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Studies link fatigue and sleep to MLB performance and career longevity

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Public release date: 30-May-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Lynn Celmer lcelmer@aasmnet.org American Academy of Sleep Medicine

DARIEN, IL Two new studies show that fatigue may impair strike-zone judgment during the 162 game Major League Baseball season, and a MLB player's sleepiness can predict his longevity in the league.

One study found that MLB players' strike-zone judgment was worse in September than in April in 24 of 30 teams. When averaged across all teams, strike-zone judgment was significantly worse in September compared with April. The statistical model demonstrated strong predictive value through the season.

"Plate discipline - as measured by a hitter's tendency to swing at pitches outside of the strike zone - got progressively worse over the course of a Major League Baseball season, and this decline followed a linear pattern that could be predicted by data from the six previous seasons," said principal investigator Scott Kutscher, MD, assistant professor of sleep and neurology at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, Tenn. "We theorize that this decline is tied to fatigue that develops over the course of the season due to a combination of frequency of travel and paucity of days off."

Data analysis tracked the frequency with which MLB batters swung at pitches outside of the strike zone during the 2012 season. Data were sorted by month for all 30 teams and compared between the first and last month of the season. Data for each team also were compared to a statistical model, based on data from the 2006 to 2011 seasons, which predicts a linear decline in strike-zone judgment per month.

Kutscher noted that the results are strikingly consistent and seem to contradict the conventional wisdom that plate discipline should improve during the season through frequent practice and repetition.

"Teams on the East or West Coast, with good or bad records, they all follow the same pattern of worsening plate discipline," he said. "This study suggests hitters always demonstrate the best judgment when at bat in the first month of the season."

He added that teams may be able to gain a competitive edge by focusing on fatigue management.

"A team that recognizes this trend and takes steps to slow or reverse it - by enacting fatigue-mitigating strategies, especially in the middle and late season, for example - can gain a large competitive advantage over their opponent," he said. "This may have already occurred, as the San Francisco Giants - an outlier in the study in that their plate discipline improved during the 2012 season - went on to win the World Series."

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Studies link fatigue and sleep to MLB performance and career longevity

Jermain Defoe inspired by Ryan Giggs' longevity

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Jermain Defoe believes Ryan Giggs' longevity has broken all the stereotypes for how long a top-flight career can last.

At 30, Defoe is nine years younger than Giggs, who has just signed a new contract at Manchester United that will take him beyond his 40th birthday.

Although Kevin Phillips will be even older than the Welshman should he remain on Crystal Palace's ride into the Premier League, it is Giggs, with his 13 league titles, who remains the example for others to follow.

Speaking on behalf of England Official Supporter and sponsor William Hill, Defoe said: "It has changed.

"Years ago people used to say 'when you get to 30 you only have a couple more years'. But with all the sports science and the recovery work you can play for a lot longer.

"Look at Ryan Giggs. It is unbelievable how he is still playing well at the top level. If you look after yourself it is not a problem."

Like Giggs, Defoe has taken a personal approach to his fitness.

For the United man, yoga was the key to maintaining the suppleness he needed to be effective.

As a striker, Defoe has different needs.

He has addressed them through regular close-season visits to veteran French fitness expert Tiberius Darau, who pushed the forward to a level he thought was impossible.

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Jermain Defoe inspired by Ryan Giggs' longevity

Rapid Identification and Strain Typing of Salmonella in Food Using Genome Sequence Scanning Technology

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Woburn, MA (PRWEB) May 30, 2013

PathoGenetix, Inc., a commercial-stage developer of an automated system for rapid bacterial identification, has announced new research demonstrating the use of Genome Sequence Scanning (GSS) technology to confirm and identify pathogenic Salmonella strains in enriched spinach samples in less than five hours. The study findings were detailed in a poster presented last week at the General Meeting of the American Society for Microbiology in Denver.

The results demonstrate the ability of GSS to shorten the time for pathogen subtyping and serotype determination from an enriched food sample, and to quickly derive additional strain and serotype information from the numerous pathogen screening tests commonly used in the food industry. Because GSS isolates and scans microbial DNA directly from a mixed culture and does not require a pure culture isolate, it greatly reduces the time, complexity, skill and cost required by other molecular and whole genome identification approaches. As a result, GSS can enable quicker decisions affecting food safety and public health. The GSS technology will be commercially available in 2014 in the RESOLUTION Microbial Genotyping System.

The research spiked ten common Salmonella strains in leafy spinach greens including multiple serotypes of Typhimurium and Enteritidis, as well as the Javiana, Newport, Montevideo and Heidelberg serotypes. The test samples modeled presumptive-positive enriched food samples like those that would result from a pathogen screening test indicating the presence of Salmonella. Additional non-Salmonella bacteria were added to half of the test samples to evaluate the technologys ability to identify and strain type Salmonella in the presence of competing background microorganisms.

Of the 120 samples spiked with Salmonella, GSS positively identified the correct Salmonella serotype in 116 of the samples. (Salmonella was not detected in four samples, due to poor growth of Salmonella in the enrichment of the initial sample, not related to the GSS technology.) The strain type information provided by GSS was comparable to pulsed field gel electrophoresis (PFGE), the current standard for pathogen typing in foodborne outbreak investigation and response. No false positives were recorded from the 12 control samples that had not been spiked with Salmonella.

According to the 2011 Estimates for Foodborne Illness from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Salmonella is the second most common pathogen contributing to domestically acquired foodborne illnesses, causing well over one million illnesses (1,027,561) each year. It tops the list in number of hospitalizations and deaths, and is responsible for an estimated 19,336 hospitalizations (35%) and 378 deaths (28%) each year.

Other research presented by PathoGenetix at ASM showed that GSS also can be used to reliably differentiate and strain type pathogenic E. coli, including the most frequently isolated STEC (Shiga toxin-producing E. coli) serotypes from both sporadic cases and multiple foodborne illness outbreaks.

About PathoGenetix, Inc. PathoGenetix, Inc. is a commercial-stage developer of an automated system for rapid bacterial identification from complex samples. PathoGenetix is a venture-backed company that has received more than $50 million in technology development funding from the Department of Homeland Security. The core GSS technology isolates and analyzes DNA directly from an enriched biological samplewithout the need for a cultured isolateand provides results in just five hours, days faster than current methods. GSS has broad applicability in food safety, industrial microbiology, and clinical diagnostics and research. The first commercial GSS system will be available in 2014 for use in food safety testing and foodborne illness outbreak investigations. Learn more at http://www.pathogenetix.com.

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Rapid Identification and Strain Typing of Salmonella in Food Using Genome Sequence Scanning Technology

MCC student earns summer internship in molecular biology

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Ashley Wallin wanted to be a nurse until she took a microbiology class at Mohave Community College.

Science is definitely for me, said the 19-year-old Lake Havasu High School graduate. I was in love with everything we talked about. Its like there is an entire world (of microbiology) around you that you cant see and people dont think about on a daily basis. Its like discovering new life.

With the encouragement of MCCs science faculty, Wallin began to research summer science internships, eventually applying for nearly 20.

I was excited when my microbiology professor, Dr. Mat Routh, told me about internship possibilities. I had no idea they even existed, she said. I just went out there and took every opportunity I could find.

In March, Wallin was driving to her chemistry lab class on the Havasu campus when her cell phone rang. It was the University of Minnesota, which offers a genetics internship that accepts only 14 students nationally.

I started to cry. It was a long shot, but applying actually worked, she said. I felt like I won the lottery.

Wallin leaves today for the 10-week paid summer internship with the University of Minnesotas Life Sciences Summer Undergraduate Research Program in Molecular Genetics and Proteomics. The program paid for Wallins roundtrip travel expenses, housing and meals, in addition to a $4,000 stipend. The total compensation is expected to equal $8,600, according to the programs website.

The interns will first spend three weeks at the Lake Itasca Biological Station and Laboratories before completing the program on the Minneapolis campus. The molecular genetics laboratory course is designed to teach the interns basic techniques used in gene cloning and practical experience in protein analysis before initiating their own research projects.

During those weeks, Wallin will work with an experienced scientist to investigate the possibility of using bacteria to clean polluted water or produce electricity. Its a new area for Wallin, who has been more focused on medical science.

I think it will be good to get to see this side of it, said Wallin, who plans on earning a Ph.D. and eventually becoming a professor or a lab scientist. She is well on her way, having finished classes at MCC this spring and transferred to Arizona State Universitys Lake Havasu campus to complete a bachelors degree in life sciences.

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MCC student earns summer internship in molecular biology

Rejuvenation MD NYC Celebrates First Year in Hell’s Kitchen

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New York, New York (PRWEB) May 30, 2013

The Rejuvenation MD NYC medical spa offers personalized, non-surgical aesthetic care. The company recently celebrated its very successful first year in Hells Kitchen. The practice offers the most advanced personalized cosmetic care for clients who want to recapture their youth, including Botox and dermal filler treatments and chemical peels and physician-directed skincare. Treatment options also include the revolutionary Belotero, an FDA-approved dermal filler that is very effective at treating very fine, surface/superficial wrinkles, such as perioral lines and faint smile lines.

Rejuvenations approach to physician-directed skincare is based entirely on the needs of the individual. Each client enjoys a comprehensive, personalized analysis treatment plan at no charge. Over the past year, Rejuvenation has enhanced the self-esteem of hundreds of individuals by reducing wrinkles, erasing age spots, smoothing skin, and offering many other anti-aging services.

The success of the medical spa is directly related to the outpouring of positive reviews for Rejuvenation offered by the many satisfied customers that have benefited from their services.

Dr. Philip O. Roux-Lough, the chief physician at Rejuvenation MD NYC, explains his interest in cosmetic medicine: After retiring as a neurosurgeon, I wanted to get into a field that enhances clients well-being by boosting their self-esteem. Im overwhelmed by the communitys positive reviews for Rejuvenation in response to what our medical spa is doing in the area, and I look forward to many more years of helping people to look and feel their best.

Dr. Phillip O. Roux-Lough, who was trained at both Harvard and Johns Hopkins, is at the forefront of the practice. After years as a top neurosurgeon, Dr. Philip decided to focus on aesthetic medical care. His passion for improving well-being through cosmetic care was ignited when he witnessed the negative impact cancer treatment had on his sisters self-esteem.

Dr. Roux-Lough is certified by the International Association for Physicians in Ascetic Medicine and the American Society for Lasers in Medicine and Surgery.

About Rejuvenation MD NYC Rejuvenation MD NYC is a non-surgical cosmetic practice located in New York, NY offering comprehensive care for the face and neck. The practice opened an office in March of 2013. The chief physician, Dr. Phillip Roux-Lough, is a fully trained and certified aesthetic cosmetic professional whose passion is providing clients with self-esteem enhancing, revitalizing cosmetic procedures. For more information, please visit http://www.rejuvenationmdnyc.com or look at Rejuvenations reviews here.

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Rejuvenation MD NYC Celebrates First Year in Hell’s Kitchen

Research by the Montana Center for Work Physiology and Exercise Metabolism Proves Heat Stroke Death Can Occur Even …

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Missoula, MT (PRWEB) May 29, 2013

Each year, more than 1,000 people die from heat stroke in the United States. Long thought to be the product of dehydration, traditional prevention and treatment of heat related illness has been to drink more water. More recent research by the University of Montana's Center for Work Physiology and Exercise Metabolism (Montana WPEM) has proven that, while proper hydration is important, the key step to preventing heat stroke is to recognize when one is working too hard for the given environment and slowing down or stopping.

One can absolutely suffer and even die from heat stroke even when properly hydrated, said Dr. Brent Ruby, Director of Montana WPEM. Prevention of heat stroke starts with recognizing our own limits while being active in hot environments. Our bodies are sending us signals to slow down and stop; we just have to know when to say when.

The first stage of heat related illness is heat cramps with symptoms including painful muscle aches. The next stage is heat exhaustion with symptoms such as headache, nausea, dizziness, weakness, irritability, thirst and heavy sweating. Without taking steps to cool down, heat exhaustion can quickly progress to heat stroke when the body becomes overwhelmed by heat and is unable to regulate its core temperature. Symptoms of heat stroke include, sweating stops and the victim may become confused, lose consciousness, and have seizures. Heat stroke is a medical emergency that may result in death.

In cases of HRI (heat related illness) that are developed during exertional heat stress, the individual is working too hard for the environment they are in and likely thinks -- if I can stay hydrated, I will be fine, explained Ruby. But, thats the wrong thinking. Even aggressive hydration strategies that attempt to match fluid loss one-to-one will not prevent the HRI. Knowing when to stop is the crucial step in prevention of heat stroke.

Dr. Brent Ruby, Ph.D., FACSM is Director of the Montana Center for Work Physiology and Exercise Metabolism (Montana WPEM) at the University of Montana and a fellow of the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM). Dr. Rubys research interests include nutritional strategies during ultra-endurance work/competition, muscle metabolism during and after exercise, the use of stable isotope tracers for the measure of water turnover and energy expenditure, and issues surrounding heat stress during arduous work. Differentiating Montana WPEM from other labs, Ruby created a solar powered, mobile lab that allows controlled laboratory research to be meshed with raw field data to draw scientific conclusions.

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Research by the Montana Center for Work Physiology and Exercise Metabolism Proves Heat Stroke Death Can Occur Even ...