Explore the vast range of titles available.

Participation in women’s rugby league has been growing since the foundation of the English women’s rugby league Super League in 2017. However, the evidence base to inform women’s rugby league remains sparse. This study provides the largest quantification of anthropometric and physical qualities of women’s rugby league players to date, identifying differences between positions (forwards & backs) and playing level (Women’s Super League [WSL] vs. International). The height, weight, body composition, lower body strength, jump height, speed and aerobic capacity of 207 players were quantified during the pre-season period. Linear mixed models and effects sizes were used to determine differences between positions and levels. Forwards were significantly (p < 0.05) heavier (forwards: 82.5 ± 14.8kg; backs: 67.7 ± 9.2kg) and have a greater body fat % (forwards: 37.7 ± 6.9%; backs: 30.4 ± 6.3%) than backs. Backs had significantly greater lower body power measured via jump height (forwards: 23.5 ± 4.4cm; backs: 27.6 ± 4.9cm), speed over 10m (forwards: 2.12 ± 0.14s; backs: 1.98 ± 0.11s), 20m (forwards: 3.71 ± 0.27s; backs: 3.46 ± 0.20s), 30m (forwards: 5.29 ± 0.41s; backs: 4.90 ± 0.33s), 40m (forwards: 6.91 ± 0.61s; backs: 6.33 ± 0.46s) and aerobic capacity (forwards: 453.4 ± 258.8m; backs: 665.0 ± 298.2m) than forwards. Additionally, international players were found to have greater anthropometric and physical qualities in comparison to their WSL counterparts. This study adds to the limited evidence base surrounding the anthropometric and physical qualities of elite women’s rugby league players. Comparative values for anthropometric and physical qualities are provided which practitioners may use to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of players, informing training programs to prepare players for the demands of women’s rugby league.

This is the first study to assess longitudinal changes in anthropometric, physiological, and physical qualities of international women’s rugby league players. Thirteen forwards and 11 backs were tested three times over a 10-month period. Assessments included: standing height and body mass, body composition measured by dual x-ray absorptiometry (DXA), a blood panel, resting metabolic rate (RMR) assessed by indirect calorimetry, aerobic capacity (i.e., V ˙ O 2 max ) evaluated by an incremental treadmill test, and isometric force production measured by a force plate. During the pre-season phase, lean mass increased significantly by ~2% for backs (testing point 1: 47 kg; testing point 2: 48 kg) and forwards (testing point 1: 50 kg; testing point 2: 51 kg) (p = ≤ 0.05). Backs significantly increased their V ˙ O 2 max by 22% from testing point 1 (40 ml kg -1 min -1 ) to testing point 3 (49 ml kg -1 min -1 ) (p = ≤ 0.04). The V ˙ O 2 max of forwards increased by 10% from testing point 1 (41 ml kg -1 min -1 ) to testing point 3 (45 ml kg -1 min -1 ), however this change was not significant (p = ≥ 0.05). Body mass (values represent the range of means across the three testing points) (backs: 68 kg; forwards: 77–78 kg), fat mass percentage (backs: 25–26%; forwards: 30–31%), resting metabolic rate (backs: 7 MJ day -1 ; forwards: 7 MJ day -1 ), isometric mid-thigh pull (backs: 2106–2180 N; forwards: 2155–2241 N), isometric bench press (backs: 799–822 N; forwards: 999–1024 N), isometric prone row (backs: 625–628 N; forwards: 667–678 N) and bloods (backs: ferritin 21–29 ug/L, haemoglobin 137–140 g/L, iron 17–21 umol/L, transferrin 3 g/L, transferring saturation 23–28%; forwards: ferritin 31–33 ug/L, haemoglobin 141–145 g/L, iron 20–23 umol/L, transferrin 3 g/L, transferrin saturation 26–31%) did not change (p = ≥ 0.05). This study provides novel longitudinal data which can be used to better prepare women rugby league players for the unique demands of their sport, underpinning female athlete health.

Purpose Many areas of medicine have shown bias towards the publication of studies with positive results. To estimate publication bias in the anesthesia literature, we reviewed all abstracts presented at the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) annual meetings over a four-year period and compared study results (positive vs negative) with publication outcomes. Methods This review included all abstracts from the 2001-2004 ASA annual meetings performed as randomized-controlled trials in humans. We scored their outcome results as positive or negative and assessed abstract quality using a 13-point scoring system. We then performed a systematic literature search to identify any subsequent publication of the studies and calculated the relative risk (RR) for journal publication by comparing positive vs negative studies. Results Of 5,918 abstracts reviewed, 1,052 met inclusion criteria, and 564 (53.6%) of the abstracts proceeded to publication. The RR for abstracts with positive results proceeding to journal publication was 1.42 (95% confidence interval, 1.22 to 1.66; P < 0.001). This result did not change significantly after adjusting for study size and abstract quality score during logistic regression modelling. There was no significant difference in the abstract quality score between positive vs negative studies or between abstracts proceeding vs not proceeding to publication. Conclusions Approximately half of the ASA annual meeting abstracts proceed to publication. After adjustment for study quality and size, abstracts with positive results were more likely to proceed to journal publication than those with negative results, suggesting publication bias in the anesthesia literature.

Background. Approximately 0.7% of the Canadian population is infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV), and many individuals are unaware of their infection. Our objectives were to utilize an emergency department (ED) based point-of-care (POC) HCV screening test to describe our local population and estimate the proportion of high-risk patients in our population with undiagnosed HCV. Methods. A convenience sample of medically stable patients (≥18 years) presenting to a community ED in Calgary, AB, between April and July 2018 underwent rapid clinical screening for HCV risk factors, including history of injection drug use, healthcare in endemic countries, and other recognized criteria. High-risk patients were offered POC HCV testing. Antibody-positive patients underwent HCV-RNA testing and were linked to hepatology care. The primary outcome was the proportion of new HCV diagnoses in the high-risk population. Results. Of the 999 patients screened by survey, 247 patients (24.7%) were high-risk and eligible for testing. Of these, 123 (49.8%) were from HCV-endemic countries, while 63 (25.5%) and 31 (12.6%) patients endorsed a history of incarceration and intravenous drug use (IVDU), respectively. A total of 144 (58.3%) eligible patients agreed to testing. Of these, 6 patients were POC-positive (4.2%, CI 0.9–7.4%); all 6 had antibodies detected on confirmatory lab testing and 4 had detectable HCV-RNA viral loads in follow-up. Notably, 103 (41.7%) patients declined POC testing. Interpretation. Among 144 high-risk patients who agreed to testing, the rate of undiagnosed HCV infection was 4.2%, and the rate of undiagnosed HCV infection with detectable viral load was 2.8%. Many patients with high-risk clinical criteria refused POC testing. It is unknown if tested and untested groups have the same disease prevalence. This study shows that ED HCV screening is feasible and that a small number of previously undiagnosed patients can be identified and linked to potentially life-changing care.

The pressures to internationalise and globalise research and higher education have created tensions between local and global influences in several Central Asian (CA) countries. Governments in CA have established national targets to expand knowledge production and dissemination to enhance their global standings. Similar efforts in other non-western contexts have resulted in cloning research ethics practices of the global north. In CA, it is timely to consider the fit between international principlists’ research ethics approaches and local cultural contexts by discussing and assessing sources of authority influencing policy development in three Muslim-majority secular countries: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan. This discussion is particularly important for research in the social sciences, which is currently unregulated by national codes in these countries. The cultural values emanating from contemporary and historical socio-cultural practices will be considered concerning their compatibility, contradiction and potential for compromise with contemporary international research ethics. The paper’s conclusions may inform future national policy development in these countries and have relevance to other comparable jurisdictions inside and outside CA.

It is claimed that digital diplomacy will radically change how diplomats engage with the populace in the countries to which they are stationed. Facebook in particular is seen as a means by which embassies can speak to sections of the local population that have previously been difficult to engage. The European Union has signalled its intent to embrace social media more purposefully and meaningfully as part of its diplomatic effort. This article examines those claims made for digital diplomacy relying on data that show the patterns of use of Facebook by European embassies in Kazakhstan. The results show that, primarily, Facebook’s features are used for one-way communication of banal and routine information. However, little policy dialogue is evident.

The dichotomy of Self/Other prevails in shaping identity. This article asks how and to what extent the elements of the EU's image produced by media discourse shape the national identity of Kazakhstan. It contends that a state's identity can be formulated not in opposition-that is, not 'Us against Them'-but rather, 'Us as One of Them'. It argues that, in the case of Kazakhstan, the predominantly positive media discourse about the EU 'Other' contributes to a positive formulation of the Self via the legitimisation of the domestic regime on the national and international levels.

This study investigates the relations between the People’s Republic of China and seven small European states with particular reference to China’s Belt and Road Initiative. It highlights the gap between the rhetoric of economic liberalism and the realities of neo-mercantilism with Chinese characteristics. The article analyses China’s geopolitical strategy and its support of infrastructural projects abroad in relation to the “China Dream” as articulated by Xi Jinping. The impact of engaging with a more assertive China for smaller countries is examined. The article concludes that, increasingly, there is a distinction in the EU between liberal and illiberal democracies. China’s preference for bilateral relations with countries on the BRI is informed by its broader geopolitical aims that resonate well with the neo-mercantilist model. The impact of China’s stance seems to be more muted in the more democratic small nations and more pronounced in autocracies.

Transitioning the BSR from the Health and Safety Executive into a new standalone executive agency under the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, paving the way for the creation of a single construction regulator as recommended by the Grenfell Tower Inguiry phase 2 report. * Appointing the former London Fire Brigade (LFB) commissioner Andy Roe as chair, and the LFB director of prevention, protection and operation policy Charlie Pugsley as chief executive, of the new agency. * Launching a fast-track process for complete, compliant applications. * Recruiting over 100 new technical experts - including fire engineers, structural specialists, and case officers - to improve decision-making speed and consistency. [...]the BSR has developed a range of practical tools and resources, including: * updated online guidance supporting the application portal * webinars, engagement sessions and detailed Q&As that also provide guidance * anonymised case studies that highlight common pitfalls and explain how the BSR has identified critical fire safety failings * working with the construction industry to respond to any challenges identified. Fire safety, Planning and development management, Rules of Conduct and professionalism RICS Fire Safety Conference 15-16 October | 08:30 - 13:20 BST | Online The fire safety landscape across the UK and Ireland is changing rapidly.

BackgroundThere is a lack of injury research in elite women’s rugby league, and the research in the men’s game is outdated. Therefore, injury epidemiology research is required.ObjectiveTo compare match injury incidence, severity, and burden in elite rugby league. DesignProspective cohort studySettingElite men’s and women’s rugby league in EnglandParticipants98% of teams recorded dataAssessment of Risk FactorsIndependent variables were level (men’s or women’s), and the characteristics were injury region, location, mechanism, and time in match with an interaction term between the two independent variables. Main Outcome MeasurementsTime loss injury and match exposure data were collected across two seasons. Injury incidence (number of injuries per 1,000-hrs of matches), injury severity (days lost due to injury) and burden (days lost due to injury per 1,000-hrs of matches) were calculated. ResultsThere were 618 and 321 injuries from 11,301 and 5,244 hours of match exposure for men and women. Injury incidence (men: 54 [45 to 65]; women: 60 [49 to 74] p=0.39) and burden (men: 2332 [1844 to 2951]; women: 1951 [1560 to 2440] p=0.26) did not differ between men and women despite injury severity being greater for men (men: 42 [35 to 50]; women; 35 [29 to 42] p=0.01). Head/face had the highest injury incidence for men (12 [9–16]) and women (13 [9–18]). Being tackled was the predominant injury mechanism accounting for 28% and 38% of injuries for men and women.ConclusionsMen and women rugby league players have similar injury incidence and burden, however injury severity is greater in men’s rugby league. Head/face injuries have the highest injury incidence, which should be focus for injury prevention initiatives. Injury prevention interventions are required in rugby league at a law, player and coach level in both men’s and women’s rugby league.