuries reported per dancer were correlated (r = -0.44 P = 0.046). MD (n = 5) injury days were significantly associated with EB at hours 1 through 7 (r = 0.90 P = 0.37). MD total number of times injured was associated with EB at hours 1 through 7 (r = 0.89 P = 0.04). A significant association was found in FD between number of times injured and deficits > - 400 kcal. Conclusions: Ballet dancers have significant energy deficits during a typical training day therefore increasing their risk for injuries. Nutrition education would be a key component of an injury prevention program for dancers.

The incidence and long-term effects of traumatic brain injury (TBI) make it a major healthcare and socioeconomic concern. Cell transplantation may be an alternative therapy option to target prolonged neurological deficits; however, safety and efficacy of the cells must be determined. Bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are an accessible and expandable cell source which circumvent the many of the accessibility and ethical concerns associated with fetal tissues. A major impediment to recent clinical trials for cell therapies in the central nervous system has been the lack of consistency in functional recovery where some patients receive great benefits while others experience little, if any, effect (Watts and Dunnett 2000; Lindvall and Bjorklund 2004). There are many possible explanations for this patient-to-patient variability including genetic and environmental factors, surgical techniques, and donor cell variability. Of these, the most easily addressable is to increase the reproducibility of donor cells by standardizing the isolation and pre-transplantation protocols, which is the central goal of this dissertation. First, we present an animal study in which transplants of MSCs and neural stem cells (NSCs) were given to brain-injured mice, however, the efficacy of the treatment had high variability between individual subjects. Second, we designed a method to produce MSC-spheres and characterize them in vitro. Last, we employed an in vitro 3-D culture testbed as a pre-transplant injury model to assess the effects of the MSC-spheres on neural cells. The electrophysiological function of the uninjured testbed was assessed, and then MSC-spheres were injected into the testbed and apoptosis of the host cells were measured. The results of this study contribute to our understanding of how extracellular context may influence MSC-spheres and develop MSCs as a donor cell source for transplantation.

The construction industry is known for its high accident rate which leads to numerous fatalities every year. Currently, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requires injury/illness recording forms to be completed only for injuries requiring medical treatment and fatalities. The assertion of this paper is that underlying problems can be best determined through the causes of first-aid injuries that have the potential to prevent serious injuries in the future. Therefore, by classifying and recording first-aid cases on project sites, the common trend type of injury can be followed and appropriate measures can be taken to eliminate hazards. The main objective of this research is to establish a comprehensive standardized database to record first-aid injury cases, injuries requiring medical treatment and fatalities all in one. The recording format described in this research will facilitate the analysis of the data in a more effective manner which can subsequently be used to develop pre-emptive measures to eliminate common causes for construction injuries. In order, to create the Form, 900 sets of injury data were obtained from an industrial construction firm and analyzed. These data provided a good indication of the classification system adopted by industries today. The proposed Injury and Illness Database/Form (I

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 2000. / Typescript. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves [106]-130). Also available on the Internet.

Thesis (Ed. D.)--West Virginia University, 2001. / Title from document title page. Document formatted into pages; contains viii, 164 p. : ill. Includes abstract. Includes bibliographical references (p. 115-123).

Dissertation (Ph.D.)--University of Toledo, 2009. / "In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Biomedical Sciences." Title from title page of PDF document. Bibliography: p. 128-144.